The history of the creation of the story garnet bracelet. Garnet bracelet: main characters, problems, analysis

A. I. Kuprin is rightfully considered one of the best realist writers who worked at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.
One of his favorite themes is love, often tragic, but able to rise above the ordinary and vulgarity of everyday life. The works of the writer Shulamith, Olesya, Garnet Bracelet are imbued with extraordinary lyricism.

History of the creation of the story

For a long time A. Kuprin was friendly with the Lyubimov family, which held a high position in Moscow and St. Petersburg. It was the second city that became the scene of the story, which the heroine's son described as anecdotal, and the writer used as a basis when writing the work "Garnet Bracelet". In 1910, under the pen of a talented writer, it turned into the plot of one of the most "fragrant" (K. Paustovsky's definition) works about love.

How was it in reality?

In the book "In a Foreign Land" L. Lyubimov tells about the love (or painful passion - the telegraph operator was considered a maniac in the family) of a simple official Zhelty for Lyudmila Ivanovna Tugan-Baranovsky, his mother. For two or three years, he sent her anonymous letters filled with declarations of love and grumblings. The unwillingness to reveal their name was due to their different social status and understanding of the impossibility of any kind of relationship between them. Mother, according to L. Lyubimov, soon stopped reading these messages, and only the grandmother laughed every morning, getting acquainted with the new letter. Perhaps everything would have ended like this, but once a telegraph operator in love sent a gift - a garnet bracelet. The creation of a situation that could be regarded as compromising was the last straw: Lyudmila Ivanovna's brother and fiancé went to Yellow's house - it was a miserable attic on the 6th floor - and caught him writing another message. The telegraph operator was returned the bracelet and asked not to remind himself of himself in any way. Nothing more was heard about the fate of Zhelty in the Lyubimov family. Thus ended the real story. A. Kuprin rethought it and included it in the story "Garnet Bracelet", supplementing it with his own version of the ending.

It's all about the final

This is exactly what L. Lyubimov thought, evaluating the role of real events in the creation of a work of art. A. Kuprin conjectured what happened to Lyudmila Ivanovna. In his story, Zheltkov, a poor telegraph operator, writes a farewell letter to Vera Nikolaevna, the main character, and passes away. Upon learning of his death, V.N. Sheina goes to his apartment, wanting to look at the now dead secret admirer, and then fulfills Zheltkov's last wish - listens to Beethoven's 2 sonata. At this moment, the realization comes to her of how pure, disinterested and hopeless this love was. Thus ends the "Garnet Bracelet", the history of which has become a creative rethinking of an essentially ordinary phenomenon in people's lives.

The role of the epigraph in the story

The appearance of Beethoven's 2nd sonata in the story is not an accident. The fact is that in 1910 A. Kuprin, who lived for some time in Odessa, often visited the Maisels family, where he heard this impression. His impression was so strong that after returning home, the writer decides to write about the bright and pure feeling that he experienced a poor official to a noble lady. His first step was the phrase: “L. van Beethoven. 2 Son. (op. 2, no. 2). Largo Appassionato”, written on a piece of paper and then served as an epigraph to the telegrapher's love story.

The narration begins and ends with Beethoven's sonata, giving the work a compositional completeness. As a result, Kuprin has a single trio in the final. Great music that can awaken dormant feelings in a person and make you look at the world in a new way. requiring nothing in return and therefore existing forever. Death, glorifying a person who is able to sacrifice himself for the well-being of another.

Thus, the "Garnet Bracelet" is the story of the creation of one great work - literary - under the influence of another - real music.

The meaning of the name

An equally important role in the awakening of the heroine was played by the bracelet presented to her by Zheltkov. Rough and rustic at first glance, he was fraught with a great secret. For a long time there have been legends that a garnet, a very rare and striking stone with its beauty, can bring happiness to the owner. Given as a gift, it often played the role of an amulet. And in the story of A. Kuprin, this one endowed her master with the gift of foresight. It can be assumed that along with the bracelet, Zheltkov wanted to give his beloved a piece of his pure and holy soul, which would protect her for the rest of her life.

