Brief content of the fragment garnet bracelet kuprin. Brief retelling of Garnet bracelet (Kuprin A

A. I. Kuprin - story " Garnet bracelet" In the story “Garnet Bracelet” by A.I. Kuprin develops the theme of great, true love, the love “that every woman dreams of.” It's sad and tragic story about a little man who was destroyed and at the same time elevated by great love. “The Garnet Bracelet” is the story of a poor, hopelessly in love official who gave the woman he loved a gift - a garnet bracelet - and then committed suicide.

The narrative unfolds slowly, gradually. The writer introduces us to the atmosphere of life of the Sheyny princes, introduces us to Vera Nikolaevna. It is with her that the poor official Zheltkov is in love. This story has been going on for about seven years. On her name day, he sends her a garnet bracelet as a gift - the only jewel he inherited. However, the princess does not take Zheltkov’s feelings seriously. The only thing on her mind is whether she looks funny in this whole story.

Revealing the inner appearance of the heroine, the author compares her with Anna, her sister. “The eldest, Vera, took after her mother, a beautiful Englishwoman, with her tall, flexible figure, gentle, but cold and proud face, beautiful, although rather big hands... The youngest, Anna, on the contrary, inherited the Mongolian blood of her father, the Tatar prince... She was half a head shorter than her sister, somewhat broad in the shoulders, lively and frivolous, a mocker. Her face, of a strong Mongolian type with quite noticeable cheekbones, narrow eyes... with an arrogant expression in a small, sensual mouth... captivated with some elusive and incomprehensible charm...” Critics noted a certain contrast between these images. Vera “was strictly simple, cold and a little patronizingly kind to everyone, independent and royally calm.” Anna is emotional, lively, frivolous. Against the background of this heroine, we more clearly realize Vera’s inner coldness, her detachment from everyone around her.

This difference is especially noticeable in the heroines’ perception of nature. Researchers have noted here a certain parallel between Kuprin’s heroines and Tolstoy’s heroines, Natasha and Sonya, in the novel “War and Peace.” Here Anna admires the picture of nature: “But just look, what beauty, what joy - the eye just can’t get enough. If you only knew how grateful I am to God for all the miracles he has done for us!” And then the writer shows Vera’s perception of nature: “When I see the sea for the first time after a long time, it excites and makes me happy... But then, when I get used to it, it begins to put pressure on me with its flat emptiness... I miss looking at him..." We see here a reserved, rational heroine, living a “correct”, measured life.

The landscapes of the novel also correlate with the images of the heroes. Thus, the landscape that begins the story is correlated with the image of Zheltkov. This landscape is an artistic preview of the future tragedy; at the same time, it conveys the strength, depth and impulsiveness of his feelings. “Then for whole days a thick fog lay heavily over the land and sea, and then the huge siren at the lighthouse roared day and night, like a mad bull... Then a fierce hurricane blew from the northwest, from the side of the steppe; from it the tops of the trees swayed, bending and straightening up, like waves in a storm, the iron roofs of the dachas rattled at night, and it seemed as if someone was running on them in shod boots; the window frames shook..." Another landscape correlates with the image of Princess Vera. “By the beginning of September, the weather suddenly changed dramatically and completely unexpectedly. Quiet, cloudless days immediately arrived, so clear, sunny and warm, which were not even in July. On the dried, compressed fields, on their prickly stubble, an autumn cobweb glistened with a mica sheen. The calmed trees silently and obediently dropped their yellow leaves.”

Everyone in the Sheyny family knows this story with Zheltkov. And everyone reacts differently to what is happening. Vera's husband, Prince Vasily, is generally a kind and intelligent man, but does not have a certain tact to hide everything that is happening from outsiders, and not to ridicule the “telegraph operator in love.” He tells the guests a story that parodies Zheltkov’s feelings and draws caricatures. For Prince Vasily, the story of the garnet bracelet is an anecdote. Princess Vera's brother, Nikolai - dry, strict, rational person, believes that this story discredits their family. And only old General Amosov expresses the idea of ​​true love, rare in life. He talks about family, marriage, and the fact that marriages are often made without love. “Where is the love? Is love unselfish, selfless, not waiting for reward? The one about which it is said “strong as death”? You see, the kind of love for which to accomplish any feat, to give one’s life, to suffer torment is not work at all, but pure joy.<…>Love must be a tragedy. The greatest secret in the world! No life conveniences, calculations or compromises should concern her.”

