was reading a book that stood on a reading desk, while
in his beautiful hand he held a half-burned cigarette daintily
away from him.

His handsome, delicate, and still youthful-looking face, to which
his curly, glistening silvery hair gave a still more aristocratic
air, lighted up with a smile when he saw Levin.

"Capital! I was meaning to send to you. How's Kitty? Sit here,
it's more comfortable." He got up and pushed up a rocking chair.
"Have you read the last circular in the _Journal de St.
Petersbourg?_ I think it's excellent," he said, with a slight
French accent.

Levin told him what he had heard from Katavasov was being said in
Petersburg, and after talking a little about politics, he told
him of his interview with Metrov, and the learned society's
meeting. To Lvov it was very interesting.

"That's what I envy you, that you are able to mix in these
interesting scientific circles," he said. And as he talked, he
passed as usual into French, which was easier to him. "It's true
I haven't the time for it. My official work and the children
leave me no time; and then I'm not ashamed to own that my
education has been too defective."

"That I don't believe," said Levin with a smile, feeling, as he
always did, touched at Lvov's low opinion of himself, which was
not in the least put on from a desire to seem or to be modest,
but was absolutely sincere.

"Oh, yes, indeed! I feel now how badly educated I am. To
educate my children I positively have to look up a great deal,
and in fact simply to study myself. For it's not enough to have
teachers, there must be someone to look after them, just as on
your land you want laborers and an overseer. See what I'm
reading"--he pointed to Buslaev's _Grammar_ on the desk--"it's
expected of Misha, and it's so difficult.... Come, explain to
me.... Here he says..."

Levin tried to explain to him that it couldn't be understood, but
that it had to be taught; but Lvov would not agree with him.

"Oh, you're laughing at it!"

"On the contrary, you can't imagine how, when I look at you, I'm
always learning the task that lies before me, that is the
education of one's children."

"Well, there's nothing for you to learn," said Lvov.

"All I know," said Levin, "is that I have never seen better
brought-up children than yours, and I wouldn't wish for children
better than yours."

Lvov visibly tried to restrain the expression of his delight, but
he was positively radian