heard someone say. You will see that Kuprin ['Reminiscences of Chekhov,' by Gorky, Kuprin and Bunin, New York: Huebsch.] told C. the anecdote about the actor whose wife asked him to whistle a melody on the stage during a rehearsal. In C.'s Notes you have that anecdote, somewhat shortened and the names changed, without mentioning the source.'
'The reader, on the whole, may puzzle his head over many paragraphs in the Notes, but he will hardly find explanations each time. What the reader has to remember is that the Notes are material used by C. in his creative activity and as such it throws a great deal of light on C.'s mentality and process of working.']
* * * * *
N. makes a living by exterminating bugs; and for the purposes of his trade he reads the works of ——. If in 'The Cossacks,' bugs are not mentioned, it means that 'The Cossacks' is a bad book.
* * * * *
Man is what he believes.
* * * * *
A clever girl: 'I cannot pretend … I never tell a lie … I have principles'—and all the time 'I … I … I …'
* * * * *
N. is angry with his wife who is an actress, and without her knowledge gets abusive criticisms published about her in the newspapers.
* * * * *
A nobleman boasts 'This house of mine was built in the time of Dmitry
Donskoy.'
* * * * *
'Your Worship, he called my dog a bad name: 'son of a bitch.''
* * * * *
The snow fell and did not lie on the ground reddened with blood.
* * * * *
He left everything to charity, so that nothing should go to his relations and children, whom he hated.
* * * * *
A very amorous man; he is no sooner introduced to a girl than he becomes a he-goat.
* * * * *
A nobleman Drekoliev.
* * * * *
I dread the idea that a chamberlain will be present at the opening of my petition.
* * * * *
He was a rationalist, but he had to confess that he liked the ringing of church bells.
* * * * *
The father a famous general, nice pictures, expensive furniture; he died; the daughters received a good education, but are slovenly, read little, ride, and are dull.
* * * * *
They are honest and truthful so long as it is unnecessary.
* * * * *
A rich merchant would like to have a shower bath in his W.C.
* * * * *
In the early morning they ate
[Footnote 1: A cold dish composed of cider and hash.]
* * * * *
'If you lose this talisman,' said grandmother, 'you will die.' And suddenly I lost it, tortured myself, was afraid that I would die. And now, imagine, a miracle happened: I found it and continued to live.
* * * * *
Everybody goes to the theatre to see my play, to learn something instantly from it, to make some sort of profit, and I tell you: I have not the time to bother about that canaille.
* * * * *
The people hate and despise everything new and useful; when there was cholera, they hated and killed the doctors and they love vodka; by the people's love or hatred one can estimate the value of what they love or hate.
* * * * *
Looking out of the window at the corpse which is being borne to the cemetery: 'You are dead, you are being carried to the cemetery, and I will go and have my breakfast.'
* * * * *
A Tchech Vtitchka.
* * * * *
A man, forty years old, married a girl of twenty-two who read only the very latest writers, wore green ribbons, slept on yellow pillows, and believed in her taste and her opinions as if they were law; she is nice, not silly, and gentle, but he separates from her.
* * * * *
When one longs for a drink, it seems as though one could drink a whole ocean—that is faith; but when one begins to drink, one can only drink altogether two glasses—that is science.
* * * * *
For a farce: Fildekosov, Poprygunov.
* * * * *
In former times a nice man, with principles, who wanted to be respected, would try to become a general or priest, but now he goes in for being a writer, professor….
* * * * *
There is nothing which history will not justify.
* * * * *
Zievoulia.[1]
[Footnote 1: A name or word invented by Chekhov meaning 'One who yawns for a long time with pleasure.']
* * * * *
The crying of a nice child is ugly; so in bad verses you may recognize that the author is a nice man.
* * * * *
If you wish women to love you, be original; I know a man who used to wear felt boots summer and winter, and women fell in love with him.
* * * * *
I arrive at Yalta. Every room is engaged. I go to the 'Italy'—not a room available. 'What about my room number 35'—'It is engaged.' A lady. They say: 'Would you like to stay with this lady? The lady has no objection.' I stay in her room. Conversation. Evening. The Tartar guide comes in. My ears are stopped, my eyes blindfolded; I sit and see nothing and hear nothing….
* * * * *
A young lady complains: 'My poor brother gets such a small salary—only seven thousand!'
* * * * *
She: 'I see only one thing now: you have a large mouth! A large mouth!
An enormous mouth!'
* * * * *
The horse is a useless and pernicious animal; a great deal of land has to be tilled for it, it accustoms man not to employ his own muscles, it is often an object of luxury; it makes man effeminate. For the future not a single
