293 Results with the "Fiction" genre
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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…-
43.4 K • Ongoing
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THE BET
On an autumn night, reflecting back fifteen years, a banker recalls a party where capital punishment was debated. The consensus among the guests, mainly intellectuals and journalists, was a disapproval of the death penalty, preferring life imprisonment as more humane. The banker disagreed, arguing that immediate death was more merciful. A young lawyer then expressed his preference for life in prison over execution. This ignited a fervent debate leading the banker to impulsively bet two million that the…-
43.4 K • Ongoing
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PANIC FEARS
In "Panic Fears," the narrator recounts three distinct episodes of terror experienced during his lifetime. The first instance unfolds on a motionless July evening as he drives to the station for newspapers. Along a secluded road, enveloped in twilight and stillness, he is struck by a haunting vision: a mysterious light flickering atop a village belfry, in a place devoid of logical explanations for such a phenomenon. Despite attempting rationalizations, a gripping fear takes hold, amplified by the desolate…-
43.4 K • Ongoing
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IN THE COACH-HOUSE
In a dimly lit coach-house surrounded by the nocturnal quiet of a large estate, a group consisting of Stepan the coachman, Mihailo the house-porter, Alyoshka the coachman's grandson, and Nikandr, a septuagenarian salt herring vendor, gather for a casual game of "kings" in the shadows of carriages and sleighs. The game's camaraderie is punctuated by the ringing of the gate—a call to the porter, revealing a grim situation in the master's household: a tragic incident involving a fatal gunshot. As the night…-
43.4 K • Ongoing
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THE REQUIEM
In the peaceful village of Verhny Zaprudy, the churchgoers disperse after the conclusion of mass, leaving shopkeeper Andrey Andreyitch the last to linger, immersed in his private somber reflections amidst the church's familiar environs. His presence attracts the ire of Father Grigory, who confronts him over an insensitively worded prayer note for his deceased daughter, Mariya, igniting a heated exchange that publicly challenges Andrey's understanding of sin, repentance, and parental duty. Andrey, adorned…-
43.4 K • Ongoing
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SMALL FRY
In "Small Fry," a story from "The Schoolmistress and Other Stories," the reader is introduced to a petty clerk named Nevyrazimov, laboring over an Easter congratulatory letter in a dimly lit, dingy office. The setting is lonely and desolate, emphasized by the presence of a stray cockroach and the distant sound of a porter cleaning his boots, suggesting a mundane and unfulfilling life. Nevyrazimov's musings reveal his dissatisfaction and yearning for a different existence, contrasted sharply with the…-
43.4 K • Ongoing
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A TRANSGRESSION
In "A Transgression," the story unfolds around Collegiate Assessor Miguev, who, while reflecting on a past indiscretion with his former housemaid Agnia, finds himself in a dilemma when she threatens to expose him. Agnia demands he secure the future of their illegitimate child, threatening to leave the baby at his doorstep. One evening, haunted by the encounter, Miguev discovers a bundled baby left at his bungalow. Panicked and ashamed, fearing societal repercussions—ranging from spousal disappointment to…-
43.4 K • Ongoing
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A TRAGIC ACTOR
In "A Tragic Actor," the story unfolds on the benefit night of Fenogenov, a celebrated tragic actor, during the performance of "Prince Serebryany" where his prowess leaves the audience, especially Masha, the police captain's daughter, in awe. This marks Masha's first encounter with the theater, igniting an unparalleled passion within her. Moved by the performances, Masha persuades her father to extend a dinner invitation to the actors, excluding the actresses, fearing the influence they might wield over…-
43.4 K • Ongoing
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ON OFFICIAL DUTY
"It has all been according to the regulation," he said, smiling naively as he looked at the examining magistrate with his watery eyes, evidently wishing to suggest by that smile that now everything was satisfactory, that everything had turned out well. He helped the examining magistrate into the sledge, tucked the covering round him, and said: "I hope you will be comfortable." The sledge moved off. Lyzhin looked round for the last time to say good-by to Loshadin, but the latter was no longer by the…-
43.4 K • Ongoing
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SORROW
In the bleak mid-winter of the Galtchinskoy district, Grigory Petrov, renowned for his craftsmanship yet infamous for his folly, embarks on a harrowing journey with his ailing wife, Matryona, to seek medical help from the esteemed Pavel Ivanitch. Battling against a fierce snowstorm that obfuscates the path ahead, Grigory drives his frail horse through the relentless blizzard, motivated by a mixture of hope and desperation. As the cold wind howls and snow engulfs them, Grigory engages in a one-sided…-
43.4 K • Ongoing
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