What do Chelkash and Gavrila have in common? Comparative characteristics of Chelkash and Gavrila in the story of Chelkash Gorky. Essay about Gavrila from the work Chelkash


The story "Chelkash" was written in 1894. M. Gorky heard this story in Nikolaev, when he was in the hospital, from a neighbor in the ward. Its publication took place in 1895 in the June issue of the magazine “Russian Wealth”. This article will analyze the work “Chelkash”.

Introductory part

At the port, under the hot sun, the porters laid out their simple and simple food. The well-worn thief Grishka Chelkash approached them and learned that his friend and constant partner Mishka had broken his leg. This somewhat puzzled Gregory, because that night there was a profitable business ahead. He looked around and saw a stocky village guy, broad-shouldered, with blue eyes. He looked innocent. Chelkash quickly met Gavrila and persuaded him to take part in the night adventure. Familiarity with the story is required for the analysis of the work “Chelkash” to be clear.

Night voyage

At night, Gavrila, shaking with fear, sat on the oars, and Chelkash ruled. Finally they reached the wall. Grigory took the oars, passport and knapsack from his cowardly partner, and then disappeared. Chelkash appeared suddenly and handed his partner something heavy, oars and his things. Now we need to return to the harbor without falling under the lights of the patrol customs cruiser. Gavrila almost lost consciousness from fear. Chelkash gave him a good kick, sat down on the oars, and put Gavrila behind the wheel. They arrived without incident and quickly fell asleep. In the morning, Gregory woke up first and left. When he returned, he woke up Gavrila and gave him his share. Knowledge of the action taking place in the story will help to analyze the work “Chelkash”.

Denouement

When Chelkash was counting out the money, he was unpleasantly struck by the greedy village guy. The peasant begs to give him everything. The hero, with disgust for such greed, threw away the money. Gavrila began collecting them and telling them that he wanted to kill his accomplice because of them.

Grishka simply went wild, took the money from him and went. The stone whistled and hit Chelkash in the head. He fell onto the sand, motionless. The peasant, horrified at what he had done, ran to revive his partner. When Grishka came to his senses, he took a hundred for himself and gave the rest to Gavrila. They went in different directions. Now, having familiarized ourselves with the content of the story, we can analyze the work “Chelkash”.

Heroes: Chelkash and Gavrila

The spirit of romance and connection with nature permeates all the early works of M. Gorky. Chelkash is free from the laws of society.

He is a thief and a homeless drunk. Long, bony, stooped, he looks like a steppe hawk. Chelkash is in an excellent mood - he will earn money at night.

Gavrila, a strong village guy, returns home. He made no money in Kuban. He is in a sad mood.

Gorky describes in detail the thoughts of each of them before they agree on the robbery at night. Chelkash is a proud person; he remembers his former life, his wife, and his parents. His thoughts wander to the downtrodden country boy he can help. The main character loves the sea immensely. In his element, he feels free, and thoughts of the past do not bother him there. We are looking at the heroes of the story “Chelkash” (Gorky). An analysis of the work without their characters will not be complete.

Gavrila

Gavrila is not like that. He is immensely afraid of the sea, the darkness, and possible capture. He is cowardly and greedy. These qualities push him to an outright crime when in the morning he saw big money for the first time in his life. First, Gavrila falls to her knees in front of Chelkash, begging for money, because he is just a “vile slave.”

The main character, feeling disgust, pity and hatred for the little soul, throws him all the money. Upon learning that Gavrila wanted to kill him, Chelkash becomes furious. This is the first time he's been so angry. Gregory takes the money and leaves. Gavrila, unable to control her greed, seeks to kill her accomplice, but this makes the insignificant soul afraid. He again begs for forgiveness from the main character - a man of a broad soul. Chelkash throws money to the pathetic Gavrila. He staggers and leaves forever. Having examined the main characters, you can analyze the story as a whole.

