"Yes, very good," he said, and as it was utterly of no
consequence to him what they thought of him, he began repeating
what they had heard a hundred times about the characteristics of
the singer's talent. Countess Bola pretended to be listening.
Then, when he had said enough and paused, the colonel, who had
been silent till then, began to talk. The colonel too talked of
the opera, and about culture. At last, after speaking of the
proposed _folle journée_ at Turin's, the colonel laughed, got up
noisily, and went away. Levin too rose, but he saw by the face
of the countess that it was not yet time for him to go. He must
stay two minutes longer. He sat down.

But as he was thinking all the while how stupid it was, he could
not find a subject for conversation, and sat silent.

"You are not going to the public meeting? They say it will be
very interesting," began the countess.

"No, I promised my belle-soeur to fetch her from it," said
Levin.

A silence followed. The mother once more exchanged glances with
a daughter.

"Well, now I think the time has come," thought Levin, and he got
up. The ladies shook hands with him, and begged him to say
_mille choses_ to his wife for them.

The porter asked him, as he gave him his coat, "Where is your
honor staying?" and immediately wrote down his address in a big
handsomely bound book.