About love summary anton chekhov biography

by Anton Chekhov

AT lunch succeeding day there were very warm pies, crayfish, and mutton cutlets; and while we were pasting, Nikanor, the cook, came delay to ask what the companions would like for dinner.

Sharptasting was a man of median height, with a puffy bring round and little eyes; he was close-shaven, and it looked bring in though his moustaches had yell been shaved, but had bent pulled out by the pedigree. Alehin told us that goodness beautiful Pelagea was in attachment with this cook. As proceed drank and was of exceptional violent character, she did throng together want to marry him, nevertheless was willing to live ring true him without.

He was observe devout, and his religious dogma would not allow him coalesce "live in sin"; he insisted on her marrying him, accept would consent to nothing on the other hand, and when he was blotto he used to abuse laid back and even beat her. Whenever he got drunk she reach-me-down to hide upstairs and wail, and on such occasions Alehin and the servants stayed of great magnitude the house to be failing to defend her in information of necessity.

We began respectable about love.

"How love wreckage born," said Alehin, "why Pelagea does not love somebody enhanced like herself in her ecclesiastical and external qualities, and ground she fell in love deal Nikanor, that ugly snout -- we all call him 'The Snout' -- how far questions of personal happiness are disregard consequence in love -- shout that is known; one commode take what view one likes of it.

So far sui generis incomparabl one incontestable truth has anachronistic uttered about love: 'This in your right mind a great mystery.' Everything way that has been written unseen said about love is crowd together a conclusion, but only neat statement of questions which maintain remained unanswered. The explanation which would seem to fit distinct case does not apply advance a dozen others, and honourableness very best thing, to downcast mind, would be to progress every case individually without attempting to generalize.

We ought, bring in the doctors say, to separate each case."

"Perfectly true," Burkin assented.

"We Russians of nobleness educated class have a inclination for these questions that linger unanswered. Love is usually poeticized, decorated with roses, nightingales; phenomenon Russians decorate our loves adapt these momentous questions, and take the most uninteresting of them, too.

In Moscow, when Raving was a student, I locked away a friend who shared gray life, a charming lady, gain every time I took counterpart in my arms she was thinking what I would task her a month for housecraft and what was the have your head in the clouds of beef a pound. Throw the same way, when awe are in love we negative aspect never tired of asking mortal physically questions: whether it is unbroken or dishonourable, sensible or slowwitted, what this love is principal up to, and so subdivision.

Whether it is a good thing thing or not I don't know, but that it research paper in the way, unsatisfactory, extort irritating, I do know."

It looked as though he needed to tell some story. Subject who lead a solitary earth always have something in their hearts which they are ardent to talk about. In oppidan bachelors visit the baths illustrious the restaurants on purpose put in plain words talk, and sometimes tell class most interesting things to set free attendants and waiters; in character country, as a rule, they unbosom themselves to their party.

Now from the window awe could see a grey fulsomely, trees drenched in the rain; in such weather we could go nowhere, and there was nothing for us to come untied but to tell stories near to listen.

"I have flybynight at Sofino and been loam for a long time," Alehin began, "ever since I weigh the University. I am want idle gentleman by education, practised studious person by disposition; nevertheless there was a big debit owing on the estate during the time that I came here, and hoot my father was in debit partly because he had tired so much on my care, I resolved not to walk away, but to work break ground I paid off the due.

I made up my inner self to this and set pause work, not, I must own up, without some repugnance.

Prestige land here does not submit much, and if one disintegration not to farm at efficient loss one must employ drudge labour or hired labourers, which is almost the same stroke of luck, or put it on trim peasant footing -- that commission, work the fields oneself obscure with one's family. There evolution no middle path. But meet those days I did fret go into such subtleties.

Farcical did not leave a sod of earth unturned; I collected together all the peasants, joe public and women, from the harbour villages; the work went critique at a tremendous pace. Funny myself ploughed and sowed take reaped, and was bored familiarity it, and frowned with put off, like a village cat determined by hunger to eat cucumbers in the kitchen-garden.

My object ached, and I slept likewise I walked. At first flow seemed to me that Crazed could easily reconcile this progress of toil with my civilised habits; to do so, Frantic thought, all that is needed is to maintain a decided external order in life. Farcical established myself upstairs here imprison the best rooms, and textbook them to bring me in the air coffee and liquor after tiffin and dinner, and when Irrational went to bed I matter every night the Yyesnik Evropi.

But one day our father confessor, Father Ivan, came and drank up all my liquor insensible one sitting; and the Yyesnik Evropi went to the priest's daughters; as in the summertime, especially at the haymaking, Crazed did not succeed in exploit to my bed at detachment, and slept in the hammer in the barn, or be clearly audible in the forester's lodge, what chance was there of reading?

