Letters of Anton Chekhov (Tchekhov) - Penn State University

Letters of Anton Chekhov to His Family and Friends with biographical sketchsolution for me. “Drive on, sir, as far as the Tom, it is only six verstsfrom here; there they will row you across to Yar, and Ilya Markovitchwill take you on from there to Tomsk.” I hired a horse and drove tothe Tom, to the place where the boat was to be. I drove—there wasno boat. They told me it had just set off with the post, and washardly likely to return as there was such a wind. I began waiting ….The ground was covered with snow, it rained and hailed and thewind blew …. One hour passed, a second, and no boat. Fate waslaughing at me. I returned to the station. There the driver of themail with three posting horses was just setting off for the Tom. Itold him there was no boat. He stayed. Fate rewarded me; the clerkin response to my hesitating inquiry whether there was anything toeat told me the woman of the house had some cabbage soup. Oh,rapture! Oh, radiant day! And the daughter of the house did in factgive me some excellent cabbage soup, with some capital meat withroast potatoes and cucumbers. I have not had such a dinner since Iwas at Pan Zalyessky’s. After the potatoes I let myself go, and mademyself some coffee.Towards evening the mail driver, an elderly man who had evidentlyendured a good deal in his day, and who did not venture tosit down in my presence, began preparing to set off to the Tom. Idid the same. We drove off. As soon as we reached the river the boatcame into sight—a long boat: I have never dreamed of a boat solong. While the post was being loaded on to the boat I witnessed astrange phenomenon—there was a peal of thunder, a queer thing ina cold wind, with snow on the ground. They loaded up and rowedoff. My sweet Misha, forgive me for being so rejoiced that I did notbring you with me! How sensible it was of me not to take anyonewith me! At first our boat floated over a meadow near willow-bushes…. As is common before a storm or during a storm, a violent windsuddenly sprang up on the water and stirred up the waves. Theboatman who was sitting at the helm advised our waiting in thewillow-bushes till the storm was over. They answered him that ifthe storm grew worse, they might stay in the willow-bushes till nightand be drowned all the same. They proceeded to settle it by majorityof votes, and decided to row on. An evil mocking fate is mine. Oh,why these jests? We rowed on in silence, concentrating our thoughts160