Every time, when the Pushkin cycle of Pyotr Fomenko was extracted from the depths of the television archive, the show aroused great audience interest, responses in the press, “they wrote letters, thanked, argued,” the director recalled. These mesmerizing aerial films-performances "took a very special place in the television Pushkinian - a kind of spiritual tuning fork, exquisite sketches, all together creating a complete, strange, bizarre world" (T. Sergeeva). Of the five stories of the late Belkin, Fomenko filmed three - "reading" the stories in order. Opened this row "Shot" (1981), closed - "Undertaker" (1990).

The "Undertaker" narrated by Belkin seems like a detailed anecdote. Undertaker Adrian Prokhorov, having moved with his daughters to new house, receives an invitation to the festival from a German neighbor. Stung by the remark of one of the guests in the direction of his profession, the drunken Prokhorov invites his deceased clients to his housewarming party. The next night, when he comes home, he sees the dead people greeting him. When the situation reaches its peak, he wakes up: the terrible visit was not in reality.

It is known that The Undertaker is half a parody, a joke — sir — it is not good for retelling. There is no sense in it, no morality. As B. Eikhenbaum said, "the story is resolved into nothing." There are no moves in the play that redraw the story; the director follows the text. In an interview on Pushkin's television cycle, Fomenko noted that his theater is based on a word that he wants to restore "in its originality and primordiality." In The Undertaker, the actors are not afraid to repeat a phrase, stretch it out, separate one phrase from another with a pause. An expressive sounding word activates the viewer's imagination, which revives a blurred picture, completes the mise-en-scene hidden in the darkness. But, of course, one cannot speak of being dissolved in the author. The boundaries of the director's reading are very clear. An elegiac and slightly philosophical mood is rather an introduction of the theater.

The artist and cameraman keep the viewer feeling unknown. The space feels much more voluminous than it appears in the frame. It is as if something is constantly hiding from the viewer. At some moments - with the acquisition of calmness - the camera stops, freezes, the image becomes static. But more often the soil literally leaves from under our feet. Fomenko said that he wanted to make the artist the guide of the camera. The viewer, in fact, seems to be moving by touch after Prokhorov - Mikhail Danilov. Spatial movements of the hero are often filmed without cuts - "in one go."

Pushkin is moving towards a mystical shift implicitly, indefinitely. In the story, the line is observed between the mundane and the mysterious. In Fomenko's work, the division of the world into the sphere of the living and the sphere of the dead becomes obvious very quickly. Artistic matter is deliberately theatrical, and the director uses this theatricality to whip up mystery. The sun does not penetrate into the gloomy space - consisting of streets, back streets, rooms. Special lighting makes the air cloudy, giving the illusion of patina on the old canvas. A group of characters immediately stands out: they have whitewashed faces, flaws (suspicious thinness or a twisted nose), and their vestments - a cocked hat and powdered braid for a man, a white cap and ribbons for a woman - clearly from a previous era. This is an echo of the 18th century at the beginning of the 19th century. Ghostly figures swarm around Prokhorov, whispering, leaning out of the coffin. As soon as he opens the door or pulls back the curtain, letting in the light, they fly to the sides. The undertaker himself, his daughters performed by the Kutepov sisters, the worker - Galina Tyunina, the neighbor - Kirill Chernozemov against this background seem to be living, full-blooded characters.

At Fomenko's scenes, when Prokhorov comes to a German for a holiday and when the dead pay a visit to Prokhorov, they are rhymed. It is a feast for the living and a feast for the dead. The dialogue between the two dimensions is set up at the very beginning of the film and further is compositionally supported by inserts of Pushkin's verses.

In the exposition one can hear the voice of Fomenko, wisely, slowly reading the lines about how life can be lived: freely and beautifully. And the pale characters (the viewer will later recognize them as dead) gaze sadly at the burning torches in their hands: a capacious image of fleeting time. In another scene, the same figures, peeping through the windows of a German, look sadly at the celebration of life, which the heroes enjoy. "Let's drink and have fun, let's play with life." But the intonation with which the director reads this, and the context itself, are more reminiscent of "A Feast in Time of Plague."

The dead are having their fun. And at first, the confused Prokhorov is fond of him. He, who among the Germans - "Basurmans" - looked so homeless, it seems, is pleased with the society of the "Orthodox dead". That feast, alive, flows into this one. If there, at the German's, everyone was treated to a cake with lighted candles, then here such a cake seems like a round stand with candles - like in a church, where they put for repose. The German offered Prokhorov a drink "to the health of the dead," and here an evil oxymoron seems to materialize. The candles on the funeral "cake" are burning - the dead are well. The continuous movement of the departed, supported by the whirling of the camera and the sounds of the waltz, beckons with beauty. I remember that critics wrote about Fomenko: his mise-en-scènes sound, they are musical in themselves.

