A and Kuprin duel summary. Duel (story), plot, characters. Insulting Nikolaev, appointment of the duel

Returning from the parade ground, Lieutenant Romashov thought: "I won't go today: you can't annoy people every day." Every day he stayed with the Nikolaevs until midnight, but in the evening of the next day he again went to this cozy house.

"You have received letters from the mistress," Gainan, a cheremis, sincerely attached to Romashov, reported. The letter was from Raisa Alexandrovna Peterson, with whom they had dirty and boring (and for quite a long time) deceived her husband. The cloying smell of her perfume and the vulgarly playful tone of the letter caused an unbearable disgust. Half an hour later, embarrassed and annoyed with himself, he knocked on the door of the Nikolaevs. Vladimir Yefimitch was busy. For two years in a row he had failed the exams at the academy, and Alexandra Petrovna, Shurochka, did everything so that the last chance (it was allowed to enter only up to three times) was not missed. Helping her husband to prepare, Shurochka had already mastered the whole program (only ballistics was not given), Volodya was moving very slowly.

With Romochka (as she called Romashov), Shurochka began to discuss a newspaper article about fights recently allowed in the army. She sees in them a severe necessity for Russian conditions. Otherwise, a card sharper like Archakovsky or a drunkard like Nazansky will not be brought out among the officers. Romashov did not agree to enlist Nazansky in this company, who said that the ability to love is given, like talent, not to everyone. Once this man was rejected by Shurochka, and her husband hated the lieutenant.

This time Romashov stayed by Shurochka's side until they started talking that it was time for bed.

At the next regimental ball, Romashov plucked up the courage to tell his mistress that it was all over. Petersonikha vowed revenge. And soon Nikolaev began to receive anonymous letters with hints of a special relationship between the second lieutenant and his wife. However, there were enough ill-wishers besides her. Romashov did not allow non-commissioned officers to fight and strongly objected to the "dentists" from among the officers, and promised Captain Plum that he would file a report against him if he allowed the soldiers to be beaten.

Romashov and the authorities were dissatisfied. In addition, money was getting worse, and the barman was no longer lending even cigarettes. The soul was bad because of the feeling of boredom, the meaninglessness of service and loneliness.

At the end of April, Romashov received a note from Alexandra Petrovna. She reminded of their common name day (Queen Alexandra and her faithful knight George). Having borrowed money from Lieutenant Colonel Rafalsky, Romashov bought perfume and at five o'clock was already at the Nikolaevs, the picnic turned out to be noisy. Romashov sat next to Shurochka, almost did not listen to Osadchy's rantings, toasts and flat jokes of the officers, experiencing a strange state, similar to a dream. His hand sometimes touched Shurochka's hand, but neither he nor she looked at each other. Nikolaev, it seems, was dissatisfied. After the feast, Romashov wandered into the grove. Footsteps were heard behind. It was Shurochka. They sat down on the grass. "I'm in love with you today," she admitted. Romochka appeared to her in a dream, and she terribly wanted to see him. He began to kiss her dress: "Sasha ... I love you ..." She admitted that she was worried about his proximity, but why is he so miserable. They have common thoughts, desires, but she must abandon him. Shurochka got up: let's go, they'll miss us. On the way, she suddenly asked him not to visit them again: her husband was besieged by anonymous letters.

In mid-May, a review took place. The corps commander drove around the companies lined up on the parade ground, looked at how they marched, how they performed rifle techniques and reorganized to repel unexpected cavalry attacks, and was dissatisfied. Only the fifth company of Captain Stelkovsky, where they did not torture with steps and did not steal from the common cauldron, deserved praise.

The most terrible thing happened during the ceremonial march. Even at the beginning of the review, Romashov seemed to be picked up by some kind of joyful wave, he seemed to feel like a particle of some formidable force. And now, walking ahead of his half-company, he felt himself the object of general admiration. Shouts from behind made him turn around and turn pale. The formation was mixed up - and it was precisely because he, Lieutenant Romashov, ascending in his dreams to the heavens, all this time shifted from the center of the ranks to the right flank. Instead of delight, public disgrace fell on his lot. To this was added an explanation with Nikolaev, who demanded that everything be done to stop the flow of anonymous letters, and also not to visit their house.

Going through what had happened in his memory, Romashov imperceptibly reached the railroad track and in the darkness made out the soldier Khlebnikov, the subject of bullying and ridicule in the company. "You wanted to kill yourself?" - he asked Khlebnikov, and the soldier, choking with sobs, told that they beat him, laughed, the platoon commander extorted money, and where to get it. And the teaching is beyond his power: from childhood he suffers from a hernia.

Romashov suddenly felt his grief so trifling that he embraced Khlebnikov and spoke of the need to endure. From that time on, he understood: the faceless companies and regiments consist of such Khlebnikovs, aching with their grief and having their own fate.

The forced distance from the officer society allowed me to focus on my thoughts and find joy in the very process of the birth of a thought. Romashov saw more and more clearly that there were only three worthy vocations: science, art, and free physical labor.

At the end of May, a soldier hanged himself in Osadchy's company. After this incident, unrestrained drunkenness began. At first they drank in the assembly, then they moved to Schleifersha. This is where the scandal erupted. Bek-Agamalov rushed with a saber at those present (“Everyone get out of here!”), And then his anger turned to one of the young ladies, who called him a fool. Romashov intercepted his hand: "Beck, you will not hit a woman, you will be ashamed all your life."

The revelry in the regiment continued. Romashov found Osadchy and Nikolaev in the meeting. The latter pretended not to notice him. They sang around. When silence finally reigned, Osadchy suddenly started a memorial service for the suicide, interspersed with dirty curses. Romashov was furious: "I won't allow it! Be silent!" In response, for some reason, already Nikolaev, with a face distorted by anger, shouted to him: "You yourself are a disgrace to the regiment! You and various Nazanskys!" "And what does Nazansky have to do with it?

Or do you have reasons to be dissatisfied with him?" Nikolaev swung, but Romashov managed to throw the rest of the beer in his face.

On the eve of the meeting of the officers' court of honor, Nikolaev asked the enemy not to mention the name of his wife and anonymous letters. As expected, the court determined that the quarrel could not be ended by reconciliation.

Romashov spent most of the day before the duel at Nazansky, who urged him not to shoot. Life is an amazing and unique phenomenon. Is he really so devoted to the military class, does he really believe in the supposedly higher meaning of the army order so that he is ready to put his very existence at stake?

In the evening, Romashov found Shurochka at his house. She began to say that she had spent years arranging her husband's career. If Romochka refuses to fight for the sake of her love, then there will still be something dubious about it, and Volodya will almost certainly not be allowed to take the exam. They must certainly shoot, but not one of them must be wounded. The husband knows and agrees. Saying goodbye, she threw her hands around his neck: "We will not see each other again. So we will not be afraid of anything ... Once ... we will take our happiness ..." - and pressed her hot lips to his mouth.

In an official report to the regimental commander, Staff Captain Dietz gave details of the duel between Lieutenant Nikolayev and Lieutenant Romashov. When, on command, the opponents went towards each other, Lieutenant Nikolaev wounded the second lieutenant in the right upper abdomen with a shot, and he died seven minutes later from an internal hemorrhage. Attached to the report was the testimony of a junior doctor in Znoiko.

Evening classes in the sixth company are coming to an end, junior officers are looking at their watches more and more impatiently. The topic this time is the charter of garrison service in practice. Near the poplars that grew along the highway, at the gymnastic machines, near the doors of the company school - soldiers stood scattered everywhere, depicting posts at the powder magazine, at the banner, etc. Breeders walked between them and put sentries; guards changed; officers checked the posts and the skills of their soldiers: they tried either to lure a rifle from a sentry by cunning, then to force him to move, or to hand him some thing for storage, most often his own cap. Young soldiers are confused: after all, their own officers are approaching them! The tricks of the authorities finally pissed off the young Tatar Mukhamedzhinov in the third platoon, who speaks Russian very poorly. He suddenly became furious and answered all orders with one word: “3-stall!” He is clearly having a nervous breakdown. The company commander, Captain Sliwa, is going to investigate. In his absence, the junior officers huddle together, chatting and smoking. There are three of them: lieutenant Vetkin, a bald-headed, mustachioed man of about thirty-three, a merry fellow and a drunkard, lieutenant Romashov - he has only been in the regiment for the second year - and lieutenant Lbov, a lively, slender boy with slyly, affectionately stupid eyes, literally stuffed with old officer jokes. All three believe that before the review it would not be worthwhile to exhaust the soldiers like that. Lieutenant Bek-Agamalov rode up to the officers on a golden horse. He announces the news: in all companies there will be cutting of stuffed animals with checkers. Vetkin shows him a semblance of a human figure standing in the middle of the parade ground, only without arms and legs. The officers believe that this cutting is completely useless with the existing firearms. Beck disagrees. The conversation turns to clashes between officers and civilians, whom they contemptuously call “shpaks”. Romashov is outraged by this bravado. Lbov really wants to try to cut the scarecrow. But only Bek-Agamalov succeeds. Proud, he tells how they teach cutting in the Caucasus. The carriage of the commander of the regiment Shulgovich drives into the parade ground. He is extremely dissatisfied with the exercises and takes out his anger on the young soldier Sharafutdinov, who does not understand Russian, which he tries to explain to him, trying to help out the Tatar, Romashov. Shulgin sends the latter to four days under house arrest. The commander of Romashov, Captain Plum, also gets it, who receives a severe reprimand.

