Polikoúshka (Tolstoy)
Short summary
Russian Empire, mid-19th century. The Pokróvsk estate needed to provide three military recruits. The steward wanted to send a problematic domestic serf known for theft, but the proprietress defended him, believing in his reformation.
Polikéy worked as a farrier and lived in cramped quarters with his wife and five children. Despite his desire to reform, he struggled with his stealing habit acquired in youth. The proprietress recalled how he had confessed to stealing a clock and seemed genuinely repentant, so she refused to send him as a recruit.
To prove her trust, the proprietress sent Polikéy to collect 462 silver roubles from a merchant in town. Akoulína worried but made him promise not to drink. Polikéy successfully collected the money and felt proud of the responsibility. He hid the envelope in his cap lining and slept with his head on it. Meanwhile, the village meeting selected young Elijah from the Doútlof family as a recruit through drawing lots.
On the way home, the rotten cap crown tore and the envelope fell out unnoticed. When Polikéy discovered the loss, he was devastated. He searched frantically but couldn't find it. Instead of returning home, he hanged himself in the garret. During the chaos of discovering his body, a terrible tragedy occurred.
Akoulína let go the baby... rushed out into the passage... from there with a terrible cry she fell back like a corpse... The baby... fell backwards, with his little legs in the air and his head under water.
Detailed summary by chapters
Chapter titles are editorial.
Chapter 1. Discussion about recruits and Polikéys reputation
On an autumn evening, the estate steward came to report to his proprietress about the pressing matter of military recruitment. The Pokróvsk estate needed to provide three recruits for the army. Two candidates had already been clearly identified by circumstances, but the third choice remained contentious. The steward favored sending a domestic serf with a notorious reputation for theft, while the proprietress opposed this decision.
The steward wanted to protect the Doútlof family, who had three men of recruitment age, and instead send the problematic domestic serf who had been caught stealing multiple times.
Chapter 2. Polikéys background and his life as a farrier
The domestic serf in question lived in cramped quarters with his large family. Despite the poor living conditions, they managed to survive on their monthly allowance and his work tending horses.
Polikéy had learned his thieving habits during his youth at a stud-farm under a corrupt groom who was later exiled to Siberia. Though he wanted to reform, he found it difficult to break old patterns. His wife often scolded him when he came home drunk, and he would promise to change.
He was a kindhearted man; not wicked, but only weak; liking drink, and so in the habit of it that he could not leave it off... 'Unfortunate man that I am, what shall I do? Blast my eyes, I'll leave it off! Never again!'
Chapter 3. The recruits arrival and village tensions
The proprietress firmly defended Polikéy, recalling how he had confessed to stealing a clock and seemed genuinely repentant. She refused to send him as a recruit, believing in his reformation and considering it inhumane to separate a father of five from his family.
I will not give up Polikoúshka on any account. When... he confessed to me of his own accord, and cried, and gave his word to amend, I talked to him for a long time, and saw that he was touched and sincerely penitent.
The steward accepted her decision but warned that this meant one of the Doútlof family would have to go instead. The proprietress seemed unable to grasp this consequence, despite the steward's attempts to make it clear.
Chapter 4. Polikéys departure and Akoulínas fears
When the proprietress needed someone to collect money from a merchant in town, she decided to trust Polikéy with this important task. This decision surprised the steward but demonstrated her faith in the reformed serf.
Akoulína worried about her husband's journey and made him promise not to drink while carrying such a large sum of money.
Chapter 5. Polikéys mission and the ladys trust
Polikéy was summoned to the proprietress, who entrusted him with collecting four hundred and sixty-two silver roubles from a fruit merchant. She emphasized that his fate depended on his faithful completion of this task, giving him a chance to prove his trustworthiness despite his past transgressions.
Polikéy departed the next morning in the steward's cart, feeling proud of the trust placed in him. Despite his shabby appearance, he imagined himself as a respectable merchant. The journey to town went smoothly, and he successfully collected the money from the fruit seller, who initially questioned whether he had really been sent for such a large sum.
After completing his business, Polikéy felt a pleasant sense of accomplishment. He resisted all temptations to spend the money, even when looking at expensive goods in shop windows. That night, he carefully examined the envelope containing the money and had a porter read the address to him, taking childish pleasure in knowing he carried such a valuable sum.
He hid the money in the lining of his cap and slept with his head on it, waking frequently to check that it was still there. Each time he found it safe, he felt proud that he, the disgraced Polikéy, was handling such responsibility better than even the steward might have done.
Chapter 6. The village meeting and Doútlofs selection
Meanwhile, the village meeting was held to decide on the recruits. After much heated debate between families with multiple young men, lots were drawn among the three Doútlof nephews.
The lot fell to Elijah, the youngest of the three. The steward warned old Doútlof to watch his nephew carefully and prevent any attempt at self-harm, threatening to send the eldest son instead if anything happened to Elijah.
Chapter 7. Polikéys departure for town
The next morning, Polikéy prepared to return home. His family bustled about getting him ready, with his wife giving him her warm stockings and making makeshift soles from a saddlecloth to repair his broken boots. The children begged for rides in the cart, and Akoulína whispered final reminders about his promise not to drink.
Despite the terrible weather with cutting wind and sleet, Polikéy felt elated. He was the man they had threatened to exile, yet now he was trusted with a large sum of money and driving the steward's cart. He imagined himself as a wealthy peasant proprietor, though his shabby appearance would have revealed his true status to any experienced observer.