The cycle "Belkin's Tale" by A. Pushkin includes 5 works, each of which has a special appeal. The life of the so-called little people is described simply and talentedly. The undertaker, whose story could be gray and boring, suddenly becomes a victim of his rash words and gets a lot of vivid impressions. The fantastic plot twist is captivating and the book reads in one breath.

Background

Being already famous poet, Alexander Sergeevich began to lean towards writing prose. In the fall of 1830, while in the village of Bolshoe Boldino, in less than two months he created a cycle of stories. They were published on behalf of the landowner Belkin.

The reason for the anonymity could be the predominance of the romantic style in the literature of that time. The stories about the everyday life and life of ordinary people, written without embellishment, did not evoke much response. When asked about the author of the works, Pushkin replied that it was unimportant, but the stories should be just that: short and simple.

The Undertaker: The Story of a Man

The work begins with a description of Adriyan Prokhorov's move to Nikitskaya, where he bought a beautiful yellow house. For a long time, the craftsman wanted to buy it, but when this happened, he did not feel joy.

On the first day, a neighbor, a shoemaker, paid a visit to the undertaker and invited him to his silver wedding celebration.

The invitation was accepted. The neighbors turned out to be cheerful and sociable. Toasts sounded, but one of those present touched Adrian with a careless joke. The people were drunk and did not notice how much the undertaker was offended. History took an unexpected turn: main character decides to invite to the upcoming housewarming not neighbors, but the dead - his clients.

At night, invited, but unexpected guests came to Adrian - those whom he once buried, but did not wait at all and was not at all happy to see them. Reality and illusion are so subtly intertwined in the story that until the denouement it remains unclear whether the events described actually occur or whether it is a drunken dream.

Character characteristics

Adrian is a thoughtful and taciturn person. He is constantly busy thinking about his income: how to save money, how to get a profitable order and because of whom he incurred losses. Unlike the characters in Shakespeare and Scott, Adrian is a dark undertaker. The story is written about a greedy, shameless person who looks at everything in terms of profit and loss. The undertaker speaks in three cases:

• when discussing order details with clients;
• chastise daughters if necessary;
• giving orders to the housekeeper.

Even when he meets the dead in his house, he thinks of them in terms of who he spent on whom. He sees the first client and remembers that he sold a pine coffin for him, passing it off as an oak one. Adrian is not capable of sincerely rejoicing. Even the fulfillment of a dream - the acquisition of a house - leaves him indifferent. The story shows how mercantile and inaccessible to bright emotions and feelings the undertaker was.

Pushkin sought to show the real Russia, the life of not only nobles, but also representatives of the lower classes.

Features of the work

Belkin's Tales, one of which is The Undertaker, is very different from other works of that time. Romantic style and long descriptions were in vogue, which Alexander Sergeevich gets rid of. In his stories, there is a subtle satire, mockery. The central character is an undertaker, whose story is simple: he came to visit, got drunk, saw a realistic nightmare. This was unusual for 19th century readers.

In the work itself, Alexander Sergeevich repeatedly compares his style with the way it was customary to write at that time. Even the laconic poet Baratynsky laughed while reading Belkin's Tale. They could be called 19th century anecdotes, one of which was written with elements of fantasy ("The Undertaker"). Pushkin acted wisely, attributing authorship to a landowner who did not differ much from the characters in his works. This move gave him the opportunity to more freely express his thoughts. Alexander Sergeevich, for making fun of the behavior of the heroes, managed to show that everyone, even the poorest and smallest people, want to be happy.

The history of Pushkin's "Undertaker" has its own characteristics: in the 1830s the poet summed up the preliminary creative activity... This contributed to the rapid writing of works that became the first completed work of Alexander Sergeevich in prose. Pushkin, with his small stories, created a new direction in Russian literature.

Today we will talk about the work of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin called "The Undertaker". History of creation and summary will be discussed below. The work was published in 1831.