Romashov watches as Plum, “all hunched over, trudged home ... and suddenly felt that in his heart, through the bitterness of recent resentment and public disgrace, regret was stirring for this lonely, hardened, unloved person, who has all over the world only two attachments remained: the combatant beauty of his company and quiet, solitary drunkenness in the evenings ... ”.

Romashov is left alone. It is not for the first time that he is overwhelmed by a feeling of complete loneliness and loss among strangers, unfriendly or indifferent people. Go to the train station? In the evenings, a courier train stopped there, “beautiful, smart and well-groomed ladies in amazing hats came out ... gentlemen beautifully dressed, carelessly self-confident ... None of them ever, even briefly, paid attention to Romashov, but he saw in them a piece of some inaccessible, exquisite, magnificent world, where life is an eternal holiday and triumph...”. Suddenly Romashov's eyes fell on the ugly galoshes in which the officers in the regiment went, on his greatcoat, cut off at the knees due to dirt; he sighed.

He walks home on the highway. The April dawn burns in the west. Heavy gray clouds swirl there, glowing with blood-red, and amber, and purple lights. And above them is the dome of the meek evening spring sky, turning green with turquoise and aquamarine. “Behind the bright evening dawn ... Romashov imagined some kind of mysterious, luminous life ... where joyful, jubilant people live.”

Suddenly I remembered the recent scene on the parade ground, the colonel's rude cries, the feeling of resentment and embarrassment in front of his soldiers. The most painful thing was that he himself sometimes shouted at these silent witnesses of his today's disgrace in the same way. He began to think about the future. “Nonsense! My whole life is before me, Romashov thought, and, carried away by his thoughts, he walked more cheerfully and breathed deeply. - Here, to spite them all, tomorrow morning I will sit down for books, get ready and enter the academy ... I will cram like crazy. And now, unexpectedly for everyone, I brilliantly pass the exam ... ”He already sees himself as a learned officer of the general staff, he is promised a brilliant future ... and he, elegant, casually condescending, correct, returns to the company ... He shames Shulgovich, goes higher and higher along the path of a career. Then he travels as a military spy to Germany, having previously learned the German language. He is caught and shot. He behaves like a hero. But no, he is alive and participating in the war with Prussia and Austria. And again shames Shulgovich. Romashov suddenly came to his senses. He stood at his house.

Romashov, without even undressing, lies on the bed for a long time, staring blankly at the ceiling. Then, unable to stand it any longer, he calls his batman Gainan. It turns out that no one came from Lieutenant Nikolaev. Romashov has a simple and trusting relationship with Gainan. Gainan is a Cheremis, by religion - an idolater. Romashov often talks to him about his gods. Gainan took the oath in a very original way. The regimental adjutant brought him a piece of bread with salt on the tip of a checker, and he, without touching the bread with his hands, took it with his mouth and immediately ate it. The meaning was that the man ate his master's bread and salt, and let iron punish him if he was unfaithful. Gainan liked the rite very much. Shouldn't you prepare a coat for the owner? Romashov decides: don't, he won't go today on purpose, you can't annoy people every day. Yes, it seems that he is not welcome there ... But in the depths of his soul, Romashov understands that he will still go to the Nikolaevs, like yesterday, the day before yesterday ... the word does not come for some time, or even at all. The next evening everything started all over again.

Romashov had big plans when he arrived at the unit a year ago. “In the first two years - a thorough acquaintance with classical literature, the systematic study of French and German, music lessons. In the last year - preparation for the academy. He was going to follow social life, subscribed to a popular magazine, bought several books for self-education. Nothing came of it. Romashov drinks a lot of vodka in the meeting, got in touch with an unloved regimental lady, plays cards with her husband, and more and more often they are burdened by service, comrades, and their own lives. The orderly brings a note from his mistress, as always, boring and stupid. Romashov tore the note to shreds and realized that, of course, he would go to the Nikolaevs. Gainan, embarrassed, asks Romashov for an old bust of Pushkin as a gift. Why doesn't he say. Let him take.

Romashov stopped at the Nikolaevs' house, full of doubt and hesitation. In the window, under the bent curtain, he sees Alexandra Petrovna. Judging by her posture, she is busy with needlework. By the movement of her lips, he guesses that she is talking to someone. Romashov almost forces himself to enter the kitchen. He is invited to drink tea. Nikolaev sits with his back to them, at a desk laden with books, atlases, and blueprints. This year he is to take an examination at the General Staff Academy and is preparing himself without rest. He has already passed the exams twice and failed. Romashov feels that he is in the way. Trying to say something pleasant, he expresses confidence that Nikolaev will certainly enter the academy. Shurochka objected caustically. Nikolaev is sure that he will. During the conversation, it turns out that Shurochka knows the educational material better than her husband, but what's the point. "I can't... stay here, Romochka!" - says Alexandra Petrovna. Regimental life with its vulgar connections, wild evenings, gossip and intrigue is not for her. She needs society, a large, real society, light, music, worship, subtle flattery, intelligent interlocutors. The main thing is that the husband enters the general staff, and then she will make a career for him. Shurochka asks Romashov, is she really so ugly to sour all her life in this slum? “Answer me, am I good or not?” “Very beautiful,” replies Romashov. There is sadness and suffering in his voice. He loves Alexandra Petrovna. She talks about an officer duel, which she considers a necessary and reasonable thing. She is not bloodthirsty, as Romashov might seem, - no, but ", in her opinion, it is in duels that the qualities necessary for an officer, such as courage, pride, the ability not to blink before death, are most clearly manifested. Nikolaev rises from the table - it's time to have dinner. Nikolaev does not drink, and a decanter of vodka was put for Romashov. Shurochka shames him, says that Nazansky seduced him... By the way, he is going on leave for one month. Nikolaev is going to sleep. Romashov has the feeling that Nikolaev is happy to kick him out of the house. Shurochka invites him to come back.

Romashov walks in the dark along the wattle fence, holding on to it with his hands, and suddenly he hears the angry voice of the orderly Nikolaevs, who escorts his friend: “Walk, walk every day. And why go, the devil knows!” “Deeds, you are my brother ... It’s all with fat ...” another batman responds. Romashov broke out in a cold sweat. “It's over! Even the batmen are laughing, he thought despairingly. - What a disgrace! Get to the point where you are barely tolerated when you come...” Romashov swears that he will never come to the Nikolaevs again. He decided to go to Nazansky, who was renting a room from Lieutenant Zegrzht, a widower with four children. Zegrjt complains that Nazansky has not paid him for more than a month. Romashov rounds the corner of the tsom and goes to Nazansky's window. He's drunk.

Nazansky is an extraordinary nature, ruined by alcohol. He is smart, .enko feels, he cares about such things as true love, beauty, humanity, nature, equality and happiness of people, poetry, God. He could not bear the existence of the army, and everything beautiful that is in his nature feels at ease only when Nazansky is drunk. He speaks very subtly and tenderly about love for a woman. He himself once loved. She left because he was drinking, or maybe for some other reason. Nazansky shows Romashov a fragment of the woman's farewell letter, and Romashov is horrified to recognize Alexandra Petrovna's handwriting. And Nazansky suddenly realizes that Romashov is also in love with. her. They break up.

At home, Romashov finds another message from "formerly yours, now nobody's Raisa." She hints that she knows something with whom Romashov is in love. "And the walls have ears." “Stupidity, vulgarity, a provincial swamp and evil gossip blew on Romashov from this illiterate and stupid letter.” At night he saw himself in a dream as a boy. The whole world was bright and clean. But somewhere out there, on the edge of the jubilant world, "lurked a gray, dull town with a hard and boring service ... with drunkenness in the assembly, with heaviness and a nasty love affair, with melancholy and loneliness." He woke up in the middle of the night in tears.

Almost all the officers did not like the service, they were burdened by it, carrying it like a disgusted corvee. Low salaries pressed family members to the ground, forcing even the previously honest to steal from company sums and from soldiers' pay. Some were interrupted by a card game, while learning to cheat. They drank all the time and everywhere. So sometimes the officers were simply not in the mood to seriously fulfill their duties. However, before the big reviews, everyone pulled themselves up, bringing the soldiers to exhaustion in an attempt to make up for lost time. They especially tried this spring, because the review was supposed to be carried out by one very exacting military general.

Romashov did not care about all this. He toiled in his tiny room. Oddly enough, Romashov was left alone with himself for the first time in a year and a half. Outside the window was a bright, damp morning. And Romashov suddenly wanted to go out into the street to tears. It was as if he did not know the price of freedom before, and only now he realized what happiness it is - to go wherever you want. He remembered how in early childhood his mother, punishing him, tied his leg to the bed with a thin thread, and she herself left. And the boy sat obediently for hours. In fact, he was alive and restless, but the thread acted magically on him, he was afraid to even pull it too hard so as not to burst. Romashov thinks about what I am, the personality of a person, how he himself perceives the I of others, and they perceive him.

There are no cigarettes, and the barman does not lend. And suddenly Gai-nan appears again and affectionately hands him a pack of cigarettes - a gift from him. Romashov is moved. He walks around the room, thinking that after all, all people in the world can say “no” to war - then what, there will be no more war? What is war - the world's mistake? After all, nobody wants to die. What to do? Leave service? But what can he do? He is used to living on everything ready. Under the window, a melodious female voice is heard. This is Shura. Romashov pulled the window frame towards him, took the gloved hand that was extended to him and boldly began to kiss it. The batman brought a basket of pies to the window. Then Nikolaev appeared. Shurochka said in a quick whisper: “... the only person I have with whom I, as with a friend, is you. Do you hear?