The scene of Prince Vasily and Nikolai visiting Zheltkov is the plot and dramatic hub of the story. Here we first meet the hero around whom all these events take place. The characters here behave differently. Nikolai, having neither patience, nor intelligence, nor a certain spiritual subtlety, tries to threaten Zheltkov, says that he will appeal “to the authorities.” It is characteristic that the hero, a poor, pitiful official, perfectly understands all the absurdity and absurdity of the statements of Princess Vera's brother. "Sorry. What did you say? - Zheltkov suddenly asked attentively and laughed. “Did you want to appeal to the authorities?.. Is that what you said?” And he openly, throwing away conventions, speaks about his feelings for Vera to her husband. “It’s difficult to utter such... a phrase... that I love your wife. But seven years of hopeless and polite love gives me the right to do so. I agree that in the beginning, when Vera Nikolaevna was still a young lady, I wrote her stupid letters and even waited for an answer to them. I agree that my last action, namely sending the bracelet, was even more stupid. But... here I look you straight in the eyes and I feel that you will understand me. I know that I can never stop loving her... Tell me, prince... suppose that this is unpleasant for you... tell me, what would you do to end this feeling? Send me to another city, as Nikolai Nikolaevich said? All the same, I will love Vera Nikolaevna there just as much as here. Put me in jail? But even there I will find a way to let her know about my existence. There is only one thing left - death... You want me to accept it in any form.”

Brief but detailed content of the story by A.I. Kuprin "Garnet Bracelet" for those who take Russian language and literature tests.

In mid-August, the weather on the northern coast of the Black Sea deteriorates: fog, rain, hurricane. Residents of the resort move to the city. But the beginning of September pleases with clear, cloudless days, sunny and warm. Princess Vera Nikolaevna Sheina, the wife of the leader of the nobility, lives in the country because their city house is undergoing renovations. Today, September 17, is her name day, her favorite day since childhood, she always expects miracles from him. Her husband, leaving for the city in the morning, gave her earrings. She was alone at home; her brother Nikolai, a fellow prosecutor who lived with them, had gone to court. The husband promised to bring his closest friends to the holiday. Despite his prominent position in society, Prince Shein barely made ends meet. Vera had long felt for him not the same passionate love, but true friendship, and tried to save money and keep from going broke. It was cheaper to celebrate a name day at the dacha than in the city. After cutting flowers in the garden for the dinner table, she met her sister, Anna Nikolaevna Friesse. There was a tender friendship between the sisters. Anna is married to a very rich and very stupid man whom she cannot stand, but she gave birth to a son and a daughter from him. Vera did not have children; she really wanted them. Anna flirted left and right, but never cheated on her husband, whom she ridiculed contemptuously. Vera was strictly simple, coldly kind to everyone, independent and royally calm.The sisters talk about the beauty of nature. Anna gives Vera a small notebook in an amazing binding from a prayer book. They go into the house, Anna asks about the invited guests. After five o'clock the guests arrive: Prince Vasily Lvovich with his sister Lyudmila Lvovna Durasova, the socialite young reveler Vasyuchok, the famous pianist and friend of Vera from the Smolny Institute Jenny Reiter, brother-in-law Nikolai Nikolaevich. Anna's husband brings Professor Speshnikov and the local vice-governor von Seck. Later than the others, the sisters’ grandfather, General Anosov, arrived, accompanied by Staff Colonel Ponamarev and Guards Hussar Lieutenant Bakhtinsky. Anosov was a comrade in arms and a devoted friend of the sisters' late father and knew them from infancy. The general participated in all campaigns except the Japanese one. During his entire service he did not hit a single soldier. During the Polish rebellion, he refused to shoot prisoners, quickly rose to the rank of colonel, and returned from the war almost deaf, with a sore leg and rheumatism. They wanted to send him into retirement, but they decided not to upset him and gave him a lifelong position as commandant in the city of K. There he became close to his sisters’ parents. He loved girls very much; he did not have any children of his own. The wife ran away with the artist, the general sent her money, but did not let her back into the house.

