had lost them or left them on the table. In the
pocketbook there were thirty-seven pounds, and so the matter
could not be left in uncertainty.

"Do you know what, Levin, I'll gallop home on that left
trace-horse. That will be splendid. Eh?" he said, preparing to
get out.

"No, why should you?" answered Levin, calculating that Vassenka
could hardly weigh less than seventeen stone. "I'll send the
coachman."

The coachman rode back on the trace-horse, and Levin himself
drove the remaining pair.

Chapter 9

"Well, now what's our plan of campaign? Tell us all about it,"
said Stepan Arkadyevitch.

"Our plan is this. Now we're driving to Gvozdyov. In Gvozdyov
there's a grouse marsh on this side, and beyond Gvozdyov come
some magnificent snipe marshes where there are grouse too. It's
hot now, and we'll get there--it's fifteen miles or so--towards
evening and have some evening shooting; we'll spend the night
there and go on tomorrow to the bigger moors."

"And is there nothing on the way?"

"Yes; but we'll reserve ourselves; besides it's hot. There are
two nice little places, but I doubt there being anything to
shoot."

Levin would himself have liked to go into these little places,
but they were near home; he could shoot them over any time, and
they were only little places--there would hardly be room for
three to shoot. And so, with some insincerity, he said that he
doubted there being anything to shoot. When they reached a
little marsh Levin would have driven by, but Stepan Arkadyevitch,
with the experienced eye of a sportsman, at once detected reeds
visible from the road.

"Shan't we try that?" he said, pointing to the little marsh.

"Levin, do, please! how delightful!" Vassenka Veslovsky began
begging, and Levin could but consent.

Before they had time to stop, the dogs had flown one before the
other into the marsh.

"Krak! Laska!..."

The dogs came back.

"There won't be room for three. I'll stay here," said Levin,
hoping they would find nothing but peewits, who had been startled
by the dogs, and turning over in their flight, were plaintively
wailing over the marsh.

"No! Come along, Levin, let's go together!" Veslovsky called.

"Really, there's not room. Laska, back, Laska! You won't want
another dog, will you?"

Levin remained with the wagonette, and looked enviously at the
sportsmen. They walked right across the marsh. Except little
birds and peewits, of which Vassenka ki