'I really began to write a book on agriculture, but being occupied with the chief instrument in agriculture, the labourer,' said Levin with a blush, 'I involuntarily arrived at quite unexpected results.' And Levin began carefully, as if feeling his way, to expound his views. He knew that Metrov had written an article running counter to the generally accepted teachings of political economy,
— Io veramente avevo cominciato a scrivere un libro di economia rurale, ma senza volere, occupandomi dello strumento principale dell’economia rurale, del lavoratore — disse Levin, arrossendo — sono pervenuto a risultati del tutto inaspettati.