Awareness of the spiritual wealth of a person who was previously a stranger to her and the understanding that something most important in life has passed by, comes to Vera Nikolaevna after the death of the hero. His experiences and actions made the secular lady take a fresh look at herself and the world around her. So love in the "Garnet Bracelet", even if unrequited and tragic, awakens the soul of a person, fills it with new emotions and feelings.

Hymn of Selfless Love

A. Kuprin admitted that "... nothing more chaste ..." than the "Garnet Bracelet" in his life did not write. He does not give moral assessments in the story and does not try to look for right and wrong in what happened. The author simply tells about the bright and at the same time sad experiences of the characters at a time when people, according to Anosov, "have forgotten how to love." During the conversation, the general remarks, "Love must be a tragedy." Maybe because true love is actually very rare in life and is available to a few. Zheltkov, who was not understood by anyone, passes away, but he leaves an old garnet bracelet as a memory of himself and as a symbol of sincere, beautiful feelings.

The story behind the story is amazing. Having beaten an ordinary life situation, A. Kuprin managed to show that true love is the basis of all life on earth.

A.I. Kuprin is one of the most interesting prose writers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The appearance in print of his works became a major event in literary life. His stories "Moloch" and "Duel" caused a great resonance in society. And the story "The Pit", published in 1909, was awarded the A.S. Pushkin. With all the diversity of the writer's creative interests, one theme remained unchanged - this is the theme of love, high and bright feelings. His works "Olesya", "Shulamith", "Garnet Bracelet" forever entered the history of literature. In them, Kuprin depicts true love as the highest value of the world, as an incomprehensible mystery. Kuprin himself spoke of love in this way: this is a feeling "which has not yet found an interpreter for itself."

The story "Garnet Bracelet" has an extraordinary history of creation. Work on the story began in the autumn of 1910 in Odessa. At this time, AI Kuprin often visited the family of the Odessa doctor L. Ya. Maisels and listened to Beethoven's Second Sonata performed by his wife. The musical work captured Alexander Ivanovich so much that work on the story began with the fact that he wrote down the epigraph. L. van Beethoven. 2 Son. (op. 2, no. 2). Largo Appassionato. October 15, 1910. The writer talked about the plot of the new work to his friend. In Kuprin's work, the characters received other names, the plot and the finale of the events were creatively reworked by the author.

In the published memoirs “In a Foreign Land” by the writer Lev Lyubimov, son of D.N. Lyubimov, we can read: “In the period between the first and second marriages, my mother began to receive letters, the author of which, without naming herself and emphasizing that the difference in social status does not allow him to count on reciprocity, expressed his love to her. These letters were kept in my family for a long time... Anonymous lover, as it turned out later - Yellow wrote that he worked at the telegraph office..., in one letter he reported that under the guise of a floor polisher he entered my mother's apartment, and described the situation. The tone of the messages was sometimes pompous, sometimes grouchy. He either got angry with my mother, then thanked her, although she did not react in any way to his explanations ... At first, these letters amused everyone, but then ... my mother even stopped reading them, and only my grandmother laughed for a long time, opening another message from a telegraph operator in love in the morning . And then there was a denouement: an anonymous correspondent sent my mother a garnet bracelet. My uncle and father went to Yellow. All this happened not in the Black Sea city, like Kuprin, but in St. Petersburg. But Zhovty, like Zheltkov, really lived on the sixth floor ... huddled in a miserable attic. He was caught writing another message. Like Kuprin's Shein, the father was more silent during the explanation, looking "with bewilderment and greedy, serious curiosity into the face of this strange man." My father told me that he felt in Yellow some kind of secret, a flame of genuine selfless passion. Uncle, again like Kuprin's Nikolai Nikolaevich, got excited, was unnecessarily harsh. Yellow accepted the bracelet and grimly promised not to write to my mother again. This is how it all ended. In any case, we do not know anything about his further fate.

