A Joke (Chekhov)
Short summary
Russia, winter. A young man took Nadenka to a high hill for tobogganing. Though terrified of the steep slope, she eventually agreed to slide down with him. During their rapid descent, he whispered, "I love you, Nadya!" When they reached the bottom, Nadenka wondered if she had truly heard those words or if they were just the wind.
Curious and confused, Nadenka suggested they slide again. Once more, at the height of their descent, he whispered the same words. This pattern continued for days, with Nadenka becoming addicted to hearing those mysterious words, never knowing whether they came from him or the wind.
One day, Nadenka even tried sliding alone to test if she would hear the words without him. When spring came and the ice hill melted, the narrator prepared to leave for Petersburg. The night before his departure, he saw Nadenka in her yard looking sad. He whispered the words to her one last time from behind a fence.
Mercy! The change that came over Nadenka! She uttered a cry, smiled all over her face and looking joyful, happy and beautiful, held out her arms to meet the wind. And I went off to pack up...
Years later, Nadenka married a secretary and had three children. The narrator reflected that those words remained her most beautiful memory, while he could no longer understand why he had played such a joke.
Detailed summary
Division into chapters is editorial.
The winter hill and introduction of characters
On a bright winter day with a sharp frost, a young man and Nadenka stood on a high hill overlooking a smooth, sloping descent covered in ice. Next to them was a small sledge lined with bright red cloth. The young man tried to convince Nadenka to slide down the hill with him, assuring her they would be safe, but she was terrified, viewing the slope as a dangerous abyss.
The first declaration of love during the toboggan ride
After calling her cowardly, the narrator finally persuaded Nadenka to get into the sledge. Pale and trembling with fear, she allowed him to put his arm around her as they cast themselves down the precipice. The sledge flew like a bullet, with the air roaring and whistling around them. The pressure of the wind made it difficult to breathe, and it felt as though they were being dragged to hell.
"I love you, Nadya!" I said in a low voice. The sledge began moving more and more slowly, the roar of the wind and the whirr of the runners was no longer so terrible, it was easier to breathe, and at last we were at the bottom.
When they reached the bottom, Nadenka was pale and barely breathing. She declared that nothing would induce her to go again, claiming she had almost died. Later, as they walked near the ice-hill, she looked inquiringly into the narrator's eyes, wondering if he had really uttered those words of love or if she had imagined them in the roar of the wind.
Nadenkas confusion and repeated rides
The question of whether those words had been spoken tormented Nadenka. It was a matter of pride, honor, and life itself - the most important question in the world to her. She struggled with herself, wanting to ask directly but feeling awkward and frightened despite her joy.
The riddle evidently would not let her rest... Had those words been uttered or not?... Yes or no? Yes or no? It was the question of pride, or honour, of life—a very important question, the most important question in the world.
Eventually, Nadenka suggested they slide down again. Once more, they climbed the hill, and as their sledge reached its swiftest speed, the narrator whispered the same words: "I love you, Nadenka!" When they stopped, she examined the hill and his face, trying to determine who had spoken those words. Her uncertainty drove her to distraction, and she requested a third ride.
During their third descent, the narrator covered his mouth with a handkerchief, coughed, and still managed to say those words. The mystery remained unsolved, and Nadenka's soul suffered as she waited for him to speak those words outside of their sledding adventures.
The next morning, the narrator received a note from Nadenka inviting him to go tobogganing again. From that day forward, they went sledding daily, and each time he whispered the same declaration of love. Nadenka grew dependent on hearing those words, like an addiction, even though the terror of the descent remained. She still didn't know whether it was the wind or the narrator who spoke to her, but the mystery and danger gave the words a special fascination.
Nadenkas solo test ride
One day at midday, the narrator went to the skating ground alone and saw Nadenka searching for him. After looking around, she timidly mounted the steps to the ice-hill by herself. Though terrified, she was determined to test whether those sweet words would be heard when the narrator was not present.
She had evidently determined to put it to the test at last: would those sweet amazing words be heard when I was not there? I saw her, pale, her lips parted with horror, get into the sledge, shut her eyes and saying goodbye forever to the earth.
The narrator watched as she descended, looking faint and exhausted when she got up from the sledge. Her terror during the ride had deprived her of the ability to hear or understand sounds, leaving her uncertain whether she had heard anything at all.
Springs arrival and the narrators farewell
March arrived, bringing spring sunshine that melted their ice-hill. With no place left for Nadenka to hear those words and the narrator preparing to leave for St. Petersburg, perhaps forever, their tobogganing adventures came to an end.
Two days before his departure, the narrator stood in a small garden near Nadenka's house, peeping through a fence. He saw her come out to the porch and gaze sorrowfully at the sky. The spring wind blowing into her face reminded her of the wind on the ice-hill and the words she had heard. A tear trickled down her cheek as she held out her arms, begging the wind to bring those words once more. Seeing her yearning, the narrator whispered, "I love you, Nadya!" Hearing this, Nadenka cried out with joy, her face transformed as she held out her arms to meet the wind.
Years later: Nadenkas marriage and memories
Many years passed. Nadenka eventually married a secretary of the Nobility Wardenship and had three children. Their tobogganing adventures and the mysterious words carried by the wind became her happiest, most touching, and beautiful memory.
But now that I am older I cannot understand why I uttered those words, what was my motive in that joke...