Levine left Moscow the following morning and returned to his estate by the evening. Throughout the train journey, he engaged in conversations about politics and railways with his fellow passengers, yet he felt weighed down by a chaotic mix of conflicting opinions and an unexplained sense of self-dissatisfaction and shame. However, the moment he arrived and caught sight of his one-eyed coachman Ignace, the familiar sleigh, and the joyful greeting of his dog Laska, his internal chaos began to lift. Stepping into the warm familiarity of his home, he felt an overwhelming sense of relief and resolved to leave behind his former discontent. He vowed to be a better person, abandon unrealistic expectations of extraordinary happiness, and live more modestly while resisting bad passions.
As he settled into his study, surrounded by familiar objects like books, hunting horns, and his old desk, a wave of doubt washed over him regarding whether he could truly change his life. The physical objects seemed to whisper that he would remain as he had always been, caught between endless self-criticism and unfulfilled aspirations. A competing voice within his soul insisted that he did not need to be a slave to his past. He briefly picked up heavy iron weights in the corner to test his strength before being interrupted by his steward, who reported that some buckwheat had burned down in the new dryer. Although this news irritated him, his annoyance quickly vanished when he learned that his prize cow Pava had successfully given birth.
Levine walked through the snowy yard to the warm, straw-filled stable to inspect the newborn calf. He examined the long-legged, red-and-white animal and shared a moment of pride with his steward, momentarily forgetting the accident with the buckwheat. Immersed once again in the familiar details of managing his extensive estate, he left the stable to speak with the contractor and his steward in the office before returning to the main house.