In the work, the author considers such topics as: love, friendship, the topic of hatred, selfishness, callousness. In addition, the author also addresses the topic of the “little man”. The image of Zheltkov helps to reveal this theme, traditional for Russian literature.

This is a story of extraordinary tragic love, which is riddled with mysterious symbols and mystical mood. The semantic load that the descriptions of nature carry is very large. Landscape sketches anticipate the events of the story and characterize the inner world of the characters. The beginning of the story is filled with stormy gusts of wind, a hurricane suddenly swooping in from the steppe, but suddenly everything calms down. By September 17, clear and warm days had come. The coldish autumn landscape of fading nature is similar to the mood of Vera Nikolaevna Sheina. According to him, we predict her calm, impregnable character. The appearance of Vera resembles cold marble. Nothing passionately attracts her in this life, perhaps that is why the brightness of her being is enslaved by everyday life. Her life flowed slowly, measuredly, quietly, and, it would seem, satisfied the principles of life, without going beyond them.

Especially in this story, A. I. Kuprin singled out the figure of the old general
Anosov, who is sure that high love exists. The unostentatious courage of the general, his nobility and honesty make the reader feel sincere sympathy and trust in the hero, so his definition of love is perceived as true: “Love must be a tragedy. The greatest secret in the world!” .

Stories told by General Anosov about strong, sometimes crazy love. Life, death and love - the main themes of art are intertwined in Anosov's stories. And it is he who utters the words that Vera wanted and was afraid to hear. It is to him that the prophetic words belong: “... maybe your life path, Verochka, was crossed by just such a love that women dream of and that men are no longer capable of ...”. The author entrusted this character with a very important conclusion: in nature, true, holy love is a rarity that is available only to people worthy of it.

But the reader does not leave the question: what was Zheltkov's feeling - was it true love, inspiring, the only, strong, or insanity, madness that makes a person weak and flawed? What was the death of the hero - weakness, cowardice, saturated with fear or strength, the desire not to annoy and leave his beloved?
In the middle of the celebration, the princess receives a bundle from Zheltkov. The gift turned out to be a low-grade gold inflated bracelet, decorated with a garnet, with a rare green garnet in the center. This gift is a symbol of a rare beautiful love, the only one in a lifetime that was destined to remain unrequited. An official with a funny surname Zheltkov, quiet and inconspicuous, not only grows into a tragic hero, but by the power of his love rises above petty fuss, life's conveniences, decency. He turns out to be a man in no way inferior in nobility to aristocrats. Love elevated him, love became suffering, the only meaning of his life. The unfortunate lover asks to hang a bracelet - a symbol of holy love - on the icon. The lips of the dead hero "smiled blissfully serene, as if he had learned some deep and sweet secret before parting with life." At this moment, the heroine realizes that "the love that every woman dreams of has passed her by." After his death, Zheltkov receives the highest award: "Vera kissed him on ... the forehead with a long friendly kiss."

Kuprin depicts the contradiction between the spiritual world of the hero and his social position. Love is the only thing the hero lives for. This is not a disease, not a “manic idea”, but a selfless, boundless feeling. The tragedy of the hero is that he understood: Faith is not able to comprehend the infinity of his love. Her request to "finish this story" means to die, since he cannot stop loving her. Zheltkov believes that his death will reveal to his beloved the strength of his feelings: he provides that the proud princess will guess the reasons for his suicide and come to say goodbye to him. In his last letter to Vera, Zheltkov forgives her, forgives her precisely because she felt the power of his love.
We can say that in the “Garnet Bracelet” Kuprin himself expressed his dream of an ideal, unearthly feeling. AI Kuprin wrote that he sought to "show the spiritually transforming, enlightening power of the all-consuming feeling of love." The author's humanistic position lies, first of all, in opposing noble human feelings to banality. Kuprin shows that the nobility of feelings is not given to a person from birth, selflessness is the same rarest phenomenon among people as a green pomegranate among red ones.

