Levin is beaten and unconvinced

Koznyshev shifts ground: the national spirit cannot be gauged arithmetically, but it is felt in the air, and the most divergent parties of the intellectual world have merged into one. The Prince says the papers are like frogs before a storm, and that Stiva has a post on a committee with nothing to do and eight thousand roubles, and will prove its usefulness truthfully; likewise the Press, whose revenue doubles in a war. He quotes Alphonse Karr — send whoever preaches war to the front in a special legion — and adds grapeshot for those who run. Koznyshev calls it a poor joke and says men of thought serve by expressing public opinion. Levin objects that it is not only sacrifice but killing Turks, and that the people sacrifice for the good of their souls, not for murder; Katavasov asks what a soul is, Koznyshev quotes 'I come not to bring peace, but a sword', the old beekeeper says 'That's just so', and Katavasov shouts that Levin is beaten. Levin is annoyed only at having argued — they are in impenetrable armour and he is naked — and turns the party toward home ahead of the rain.

Levin loses the argument aloud and wins it on the page, since the chapter's long unspoken passage — the Varyags, the law of goodness, the question about the Commune — is placed after Katavasov's shout of victory. Mikhaylich agreeing with a glance thrown at him by accident is the second demonstration of what 'the will of the people' rests on. Levin's conclusion is about when not to speak.