No one answered, and he did not repeat his question.
"I am sorry that I am disturbing your feminine realm," said he, looking angrily at them all, and perceiving that they were talking about something which they would not talk about in his presence. For an instant he felt that he shared Agafya Mikhaïflovna's sentiments—her dissatisfaction at the Shcherbatsky way of making preserves without water, and especially the alien regime of his wife's family! Nevertheless, he smiled and went up to Kitty. "Well, how is it?" he asked, looking at her with the same expression every one used in addressing her.
"All right," said Kitty, with a smile; "and how is it with you?"
"The three-horse team will take a larger load than we can put on the telyega. Shall we go to meet the children? I have ordered the men to harness."
"What, are you going to take Kitty in the linyeïka[1]?" exclaimed the princess, reproachfully.
"We shall walk the horses, princess."
Levin never called the princess "maman," as his brothers-in-law did, and the princess resented it. But Levin, though he loved and respected her, could not call her so without doing violence to his feelings toward the memory of his own mother.
"Come with us, maman," said Kitty.
"I do not wish to countenance such imprudence!"
"Well, then, I will walk; that is good for me," said Kitty, rising to take her husband's arm.
"Good for you! But there's reason in all things," said the princess.
"Well, Agafya Mikhaïlovna, are your preserves done? Is the new method good?" asked Levin, smiling at the housekeeper in his desire to cheer her.
"Perhaps they're good; but, in my opinion, much overdone."
"There's one thing about them that's better, Agafya Mikhaïlovna, they won't spoil," said Kitty, divining her husband's intention, and with the same feeling addressing the old servant. "And you know the ice in the ice-
- ↑ Linyeïka is a wide drozhsky with several seats
