To D. T. Savelyev, 1884. Moscow.
Д. Т. Савельеву, Январь (?) 1884 г. Москва.
Headnote
A short, rueful note to Dmitry Timofeyevich Savelyev, written in a moment of money trouble during Chekhov’s lean early-Moscow years, when feuilleton fees and a few borrowed rubles were the difference between solvency and going without. Chekhov reports a fruitless evening spent hunting for cash, resolves to go out and try again, and closes with a self-mocking joke about never having married into money – the kind of gallows humor that recurs throughout the Chekhonte-period letters to friends.
January (?) 1884. Moscow.
Январь (?) 1884 г. Москва.
My dear soul, dear boy!
Душа моя, милый мальчик!
The thing is, you might as well go hang yourself... I spent all of yesterday evening chasing about and got nothing out of it but 5 rubles and a drunken state. I’m off now to chase about some more. God willing! Forgive me... but the devil must have prompted me not to marry some rich merchant’s wife already, before now!
Дело в том, что хоть в петлю полезай... Рыскал вчера целый вечер и, а кроме 5 руб. да пьянственного состояния ни не добыл. Иду сейчас рыскать. Авось! Ты меня извини... но чёрт меня дернул не жениться еще до сих пор на богатой купчихе!