Short Fiction by Leo Tolstoy (book reader for pc TXT) 📕

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Clodhopper. ↩

Baba. ↩

Dyevka, marriageable girl. ↩

Muzhik. ↩

Bátiushka. ↩

Bátiushka. ↩

Bátiushka. ↩

Eighty-one acres. ↩

Bátiushka. ↩

Bátiushka; Mitri Mikolayévitch, rustic for Dmitri Nikolayévitch. ↩

Proshchaïte, khozyáeva. ↩

Izbá. ↩

Constantinople. ↩

Hofbrücke, torn down in 1852. ↩

E’en though the clouds may veil it,
The sun shines ever clear.

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I also have lived and rejoiced.

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Freemasonry in Russia was a secret movement, the original purpose of which was the moral perfecting of people on the basis of equality and universal brotherhood. Commencing as a mystical-religious movement in the eighteenth century, it became political during the reign of Alexander I, and was suppressed in 1822. ↩

The Martinists were a society of Russian Freemasons, founded in 1780, and named after the French theosophist, Louis Claude Saint-Martin. ↩

The Tugendbund was founded by men of high rank, to promote physical and moral welfare, by education, publications, advice, and charity. ↩

M. H. Milorádovitch (1770⁠–⁠1825) distinguished himself in the war against the French, became General-Governor of Petersburg, and was killed in the “December” mutiny of 1825. ↩

D. V. Davídof (1784⁠–⁠1839), a popular poet, and leader of a guerilla force in the war of 1812; he was a contemporary of A. S. Poúshkin (1799⁠–⁠1837), the greatest of Russian poets. ↩

The nobility, in the Russian sense of the word, includes not merely those who have titles, but all who in England would be called the gentry. ↩

A town in the Tambóf Government, noted for its horse fair. ↩

A troika is a three-horse sledge, or, more correctly, a team of three horses. ↩

Twenty degrees of cold Réaumur, or thirteen below zero Fahrenheit. ↩

The gaming referred to was called shtos. The “players” selected cards for themselves from packs on the table, and put their stakes on or under their cards. The “banker” had a pack from which he dealt to right and left alternately. Cards dealt to the right won for him; those dealt to the left won for the “players.” “Pass up” was a reminder to the players to hand up stakes due to the “bank.” “Simples” were single stakes. By turning down “corners” of his card a player increased his stake two or threefold. A “transport” increased it sixfold. Shtos has now been replaced by newer forms of gambling. ↩

The five-rouble note was blue and the ten-rouble note was red. ↩

That is to say, a medal gained in the defence of his country against Napoleon. ↩

The custom being not to dance a whole dance with one lady, but to take a few turns round the room, conduct the lady to her seat, bow to her, thank her, and seek a fresh partner. ↩

The zakoúska (“little bite”) consists, according to circumstances, of a more or less varied choice of snacks: caviar, salt-fish, cheese, radishes, or whatnot, with small glasses of vodka or other spirits. It is sometimes served alone, but usually forms a whet for the appetite, laid out on a side table, and partaken of immediately before dinner or supper. It somewhat answers to the hors-d’oeuvre of an English dinner-party. ↩

The same word (rouká) stands for hand or arm in Russian. ↩

In Russia godparents and their godchildren, and people having the same godfather or godmother, are considered to be related. ↩

Bémol is French for a flat in music; but in Russia many people who know nothing of musical technicalities imagine it to have something to do with excellence in music. ↩

Tolstoy seems here to antedate the intervention of Russia in the Hungarian insurrection. As a matter of fact, the Russian army entered Hungary in May 1849, and the war was over by the end of September that year. ↩

They will be putting themselves to expense on our account. ↩

If you please, gentlemen. ↩

In Préférence partners play together as in whist. There was a method of scoring “with tables” which increased the gains and losses of the players. In Préférence the players compete in declaring the number of tricks the cards they hold will enable them to make. The highest bidder decides which suit is to be trumps, and has to make the number of tricks he has declared, or be fined. A player declaring misère undertakes to make no tricks, and is fined (puts on a remise) for each trick he or she makes. “Ace and king blank” means that a player holds, of a given suit, the two highest cards and no others. ↩

At the time of this story two currencies were in use simultaneously⁠—the depreciated “assignations” and the “silver roubles,” which were usually paper, like the “assignations.” ↩

Kvass is a non-intoxicating drink usually made from rye-malt, and rye-flour. ↩

It is the custom in Russia to congratulate anyone on his or her birthday, and also on receiving Communion. ↩

The better is the enemy of the good. ↩

Good luck, my friend! ↩

I love you. ↩

Intercession of