Analysis of the work “Chelkash” (Maxim Gorky)

First there is a detailed description of the port and its life. Then the heroes appear. Gorky emphasizes cold gray eyes and nose, humpbacked and predatory, and a proud free disposition. Gavrila is a good-natured guy who believes in God, and, as it turns out, is ready to do anything for money. At first it seems that the villain Chelkash is forcing the simple-minded Gavrila to turn from the straight path onto the thieves' path. The sea is an important and significant component of the story. It reveals the nature of the heroes.

Chelkash loves its strength, power, vastness and freedom. Gavrila is afraid of him, prays and asks Gregory to let him go. The peasant becomes especially frightened when searchlights illuminate the distance of the sea. He takes the light of the ship as a symbol of retribution and makes himself a promise to order a prayer service to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. In the morning, a drama plays out due to the greed that has gripped Gavrila. It seemed to him that Chelkash gave him little money. He is on the verge of murder, and no thoughts about God bother him. Wounded by him, Chelkash disgustedly gives away almost all the money, which Gavrila quickly hides. All traces of blood are washed away by the rain. Water is unable to wash away the dirt from the soul of Gavrila, who fears God. Gorky tells how the peasant loses his human image, how low a creature who considers himself human falls when it comes to profit. The story is built on the principles of antithesis. This is where Chelkash ends. The work is briefly analyzed.

Gavrila is one of the main characters in Maxim Gorky's story "Chelkash". He is a stocky, broad-shouldered peasant guy with trusting blue eyes.

At the beginning of the work, Gavrila returns from the Kuban mowing, where he dreamed of making money, but he failed. Now the young man has no choice but to become a “son-in-law” and “farm laborer” to his wealthy father-in-law.

But the guy doesn’t want to do this. Therefore, Gavrila accepts Chelkash’s offer to go “fishing” with enthusiasm. Having learned during the trip that he agreed to become the thief’s accomplice, the guy is very scared, but he is even more afraid of the tramp’s anger, therefore, like a slave, he follows all the instructions of his “master.”

But then greed awakens in the naive Gavril. Having received his share, the guy is no longer afraid of “ruining his soul,” but intends to continue stealing. Moreover, he tries to take money from Chelkash and almost kills him with a stone.

But still, the young man did not completely lose his conscience. Having injured the tramp, he sincerely repents of what he has done, but it is too late. Having given Gavrila his “dirty” money, Chelkash leaves with contempt, leaving the guy alone on the shore.


Most of M. Gorky's works are written in the style of realism, but his early stories have a romantic spirit. The main characters of these stories live in close connection with nature. The writer identifies nature and man. In his works, he gives preference to people who are free from the laws of society. These heroes have interesting views and behavior. The main character always has an antagonist - a hero who has an opposite view of the world. A conflict arises between these characters, which forms the basis of the work; it reveals the plot of the work.

Like most of Gorky's stories, "Chelkash" tells about human relationships; the work depicts nature and its relationship with the mental state of the characters.

The events that Gorky talks about in Chelkash took place on the seashore, in a port city. The main characters are Chelkash and Gavrila. These characters are opposed to each other. Chelkash is a rather middle-aged thief and drunkard who does not have his own home. Gavrila is a young peasant who came to these places after a failed attempt to find a job to earn money.

Grishka Chelkash is known to everyone in the port as an avid drunkard and a clever thief. His appearance was similar to other “tramp figures” encountered in the port, but he was surprising in his resemblance to the “steppe hawk”. He was a “long, bony, slightly stooped” man, “with a humpbacked predatory nose and cold gray eyes.” He had a thick and long brown mustache that “twitched every now and then”; he kept his hands clasped behind his back and constantly rubbed them, nervously twisting his long, crooked and tenacious fingers. At first glance, his gait was calm, but vigilant, like the flight of a bird, which Chelkash’s entire appearance was reminiscent of.

Chelkash lived in the port as a theft, sometimes his deals were successful and then he had money, which he immediately drank away.