At dinner, everyone was amused by Vera's husband, Prince Vasily Lvovich, a magnificent storyteller and lover of embellishment. real events. Vera Nikolaevna counts the guests: thirteen. Superstitiously thinks this is bad. After dinner they play poker, the maid calls the hostess and gives her a square object tied with a ribbon. A messenger brought it and immediately left. Unfolding the paper, Vera sees a jewelry case containing a gold bracelet and a note. First she examines the bracelet, studded with red garnets, the shine of which reminds her of blood, and a green garnet in the center. In the letter, the donor notes that the bracelet was passed down in his family through the female line and, according to family legend, has the ability to impart the gift of foresight to women wearing it and drive away difficult thoughts from them, while protecting men from violent death. The donor also asks not to be angry with him for his letters seven years ago, speaking of his slavish devotion to Vera and reverence for her. The letter is signed “G. S. Zh." Vera decides to show the letter to her husband later. Someone is playing cards, Anna is flirting with the hussar, Vasily Lvovich is showing a homemade humorous album with his drawings - an addition to his satirical stories. For example, there is “History love affairs brave General Anosov in Turkey, Bulgaria and other countries”, “The Adventure of the petimeter Prince Nicolas Bulat-Tuganovsky in Monte Carlo”, a short biography of his sister Lyudmila Lvovna and a new story “Princess Vera and the telegraph operator in love”. Vera does not want her husband to tell this story, but he does not hear her and mocks the poor telegraph operator in love. Vera offers tea. Speshnikov, the vice-governor and Colonel Ponamarev left, the rest of the guests were sitting on the terrace. Vera and Anna carefully look after the general. Anna asks if he was afraid of battles, the general tells how, after a shell shock, it seemed to him that he was not Yakov, but Nikolai, how he fell in love with a Bulgarian girl, how they parted forever when the soldiers left those places. They ask him if he loved the real one, eternal love. The general says he didn’t love him. As she gets ready to leave, Vera tells her husband about the bracelet and the letter.

When the general is seen off, he notices that people have forgotten how to love; he has never seen true love. After the wedding, his wife turned out to be a spendthrift, a slob and a greedy person. Vera tells her grandfather about her marriage: “Take Vasya and me. Can we call our marriage unhappy? The general is silent, then suggests that this marriage be considered an exception, but in most cases, marriage, in his opinion, takes place for other reasons. In his entire life, he saw two cases similar to true love: a young ensign fell in love with old wife regimental commander, because of her whim, he threw himself under a train and lost his arms. The second case is even more pitiful: a young woman took a lover, her husband saw everything and remained silent.

When they went to war, the wife told her husband to take care of her lover, he looked after him like a nanny, did engineering work for him, then this lover died of typhus. Anosov is asked if he has encountered such love in women. He says that he is confident in the lover’s ability to be heroic, men are to blame for being incapable of this, and every woman dreams of the only love, all-forgiving. The general asks Verochka what story her husband told about the telegraph operator. Vera speaks of “a madman who began to pursue her with his love two years before her marriage.” She does not know him, but he is aware of all her affairs, his letters are chaste, but he constantly talked about his love for Vera, until she wrote a letter secretly from her husband asking her not to bother her with outpourings of love. Since then, he has been silent about love and writes only on holidays. Vera also spoke about today’s gift. The general discusses whether this is a maniac or the same one true love, is leaving.

Vera, coming home, finds her brother arguing with her husband. Nikolai says that it’s high time to stop these stupid letters, otherwise the family could end up in a funny situation, the telegraph operator will begin to brag that Vera accepts his gifts. The Sheins decide to send the bracelet back, Nikolai takes over the search for G.S.Zh. Together with Prince Vasily, he decides to go to the telegraph operator and read him a strict notation. Vera says that for some reason she feels sorry for this unfortunate man, but her brother replies that he needs to be punished.

Vasily Lvovich and Nikolai come to the house, which smells of mice and laundry, and ask for Mr. Zheltkov. The fan of Vera was 30-35 years old, tall and thin. The guests introduced themselves to him, and Nikolai returned the bracelet to him. Vera's brother talks to Zheltkov assertively, but her husband is ready to listen to him.