History of creation

The cycle "Belkin's Tales" also includes the work "The Undertaker". The history of creation will be discussed further. The work on the story was completed in 1830, September 9. At that moment the author was in a village called Bolshoe Boldino. The rest of "Belkin's Tale" was also published there, a week after Pushkin arrived in this city. This is the first piece from the cycle. In total, it includes 5 stories. Undertaker's image borrowed from a real person... On the territory of Bolshaya Nikitskaya there really was a shop of Adrian the undertaker. It was located opposite the house in which Pushkin's bride lived

Plot

Below we give a summary of the story "The Undertaker". The history of creation was described in detail above. So, the author introduces the reader to the main character of the work named Adrian Prokhorov - the undertaker. He moves from Basmannaya Street to Nikitskaya. He settles in a long-chosen house. However, he does not feel joy. The novelty scares him a little. Soon, however, order was established in the new house. The sign is attached above the gate. Adrian, sitting at the window, orders to give him a samovar. Drinking tea, the hero plunged into a sad thought, since he had a gloomy disposition by nature. He was confused by everyday worries.

Neighbors

Further in the story "The Undertaker" Pushkin says that the hero's thoughts were mainly occupied by the wealthy merchant Tryukhina. She died on Razgulyay. The hero thought about whether the heirs would remember him or come to an agreement with the nearest contractor. While Adrian was thinking, a German craftsman - a neighbor - came to visit him. He called himself Gottlieb Schultz, a shoemaker. Noted that he lived across the street. He invited Adriyan to his place, because tomorrow he has a silver wedding. The hero accepted the invitation. He offered Schultz some tea. As a result, the neighbors got into conversation, and soon became friends. The next afternoon, Adrian and a couple of his daughters went to visit the shoemaker. Gathered in the house are German artisans - friends of Schultz, as well as their wives. The feast began. Soon the host proclaimed a toast to the health of Louise, his wife and guests. They all drank. The fun has become. Suddenly, one guest - a baker, offered to raise a toast to the health of the people for whom the audience worked. All those present began to bow to one another, since they were clients among themselves. The baker Yurko then suggested that Adriyan should drink to the health of the dead. Laughter arose, offended by the undertaker. The guests left late. Adrian returned home angry and drunk. It seemed to him that the incident was a deliberate mockery of the Germans over his craft. The fact is that the hero considered his work to be in no way inferior to others, arguing that the undertaker is not a brother to the executioner. Adrian then decided to invite his clients to the housewarming. His worker, having learned about this, invited the hero to cross himself.

The final

The story "The Undertaker" in its final part tells the story of how the main character returned from work. I saw a gate opened by someone. Upon entering his house, the undertaker sees a room full of the dead. They are illuminated by the moon shining through the window. With horror, the hero recognized them as former clients. They greeted Adrian. The guests surrounded him with threats. Adrian fell. Lost feelings. In the morning, Adrian recalled the events of yesterday night. As a result, the undertaker realized that the terrible events that frightened him so much were just a dream. Then the hero ordered to call his daughters and set the samovar. So we examined the story "The Undertaker". The history of creation and key plot twists are described in great detail.

Do we not see the coffins every day,
The gray hair of the decrepit universe?

