Chapters 16, 17, 18 and 19 Summary

A few days later Arkady and Bazarov arrive at Nikolskoe prepared to spend a few days at Anna's gracious invitation. Anna introduces the young men to her younger sister, Katya; her aunt, a Russian Princess; and a neighbor, Porfiry Platonitch, who amuses the ladies with card games.

Bazarov is impressed that Anna's household runs with precision and admires how she redirects conversations that tend toward the romantic or unimportant. Arkady is still smitten with Anna but her doting on Bazarov reveals that Arkady has no chance at winning Anna's affections. Anna even sends Arkady to another room so that Katya may play the piano for his entertainment, a sign that even Arkady cannot dismiss as his being eliminated from contention for her heart.

At first Arkady is annoyed with the younger Katya who seems dark and petulant in comparison to the...