Letter · 1891

To Ye. P. Yegorov, 14 December 1891. Moscow.

Е. П. ЕГОРОВУ, 14 декабря 1891 г. Москва.

Headnote

Dated 14 December 1891, from Moscow, to Yevgraf Petrovich Yegorov, the same land captain (zemsky nachalnik) in Nizhny Novgorod province addressed in the earlier letters of 5 October 1891 and 11 December 1891 – there Chekhov explained at length why his planned trip and joint famine-relief effort had stalled; here, three days later, he sends a first concrete result.

A short, businesslike note: Chekhov encloses 116 rubles he has already collected for famine relief, promises more and a donor list to follow, and advises holding off on placing the proposed letter to the editor (or piece of correspondence) in the newspaper until January, by which point he expects Yegorov’s "horse business" to be settled and the situation clearer for donors. He plans to visit Yegorov in January to work out the piece together. He also asks Yegorov to write with details about feeding schoolchildren, promising to take the matter to the Literacy Committee (the same committee, under Varvara Morozova, mentioned in), and reaffirms his position as Yegorov’s "agent," awaiting instructions.

14 December 1891. Moscow.
14 декабря 1891 г. Москва.
14 Dec.
14 дек.
Much-esteemed Yevgraf Petrovich! I am sending you the 116 rubles I have collected. More will follow. I will send you the list of donors next time.
Уважаемый Евграф Петрович! Посылаю Вам собранные мною 116 р. Продолжение будет. Список жертвователей я пришлю в следующий раз.
I am collecting quietly, without any fuss, and I think now that the letter to the editor, or the piece of correspondence I wrote to you about, ought not to be placed in the newspaper before January. I suppose that by January the horse business will already stand firm with you, the picture will be clear, and consequently everything will be clear for the donors too; in January I will come to you without fail, and together we will compose something. In any case something needs to be composed.
Собираю я втихомолку, без какого-либо шума, и думаю теперь, что письмо в редакцию или корреспонденцию, о которой я писал, следует поместить в газете не раньше января. Я полагаю, что в январе у Вас уже прочно будет стоять лошадиное дело, картина будет ясна, а следовательно, и для жертвователей всё будет ясно; в январе я приеду к Вам непременно и вместе сочиним что-нибудь. Во всяком случае сочинить что-нибудь нужно.
Do write, then, about the schoolchildren and their feeding. I will dash off at once to the Literacy Committee, which will help you. In general, write. Without your instructions I will not take a single step on my own. I am your agent, so you must look at me that way, and write me guidance as often as you can.
Напишите же насчет школьников и их кормления. Я тотчас же помчусь в Комитет грамотности, который поможет Вам. Вообще пишите. Без Ваших распоряжений я не ступлю самостоятельно ни одного шага. Я Ваш агент, так Вы и смотрите на меня и почаще пишите руководства ради.
My people send you their regards.
Мои Вам кланяются.
Yours, A. Chekhov.

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To Ye. P. Yegorov, 14 December 1891. Moscow.

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