THE COMPLETE WORKS OF
ANTON CHEKHOV
(1860-1904)
Contents
The Short Stories
CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF SHORT STORIES
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF SHORT STORIES
The Plays
PLATONOV
ON THE HIGH ROAD
ON THE HARMFULNESS OF TOBACCO
SWANSONG
IVANOFF
THE BEAR
THE PROPOSAL
A RELUCTANT HERO
THE WEDDING
THE WOOD DEMON
THE ANNIVERSARY
THE SEA-GULL
UNCLE VANYA
THE THREE SISTERS
THE CHERRY ORCHARD
The Novel
THE SHOOTING PARTY
The Novellas
THE STEPPE
THE DUEL
AN ANONYMOUS STORY
THREE YEARS
MY LIFE
The Non-Fiction
THE COMPLETE LETTERS
NOTE-BOOK OF ANTON CHEKHOV
© Delphi Classics 2012
Version 5
THE COMPLETE WORKS OF
ANTON CHEKHOV
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Delphi’s edition of the Master Russian playwright and novelist features the most comprehensive collection of Turgenev’s works ever
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The Short Stories
Chekhov’s birthplace, now a museum, Taganrog, South Russia
Chekhov as a boy
CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF SHORT STORIES
RAPTURE
A NAUGHTY BOY
A LIVING CHATTEL
JOY
AT THE BARBER’S
AN ENIGMATIC NATURE
A CLASSICAL STUDENT
THE DEATH OF A GOVERNMENT CLERK
THE TROUSSEAU
A DAUGHTER OF ALBION
AN INQUIRY
FAT AND THIN
TRAGIC ACTOR
THE BIRD MARKET
SLANDER
THE SWEDISH MATCH
CHORISTERS
THE ALBUM
MINDS IN FERMENT
A CHAMELEON
IN THE GRAVEYARD
OYSTERS
THE MARSHAL’S WIDOW
SMALL FRY
IN AN HOTEL
BOOTS
NERVES
A COUNTRY COTTAGE
MALINGERERS
THE FISH
GONE ASTRAY
THE HUNTSMAN
A MALEFACTOR
THE HEAD OF THE FAMILY
A DEAD BODY
THE COOK’S WEDDING
IN A STRANGE LAND
OVERDOING IT
OLD AGE
SORROW
OH! THE PUBLIC
MARI D’ELLE
THE LOOKING-GLASS
A HORSEY NAME
ART
A BLUNDER
CHILDREN
MISERY
AN UPHEAVAL
AN ACTOR’S END
REQUIEM
ANYUTA
IVAN MATVEYITCH
THE WITCH
A STORY WITHOUT AN END
A JOKE
AGAFYA
A NIGHTMARE
GRISHA
LOVE
EASTER EVE
LADIES
STRONG IMPRESSIONS
A GENTLEMAN FRIEND
A HAPPY MAN
THE PRIVY COUNCILLOR
A DAY IN THE COUNTRY
AT A SUMMER VILLA
PANIC FEARS
THE CHEMIST’S WIFE
NOT WANTED
THE CHORUS GIRL
THE SCHOOLMASTER
A TROUBLESOME VISITOR
THE HUSBAND
A MISFORTUNE
A PINK STOCKING
MARTYRS
THE FIRST-CLASS PASSENGER
TALENT
THE DEPENDENTS
THE JEUNE PREMIER
IN THE DARK
A TRIFLE FROM REAL LIFE
A TRIVIAL INCIDENT
A TRIPPING TONGUE
A TRIFLE FROM LIFE
DIFFICULT PEOPLE
IN THE COURT
A PECULIAR MAN
MIRE
DREAMS
HUSH!
EXCELLENT PEOPLE
AN INCIDENT
THE ORATOR
A WORK OF ART
WHO WAS TO BLAME?
