The Schoolmaster and Other Stories

The Schoolmaster and Other Stories by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov is Volume 11 of The Tales of Chekhov, translated by Constance Garnett. The contents list names The Schoolmaster, Enemies, The Examining Magistrate, Betrothed, From the Diary of a Violent-Tempered Man, In the Dark, A Mystery and The Marshal's Widow.

The piece headed THE SCHOOLMASTER has Sysoev, the master of the factory school maintained at the expense of the firm of Kulikin, getting ready for the annual dinner. Bruni says the management of the factory will not be forgetful of what it owes to Fyodor Lukitch, and that his family will be provided for, with a sum of money placed in the bank a month ago for that object. Frolov shouts "Do you call that sauce?" and twists a corner of the table-cloth round his finger, so that the dishes, the candlesticks and the bottles fall with a crash on the floor. A speaker says he hasn't a half-penny to bless himself with, his shoes are down at heel and his breeches are frayed and patched.