After dinner, a regimental adjutant stopped by Romashov with instructions to take him to the colonel. Bewildered, Romashov quickly dresses, embarrassed by his poverty, and sits with his adjutant in a carriage drawn by a pair of tall horses. On the way, they come across several officers - they look at Romashov with mockery or surprise. Someone was in Shul'govich's office, Romashov had to wait in the dim hall. From the office came the commander's bass, who scolded someone. A timid, pleading voice rattled in response. It was about drinking. The colonel threatened the officer with dismissal, he referred to the children who would have nothing to feed. Finally, the colonel forgives the culprit: “For the last time. But remember, this is the last time ... And then here's my advice to you, sir: first of all, you will clean up with soldier's money and reporting. Knowing that the officer has no money, the colonel hands him three hundred rubles.

“The little Captain Svetovidov came out into the hall, all red, with drops of sweat on his nose and temples and with an upturned, embarrassed face ... Romashova: did he hear or not?”

The batman led Romashov into the office. The huge old face with a short gray hair on its head and a wedge of gray beard was stern and cold. Colorless light eyes looked hostile. The colonel reprimands Romashov for misbehavior. In addition, the colonel realized that Romashov was drinking. He warns him that such a path can lead him out of the officer's family. Romashov listens and thinks that he does not value this family, he is ready to retire even now. Why is he silent and does not say anything? The colonel recalls last year's incident, when Romashov, not having served even a year, asked for a vacation due to his mother's illness. It seems that there was some kind of letter from her ... Romashov felt anger roll over him. “... When the colonel spoke about his mother, the blood suddenly rushed in a hot, intoxicating stream into Romashov’s head ... on his face - with a defiant expression, which immediately seemed to destroy the huge staircase separating the small subordinate from the formidable boss. The whole room suddenly went dark, as if the curtains were drawn in it... A strange, as if someone else's voice suddenly whispered into Romashov's ear from outside: "Now I will hit him"... Then, as in a dream, he saw, not yet understanding it, that Shulgovich's eyes alternately reflected surprise, fear, anxiety, pity ... ”Romashov suddenly felt that his anger was subsiding, he, as if waking up, sighed deeply and strongly. Shulgovich fussily pointed him to a chair. He justifies himself, says that he got excited, intercepted over the edge, and invites him to dinner. Romashov is embarrassed at dinner, he is shy, does not know where to put his hands. He really wants to get up and leave. Finally dinner is over. “Romashov was walking home again, feeling lonely, yearning, lost in some alien, dark and hostile place. Again it burned in the west ... a red-amber dawn, and again Romashov seemed to be far beyond the horizon, behind houses and fields, a beautiful fantastic city with a life full of beauty, grace and happiness.

Arriving home, he found Guynan in his dark closet in front of a bust of Pushkin smeared with oil. A candle burned before him. Guynan prayed. The appearance of Romashov frightened Guynan, but he reassured him. That evening, Romashov did not go to the meeting, but sat down to write, already the third in a row, the story “The Last Fatal Debut”, about which he did not tell anyone.

Romashov arrived at the meeting at nine o'clock, finding only a few unmarried officers there. The ladies haven't arrived yet. There was a beer game in the billiard room. Romashov was supposed to be in charge of the ball. And then, one by one, the ladies appear. Before, a year ago, Romashov was very fond of those moments before the ball, the cheerful fuss. But it's all gone. He learned too much. He understood now that the ladies imitated the heroes of the novels, that the ladies of the regiment wore the same "chic" dress for years, making pitiful attempts to update it for special occasions. He was amused by their passion for various aigrettes, scarves, huge fake stones, feathers and an abundance of ribbons. They were heavily bleached and dyed. But the most unpleasant thing was that Romashov knew the behind-the-scenes stories of every ball, every dress, almost every flirtatious phrase, knew all the love stories that took place between all seventy-five officers and their wives and relatives. Noticing Raisa Alexandrovna Peterson at the front door, Romashov hides and begs Lieutenant Bobetinsky to conduct instead of him.

In the dining room there is talk of officer duels, which have just been resolved. They have both supporters and opponents. Most are supportive. Raisa, who appeared at the door, coquettishly exclaimed that the ladies wanted to dance. Bobetinsky flies up to her. Having finished the dance with the next gentleman, she sat down not far from Romashov, continuing her playful and vulgar conversation so that Romashov could hear everything. Romashov looks askance at Peterson and thinks: “Oh, how nasty she is!” Here Raisa pretended to notice Romashov and started a conversation with him. During the quadrille, Raisa accuses Romashov that for his sake she deceived her husband, whom she usually called: “my fool”, “this blockhead who always sticks out”, etc. Romashov tells Raisa that he does not love her and their relationship was shameful and vulgar. Raisa Peterson bursts into ugly abuse at Shurochka. Romashov, on the other hand, blushed to real tears from his impotence and confusion. They have already begun to pay attention. Raisa threatens to open the eyes of "that fool Nikolaev."

"I'm falling, I'm falling," he thought with disgust and boredom. - What a life! Something cramped, gray and dirty... This depraved and unnecessary connection, drunkenness, melancholy, the murderous monotony of the service, and at least one lively word, at least one moment of pure joy. Books, music, science - where is it all?” “Oh, what are we doing! .. Today we’ll get drunk drunk, tomorrow in the company - one, two, left, right, - in the evening we will drink again, and the day after tomorrow again in the company. Is it really all life? No, just think - all, all life!” He stays in the congregation all night.

Having overslept, as often happens, and being late for morning exercises, Romashov, with an unpleasant feeling of shame and anxiety, approaches the parade ground where his company is engaged. He is afraid of meeting with company commander Plum. “This man was a rough and heavy fragment of the former ... cruel discipline, with rampant fighting, petty formalism, marching at three paces and fisticuffs. Even in a regiment, which, thanks to the conditions of wild provincial life, did not differ in a particularly humane direction, it was some kind of outlandish monument of this ferocious military antiquity ... Everything that went beyond the ranks, charter and company ... did not exist for him .. He had not read a single book or a single newspaper... It was said... that one wonderful spring night, when he was sitting at the open window and checking the company's reports, a nightingale sang in the bushes next to him. Plum ... shouted to the batman "to drive the bird away with a stone. Plum beat the soldiers brutally, until they bled, to the point that the offender fell from his feet under his blows. “On the other hand, he was attentive to the needs of the soldiers to the point of subtlety: he did not delay the money that came from the village, and every day he personally monitored the company’s boiler ...” It was Romashov who was afraid of him, knowing that he did not let the young officers down in anything . However, this time everything was limited to a remark.

There are classes on an inclined staircase. Soldiers, one by one, pull themselves up on it on their hands. And now the turn of the soldier Khlebnikov comes. Romashov wondered how they could take into the army such a miserable, starved man, almost a dwarf, with a beardless face in a fist. Khlebnikov hangs in his arms, ugly, clumsy, like a strangled man. The non-commissioned officer yells at him, he tries to get up, but only kicks his legs and sways from side to side. And suddenly, tearing himself away from the crossbar, he falls like a bag to the ground. Romashov abruptly stops a non-commissioned officer who attacked a soldier with his fists: “Don’t you dare to do this ever!”

Describes the lessons of "literature" in the company school. They are led by an illiterate non-commissioned officer of the semi-company Shapovalenko, who says this: “The holy military cherugva, sort of like an image.” Khlebnikov, as usual, does not succeed, and Romashov hears the non-commissioned officer hissing: “Wait a minute, I’ll smooth your face after the exercise!” After literature in the yard, preparations for shooting begin. Rest after shooting. Vetkin approaches Romashov: “Spit, Yuri Alekseevich! .. Is it worth it? Let's finish the teaching, let's go to the meeting, sip on a glass, and everything will pass. Eh?.. It is necessary to teach people the business. What if there's a war?" “Unless there is a war,” Romashov agrees dejectedly. - Why is there a war? Maybe all this is some kind of common mistake, some kind of worldwide delusion, insanity? Is it natural to kill?” “If you think like that, then it’s better not to serve ... The only question is: where will we go if we don’t serve?” Romashov hears someone picking on the downtrodden Khlebnikov. But what can he do? After the teaching, Vetkin and Romashov went to the meeting and got drunk.

April 23 is the name day of both Alexandra Petrovna and Yuri Romashov. In the morning, the Nikolaevs' orderly brought a note: Alexandra Petrovna wrote that, in spite of everything, she wanted to see him today. He asks to come at five o'clock. There will be a picnic. Romashov has not been at the Nikolaevs' for a whole week, he has no money not only for a gift, but even for a tip to this obnoxious Nikolaev batman, who said: "Walk, walk every day." Romashov is very bad with money, all the salaries have been spent on bills of exchange, he is not given credit anywhere. One could only take lunch and dinner in the congregation. Romashov goes over the officers of the regiment in his mind. And suddenly he remembers Lieutenant Colonel Rafalsky, whom everyone calls Colonel Brem. This is an old bachelor who devotes all his time to his cute animals - birds, fish and quadrupeds, of which he had a large and original menagerie. This man was kind not only to animals, but also to people, and when he was with money, he rarely refused small favors. He himself spent all his savings on the menagerie, and ate from the cauldron of the fifteenth company, where he contributed more than a significant amount for the soldier's welding. Rafalsky tells Romashov a lot and interestingly about animals. He reports that the regiment seems to be going to be transferred to another city, and is terribly preoccupied with the transportation of his menagerie. Rafalsky gives Romashov ten rubles.