On the example of this work, one can trace how portrait characteristics, speech, actions of characters, everyday details, non-verbal language create a literary masterpiece, presenting this or that image as convex, voluminous and visible. This story of love by A.I. Kuprin is one of the rarest gems of Russian classical literature.

2.2 Non-verbal portrait of the main character of the story A.I. Kuprin "Garnet bracelet"

Creating a work, A.I. Kuprin attaches great importance to the non-verbal characterization of the heroine and gives most of the information about her precisely through extralinguistic features. In the work, 170 non-verbal units were identified and analyzed, which are significant in the description by the author of the characters of the main characters of the story. As the analysis of the literary text showed, the most frequent in contexts are non-verbal communicative units from such sections of non-verbal semiotics as paralinguistics, proxemics and haptics.

When revealing the image of Princess Vera Nikolaevna Sheina, from the point of view of non-verbal semiotics, paralinguistic units are predominant. This group is presented by the author in the most interesting and diverse way, since the voice is a perfect human instrument for expressing one's individuality and emotional state. Speaking about the importance of the voice in human life, G.E. Kreidlin notes: “Human life begins with the voice; the very appearance of a person into the world is recorded with a voice: “Life begins with a cry, death - with silence” (O. Savich) ”. For the non-verbal characterization of the character, the following quote by the researcher is very important: “By the sound of the voice, we can also describe the physical and mental state of a person and often give a characterization or assessment to an unfamiliar or unfamiliar person.” Thus, the scientist says that the characterization of the hero's voice is inextricably linked with his physical and psychological state. “They can express a variety of feelings and attitudes - tenderness and affection, compassion and humility, contempt and hatred, in the voice you can hear irony and mockery, joy and pity, delight and gloating, admiration and pain.”

It is through the use paralinguistic units, as it seems to us, A.I. Kuprin subtly describes the character of the heroine. The image of the princess is dynamic, it is gradually revealed to readers from different angles. At the beginning of the work, the author describes Vera as follows: The eldest, Vera, took after her mother, a beautiful Englishwoman, with her tall, flexible figure, gentle, but cold and proud face, beautiful, although rather large hands, and that charming sloping of the shoulders, which can be seen in old miniatures.. The heroine appears to us as a cold, reserved, calm, somewhat arrogant beauty. . Vera, on the other hand, was strictly simple, coldly and a little condescendingly kind to everyone, independent and royally calm. .

With the development of the plot, the author, describing the non-verbal behavior of Vera, conveys to us the changes that occur in the soul of a woman, her image is revealed to us in new colors. Reflection and dreaminess appear: both for a minute thought. Deep, deep beneath them rested the sea; I understand you,- thoughtfully said the older sister, “but somehow it’s not the same with me as it is with you. When I see the sea for the first time after a long time, it both excites me, and pleases, and amazes me. As if for the first time I see a huge, solemn miracle. But then, when I get used to it, it starts to crush me with its flat emptiness...; "How strange," said Vera with thoughtful smile. - Here I am holding in my hands a thing that, perhaps, was touched by the hands of the Marquise Pompadour or Queen Antoinette herself ....

Carelessness and cheerfulness: - Thanks for the comparison - laughed Faith - no, I just think that we northerners will never understand the charms of the sea. Faith is very emotional - Oh, what a horror! - exclaimed Faith. It is especially necessary to highlight the attitude of the princess to love: - Love must be a tragedy. The greatest secret in the world! No comforts of life, calculations and compromises should concern her. - Have you ever seen such love, grandfather? - quiet Vera asked. "No," the old man answered decisively.. Kreidlin writes that “…in private prayer, a person communicates with God in a quiet voice. Private prayer is quiet, often even inner speech with inner silence. Faith is so reverent about love that even her voice became quiet, this feeling is so sacred to her.

Through various shades of voice and tone, the writer shows Vera's relationship with other characters. Throughout the work, we do not observe any changes in Vera's relationship with her sister, husband, General Anosov and servants (or people who are lower in social status than her). Such relationships can be called stable, so the author always uses similar epithets in such cases.