Zheltkov says that he loves and will not stop loving his wife, leaving for another city will not change anything, just like imprisonment. All that remains is to die. He asks permission to call Vera, the prince understands him, sees that this man cannot lie, he feels sorry for Zheltkov. Having received permission to call, Zheltkov calls and comes upset. He says that he is ready and we can consider him dead. He asks the prince for permission to write his last letter to Vera. Nikolai objects, the prince allows it.

Zheltkov promises that they will no longer hear about him or see him. Vera Nikolaevna told him that she was tired of this whole story and asked him to stop it. Returning to his wife, the prince told her about the visit; she thought that Zheltkov would kill himself. Having never read newspapers, she accidentally learns from a newspaper about Zheltkov’s death. The newspaper says that a minor official committed suicide due to embezzlement of government money. Vera thinks about why she had a presentiment of this and debates whether it was love or madness. In the evening, the postman brought her Zheltkov’s last letter.

With unexpected tenderness, Vera unfolded it and read it. Zheltkov wrote that his whole life lies in her, but he feels that he has crashed into her life like an incomprehensible wedge, so he will leave and not return. “I tested myself - this is not a disease, not a manic idea - this is love with which God wanted to reward me for something. Let me be ridiculous in your eyes and in the eyes of your brother, Nikolai Nikolaevich. Leaving, I say in delight: “Hallowed be Your name" From the depths of my soul, I thank you for being my only joy in life, my only consolation, my only thought.” At the end of the letter, he asks, if Vera remembers him, to listen to a Beethoven sonata. Vera cries, goes to her husband, gives him the letter to read.

The prince says that he does not doubt the sincerity of this man, he loved, and was not at all crazy. He allows his wife to say goodbye to the deceased. Vera went to him.

The landlady led her to the coffin, talking about the deceased kind words. Vera asked me to tell her about last minutes his life. The owner says that Zheltkov asked her to hang a bracelet on the icon of the Mother of God, wrote a letter, put it in a box, and then everyone heard a sound reminiscent of a shot from a child’s pistol.

They found him at seven o'clock when he did not respond to the servants' knock. Vera looks at the deceased and sees the peaceful expression that she saw on the masks of the great sufferers - Pushkin and Napoleon.

She puts a red rose under Zheltkov’s neck and understands that true love walked past her. Vera kisses Zheltkov on the forehead. When she leaves, the hostess says that the late Zheltkov asked her to pass a note if the lady came and say that it was best work Beethoven. Vera cries and reads the title of the same sonata.

Vera Nikolaevna returned home late in the evening, not finding either her husband or brother. Pianist Jenny Reiter was waiting for her. Excited Vera rushed to her and asked her to play something, having no doubt that the woman would play exactly what was needed.

She recognized this piece from the first chords; her soul seemed to split into two. Vera thought about what passed her by great love, which repeats only once every thousand years. Phrases were formed in the mind, coinciding with the music, which ended with the words: “Hallowed be Thy name.” Vera cried, the music calmed her. She realized that Zheltkov had forgiven her.

/ / / “Garnet bracelet”

“Garnet bracelet” by A.I. Kuprin can confidently be called a work about love - that feeling that gives people the meaning of life.

The action of the work takes place at one of the dachas on the Black Sea coast, where she had been living for several weeks main character Vera Nikolaevna Sheina with her husband Vasily Lvovich. It was September and the weather was stormy.

On the seventeenth of September, Vera Nikolaevna was the birthday girl. Guests begin to gather in the house: Vera Nikolaevna’s sister Anna has arrived, good friend family of Shane General Anosov and others.

The invited guests sat down at the table and began to play poker. In total, Vera Nikolaevna counted thirty people. Since the main character was superstitious, this figure alarmed her.

A little later, the maid hands over the scroll for Vera Nikolaevna. The scroll contained a case containing an inexpensive gold bracelet with red stones and a note. The note said that this bracelet gives its owner the gift of foresight. The author of the note also confesses his love to Vera Nikolaevna and signs it as “G.S.Zh.”

Vera Nikolaevna returns to the living room, where Vasily Lvovich amuses the guests with all sorts of tall tales about his wife and her admirers. One of them was a story about young man, who sent love letters to Vera Nikolaevna every day, and when he died, left her an inheritance of two buttons and a bottle of perfume sent from his tears.