Chelkash and Gavrila met when Chelkash was walking along the harbor and thinking about how he could carry out the “task” that lay ahead that night. His partner broke his leg, which greatly complicated the whole matter. Chelkash was very annoyed.

Gavrila was returning home after a failed attempt to earn some money in the Kuban. He also had reason to be upset - after his father’s death, he could only get out of poverty in one way - “to become a son-in-law in a good home,” which meant becoming a farm laborer.

Chelkash quite by chance saw a young, strong guy, dressed in a tattered red cap, shod in bast shoes and sitting right next to the sidewalk.

Chelkash touched the guy, got into conversation with him and unexpectedly decided to take him with him to the “case”.

The meeting of the heroes is described by Gorky in detail. We hear the conversation, inner experiences and thoughts of each character. The author pays special attention to Chelkash, noticing every detail, the slightest change in the behavior of his character. These are reflections about his former life, about the peasant boy Gavril, who, by the will of fate, found himself in his “wolf’s paws.” Either he feels dominance over someone, while feeling proud of himself, then his mood changes, and he wants to scold or hit Gavrila, then suddenly he wants to feel sorry for him. He once had a house, a wife, and parents, but then he turned into a thief and an inveterate drunkard. However, to the reader he does not seem to be a complete person. We see in him a proud and strong nature. Despite the fact that he has an unpresentable appearance, the hero has an extraordinary personality. Chelkash can find an approach to everyone, he can come to an agreement with everyone. It has its own special relationship to the sea and nature. Being a thief, Chelkash loves the sea. The author even compares his inner world to the sea: “a seething nervous nature,” he was greedy for impressions, looking at the sea, he experienced a “broad warm feeling” that covered his entire soul and cleansed it of everyday filth. Among the water and air, Chelkash felt the best, there his thoughts about life, and, indeed, life itself lost value and poignancy.

We see Gavrila completely differently. First, we are presented with a “downtrodden”, distrustful village guy, and then a slave, scared to death. After the successful completion of the “case,” when Gavrila saw big money for the first time in his life, it seemed to “break through” him. The author describes the feelings overwhelming Gavrila very vividly. Undisguised greed becomes visible to us. Immediately, compassion and pity for the village boy disappeared. When, falling to his knees, Gavrila began to beg Chelkash to give him all the money, the reader saw a completely different person - a “vile slave” who had forgotten about everything, wanting only to beg more money from his master. Feeling acute pity and hatred for this greedy slave, Chelkash throws all the money at him. At this moment he feels like a hero. He is sure that he will never become like that, despite the fact that he is a thief and a drunkard.

However, after Gavrila’s words that he wanted to kill Chelkash and throw him into the sea, he experiences burning rage. Chelkash takes the money, turns his back to Gavrila and leaves.

Gavrila could not survive this; he grabbed a stone and threw it at Chelkash’s head. Seeing what he had done, he again began to beg for forgiveness.

And in this situation Chelkash was superior. He realized that Gavrila had a mean and petty soul, and threw the money right in his face. Gavrila at first looked after Chelkash, who was staggering and holding his head, but then he sighed, as if freed, crossed himself, hid the money and headed in the opposite direction.

Chelkash and Gavrila – victims of the capitalist world?

(Based on the story “Chelkash” by M. Gorky)

Petrova Natalia Nikolaevna,

teacher at Kamennikovskaya school

Rybinsk district

Lesson: traditional.

Lesson type: learning new material

Goal: using the example of M. Gorky’s story “Chelkash” to show the injustice of a society where money rules, as well as the unpredictability of our lives, false and real, that often a person with a certain appearance does not correspond to his inner “content”.

Textbook: G.V.Moskvin, N.N.Puryaeva, E.L.Erokhina. Literature: 7th grade: Textbook-reader for general education institutions: in 2 hours. Part 2. - M.: Ventana-Graf, 2010.

