Anna Karenina - LimpidSoft

PART SEVEN CHAPTER 17
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.
“Yes, that’s very true,” he said, when Alexey Alexandrovitch took off the pincenez,
without which he could not read now, and looked inquiringly at his former
brother-in-law, “that’s very true in particular cases, but still the principle of our day
is freedom.”
“Yes, but I lay down another principle, embracing the principle of freedom,” said
Alexey Alexandrovitch, with emphasis on the word “embracing,” and he put on his
pince-nez again, so as to read the passage in which this statement was made. And
turning over the beautifully written, wide-margined manuscript, Alexey Alexandrovitch
read aloud over again the conclusive passage.
“I don’t advocate protection for the sake of private interests, but for the public
weal, and for the lower and upper classes equally,” he said, looking over his pincenez
at Oblonsky. “But they cannot grasp that, they are taken up now with personal
interests, and carried away by phrases.”
Stepan Arkadyevitch knew that when Karenin began to talk of what they were doing
and thinking, the persons who would not accept his report and were the cause
of everything wrong in Russia, that it was coming near the end. And so now he
eagerly abandoned the principle of free-trade, and fully agreed. Alexey Alexandrovitch
paused, thoughtfully turning over the pages of his manuscript.
“Oh, by the way,” said Stepan Arkadyevitch, “I wanted to ask you, some time
when you see Pomorsky, to drop him a hint that I should be very glad to get that
new appointment of secretary of the committee of the amalgamated agency of the
southern railways and banking companies.” Stepan Arkadyevitch was familiar by
now with the title of the post he coveted, and he brought it out rapidly without
mistake.
Alexey Alexandrovitch questioned him as to the duties of this new committee,
and pondered. He was considering whether the new committee would not be acting
in some way contrary to the views he had been advocating. But as the influence of
the new committee was of a very complex nature, and his views were of very wide
application, he could not decide this straight off, and taking off his pince-nez, he
said:
“Of course, I can mention it to him; but what is your reason precisely for wishing
to obtain the appointment?”
“It’s a good salary, rising to nine thousand, and my means...”
“Nine thousand!” repeated Alexey Alexandrovitch, and he frowned. The high figure
of the salary made him reflect that on that side Stepan Arkadyevitch’s proposed
position ran counter to the main tendency of his own projects of reform, which always
leaned towards economy.
“I consider, and I have embodied my views in a note on the subject, that in our
day these immense salaries are evidence of the unsound economic assiette of our
finances.”
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