nose, in a sing-song voice. “All the pretty women are working at the charity bazaar, and you alone are having fun for some reason. Why don’t you want to help us?”
She left, and Anya took her place by the silver samovar and cups. A brisk trade began at once. Anya took no less than a rouble per cup of tea, and she made the immense officer drink three cups. Artynov came up; the rich man with the prominent eyes, who suffered from shortness of breath, was no longer in the strange costume in which Anya had seen him that summer, but was wearing a tailcoat like everyone else. Not tearing his eyes from Anya, he drank a glass of champagne and paid a hundred roubles for it, then drank tea and gave another hundred—and all that in silence, suffering from asthma … Anya called customers over and took their money, now deeply convinced that her smiles and looks gave these people nothing but the greatest pleasure. She already understood that she had been created solely for this noisy, brilliant, laughing life with its music, dancing, and admirers, and her long-standing fear before the power that was coming down on her and threatening to crush her, seemed ridiculous to her; she was no longer afraid of anyone and only regretted that her mother was not there to rejoice with her now over her successes.
Pyotr Leontyich, pale but still keeping firmly on his feet, came up to the booth and asked for a glass of cognac. Anya blushed, expecting him to say something inappropriate (she was already ashamed of having such a poor, such an ordinary father), but he drank up, peeled off ten roubles from his little wad, and sedately walked away without saying a word. A little later she saw him stepping out the grand rond with a partner, and this time he staggered and shouted something, to the great embarrassment of his lady, and Anya remembered how three years ago he had staggered and shouted in the same way at a ball, and it had ended with a policeman taking him home to bed, and next day the director had threatened to dismiss him from his work. How untimely this memory was!
When the samovars went out in the booths and the weary benefactresses handed their receipts over to the elderly woman with the stone in her mouth, Artynov led Anya by the arm to the big hall, where supper was laid out for all the participants in the charity bazaar. There were about twenty people at the table, not more, but it was very noisy. His Excellency gave the toast: “In this magnificent dining room it would be appropriate to drink to the prosperity of the cheap eateries that were the object of today’s bazaar.” A brigadier general suggested that they drink “to the power before which even the artillery quails,” and everybody began clinking with the ladies. There was great, great merriment!
When Anya was taken home, day was already breaking and the cooks were going to market. Joyful, drunk, filled with new impressions, exhausted, she undressed, collapsed on her bed, and fell asleep at once …
Past one o’clock in the afternoon her maid awakened her and reported that Mr. Artynov had come to visit. She dressed quickly and went to the drawing room. Soon after Artynov, His Excellency came to thank her for taking part in the charity bazaar. Munching and looking at her with saccharine eyes, he kissed her hand, asked her permission to come again, and left, while she stood in the middle of the drawing room, amazed, enchanted, unable to believe that the change in her life, an astonishing change, had taken place so soon; and just then her husband, Modest Alexeich, came in … And he stood before her now with the same ingratiating, sweet, slavishly deferential expression she was accustomed to seeing him have in the presence of the strong and distinguished; and with rapture, with indignation, with scorn, confident now that nothing would happen to her for it, she said, pronouncing each word distinctly:
“Get out, blockhead!”
After that Anya never had a single free day, for she participated now in a picnic, now in a promenade, now in a performance. She came home each day towards morning and lay on the floor in the drawing room, and then touchingly told everyone how she had slept under the flowers. She needed a great deal of money, but she was no longer afraid of Modest
<<Previous page Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 1 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 2 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 3 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 4 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 5 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 6 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 7 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 8 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 9 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 10 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 11 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 12 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 13 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 14 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 15 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 16 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 17 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 18 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 19 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 20 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 21 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 22 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 23 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 24 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 25 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 26 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 27 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 28 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 29 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 30 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 31 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 32 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 33 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 34 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 35 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 36 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 37 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 38 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 39 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 40 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 41 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 42 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 43 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 44 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 45 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 46 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 47 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 48 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 49 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 50 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 51 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 52 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 53 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 54 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 55 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 56 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 57 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 58 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 59 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 60 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 61 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 62 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 63 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 64 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 65 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 66 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 67 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 68 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 69 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 70 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 71 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 72 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 73 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 74 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 75 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 76 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 77 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 78 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 79 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 80 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 81 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 82 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 83 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 84 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 85 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 86 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 87 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 88 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 89 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 90 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 91 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 92 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 93 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 94 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 95 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 96 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 97 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 98 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 99 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 100 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 101 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 102 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 103 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 104 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 105 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 106 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 107 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 108 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 109 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 110 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 111 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 112 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 113 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 114 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 115 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 116 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 117 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 118 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 119 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 120 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 121 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 122 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 123 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 124 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 125 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 126 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 127 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 128 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 129 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 130 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 131 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 132 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 133 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 134 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 135 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 136 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 137 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 138 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 139 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 140 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 141 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 142 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 143 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 144 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 145 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 146 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 147 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 148 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 149 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 150 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 151 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 152 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 153 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 154 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 155 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 156 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 157 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 158 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 159 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 160 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 161 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 162 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 163 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 164 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 165 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 166 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 167 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 168 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 169 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 170 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 171 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 172 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 173 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 174 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 175 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 176 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 177 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 178 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 179 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 180 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 181 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 182 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 183 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 184 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 185 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 186 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 187 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 188 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 189 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 190 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 191 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 192 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 193 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 194 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 195 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 196 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 197 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 198 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 199 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 200 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 201 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 202 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 203 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 204 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 205 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 206 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 207 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 208 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 209 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 210 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 211 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 212 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 213 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 214 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 215 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 216 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 217 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 218 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 219 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 220 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 221 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 222 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 223 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 224 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 225 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 226 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 227 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 228 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 229 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 230 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 231 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 232 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 233 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 234 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 235 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 236 Selected Stories of Anton Chekov - By Anton Chekhov - Page 237
Next page>>