Lesson summary: a traditional lesson using techniques from critical thinking technology: clusters, comparison table, forecasting, syncwines; different types of work with text are practiced, the ability to express one’s point of view with reason, to find the necessary facts and episodes in the text, to analyze key episodes of the story, and the moral rules of human society are instilled: honesty, sincerity, nobility. Preliminary homework: reading an article about M. Gorky (p. 198-199), reading the story “Chelkash” (preface and part 1).

During the classes:

    Checking d/z. Independently reading an article about Gorky at home makes it possible to answer questions A p. 198 and B1 p. 199, as well as predict the plot and features of the story “Chelkash”. Discussion.

    Discussion of the part of the story “Chelkash” read at home.

Where does the action take place? What time? Label the colors and sounds.

How did you understand the phrase – the first sentence of the third paragraph (a hymn to trade).

The harbor means ships with goods and the people who work here. Let's divide into groups and characterize them by filling in the clusters: “Steamboats” and “People”.

Discussion of the result. – What artistic techniques does Gorky use to create more expressive images? Examples? Why is he doing this? (The details of the picture create the feeling that work here is not pleasure, but slave labor; a feeling of hopelessness, injustice...).

Why does the author call the comparison of ships and people “cruel irony”? (people, on the one hand, are creators, they created such giant steamships, they conduct trade, it seems there should be money, but, on the other hand, they are beggars, have nothing, “what people created enslaved and depersonalized them”).

What does this description give us, the readers? What feelings do you experience and what do you anticipate? (a tense feeling, something terrible, bad will happen next; in such a situation nothing bright can happen...).

Grishka Chelkash, the main character of the story, appears in the very first lines of the first chapter. Remember his description: appearance, who he resembles, gait, speech, etc. What words does Gorky emphasize? For what? Express your first opinion about the hero.

For the first time here in the story the words appear tramps, tramps. How do you understand?

How do Grishka’s dialogues with other workers and the port guard help us understand his character?

At the same time, a comparison table is filled in (reception from the RKMChP technology):

Grishka Chelkash

Matching lines

Character traits

Attitude towards others

Attitude of others

In the same chapter we meet another hero of the story - Gavrila. Let’s supplement the table by quoting and recalling facts from the part we read concerning the personality of this hero.

How does part 1 end? Re-read Chelkash's internal monologue. What can you say about him? Your attitude?

    Part 2. independent reading in class. Discussion.

What is this part about?

How do characters behave in the same situation?

What else do we learn about the heroes? What can you add to the table?

What is your attitude towards both characters? Is it changing?

    Part 3. The last part remains. It is done. We confirmed to ourselves that Chelkash is a thief, experienced, brave, always thinking about everything, but risking for the sake of big money, for the sake of rest and entertainment that will come later. The attitude of most of you towards him is negative, and this is understandable. The attitude towards Gavrila is different. The hulk, a hard-working peasant, having become friends with Chelkash, broke the law, became a thief, an accomplice. We sincerely feel sorry for him, we worry about him: lest his good intentions end in tears (after all, we know the “predatory” Grishka!).

Reading aloud part 3 (the “reading with stops” technique from the RKMChP technology)

1) to p. 222 to the question “What is this bothering you”?

So what action of the heroes did Gorky leave us with at the end?

Money. What is the attitude of our heroes towards them? What are their actions? Compare. What is your attitude to what is happening?

2) before the words “...Give them to me!”

Did you expect this?

Re-read the words describing the state of Gavrila and Chelkash. Conclusion?

What do you think Chelkash will do?

3) until the end of the story.

Express your attitude to what is happening. What was expected and what was not?

And one more point that cannot be missed in the story: this is the sea. We see his description throughout the entire story. What meaning does it carry? (location of action, emphasizes the character of the main character...). Why do the last lines of the story end with a seascape again?

5. Conclusions.

What are the themes and problems of Gorky's story?

Let's return to the topic of our lesson: can you confirm once again that both Chelkash and Gavrila are victims of the capitalist world?

