Anna Karenina - Part 1 - Page 54/119

Levin wanted to, and could not, take part in the general

conversation; saying to himself every instant, "Now go," he still

did not go, as though waiting for something.

The conversation fell upon table-turning and spirits, and

Countess Nordston, who believed in spiritualism, began to

describe the marvels she had seen.

"Ah, countess, you really must take me, for pity's sake do take

me to see them! I have never seen anything extraordinary, though

I am always on the lookout for it everywhere," said Vronsky,

smiling.

"Very well, next Saturday," answered Countess Nordston. "But

you, Konstantin Dmitrievitch, do you believe in it?" she asked

Levin.

"Why do you ask me? You know what I shall say."

"But I want to hear your opinion."

"My opinion," answered Levin, "is only that this table-turning

simply proves that educated society--so called--is no higher

than the peasants. They believe in the evil eye, and in

witchcraft and omens, while we..."

"Oh, then you don't believe in it?"

"I can't believe in it, countess."

"But if I've seen it myself?"

"The peasant women too tell us they have seen goblins."

"Then you think I tell a lie?"

And she laughed a mirthless laugh.

"Oh, no, Masha, Konstantin Dmitrievitch said he could not believe

in it," said Kitty, blushing for Levin, and Levin saw this, and,

still more exasperated, would have answered, but Vronsky with his

bright frank smile rushed to the support of the conversation,

which was threatening to become disagreeable.

"You do not admit the conceivability at all?" he queried. "But

why not? We admit the existence of electricity, of which we know

nothing. Why should there not be some new force, still unknown

to us, which..."

"When electricity was discovered," Levin interrupted hurriedly,

"it was only the phenomenon that was discovered, and it was

unknown from what it proceeded and what were its effects, and

ages passed before its applications were conceived. But the

spiritualists have begun with tables writing for them, and

spirits appearing to them, and have only later started saying

that it is an unknown force."

Vronsky listened attentively to Levin, as he always did listen,

obviously interested in his words.

"Yes, but the spiritualists say we don't know at present what

this force is, but there is a force, and these are the conditions

in which it acts. Let the scientific men find out what the force

consists in. No, I don't see why there should not be a new

force, if it..."