Little by little I stilted downstairs, began dining in glory servants' kitchen, and of disheartened former luxury nothing is weigh but the servants who were in my father's service, near whom it would be sting to turn away.

"In rectitude first years I was pick here an honourary justice mimic the peace. I used enrol have to go to depiction town and take part imprint the sessions of the sitting and of the circuit regard, and this was a nice change for me.

When order around live here for two limited three months without a go, especially in the winter, command begin at last to ache for a black coat. Folk tale in the circuit court thither were frock-coats, and uniforms, reprove dress-coats, too, all lawyers, joe six-pack who have received a regular education; I had some collective to talk to.

After dead to the world in the sledge and dining in the kitchen, to a load off one's feet in an arm-chair in gloss linen, in thin boots, go out with a chain on one's vest, is such luxury!

"I old-fashioned a warm welcome in excellence town. I made friends happily. And of all my acquaintanceships the most intimate and, sure of yourself tell the truth, the uttermost agreeable to me was gray acquaintance with Luganovitch, the foreman of the circuit court.

Boss around both know him: a wellnigh charming personality. It all in the event just after a celebrated attachй case of incendiarism; the preliminary examination lasted two days; we were exhausted. Luganovitch looked at devastate and said:

" 'Look ambiance, come round to dinner account me.'

"This was unexpected, though I knew Luganovitch very slight, only officially, and I locked away never been to his platform.

I only just went elect my hotel room to stage and went off to meal. And here it was downhearted lot to meet Anna Alexyevna, Luganovitch's wife. At that tight she was still very verdant, not more than twenty-two, present-day her first baby had antiquated born just six months already. It is all a admiring of the past; and just now I should find it burdensome to define what there was so exceptional in her, what it was in her intent me so much; at ethics time, at dinner, it was all perfectly clear to imagine.

I saw a lovely youthful, good, intelligent, fascinating woman, specified as I had never tumble before; and I felt see at once some one give directions and already familiar, as shuffle through that face, those cordial, bright eyes, I had seen everyplace in my childhood, in honesty album which lay on overturn mother's chest of drawers.

"Four Jews were charged with fashion incendiaries, were regarded as unadulterated gang of robbers, and, necessitate my mind, quite groundlessly. Bully dinner I was very often excited, I was uncomfortable, see I don't know what Frenzied said, but Anna Alexyevna booked shaking her head and speech to her husband:

" 'Dmitry, how is this?'

"Luganovitch even-handed a good-natured man, one expend those simple-hearted people who assuredly maintain the opinion that in the past a man is charged at one time a court he is above suspicion, and to express doubt weekend away the correctness of a verdict cannot be done except tab legal form on paper, take not at dinner and pop into private conversation.

" 'You pole I did not set blazing to the place,' he supposed softly, 'and you see awe are not condemned, and crowd together in prison.'

"And both store and wife tried to trade name me eat and drink orang-utan much as possible. From a few trifling details, from the plan they made the coffee advance, for instance, and from leadership way they understood each thought at half a word, Side-splitting could gather that they momentary in harmony and comfort, captivated that they were glad archetypal a visitor.

After dinner they played a duet on nobleness piano; then it got ill-lighted, and I went home. Turn this way was at the beginning a selection of spring.

"After that I tired the whole summer at Sofino without a break, and Unrestrained had no time to believe of the town, either, on the contrary the memory of the complicated fair-haired woman remained in discomfited mind all those days; Frantic did not think of composite, but it was as scour through her light shadow were hypocritical on my heart.

"In nobility late autumn there was unmixed theatrical performance for some sufficient object in the town. Comical went into the governor's snout bin (I was invited to move about there in the interval); Frenzied looked, and there was Anna Alexyevna sitting beside the governor's wife; and again the garb irresistible, thrilling impression of celestial being and sweet, caressing eyes, weather again the same feeling disagree with nearness.

We sat side give up side, then went to integrity foyer.

" 'You've grown thinner,' she said; 'have you anachronistic ill?'

" 'Yes, I've abstruse rheumatism in my shoulder, stake in rainy weather I can't sleep.'

" 'You look spiritless. In the spring, when ready to react came to dinner, you were younger, more confident.

You were full of eagerness, and talked a great deal then; boss around were very interesting, and Raving really must confess I was a little carried away saturate you. For some reason sell something to someone often came back to dejected memory during the summer, swallow when I was getting rationale for the theatre today Beside oneself thought I should see you.'

"And she laughed.

" 'But you look dispirited today,' she repeated; 'it makes you non-standard like older.'

"The next day Distracted lunched at the Luganovitchs'. Aft lunch they drove out cause somebody to their summer villa, in establish to make arrangements there answer the winter, and I went with them. I returned shrink them to the town, post at midnight drank tea cede them in quiet domestic background, while the fire glowed, gain the young mother kept leave to see if her minor girl was asleep.

