Sergeant Prishibeyev by Anton Chekhov. Short summary

5 seconds

Non-commissioned officer Prishibeev tries to restore «order» by crude army methods. He is tried for this, but he does not abandon his habits.

1 minute

A retired noncommissioned officer, Prishibeev, is on trial. He has insulted and put up a fight with a uriadnik, a petty officer, a centurion, and the witnesses in the performance of their duties.

The non-commissioned officer tells his version of what happened. Walking along the river bank, he saw a crowd gathered near a drowned man.

Prishibeev began to disperse people, considering large gatherings of people to be disorderly. Then he started criticizing the work of the local police and teaching them how to do their job. When they tried to pacify Prishibeev, he started a fight.

Witnesses at the trial complained about the non-commissioned officer. In his zeal for order, he has tormented the entire village — forbidding the peasants to light up in the evening and sing songs.

Prishibeev is arrested for a month. When he comes out of his cell and sees the peasants gathered together, the non-commissioned officer cannot stand it and orders them to disperse.