After burying his father and intrusting to the unchanged Glafira Petrovna the management of his estate and superintendence of his bailiffs, young Lavretsky went to Moscow, whither he felt drawn by a vague but strong attraction.

He recognised the defects of his education, and formed the resolution, as far as possible, to regain lost ground.
In the last five years he had read much and seen something; he had many stray ideas in his head; any professor might have envied some of his acquirements, but at the same time he did not know much that every schoolboy would have learnt long ago.

Lavretsky was aware of his limitations; he was secretly conscious of being eccentric.

The Anglomaniac had done his son an ill turn; his whimsical education had produced its fruits.

For long years he had submitted unquestioningly to his father; when at last he began to see through him, the evil was already done, his habits were deeply-rooted.