Klasha by Ivan Bunin. Short summary

5 seconds

After the death of her aunt, at whose house she lived, the orphaned girl Klasha is taken in by the brother of the deceased. At her relatives’ house, the sweet girl is introduced to her neighbor, the young baron Strakhov.

1 minute

After the death of the innkeeper, her niece and ward Klyasha is left an orphan. The girl buries her aunt and writes to her brother Alexei Nefedov. All her friends knew the environment in which Klavdia lived, so they were surprised by her gentleness and neatness. Now Klaasha has to manage the hotel and the household herself.

In two months, the deceased’s brother arrives to take her with him. Nefedov fires the workers, sells off the property and puts the inn up for sale. They drive into the night. The old man is surprised to see his niece asleep sitting down. He is even frightened, looking into the girl’s pale face and motionless eyes. She calms her uncle: it happens to her.

They arrive at Nefedov’s house, and Klaasha goes back to sleep. The family is sitting at the samovar when she finally gets up. At the same time, a neighbor, Modest Strakhov, son of Nefedov’s former master, arrives. The young gentleman drops out of school and engages in amateur theater. He is introduced to Klaasha, and the young man kisses her hand. She is embarrassed and runs off the porch into the courtyard.