Approaching the house of the Nikolaevs, Romashov feels that something vaguely gloomy, disturbing is mixed with the joyful feeling that has owned him all day. This is something that happened before, you need to find the cause of the alarm. He begins to sort through in reverse order all the impressions of the day. That's what! - a strange underlined phrase in the letter: in spite of, no matter what. So there is something? Maybe it's in Nikolaev? He will pass! Romashov had almost passed the house when Alexandra Petrovna called him from the open door. She leads him into the house, where the guests have already gathered. Ladies, as was customary in officer society, sat apart. Near them sat one staff captain Dietz. This officer, resembling the Prussian officers, as they are depicted in German cartoons, with his drawn-out figure and the type of his worn and self-confident face, was transferred to an infantry regiment from the guards for some dark, scandalous story. He was distinguished by unshakable aplomb in dealing with men and impudent enterprise with ladies and played a big, always happy game, but not in the officers' assembly, but in a civil club, in the houses of city officials and with the surrounding Polish landowners. In the regiment they did not like him and were afraid, they considered him capable of meanness. Nikolaev greets Romashov with an amiable smile, but there is alienation in his eyes. Everyone is seated in carriages to go to the picnic. Mikhin approaches Romashov. He asks him to take his young sisters into his carriage, otherwise they will be with Dietz, who tells them nasty things. Romashov dreamed of traveling with Shurochka, but agrees. Next to Himself, he places Staff Captain Leshchenko, who, as usual, does not fit anywhere. The crews set off.

Arriving at the place, they spread tablecloths on the ground and began to sit down. The ladies arranged appetizers and plates. Shurochka was so cheerful and excited that everyone noticed it. Sometimes she silently turned to Romashov. Osadchy raises a toast to the birthday girl. Then they drank to Nikolaev's health and to his success in his future service in the general staff, as if everyone was sure that he would enter the academy. At the suggestion of Shurochka, they also drank for the birthday boy Romashov. A toast was also raised to the sovereign, after which everyone sang a hymn. We drank a lot. Osadchy raises a toast to the merry joy of former wars, to the merry and bloody cruelty. Bek-Agamalov joins him. The rest are stifledly silent. It was starting to get dark, so we decided to light a fire. Several officers sit down at cards. A game of burners is started, but not for long - the eldest Mikhina, who was caught by Dietz, blushed to tears and flatly refused to play.

Romashov goes deep into the grove along a narrow path. He hears steps and rustling behind - Shurochka catches up with him and says: “I am in love with you today ... I saw you in a dream today ... as if we were dancing a waltz in some extraordinary room ... and it was so inexpressibly wonderful - nice ... And now, after this dream, in the morning I wanted to see you. Romashov confesses his love to Shurochka. She moves away from him: “Romochka, why are you so ... weak! ... I am attracted to you, you are dear to me in everything: with your awkwardness, your purity, your tenderness ... But why are you so miserable! ... I can't respect you... If you could win a big name for yourself, a big position! .. ” Romashov assures that he will achieve everything, but Shurochka does not believe him. She admits that this is the second time she has to give up a nice person. Shurochka does not love her husband. In addition, he is wildly jealous. Shurochka is faithful to her husband because she does not want to be deceived. She doesn't want secret theft. They go to the fire. Shurochka tells Romashov that he should no longer visit them. My husband constantly receives dirty anonymous letters about her and about Romashov.

On May 1, the regiment went to the camps, which were two miles from the city, but Romashov remained to live in the city, so he had to do four ends a day: for the morning exercise, then back to the meeting - for lunch, then for the evening exercise and after it back to the city. He lost weight, his eyes were sunken. But it was hard for everyone. Getting ready for the May show. Company commanders kept their companies on the parade ground for three extra hours. Sounds of slaps, cruel blows were heard from everywhere, so that the man fell to the ground. The soldiers were haggard and looked like idiots. No laughter or jokes could be heard from the tents. Only the fifth company lived well and freely. It was commanded by Captain Stelkovsky, a strange man who had his own small income. He was of an independent character, kept to himself, and at the same time was a great debauchee. Stelkovsky lured young girls from the common people into his servants, and after a month he let him go home, rewarding him with money. There was no massacre in his company. Stelkovsky, himself a patient, cold-blooded and persistent man, managed to teach this to his non-commissioned officers. The soldiers adored him.

The fifteenth of May arrived. The corps commander was to review the regiment. On this day, for some reason, people in the regiment were raised at four o'clock in the morning, although the general collection was scheduled for ten. At nine o'clock the companies gathered on the parade ground. And exactly at ten minutes to ten the fifth company left the camp. The waiting for the arrival of the corps began. Finally, I heard: "He's coming, he's coming!" The sounds of an oncoming march rushed. Some cheerful, bold wave suddenly picked up Romashov. The corps traveled in turn all the companies. The passage of the mouth begins. The corps officer orders to remove the company of Osadchy, who taught his soldiers some special stepping technique. “The failure of the regiment began with this. The fatigue and intimidation of the soldiers, the senseless cruelty of non-commissioned officers, the soulless, routine and negligent attitude of officers to the service - all this is clear, but shamefully revealed at the review. Only the fifth company showed itself superbly. Other companies failed one after another. There remained the ceremonial march on which all hopes were pinned.

“With a light and dashing step, Romashov comes out in front of the middle of his half-company. Something blissful, beautiful and proud grows in his soul... The beauty of the moment intoxicates him.” "Look, look, it's Romashov coming." “The voice of the corps commander is heard, here is the voice of Shulgovich, someone else's voices ... Romashov turned around and turned pale. Instead of two straight, slender lines, his entire half-company was an ugly crowd, broken in all directions, shy, like a flock of sheep. This happened because the lieutenant, intoxicated with his rapture and his ardent dreams, did not himself notice how he moved step by step from the middle to the right, pressing at the same time on the half-company, and, finally, found himself on its right flank, crushing and upsetting general movement ... Romashov ... also saw Private Khlebnikov, who ... fell on the move and now, covered in dust, was catching up with his half-company, bent low under the weight of ammunition, as if running on all fours, holding a gun in one hand by the middle while wiping his nose helplessly with the other hand. Romashov is severely reprimanded and sent to a guardhouse for seven days. Captain Plum demands from him a report on transfer to another company. Romashov wants to shoot himself. He separated from the officers and went on a long journey. Passing behind the tents of his company, he hears screams and blows. Beat Khlebnikov. But Romashov does not have the strength to stand up for him now, he runs past.

The road from the camp to the city is crossed by the railroad track, which, where Romashov came, passed in a steep and deep recess. Romashov ran downstairs and began to climb with difficulty along another slope, when he noticed that a man in a tunic and an overcoat was standing at the top. It was Nikolaev. He asks if Romashov respects his wife, Alexandra Petrovna? Romashov could not understand why he was asked about this. Nikolaev explains that dirty gossip related to Romashov is circulating around his wife. Allegedly, they are lovers and meet daily. Such vile letters come almost every day. Romashov says: he knows who writes these letters. Nikolaev demands that Romashov shut up this bastard. Romashov promises to do his best. But he does not visit Alexandra Petrovna, he came only a few days ago - he brought her books. They broke up. At home, he vented his irritation at the innocent Gainan, who offered to bring him dinner from the meeting, and went to bed. He wanted to cry, he conjured up the events of the previous day again and again and felt sorry for himself. Then he forgot for a few hours. When I woke up, I decided to eat. Approaching the meeting building, Romashov heard Plum's delicious story about his shame. He turned and went to wander around the city. He walked as if in a delirium, seeing nothing, and again ended up where he met with Nikolaev. The thought of suicide comes to him again, but somehow in a childish way - he imagines that he is lying dead, everyone is upset, pity him, he has a bunch of violets on his chest ... Romashov, stopping at the railway, sees on the other side recess, illuminated by the moon, a dark spot descending down to the rails. Romashov recognizes Khlebnikov. He walked as if in a dream and did not even notice Romashov, passing very close to him. Romashov called out to the soldier. He gasped and trembled. Romashov got up quickly. Before him was a dead, tormented face, with broken, swollen, bloody lips. When asked where he was going, Khlebnikov did not answer and turned away. Instead of words, a wheeze escaped his throat. Romashov pulled Khlebnikov down by the sleeve. The soldier, like a mannequin, obediently fell on the grass next to Romashov. He trembled all over and only wheezed when Romashov asked him about something. And suddenly a feeling of infinite compassion seized Romashov. “... He tenderly and tightly hugged Khlebnikov by the neck, pulled him to him and spoke passionately, with passionate persuasiveness: “Khlebnikov, are you sick? what is going on in the world. Everything is some wild, senseless, cruel nonsense! But we must endure, my dear, we must endure ... This is necessary. "Khlebnikov's bowed head suddenly fell on Romashov's knees." The soldier, trying to restrain his sobs, began to talk about his terrible life. "Endless sorrow, horror, misunderstanding and deep, guilty pity overwhelmed the officer's heart and painfully squeezed and embarrassed him. And, quietly bending over his cropped, prickly, dirty head, he whispered almost audibly: "My brother!" Khlebnikov to come to his house tomorrow.

Since that night, Romashov has changed dramatically. He ceased to communicate closely with the officers, usually dined at home, no longer went to dance evenings in the assembly, and stopped drinking. He seemed to have matured in the last few days. Romashov thought that another seven years had passed in his life - he was twenty-two years old - and they say that a person becomes different every seven years.

