Letters of Anton Chekhov (Tchekhov) - Penn State University

Anton ChekhovTO O. L. KNIPPER.YALTA, February 10, 1900.DEAR ACTRESS,The winter is very cold, I am not well, no one has written to mefor nearly a whole month—and I had made up my mind that therewas nothing left for me but to go abroad, where it is not so dull; butnow it has begun to be warmer, and it’s better, and I have decidedthat I shall go abroad only at the end of the summer, for the exhibition.And you, why are you depressed? What are you depressed about?You are living, working, hoping, drinking; you laugh when youruncle reads aloud to you—what more do you want? I am a differentmatter. I am torn up by the roots, I am not living a full life, I don’tdrink, though I am fond of drinking; I love noise and don’t hearit—in fact, I am in the condition of a transplanted tree which ishesitating whether to take root or to begin to wither. If I sometimesallow myself to complain of boredom, I have some grounds for doingso—but you? And Meierhold is complaining of the dulness ofhis life too. Aie, aie!By the way, about Meierhold—he ought to spend the whole summerin the Crimea. His health needs it. Only it must be for thewhole summer.Well, now I am all right again. I am doing nothing because Iintend to set to work. I dig in the garden. You write that for you,little people, the future is wrapped in mystery. I had a letter fromyour chief Nemirovitch not long ago. He writes that the company isgoing to be in Sevastopol, then in Yalta at the beginning of May: inYalta there will be five performances, then evening rehearsals. Onlythe precious members of the company will remain for the rehearsals,the others can have a holiday where they please. I trust that youare precious. To the director you are precious, to the author you arepriceless. There is a pun for a titbit for you. I won’t write anotherword to you till you send me your portrait.Thank you for your good wishes in regard to my marriage. I haveinformed my fiancee of your design of coming to Yalta in order to395