Anton Pavlovich Chekhov 



   The Album

    Kraterov, the titular councillor, as thin  and  slender  as  the  Admiralty 
spire, stepped forward and, addressing Zhmyhov, said: 
    "Your Excellency!  Moved and touched to the bottom of our hearts by the way 
you have ruled us during long years, and by your fatherly care..." 
    "During the course of more than ten years..." Zakusin prompted. 
    "During the course of more than ten years, we, your subordinates,  on  this 
so memorable for us... er... day, beg your Excellency to accept in token of our 
respect and profound gratitude this album with our portraits in it, and express 
our hope that for the duration of your distinguished life, that for long,  long 
years to come, to your dying day you may not abandon us..." 
    "With your fatherly guidance in the path of justice and progress..."  added 
Zakusin, wiping from his brow the perspiration that had  suddenly  appeared  on 
it; he was evidently longing to speak, and in  all  probability  had  a  speech 
ready. "And," he wound up, "may your standard fly for long, long years  in  the 
career of genius, industry, and social self-consciousness." 
    A tear trickled down the wrinkled left cheek of Zhmyhov. 
    "Gentlemen!" he said in a shaking voice, "I did not expect, I had  no  idea 
that you were going to celebrate my modest jubilee... I  am  touched  indeed... 
very much so... I shall not forget this moment to my  dying  day,  and  believe 
me... believe me, friends, that no one  is  so  desirous  of  your  welfare  as 
I am... and if there has been anything... it was for your benefit." 
    Zhmyhov,  the actual civil councillor,  kissed   the   titular   councillor 
Kraterov, who had not expected such an honour, and turned  pale  with  delight. 
Then the chief made a gesture that  signified  that  he  could  not  speak  for 
emotion,  and shed tears as though an expensive album had not been presented to 
him, but on the contrary, taken from him... Then when he had a little recovered 
and said a few more words full of feeling and given everyone his hand to shake, 
he went downstairs amid loud and joyful cheers, got into his carriage and drove 
off, followed by their blessings. As he sat in his carriage  he  was  aware  of 
a flood of joyous feelings such as he had never known before,  and once more he 
shed tears. 
    At home new delights awaited  him.  There  his  family,  his  friends,  and 
acquaintances had prepared him such an ovation that it seemed to  him  that  he 
really had been of very great service to his country, and that if he had  never 
existed his country would perhaps have been in a  very  bad  way.  The  jubilee 
dinner was made up of toasts, speeches, and tears. In short, Zhmyhov had  never 
expected that his merits would be so warmly appreciated. 
    "Gentlemen!" he said before the dessert, "two hours ago I  was  recompensed 
for all the sufferings a man has to undergo who is the servant, so to say,  not 
of routine, not of the letter, but of duty! Through the whole  duration  of  my 
service I have constantly adhered to the principle; - the public does not exist 
for us, but we for the public, and to-day I received  the  highest  reward!  My 
subordinates presented me with an album... see! I was touched." 
    Festive faces bent over the album and began examining it. 
    "It's a pretty album," said Zhmyhov's daughter Olya,  "it  must  have  cost 
fifty roubles, I do believe. Oh, it's charming! You must  give  me  the  album, 
papa, do you hear? I'll take care of it, it's so pretty." 
    After dinner Olya carried off the album to her room and shut it up  in  her 
table drawer. Next day she took the clerks out of it, flung them on the  floor, 
and put her school friends in their place. The government uniforms made way for 
white pelerines. Kolya, his Excellency's little son, picked up the  clerks  and 
painted their clothes red. Those who had no moustaches he presented with  green 
moustaches and added brown beards to the beardless. When there was nothing left 
to paint he cut the little men out of the card-board, pricked their eyes with a 
pin, and began playing soldiers  with  them.  After  cutting  out  the  titular 
councillor Kraterov, he fixed him on a match-box and carried him in that  state 
to his father's study. 
    "Papa, a monument, look!" 
    Zhmyhov burst out laughing, lurched forward,  and,  looking tenderly at the 
child, gave him a warm kiss on the cheek. 
    "There, you rogue, go and show mamma; let mamma look too." 

    1884

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   Notes
    Titular councillor: class 9 in the Civil Service scale. 

    Actual civil councillor:   class  4  on  the  scale,   addressed  by  "Your 
Excellency". 

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