Anna Karenina Part 6 Chapter 29

In which a restless assembly of noblemen convenes in a confined room, their varied demeanours reflecting a mixture of anticipation, rivalry, and habit-bound duty as the wheels of provincial politics turn with both fervour and disillusionment. Levin, detached from the fervent activity, engages in a thoughtful discourse with a seasoned landowner about the burdens and follies of landed gentry stewardship amidst the changing tides of society.