VANKA
ON THE ROAD
CHAMPAGNE
FROST
THE BEGGAR
ENEMIES
DARKNESS
POLINKA
DRUNK
AN INADVERTENCE
VEROTCHKA
SHROVE TUESDAY
A DEFENCELESS CREATURE
A BAD BUSINESS
HOME
THE LOTTERY TICKET
TOO EARLY!
TYPHUS
IN PASSION WEEK
A MYSTERY
THE COSSACK
THE LETTER
AN ADVENTURE
THE EXAMINING MAGISTRATE
ABORIGINES
VOLODYA
HAPPINESS
BAD WEATHER
A PLAY
A TRANSGRESSION
FROM THE DIARY OF A VIOLENT-TEMPERED MAN
UPROOTED
UPROOTED
A MATTER OF CLASSICS
THE FATHER OF A FAMILY
A FATHER
A HAPPY ENDING
THE COACH-HOUSE
ZINOTCHKA
THE DOCTOR
THE PIPE
AN AVENGER
THE POST
THE RUNAWAY
A PROBLEM
THE OLD HOUSE
THE CATTLE-DEALERS
EXPENSIVE LESSONS
THE LION AND THE SUN
IN TROUBLE
THE KISS
BOYS
KASHTANKA
A LADY’S STORY
A STORY WITHOUT A TITLE
SLEEPY
THE STEPPE
LIGHTS
THE BEAUTIES
THE PARTY
A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN
THE SHOEMAKER AND THE DEVIL
THE BET
THE PRINCESS
A DREARY STORY
THE HORSE-STEALERS
GUSEV
PEASANT WIVES
THE DUEL
THE WIFE
THE GRASSHOPPER
AFTER THE THEATRE
IN EXILE
NEIGHBOURS
WARD NO. 6
TERROR
AN ANONYMOUS STORY
THE TELEPHONE
THE TWO VOLODYAS
THE BLACK MONK
A WOMAN’S KINGDOM
ROTHSCHILD’S FIDDLE
THE STUDENT
THE TEACHER OF LITERATURE
AT A COUNTRY HOUSE
THE HEAD-GARDENER’S STORY
THREE YEARS
THE HELPMATE
WHITEBROW
“ANNA ON THE NECK”
THE MURDER
ARIADNE
AN ARTIST’S STORY
MY LIFE
PEASANTS
THE PETCHENYEG
AT HOME
THE SCHOOLMISTRESS
THE MAN IN A CASE
GOOSEBERRIES
ABOUT LOVE
IONITCH
A DOCTOR’S VISIT
THE DARLING
THE NEW VILLA
ON OFFICIAL DUTY
THE LADY WITH THE DOG
AT CHRISTMAS TIME
IN THE RAVINE
THE BISHOP
BETROTHED
THE FIT
OVERWHELMING SENSATIONS
A LIVING CALENDAR
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF SHORT STORIES
“ANNA ON THE NECK”
A BAD BUSINESS
A BLUNDER
A CHAMELEON
A CLASSICAL STUDENT
A COUNTRY COTTAGE
A DAUGHTER OF ALBION
A DAY IN THE COUNTRY
A DEAD BODY
A DEFENCELESS CREATURE
A DOCTOR’S VISIT
A DREARY STORY
A FATHER
A GENTLEMAN FRIEND
A HAPPY ENDING
A HAPPY MAN
A HORSEY NAME
A JOKE
A LADY’S STORY
A LIVING CALENDAR
A LIVING CHATTEL
A MALEFACTOR
A MATTER OF CLASSICS
A MISFORTUNE
A MYSTERY
A NAUGHTY BOY
A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN
A NIGHTMARE
A PECULIAR MAN
A PINK STOCKING
A PLAY
A PROBLEM
A STORY WITHOUT A TITLE
A STORY WITHOUT AN END
A TRANSGRESSION
A TRIFLE FROM LIFE
A TRIFLE FROM REAL LIFE
A TRIPPING TONGUE
A TRIVIAL INCIDENT
A TROUBLESOME VISITOR
A WOMAN’S KINGDOM
A WORK OF ART
ABORIGINES
ABOUT LOVE
AFTER THE THEATRE
AGAFYA
AN ACTOR’S END
AN ADVENTURE
AN ANONYMOUS STORY
AN ARTIST’S STORY
AN AVENGER
AN ENIGMATIC NATURE
AN INADVERTENCE
AN INCIDENT
AN INQUIRY
AN UPHEAVAL
ANYUTA
ARIADNE
ART
AT A COUNTRY HOUSE
AT A SUMMER VILLA
AT CHRISTMAS TIME
AT HOME
AT THE BARBER’S
BAD WEATHER
BETROTHED
BOOTS
BOYS
CHAMPAGNE
CHILDREN
CHORISTERS
DARKNESS
DIFFICULT PEOPLE
DREAMS
DRUNK
EASTER EVE
ENEMIES
EXCELLENT PEOPLE
EXPENSIVE LESSONS
FAT AND THIN
FROM THE DIARY OF A VIOLENT-TEMPERED MAN
FROST
GONE ASTRAY
GOOSEBERRIES
GRISHA
GUSEV
HAPPINESS
HOME
HUSH!