The princess treats her younger sister Anna with unfailing love and tenderness: - Do you know what sea water smells like during the surf? Imagine - mignonette. Faith smiled affectionately: - You are a dreamer. And condescendingly refers to her frivolity: In the corner on the couch, Anna flirted frantically with the hussar. Faith came and with a smile listened.

Princess Vera has very warm, friendly relations with her husband: Before leaving, Vera went up to her husband and told him quiet: - Go and see ... there in my desk, in a drawer, is a red case, and there is a letter in it. Read it. Vera trusts him and does not want to hide anything from him. She treats him with deep respect, agrees with him in everything and supports his decisions: - I think so too,- agreed Faith - and as soon as possible. But how to do that? After all, we do not know neither the name, nor the surname, nor the address.Despite the fact that they have been married for a long time, Vera is always gentle and affectionate with her husband: - That's what, Vasenka Vera Nikolaevna interrupted him, “won’t it hurt you if I go to town and look at him?” .

Of particular note is the sisters' relationship with General Anosov, whom they affectionately call "grandfather." They treat him like a father, always respectful and affectionate: - Grandpa, dear, dear! Vera said in a tone of slight reproach. Every day we are waiting for you, and at least you showed your eyes; - Well, how is it, grandfather? - objected gently Faith, shaking lightly by his hand. - Why slander? You were married yourself. So, did you love it?.

However, due to her high status, Vera always treats her servants strictly, the most significant is the verb "order": - Do as you like. Go! - ordered princess; “Tell me something about the bracelet,” ordered Vera Nikolaevna.In the tone of the princess, the author notes displeasure: - What is it, Dasha? - with displeasure asked Princess Vera, going into her little study, next to the bedroom. - What kind of stupid look do you have? And what are you holding in your hands?.

The relationship between the heroine and her old admirer Zheltkov is most interestingly presented by the author. Throughout the work, we can see how the attitude of the Faith towards a man changes. At the beginning of the work and before the plot unfolds, Vera thinks of this man with dislike: "Ah, that's the one!" - with displeasure Vera thought. But, nevertheless, I read the letter .... Gradually, her attitude softens, she becomes “sorry for this unfortunate man,” that is, hostility turns into pity: - Me for some reason felt sorry this unfortunate one, hesitantly Vera said.Here, the author emphasized the heroine's indecisive tone, which indicates Vera's fear of admitting this change to herself, and even more so to her husband. The culmination of the development of relations is expressively presented by the author with the help of ocular units: Zhenya Reiter left the room, having already finished playing, and saw Princess Vera sitting on the bench all in tears ; “Show me,” said Vera Nikolaevna, and suddenly cried. - Excuse me, this impression of death is so hard that I can't resist.To convey the intensity of emotions of the heroine A.I. Kuprin uses ocular units in combination with other non-verbal units: Princess Vera embraced the trunk of an acacia tree, clung to it, and cried. The tree gently shook ;Faith, with eyes shining from tears, restlessly, excitedly became kiss her face, lips, eyes, and said: - No, no - he has forgiven me now. Everything is fine.

No less significant in the non-verbal portrait of the heroine is such a section of non-verbal semiotics as haptics. Since Vera is a very emotional, subtle and soft person, she gives her warmth to other people. Frequent is the use of various forms of the verb "kiss": sisters joyfully kissed. From early childhood, they were attached to each other by a warm and caring friendship.; - What a wonderful thing! Charm! Vera said and kissed sister. - Thank you. Where did you get such a treasure?. Also, in order to show the sisters' affection for each other, the author uses the verb "to hug": She is[ Faith ] hugged older sister and clung to her, cheek to cheek. And suddenly realized. Use of verbs of motion: Faith affectionately stroked beautiful binding. - What a deep antiquity! .. How long can this book be? she asked. Thanks to non-verbal units, we can not only analyze the relationship of the main character with other characters, but also their attitude towards her. A striking example of this is the non-verbal description of General Anosov, where the verb “kiss” is also frequent, expressing paternal love and care: General, baring his majestic head, kissed alternately the hands of both sisters, then kissed them on the cheeks and again in the hand; - Well, goodbye, Verochka. Now I will come often, - he said, kissing Vera has forehead and hands.

