Page 1392 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

derived even greater satisfaction from it. And his
management of his estate, which occupied and absorbed
him more and more, was most successful. In spite of the
immense sums cost him by the hospital, by machinery, by

cows ordered from Switzerland, and many other things, he
was convinced that he was not wasting, but increasing his
substance. In all matters affecting income, the sales of
timber, wheat, and wool, the letting of lands, Vronsky was
hard as a rock, and knew well how to keep up prices. In
all operations on a large scale on this and his other estates,
he kept to the simplest methods involving no risk, and in
trifling details he was careful and exacting to an extreme
degree. In spite of all the cunning and ingenuity of the
German steward, who would try to tempt him into
purchases by making his original estimate always far larger
than really required, and then representing to Vronsky that
he might get the thing cheaper, and so make a profit,
Vronsky did not give in. He listened to his steward, cross-
examined him, and only agreed to his suggestions when
the implement to be ordered or constructed was the very
newest, not yet known in Russia, and likely to excite
wonder. Apart from such exceptions, he resolved upon an
increased outlay only where there was a surplus, and in
making such an outlay he went into the minutest details,

1391 of 1759