Delphi Complete Works of Anton Chekhov

RAPTURE

Translated by Peter Russell 2011

It was late evening. Wild-looking and scruffy, Mitya Kuldarov stormed into his parents’ flat, dashing through every room. His mother and father were about to go to bed. His sister was already in bed and was on the last page of her novel, while his young brothers were fast asleep.

‘Where’ve you come from?’ his parents cried in shock. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘My God, I don’t know how to tell you! I’m shocked, completely shocked! It’s... so incredible!’

Mitya burst out laughing and sank into a chair, subdued with joy.

‘It’s unbelievable! You’d never suppose it! Look at this!’

His sister jumped out of bed and approached him, with a blanket round her. The young brothers woke up.

‘What’s wrong? You look awful!’

‘But I’m so happy, Mother! Now every single person in Russia knows me! Everyone! A short time ago only you knew Dmitry Kuldarov, the clerical officer of the fourteenth grade, but now everyone in Russia knows me! Good God, mother!’

Mitya leapt up and ran round every room once more, before sitting down again.

‘Tell us what’s happened, for God’s sake!’

‘Parents, you live here like savages; you don’t read the newspapers, you’ve no idea what’s going on and yet the papers are full of such extraordinary things! As soon as anything happens, they make it public; it’s down there in plain black and white! O God, I’m so happy! Only celebrities get their names in the paper. They’ve printed a story about me!’

‘They have? Where?’

His father paled and his mother looked to the icon, crossing herself. The young brothers jumped out of bed, running over to their elder brother, naked save for their short nightshirts.

‘That’s right! All about me! Now I’m known all over the country! You’d better save this copy, mother, and we can always read it and remember this day. See!’

Mitya pulled a newspaper out of his pocket and handed it to his father, pointing at a passage circled in blue pen.

‘Read it aloud!’

His father reached for his glasses.

‘Go on, read it!’

His mother glanced at the icon again and crossed herself. His father cleared his throat and began redaing: ‘On December 29th at 11 p.m. clerical officer of the fourteenth grade, Dmitry Kuldarov-’

‘You see? Read on, father!’

‘Clerical officer of the fourteenth grade, Dmitry Kuldarov, leaving the public house located at the Kozikhin’s Buildings in Little Bronaya Street and being in a drunken state-’

‘It was me and my friend! See, they’ve got every detail! Read on! Listen to this next part!’

‘And being in a state of intoxication, he tripped and fell in front of a cab-horse belonging to Ivan Knoutoff, a peasant, from the village of Bumkino in the Pnoff district, which was waiting at that place. The terrified horse, knocking over Kuldarov, dragged the sledge over him in which was seated Ivan Lukov, a Moscow merchant of the Second Guild. Horse and sledge thundered away down the street and was eventually stopped by several porters. Being at first in a state of unconsciousness, Kuldarov was taken to the policestation and examined by a doctor. The blow he received on the back of the head-’

‘I got it from the shaft, Father! Go on, finish reading it!’

‘Which he had received on the head, was judged as being not serious. A police report was drawn up regarding the incident and medical assistance was given to the victim-’

‘Yes, they dabbed the wound with cold water. Finished reading? So what do you say to that, eh! It’ll be over the whole of Russia by now! Give it here!’

Mitya seized the paper, folded it and stuffed it into his coat.

‘Must go and show it to the Makarovs next door. Then I’ll visit the Ivanitskys, and then Nataliya Ivanovna and of course Anisim Vasilich ... Sorry, can’t stay any longer! Bye!’

Putting on his official cap, flourishing the cockade, Mitya was radiant with rapture and sped away out of the house.