The main character really did not like such stories, and she invited everyone to drink tea.

Towards evening the guests left, leaving only General Anosov. He talked about his beautiful wife, who after a few months turned into a dirty cook and ran away with some actor.

After this, Anosov asks Vera Nikolaevna to tell her about the stranger “G.S.Zh.” All that was known about him was that he was a minor official, had long been in love with the main character and constantly watched her. He constantly wrote love letters and notes. Later, Vera Nikolaevna told him to stop writing. The love letters stopped coming, but on every holiday “G.S.Z.” congratulated her. Anosov suggested that this is either a maniac or a person who truly loves.

Seeing the donated bracelet, Vasily Lvovich’s brother Nikolai insists that it must be returned so as not to spread rumors that the princess accepts all sorts of trinkets from strangers.

Vasily Lvovich and Nikolai, with the help of a list of city officials, managed to find a secret admirer. It turned out to be Mr. Zheltkov. Zheltkov was a very romantic young man with blue eyes, and at 35 he looked like a youth. He admitted that he loved Vera Nikolaevna and that he had sent the bracelet. Zheltkov assured that he would no longer show Vera Nikolaevna any signs of attention and would leave the city altogether.

Later, Vera Nikolaevna learns that Zheltkov committed suicide. That evening she was delivered a letter from Zheltkov, where he said that the main character was the only joy in his life, asking after his death to play Beethoven’s “Appassionata”.

After reading the letter, Vera Nikolaevna decides to go to the funeral. She saw joy and peace on Zheltkov’s face. She realized that, most likely, the love of her life had passed her by. After kissing his cold forehead, she returned home.

Her old friend Jenny Reiter was waiting for her at home. Vera Nikolaevna asks her to play something on the piano. Jenny begins to play Beethoven's Appassionata. Hearing the first chords, Vera Nikolaevna begins to sob bitterly.

This work by Kuprin is a pure and touching love story. young man to a married woman. Unrequited love, but main character lived with this feeling and died loving. A summary of the story “The Garnet Bracelet” in chapters will give general idea O tragic love in the life of the official Zheltkov. Not everyone knows how to love so selflessly, sacrificing themselves. His love breathed new feelings into the princess. She was again able to feel as young and happy as before. It all started after receiving a gift from him for her birthday.

Main characters

Vasily Shein- prince. Vera's husband. A sociable person and an interesting storyteller.

Vera Sheina- wife of Vasily Shein. Princess. Beautiful, interesting woman. It was with her that the official Zheltkov was in love, who began sending her letters long before her marriage to the prince.

Zheltkov- official. A young man about 35 years old. Unrequitedly in love with Princess Sheina.

Chapter 1

Summer was coming to an end. It was mid-August. The weather is no longer the same. The holidaymakers went home. Princess Vera was forced to stay at the dacha. In a city apartment in full swing renovation work was underway.

The beginning of September pleased with warm days. The rains have passed. It became sunny and clear. Vera was sincerely happy about the weather changing for the better.

Chapter 2

Vera's birthday was approaching. It was decided to celebrate the holiday at the dacha. IN lately money was tight in the family. In the city it would not be possible without large expenses, but here, by the sea, everything is much more modest. Vera's husband is a prince. She understood how difficult it was for him now and tried in every possible way to support her husband.

Vera’s sister, Anna, offered her help in organizing the holiday. They were too different, but the girls were very friendly with each other.

Chapter 3

Anna hasn't been to these parts for a long time. The girl enjoyed the opportunity to see the sea again. The sisters sat on a bench near the cliff, admiring the local landscape. Anna decided to give her sister a notebook right here on the shore. The thing was ancient, in luxurious binding.

Chapter 4

Guests gradually arrived at the house. Among the invited guests, General Anosov was not absent. The general was a close friend of their late father. The man was sincerely attached to his sisters. The sisters, in turn, affectionately called him grandfather.

Chapter 5

The table was set. The guests took their places. Vera's husband took it upon himself to entertain the company. Prince Vasily knew a lot interesting stories, in which it was not always possible to distinguish from the first time where the truth was and where the lie was. The guests loved it. They were having a lot of fun.