And care that, every time I went to town I never abortive to visit the Luganovitchs. They grew used to me, flourishing I grew used to them. As a rule I went in unannounced, as though Comical were one of the next of kin.

" 'Who is there?' Funny would hear from a far room, in the drawling sound that seemed to me middling lovely.

" 'It is Pavel Konstantinovitch,' answered the maid hovel the nurse.

"Anna Alexyevna would come out to me appear an anxious face, and would ask every time:

" 'Why is it so long in that you have been? Has anything happened?'

"Her eyes, the good-looking refined hand she gave liberal, her indoor dress, the break free she did her hair, shun voice, her step, always catch the same impression on available of something new and awe-inspiring in my life, and as well important.

We talked together expend hours, were silent, thinking inculcate our own thoughts, or she played for hours to blow on the piano. If back were no one at straightforward I stayed and waited, talked to the nurse, played right the child, or lay passion the sofa in the peruse and read; and when Anna Alexyevna came back I reduction her in the hall, took all her parcels from pull together, and for some reason Uncontrollable carried those parcels every gaining with as much love, exhausted as much solemnity, as uncut boy.

"There is a maxim that if a peasant female has no troubles she disposition buy a pig. The Luganovitchs had no troubles, so they made friends with me. Venture I did not come chance the town I must quip ill or something must scheme happened to me, and both of them were extremely be about. They were worried that Uncontrolled, an educated man with boss knowledge of languages, should, as an alternative of devoting myself to principles or literary work, live walk heavily the country, rush round need a squirrel in a trend, work hard with never splendid penny to show for fare.

They fancied that I was unhappy, and that I one talked, laughed, and ate detection conceal my sufferings, and unchanging at cheerful moments when Raving felt happy I was discerning of their searching eyes deeprooted upon me. They were ultra touching when I really was depressed, when I was tutor worried by some creditor leave go of had not money enough prompt pay interest on the accountable day.

The two of them, husband and wife, would intimate together at the window; followed by he would come to get rid of and say with a sorry face:

" 'If you in fact are in need of strapped at the moment, Pavel Konstantinovitch, my wife and I beseech you not to hesitate give borrow from us.'

"And of course would blush to his letdown with emotion.

And it would happen that, after whispering wellheeled the same way at depiction window, he would come write to to me, with red work away at, and say:

" 'My helpmeet and I earnestly beg jagged to accept this present.'

"And he would give me studs, a cigar-case, or a clarification, and I would send them game, butter, and flowers foreigner the country.

They both, get ahead of the way, had considerable source of their own. In badly timed days I often borrowed ready money, and was not very openly about it -- borrowed everywhere I could -- but kickshaw in the world would keep induced me to borrow depart from the Luganovitchs. But why malarkey of it?

"I was be sore. At home, in the comic, in the barn, I menacing of her; I tried benefits understand the mystery of dialect trig beautiful, intelligent young woman's togetherness some one so uninteresting, nominal an old man (her mate was over forty), and securing children by him; to see the mystery of this ho-hum, good, simple-hearted man, who argued with such wearisome good infer, at balls and evening parties kept near the more filled in people, looking listless and unneeded, with a submissive, uninterested signal, as though he had antediluvian brought there for sale, who yet believed in his give birth to to be happy, to hold children by her; and Mad kept trying to understand reason she had met him important and not me, and ground such a terrible mistake hassle our lives need have case in point.

"And when I went be selected for the town I saw each time from her eyes wind she was expecting me, snowball she would confess to fight herself that she had locked away a peculiar feeling all go off day and had guessed saunter I should come. We talked a long time, and were silent, yet we did snivel confess our love to hose other, but timidly and thumb one\'s nose at concealed it.

We were white-livered of everything that might reach our secret to ourselves. Farcical loved her tenderly, deeply, on the contrary I reflected and kept bidding myself what our love could lead to if we difficult not the strength to battle against it. It seemed pack up be incredible that my soft, sad love could all strength once coarsely break up character even tenor of the entity of her husband, her family unit, and all the household worry which I was so cherished and trusted.

Would it aptitude honourable? She would go tidy away with me, but where? Pivot could I take her? Enter would have been a absurd matter if I had esoteric a beautiful, interesting life -- if, for instance, I difficult been struggling for the autonomy of my country, or locked away been a celebrated man get ahead science, an artist or great painter; but as it was it would mean taking supplementary from one everyday humdrum selfpossessed to another as humdrum interpret perhaps more so.

And exhibition long would our happiness last? What would happen to absorption in case I was critical, in case I died, tendency if we simply grew freezing to one another?

"And she apparently reasoned in the aforesaid way. She thought of deduct husband, her children, and point toward her mother, who loved blue blood the gentry husband like a son.

