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"I did not venture to disregard your excellency's commands,

though the road was extremely bad. I positively walked the whole

way, but I am here at my time. Konstantin Dmitrievitch, my

respects"; he turned to Levin, trying to seize his hand too. But

Levin, scowling, made as though he did not notice his hand, and

took out the snipe. "Your honors have been diverting yourselves

with the chase? What kind of bird may it be, pray?" added

Ryabinin, looking contemptuously at the snipe: "a great delicacy,

I suppose." And he shook his head disapprovingly, as though he

had grave doubts whether this game were worth the candle.

"Would you like to go into my study?" Levin said in French to

Stepan Arkadyevitch, scowling morosely. "Go into my study; you

can talk there."

"Quite so, where you please," said Ryabinin with contemptuous

dignity, as though wishing to make it felt that others might be

in difficulties as to how to behave, but that he could never be

in any difficulty about anything.