AGAFYA

During a stay in S. district, the narrator frequents the kitchen gardens of Dubovo for mixed fishing trips, enjoying the company of the watchman, Savka, and the serenity of summer nights. Savka is a robust and handsome man of twenty-five, known for his strength and sensibility but notorious for his profound laziness and lack of work ethic. Despite having land and a hut, he lives off odd jobs and his mother’s begging, showing no inclination towards regular work. Savka’s life revolves around simple pleasures and brief spurts of nonsensical activities, with a notable indifference towards labor.

One evening, while enjoying the tranquility of the kitchen gardens with Savka, the narrator reflects on the peaceful surroundings and their simple dinner courtesy of Savka’s female admirers, whom Savka treats with carefree disdain despite their affection for him. As they relax, Savka’s unexpected visitor, Agafya, a young married woman, arrives under the pretense of delivering a message, but it’s clear she’s come for Savka. The narrator, knowing the potential consequences of their imprudence, warns Savka, but he nonchalantly dismisses the concerns.

Savka ventures into the woods to catch a nightingale with his hands, leaving the narrator with Agafya, who is visibly nervous and conflicted about her decision to visit. Despite the arrival of her husband’s train signaling her to return home, Agafya stays, captivated by Savka. When Savka returns without the nightingale, he resumes his mocking yet affectionate demeanor with Agafya, intensifying her infatuation.

Eventually, the narrator, feeling like a third wheel, leaves to give them privacy. Wandering near the river, he contemplates the peaceful night and the complicated emotions at play. When he wakes up, Savka notifies him of Agafya’s departure. As they observe her painstakingly cross back to her village in the dawn light, Savka comments on the impending trouble their rendezvous will cause both of them.

Agafya’s slow, guilt-ridden walk back signals the heavy price of her brief escape from the constraints of her life. Meanwhile, Savka remains detached, already anticipating the consequences with a blend of resignation and mild concern for the unrest his allure causes in the village women’s lives. The story closes on the poignant image of Agafya’s husband, Yakov, waiting motionlessly in the village, casting a shadow over Agafya’s return and highlighting the inevitable repercussions of their fleeting moments of happiness.