The Jeune Premier (Chekhov)
Short summary
A southern town in Russia, early 20th century. Yevgeny Alexeyitch Podzharov, a provincial actor, visited the town for the season and made acquaintance with local families, including manufacturer Zybaev's household.
At a name-day party at Zybaev's, Podzharov boasted about his stage triumphs and romantic conquests. He was introduced to Pavel Ignatyevitch Klimov, a landowner from Tula province. When they discovered they knew the same town, Podzharov claimed to have had a romantic encounter with a local beauty named Varenka.
Klimov revealed that Varenka was his niece and demanded Podzharov retract his story. When the actor refused, Klimov challenged him to a duel. Podzharov left the party, worried about his reputation. Later that night, he waited outside Zybaev's house to apologize to Klimov.
The jeune premier tried to appear unconcerned, to smile, to stand erect, but his body would not obey him, his voice trembled, his eyes blinked guiltily, and his head drooped.
Klimov lectured the humiliated actor about the immorality of lying. Relieved to avoid both the duel and public scandal, Podzharov returned to his hotel, slept soundly, and awoke the next morning in excellent spirits, satisfied that the misunderstanding had ended so favorably for him.
Detailed summary
Division into chapters is editorial.
Introduction of Podzharov and his character
Yevgeny Alexeyitch Podzharov, a jeune premier actor, arrived for the season in a southern Russian town. Elegant and graceful with an oval face and small bags under his eyes, he immediately sought to make acquaintances with leading local families. Podzharov believed that actors should influence society both through their stage performances and by establishing personal connections with locals.
An artist ought to act upon the masses, both directly and indirectly; the first aim is attained by his work on the stage, the second by an acquaintance with the local inhabitants.
Among the families he met was that of a manufacturer named Zybaev. Whenever Podzharov later recalled this acquaintance, he would frown contemptuously, squint, and nervously fidget with his watch-chain, suggesting the encounter had not ended well for him.
At the Zybaevs party: boastful stories
At Zybaev's name-day party, Podzharov sat in the drawing room surrounded by local "types" in armchairs and on the sofa. While feminine laughter and sounds of evening tea came from the next room, he held forth about his theatrical triumphs. Sipping tea with rum and affecting an expression of careless boredom, Podzharov described himself primarily as a provincial actor who had also performed in Petersburg and Moscow.
He boasted about receiving so many laurel wreaths at his Moscow benefit performance that he didn't know where to put them. Later, when short of funds, he sold the wreaths, which weighed eighty pounds altogether. The money proved quite useful, he claimed, as artists often experience financial ups and downs.
Artists, indeed, are often hard up. Today I have hundreds, thousands, tomorrow nothing... Today I haven't a crust of bread, tomorrow I have oysters and anchovies, hang it all!
The pleased host, eager to entertain his cultured guest, introduced Podzharov to a distant relative who had just arrived - Pavel Ignatyevitch Klimov, a bulky gentleman of about forty wearing a long frock-coat and very full trousers. Zybaev mentioned that Klimov loved theaters and had once acted himself, adding that he owned an estate in the Tula province.
The lie about Varvara and confrontation with Klimov
Podzharov and Klimov began conversing and discovered, to their mutual satisfaction, that the actor had performed for two consecutive seasons in the very town where Klimov lived. They discussed the town, mutual acquaintances, and the theater. Podzharov praised the town's streets, park, and especially its society, which he described as delightful despite being commercial in nature.
The conversation turned to Podzharov's supposed romantic conquests. He claimed extraordinary success with women in Klimov's town and began relating a specific episode. According to his story, while staying in Yegoryevsky Street near the Treasury building, he became involved with a local beauty named Varenka. Klimov immediately recognized the name, confirming she was indeed the most beautiful girl in town.
After checking that no ladies were present, Podzharov embellished his tale with romantic details. He claimed Varenka had seen him perform in Hamlet and written him a letter in the style of Pushkin's Tatyana. One evening after a performance, he allegedly found her sitting on his sofa, which led to tears, declarations of love, and kisses. Their supposed romance lasted two months.
She saw me in Hamlet, she wrote me a letter à la Pushkin's Tatyana... I answered, as you may guess... I came home one evening after a performance, and there she was, sitting on my sofa.
Klimov turned crimson and stared at the actor in shock, revealing that Varvara Nikolayevna was his niece. Podzharov became embarrassed and wide-eyed at this revelation. The other guests, who had been listening with pleasure, grew uncomfortable and lowered their eyes. Klimov, extremely agitated, demanded that Podzharov retract his words and confess to lying.
The challenge and Podzharovs anxiety
Podzharov refused to admit lying, claiming offense at Klimov's accusation. After pacing the room in agitation, Klimov presented the actor with an ultimatum: either accept a public insult on the spot or agree to a duel. Podzharov contemptuously accepted the challenge to duel.
The alarmed guests and host tried to dissuade Klimov from causing a scandal. Meanwhile, astonished female faces appeared in the doorway. Podzharov, maintaining his dignity, said a few words and departed without saying goodbye, giving the impression he could not remain in a house where he had been insulted.
On his way back to his hotel, Podzharov smiled contemptuously and shrugged, but once alone in his room, he felt extremely uneasy. Though not afraid of the duel itself, he worried about his reputation if other actors learned of his fabrication.
The devil take him! A duel does not matter, he won't kill me, but the trouble is the other fellows will hear of it, and they know perfectly well it was a yarn. It's abominable! I shall be disgraced all over Russia...
Podzharovs humiliating apology
After smoking and thinking, Podzharov decided to confront Klimov and explain that he was neither a blockhead nor afraid of him. He went to Zybaev's house and waited outside in the cold, rainy night. At two in the morning, the guests began leaving, with Klimov the last to depart.
Approaching Klimov, Podzharov stammered a confession that he had lied. Klimov insisted this admission must be made publicly. The actor pleaded with him, explaining that a duel would create gossip and damage his reputation among fellow actors. Despite attempting to appear unconcerned, Podzharov's voice trembled, his eyes blinked guiltily, and his head drooped as he continued muttering explanations.
After listening and considering, Klimov sighed and forgave him, but delivered a fatherly lecture about the degrading nature of lying, especially for a young, educated man. Podzharov listened meekly, bowed, and returned to his hotel with a guilty step and crestfallen air.
Well, so be it. May God forgive you. Only don't lie in future, young man. Nothing degrades a man like lying... yes, indeed! You are a young man, you have had a good education...
Half an hour later, as he went to bed, Podzharov felt relieved that the misunderstanding had ended so satisfactorily. Serene and content, he wrapped himself in the bedclothes, quickly fell asleep, and slept soundly until ten o'clock the next morning.