Soldier Khlebnikov began to visit him. At first he looked like a hungry, shabby, beaten dog, timidly jumping away from a gentle hand, but then he began to gradually move away. With pity, Romashov listened to the soldier's story about his terrible and hopeless life. He tried to arrange a small income for him, causing the ridicule of non-commissioned officers and Captain Plum. In his free time, which now became a lot, Romashov began to think. Previously, he did not even suspect how much joy and interest is hidden in such a simple thing as human thought. Previously, the world was divided for him into two unequal parts: the smaller one - officers, who are characterized by honor, strength, power, magical dignity of the uniform and certainly courage; the other - huge and impersonal - civilians, otherwise shpaks, who were despised. “And now ... Romashov gradually began to understand that the entire military service with its ghostly valor was created by a cruel, shameful all-human misunderstanding ... and that there are only three proud vocations of a person: science, art and free physical labor.” He firmly decided to retire as soon as the three years that he was supposed to serve after the military school had passed. He was drawn to write. He wanted to write a story or a long novel that would reflect the horror and boredom of military life. But it turned out badly. It was the end of May, and Romashov often wandered around the city at night and each time passed along the other side of the street, holding his breath, past the windows of Shurochka. One day, knowing that Nikolaev would not be at home, he threw an armful of daffodils out the window to her. The next day I received a note: “Don't you dare ever do this again. Tenderness in the taste of Romeo and Juliet is ridiculous, especially if they occur in an army infantry regiment.

At the very end of May, a soldier hanged himself in the company of Captain Osadchy. The exact same thing happened on the same day last year. A general booze begins in the regiment. Vetkin comes to Romashov and almost forcibly takes him with him to the officers' meeting. Romashov walks, "mentally scolding himself for his rag lack of will." In the meeting, he first feels the awkwardness and disgust that a sober person in a drunken company embraces. Everyone goes to a brothel. Romashov, who has already had time to get drunk, now and then loses his memory, not understanding where he is and what is happening. In the midst of a drunken orgy, two civilians appear at the door. The officers pounce on them. And suddenly Bek-Agamalov's frantic cry was heard: “Everyone get out of here! I don't want anyone!" He grabs a saber from its scabbard and begins to destroy everything around. “I’ll kill-u-u-u!” he shouts. Romashov, unexpectedly for himself, tightly grabs Bek-Agamalov by the wrist and at the same time tries to persuade him. In the end, with a thud, he throws the saber into the scabbard. At the exit to the street, Bek-Agamalov approaches Romashov and offers to sit in his carriage. Already on the way, he “felt his hand and squeezed it tightly, painfully and for a long time.”

In the congregation where everyone is returning, the drinking continues. There were many spiritual officers in the regiment. Vetkin begins to sing. Osadchy starts a memorial service and at the very end of it he suddenly adds a terrible, cynical curse. Romashov is outraged. And the ugly drunken orgy began again. Romashov suddenly sees someone's face in front of him, which at first he did not even recognize - it was so distorted and disfigured by anger. This is Nikolaev. He shouts that people like Romashov and Nazansky are dishonoring the regiment. Bek-Agamalov, who approached from behind, is trying to keep Romashov from scandal. But it's too late. Nikolaev swings his fist at Romashov. He splashes the rest of the beer from his glass in his face. A wild fight begins. Romashov challenges Nikolaev to a duel. twenty "

Romashov is summoned to court by the Society of Officers of the Regiment. He comes, he is asked to wait, and he sits down in the dining room at the open window. Soon Nikolaev appears in the dining room and soon goes out into the street. Suddenly Romashov hears his voice from the courtyard behind him. Nikolaev asks not to mention a word about his wife and anonymous letters. Romashov is invited to the hall. He talks about a quarrel, that he was drunk. But Captain Peterson is trying to get something out of him about his relationship with the Nikolaev family. Romashov flatly denies everything. This ended the meeting. Gossip went around the city, Romashov is considered the hero of the day. In the evening, he and Nikolaev, now together, are summoned to court. The solution is this: duel is the only way to satisfy offended honor and officer dignity. But both retain the right to leave the service.

Romashov invites Beg-Agamalov and Vetkin as seconds and goes to Nazansky.

They go for a boat ride. Romashov tells in detail about his clash with Nikolaev. Nazansky asks if Romashov is afraid. Yes, he's scared. But he knows that he will not be afraid, he will not run away, he will not ask for forgiveness. Nazansky says in response that it would be many times bolder to take up and refuse a duel. “Everything in the world passes ... but you will never forget about the person you killed ... you take away the joy of life from a person ... Ah ... just look how beautiful, how seductive life is!” To the question of Romashov, what should he do - go to the reserve? - Nazansky replies: “Do you believe that you are serving an interesting, good, useful cause?.. After all, you don’t believe in it at all.” According to Nazansky, the main thing is not to be afraid of life: “it is a cheerful, entertaining, wonderful thing - this life. Well, okay, you won't be lucky... But after all... any tramp lives ten thousand times fuller and more interesting than Adam Ivanovich Zegrzht or Captain Plum... there is only one immutable, beautiful and irreplaceable thing - a free soul, and with her creative thought and cheerful thirst for life ... Go away, Romashov ... I myself tried my will, and if I came back ... then it was to blame ... well, okay ... you understand. Feel free to dive into life, it will not deceive you.

Returning home, Romashov finds Shurochka waiting for him there. She has her own plans. She does not love her husband, but she killed a part of her soul against him. It is she who is pushing her husband to the academy and will certainly achieve this. And now ... If Romashov kills her husband or if he is dismissed from the exam - it's over. She will leave and destroy herself. Romashov is ready to apologize. Shurochka does not need this at all. If Romashov refuses to duel, then the honor of her husband will be rehabilitated, but in a duel that ended in reconciliation, something dubious always remains. And the husband may not be allowed before the exams. “Closely embracing, they whispered like conspirators ... But Romashov felt something secret, nasty, slimy creeping invisibly between them, from which it smelled of cold on his soul.” He again wanted to free himself from her hands, but she did not let him go. Trying to hide an incomprehensible, dull irritation, he said dryly: “For God's sake, explain yourself more directly. I promise you everything." And Shurochka needs this: they must shoot. No, no, no one will be hurt.

She took care of it. And in order to finally strengthen Romashov's determination to do everything the way she wants, Shurochka uses the last female weapon - the bed.

The chapter is a report by Staff Captain Dietz to the regiment commander about the duel between Lieutenant Nikolaev and Lieutenant Romashov. Nikolaev fired first and wounded Romashov in the right upper abdomen. Lieutenant Romashov was unable to shoot back and soon died.

Returning from the parade ground, second lieutenant Romashov I thought: “I won’t go today: you can’t annoy people every day.” Every day he stayed with the Nikolaevs until midnight, but in the evening of the next day he again went to this cozy house.

“You have received letters from the mistress,” Gainan, a cheremis, sincerely attached to Romashov, reported. The letter was from Raisa Alexandrovna Peterson, with which they dirty and boring (and for quite a long time) deceived her husband. The cloying smell of her perfume and the vulgarly playful tone of the letter caused an unbearable disgust. Half an hour later, embarrassed and annoyed with himself, he knocked on the door of the Nikolaevs. Vladimir Yefimitch was busy. For two years in a row he had failed the exams at the academy, and Alexandra Petrovna, Shurochka, did everything so that the last chance (it was allowed to enter only up to three times) was not missed. Helping her husband to prepare, Shurochka had already mastered the whole program (only ballistics was not given), Volodya was moving very slowly.

With Romochka (as she called Romashov), Shurochka began to discuss a newspaper article about recently allowed in the army fights. She sees in them a severe necessity for Russian conditions. Otherwise, a card sharper like Archakovsky or a drunkard like Nazansky will not be brought out among the officers. Romashov did not agree to enlist Nazansky in this company, who said that the ability to love is given, like talent, not to everyone. Once this man was rejected by Shurochka, and her husband hated the lieutenant.

This time Romashov stayed by Shurochka's side until they started talking that it was time for bed.

At the end of April, Romashov received a note from Alexandra Petrovna. She reminded of their common name day (Queen Alexandra and her faithful knight George). Having borrowed money from Lieutenant Colonel Rafalsky, Romashov bought perfume and at five o'clock was already at the Nikolaevs. The picnic was noisy. Romashov sat next to Shurochka, almost did not listen to Osadchy's rantings, toasts and flat jokes of the officers, experiencing a strange state, similar to a dream. His hand sometimes touched Shurochka's hand, but neither he nor she looked at each other. Nikolaev, it seems, was dissatisfied. After the feast, Romashov wandered into the grove. Footsteps were heard behind. It was Shurochka. They sat down on the grass. "I'm in love with you today," she confessed. Romochka appeared to her in a dream, and she terribly wanted to see him. He began to kiss her dress: "Sasha ... I love you ..." She admitted that she was worried about his proximity, but why is he so miserable. They have common thoughts, desires, but she must abandon him. Shurochka got up: let's go, they'll miss us. On the way, she suddenly asked him not to visit them again: her husband was besieged by anonymous letters.

The revelry in the regiment continued. Romashov found Osadchy and Nikolaev in the meeting. The latter pretended not to notice him. They sang around. When silence finally reigned, Osadchy suddenly started a memorial service for the suicide, interspersed with dirty curses. Romashov was furious: “I won’t allow it! Be silent! In response, for some reason, already Nikolaev, with a face distorted by anger, shouted to him: “You yourself are a disgrace to the regiment! You and different Nazans!” “And what does Nazansky have to do with it?

