Letters of Anton Chekhov (Tchekhov) - Penn State University

Anton Chekhovsuperintended the building of them. When he talked about themhis eyes kindled, and it was evident that if he had had the means hewould have built, not three, but a multitude.At the opening of the school at Novoselka, the peasants broughthim the ikon and offered him bread and salt. Chekhov was muchembarrassed in responding to their gratitude, but his face and hisshining eyes showed that he was pleased. Besides the schools hebuilt a fire-station for the village and a belfry for the church, andordered a cross made of looking-glass for the cupola, the flash ofwhich in the sun or moonlight was visible more than eight milesaway.Chekhov spent the year 1894 at Melihovo, began writing “TheSeagull,” and did a great deal of work. He paid a visit to Tolstoy atYasnaya Polyana, and returned enchanted with the old man and hisfamily. Chekhov was already changing; he looked haggard, older,sallower. He coughed, he was tortured by intestinal trouble. Evidentlyhe was now aware of the gravity of his illness, but, as before,made no complaint and tried to hide it from others.In 1896 “The Seagull” was performed at the Alexandrinsky Theatrein Petersburg. It was a fiasco. The actors did not know theirparts; in the theatre there was “a strained condition of boredom andbewilderment.” The notices in the press were prejudiced and stupid.Not wishing to see or meet anyone, Chekhov kept out of sightafter the performance, and by next morning was in the train on hisway back to Melihovo. The subsequent performances of “TheSeagull,” when the actors understood it, were successful.Chekhov had collected a large number of books, and in 1896 heresolved to present them to the public library in his native town ofTaganrog. Whole bales of books were sent by Chekhov from Petersburgand Moscow, and Iordanov, the mayor of Taganrog, sent himlists of the books needed. At the same time, at Chekhov’s suggestion,something like an Information Bureau was instituted in connectionwith the Taganrog Library. There were to be catalogues ofall the important commercial firms, all the existing regulations andgovernment enactments on all current questions, everything, in fact,which might be of immediate service to a reader in any practicaldifficulty. The library at Taganrog has now developed into a fine23