Anna Karenina

greedily. "Like a drink?" he turned to his brother, and
at once became better-humored. "Well, enough of Sergei Ivanovich.
I'm glad to see you, anyway. After all's said and done, we're not
strangers. Come, have a drink. Tell me what you're doing," he went on,
greedily munching a piece of bread, and pouring out another pony. "How
are things with you?"
"I live alone in the country, as I always have. I'm busy looking
after the land," answered Konstantin, watching with horror the
greediness with which his brother ate and drank, and trying to conceal
that he noticed it.
{PART_ONE|CHAPTER_XXV ^paragraph 40}
"Why don't you get married?"
"No opportunity has presented itself," Konstantin answered,
reddening.
"Why not? For me now, everything's at an end! I've made a mess of my
life. But this I've said, and I say still, that if my share had been
given me when I needed it, my whole life would have been different."
Konstantin made haste to change the conversation.
"Do you know your little Vania's with me- a clerk in the
countinghouse at Pokrovskoe?"
{PART_ONE|CHAPTER_XXV ^paragraph 45}
Nikolai jerked his neck, and sank into thought.
"Yes, tell me what's going on at Pokrovskoe. Is the house still
standing, and the birch trees, and our schoolroom? And Philip the
gardener- is he living? How I remember the summerhouse and the sofa!
Now mind and don't alter anything in the house, but make haste and get
married, and make everything as it used to be again. Then I'll come
and see you, if your wife is a fine woman."
"Why, come to me now," said Levin. "How snugly we could settle
down!"
"I'd come and see you if I were sure I shouldn't find Sergei
Ivanovich."
"You wouldn't find him there. I live quite independently of him."
{PART_ONE|CHAPTER_XXV ^paragraph 50}
"Yes, but say what you like, you have to choose between me and him,"
he said, looking timidly into his brother's face.
This timidity touched Konstantin.
"If you want to hear my confession of faith on the subject, I tell
you that in your quarrel with Sergei Ivanovich I take neither side.
You're both wrong. You're rather wrong outwardly, and he, rather
inwardly."
"Ah, ah! You see that, you see that!" Nikolai shouted joyfully.
"But I personally value friendly relations with you more because..."
{PART_ONE|CHAPTER_XXV ^paragraph 55}
"Why, why?"
Konstantin could not say that he valued it more because Nikolai
was unhappy, and needed affection. But Nikolai knew that this was just
what he meant to say, and scowling he took to the vodka again.
"Enough, Nikolai Dmitrich!" said Marya Nikolaevna, stretching out
her plump, bare arm toward the decanter.
"Let it be! Don't annoy me! I'll beat you!" he shouted.
Marya Nikolaevna smiled a sweet and good-humored smile, which was at
once reflected on Nikolai's face, and whisked the decanter off.
{PART_ONE|CHAPTER_XXV ^paragraph 60}
"And do you suppose she understands nothing?" said Nikolai. "She
understands everything better than all of us. Tell the truth- isn't