A Christmas Tree and a Wedding by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Short summary

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Once upon a time, the narrator found himself at a Christmas tree where an older man was trying to get a girl to like him because of her rich dowry. He flattered her parents and married their daughter as she grew older.

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The narrator sees a wedding, which brings back memories of a time he once attended a Christmas tree where he observed a strange situation.

A girl was invited to the party, the daughter of a rich man, who had already prepared a huge dowry for her. She was offended by the other children and went to play in another room. There she was joined by the governess’s son. The girl and the boy were playing amicably.

Suddenly one of the adult guests, Julian Mastakovich, came up to them. He had heard about the girl’s rich dowry and decided to please her. He began praising her and chasing the boy away. Mastakovich flattered the rich girl’s parents, hoping to marry her in the future. The parents were delighted with the man.

A few years later, the narrator saw the wedding of the now-aged Mastakovich and the young, sad beauty that the girl from the Christmas tree had grown into.