Bonjour and privet to you. Welcome to the second story by Tolstoy. Let's jump in, shall we.

Summary:

It is 1882, and colleagues in the court building find out that Ivan Ilych has died. They think of his lawyer position left open and who would get it. Peter Ivanovich visits his home for the service. Schwartz was already there. Peter crosses himself when he sees the body. Ivan's wife Praskovya invites them to the ceremony.

They sit in the parlor. The butler informs her that the cost of the cemetery plot is 200 rubles. She has to take care of everything herself now. Ivan suffered for three days before he died. Praskovya asks if there's any more money she can get from the state. Not likely. Peter bows to Ivan's young son, daughter, and fiance on the way to the service. He leaves first and joins Fëdor to play cards.

Ivan worked for the Court of Justice. His father Ilya had been a government official in St Petersburg and lived a comfortable life. Ivan was the middle son. His older brother was in the same line of work as his father, and his younger brother was a failure working for the railroad. Ivan went to the School of Law and started working as a civil servant in the province. He was charming and had flings and lovers.

After five years, he was magistrate in another province. The serfs had just been emancipated, and he helped implement the law. He met Praskovya and danced with her at parties. She came from a good family and had a good income, so he decided to marry her. She got pregnant soon after they married and then became jealous of his time. Ivan plotted his escape through his work. They argued all the time. Two of their children died. He moved them to another province.

Ivan didn't get the post as a judge that he wanted. No amount of salary was enough for him. They spent the summer in the country with her brother. Ivan got depressed and planned to leave for Petersburg and ask for a higher position in chancery court. It worked because his friends were in the right positions to help him. Ivan and Praskovya got along now that they had a common purpose to move. He found a suitable house and obsessively furnished it. He fell and bruised his side while hanging curtains.

They had a party and fought over the number and cost of cakes. They were friends with only the best people. Then Ivan's left side hurt and he had a bad taste in his mouth. He picked fights over little household things. Praskovya wished he would die then took it back or she'd lose his income. He saw a doctor who narrowed it down to a floating kidney, catarrh (excess mucus and a cough), or his appendix (wouldn't that be on the right side?). The doctor wouldn't tell him if it was serious or not but gave him a prescription.

The pain and worry took over his life. He consulted more doctors and received other health advice. Praskovya got exasperated and told him to follow the diet and take the meds. His bridge playing friends patronized him and made him feel bad. He was alone in his suffering.

His brother in law came to visit and looked shocked at his appearance. He told his sister that Ivan looked horrible. Ivan visited yet another doctor, this one a friend of Peter Ivanovich. This doctor said it was his vermiform appendix.

Ivan reflected that he might be dying while people in the next room were having fun without him. Praskovya checked on him and lit a candle. She kissed his forehead and said good night. He despised her for it.

Extras

Marginalia

Cretonne: a heavy cotton fabric used for upholstery

Phénix de la famille: the phoenix of the family

Respice finem: consider the end. (This phrase was on his watch chain. Hmm.)

Il faut que jeunesse se passe: Youth must have its fling

Serfs emancipated

De gaieté de coeur: with a light heart

Empress Marya)

Praskovya calls him Jean, which is French for Ivan. (Upper class Russians spoke French amongst themselves in the Csarist era.)

Vermiform: wormlike

A theory as to what his illness was.

See you in two days on October 12 for the rest of the story. Questions are in the comments.