The Trousseau by Anton Chekhov. Short summary

5 seconds

The narrator visits the general’s family several times. On the first visits, the general’s wife and daughter, Manechka, are sewing a dowry. On his last visit, the narrator realizes that Manechka is dead.

1 minute

The narrator arrives at General Chekamasov’s family to deliver a bow from the owner of the house, who is away. At the house he was met by Chekamasov’s wife and daughter Manechka. Patterns were scattered everywhere.

Chekamasova explained that they were sewing a dowry for Manechka. The girl said she would never marry, but her eyes lit up.

The next time the narrator went to the Chekamasovs’, the women were in mourning for the dead general and were again sewing a dowry. Manechka refused to marry again.

The last time the narrator visited the Chekamasovs was last year. He saw that the woman was in mourning again.

She was sewing again. The man did not ask where Manechka was.

He understood everything from her mother’s mourning clothes and because Chekamasov’s daughter did not come out to him. The narrator’s soul was very heavy.