What features of Gorky’s early stories have we become familiar with?

6. D/z: 1) draw up a story plan (optional - quotation); 2) written reasoning – p.228 question B 10; 3) optional - syncwines.

"CRUEL IRONY"

“WHAT PEOPLE CREATED HAS enslaved and dehumanized them”


First of all, it is worth noting that Gorky’s early work (90s of the 19th century) was created under the sign of “collecting” the truly human: “I recognized people very early and from my youth began to invent Man in order to satiate my thirst for beauty. Wise people... convinced me that I had invented a bad consolation for myself. Then I went to people again and - it’s so clear! “from them I return again to Man,” Gorky wrote at that time.
Stories from the 1890s can be divided into two groups: some of them are based on fiction - the author uses legends or composes them himself; others draw characters and scenes from the real lives of tramps.
The story “Chelkash” is based on a real incident. Later, the writer recalled the tramp who served as the prototype for Chelkash. Gorky met this man in a hospital in the city of Nikolaev (Khersones). “I was amazed at the good-natured mockery of the Odessa tramp, who told me the incident I described in the story “Chelkash”. I remember well his smile, revealing his magnificent white teeth - the smile with which he concluded the story about the treacherous act of the guy he hired ... "
So, in the story there are two main characters: Chelkash and Gavrila. Both are tramps, poor, both village men, of peasant origin, accustomed to work. Chelkash met this guy by chance, on the street. Chelkash recognized “one of his own” in him: Gavrila was “wearing the same pants, bast shoes and a tattered red cap.” He was of heavy build. Gorky several times draws our attention to large blue eyes, looking trustingly and good-naturedly. With psychological precision, the guy defined Chelkash’s “profession” - “we cast nets along dry banks, over barns, over whips.”
I believe that Gorky contrasts Chelkash with Gavril. Chelkash at first “despised”, and then “hated” the guy for his youth, “clean blue eyes”, healthy tanned face, short strong arms, because he has his own house in the village, that he wants to start a family, but most importantly , as it seems to me, this is that Gavrila has not yet known the life that this experienced man leads, because he dares to love freedom, which he does not know the price of, and which he does not need.
Chelkash seethed and shuddered from the insult inflicted by the guy, from the fact that he dared to object to an adult man.
Gavrila was very afraid to go fishing, because this was his first business of this kind. Chelkash was calm as always, he was amused by the guy’s fear, and he enjoyed it and reveled in what a formidable person he, Chelkash, was.
Chelkash rowed slowly and evenly, Gavrila rowed quickly and nervously. This speaks of strength of character. Gavrila is a beginner, that’s why his first hike is so difficult for him, for Chelkash this is just another hike, a common thing. This is where the negative side of a man comes into play: he doesn’t show patience and doesn’t understand the guy, he yells at him and intimidates him. However, on the way back, a conversation began, during which Gavrila asked the man: “What are you now without land?” These words made Chelkash think, pictures of his childhood, the past, the life that was before the thieves surfaced. The conversation fell silent, but Chelkash even smelled of the village from Gavrila’s silence. These memories made me feel alone, torn out, thrown out of that life.
It is important to mention the fact that the climax of the story is the scene of a fight over money. Gavrila was attacked by greed, he became scary, an incomprehensible excitement moved him. Greed took possession of the young man, who began to demand all the money. Chelkash perfectly understood the condition of his ward, went to meet him halfway and gave him the money.
But Gavrila acted basely, cruelly, humiliated Chelkash, saying that he was an unnecessary person and that no one would have missed him if Gavrila had killed him. This, naturally, hit Chelkash’s self-esteem; anyone in his place would have done the same.
Chelkash is undoubtedly a positive hero; Gorky puts Gavrila in contrast to him.
It is worth noting that Chelkash, despite the fact that he leads a riotous lifestyle and steals, would never have acted as basely as this guy. It seems to me that the main things for Chelkash are life and freedom, and he would not tell anyone that his life is worthless. Unlike the young man, he knows the joys of life and, most importantly, life and moral values.