Polikéy resisted the temptation to stop at public houses along the way, instead focusing on his important mission. He felt a pleasant sense of power knowing he carried such wealth, even fantasizing about driving to Odessa instead of home, though he had no intention of betraying his mistress's trust.
Chapter 8. The night with recruits and Elijahs despair
Around midnight, Polikéy was awakened by the arrival of the recruit party from Pokróvsk. Among them was Elijah, who had been drinking heavily and was in a state of despair about his fate. He blamed his uncle for refusing to buy a substitute and spoke bitterly about leaving his young wife behind.
When Elijah demanded vodka and was refused, he became violent, breaking windows and threatening the elder. His uncle Doútlof had to bind his hands with a belt to restrain him. Elijah accused his uncle of drinking his brother's blood and being a bloodsucker who favored his own sons over his nephew.
Later that night, the men discussed the corrupting power of money, with one telling a story about a merchant who tried to take his wealth to the grave. Doútlof reflected on how money causes much sin, while Elijah finally fell asleep, exhausted by his outburst.
Chapter 9. Polikéy discovers the lost money
Feeling uneasy among the recruits, Polikéy left early in the morning for home. The rotten velveteen crown of his cap had torn during the night, and the envelope had worked its way through the hole without his knowledge. As he approached home, confident and proud of his successful mission, he reached into his cap to retrieve the money.
The money was nowhere to be found. 'Dear me! What does it mean?... What is going to happen?...' He began howling, clutching at his hair. But recollecting that he might be seen, he turned the horse back.
Chapter 10. Polikéys absence causes worry
All day, no one in Pokróvsk saw Polikéy. The mistress asked for him several times, and Akoulína tried to explain his absence by suggesting the customer had detained him or something had happened to the horse. Neighbors reported seeing someone who looked like Polikéy drive up to the avenue and then turn back again.
Akoulína spent a sleepless night worrying about her husband. The children were also anxious, but mainly because they were cold without the warm clothes their father had taken. The steward seemed pleased that his expectations about Polikéy were being fulfilled, while the proprietress grew increasingly concerned.
Later it was learned that peasants had seen Polikéy running about on the road bareheaded, asking everyone if they had seen a letter. Another man had seen him sleeping by the roadside beside his horse and cart, looking as if he hadn't fed his horse for days.
Chapter 11. Polikéys return and tragic discovery
The next morning, Polikéy finally returned home, claiming to have delivered the money successfully to the mistress. However, when summoned to see her, he instead went to the garret and hanged himself with the rope from his baby's cradle. The joiner's wife discovered his body and raised the alarm.
In the chaos that followed, Akoulína's baby drowned in the washing tub while she rushed to see her husband's body. When she saw both tragedies, she burst into terrible, frightening laughter that chilled everyone who heard it.
Akoulína burst into such loud, ringing, terrible laughter that... all who heard her were frightened... laughed so that all who heard her were frightened. Only now... did one fully realize what a number... of people lived in the serfs' quarters.
Chapter 12. The aftermath and community reaction
The holiday was ruined for everyone at Pokróvsk. Fear gripped the entire community as they believed evil spirits haunted the place where Polikéy had hanged himself. People huddled together, afraid to be alone, and used up all their holy water trying to ward off evil. The proprietress was so upset she became ill and had to be attended by her maids.
Chapter 13. Doútlof finds the money
That same night, Doútlof arrived at the proprietress's house with an envelope he had found on the road - the money that Polikéy had lost. When the proprietress learned about the money, she was horrified and wanted nothing to do with it.
Dreadful money! How much evil it causes!... I don't want this money. It is horrible money!... What it has done!... Tell him he may take it if he likes... Let him take it all!
The maids were astonished when the proprietress ordered them to give all fifteen hundred roubles to the peasant who had found it. Doútlof could hardly believe his good fortune, and the proprietress called him in to ask how he had found the money. She told him she was glad he got it and hoped it would be of use to him.
Doútlof left the house in a daze, hardly believing what had happened. The unexpected windfall seemed like a miracle, though he knew it came at the cost of Polikéy's life and the tragedy that had befallen his family.
Chapter 14. Doútlofs decision and his nighttime encounter
That night, Doútlof experienced a terrifying visitation. As he lay on the oven trying to sleep, he felt the presence of Polikéy's spirit demanding the money back. The ghost climbed onto his chest and began strangling him.
The money's mine!... Let go! Never again!... He pressed less hard... He got off the oven... heard him strike the floor with both feet... All became quiet once more.
Only when Doútlof began reciting prayers did the spirit release him and leave. The terrifying experience convinced him that he must use the money to save his nephew Elijah from military service, as if this was what fate intended.
Chapter 15. Doútlof saves Elijah from military service
Early the next morning, Doútlof went to the steward and announced his decision to buy a substitute for Elijah. Using the money he had found, he successfully purchased a volunteer for three hundred and fifty roubles. The transaction was completed just in time, and Elijah was freed from military service.
When Doútlof presented the receipt to his family, Elijah was overwhelmed with gratitude. The old man publicly asked for forgiveness, admitting that his nephew's harsh words the previous day had cut him to the heart. He knelt before Elijah and his wife, asking their pardon for his earlier reluctance to help.
The family returned home in celebration, their carts filled with joy and relief. However, their happiness was shadowed by the encounter with other recruits on the road, including the substitute Doútlof had purchased, who was drinking heavily and giving away his possessions in despair.
It's for you I am going, for you I am perishing... that's why I am giving you presents... I have a mother... I have a father. All have given me up... your son... Alyósha...