A Malefactor (Chekhov)
Short summary
Rural Russia, late 19th century. Denis Grigoryev, a peasant, was caught unscrewing a nut from a railway line and brought before an investigating magistrate.
When questioned, Denis explained that he was taking the nut to use as a weight for his fishing line. The magistrate tried to make him understand the seriousness of his actions, explaining that removing nuts could cause train accidents and kill people.
Denis dismissed the danger, claiming that villagers had been taking nuts for years without incident.
"Why! how many years have we all in the village been unscrewing nuts, and the Lord has been merciful; and you talk of accidents, killing people. If I had carried away a rail... then maybe it might have upset the train, but... pouf! a nut!"
The magistrate informed Denis that his actions violated the law and warranted penal servitude. Despite Denis's continued protests and confusion, the magistrate ordered him to be taken to prison. As Denis was led away, he complained about missing the fair and blamed the village elder for lying about his tax arrears, still not comprehending the true nature of his offense.
Detailed summary
Division into chapters is editorial.
Introduction of Denis and the magistrates accusation
A thin peasant named Denis Grigoryev stood before the investigating magistrate. His appearance was unkempt, with a face covered in hair and pitted with smallpox, thick eyebrows, and tangled hair that gave him a morose look. He was barefooted and wore patched clothing.
The magistrate began the interrogation by stating that on July 7th, a railway watchman named Ivan Semyonovitch Akinfov had caught Denis unscrewing a nut from the railway line. Denis confirmed this was true.
Denis explains his use of nuts as fishing weights
When asked why he was unscrewing the nut, Denis responded with confusion, repeatedly saying "Wha-at?" The magistrate grew impatient with this response. Denis finally explained that he wouldn't have unscrewed the nut if he hadn't wanted it.
"If I hadn't wanted it I shouldn't have unscrewed it," croaks Denis, looking at the ceiling. "The nut? We make weights out of those nuts for our lines." "Who is 'we'?" "We, people... The Klimovo peasants, that is."
The magistrate accused Denis of playing the idiot, but Denis insisted he wasn't lying. He explained that the nuts were used as weights for fishing lines, as without weights, bait would float on the surface instead of sinking to where fish like perch, pike, and eelpout could be caught. Denis claimed that even the gentry used weights for fishing in their area, and that nuts were ideal because they were heavy and had holes in them.
When the magistrate suggested using lead, bullets, or nails instead, Denis explained that lead had to be purchased, and nails weren't suitable. According to him, nothing worked better than a railway nut for fishing.
The magistrate warns about railway accident dangers
The magistrate grew frustrated with Denis's apparent ignorance and explained the serious consequences of his actions. He told Denis that unscrewing nuts from railway lines could cause trains to derail and people to die. Denis was shocked at this accusation, insisting he was not a heathen or wicked person who would kill others.
The magistrate explained that railway accidents happen precisely because people unscrew nuts from the tracks. Denis responded with disbelief, grinning at the magistrate. He argued that villagers had been unscrewing nuts for years without causing any accidents. In his view, removing a single nut couldn't possibly cause a train to derail, though he acknowledged that removing a rail or placing a log across the tracks might do so.
"We don't unscrew them all... we leave some... We don't do it thoughtlessly... we understand..." Denis yawns and makes the sign of the cross over his mouth.
Deniss denial of understanding the consequences
The magistrate mentioned that a train had derailed at that location the previous year, and now he understood why. Denis seemed confused by this statement. The magistrate repeated that he now understood the cause of the accident.
Denis responded by saying that educated people like the magistrate were meant to understand such things, while common peasants like himself and the watchman lacked such understanding. He complained that the watchman had grabbed him by the collar without reasoning first, and even hit him twice.
"That's what you are educated people for, to understand, you kind gentlemen. The Lord knows to whom to give understanding.... Here you have reasoned how and what, but the watchman, a peasant like ourselves, with no understanding at all..."
Discussion about other stolen nuts and legal consequences
The magistrate then questioned Denis about another nut found during a search of his hut. Denis identified it as one that had been under a red box, claiming he hadn't unscrewed it himself but had received it from Ignashka, the son of one-eyed Semyon.
Denis also mentioned that he and Mitrofan Petrov had together unscrewed another nut that was found in the yard sledge. Mitrofan made fishing nets to sell to the gentry and needed many nuts for weights, about ten for each net.
The magistrate then cited Article 1081 of the Penal Code, which stated that willful damage to railway lines that could endanger traffic, when the guilty party knew an accident could result, was punishable by penal servitude. Denis simply responded that the magistrate knew best, as he himself was an ignorant person who didn't understand such matters.
Denis is sent to prison despite his protests
After a long silence, Denis asked if he could leave. The magistrate informed him that he would be taken under guard and sent to prison. Denis was shocked and confused by this decision.
"How do you mean, to prison? Your honour! I have no time to spare, I must go to the fair; I must get three roubles from Yegor for some tallow!..."
The magistrate ordered Denis to be quiet, but Denis protested that he had done nothing to warrant imprisonment - he hadn't stolen anything or been fighting. He suggested that if there were concerns about arrears, the magistrate shouldn't believe the village elder, who Denis described as a heathen.
As Denis continued to protest, the magistrate called for Semyon to take him away. While being led out by two soldiers, Denis continued to argue that he shouldn't be held responsible for his brother Kuzma's failure to pay. He lamented that if their former master, the general, were still alive, he would have shown these judges how to judge sensibly and with conscience, not at random.
As he was led away, Denis continued to protest the injustice, arguing that punishment should be given to those who deserve it and with conscience.