IN A STRANGE LAND
IN AN HOTEL
IN EXILE
IN PASSION WEEK
IN THE COURT
IN THE DARK
IN THE GRAVEYARD
IN THE RAVINE
IN TROUBLE
IONITCH
IVAN MATVEYITCH
JOY
KASHTANKA
LADIES
LIGHTS
LOVE
MALINGERERS
MARI D’ELLE
MARTYRS
MINDS IN FERMENT
MIRE
MISERY
MY LIFE
NEIGHBOURS
NERVES
NOT WANTED
OH! THE PUBLIC
OLD AGE
ON OFFICIAL DUTY
ON THE ROAD
OVERDOING IT
OVERWHELMING SENSATIONS
OYSTERS
PANIC FEARS
PEASANT WIVES
PEASANTS
POLINKA
RAPTURE
REQUIEM
ROTHSCHILD’S FIDDLE
SHROVE TUESDAY
SLANDER
SLEEPY
SMALL FRY
SORROW
STRONG IMPRESSIONS
TALENT
TERROR
THE ALBUM
THE BEAUTIES
THE BEGGAR
THE BET
THE BIRD MARKET
THE BISHOP
THE BLACK MONK
THE CATTLE-DEALERS
THE CHEMIST’S WIFE
THE CHORUS GIRL
THE COACH-HOUSE
THE COOK’S WEDDING
THE COSSACK
THE DARLING
THE DEATH OF A GOVERNMENT CLERK
THE DEPENDENTS
THE DOCTOR
THE DUEL
THE EXAMINING MAGISTRATE
THE FATHER OF A FAMILY
THE FIRST-CLASS PASSENGER
THE FISH
THE FIT
THE GRASSHOPPER
THE HEAD OF THE FAMILY
THE HEAD-GARDENER’S STORY
THE HELPMATE
THE HORSE-STEALERS
THE HUNTSMAN
THE HUSBAND
THE JEUNE PREMIER
THE KISS
THE LADY WITH THE DOG
THE LETTER
THE LION AND THE SUN
THE LOOKING-GLASS
THE LOTTERY TICKET
THE MAN IN A CASE
THE MARSHAL’S WIDOW
THE MURDER
THE NEW VILLA
THE OLD HOUSE
THE ORATOR
THE PARTY
THE PETCHENYEG
THE PIPE
THE POST
THE PRINCESS
THE PRIVY COUNCILLOR
THE RUNAWAY
THE SCHOOLMASTER
THE SCHOOLMISTRESS
THE SHOEMAKER AND THE DEVIL
THE STEPPE
THE STUDENT
THE SWEDISH MATCH
THE TEACHER OF LITERATURE
THE TELEPHONE
THE TROUSSEAU
THE TWO VOLODYAS
THE WIFE
THE WITCH
THREE YEARS
TOO EARLY!
