ike that?' Bazarov coolly inquired of Arkady directly
the door had closed behind the two brothers.

'I must say, Yevgeny, you weren't nice to him,' remarked Arkady. 'You
have hurt his feelings.'

'Well, am I going to consider them, these provincial aristocrats! Why,
it's all vanity, dandy habits, fatuity. He should have continued his
career in Petersburg, if that's his bent. But there, enough of him!
I've found a rather rare species of a water-beetle, _Dytiscus
marginatus_; do you know it? I will show you.'

'I promised to tell you his story,' began Arkady.

'The story of the beetle?'

'Come, don't, Yevgeny. The story of my uncle. You will see he's not the
sort of man you fancy. He deserves pity rather than ridicule.'

'I don't dispute it; but why are you worrying over him?'

'One ought to be just, Yevgeny.'

'How does that follow?'

'No; listen ...'

And Arkady told him his uncle's story. The reader will find it in the
following chapter.

CHAPTER VII

Pavel Petrovitch Kirsanov was educated first at home, like his younger
brother, and afterwards in the Corps of Pages. From childhood he was
distinguished by remarkable beauty; moreover he was self-confident,
somewhat ironical, and had a rather biting humour; he could not fail to
please. He began to be seen everywhere, directly he had received his
commission as an officer. He was much admired in society, and he
indulged every whim, even every caprice and every folly, and gave
himself airs, but that too was attractive in him. Women went out of
their senses over him; men called him a coxcomb, and were secretly
jealous of him. He lived, as has been related already, in the same
apartments as his brother, whom he loved sincerely, though he was not
at all like him. Nikolai Petrovitch was a little lame, he had small,
pleasing features of a rather melancholy cast, small, black eyes, and
thin, soft hair; he liked being lazy, but he also liked reading, and
was timid in society.

Pavel Petrovitch did not spend a single evening at home, prided himself
on his ease and audacity (he was just bringing gymnastics into fashion
among young men in society), and had read in all some five or six
French books. At twenty-eight he was already a captain; a brilliant
career awaited him. Suddenly everything was changed.

At that time, there was sometimes seen in Petersburg society a woman
who has even yet not been forgotten. Princess R----. She had a
well-educated, well-bre