Detailed and diverse A.I. Kuprin describes non-verbal units associated with proxemics. At the beginning of the work, Vera is completely calm and does household chores, which is expressed by the verb “went”, which is not emotionally charged: Now she went through the garden and carefully cut flowers for the dinner table with scissors. The flower beds were empty and looked disorderly[Kuprin, p. 148]. The second time we meet this verb at the end of the work, but in combination with the adverb "restless" it contains a completely different meaning. Vera restlessly walked around the garden all day from excitement, worries and foreboding of the tragedy: All day long she went through the flower garden and the orchard. Anxiety, which grew in her from minute to minute, seemed to prevent her from sitting still. And all her thoughts were riveted to that unknown person whom she had never seen and is unlikely to ever see, to this funny Pe Pe Zhe.After an emotional upsurge comes an emotional downturn: Right there in the hall was a chair, and Vera sank on him. “I am a friend of your late lodger,” she said, choosing every word for the word. - Tell me something about the last minutes of his life, about what he did and what he said. In lexicographic sources, in one of the meanings, the verb "go down" is interpreted as "transl.: about the impossibility of doing something due to lack of hope, energy". Faith is so shocked by the events taking place around her that she does not have the strength to act and be active, as she realizes that "great love" has passed her by.

With the help of proxemic units A.I. Kuprin characterizes the spatial behavior of the sisters. Vera and Anna did not see each other for a certain period of time, and as soon as the carriage with her younger sister arrives, Vera hurries to meet her: Subtle hearing did not deceive Vera. She is went towards. A few minutes later, an elegant carriage came to an abrupt halt at the dacha gate, and the driver, deftly jumping off the seat, flung open the door..

The description of Anna's quick and energetic gait helps the reader vividly imagine her portrait, and the clarification that she is walking next to Varya emphasizes that the sisters are very friendly: My God, how good are you here! How good! - Anna said, walking with quick and small steps next to sister along the track. - If possible, let's sit a little on the bench above the cliff. Interestingly, despite her love for her sister, Anna prefers male company to her: Anna and Bakhtinsky walked ahead, and behind them, twenty paces, commandant arm in arm with Vera... .

In moments of strong emotional tension, the author combines several non-verbal components. Dominant are proxemic units in combination with kinesic ones: Both sisters, who recognized him from afar, ran up to the stroller just in time to half-jokingly, half-seriously support him on both sides under the arms. Proxemic units are also used in combination with paralinguistic ones: But the pianist Jenny Reiter was waiting for her, and, excited by what she saw and heard, Vera rushed to her and, kissing her beautiful big hands, screamed: - Jenny, dear, I ask you to play something for me - and now came out from the room to the flower garden and villages on the bench. The verb series “ran up”, “rushed” indicates that the heroine is dynamic, therefore spatial prepositions are used less often than verbs of motion.

In the work, the author used 2 times ocular units. First time A.I. Kuprin focuses on the eyes of the heroine at the beginning of the work: So Princess Vera thought and could not take eye from five scarlet bloody fires trembling inside five grenades. It shows the interest of the heroine, her gaze is riveted to the bracelet, thanks to which we understand that this gift and the appearance of Zheltkov in the plot is not an accident, but a very significant event for Vera. It is with this gift that the plot of the work begins. Next time A.I. Kuprin turns to occules in order to show the emotional tension and excitement of the heroine: She came to her husband with reddened tears in the eyes and swollen lips and, showing the letter, said: - I don’t want to hide anything from you, but I feel that something terrible has interfered in our life.

