The Wallet by Anton Chekhov. Short summary

5 seconds

Three actors find a wallet full of money. One comrade is sent to get vodka, which he poisons to avoid sharing. He returns, is killed by two comrades and dies after drinking the poison.

1 minute

Three traveling actors, Popov, Smirnov, and Balabaykin, find a wallet with a large sum on the railroad tracks. They rejoice and congratulate each other. They decide to divide the money equally. Each of the artists dreams of how he will dispose of the found sum.

Popov, as the youngest, is sent to the shop for vodka and snacks to celebrate the event. Balabaykin and Smirnov, embrace him and swear eternal friendship.

On the way, he ponders that he would build a lavish theater if he got all the money. So he decides to poison Smirnov and Balabaykin and slips poison into the alcohol.

Popov returns and does not know that his two friends have conspired to kill him in order to split the find between them.

They kill the man and sit down to celebrate the unexpected riches. After drinking the poisoned vodka, the actors die.