Page 1426 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

‘Oh, yes!’ Vronsky assented indifferently.
A silence followed, during which Vronsky—since he
had to look at something—looked at Levin, at his feet, at
his uniform, then at his face, and noticing his gloomy eyes

fixed upon him, he said, in order to say something:
‘How is it that you, living constantly in the country,
are not a justice of the peace? You are not in the uniform
of one.’
‘It’s because I consider that the justice of the peace is a
silly institution,’ Levin answered gloomily. He had been
all the time looking for an opportunity to enter into
conversation with Vronsky, so as to smooth over his
rudeness at their first meeting.
‘I don’t think so, quite the contrary,’ Vronsky said,
with quiet surprise.
‘It’s a plaything,’ Levin cut him short. ‘We don’t want
justices of the peace. I’ve never had a single thing to do
with them during eight years. And what I have had was
decided wrongly by them. The justice of the peace is over
thirty miles from me. For some matter of two roubles I
should have to send a lawyer, who costs me fifteen.’
And he related how a peasant had stolen some flour
from the miller, and when the miller told him of it, had
lodged a complaint for slander. All this was utterly

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