Chapter 3

           “Doyouknow,I’vebeenthinkingaboutyou,”saidSergeyIvanovitch.“It’sbeyondeverythingwhat’sbeingdoneinthedistrict,accordingtowhatthisdoctortellsme.He’saveryintelligentfellow.AndasI’vetoldyoubefore,Itellyouagain:it’snotrightforyounottogotothemeetings,andaltogethertokeepoutofthedistrictbusiness.Ifdecentpeoplewon’tgointoit,ofcourseit’sboundtogoallwrong.Wepaythemoney,anditallgoesinsalaries,andtherearenoschools,nordistrictnurses,normidwives,nordrugstores—nothing.”

           “Well,Ididtry,youknow,”Levinsaidslowlyandunwillingly.“Ican’t!andsothere’snohelpforit.”

           “Butwhycan’tyou?ImustownIcan’tmakeitout.Indifference,incapacity—Iwon’tadmit;surelyit’snotsimplylaziness?”

           “Noneofthosethings.I’vetried,andIseeIcandonothing,”saidLevin.

           Hehadhardlygraspedwhathisbrotherwassaying.Lookingtowardstheploughlandacrosstheriver,hemadeoutsomethingblack,buthecouldnotdistinguishwhetheritwasahorseorthebailiffonhorseback.

           “Whyisityoucandonothing?Youmadeanattemptanddidn’tsucceed,asyouthink,andyougivein.Howcanyouhavesolittleself-respect?”

           “Self-respect!”saidLevin,stungtothequickbyhisbrother’swords;“Idon’tunderstand.Ifthey’dtoldmeatcollegethatotherpeopleunderstoodtheintegralcalculus,andIdidn’t,thenpridewouldhavecomein.