He had formerly regarded the new teaching with coldness and even hostility, and had never discussed it with the Countess Lydia Ivanovna (who was carried away by it), but had carefully and silently evaded her challenges.
Он прежде относился холодно и даже враждебно к этому новому учению и с графиней Лидией Ивановной, увлекавшеюся им, никогда не спорил, а старательно обходил молчанием ее вызовы.