Levin smiled.

"Not at all.

Quite the contrary; a child can kill a bear," he said, with a slight bow moving aside for the ladies, who were approaching the table.

"You have killed a bear, I've been told!" said Kitty, trying assiduously to catch with her fork a perverse mushroom that would slip away, and setting the lace quivering over her white arm.

"Are there bears on your place?" she added, turning her charming little head to him and smiling.