The Ram and the young lady: (An episode from the life of the «gracious sovereigns») by Anton Chekhov. Short summary

5 seconds

A girl goes to a railroad official for help, but she gets the address wrong and ends up with another man. He, out of boredom, does not tell her for a long time that she has made a mistake.

1 minute

The gracious sovereign has recently awakened from his afternoon nap and is now bored. A servant comes in and reports that a young lady has come to see the man. The gracious sovereign asks to see her.

The girl, embarrassed, asks him to give her a free train ticket from St. Petersburg to Kursk. She is poor, she has no money to buy a ticket, and she needs to visit her parents — her mother is ill.

The Gracious Sovereign gives her tea and asks about her work, her native Kursk, and her fiancé. The girl, who had not expected such a heartfelt welcome, tells him everything in detail.

They talk for a long time. Finally, she asks once again if she can get a train ticket. The man explains to her that he cannot give her a train ticket. After all, the railroad official lives next door.

The girl goes to him, but is told that the railroad official has left for Moscow.