Typhus (Chekhov)
Short summary
Russia, late 19th century. Lieutenant Klimov traveled from Petersburg to Moscow by train, feeling increasingly unwell. During the journey, he was irritated by a Finnish fellow passenger who constantly talked about his naval officer brother.
Upon arriving in Moscow, Klimov reached his home in a feverish state and collapsed. He fell into delirium, experiencing strange visions and distorted perceptions. A doctor diagnosed him with typhus. During his illness, Klimov was dimly aware of people coming and going, including a priest who performed last rites.
When Klimov finally regained consciousness, he felt an overwhelming joy at being alive. He delighted in simple things like sunlight and breathing. As he recovered, he asked his aunt about his sister Katya, who had been absent during his recovery.
"Ah, Katya, Katya! Our angel is gone! Is gone!"... "She caught typhus from you, and is dead. She was buried the day before yesterday."
This terrible, unexpected news was fully grasped by Klimov's consciousness; but... could not overcome the animal joy.
Only a week later, when Klimov was strong enough to stand by the window and look outside, did the full weight of his loss finally overcome his physical joy of recovery. Looking at the gray spring sky, he wept and realized how miserable he truly was.
Detailed summary
Division into chapters is editorial.
The train journey and onset of illness
Lieutenant Klimov was traveling from Petersburg to Moscow in a smoking carriage of the mail train. Sitting opposite him was an elderly man with a shaven face who resembled a sea captain, likely a Finn or Swede. Throughout the journey, the man continuously smoked his pipe and talked about his brother, a naval officer stationed at Kronstadt.
Klimov, who was feeling unwell, found the Finn's constant questions and pipe smoking irritating. He began to experience strange symptoms: his mouth felt dry and sticky, his thoughts seemed to wander, and he couldn't get comfortable in his seat despite having it to himself.
Altogether the officer felt in an abnormal state. He could not arrange his arms and legs comfortably on the seat... His mouth felt dry and sticky; there was a heavy fog in his brain; his thoughts seemed to be straying, not only within his head, but outside his skull.
The train journey became a nightmare for Klimov. Time seemed to pass strangely, with the train appearing to stop at stations every minute. The sounds of bells, whistles, and the Finn's tobacco smoke blended with misty images in his feverish mind. At Spirovo station, he went out for water and was disgusted by the sight of people eating. A lady with magnificent white teeth conversing with a military man in a red cap particularly repulsed him.
Back in the carriage, Klimov's condition worsened. He longed for his comfortable bed at home, for cold water, and for his sister Katya who was so good at making him comfortable. As his illness progressed, he fell into a heavy, nightmarish lethargy that fettered his limbs.
Arrival in Moscow and deterioration of health
When the train finally arrived in Moscow, Klimov was in such a state that he moved mechanically, as if it were not him but someone else moving. His fever, thirst, and the menacing images that had plagued him throughout the night seemed to follow him out of the carriage. He hired a sledge-driver without haggling over the price, as money had ceased to have any value to him.
At home, Klimov was greeted by his aunt and his sister Katya, who was preparing for an examination as a teacher. Gasping with fever, he wandered aimlessly through the rooms without answering their questions or greetings. When he reached his bed, he collapsed onto the pillow, his consciousness filled with confused images of the Finn, the red cap, and the lady with white teeth.
The fever and delirium
When Klimov regained consciousness, he found himself in bed with his orderly Pavel nearby and a doctor examining him. The doctor, a stalwart black-bearded man, kept saying "goo-od" instead of "good" and called Klimov "young man," which irritated the lieutenant in his feverish state.
When he recovered consciousness he found himself in bed, undressed, saw a bottle of water and Pavel, but it was no cooler, nor softer, nor more comfortable for that. His arms and legs, as before, refused to lie comfortably; his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth.
Time passed strangely during his illness, with day and night blending together. A succession of people crossed his bedroom, including Pavel, the Finn, Captain Yaroshevitch, and the doctor. Once, Klimov saw Father Alexandr, the regiment's chaplain, standing before his bed in a stole with a prayer book. Despite the priest's normally lighthearted nature, his face was unusually grave as he made the sign of the cross over Klimov.
Recovery and discovery of his sisters death
When Klimov finally came to himself, his room was empty. Morning sunlight streamed through the window, and a quivering sunbeam flashed on the glass bottle by his bed. As he looked at the familiar surroundings, he was overcome with a sensation of infinite happiness and joy in life. His body remained motionless, but he rejoiced in simple things like his breathing, the water bottle, the sunshine, and the tape on the curtains.
The lieutenant looked at the ray, at the familiar furniture, at the door, and the first thing he did was to laugh. His chest and stomach heaved with delicious, happy, tickling laughter. His whole body from head to foot was overcome by a sensation of infinite happiness.
When the doctor appeared, Klimov was thinking about how delightful medicine was and how pleasant the doctor seemed. He felt hungry and asked for bread, salt, and sardines, but the doctor refused. Klimov began crying like a child, and the doctor laughed, calling him "baby." After the doctor left, Klimov fell into a sound sleep.
Upon waking, Klimov found his aunt sitting by his bed. He joyfully told her he was feeling well and asked about Katya. His aunt began to cry and revealed the devastating news: Katya had caught typhus from him and had died. She had been buried two days earlier. Despite this terrible news, Klimov's animal joy of recovery prevented him from fully grasping the tragedy. He cried and laughed simultaneously.
Grief and realization of loss
It was only a week later, when Klimov had regained enough strength to stand with Pavel's help, that the full impact of his loss hit him. Standing at the window in his dressing gown, looking at the overcast spring sky and listening to the unpleasant clang of old iron rails being carted by, his heart ached with grief.
Only a week later when... he went in his dressing gown to the window, looked at the overcast spring sky... his heart ached, he burst into tears... "How miserable I am!" he muttered. "My God, how miserable!"
And joy gave way to the boredom of everyday life.
Leaning his forehead against the window frame, Klimov burst into tears as the reality of his sister's death finally penetrated his consciousness. The joy of his recovery gave way to the boredom of everyday life and the overwhelming feeling of his irrevocable loss.