Examples of such sections of non-verbal semiotics as gastika and auscultation are singular: - Well, not so bad. You don't worry. However, between us, you yourself have a weakness for delicious food.; Subtle hearing did not deceive Vera.

conclusions

The use of a quantitative method allowed us to determine the dominant groups representing the portrait of the main character (see graph 1).

Chart No. 1

As the analysis of the literary text showed, the image of the main character of the story A.I. Kuprin's "Garnet Bracelet" is deeply and fully conveyed with the help of non-verbal units. Thus, when creating a portrait of V. Sheina, the author most actively used such sections of non-verbal semiotics as paralinguistics, haptics, kinesics, oculesics and proxemics. Examples of such sections as auscultation and gastrics are single.

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In September, a small festive dinner was being prepared at the dacha in honor of the name day of the hostess. Vera Nikolaevna Sheina received earrings as a gift from her husband in the morning. She was glad that the holiday was to be arranged at the dacha, since her husband's financial affairs were not in the best way. Sister Anna came to help Vera Nikolaevna prepare dinner. Guests were arriving. The weather turned out to be good, and the evening passed with warm, sincere conversations. The guests sat down to play poker. At this time, the messenger brought a bundle. It contained a gold bracelet with garnets and a small green stone in the middle. The gift was accompanied by a note. It said that the bracelet is a family heirloom of the donor, and the green stone is a rare garnet that has the properties of a talisman.

The holiday was in full swing. The guests played cards, sang, joked, looked at an album with satirical pictures and stories made by the host. Among the stories was a story about a telegraph operator who was in love with Princess Vera, who pursued his beloved, despite the refusal. The unrequited feeling drove him to a madhouse.

Almost all the guests have left. Those who remained had a conversation with General Anosov, whom the sisters called grandfather, about his military life and love affairs. Walking in the garden, the general tells Vera about the story of his unsuccessful marriage. The conversation turns to understanding true love. Anosov tells stories about men who valued love more than their own lives. He is interested in Vera's story about the telegraph operator. It turned out that the princess had never seen him and did not know who he really was.

Returning, Vera found her husband and brother Nikolai having an unpleasant conversation. Together they decided that these letters and gifts defame the name of the princess and her husband, so this story must be put to an end. Knowing nothing about the admirer of the princess, Nikolai and Vasily Lvovich Shein tracked him down. Vera's brother attacked this pathetic man with threats. Vasily Lvovich showed generosity and listened to him. Zheltkov admitted that he loves Vera Nikolaevna hopelessly, but too much to be able to overcome this feeling. In addition, he said that he would no longer disturb the princess, as he had squandered government money and was forced to leave. The next day, from a newspaper article, it became known about the suicide of an official. The postman brought a letter from which Vera learned that love for her was for Zheltkov the greatest joy and grace. Standing at the coffin, Vera Nikolaevna understands that the wonderful deep feeling that Anosov spoke of has passed her by.

In August, a vacation at a suburban seaside resort was spoiled by bad weather. The deserted dachas were sadly soaked in the rain. But in September the weather changed again, sunny days came. Princess Vera Nikolaevna Sheina did not leave the dacha - repairs were underway in her house - and now she is enjoying the warm days.

The princess's birthday is coming. She is glad that it fell on the summer season - in the city they would have to give a ceremonial dinner, and the Sheins "barely made ends meet."

Princess Vera, whose former passionate love for her husband had long since turned into a feeling of lasting, faithful, true friendship, tried with all her might to help the prince refrain from complete ruin.

Vera's younger sister Anna Nikolaevna Friesse, the wife of a very rich and very stupid man, and her brother Nikolai come to Vera's name day. Toward evening, Prince Vasily Lvovich Shein brings the rest of the guests.

A bundle with a small jewelry case in the name of Princess Vera Nikolaevna is brought in the midst of simple country entertainment. Inside the case is a gold, low-grade puffy bracelet covered with garnets that surround a small green pebble.

When Vera... turned the bracelet in front of the light of the electric bulb, deep under their smooth egg-shaped surface, lovely deep red living lights suddenly lit up in them.

