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The stand-shooting was capital. Stepan Arkadyevitch shot two more

birds and Levin two, of which one was not found. It began to get

dark. Venus, bright and silvery, shone with her soft light low

down in the west behind the birch trees, and high up in the east

twinkled the red lights of Arcturus. Over his head Levin made out

the stars of the Great Bear and lost them again. The snipe had

ceased flying; but Levin resolved to stay a little longer, till

Venus, which he saw below a branch of birch, should be above it,

and the stars of the Great Bear should be perfectly plain. Venus

had risen above the branch, and the ear of the Great Bear with

its shaft was now all plainly visible against the dark blue sky,

yet still he waited.

"Isn't it time to go home?" said Stepan Arkadyevitch.

It was quite still now in the copse, and not a bird was stirring.

"Let's stay a little while," answered Levin.

"As you like."

They were standing now about fifteen paces from one another.