THE HEAD-GARDENER’S STORY

In the serene setting of Count N.’s greenhouses during an April morning, a sale of flowers brings together a landowner, a timber merchant, and the narrator, where they engage in light chatter amidst the unfolding beauty of the flora being prepared for them. The head-gardener, Mihail Karlovitch, a man of Swedish-Russian heritage, revered and considered knowledgeable by those around, listens intently to the discussions, hoping to glean new knowledge or engage in meaningful conversation, particularly about literature or figures such as Ibsen. His distinct personality traits include a dignified demeanor, an insistence on respect, and a somewhat humorous self-designation as the head gardener despite the absence of any underlings.

During the conversation, a shocking revelation about a recently acquitted, so-called deranged burglar ignites a debate on the justice system’s leniency and its demoralizing effects on society, argued to encourage rather than deter crime. Mihail Karlovitch, however, offers a contrasting view, celebrating such acquittals as manifestations of faith in humanity, echoing a belief in the fundamental goodness of people despite evident faults, inspired by Christian principles.

The gardener shares a captivating story told by his grandmother about a benevolent, solitary doctor whose angelic heart and selfless actions earned him the unwavering respect and love of the townspeople. This doctor, characterized by his extraordinary commitment to his patients and his disdain for material compensation, lived a life of vulnerability yet was protected by the very society he served, including brigands and vagabonds who revered him for his goodness. Tragically, the doctor is found murdered, an event which plunges the town into grief and disbelief, unable to fathom who could commit such an atrocity against a universally beloved figure. The inconceivable act challenges the town’s belief system, prompting a narrative that denies the possibility of murder due to the inherent goodness presumed in all.

However, the story complicates further when evidence undeniably points to a known criminal, flinging the town into a struggle between their belief in universal benevolence and the stark reality of the crime. The ensuing trial becomes a testament not to the scrutiny of evidence but to a shared, almost willful blindness, a collective refusal to acknowledge that evil could infiltrate the sanctity of their perceptions of community and morality. The gardener’s story, with its layers of faith, justice, and the complexities of human nature, challenges the listeners—and by extension, the readers—to contemplate the balance between idealism and the harshness of reality.