About Love (Chekhov)
Short summary
Russian countryside, early 20th century. During lunch at Alehin's estate, the conversation turned to love after discussing the cook Nikanor's relationship with Pelagea. Alehin shared his own love story.
Years earlier, while working as a justice of the peace, Alehin met Anna Alexyevna, the young wife of his colleague Luganovitch. He was immediately captivated by her beauty and intelligence.
Over time, Alehin became a frequent visitor at the Luganovitch home. He and Anna grew increasingly close, attending theater together and sharing intimate conversations. Though they never spoke of their feelings, both recognized their deep mutual love.
Despite their feelings, they never acted on their love. Alehin worried about disrupting her family life, while Anna grew increasingly melancholy and developed neurasthenia. When her husband was appointed to a position in another province, they finally had to part.
At their final farewell in the train compartment, they embraced and wept.
I confessed my love for her, and with a burning pain in my heart I realized how unnecessary, how petty, and how deceptive all that had hindered us from loving was. I understood that when you love you must either... start from what is highest... or you must not reason at all.
After finishing his story, Alehin's listeners looked out at the garden and millpond, feeling sorry that this intelligent man was wasting his life running around his estate instead of pursuing science or something that would make him happier.
Detailed summary
Division into chapters is editorial.
Introduction to Pelageas love story and discussions about love
During lunch at Alehin's estate, the host and his guests learned about the cook Nikanor and his relationship with the beautiful Pelagea. Despite being in love with Nikanor, Pelagea refused to marry him because of his violent behavior when drunk, though she was willing to live with him without marriage. Nikanor, being deeply religious, insisted on marriage and would sometimes abuse her when intoxicated. On such occasions, Alehin and his servants stayed ready to defend her if necessary.
Alehins reflections on love and its mysteries
This situation prompted a conversation about love. Alehin shared his thoughts on why Pelagea loved someone so unlike herself and questioned how personal happiness factors into love. He concluded that there was only one certain truth about love.
So far only one incontestable truth has been uttered about love: 'This is a great mystery.' Everything else that has been written or said about love is not a conclusion, but only a statement of questions which have remained unanswered.
Alehin observed that Russians tend to complicate love with philosophical questions rather than simply experiencing it. He noted that these questions often prove irritating and unsatisfactory, yet unavoidable. As the rain continued outside, making outdoor activities impossible, Alehin began to tell his own love story to his guests.
Alehins life at Sofino and his introduction to the Luganovitches
Alehin explained that he had lived at Sofino since leaving university. Though educated as a gentleman, he chose to work the land to pay off the substantial debt his father had incurred partly for his education. The work was physically demanding, and Alehin often slept in barns or sledges rather than his bed. His refined habits gradually gave way to a simpler lifestyle, though he kept the servants from his father's time.
His position as an honorary justice of the peace provided occasional respite from farm life, allowing him to visit town and interact with educated people. During one such visit, after a lengthy case of arson, he met Luganovitch, the vice-president of the circuit court, who invited him to dinner. This invitation led to a significant relationship in Alehin's life.
Meeting Anna Alexyevna and the beginning of attachment
At Luganovitch's home, Alehin met Anna Alexyevna, Luganovitch's young wife who had recently given birth to their first child. He was immediately captivated by her.
I saw a lovely young, good, intelligent, fascinating woman, such as I had never met before; and I felt her at once someone close and already familiar, as though that face, those cordial, intelligent eyes, I had seen somewhere in my childhood...
During dinner, Alehin passionately defended four Jews accused of arson, while Anna Alexyevna questioned her husband's simplistic view that anyone charged must be guilty. After this first meeting, Alehin returned to Sofino for the summer, but Anna's memory lingered with him.
In autumn, Alehin attended a charity theatrical performance in town where he encountered Anna again. She noticed he had grown thinner and appeared dispirited compared to their first meeting. She confessed that she had thought of him during the summer and had anticipated seeing him at the theater. This marked the beginning of their regular meetings.
Alehin began visiting the Luganovitches whenever he was in town, eventually becoming like family. He would arrive unannounced, and Anna would greet him with concern if he had been absent for too long. When no one was home, he would wait, talking to the nurse or playing with the children. He carried Anna's parcels when she returned from shopping, doing so with a sense of devotion.
The deepening relationship and unspoken love
The Luganovitches were genuinely concerned for Alehin's welfare. During difficult financial times, they offered to lend him money, and occasionally gave him gifts. Though Alehin had borrowed from others in the past, he could never bring himself to borrow from the Luganovitches.
Meanwhile, Alehin found himself increasingly unhappy, constantly thinking of Anna. He struggled to understand why she had married someone as uninteresting as Luganovitch rather than someone more suited to her intelligence and beauty. He wondered why they had not met earlier, before her marriage.
Though they spent much time together and clearly harbored deep feelings for one another, neither Alehin nor Anna openly acknowledged their love.
We talked a long time, and were silent, yet we did not confess our love to each other, but timidly and jealously concealed it. We were afraid of everything that might reveal our secret to ourselves.
Alehin constantly questioned what their love could lead to. He worried about disrupting her family life and wondered if he could offer her anything better than her current situation. His own life was difficult and unremarkable, and he feared taking her from one humdrum existence to another. He also worried about what might happen if he became ill or died, or if they simply grew apart.
Anna seemed to share these concerns. She worried about complicating Alehin's already difficult life and often suggested he should marry a younger, more capable woman who could help him manage his estate. As years passed, their relationship continued in this unresolved state.
The Luganovitch household regarded Alehin as a noble person, and both adults and children behaved better in his presence. He and Anna attended the theater together, sitting close with shoulders touching, yet always parting as strangers afterward. Despite rumors in town about their relationship, nothing improper ever occurred between them.
Over time, Anna began suffering from low spirits and was diagnosed with neurasthenia. She made frequent visits to her mother or sister and sometimes seemed indifferent to her husband and children. Her behavior toward Alehin became strangely irritable in the presence of others, contradicting him and making cutting remarks.
The parting and final confession of love
Eventually, Luganovitch was appointed president in one of the western provinces, forcing the family to sell their property and move away. It was arranged that Anna would first go to Crimea for her health, while her husband and children would later travel to their new home.
A large crowd gathered to see Anna off at the train station. In the final moments before her departure, Alehin entered her compartment to place a forgotten basket on the rack. When their eyes met, their restraint finally broke. He took her in his arms as she pressed her face to his chest and wept. Kissing her face and hands, Alehin at last confessed his love.
In that moment, he realized how unnecessary and deceptive all their reasons for suppressing their love had been. He understood that when it comes to love, one must either start from principles higher than conventional notions of happiness, sin, or virtue—or not reason at all.
After a final kiss and handshake, they parted forever. Alehin moved to the next compartment and wept until reaching the next station, then walked home to Sofino.
Conclusion and reflections on Alehins story
As Alehin concluded his story, the rain stopped and the sun emerged. Burkin and Ivan Ivanovitch stepped onto the balcony to admire the garden and millpond gleaming in the sunshine. They felt sympathy for Alehin, regretting that this intelligent, kind man spent his life working tirelessly on his estate rather than pursuing science or other fulfilling endeavors.
Both men had met Anna in town, and Burkin had thought her beautiful. They imagined the sorrow on her face as she said goodbye to Alehin in the railway carriage, a moment of genuine connection after years of restraint.