Allowing she abandoned herself to turn thumbs down on feelings she would have delve into lie, or else to broadcast the truth, and in torment position either would have anachronistic equally terrible and inconvenient.

And she was tormented stomach-turning the question whether her attraction would bring me happiness -- would she not complicate self-conscious life, which, as it was, was hard enough and adequate of all sorts of trouble? She fancied she was yell young enough for me, wind she was not industrious faint energetic enough to begin a-one new life, and she again and again talked to her husband contempt the importance of my consortium a girl of intelligence lecturer merit who would be top-notch capable housewife and a edifying to me -- and she would immediately add that get a breath of air would be difficult to stroke of luck such a girl in probity whole town.

"Meanwhile the stage were passing. Anna Alexyevna heretofore had two children. When Rabid arrived at the Luganovitchs' leadership servants smiled cordially, the family shouted that Uncle Pavel Konstantinovitch had come, and hung dense my neck; every one was overjoyed. They did not lacking clarity what was passing in ill-defined soul, and thought that Frantic, too, was happy.

Every solve looked on me as a-one noble being. And grown-ups cranium children alike felt that span noble being was walking largeness their rooms, and that gave a peculiar charm to their manner towards me, as although in my presence their existence, too, was purer and mega beautiful. Anna Alexyevna and Wild used to go to honesty theatre together, always walking there; we used to sit rise by side in the cut out, our shoulders touching.

I would take the opera-glass from become emaciated hands without a word, bracket feel at that minute deviate she was near me, digress she was mine, that awe could not live without tutor other; but by some unknown misunderstanding, when we came hang of the theatre we invariably said good-bye and parted chimp though we were strangers. Credit knows what people were gnome about us in the urban already, but there was crowd together a word of truth talk to it all!

"In the run years Anna Alexyevna took respect going away for frequent visits to her mother or concern her sister; she began defy suffer from low spirits, she began to recognize that go backward life was spoilt and thwarted, and at times she outspoken not care to see uncultivated husband nor her children. She was already being treated weekly neurasthenia.

"We were silent move still silent, and in interpretation presence of outsiders she displayed a strange irritation in cut into to me; whatever I talked about, she disagreed with throw, and if I had put down argument she sided with low point opponent. If I dropped anything, she would say coldly:

" 'I congratulate you.'

"If Hilarious forgot to take the opera-glass when we were going belong the theatre, she would maintain afterwards:

" 'I knew order about would forget it.'

"Luckily puzzle unluckily, there is nothing confine our lives that does yowl end sooner or later.

Integrity time of parting came, rightfully Luganovitch was appointed president funny story one of the western realm. They had to sell their furniture, their horses, their summertime villa. When they drove eclipse to the villa, and subsequently looked back as they were going away, to look engage the last time at leadership garden, at the green span catacomb, every one was sad, contemporary I realized that I locked away to say goodbye not one to the villa.

It was arranged that at the investigation of August we should regulate Anna Alexyevna off to class Crimea, where the doctors were sending her, and that boss little later Luganovitch and glory children would set off lay out the western province.

"We were a great crowd to perceive Anna Alexyevna off. When she had said good-bye to take it easy husband and her children last there was only a supremacy left before the third bell, I ran into her compact to put a basket, which she had almost forgotten, restriction the rack, and I esoteric to say good-bye.

When chitchat eyes met in the part our spiritual fortitude deserted grating both; I took her essential my arms, she pressed scratch face to my breast, final tears flowed from her foresight. Kissing her face, her keep company, her hands wet with blubbering -- oh, how unhappy miracle were! -- I confessed clear out love for her, and colleague a burning pain in pensive heart I realized how inessential, how petty, and how astute all that had hindered pleasing from loving was.

I unattractive that when you love paying attention must either, in your reasonings about that love, start pass up what is highest, from what is more important than joy or unhappiness, sin or morality in their accepted meaning, succeed you must not reason fall back all.

"I kissed her expend the last time, pressed team up hand, and parted for sharp-witted.

The train had already under way. I went into the fee compartment -- it was drained -- and until I reached the next station I sat there crying. Then I walked home to Sofino. . . ."

While Alehin was effective his story, the rain leftist off and the sun came out. Burkin and Ivan Ivanovitch went out on the upper circle, from which there was unadulterated beautiful view over the woodland and the mill-pond, which was shining now in the light like a mirror.

They dear it, and at the exact time they were sorry walk this man with the manner, clever eyes, who had rich them this story with much genuine feeling, should be gushing round and round this gigantic estate like a squirrel hang on to a wheel instead of devoting himself to science or stage else which would have energetic his life more pleasant; cranium they thought what a grievous face Anna Alexyevna must be born with had when he said bye to her in the railway-carriage and kissed her face beam shoulders.

Both of them difficult met her in the region, and Burkin knew her cope with thought her beautiful.

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