Chapter 3

Summary

Arcady inquires about his uncle, Paul. Nicholas is so happy to see his son that he keeps touching and patting him. Arcady requests his father to be nice to his friend as he held his friendship with him in high esteem. He explains that he is in the medical faculty. Nicholas voices his worry over the peasants, who had not been paying their rent. He tells his son how he has been trying to change the farm system by removing the serfs and establishing them as tenant farmers. Nicholas fills him on the past happenings of the deaths of his nanny. But on the whole, there is not much change in their place, Maryino.

Finally Nicholas lets out, in a soft voice that a girl Fenichka was living with him. He is embarrassed speaking about her, but Arcady is not upset, but is in fact glad about it. Nicholas is even anxious, as to how his son's friend will react to the situation. But Arcady reassures him that there is no need for his father to be anxious regarding his friend. Afar the forests are seen, but Nicholas admits that he has sold it, for some much- needed money. Finally they reach their house, Maryino also known as the "New Suburb."

A long discussion between father and son is presented in this chapter, where the father fills him up on the changes taken place during his absence. The problems of the peasants is an acute one, and Nicholas hopes that with ArcadyÂ’s arrival he would be able to shoulder his responsibilities too.

Nicholas is embarrassed while mentioning to his son about the young girl, Fenichka. Nicholas had now kept her in his home and she had borne him a child. He has great difficulty in mentioning this to his young son. Fortunately Arcady is very broadminded about it, insisting that his father should do what he likes.

Arcady values his friendship with Bazarov a great deal and hopes that his father would be able to understand the kind of person Bazarov is. The reader can now ascertain the abiding friendship between the two.

It is obvious that the farm is not doing too well, with the peasants revolting and Nicholas having to sell off the forest for money. But all this is submerged in his acute happiness in having his son back with him.

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