In this collection of nine stories by Anton Chekhov, the author's distaste for the iniquities of class structure are revealed as he returns time and again to the theme of social conflict. His stories underline the tragic dimensions of his characters' lives, afflicted by drink, insanity, greed, lust, religious mania and boredom. This collection follows two previous volumes of Chekhov's short stories in this series, The Russian Master and Ward Number Six.