The House with the Mezzanine

The House with the Mezzanine by Anton Chekhov

The House with the Mezzanine is a short story by Anton Chekhov, first published in 1896. It tells the story of a young man, Ivan Matveyevich, who rents a house with a mezzanine in a small provincial town. He is a bachelor and lives alone, but he is visited by his friend, the local doctor, who is also a bachelor. The two men spend their days talking, drinking tea, and playing cards. They also take walks around the town and visit the local sights. One day, Ivan Matveyevich meets a young woman, Anna Sergeyevna, who is visiting the town. He is immediately smitten with her and begins to court her. The story follows the developing relationship between Ivan Matveyevich and Anna Sergeyevna, as well as the changing dynamics between the two men. As the story progresses, Ivan Matveyevich and Anna Sergeyevna's relationship deepens, and the doctor's presence in the house becomes increasingly uncomfortable. Eventually, the doctor leaves, and Ivan Matveyevich and Anna Sergeyevna are married. The House with the Mezzanine is a story about love, friendship, and the changing nature of relationships. It is a classic example of Chekhov's writing, with its subtle humor and insight into human nature.

By Anton Chekhov · First published 1900 · Genre: Realism, Drama, Romance · 36 chapters · 63,290 words

First lines

IT happened nigh on seven years ago, when I was living in one of the districts of the J. province, on the estate of Bielokurov, a landowner, a young man who used to get up early, dress himself in a long overcoat, drink beer in the evenings, and all the while complain to me that he could nowhere find any one in sympathy with his ideas. He lived in a little house in the orchard, and I lived in the old manor-house, in a huge pillared hall where there was no furniture except a large divan, on which I slept, and a table at which I used to play patience. Even in calm weather there was always a moaning in the chimney, and in a storm the whole house would rock and seem as though it must split, and it was quite terrifying, especially at night, when all the ten great windows were suddenly lit up by a flash of lightning.

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The House with the Mezzanine is listed on Textopian as a novel by Anton Chekhov, dated 1900 CE.

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Anton Chekhov, 1860-1904 · Russia · Short stories · Social life and customs · called · cold · dark · day · doctor · eyes · father · garden

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