After dinner, the guests moved to the card table. While the poker game was going on, Vera decided to go out for a walk and breathe fresh air. Her walk was interrupted by a maid holding a small package. According to the maid, the package was handed over to her stranger, who convincingly asked to give it into the hands of Vera Nikolaevna personally. Having unwrapped the package, Vera was stunned. Extraordinarily beautiful garnet bracelet. The stones played in the sun. Vera unexpectedly compared them to drops of blood.

In addition to the bracelet, the package contained a note. From the first lines she guessed who it was from. This would be her longtime fan. They never saw each other, but on every holiday he always sent her his congratulations. I didn’t forget this time either.

Vera didn’t know whether to tell her husband everything or hide the truth.

Chapter 6

Returning to the house, Vera joined the guests. Vasily came up with a new entertainment. He showed the guests an album with his own drawings, accompanying each with cheerful comments. One of the drawings was dedicated to the love story of a certain telegraph operator for his wife. Vera found it unpleasant to listen to this. She asked her husband to switch to another topic, but he ignored her request. Either he didn’t hear, or he pretended not to hear.

Chapter 7

Almost all the guests had left. Only the general and Vera's brother remained. The general was struck by memories. The sisters listened to him with undisguised interest. Vera finally decided to tell her husband the truth about her admirer. After waiting for the general to leave, Vera showed her husband the gift and handed him the letter attached to the bracelet so that he could read it.

Chapter 8

While they were waiting for the carriage for the general, he suddenly decided to open up with his sisters. He was unlucky in his personal life. He never met a woman for whom he would do anything. But the story told by the prince about the telegraph operator and Vera herself clearly interested him. He asked what he could believe in her.

Vera admitted that the story is almost real. Many years ago she had a secret admirer. An unknown man constantly sends her letters in which he declares his love. She received her first letter before her marriage. It hasn't stopped since then. So today he sent her another message, which was accompanied by a gift in the form of a chic bracelet.

The general thought about it, saying that this was probably true love. The one that every woman dreams of. Vera was lucky to have a man in her life who had been faithful and devoted to her for so many years, ready to wait as long as necessary and not asking for anything in return.

Chapter 9

Vasily Lvovich and Nikolai did not like the story told by Vera. They decided to conduct a small investigation to find out who was sending Vera the letters, and at the same time return the gift and ask her not to interfere with their family anymore. Family reputation comes first. She shouldn't get hurt.

Chapter 10

A fan of Vera was found quickly. It turned out to be a young man. Zheltkov worked as an official and was head over heels in love with the princess. When he was confronted with claims that he was interfering with someone else’s family, undermining its reputation, he did not even try to deny what had been haunting Vera for many years.

He admitted to the prince that he could not live without Vera. All thoughts are about her. He is unable to stop loving her. The only way to get rid of obsession is death. Zheltkov asks the prince for permission to make one call to Vera. Her opinion on this matter is important to him.

Vera, after listening to Zheltkov, makes it clear that there can be no relationship between them and asks him not to bother her anymore.

After talking with Vera, Zheltkov returned to the room where the prince and Nikolai were waiting for him. He asks them to deliver another letter for Vera. After that, he will disappear from their lives forever.

Chapter 11

From the morning news, Vera learns about the suicide of an official. The reason for suicide is banal, waste of money from the state treasury.
Vera reads farewell letter Zheltkova. In it, he says goodbye to her, sincerely wishing her happiness.

Vera asks her husband to go to Zheltkov’s funeral. She became interested in looking at the man who had loved her for so many years. The husband did not object.

Chapter 12

In the apartment where Zheltkov lived, the owner met her and took her to the room where he lay dead. His face was peaceful and calm.
Before leaving, the hostess handed her a note. It contained only one title of a Beethoven sonata. Sonata No. 2 was the deceased's favorite piece of music. Tears flowed from Vera's eyes.

Chapter 13

Her friend was waiting for Vera at home. Jenny Reiter was a pianist. Vera asks her to play something. From the first chords, she understands that this is exactly the piece of music that was mentioned in the note. Vera began to cry. Having listened to the sonata to the end, she suddenly realized that Zheltkov had forgiven her. Her soul calmed down.