Or do you have reasons to be unhappy with him? Nikolaev swung, but Romashov managed to throw the rest of the beer in his face.

In the evening, Romashov found Shurochka at his house. She began to say that she had spent years arranging her husband's career. If Romochka refuses to fight for the sake of her love, then there will still be something dubious about it, and Volodya will almost certainly not be allowed to take the exam. They must certainly shoot, but not one of them must be wounded. The husband knows and agrees. Saying goodbye, she threw her hands around his neck: “We will not see each other again. So let's not be afraid of anything ... Once ... let's take our happiness ... ”- and she pressed her hot lips to his mouth.

A brief retelling of the story "Duel" will help the reader to refresh the memory of the main events of the work, as well as to understand the true cause of the disagreement, which led to irreversible consequences. The plot of the book in abbreviation is indispensable in compiling high-quality arguments for essays in exams.

The story begins with a story about classes in the sixth company, which were coming to an end. While some military men mocked young soldiers and gave joking orders to confuse them, the commanders stepped aside. The officers were in a good mood, joking and talking nicely. Bek-Agamalov convinced Vetkin that he needed to learn how to wield a sword in order to instantly punish the offender, and not climb for a gun. Immediately, each of them remembered the story of how the military chopped to death those who dared to reprimand them. In their opinion, any civilian should be killed on the spot if he dared to offend the military. Any objection was considered an insult. But then the flushed officer Romashov said that you need to call a person to a duel, and not beat him in the face. They objected to him that a civilian would not come out to fight - he would be afraid. So Romashova described

He was of average height, thin, and although rather strong for his build, he was clumsy because of his great shyness.

In an attempt to kill the effigy, Romashov fell and cut himself with a saber.

Colonel Shulgovich interrupted this idyll. The man was in a bad mood. Lieutenant Romashov suffered the most for his inability to behave in the presence of his superiors. Shulgovich also scolded a Tatar soldier who does not even understand Russian. Romashov intervened and tried to protect his ward, but the colonel did not like it, and he sentenced the second lieutenant to house arrest for several days. He was also scolded by his immediate superior, by the name of Sliva, but his offended Romashov regretted it: his lonely life, emasculated by the war, seemed painfully unhappy.

Second chapter: George's dreams

Increasingly, Romashov felt lonely in the company of officers. He dreamed of a different fate and was ardently ashamed of his humiliation on the parade ground. He wanted to enter the Academy and become an officer of the general staff, so that later he could return to this regiment and show everyone how smart and talented he had become, what hopes he gave. Then, on his lonely walk, he dreamed about the future: how he pacifies the revolt of the workers, how his superiors thanked him, how he became a scout on the German front and performed military exploits. Just pull yourself together and enter the academy! But for now he was forced to vegetate with rude officers. Moreover, he eschewed such company, but this was a priori impossible: in a small town there was nowhere to go, except to the station, where he was ridiculous in his dirty overcoat and ridiculous galoshes.

Never reaching the station, Romashov changes his route towards the house and comes to his outbuilding, immersed in dreams of a career.

Third chapter: Reality of George

Going home, Romashov first of all asked the batman if he had received a letter from Lieutenant Nikolaev, the answer was negative. To the proposal to clean his coat, he answered negatively with hesitation and regret: he tried to force himself not to go to them, to miss a week or two, but each time he went and deceived himself that this was the last time. The fact is that Georgy has long been in love with Nikolaev's wife Shurochka and every day he was waiting for news from her.

The fate of Romashov was unenviable: he had long painted his life on points, but none of them was brought to life. He bought books and magazines to prepare for the Academy, but he couldn't bring himself to open them. On the other hand, he drank a lot of vodka, was homesick, and started a long and boring relationship with a regimental lady, secretly from her husband.

The batman brings a letter from Raisa's mistress, whom he sometimes met. But he tore up the vulgar and lusciously tender letter stained with yellow perfume and went to the Nikolaevs, promising himself to do it for the "last time." In the letter, Raisa complained about the long separation and threatened to kill herself if her lover cheated on her.

Fourth chapter: Evening at the Nikolaevs

Calm reigned in the house of the Nikolaevs. Shurochka's husband was preparing for an exam at the General Staff Academy, because he failed the previous two. Alexandra Petrovna was engaged in needlework. She was very industrious. Yuri Alekseevich (that was Romashova's name) sat down and awkwardly started talking about staff matters. Shurochka complained and teased her husband that he would not pass the exam. He was really stupid, but he prepared hard.

His wife relied on this exam, she hoped that their lives would change after her husband's admission. She burst into "proud tears" when she imagined living life in the provinces. She wanted a big society and "worship". Shurochka paid tribute to her stupid but hardworking husband, and wanted to advance him up the career ladder with her cunning herself. She was beautiful and intelligent, with the "flexibility of her soul" to arrange her husband's affairs and her own. To himself, Romashov thought about her and described her like this:

You have a pale and swarthy face. Passionate face. And on it are red, burning lips - how they should kiss! - and eyes surrounded by a yellowish shadow ... When you look straight, the whites of your eyes are slightly blue, and in large pupils there is a cloudy, deep blue. You're not a brunette, but there's something gypsy about you. But on the other hand, your hair is so pure and thin and converges behind in a knot with such a neat, naive and businesslike expression that you want to quietly touch it with your fingers. You are small, you are light, I would lift you in my arms like a child.

During the conversation, Shurochka mentioned that duels are necessary for Russian officers, because they do not have innate discipline and honor, like the French and Germans. In them, she sees an opportunity to filter reliable officers for the regiment. A real soldier should not be afraid of death, which means that a duel, too.

In parting, Shurochka suggested that Romashov visit them more often and refuse vodka: it spoils him. She advises him not to communicate with the local drunkard - Nazansky. She would shoot such people if she had her way...

Chapter Five: Conversation with Nazansky

Leaving the house of the Nikolaevs, Romashov heard a reproach from the orderly of the Nikolaevs (he often visited them painfully) and out of anger at himself and at Shurochka, whom he could not forget, went to his old acquaintance Nazansky.

There they have a nice chat and drink. Nazansky narrates that military service is disgusting to him, that the beauty of life for him lies in reflections, which he can afford only in hard drinking. Let people not understand him and condemn him, but it is disgusting for him to serve in order to be fed and clothed. For him, pleasure is to think and feel faith, love, tenderness, delight, longing. Everything, just not to vulgarize life with soldier's jokes and vulgarities.

He talks about love and says that love is not mutual - it's wonderful. It's a bitter but sweet feeling at the same time. He said that he was ready to give everything, if only to love strongly and passionately. In a fit of revelations, Nazansky shows a letter from a girl he once loved. Hopeless and anxious. And still loves. Romashov recognizes Shurochka's handwriting. He reads the letter and finds out that Shurochka also loved him and left him, because he could not change himself for her, and she did not want to be with him out of pity for him.

Romashov accidentally named Shurochka. Nazansky guessed about the second lieutenant's feelings for the married lady, but hastened to dissuade him of his connection, but everything was clear enough. He looked at Romashov with fear, their conversation became a deep and tragic omen. They parted ways.

Arriving home, George (sometimes Yuri is called George) finds a letter from Raisa with obvious threats. She also found out about his feelings for Shurochka and was extremely angry. She hinted at her revenge. Romashov was disgusted by this vulgar and dirty connection. At night he cried in his sleep. He dreamed that as a child he was mourning his fall in adulthood.

Chapter Six: Reflections on Life

Romashov woke up in the morning and thought about what keeps him under arrest? As a child, his mother tied him to the bed with a thread so that he would not run away, and he sat as if under hypnosis. What makes him stay at home now? He wants to go for walks and go where he wants, but they showed him the thread again, and he does not dare to break it. And what if all the people before the war found the strength to move and said: “I don’t want to!”. Then no one would have to fight, and all their gray routine life would not be needed.

Why don't people speak? Why doesn't he say a word himself? Looking at the soldiers, he saw that they did not want to either, but when they die, the duty, and honor, and homeland, for which they go to death, will end. Only "I" is the key to everything that exists, and we tyrannize it so ruthlessly. But the problem is that not a single officer leaves the service, although no one likes it. They're just useless, they don't know anything, they can't do anything. Out of service, they, like Romashov himself, will disappear immediately. They are useless for society and doomed to a gray soldier's life under the color of an overcoat.

When Romashov was under arrest, Shurochka visited him and brought treats. He was glad for the arrival of the girl, he kisses her hands, and she admits that he is her only friend, but there is nothing more between them and cannot be.

Chapter Seven: Dinner at the Colonel's

Colonel Shulgovich summons and reprimands the hero for disobedience and insolence. He knows both about drunkenness and about Romashov's depravity. Here he touched on the topic of his mother, because it was to her that the officer asked for leave, although he was not supposed to. Hearing about his mother, Romashov looked at the colonel with hatred, a little more, and he would have hit him! But then the colonel changes his anger to mercy, speaks of his love for the officers, apologizes and invites Romashov to a dinner party. There he felt humiliated by the colonel's coarse caresses. At the table, remarks flew in his direction about how and what he should eat. He wanted to leave, but he didn't dare again.

And again Romashov goes home in frustrated feelings. Loneliness, longing took possession of him. At the same time, a premonition of love appeared. He met his batman, who, with his own money, out of the kindness of his soul, bought him cigarettes. But Romashov did not dare to violate decorum and shake hands with him as an equal. But on the other hand, he promised himself to undress himself, without involving a batman in this occupation.

At home, he takes out a notebook, which was already the third in a row, no one knows about his passion for writing.

