Letters of Anton Chekhov (Tchekhov) - Penn State University

Anton Chekhovthere was a crash, the horses were mixed up in a black mass, mychaise was rearing in the air, and I was rolling on the ground with allmy bags and boxes on the top of me. I leap up and see—a thirdtroika dashing upon us ….My mother must have been praying for me that night, I suppose.If I had been asleep, or if the third troika had come immediatelyafter the second, I should have been crushed to death or maimed. Itappeared the foremost driver lashed on the horses, while the driversin the second and the third carts were asleep and did not see us. Thecollision was followed by the blankest amazement on both sides,then a storm of ferocious abuse. The traces were torn, the shaftswere broken, the yokes were lying about on the road …. Ah, howthe drivers swore! At night, in that swearing turbulent crew, I felt inutter solitude such as I have never felt before in my life ….But my paper is running out.147