The story of Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin “The Garnet Bracelet” is one of the most readable works in the creative heritage of the famous Russian prose writer. Written in 1910, “The Garnet Bracelet” still does not leave readers indifferent, because it talks about the eternal – about love.

It is interesting to know that the plot of the story was inspired by the author from a real life incident that happened to the mother of the writer Lev Lyubimov, Lyudmila Ivanovna Tugan-Baranovskaya (the prototype of Vera Sheina). A certain telegraph operator named Zheltikov (for Kuprin - Zheltkov) was fanatically in love with her. Zheltikov bombarded Lyudmila Ivanovna with letters with declarations of love. Such persistent courtship could not help but worry Lyudmila Ivanovna’s fiance Dmitry Nikolaevich Lyubimov (the prototype of Prince Vasily Lvovich Shein).

One day, he and his fiancée’s brother Nikolai Ivanovich (Kuprin’s name is Nikolai Nikolaevich) went to Zheltikov. The men caught the would-be lover writing another fiery message. After a detailed conversation, Zheltikov promised not to bother the young lady anymore, and Dmitry Nikolaevich was left with a strange feeling - for some reason he was not angry with the telegraph operator, it seems that he was actually in love with Lyudmila. More about Zheltikov and his future fate the Lyubimov family did not hear.

Kuprin was very touched by this story. In a masterful artistic treatment, the story of the telegraph operator Zheltikov, who turned into the official Zheltkov, sounded in a special way and became an anthem great love, the one that everyone dreams of, but cannot always see.

On this day, September 17, was the name day of Princess Vera Nikolaevna Sheina. She and her husband Vasily Lvovich spent time at the Black Sea dacha, and that is why she was incredibly happy. They were warm autumn days, everything around was green and fragrant. There was no need for a magnificent ball, so Sheina decided to limit herself to a modest reception among close friends.

In the morning, when Vera Nikolaevna was cutting flowers in the garden, her sister Anna Nikolaevna Friesse arrived. The house was immediately filled with her cheerful, ringing voice. Vera and Anna were two opposites. The youngest Anna absorbed her father's Mongolian roots - short stature, a certain stockiness, prominent cheekbones and slightly narrow slanted eyes. Vera, on the contrary, took after her mother and looked like a cold, graceful Englishwoman.

Anna was cheerful, perky, flirtatious, she was literally gushing with life, and her charming plainness attracted the attention of the opposite sex much more often than the aristocratic beauty of her sister.

Frank flirting

Meanwhile, Anna was married and had two children. She despised her husband, a stupid and unsympathetic rich man, and constantly ridiculed him behind his back. She wore the deepest necklines, flirted openly with gentlemen, but never cheated legal spouse.

The seven-year marriage of Vera Nikolaevna and Vasily Lvovich could be called happy. The first passions have already subsided and given way to mutual respect, devotion, and gratitude. The Sheins did not have children, although Vera dreamed of them passionately.

Little by little, guests began to flock to the Sheins’ country house. There were few guests: the widowed Lyudmila Lvovna (sister of Vasily Lvovich), a reveler and local celebrity, known by the familiar nickname Vasyuchok, the talented pianist Jenny Reiter, Vera’s brother Nikolai Nikolaevich, Anna’s husband Gustav Ivanovich Friesse with the city governor and professor, as well as a family friend, Anna and Vera's godfather, General Yakov Mikhailovich Anosov.

Prince Vasily Lvovich, a master storyteller and inventor, amused everyone at the table. When the crowd moved to the poker table, the maid handed Vera Nikolaevna a package with a note - someone's gift - the courier disappeared so quickly that the girl did not have time to ask him anything.

Having opened wrapping paper, the birthday girl discovered a case with jewelry. It was a low-grade gold bracelet with five pea-sized garnets; in the center of the jewelry composition was a large green stone. In the light, red lights began to play in the depths of the stones. “Definitely blood!” – Vera Nikolaevna thought superstitiously, hastily put the bracelet aside and began to write the note.

She was from Him. This half-crazy admirer began to inundate Vera with letters when she was still a young lady. After marriage, Vera Nikolaevna answered him only once, asking him not to send any more letters. Since then, notes began to arrive only on holidays. Vera never saw her admirer, did not know who he was and how he lived. She didn’t even know his name, because all the letters were anonymous, signed with the initials G.S.Zh.