Chapter Eight: The Assembly of Officers

The hero arrives at a meeting of officers, where all the "cream of society" gathers, including Raisa. The second lieutenant sees nothing good in her eyes. The main theme of the evening was the fights. Opinions differed, someone thought it was stupidity, others think that only blood can wash away the stains of resentment. But the majority is sure: a duel can help society, and certainly a duel with serious consequences. Without death and injury, the duel is ridiculous.

To avoid an explanation with Raisa, Romashov changed with another officer (he was appointed dance distributor). Provincial poverty reigned all around, covered with a touch of secularity and affectation: everyone was in the same dresses, they spoke the same phrases.

Chapter 9: Explanation with Raisa

Romashov sees all the lowlands and dirt of Raisa, but she stubbornly lures him to a dance. He decided to break up with her. Dancing with Raisa a quadrille, the hero is disgusted with a woman. She, in turn, begins to insult the “Lilliputian” Shurochka, remembering her father, who “stealed”. She almost screamed, and Romashov was powerless to do anything. The heroine gets angry, saying that she sacrificed everything for him. A sarcastic smile is visible on Romashov's face, he knew that everyone was aware of her many novels. He confesses to her that it's over between them. Raisa does not cease to threaten him. She blames him for using her "like a female", while he himself looked at Shurochka.

In response, he says that she used him to get everyone around to talk about them. She was flattered by his attention and the fact that everyone knew about him. She deliberately exposed their connection, she needed worship, it satisfied her petty vanity. Neither she nor he loved, just amused. He said:

Understand, I'm ashamed, I hate to think about this cold, aimless, this inexcusable depravity!

Raisa brought the comedy to the last act: she said nasty things and disappeared into the restroom. Her husband knew everything, but he loved his wife and repaid her lovers with villainy in the service.

Romashov again thought about the futility of life, about his moral decline and disappointment. The heaviness has not gone away: he still yearned for the fact that life is wasted away from love, music, culture. But no one understood him, and he realized his loneliness.

Chapter Ten: Teachings

Romashov was late for the exercises, but received a sluggish reprimand from the stern and lifeless chief of Plum. Usually Plum was a ruthless martinet obsessed with the service, and everyone was used to his nitpicking.

During morning exercises, officers discuss the problem of punishment in the army. Romashov defends the point of view that violence is unacceptable anywhere, even in the army. During the exercises, he even forbade a subordinate to beat a soldier who could not master the exercise. But other people say that Russia's military successes are a direct result of corporal punishment, and there are no "personalities" in the army. There are soldiers, and if they are not fought, then there will be women, not fighters. Plum, hearing Romashov's objections, objected that in a year he himself would beat the soldiers. Romashov threatened him with a report complaining about his cruelty.

Romashov is tired of everything, he is tired, but none of his colleagues support him.

Chapter Eleven: Thoughts on Service

The hero has lost the meaning of officer activities, he is not interested. Seeing all these soldiers' nonsense, violence, vulgarity, cruelty, he loses his temper.

After the service, he goes to a tavern, where he drinks himself unconscious and complains to a colleague about loneliness and misunderstanding. He does not know how to drink at all and becomes limp from one glass.

Chapter Twelfth: An Invitation

Georgy misses Shurochka, because he has not seen her for such a long time. And, lo and behold, they bring him an invitation from the Nikolaevs for a name day. There is no money for a gift, so the second lieutenant goes to borrow money to present something beautiful to the birthday girl. He stops at spirits.

He goes for money to a strange officer who spent all his money on animals. He loved to visit him, as he himself adored animals. Colonel Brem, a kind and intelligent man, gave him 10 rubles and told him about the animals.

Chapter Thirteen: Name Day

Approaching their house, George feels anxious. He thinks that Alexandra's husband guessed everything. Lately he has been dry and cold with him. Romashov was about to drive past, when suddenly Shurochka herself came out and escorted him into the house. She was sweet and kind to him. Everyone went for a picnic.

An acquaintance Mikhin persuaded him to sit down with his sisters so that a rude officer with greasy jokes would not sit down with them. Romashov agreed and invited the quiet officer Leshchenko, whom no one wanted to take into a carriage.

Chapter fourteen: Conversation with Shurochka

Everything at the picnic was chaotic and fussy. Shurochka seemed very lively and excited. She looked at Romashov with some special feeling, and for longer than she should have. Then she confessed to him in a whisper that she was happy, that she would tell him alone the reason for her happiness.

Meanwhile, Osadchy promoted "merry bloodshed" and said that he despised humane wars. Many people supported him. But our hero did not listen: he thought about his own: Nikolaev watched him and his wife too closely. Then he got up and went into the forest, but Shurochka inconspicuously went after him. Alone, they hugged.

The girl admits that she is in love with the second lieutenant, but she does not see a prospect in their relationship. She affectionately calls him George (usually called Yuri) and talks about her feelings: she dreamed of him at night, and in the morning she, the teacher, wanted to see him. She does not love him, but she feels him, and he is pleasant to her. But she cannot love him, because he is weak and miserable. He will not achieve anything in life, and there is nothing to respect such a man for. Of course, he swore that he would achieve everything for her, but she did not believe: Shurochka saw through him. If she had hoped for him, she would have abandoned her unloved rude husband. With Romashov, as with Nazansky, she was related by a sensitive soul, she saw her soul mate in the hero, but separation is inevitable: she cannot risk her prospects. If Romashov can succeed, then she will leave her husband for him, but until then she will not change her husband, and has not changed so far. She also admitted that she does not want children, so she does not have a lover.

She asks Romashov not to come to their house anymore, because her husband is besieged by anonymous letters, which tells about the romance between his wife and Romashov. While he does not believe gossip, but he is very jealous, and you should not test his patience. Romashov promised not to visit them.

The husband took Shura aside and talked to her for a long time, but she answered him with such an expression of indignation on her face that he stepped back.

Chapter fifteen: Romashov's failure

In the service, the soldiers are preparing for the May review, the company officers beat the soldiers with particular cruelty. There was something dead about these maneuvers, as if the puppets were performing them. Romashov got tired and lost weight during the exercises. There was only one company in which there was no noticeable zeal - the fifth. There was a rich debauched colonel there, who often lured little girls into the servants and paid them not only for cleaning. This company went to the review later than everyone else, and the colonel did not even take the comments personally. All the soldiers loved him because he did not drill them in vain.

The atmosphere of the parade captured Romashov, he devotedly and happily looked at the commander. But the higher ranks looked indifferent: they were fed up with reviews. The general criticized almost all companies: because of the endless training and bullying of officers, the soldiers were tortured and intimidated. The general himself was a supporter of the humane treatment of soldiers and ridiculed training fermented by violence.

Romashov is increasingly asserting that service is a cruel and worthless business. During the review, the company could not perform well, and the second lieutenant receives a reprimand, because it was through his fault that the company collapsed. Dreaming of the general's praises and his confession, he crushed the entire movement of the company. For the first time, the hero thinks about suicide, because now he is disgraced forever. It seems to him that he is disgusted by everyone and even himself. He was ashamed of the recent dream of the general's praise and enthusiasm, because because of him people were beaten for 2 weeks. Romashov was asked to transfer to another company.

On the way home, he saw the sergeant-major hit soldier Khlebnikov in the face. He did not have the strength to intercede, but he realized how similar they were to this small, puny soldier.

Chapter Sixteen: Explanation with Nikolaev

On the way to the house, George is met by Shurochka's husband. He wants to talk about anonymous letters. It turns out that anonymous letters come with gossip about Romashov and Alexandra. He asks the lieutenant to do everything to stop the rumors, that is, he no longer appears in their house. Romashov said he knew where the anonymous messages came from. Nikolaev exploded and reproached him for inaction. They parted ways, agreeing not to see each other again. Romashov promised to take action.

He came home, yelled at the batman, and endured his disgrace at home alone. Then he went to the meeting, but there he heard how they condemned him for the review, and changed his mind about going. He walked around Shurochka's house, but she never looked out the window. He also did not dare to call out to Nazansky. He walked along the road and imagined how sorry and crying everyone would be when he killed himself. Romashov even grumbled at God (why does he hate him?), but then he took his words back.

On the way, he saw the soldier Khlebnikov, he was walking, apparently with the same goal of suicide. Romashov stopped him, they talked heart to heart and both complained that everything was cruel and senseless, vile and ugly in this world. They embraced and sobbed. Khlebnikov could no longer endure the bullying and extortion of the company commander, he was ready for extreme measures. The officer escorted the soldier to the camp, and he himself went to the slope, and there he shouted to God that he was an old deceiver. If he is, then the hero himself would have broken his leg in a jump from a slope - so he thought to himself. But he jumped and remained unharmed.

Chapter Seventeen: Illumination of George

Romashov matured after that evening: he stopped drinking, going to dances and communicating with officers. He began to make friends with Khlebnikov and delved into the circumstances of his life: a poor family, a drunken father, a bunch of children. No one sent him anything from home. The land was taken away from them, there was nothing to feed on. In the regiment, all his salaries are taken by the commanders. Romashov began to help him, and the regiment did not approve of this.

Now the hero lived in the world of his thoughts and was amazed at how multifaceted and interesting this world was.

Romashov is disappointed in the service and is clearly aware that after three years of service he will definitely leave here.

Romashov began to understand little by little that the entire military service, with its illusory valor, was created by a cruel, shameful all-human misunderstanding.

He presented himself as a writer, because of all the cases he recognized only art, science and free physical labor. The military estate, like many others, he despised. However, while his books were so imperfect that they could not stand comparison with the classics.

