The next morning, Bazarov arises before anyone else and goes out to catch some frogs for scientific experiments. He notices the broken down condition of the land, and talks freely with a couple of the peasants. Meanwhile, at the house, Nikolai feels compelled to explain in more detail his association with Fenichka. He tells Arkady about their peculiar relationship, and Arkady responds with an air of indifference saying: “Well, you know my philosophy of life, and I would hardly want to interfere with your life or your happiness.” Arkady felt that “he was being magnanimous.”
Arkady leaves his father abruptly in order to go and greet Fenichka and discovers that she has a child. In a joking sort of manner, he berates his father for not having told him about his new brother.
Pavel then asks Arkady about his friend Bazarov, and hears that he is a nihilist. Both Nikolai and Pavel are astonished by this term and try to figure out what it means. They know that it comes from the Latin word nihil, which means “nothing.” Upon further discussion, Pavel maintains that a “nihilist” must be one who respects nothing.
Shortly after this, Fenichka arrives to serve cocoa, and we see that she is a rather pretty person who is uneasy in the presence of others. Soon, Bazarov returns from the swamps, all bespotted with mud from his excursion after frogs. He is greeted sarcastically by Pavel as “Mr. Nihilist.”
