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It would have struck him as absurd if he had been told that he

would not get a position with the salary he required, especially

as he expected nothing out of the way; he only wanted what the

men of his own age and standing did get, and he was no worse

qualified for performing duties of the kind than any other man.

Stepan Arkadyevitch was not merely liked by all who knew him for

his good humor, but for his bright disposition, and his

unquestionable honesty. In him, in his handsome, radiant figure,

his sparkling eyes, black hair and eyebrows, and the white and

red of his face, there was something which produced a physical

effect of kindliness and good humor on the people who met him.

"Aha! Stiva! Oblonsky! Here he is!" was almost always said with a

smile of delight on meeting him. Even though it happened at times

that after a conversation with him it seemed that nothing

particularly delightful had happened, the next day, and the next,

everyone was just as delighted at meeting him again.