Classic tales of changing lives and loves from one of Russia’s greatest playwrights, a master of the modern short story. Morality, philosophy, and science merge in “The Duel, ” the classic tale of transformation in which educated Russian aristocrat Ivan Andreitch Laevsky falls in love with the married Nadya Fyodorovna and runs off to the Black Sea with her. As their passion wanes, Nadya turns to other men for comfort, while Ivan indulges in heavy drinking and gambling. When he receives word that Nadya’s husband has died, freeing them to marry, Ivan hides it. He knows he cannot marry a woman he no longer loves but struggles with the idea of leaving Nadya penniless and alone. Soon Ivan’s conundrum becomes the topic of conversation around a doctor’s dinner table. When their discussion touches on evolution, one of the doctor’s boarders—a zoologist—states that someone with Ivan’s moral failings should not be allowed to reproduce. As events unfold, setting Ivan and the zoologist on a path to confrontation, the character of each man will be revealed—for better and for worse. Other short stories collected in this volume include “Excellent People, ” “Mire, ” “Neighbours, ” “At Home, ” “Expensive Lessons, ” “The Princess, ” and “The Chemist’s Wife.”
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