Derzhavin

The last belongings of the undertaker Adrian Prokhorov were heaped onto the funeral cart, and the skinny couple trudged from Basmannaya to Nikitskaya for the fourth time, where the undertaker moved with his whole house. Having locked the shop, he nailed to the gate a notice that the house was for sale and leased, and went on foot to the housewarming. As he approached the yellow house that had seduced his imagination for so long and had finally bought it for a decent sum, the old undertaker felt with surprise that his heart was not happy. Crossing an unfamiliar threshold and finding turmoil in his new dwelling, he sighed about the dilapidated hovel, where for eighteen years everything had been instituted in the strictest order; began to scold both his daughters and the worker for their slowness and began to help them himself. Order was soon established; a kiv with images, a cupboard with dishes, a table, a sofa and a bed occupied certain corners in the back room; the kitchen and living room accommodated the owner's products: coffins of all colors and sizes, as well as cupboards with mourning hats, mantles and torches. Above the gate towered a sign, depicting a burly Cupid with an overturned torch in his hand, with the caption: “Simple and painted coffins are sold and upholstered here, old ones are also rented and repaired”. The girls went to their parlor. Adrian walked around his dwelling, sat down at the window and ordered the samovar to be prepared. The enlightened reader knows that Shakespeare and Walter Scott both presented their grave diggers as cheerful and playful people, so that this opposite would more strongly strike our imagination. Out of respect for the truth, we cannot follow their example and are forced to admit that the temper of our undertaker was perfectly consistent with his gloomy trade. Adrian Prokhorov was usually sullen and thoughtful. He allowed silence only in order to scold his daughters when he found them idly staring out the window at passers-by, or to ask for an exaggerated price for their works from those who had the misfortune (and sometimes pleasure) of needing them. So, Adrian, sitting under the window and drinking his seventh cup of tea, was, as usual, immersed in sad thoughts. He thought of the pouring rain, which, a week before, had met the funeral of the retired brigadier at the very outpost. Many robes have narrowed because of this, many hats warped. He foresaw the inevitable costs, for his old supply of coffin outfits was coming to a miserable state. He hoped to make up for the loss on the old merchant Tryukhina, who had been dying for about a year. But Tryukhina was dying on Razgulyai, and Prokhorov was afraid that her heirs, despite their promise, would not be too lazy to send for him so far and would not bargain with the nearest contractor. These reflections were interrupted inadvertently by three Freemasonry knocks on the door. "Who's there?" The undertaker asked. The door opened, and a man, in whom at first glance one could recognize a German craftsman, entered the room and approached the undertaker with a cheerful look. “Excuse me, my dear neighbor,” he said in that Russian dialect that we can’t hear without laughter, “excuse me for disturbing you ... I wanted to get to know you as soon as possible. I am a shoemaker, my name is Gottlieb Schultz, and I live across the street from you, in this little house that is opposite your windows. Tomorrow I celebrate my silver wedding, and I ask you and your daughters to dine with me like a friend. " The invitation was well received. The undertaker asked the shoemaker to sit down and have a cup of tea, and, thanks to Gottlieb Schultz's open disposition, they soon began to have a friendly conversation. "What is your grace trading?" - Asked Adrian. - "Heh-heh," answered Schultz, "and so and so. I can't complain. Though, of course, my product is not what yours: a living man can do without boots, but a dead man cannot live without a coffin. " “It’s true,” said Adrian; - however, if a living person has nothing to buy a boot, then do not be angry, he walks barefoot; but a beggar dead man takes a coffin for himself free. " Thus the conversation continued with them for a few more time; at last the shoemaker got up and said goodbye to the undertaker, renewing his invitation. The next day, at exactly twelve o'clock, the undertaker and his daughters left the gate of the newly purchased house and went to a neighbor. I will not describe either the Russian caftan of Adrian Prokhorov, or the European outfit of Akulina and Darya, deviating in this case from the custom adopted by today's novelists. I suppose, however, it is not superfluous to note that both girls wore yellow hats and red shoes, which they had only on special occasions. The shoemaker's cramped apartment was filled with guests, mostly German artisans, with their wives and apprentices. Of the Russian officials there was one guard, the Chukhonets Yurko, who knew how to acquire, despite his humble title, the special favor of the owner. For twenty-five years he served in this rank with faith and righteousness, as Pogorelsky's postal. The fire of the twelfth year, having destroyed the capital of the capital, also destroyed its yellow booth. But immediately, after the enemy had been driven out, a new gray one with white columns of the Doric order appeared in her place, and Yurko began to pace around her again. with a poleaxe and in a blanket armor... He was familiar to most of the Germans living near the Nikitsky Gate: some of them even happened to spend the night at Yurka's from Sunday to Monday. Adrian immediately got to know him as a man who sooner or later might happen to be in need, and as the guests went to the table, they sat down together. Mr. and Mrs. Schultz and their daughter, seventeen-year-old Lotchen, having dinner with the guests, all together treated and helped the cook to serve. The beer was pouring out. Yurko ate for four; Adrian did not yield to him; his daughters were repaired; conversation in German grew louder from hour to hour. Suddenly the owner demanded attention and, uncorking a tarred bottle, said loudly in Russian: "To the health of my good Louise!" Half champagne foamed. The host tenderly kissed the fresh face of his forty-year-old friend, and the guests noisily drank the health of good Louise. "To the health of my dear guests!" - proclaimed the owner, opening the second bottle - and the guests thanked him, draining their glasses again. Then health began to follow one after another: they drank the health of each guest in particular, drank the health of Moscow and a whole dozen German towns, drank the health of all workshops in general and each in particular, drank the health of masters and apprentices. Adrian drank with zeal and was so amused that he himself proposed some kind of playful toast. Suddenly one of the guests, a fat baker, raised his glass and exclaimed: "For the health of those for whom we work, unserer Kundleute!" The proposal, like everyone else, was accepted with joy and unanimity. The guests began to bow to each other, the tailor to the shoemaker, the shoemaker to the tailor, the baker to both of them, all to the baker, and so on. Yurko, in the midst of these mutual bows, shouted, turning to his neighbor: “What then? drink, father, to the health of your dead. " Everyone laughed, but the undertaker considered himself offended and frowned. No one noticed this, the guests continued to drink, and were already announcing the message for Vespers when they got up from the table. The guests left late and were mostly tipsy. The fat baker and binder whose face