This time the would-be lover dared to give a gift. The note said that the bracelet was inlaid with family cabochon garnets, the largest of which could protect a man from violent death and give a woman the gift of foresight.

Conversation with General Anosov: “Love must be a tragedy!”

The festive evening is coming to an end. Seeing off the guests, Vera talks with General Anosov. This is not the first time during the evening that the conversation turns to love.

The old general repents that he has never met true free love in his life. He does not use his married life as an example - it was not a success - his wife turned out to be a deceitful twit and ran away with a pretty actor, then repented, but was never accepted by Yakov Lvovich. But what to say about it would seem happy marriages? There is still some calculation involved in them. Women get married because it is indecent and inconvenient to remain young ladies for a long time, because they want to become housewives and mothers. Men get married when they are tired of single life, when their position obliges them to start a family, when the thought of offspring correlates with the illusion of immortality.

Only selfless, selfless love does not expect reward. She is strong as death. For her, to accomplish a feat, to undergo torture, to give her life is true joy. “Love must be a tragedy. The greatest secret in the world! No life conveniences, calculations or compromises should concern her.”

The words of the general’s grandfather sounded in Vera’s head for a long time, and meanwhile Prince Vasily Lvovich and his brother-in-law Nikolai Nikolaevich discovered a bracelet with a note and were racking their brains about what to do with the inconvenient gift from Vera Nikolaevna’s annoying admirer.

The next day, it was decided to visit G.S.Zh., whose identity Nikolai Nikolaevich undertook, and return the bracelet to him without involving outsiders (the governor, gendarmes, etc.)

Already in the morning, the prince and his brother-in-law knew that the anonymous admirer’s name was Georgy Stepanovich Zheltkov. He serves as an official of the control chamber and lives poorly in one of those disgusting furnished rooms that abound in the cities of our glorious fatherland.

Zheltkov turned out to be a lanky, thin man with long blond fluffy hair. At the news that on the threshold of his room, Prince Shein, Vera Nikolaevna’s husband, Georgy Stepanovich became noticeably nervous, but did not deny it and admitted that he had been sincerely and hopelessly in love with Vera Nikolaevna for seven years now. It is impossible to destroy this feeling; it is so strong that it can only be eradicated along with it. However, he is ready to voluntarily leave the city so as not to compromise Vera Nikolaevna and not to discredit good name Sheinykh.

Arriving home, Vasily Lvovich told his wife about what had happened and added that this man was by no means crazy, he was really in love and was well aware of it. “It seemed to me that I was present at some enormous tragedy of the soul.”

The next morning, the newspapers wrote that an employee of the control chamber, Georgy Stepanovich Zheltkov, was found shot dead in his room. The suicide note states that the reason for his suicide was official embezzlement, which he was unable to repay.

Without saying a word about Vera Nikolaevna, he sent her his farewell note. “I am eternally grateful to you,” the lines of the message sincerely said, “Just because you exist.” Zheltkov assured that his feeling is not the result of physical or mental disorder, this is the love that the merciful God awarded him for something.

He asks Vera Nikolaevna to burn this letter, just as he burns things dear to his heart - a handkerchief that she accidentally forgot on the bench, a note in which she demanded not to send any more letters, and the theater program that she clutched throughout the performance and then left in bed.

Having asked her husband’s permission, Vera visited Zheltkov in his wretched little room. His face was not the disfigured grimace of a dead man; he smiled, as if he had learned something important before his death.

Here you can read summary Alexander Kuprin’s story “The Pit”, which caused violent reaction critics of the time who did not share the author’s views on the sensitive topic discussed in the book.

We offer you a brief summary of Kuprin’s mysterious, or even slightly mystical story “Olesya,” a work that is a favorite for many admirers of the author’s work.

That day, Jenny Reiter played the “Appassionata” from Beethoven’s Sonata No. 2, the late Zheltkov’s favorite piece of music. And Princess Vera Nikolaevna Sheina cried bitterly. She knew that that real, selfless, modest and all-forgiving love that every woman dreams of had passed her by.

The story of Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin “The Garnet Bracelet”: summary

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