Reference material for schoolchildren:

Maxim Gorky is a famous writer, poet and prose writer. Real name: Alexey Maksimovich Gorky.
Years of life: 1868 - 1936.
The most famous works:
1899 — “Foma Gordeev”
1900-1901 - “Three”
1906 - “Mother” (second edition - 1907)
1900 - “Man. Essays" (remained unfinished; the third chapter was not published during the author’s lifetime)
1908 - “The Life of an Useless Man.”
1908 — “Confession”
1909 — “Summer”
1913-1914 - “Childhood”
1915-1916 - “In People”
1895 - “Chelkash”, “Old Woman Izergil”.
1912-1917 - “Across Rus'” (cycle of stories)
1902 - “At the Bottom”
1922 - “On the Russian peasantry.”

“The blue southern sky, darkened by dust, is cloudy; the hot sun looks into the greenish sea, as if through a thin gray veil; it is almost not reflected in the water... Vanity and confusion reign in the port. People seem insignificant in this noise. What they created enslaved and depersonalized them.” The line of porters carrying thousands of pounds of bread in order to earn a few pounds of bread for food was ridiculous and pathetic. The noise was overwhelming and the dust irritating to the nostrils. At the sound of the gong, lunch began.
The movers sat in a circle, laying out their simple food. Now among them appeared Grishka Chelkash, an old poisoned wolf, well known to those present, an inveterate drunkard and a clever, brave thief. “He was barefoot, in old, worn out corduroy pants, without a hat, in a dirty cotton shirt with a torn collar, revealing his dry and angular bones, covered in brown leather. It was clear from his tousled black and gray hair and his crumpled, sharp, predatory face that he had just woken up. He walked, casting sharp glances around. Even in this crowd, he stood out sharply due to his resemblance to a steppe hawk, his predatory thinness and this aiming gait, smooth and calm in appearance, but internally excited and vigilant, as old as the bird of prey that he resembled.”
He spoke abruptly and sharply to those who addressed him, and was probably not in a good mood. Suddenly, a watchman blocked Chelkash’s path. Chelkash asked him about his friend Mishka, and he replied that Mishka’s leg was crushed with a “cast iron bayonet” and he was taken to the hospital. The watchman escorted Chelkash out of the gate, but he was in a great mood: “A solid income was ahead of him, requiring a little labor and a lot of dexterity.” He was already dreaming about how he would go on a spree tomorrow morning, when there would be money in his pocket. But Chelkash couldn’t cope alone, without a partner, and Mishka broke his leg. Chelkash looked around and saw a village guy with a bag at his feet. “The guy was stocky, broad-shouldered, fair-haired, with a tanned and weather-beaten face and large blue eyes that looked at Chelkash trustingly and good-naturedly.”
The guy started talking to Chelkash, and he immediately liked him. The guy asked about Chelkash’s occupation: shoemaker or tailor? Chelkash said that he was a fisherman. The guy started talking about freedom, and Chelkash was surprised, why does the guy need freedom? The peasant said: his father died, the farm was exhausted. Of course, he can go to Primaki in a rich house, but these are years of working for his father-in-law. If he had one hundred and fifty rubles, he would get back on his feet and live independently. And now there is nothing to do but become a son-in-law. I went to Kuban to mow, but I didn’t earn anything, they paid me a pittance.
Suddenly Chelkash invited the guy to work with him at night. When the peasant asked what to do, Chelkash answered: row. Chelkash, who had previously despised the guy, suddenly hated him “because he has such clear blue eyes, a healthy tanned face, short strong arms, because a wealthy man invites him to be his son-in-law - for his entire life, past and future , and most of all because he, this child, compared to him, Chelkash, dares to love freedom, which he does not know the price of and which he does not need. It is always unpleasant to see that a person whom you consider inferior and inferior to you loves or hates the same things as you, and thus becomes like you.” The guy agreed because he really came to look for work. They met. The guy's name was Gavrila. They went to a tavern located in a dirty and damp basement.
