Chapter 13

           Thesportsman’ssaying,thatifthefirstbeastorthefirstbirdisnotmissed,thedaywillbelucky,turnedoutcorrect.

           Atteno’clockLevin,weary,hungry,andhappyafteratrampoftwentymiles,returnedtohisnight’slodgingwithnineteenheadoffinegameandoneduck,whichhetiedtohisbelt,asitwouldnotgointothegamebag.Hiscompanionshadlongbeenawake,andhadhadtimetogethungryandhavebreakfast.

           “Waitabit,waitabit,Iknowtherearenineteen,”saidLevin,countingasecondtimeoverthegrouseandsnipe,thatlookedsomuchlessimportantnow,bentanddryandbloodstained,withheadscrookedaside,thantheydidwhentheywereflying.

           Thenumberwasverified,andStepanArkadyevitch’senvypleasedLevin.HewaspleasedtooonreturningtofindthemansentbyKittywithanotewasalreadythere.

           “Iamperfectlywellandhappy.Ifyouwereuneasyaboutme,youcanfeeleasierthanever.I’veanewbodyguard,MaryaVlasyevna,”—thiswasthemidwife,anewandimportantpersonageinLevin’sdomesticlife.“Shehascometohavealookatme.Shefoundmeperfectlywell,andwehavekepthertillyouareback.Allarehappyandwell,andplease,don’tbeinahurrytocomeback,but,ifthesportisgood,stayanotherday.”

           Thesetwopleasures,hisluckyshootingandtheletterfromhiswife,weresogreatthattwoslightlydisagreeableincidentspassedlightlyoverLevin.Onewasthatthechestnuttracehorse,whohadbeenunmistakablyoverworkedonthepreviousday,wasoffhisfeedandoutofsorts.