TRAGIC ACTOR
TYPHUS
UPROOTED
UPROOTED
VANKA
VEROTCHKA
VOLODYA
WARD NO. 6
WHITEBROW
WHO WAS TO BLAME?
ZINOTCHKA
RAPTURE
Translated by Peter Russell 2011
It was late evening. Wild-looking and scruffy, Mitya Kuldarov stormed into his parents’ flat,
dashing through every room. His mother and father were about to go to bed. His sister was already in
bed and was on the last page of her novel, while his young brothers were fast asleep.
‘Where’ve you come from?’ his parents cried in shock. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘My God, I don’t know how to tell you! I’m shocked, completely shocked! It’s... so incredible!’
Mitya burst out laughing and sank into a chair, subdued with joy.
‘It’s unbelievable! You’d never suppose it! Look at this!’
His sister jumped out of bed and approached him, with a blanket round her. The young brothers
woke up.
‘What’s wrong? You look awful!’
‘But I’m so happy, Mother! Now every single person in Russia knows me! Everyone! A short time
ago only you knew Dmitry Kuldarov, the clerical officer of the fourteenth grade, but now everyone in
Russia knows me! Good God, mother!’
Mitya leapt up and ran round every room once more, before sitting down again.
‘Tell us what’s happened, for God’s sake!’
‘Parents, you live here like savages; you don’t read the newspapers, you’ve no idea what’s going on
and yet the papers are full of such extraordinary things! As soon as anything happens, they make it
public; it’s down there in plain black and white! O God, I’m so happy! Only celebrities get their
names in the paper. They’ve printed a story about me!’
‘They have? Where?’
His father paled and his mother looked to the icon, crossing herself. The young brothers jumped out
of bed, running over to their elder brother, naked save for their short nightshirts.
‘That’s right! All about me! Now I’m known all over the country! You’d better save this copy,
mother, and we can always read it and remember this day. See!’
Mitya pulled a newspaper out of his pocket and handed it to his father, pointing at a passage circled
in blue pen.
‘Read it aloud!’
His father reached for his glasses.
‘Go on, read it!’
His mother glanced at the icon again and crossed herself. His father cleared his throat and began
redaing: ‘On December 29th at 11 p.m. clerical officer of the fourteenth grade, Dmitry Kuldarov-’
‘You see? Read on, father!’
‘Clerical officer of the fourteenth grade, Dmitry Kuldarov, leaving the public house located at the
Kozikhin’s Buildings in Little Bronaya Street and being in a drunken state-’
‘It was me and my friend! See, they’ve got every detail! Read on! Listen to this next part!’
‘And being in a state of intoxication, he tripped and fell in front of a cab-horse belonging to Ivan
Knoutoff, a peasant, from the village of Bumkino in the Pnoff district, which was waiting at that place.
The terrified horse, knocking over Kuldarov, dragged the sledge over him in which was seated Ivan
Lukov, a Moscow merchant of the Second Guild. Horse and sledge thundered away down the street
and was eventually stopped by several porters. Being at first in a state of unconsciousness, Kuldarov
was taken to the policestation and examined by a doctor. The blow he received on the back of the
head-’
‘I got it from the shaft, Father! Go on, finish reading it!’
‘Which he had received on the head, was judged as being not serious. A police report was drawn up
regarding the incident and medical assistance was given to the victim-’
‘Yes, they dabbed the wound with cold water. Finished reading? So what do you say to that, eh! It’ll
be over the whole of Russia by now! Give it here!’
Mitya seized the paper, folded it and stuffed it into his coat.
‘Must go and show it to the Makarovs next door. Then I’ll visit the Ivanitskys, and then Nataliya
Ivanovna and of course Anisim Vasilich ... Sorry, can’t stay any longer! Bye!’
Putting on his official cap, flourishing the cockade, Mitya was radiant with rapture and sped away
out of the house.