Discussions in drawing-rooms, at meetings, at assemblies, in committees, and everywhere where one could speak, took up part of his time; but, as an habitual town-dweller, he did not allow himself to be entirely absorbed by discussions, as his inexperienced brother did when he was in Moscow; so he had much superfluous leisure and mental energy.
I discorsi nei salotti, nei congressi, nelle riunioni, nei comitati, dovunque si parlasse, occupavano una parte del suo tempo; ma, vecchio abitante di città, non si concedeva di perdersi tutto in discorsi, come il suo inesperto fratello quand’era a Mosca; gli rimanevano così ancora molto tempo libero e molte energie intellettuali.