At Christmas Time (Chekhov)
Short summary
Rural Russia, late 19th century. Vasilisa hadn't seen her daughter Yefimya in four years and knew nothing about her life in Petersburg. At Christmas, the elderly woman decided to send a letter and hired Yegor, a tavern regular known for his writing skills, to compose it for fifteen kopecks.
Though Vasilisa had many thoughts about their difficult life, Yegor wrote a pompous, meaningless letter filled with military references. The old couple paid him and Vasilisa sent the letter to the hydropathic establishment where Yefimya's husband worked as a porter.
On New Year's Day, Andrey Hrisanfitch, Yefimya's husband, received the letter and gave it to his wife. Upon reading just the first lines, Yefimya burst into tears of homesickness.
"It's from granny, from grandfather," she said. "From the country.... The Heavenly Mother, Saints and Martyrs! The snow lies heaped up under the roofs now... the trees are as white as white. The boys slide on little sledges..."
Andrey remembered that he had never sent his wife's letters to her parents. Yefimya quickly composed herself when her husband returned, as she was terrified of him. Andrey resumed his duties at the establishment, greeting the general as if nothing had happened.
Detailed summary by chapters
Chapter titles are editorial.
Chapter 1. The letter from the village: Vasilisa and the scribe
Four years had passed since Vasilisa had last seen her daughter Yefimya, who moved to Petersburg after her wedding. Yefimya had sent only two letters and then seemed to vanish from her parents' lives. Whether Vasilisa was milking her cow at dawn, heating her stove, or dozing at night, she constantly worried about her daughter and wondered if she was still alive.
When Christmas arrived, Vasilisa could no longer bear the separation and decided to send a letter. Since neither she nor her husband could write, she went to the tavern to find Yegor, the brother of the innkeeper's wife, who was known for his letter-writing skills. They agreed on a payment of fifteen kopecks for his services.
On the second day of the holidays, Vasilisa and her husband Pyotr visited the tavern kitchen where Yegor sat at the table with pen in hand. While a piece of pork sizzled on the stove, Yegor asked what he should write. Vasilisa dictated a greeting to their son-in-law Andrey and daughter Yefimya, sending their love and parental blessing. She added Christmas wishes and mentioned that they were alive and well.
And how many events had occurred in the village since then, how many marriages and deaths! How long the winters had been! How long the nights!
After Vasilisa fell silent, Yegor asked about their son-in-law's occupation. Pyotr explained that Andrey had been a soldier who now worked as a porter at a hydropathic establishment in Petersburg. Instead of writing what Vasilisa wanted to say about their hardships and need for money, Yegor composed a pretentious letter filled with military references and flowery language that the old couple couldn't understand.
Despite his confusion, Pyotr nodded trustfully at the finished letter, believing in both his wife who had brought him there and in Yegor's abilities. They paid three five-kopeck pieces and left the tavern. While Pyotr maintained his trusting demeanor, Vasilisa angrily waved at a dog and muttered "Ugh, the plague." She spent a sleepless night and early the next morning walked eight or nine miles to the station to send the letter.
Chapter 2. The letters arrival: Yefimyas yearning for home
On New Year's Day, Dr. B. O. Mozelweiser's hydropathic establishment operated as usual, with the only difference being that the porter, Andrey Hrisanfitch, wore a uniform with new braiding and polished boots, greeting visitors with "A Happy New Year to you!" That morning, after greeting a general who regularly visited the establishment, Andrey received the mail and found a letter addressed to him.
After reading a few lines, Andrey went to his room where his wife Yefimya was sitting on the bed feeding their baby. Their eldest child stood beside her with his head on her knee, while a third child slept on the bed. Andrey handed the letter to his wife, saying it was probably from the country, then left the room while continuing to read his newspaper.
Yefimya began reading the letter with a trembling voice but could only get through the first few lines before bursting into tears. Hugging her eldest child, she spoke emotionally about her parents and the countryside, describing the snow-covered roofs, white trees, children sliding on sledges, her bald grandfather on the stove, and a little yellow dog. Her words mixed laughter and tears as she expressed her longing for home.
"Grandfather is kind and gentle; granny is good, too... They are warmhearted in the country, they are God-fearing... and there is a little church in the village; the peasants sing in the choir. Queen of Heaven, take us away from here!"
Hearing his wife's words, Andrey recalled that she had given him letters to send to the country on several occasions, but he had always been too busy and the letters were lost. When he returned to his room to smoke, Yefimya immediately fell silent and wiped her tears, though her lips continued to tremble.
She was very much frightened of him―oh, how frightened of him! She trembled and was reduced to terror by the sound of his steps, by the look in his eyes, and dared not utter a word in his presence.
Just as Andrey lit a cigarette, the bell rang from upstairs. He quickly put out his cigarette, assumed a serious expression, and hurried to answer the door. The general was coming downstairs, fresh and rosy from his bath, and asked about a room they were passing. Andrey snapped to attention, hands at the seams of his trousers, and loudly announced, "Charcot douche, your Excellency!"