In addition to the garnet bracelet, a letter is found in the case. An unknown donor congratulates Vera on the day of the angel and asks to accept a bracelet that belonged to his great-grandmother. The green pebble is a very rare green garnet that communicates the gift of providence and protects men from violent death. The author of the letter reminds the princess how he wrote her "stupid and wild letters" seven years ago. The letter ends with the words: “Your obedient servant G.S.Zh. before death and after death.”

Prince Vasily Lvovich demonstrates at this moment his humorous home album, opened on the "story" "Princess Vera and the telegraph operator in love." “Better not,” Vera asks. But the husband nevertheless begins a commentary on his own drawings full of brilliant humor. Here the girl Vera receives a letter with kissing doves, signed by the telegraph operator P.P.Zh. Here the young Vasya Shein returns the wedding ring to Vera: “I dare not interfere with your happiness, and yet it is my duty to warn you: telegraphers are seductive, but insidious.” But Vera marries the handsome Vasya Shein, but the telegraph operator continues to persecute. Here he, disguised as a chimney sweep, enters the boudoir of Princess Vera. Here, having changed clothes, he enters their kitchen as a dishwasher. Here, at last, he is in a lunatic asylum.

After tea, the guests leave. Whispering to her husband to look at the case with the bracelet and read the letter, Vera sets off to see off General Yakov Mikhailovich Anosov. The old general, whom Vera and her sister Anna call grandfather, asks the princess to explain what is true in the prince's story.

G. S. J. pursued her with letters two years before her marriage. Obviously, he constantly watched her, knew where she was at the parties, how she was dressed. He served not at the telegraph office, but in "some government institution as a small official." When Vera, also in writing, asked not to disturb her with her persecution, he fell silent about love and limited himself to congratulations on holidays, as well as today, on her name day. Inventing a funny story, the prince replaced the initials of the unknown admirer with his own.

The old man suggests that the unknown may be a maniac.

Or maybe, Verochka, it was precisely the kind of love that women dream of and which more men are incapable of having crossed your life path.

Vera finds her brother Nikolai very annoyed - he also read the letter and believes that his sister will get "in a ridiculous position" if she accepts this ridiculous gift. Together with Vasily Lvovich, he is going to find an admirer and return the bracelet.

The next day they find out the address of G.S.Zh. It turns out to be a blue-eyed man “with a gentle girlish face” about thirty or thirty-five years old named Zheltkov. Nikolai returns the bracelet to him. Zheltkov does not deny anything and recognizes the indecency of his behavior. Finding some understanding and even sympathy in the prince, he explains to him that he loves his wife, and this feeling will only kill death. Nikolai is outraged, but Vasily Lvovich treats him with pity.

Is he to blame for love, and is it possible to control such a feeling as love - a feeling that has not yet found an interpreter for itself.

Zheltkov admits that he squandered government money and is forced to flee the city, so that they will not hear from him again. He asks Vasily Lvovich for permission to write his last letter to his wife. Having heard from her husband a story about Zheltkov, Vera felt "that this man would kill himself."

In the morning, Vera learns from the newspaper about the suicide of G. S. Zheltkov, an official of the control chamber, and in the evening the postman brings his letter.

Zheltkov writes that for him all life consists only in her, in Vera Nikolaevna. It is the love that God rewarded him for something. As he leaves, he repeats in delight: "Hallowed be thy name." If she remembers him, then let her play the D major part of Beethoven's Sonata No. 2, he thanks her from the bottom of his heart for being his only joy in life.

Vera is going to say goodbye to this man. The husband fully understands her impulse and lets his wife go.

The coffin with Zheltkov stands in the middle of his poor room. His lips smile blissfully and serenely, as if he has learned a deep secret. Vera lifts his head, puts a big red rose under his neck and kisses him on the forehead. She understands that the love that every woman dreams of has passed her by. In the evening, Vera asks a familiar pianist to play Beethoven's Appassionata for her, listens to music and cries. When the music ends, Vera feels that Zheltkov has forgiven her.