He wanted to tell his brother of his intended marriage and to ask his advice. He had even firmly made up his mind to do so, but when he saw his brother and heard his conversation with the professor, and afterward noticed the involuntarily patronizing tone in which he asked him about the business of their estate (this estate which they had jointly inherited from their mother had not been divided, and Levin was managing the whole of it), he felt that something prevented him from beginning to speak to his brother about his intention to marry.
Avrebbe voluto dire al fratello della sua intenzione di sposarsi e chiedergli consiglio, ed era fermamente deciso a questo; ma dopo aver visto il fratello, dopo aver ascoltato la conversazione con il professore, e udito quel tono involontario di protezione col quale il fratello gli chiedeva delle faccende amministrative (il fondo materno era indiviso e Levin si occupava di entrambe le parti), Levin sentì che c’era qualcosa che gli impediva di parlare al fratello della sua decisione di sposarsi.