Letters of Anton Chekhov (Tchekhov) - Penn State University

Letters of Anton Chekhov to His Family and Friends with biographical sketchness began reproving them, not the least restrained by my presence.He swore like a Tatar.I soon parted from the “president,” and on the evening of the15th of May by an appalling road reached Tomsk. During the lasttwo days I have only done seventy versts; you can imagine what theroads are like!In Tomsk the mud was almost impassable. Of the town and themanner of living here I will write in a day or two, but good-bye fornow—I am tired of writing.* * *There are no poplars. The Kuvshinnikov General was lying. I haveseen no nightingales. There are magpies and cuckoos.I received a telegram of eighty words from Suvorin to-day.Excuse this letter’s being like a hotch-potch. It’s incoherent, but Ican’t help it. Sitting in an hotel room one can’t write better. Excuseits being long, It’s not my fault. My pen ran away with me—besides,I wanted to go on talking to you. It’s three o’clock in thenight. My hand is tired. The wick of the candle wants snuffing, Ican hardly see. Write to me at Sahalin every four or five days. Itseems that the post goes there, not only by sea but across Siberia, soI shall get letters frequently.* * *All the Tomsk people tell me that there has not been a spring so coldand rainy as this one since 1842. Half Tomsk is under water. Myluck!I am eating sweets.I shall have to stay at Tomsk till the rains are over. They say theroad to Irkutsk is awful.162