Page 1551 - ANNA KARENINA

Anna Karenina

institution, an ‘honest’ tendency, meaning not simply that
the man or the institution is not dishonest, but that they
are capable on occasion of taking a line of their own in
opposition to the authorities.

Stepan Arkadyevitch moved in those circles in Moscow
in which that expression had come into use, was regarded
there as an honest man, and so had more right to this
appointment than others.
The appointment yielded an income of from seven to
ten thousand a year, and Oblonsky could fill it without
giving up his government position. It was in the hands of
two ministers, one lady, and two Jews, and all these
people, though the way had been paved already with
them, Stepan Arkadyevitch had to see in Petersburg.
Besides this business, Stepan Arkadyevitch had promised
his sister Anna to obtain from Karenin a definite answer
on the question of divorce. And begging fifty roubles from
Dolly, he set off for Petersburg.
Stepan Arkadyevitch sat in Karenin’s study listening to
his report on the causes of the unsatisfactory position of
Russian finance, and only waiting for the moment when
he would finish to speak about his own business or about
Anna.

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