Once he threw a bouquet to Shurochka through the window while her husband was not at home, but she sent an angry letter asking her not to do this.

Chapter Eighteen: Officer's Drink

Sad events take place in the company: one of the soldiers hanged himself. But in the evening of the same day, the officers drank, walked and had fun in order to relieve stress. They went to a brothel, and Vetkin persuaded Romashov to go with them.

During the fun, a drunken officer takes out a saber and starts chopping everything with it. The hero managed to pacify Bek-Agamalov, and he had already raised his saber at a woman from a brothel who was trying to calm him down. Then Beck sat down with Romashov and held his hand for a long time as a sign of gratitude: he saved him from the shame unthinkable in the East - the murder of a woman.

Chapter nineteen: Fight

The officers continue to drink, and a conflict is brewing between them again. Officer Osadchy swore cynically when it came to God. Romashov stopped him. A quarrel began. Suddenly, Nikolaev appears next to Romashov, he says that people like Georgy dishonor the regiment. He dragged in Nazansky, and Romashov objected that Nikolaev's discontent had hidden reasons. Bek-Agamalov tried to drag him away, but could not. A quarrel arises between the men, then a fight, and Romashov decides to challenge Shurochka's husband to a duel.

They are separated by other officers, everyone disperses. Romashov felt disgusting.

Chapter Twenty: Judgment

Romashov is summoned to court, and Nikolaev sees him and in a whisper asks for only one thing - not to mention the name of his wife and letters. The hero agrees.

The officers' court decides on the conflict between Romashov and Nikolaev, and only a duel can resolve this. The duel may not take place if one of them submits a resignation report. Both went to look for seconds: none of them simply could submit a report. Romashov chose Bek-Agamalov and Vetkin, and then decided to send him to Nazansky, as he felt an unprecedented loneliness. I'M CONDEMNED, he thought.

Chapter 21: Sermon of Nazan

Upset Romashov comes to his friend Nazansky. He was completely drunk, his appearance reflected the extreme degree of the fall. They went for a boat ride.

Nazansky advises him to abandon the duel and leave the service. He says that George should "begin to live", and it is much more courageous not to go to a duel, but to refuse it. If Romashov kills a man, he will always be with him, the feeling of guilt will never leave him. And if he himself dies, then nothing awaits him ahead: there is nothing worse than emptiness. Is the "officer's honor" worth a human life? Of course not, and they both know it.

Nazansky analyzes the composition of their regiment and comes to the conclusion that the most intelligent and talented people drink too much, and those who are dumber serve, but hate their job. The best warriors are those who are burdened with families. They kill and maim for a plate of cabbage soup. Is this how Romashov wants to live? Therefore, there is no need to fight, it is necessary to leave the regiment, until this petty ambitious race knee-deep in the blood of soldiers drags him into a quagmire. He also talks about the situation when the batman was looking for the truth and protection from the masters - he did not find it. He was also beaten and maimed, only more so.

And so it is with all of them, even the best, most tender of them, wonderful fathers and attentive husbands - all of them in the service become base, cowardly, evil, stupid little animals. You will ask why? Yes, precisely because none of them believes in the service and does not see a reasonable goal of this service.

Nazansky also says that he does not and cannot love his neighbors. Nothing will make him believe that he must sacrifice himself for them. When he dies, everything will end, so it only makes sense to enjoy life yourself, and not sacrifice it for the sake of dubious ideas and dubious respect.

And so, I say, love for humanity has burned out and vanished from human hearts. It is being replaced by a new, divine faith, which will remain immortal until the end of the world. This is love for yourself, for your beautiful body, for your all-powerful mind, for the infinite wealth of your feelings.

Romashov decided to retire, because Nazansky's speeches seemed convincing to him. However, his teacher himself became exhausted and asked for a loan: he started shaking from alcoholism.

Chapter 22: Shurochka's Confession

Arriving home, Georgy found Shurochka at home. She gently but passionately reproaches him for not holding back and allowing himself to be drawn into a fight. Rumors are now swirling around the city. She hugged him, the man's head was on her chest. In this position, she told how she dragged her stupid husband upstairs, how she herself crammed his sciences for the academy. She compared him with her child and said that she would not refuse him, because so much of her time and energy was laid in him. But if now, because of this fight, he dies or does not go to the exam, then it's all over: she leaves him and goes wherever her eyes look:

I will abuse myself, but I will burn in an instant and bright as fireworks!

Romashov persuades her to change her mind and promises to do whatever she wants. He wants to refuse the duel, but she states that this refusal will cast a shadow on her husband's reputation. It is better to fight, and then everyone will forgive her Volodya, because he will prove his masculinity.

She asks the man to take part in the duel and assures him that she has already agreed with her husband, and their duel will be purely symbolic: everyone will miss. If not, then she will not survive the fact that her husband is not taken to the academy. At parting, Shurochka gives herself up to Romashov, plays out passion, but then kisses him businesslike with cold lips and leaves him forever. He agreed to everything.

Chapter 23: Death of Romashov

The duel did not go according to the rules, Nikolaev violates an early agreement and takes the first fatal shot. Romashov dies without even having time to shoot back. Instead of a chapter, we see a dry report on those events.

Romashov, being a lieutenant from the parade ground, was returning home. He decided not to go anywhere today, because he decided not to bother. He liked to stay away quite late, but today he went home. Guynan said that the lady had sent him a letter. They had been cheating on her husband for a long time and met secretly.

He became disgusted by the letter he received and nevertheless decided to go to the Nikolaevs. Mr. Nikolaev was busy with his own affairs. He had long wanted to enter the academy, but lacked the knowledge to pass the exams. Shurochka, his wife, helped him in everything.

Alexandra sat with Romashov and talked with him about the new law that gave permission for duels in the armies. It seems to Shurochka that they are necessary, because it is impossible to solve the problem with cheaters otherwise, one of these people was Archkovsky or another Nazansky, who was a serious drunkard.

It seemed to Romashov that she undeservedly accused Nazansky, because this citizen understands what love is and that it is not given to everyone. But the husband hated Nazansky, because once he made an offer to Alexandra, which she rejected.

Romashov talked with Alexandra for quite some time, until everyone went to their bedrooms. Soon Romashov broke off relations with his mistress, but she did not like it and she began to threaten revenge. He did not worry only because, besides her, there were enough people who wanted to win back on him. Romashov believed that the fights of non-commissioned officers were inappropriate, and objected to such actions and even promised to file a report with Silva.

But over time, everything became even worse, not only did the authorities dislike him, but even the barman did not lend him cigarettes. He began to become depressed due to loneliness, insane boredom and attitude to the service.

One day he received a letter in which Alexandra invited him to their mutual name day. He borrowed a small amount of money from Rafalsky. Without thinking twice, he went in and bought good perfume and came to them for a picnic. The picnic was fun, but it did not add to his joy.

Periodically, Romashov and Alexandra touched each other, but did not show it. After the holiday, Romashov decided to retire, but Shura followed him. They sat down on the grass. She said that she missed him quite a lot, and he started kissing her in return.

A declaration of love on her part was a habit, but after that she did not hesitate to say that he was very pathetic and she needed to refuse him. Alexandra asked not to come to their estate again.

In the spring there was a review of the army. The commander visited the companies, but was very dissatisfied. And only the fifth, under the command of Stelkovsky, he liked.

But for Romashov, the worst was yet to come. For some reason, during the review, he felt like he was part of a giant force. And inspired by his reverence, he did not notice how he moved from the central part. He was disgraced.

But it didn't end there, because later he had a conversation with Nikolaev, who demanded that he no longer appear on his doorstep. Heartbroken, he met Khlebnikov, whom no one had taken seriously for a long time.

Khlebnikov told how he was treated and that he would like to kill himself, since he no longer has the strength to live like this.

Romashov took pity on him and tried to inspire the unfortunate man. A strange thought came to Romashov that they are all like that, that everyone has their own grief.

His resignation gave him the opportunity to immerse himself in his thoughts and he was able to understand that he really liked it. He admitted to himself that only a few callings could exist for him. Among them was science with art and the opportunity to be absorbed in manual labor.

In late spring, a soldier in the company of Osadchy committed suicide, who turned out to be hanged. And the commander began to drink soundly. In Schleifersh, where drunkenness continued, a scandal erupted. One of those present here, Bek-Agamalov, attacked the people with a saber.

Romashov saw Nikolaev sitting with Osadchev, one of whom pretended not to notice him. Osadchy decided to talk about the deceased, and expressed himself extremely obscenely, in which Romashev intervened. Nikolaev became angry with him, but Romashov managed to cool his ardor.

An officer court of Nikolaev and Romashov took place, during which it was asked not to mention the name of Nikolaev's wife. The court held that reconciliation was impossible.

Romashov almost all the time before the fight was with Nazansky. The latter dissuaded him from shooting.

At the end of the day, he saw Alexandra, who begged him not to give up the duel, and that in any case her husband would not get into the academy. But she really asked that no one be injured and her husband agrees with this.

In the officially compiled report, the details of the duel between Nikolaev and Romashov were reported to the regimental commander from Staff Captain Dietz. On command, the opponents met in a duel in which lieutenant Nikolaev fired at Lieutenant Romashov and hit the latter in the stomach, mortally wounded him, and Romashov, after seven minutes, died from intra-abdominal blood loss. A certificate of examination by a junior doctor from Znoyko was also attached.

A brief retelling of "Duel" in abbreviation was prepared by Oleg Nikov for the reader's diary.