The Death of
Ivan Ilyich
I
In the large building that housed the halls of
justice, during an adjournment in the Melvinsky
trial, the members of the court and the public prosecutor
gathered in the office of Ivan Yegorovich Shebek.
Their talk soon turned to the famous Krasovsky case.
Fyodor Vasilyevich grew heated, insisting on the
manifest lack of jurisdiction, Ivan Yegorovich wasn’t
swayed, while Pyotr Ivanovich, who had kept out
of the fray from the start, leafed through the latest
issue of the Gazette, which had just been delivered.
“Gentlemen,” he interrupted, “Ivan Ilyich is dead.”
“Can’t be…”
“Here, have a look,” he replied, handing the fresh,
still pungent pages to Fyodor Vasilyevich.
The announcement was bordered in black: “It
is with deepest sorrow that Praskovya Fyodorovna
Golovina informs relatives and friends of the demise
of her beloved spouse, Member of the Appellate
Court Ivan Ilyich Golovin, which occurred on 4th
February 1882. The funeral will be held on Friday,
at one o’clock in the afternoon.”
Ivan Ilyich had been a colleague of the assembled
gentlemen, well liked by all of them. He had been
ill for several weeks; they had heard the illness was
incurable. His position had been kept open, but it
was assumed that, in the event of his death, Alekseyev
would be appointed to replace him, while Alekseyev’s
position would be filled by either Vinnikov or Stabel.
And so, upon learning of Ivan Ilyich’s death, the
first thought that occurred to each of the gentlemen
gathered in the office concerned the potential
reassignments or promotions that this death might
occasion for the members themselves or for their
acquaintances.
Now I’ll surely be named to replace Stabel or Vinnikov,
thought Fyodor Vasilyevich. They’ve been promising me
a promotion for a long time. And it means a raise of eight
hundred roubles, along with an allowance.
I’ll have to apply for my brother-in-law’s transfer from
Kaluga, thought Pyotr Ivanovich. Yes, that ought to make
my wife very happy indeed. No more complaints about my
never doing anything for her family.
Copyright © 2020 by Leo Tolstoy. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
