Chapter 10

Pestsovlikedthrashinganargumentouttotheend,andwasnotsatisfiedwithSergeyIvanovitch’swords,especiallyashefelttheinjusticeofhisview.

“Ididnotmean,”hesaidoverthesoup,addressingAlexeyAlexandrovitch,“meredensityofpopulationalone,butinconjunctionwithfundamentalideas,andnotbymeansofprinciples.”

“Itseemstome,”AlexeyAlexandrovitchsaidlanguidly,andwithnohaste,“thatthat’sthesamething.Inmyopinion,influenceoveranotherpeopleisonlypossibletothepeoplewhichhasthehigherdevelopment,which....”

“Butthat’sjustthequestion,”Pestsovbrokeininhisbass.Hewasalwaysinahurrytospeak,andseemedalwaystoputhiswholesoulintowhathewassaying.“Inwhatarewetomakehigherdevelopmentconsist?TheEnglish,theFrench,theGermans,whichisatthehigheststageofdevelopment?Whichofthemwillnationalizetheother?WeseetheRhineprovinceshavebeenturnedFrench,buttheGermansarenotatalowerstage!”heshouted.“Thereisanotherlawatworkthere.”