It seemed in a red morocco binding,

They took Yurka to his booth under the arms, observing in this case the Russian proverb: debt by payment is red. The undertaker came home drunk and angry. “What is it, in fact,” he reasoned aloud, “why is my trade more dishonest than others? is the undertaker the brother of the executioner? why are the bastards laughing? Is the undertaker a gaer Christmastide? I would like to invite them to a housewarming party, to give them a feast like a mountain: in no way will that happen! And I will call those for whom I work: the Orthodox dead. ”“ What are you, father? ”Said the worker who was taking his shoes off at that time. Cross yourself! Summon the dead for a new home! What a passion! " “By God, I’ll convene,” Adrian continued, “for tomorrow too. You are welcome, my benefactors, to feast with me tomorrow night; I will treat you with what God has sent. With this word, the undertaker went to bed and soon began to snore.

It was still dark outside when Adrian was awakened. The merchant's wife Tryukhina died that very night, and a messenger from her clerk rode up to Adrian with this news. The undertaker gave him a dime for vodka, dressed hastily, took a cab and went to Razgulyay. At the gate of the deceased, the police were already standing and the merchants were pacing like crows, smelling the dead body. The deceased lay on the table, yellow as wax, but not yet disfigured by decay. Relatives, neighbors and households crowded around her. All windows were open; the candles were burning; the priests read prayers. Adrian approached Tryukhina's nephew, a young merchant in a fashionable frock coat, announcing to him that the coffin, candles, cover and other funeral accessories would immediately be delivered to him in good condition. The heir thanked him absentmindedly, saying that he did not bargain about the price, but relied on his conscience in everything. The undertaker, as usual, swore that he would not take too much; he exchanged a significant glance with the clerk and went to work. All day I drove from Razgulyai to Nikitsky gate and back; in the evening he settled everything and went home on foot, having released his cab. The night was moonlit. The undertaker safely reached the Nikitsky Gate. At the Ascension, our acquaintance Yurko called him and, recognizing the coffin, wished him good night. It was late. The undertaker was already approaching his house, when suddenly it seemed to him that someone had approached his gate, opened the gate and disappeared into it. “What does that mean? - thought Adrian. - Who needs me again? Isn't it a thief who climbed up to me? Do lovers go to my fools? What good! " And the undertaker was already thinking of calling his friend Yurka for help. At that moment someone else approached the gate and was about to enter, but, seeing the running owner, stopped and took off his triangular hat. His face seemed familiar to Adrian, but in a hurry he did not have time to get a good look at it. “You have come to me,” Adrian said breathlessly, “come in, do mercy.” “Don't stand on ceremony, father,” he answered dully, “go ahead; show your guests the way! " Adrian had no time to stand on ceremony. The gate was open, he went up the stairs, and he followed him. It seemed to Adrian that people were walking about his rooms. “What a devilish thing!” - he thought and hurried to enter ... then his legs gave way. The room was full of dead people. The moon through the windows illuminated their yellow and blue faces, sunken mouths, dull, half-closed eyes and protruding noses ... Adrian with horror recognized in them the people buried by his efforts, and in the guest, who entered with him, the brigadier, buried during the rain. All of them, ladies and men, surrounded the undertaker with bows and greetings, except for one poor man, recently buried by the gift, who, ashamed and ashamed of his rags, did not approach and stood humbly in the corner. The others were all decently dressed: the deceased in caps and ribbons, the corpses of officials in uniforms, but with unshaven beards, merchants in holiday caftans. “You see, Prokhorov,” said the foreman on behalf of the whole honest company, “we all went up to your invitation; there were only those who were left at home who were already unbearable, who had completely collapsed, and who had only bones without skin, but even then one could not resist - he so wanted to visit you ... ”At that moment the small skeleton made its way through the crowd and approached Adrian. His skull smiled affectionately at the undertaker. Scraps of light green and red cloth and dilapidated linen hung here and there, as if on a pole, and the bones of his legs were beating in large boots like pestles in mortars. "You did not recognize me, Prokhorov," said the skeleton. "Do you remember the retired sergeant of the Guard, Pyotr Petrovich Kurilkin, the very one to whom, in 1799, you sold your first coffin - and also a pine one for an oak one?" With this word, the dead man stretched out his bone embrace - but Adrian, mustering his strength, screamed and pushed him away. Pyotr Petrovich staggered, fell and crumbled all over. A murmur of indignation arose among the dead; all stood up for the honor of their comrade, stuck to Adrian with abuse and threats, and the poor master, deafened by their cry and almost crushed, lost his presence of mind, he fell on the bones of a retired sergeant of the guard and fainted. The sun had long been illuminating the bed on which the undertaker lay. Finally he opened his eyes and saw before him a worker blowing up a samovar. Adrian remembered with horror all yesterday's events. Tryukhina, the brigadier and Sergeant Kurilkin vaguely presented themselves to his imagination. He silently waited for the worker to start a conversation with him and announce the consequences of the night's adventures. “How did you fall asleep, father, Adrian Prokhorovich,” Aksinya said, handing him a robe. “A neighbor, a tailor, came to see you, and the local boothman ran in with an announcement that today is a private birthday boy, but you deigned to rest and we didn’t want to wake you up. - Did you come to me from the deceased Tryukhina? - The deceased? Was she dead? - What a fool! Wasn't it you who helped me arrange her funeral yesterday? - What are you, father? Isn't he crazy, or yesterday's hop still hasn't passed? What was the funeral yesterday? You were feasting with a German all day, you came back drunk, fell into bed, and you slept until this hour, when they told you for mass. - Oh! - said the delighted undertaker. - Probably so, - the worker answered. - Well, if so, give me some tea and call your daughters.

