From the Diary of a Violent-Tempered Man (Chekhov)
Short summary
Russia, presumably 1880s. Nikolay Andreitch, a serious young man writing a dissertation on dog licenses, was constantly interrupted by a persistent young lady named Nadenka (also called Varenka or Mashenka).
She believed he was in love with her despite his indifference. When he tried to work, she would appear and drag him away to her villa, where he was forced to socialize with her mother and other young ladies. Nadenka constantly misinterpreted his irritation as signs of unrequited love.
During a solar eclipse, Nadenka arranged to meet Nikolay in an arbor, where she declared she would try to love him despite loving another. Her mother caught them embracing, and soon both mothers were celebrating their children's engagement. Despite his protests about his violent temper, Nikolay found himself married.
And so, I am married. Everybody congratulates me and Varenka keeps clinging to me and saying: 'Now you are mine, mine; do you understand that? Tell me that you love me!' And her nose swells as she says it.
Nikolay learned that a wounded officer, who had been similarly pursued by another young lady, escaped marriage by showing a medical certificate claiming mental derangement from his war wound. Nikolay lamented that such clever ideas always came too late.
Detailed summary
Division into chapters is editorial.
Introduction of the narrator and his dissertation
The narrator introduced himself as a serious person with a mind of philosophical bent. His vocation was the study of finance, and he had chosen to write his dissertation on "The Past and Future of the Dog Licence." He emphasized that young ladies, songs, moonlight, and similar frivolities were entirely out of his line.
Morning on the balcony and interruption by Nadenka
One morning, after his mother poured him coffee, Nikolay went to the balcony to work on his dissertation. He had just begun writing the historical survey when he heard suspicious footsteps below. Looking down, he saw a young lady with a long face and waist. She pretended not to notice him at first, then feigned surprise at seeing him and complained about losing a ball from her bracelet.
Despite his attempts to continue working, Nadenka persisted in her interruption, asking Nikolay to escort her home because she was afraid to pass the Karelins' large dog alone. Reluctantly, he put down his pen and accompanied her.
When the duty of walking arm-in-arm with a lady falls to my lot, for some reason or other I always feel like a peg with a heavy cloak hanging on it. Nadenka... has a peculiar art of throwing her whole weight on one's arm and clinging to one's side like a leech.
Visit to Nadenkas villa and conversations with her family
As they walked, Nadenka stopped and confessed that she knew Nikolay was in love with her, though she could not return his feelings as her heart belonged to another. Nikolay was bewildered by this assumption. Upon arriving at her villa, they found Nadenka's mother sitting on the terrace.
Also present were several young ladies of various colors and a wounded officer who, like Nikolay, was attempting to write during the summer. The young ladies seized Nikolay's hat and insisted he stay. They gave him fruit and a hairpin to help remove seeds, while they discussed men's appearances.
Forced dinner and return to Nadenkas company
Nadenka's mother remarked that while Nikolay was not handsome, he was attractive, and that intelligence mattered more than beauty in men. When Nikolay's maid arrived to call him to dinner, he attempted to leave, but the ladies insisted he had promised to dine with them and go mushroom hunting afterward.
My soul is boiling with rage, and I feel that in another moment I may not be able to answer for myself, that there may be an explosion, but gentlemanly feeling and the fear of committing a breach of good manners compels me to obey the ladies.
Despite his inner fury, Nikolay reluctantly joined them for dinner. He had no appetite but ate from politeness while Nadenka looked at him sympathetically.
Mushroom gathering and Nadenkas declarations of friendship
After dinner, Nadenka's mother pressed Nikolay's hand and urged him not to despair, insisting her daughter had "such a heart." The group then went to the woods to gather mushrooms. Nadenka clung to Nikolay's arm and asked why he was so melancholy and silent.
Struggling to find a topic within her understanding, Nikolay mentioned that cutting down forests had been detrimental to Russia's prosperity. Nadenka sighed and accused him of trying to punish her with his silence. She suggested that his love was unrequited and offered her eternal friendship as consolation.
Nikolay was bewildered, as he was not in love with any girl and had no use for eternal friendship. Nadenka dramatically declared that she would consider sacrificing her own happiness to save him from suffering. Nikolay found this incomprehensible.
They continued gathering mushrooms in silence. Nadenka's face showed signs of internal struggle. Through the trees, Nikolay spotted the wounded officer limping along with one of the variegated young ladies on his arm.
Evening encounter and Nadenkas unexpected proposal
Upon returning to the house, they drank tea, played croquet, and listened to one of the young ladies sing. As evening fell, Nikolay attempted to leave, but Mashenka whispered that she had something important to tell him. Despite his foreboding, politeness compelled him to stay.
Mashenka led him to a garden walk where, after much hesitation and with gleaming eyes and swollen nose, she suddenly declared, "Nicolas, I am yours! Love you I cannot, but I promise to be true to you!" She then pressed herself to his chest before quickly springing away, claiming someone was coming and arranging to meet him in the arbour the next day at eleven.
I can make nothing out of all this. It seems some special sort of puzzle... I am furious... I may say, my anger is terrible. Damn it all! I allow no one to treat me like a boy, I am a man of violent temper, and it is not safe to trifle with me!
The solar eclipse and failed observations
The next morning, August 7, 1887, was the date of a solar eclipse. Nikolay decided to set aside his dissertation to observe this exceptional event. He divided the tasks: he would measure the diameters of the sun and moon, the wounded officer would sketch the corona, and Mashenka and the young ladies would make other observations.
Mashenka asked Nikolay to explain the cause of the eclipse. When he mentioned the moon crossing the line joining the centers of the sun and earth, she questioned how the moon could cross an imaginary line. Mashenka's mother dismissed the whole thing as nonsense, claiming they couldn't know what would happen in the sky.
When the eclipse began, chaos ensued. Animals ran about in panic, bugs emerged from walls, and people reacted with fear. The excise officer, who had spent the night at a lady friend's house, dashed out in only his nightshirt shouting for everyone to save themselves.
Nikolay tried to focus on his measurements, but Mashenka interrupted him, reminding him of their appointment. The wounded officer was unable to sketch the corona because young ladies were clinging to him in terror. The eclipse ended before Nikolay could complete his observations.
I try to continue, but the eclipse is over. 'Look at me!' she whispers tenderly. Oh, that is the last straw! Trying a man's patience like that can but have a fatal ending. I am not to blame if something terrible happens.
The aftermath and reluctant marriage
Despite the rain, Nikolay eventually went to meet Mashenka in the arbour. She embraced him, claiming she had thought all night and believed she would learn to love him. When he tried to explain his views on marriage, she interrupted by asking for a kiss. As they kissed, Mashenka's mother appeared in the doorway, pretending alarm.
Returning home confused and enraged, Nikolay found Mashenka's mother embracing his mother, both weeping with joy. Nadenka's mother then embraced him, blessing the union and speaking of her daughter's sacrifice. Before he knew it, Nikolay found himself at his own wedding, with his best man urging him to hurry.
An inspiration! I might have got a certificate too. An uncle of mine drank himself to death, another uncle was extremely absentminded... and my ungovernable temper is a very suspicious symptom. But why do these great ideas always come too late? Why?