Anton Chekhov

Name: The Duel (Chekhov/Garnett) — Chapter XI
Author: Anton Chekhov

Summary

“The Duel (Chekhov/Garnett) — Chapter XI”, is a work by Anton Chekhov. It explores elements such as Von Koren, Laevsky and little beast.

Quotes from The Duel (Chekhov/Garnett) — Chapter XI (Anton Chekhov)

Anton Chekhov, The Duel (Chekhov/Garnett) — Chapter XI

“ For Laevsky! And no one, fiend or devil, has a right to dictate to me how to dispose of my own money. It doesn't suit you to lend it me? No?"
The deacon began laughing.
"Don't get excited, but be reasonable," said the zoologist. "To shower benefits on Mr. Laevsky is, to my thinking, as senseless as to water weeds or to feed locusts."
"To my thinking, it is our duty to help our neighbours!" cried Samoylenko.
"In that case, help that hungry Turk who is lying under the fence! He is a workman and more useful and indispensable than your Laevsky. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Anton Chekhov, The Duel (Chekhov/Garnett) — Chapter XI

“ Von Koren felt sorry for him.
"What it is to have to live and do with people like this," said the zoologist, and he kicked a paper into the corner with indignation. "You must understand that this is not kindness, it is not love, but cowardice, slackness, poison! What's gained by reason is lost by your flabby good-for-nothing hearts! When I was ill with typhoid as a schoolboy, my aunt in her sympathy gave me pickled mushrooms to eat, and I very nearly died. You, and my aunt too, must understand that love for man is not to be found in the heart or the stomach or the bowels, but here!" ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Anton Chekhov, The Duel (Chekhov/Garnett) — Chapter XI

“ Well, he got hold of the bird because it was incautious; he broke the nest of eggs because the bird was not skilful, had made the nest badly and did not know how to conceal it. The frog probably had some defect in its colouring or he would not have seen it, and so on. Your little beast only destroys the weak, the unskilful, the careless--in fact, those who have defects which nature does not think fit to hand on to posterity. Only the cleverer, the stronger, the more careful and developed survive; and so your little beast, without suspecting it, is serving the great ends of perfecting creation. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Anton Chekhov, The Duel (Chekhov/Garnett) — Chapter XI

“ His simplicity and humility are full of Biblical grandeur."
"Is he a good man?" asked Von Koren, who was glad to change the conversation.
"Of course! If he hadn't been a good man, do you suppose he would have been consecrated a bishop?"
"Among the bishops are to be found good and gifted men," said Von Koren. "The only drawback is that some of them have the weakness to imagine themselves statesmen. One busies himself with Russification, another criticises the sciences. That's not their business. They had much better look into their consistory a little."
"A layman cannot judge of bishops." ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Anton Chekhov, The Duel (Chekhov/Garnett) — Chapter XI

“ You're a man of very great intellect, so explain it to me, please. There are, you know, little beasts no bigger than rats, rather handsome to look at, but nasty and immoral in the extreme, let me tell you. Suppose such a little beast is running in the woods. He sees a bird; he catches it and devours it. He goes on and sees in the grass a nest of eggs; he does not want to eat them--he is not hungry, but yet he tastes one egg and scatters the others out of the nest with his paw. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Anton Chekhov, The Duel (Chekhov/Garnett) — Chapter XI

“ And yet the mole is not a bit less cruel than your little beast, and is very mischievous besides, as he spoils meadows terribly."
Von Koren opened a box and took out a hundred-rouble note.
"The mole has a powerful thorax, just like the bat," he went on, shutting the box; "the bones and muscles are tremendously developed, the mouth is extraordinarily powerfully furnished. If it had the proportions of an elephant, it would be an all-destructive, invincible animal. It is interesting when two moles meet underground; they begin at once as though by agreement digging a little platform ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Anton Chekhov, The Duel (Chekhov/Garnett) — Chapter XI

“ When they have made it they enter upon a ferocious struggle and fight till the weaker one falls. Take the hundred roubles," said Von Koren, dropping his voice, "but only on condition that you're not borrowing it for Laevsky." ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Anton Chekhov, The Duel (Chekhov/Garnett) — Chapter XI

“ Then he meets a frog and begins to play with it; when he has tormented the frog he goes on licking himself and meets a beetle; he crushes the beetle with his paw . . . and so he spoils and destroys everything on his way. ”

Anton Chekhov

Summary

Quotes from The Duel (Chekhov/Garnett) — Chapter XI (Anton Chekhov)

Common terms

Similar works

Get perspective with Kwize: daily news enlightened by great literature