He had to ignore this desire if he truly wanted to continue living a more meaningful and honest life. Over time, Olenin gives in and allows his desire to override his moral code and dedication to his new life by attempting to convince Maryanka for the first time (Tolstoy 140). As I mentioned in a previous work, his decision to convince Maryanka contradicts the moral life he so desired. Rather, his actions speak to his past life and his true nature. Just as he recognizes his failure both in his honest new life and in the moral code he tried to live up to, we begin to see Tolstoy's perspective on this behavior and that our desires are inseparable from human nature (Tolstoy 149). However, even after this realization, Olenin attempts to win Maryanka's affections for the second time, but this time to make matters ethically worse, Olenin abandons the battle between the Cossack and Chechen peoples to conquer her (Tolstoy 175). Olenin knows that Lukashka is fighting the Chechens, and while he attacks Maryanka, Luka is shot in the abdomen at close range by a Chechen. Rather than participating in the battle to at least help Luka, he tries to take Maryanka from him. Olenin asks for her hand again and is again rejected by her (Tolstoy 176). He betrayed Maryanka's request not to be prosecuted twice and took advantage of her honest friendship.