ThenewlyelectedmarshalandmanyofthesuccessfulpartydinedthatdaywithVronsky。
VronskyhadcometotheelectionspartlybecausehewasboredinthecountryandwantedtoshowAnnahisrighttoindependence，andalsotorepaySviiazhskybyhissupportattheelectionforallthetroublehehadtakenforVronskyattheZemstvoelection，butchieflyforthestrictperformanceofallthosedutiesofanoblemanandlandownerwhichhehadtakenuponhimself。Buthehadnotintheleastexpectedthattheelectionwouldinteresthimso，sokeenlyexcitehim，andthathewouldbesogoodatthiskindofthing。Hewasquiteanewmaninthecircleofthenobilityoftheprovince，buthissuccesswasunmistakable，andhewasnotwronginsupposingthathehadalreadyobtainedacertaininfluence。Thisinfluencewasduetohiswealthandaristocracy；thecapitalhouseinthetownlenthimbyhisoldfriendShirkov，whohadapostinthedepartmentoffinancesandwasdirectorofaflourishingbankinKashin；theexcellentcookVronskyhadbroughtfromthecountry；andhisfriendshipwiththegovernor，whowasaschoolfellowofVronsky-aschoolfellowhehadpatronizedandprotectedindeed。Butwhatcontributedmorethanalltohissuccesswashisdirect，equablemannerwitheveryone，whichveryquicklymadethemajorityofthenoblemenreversethecurrentopinionofhissupposedhaughtiness。Hewashimselfconsciousthat，exceptforthatmadgentlemanmarriedtoKittyShcherbatskaia，whohadàproposdebottespouredoutastreamofirrelevantabsurditieswithsuchspitefulfury，everynoblemanwithwhomhehadmadeacquaintancehadbecomehisadherent。Hesawclearly，andotherpeoplerecognizedit，too，thathehaddoneagreatdealtosecurethesuccessofNeviedovsky。Andnowathisowntable，celebratingNeviedovsky’selection，hewasexperiencinganagreeablesenseoftriumphoverthesuccessofhiscandidate。Theelectionitselfhadsofascinatedhimthat，ifhecouldsucceedingettingmarriedduringthenextthreeyears，hebegantothinkofrunningforofficehimself-muchas，afterwinningaraceriddenbyajockey，hehadlongedtoridearacehimself。
Todayhewascelebratingthesuccessofhisjockey。Vronskysatattheheadofthetable，onhisrighthandsattheyounggovernor，ageneralofhighrank。Toalltheresthewasthemasteroftheprovince，whohadsolemnlyopenedtheelectionswithhisspeech，andarousedafeelingofrespectandevenofaweinmanypeople，asVronskysaw；toVronskyhewasKatkaMaslov-thathadbeenhisnicknameinthePages’Corps-whomhefelttobeshyandtriedtoputatease。OnthelefthandsatNeviedovskywithhisyouthful，stubborn，andvenomouscountenance。WithhimVronskywassimpleanddeferential。
Sviiazhskytookhisfailureverylightheartedly。Itwasindeednofailureinhiseyes，ashesaidhimself，turning，glassinhand，toNeviedovsky:theycouldnothavefoundabetterrepresentativeofthenewmovement，whichthenobilityoughttofollow。Andsoeveryhonestperson，ashesaid，wasonthesideoftoday’ssuccessandwascelebratingoverit。
StepanArkadyevichwasglad，too，becausehewashavingagoodtime，andbecauseeveryonewaspleased。Theepisodesoftheelectionsservedasagoodoccasionforacapitaldinner。Sviiazhskycomicallyimitatedthetearfuldiscourseofmarshal，andobserved，addressingNeviedovsky，thatHisExcellencywouldhavetoselectanother，morecomplicatedmethodofauditingaccountsthantears。Anothernoblemanjocoselydescribedhowfootmeninstockingshadbeenimportedforthemarshal’sball，andhownowtheywouldhavetobesentbackunlessthenewmarshalwouldgiveaballwithfootmeninstockings。