The Undiscovered Chekhov

THE

STATIONMASTER

THE STATIONMASTER AT Drebesky is called Stephan Stephanitch—his family name is Sheptunov. Last summer he was involved in a minor scandal. Insignificant though it was, this scandal cost him a great deal. Because of it he lost his new stationmaster s cap and his trust in humanity.

In the summer, train number 8 would pass his station at 2:40 in the morning, the most inconvenient time possible. Instead of sleeping, Stephan Stephanitch had to walk up and down the platform and stick around the telegraph office until morning.

Every summer Aleutov, his assistant, would leave to get married, and poor Sheptunov had to hold the fort on his own. Fate had dealt him a harsh blow! But not every evening was boring. Sometimes Marya Ilinishna, the bailiff Kutsapyetov’s wife, would come over from the neighboring estate and visit him at the station. She was not particularly young, or particularly beautiful, but gendemen, let’s face it: at night you can mistake a pillar for a policeman, or as the saying goes, “Bui - dom, like hunger, doth not a bosom buddy make.” So anything will do. When Madam Kutsapyetov came to the station, Sheptunov would take her by the arm, climb down the platform, and head for the freight cars. There by the cars, waiting for train number 8, he would begin declaiming vows, and keep it up right to the moment the train whisde blew.

One fine night he was standing by the cars with Marya Ilinishna, waiting for the train. The cloudless sky was quiet, and the moon shimmered gendy, casting its rays on the station, the field, the boundless expanse. All around them was quiet, serene. Sheptunov held his arm around Marya’s waist and was silent. She too was silent. Both stood in some kind of sweet light, quiet like the moon, forgotten.

“What fabulous weather!” Sheptunov would sigh from dme to time. “You’re not cold, are you?”

Instead of answering, she would snuggle up closer and closer to his uniform.

At 2:20 in the morning the stationmaster looked at the clock and said, “The train will be coming any minute. Come on, Marya, let’s gaze at the tracks: whoever sees the train lights first will be the one whose love is stronger... lets watch.”

They stared into the wide expanse. Here and there faint lights shone softly along the endless tracks. The train was not yet to be seen. Looking off into the distance, Sheptunov saw something strange. He saw two long shadows striding over the rails. The shadows were moving right toward him, becoming bigger and wider.... One of the figures seemed to emanate from a persons body, the second from a long stick, which the figure was holding.

The shadow was coming closer. It was whisding an aria from Madam Ango.

“Do not walk on the rails! It is forbidden!” Sheptunov shouted. “Get off the tracks!”

“Don’t order me about, you swine!” the answer came back.

Outraged, Sheptunov rushed forward, but Marya Ilinish- na grabbed his coattail.

“For God’s sake, Stepa!” she whispered. “It’s my husband! Nazark!”

She had barely uttered the words when Kutsapyetov appeared in front of the stunned stationmaster. The stunned stationmaster cried out, banged his head against something metallic, and dove under a car. He wiggled out from under it on his belly and ran along the right-of-way. Jumping across the ties, stumbling over the rails, he ran toward the water tower like a dog with a tin can tied to its tail.

“That sdck... that stick he’s carrying!” he thought as he bolted.

At the water tower he stopped to catch his breath, but he heard footsteps behind him. He looked back and saw the fast- moving shadow of a man with the shadow of a stick. Panic- stricken, he ran on.

“Wait a minute! Stop!” he heard Kutsapyetov’s voice behind him. “Stop! Watch out! The train!”

Sheptunov looked forward and saw the train with its ter-rifying, fiery eyes. His hair stood on end. His pounding heart suddenly froze. Gathering all his strength, he jumped into the darkness. For about four seconds he flew through the air, and then fell on something hard and slanted and began rolling down, snatching at burdocks.

“I’m on the embankment!” he thought. “Well, it doesn’t matter. Better a safe fool rolling down an embankment than a nobleman beaten black and blue by a lout!”

A large, heavy boot stepped into a puddle by his right ear. He felt two hands prodding his back.

“Is that you?” he heard Kutsapyetov’s voice. “Is that you, Stephan Stephanitch?”

“Have mercy!” Sheptunov moaned.

“What’s wrong with you, my dear fellow? What is it that frightened you? Its me, Kutsapyetov! Don’t tell me you didn’t recognize me! I ran after you as fast as I could. I even called out! My dear fellow, that train almost ran over you! When Marya saw you run like that, she too was seized with fright, and fainted on the platform. Maybe my calling you a swine frightened you! Please don’t be offended! I thought you were a railroad worker!” “Do not mock me! If you are here for vengeance, go ahead! I am in your hands!” Sheptunov moaned. “Beat me, maim me!”

“My dear fellow, what’s wrong with you? I came here to talk about something. I ran after you to talk business!”

Kutsapyetov was silent for a few seconds, and then contin- ued: “It’s an important matter. My Marya told me that you like a bit of hanky-panky with her. As far as that goes, it’s fine by me. You see, when it comes to these matters I personally don’t give a damn, but if we look at the situation fair and square, I would be honored if you would be ready to come to some sort of an acco-modation with me. After all, I am her husband, the head of the family, you might say... legally speaking. When Prince Mikhail Dimitritch was hanky-pankying with her, he would slip me two twenty-fivers a month. How much would you setde for? An honest man’s word is good as gold. But please, get up!”

Sheptunov stood up. Broken, sullied, he dragged himself up the embankment.

“How much would you setde for?” Kutsapyetov repeated. “I was thinking of only asking for a twenty-fiver... because I wanted to see if you might have a little position available for my nephew.”

In a daze, Sheptunov stumbled blindly to the station and threw himself on the bed. When he woke up the next morning, his cap and one of his shoulder straps were missing.

To this day he is ashamed.