'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,
–A decir verdad –explicó Levin– empecé a escribir un libro sobre economía rural, pero, por fuerza, habiéndome ocupado de la primera máquina de la agricultura –del obrerollegué a resultados completamente insospechados –dijo sonrojándose.