Undertaker Adriyan Prokhorov moves from Basmannaya Street to Nikitskaya to a house he has long chosen, but does not feel joy, as the novelty frightens him a little. But soon order in the new dwelling is established, a sign is attached above the gate, Adrian sits at the window and orders the samovar to be brought in.

Drinking tea, he plunged into a sad thought, since by nature he had a gloomy disposition. Life worries confused him. The main concern was that the heirs of the rich merchant Tryukhina, who was dying on Razgulyai, would remember him at the last minute, and not come to an agreement with the nearest contractor. While Adrian indulged in these reflections, a neighbor, a German craftsman, came to visit him. He introduced himself as a shoemaker Gottlieb Schultz, announced that he lived across the street, and invited Adrian to his place the next day on the occasion of his silver wedding. Accepting the invitation, Adrian offered Schultz some tea. The neighbors got to talking and quickly became friends.

At noon the next day, Adrian and his two daughters went to visit the shoemaker. Gottlieb Schultz's friends, German artisans with their wives, gathered in the house. The feast began, the owner proclaimed the health of his wife Louise, and then the health of his guests. Everyone was drinking a lot, the fun grew louder, when suddenly one of the guests, a fat baker, offered to drink to the health of those for whom they work. And all the guests began to bow to each other, for they were all clients of each other: a tailor, a shoemaker, a baker ... Baker Yurko offered Adrian a drink to the health of his dead. There was a general laugh, which offended the undertaker.

We parted late. Adrian returned home drunk and angry. It seemed to him that the incident was a deliberate mockery of the Germans over his craft, which he revered as no worse than others, because the undertaker is not a brother to the executioner. Adrian even decided that he would invite not his new acquaintances to the housewarming, but those for whom he works. In response, his employee suggested that he cross himself. But Adrian liked the idea.

Adriyan was awakened even after dark, as the merchant's clerk Tryukhina galloped up with the message that she had died that night. Adrian went to Razgulyay, and began troubles and negotiations with the relatives of the deceased. Having finished his business, he walked home in the evening. Approaching the house, he noticed that someone had opened his gate and entered it. While Adrian was wondering who it could be, another man came up. His face seemed familiar to Adrian. Upon entering the house, the undertaker saw that the room was full of the dead, illuminated by the moon shining through the window. With horror, the undertaker recognized them as his former clients. They greeted him, and one of them even tried to hug Adriyan, but Prokhorov pushed him away, he fell and crumbled. The other guests surrounded him with threats, and Adrian fell and fainted.

Opening his eyes in the morning, Adrian recalled yesterday's events. The worker said that the neighbors came in to inquire about his health, but she did not wake him up. Adriyan inquired if they had come from the deceased Tryukhina, but the worker was surprised at the words about the merchant's death and said that the undertaker, as he returned from the shoemaker, was drunk and fell asleep, was still asleep until that very minute. It was only then that the undertaker realized that all the terrible events that had so frightened him had taken place in a dream, and ordered the samovar to be set and his daughters called.

Retold