Letters of Anton Chekhov (Tchekhov) - Penn State University

Anton Chekhovand de facto Krestyany. They enjoy universal respect, and accordingto the “president” they are not infrequently chosen as village elders.I saw a tall thin Jew who scowled with disgust and spat when the“president” told indecent stories: a chaste soul; his wife makes splendidfish-soup. The wife of the Jew who had cancer regaled me withpike caviare and with most delicious white bread. One hears nothingof exploitation by the Jews. And, by the way, about the Poles.There are a few exiles here, sent from Poland in 1864. They aregood, hospitable, and very refined people. Some of them live in avery wealthy way; others are very poor, and serve as clerks at thestations. Upon the amnesty the former went back to their own country,but soon returned to Siberia again—here they are better off; thelatter dream of their native land, though they are old and infirm. AtIshim a wealthy Pole, Pan Zalyessky, who has a daughter like SashaKiselyov, for a rouble gave me an excellent dinner and a room tosleep in; he keeps an inn and has become a money-grubber to themarrow of his bones; he fleeces everyone, but yet one feels the Polishgentleman in his manner, in the way the meals are served, ineverything. He does not go back to Poland through greed, andthrough greed endures snow till St. Nikolay’s day; when he dies hisdaughter, who was born at Ishim, will remain here for ever and sowill multiply the black eyes and soft features in Siberia! This casualintermixture of blood is to the good, for the Siberian people are notbeautiful. There are no dark-haired people. Perhaps you would likeme to write about the Tatars? Certainly. There are very few of themhere. They are good people. In the province of Kazan everyone speakswell of them, even the priests, and in Siberia they are “better thanthe Russians” as the “president” said to me in the presence of Russians,who assented to this by their silence. My God, how rich Russiais in good people! If it were not for the cold which deprivesSiberia of the summer, and if it were not for the officials who corruptthe peasants and the exiles, Siberia would be the richest andhappiest of lands.I have nothing for dinner. Sensible people usually take twentypounds of provisions when they go to Tomsk. It seems I was a fooland so I have fed for a fortnight on nothing but milk and eggs,which are boiled so that the yolk is hard and the white is soft. One153