Gavrila quickly became drunk and wanted to say something nice to Chelkash. Chelkash looked at the guy and thought that he had the power to turn his life around, break it like a playing card, or help it settle into a strong peasant framework. Finally, Chelkash realized that he felt sorry for the little one and needed him. Drunk Gavrila fell asleep in a tavern.
At night they prepared the boat for going out to sea. The night is dark, the whole sky is overcast. And the sea is calm. Gavrila rowed, Chelkash drove the wheel. Chelkash asks Gavrila if he likes being at sea, he is a little scared. But Chelkash loves the sea. At sea, a wide, warm feeling rises in him - embracing his entire soul, it slightly cleanses it of everyday filth. He appreciates this and loves to see himself as the best here, among the water and air. Gavrila asks where the tackle is, and Chelkash nods towards the stern, and then gets angry that he has to lie to the guy; he angrily advises Gavrila to row - he was hired for this. They were heard and called out, but Chelkash threatened Gavrila to tear him apart if he made a sound. There was no chase, and Chelkash calmed down. And Gavrila prays and asks to let him go. Out of fright, he cries and sniffles in the darkness, but the boat quickly moves forward. Chelkash orders to leave the oars and, leaning his hands on the wall, moves forward.
Chelkash takes the oars and Gavrila’s knapsack with his passport so that he does not run away, orders the little one to wait in the boat, and he suddenly disappears. Gavrila was seized with horror, even greater than under Chelkash; it seemed to him that he was about to die. Suddenly Chelkash appeared, handing the guy something cubic and heavy, oars, Gavrila’s knapsack, and he himself jumped into the boat. Gavrila joyfully greeted Chelkash, asked if he was tired, not without that, Chelkash answered. He is satisfied with the loot, now he needs to sneak back unnoticed, and then get your money, Gavrila. The guy rows with all his might, wanting to quickly finish this dangerous work and run away from the scary man while he’s still alive. Chelkash warns that there is one dangerous place, it must be passed unnoticed and silently, because if they notice, they can kill you with a gun. Gavrila was seized with horror, he was ready to scream at the top of his lungs, but then he fell off the bench. Chelkash angrily whispered that the customs cruiser was illuminating the harbor with a lantern, and if it illuminated them, they would die. We must row. With a kick, Chelkash brought Gavrila to his senses, reassured him that they were catching smugglers, but they were not noticed, they swam far away, the danger was over. "It's the end of everything..."
Chelkash sat on the oars, and Gavrila took the helm. The tramp tried to encourage the guy with good money. He promised Gavrila a quarter, but he just wanted to get to the shore alive - there were no more desires.
Chelkash asks Gavrila what joy he has in village life. Here is his life, full of danger, and in one night he “grabbed” half a thousand. Gavrila was struck by the amount named by Chelkash. To calm the guy down, Chelkash started talking about the village. He wanted to get Gavrila to talk, but he got carried away and began to tell him that the peasant is his own master if he has at least a piece of land. Gavrila even forgot who he was dealing with. He imagined that in front of him was a peasant. Gavrila said that Chelkash is speaking correctly; Here he is, Chelkash, lifted off the ground and what he has become! Chelkash was hurt by this guy’s speech. He abruptly interrupted Gavrila, saying that all this was not serious. He doesn't mean what he says. Angry at the guy, Chel-kash put him back on the oars, barely restraining himself so as not to throw the guy into the water. Sitting at the stern, Chelkash remembered his parents, his wife Anfisa, and himself as a guards soldier. Waking up from his memories, he said that he would hand over the cargo and receive five hundred. They quickly approached the barge and even bumped into its side, climbed onto the deck, and Gavrila immediately began snoring, and Chelkash, sitting next to him, tried on someone’s boot. Then he stretched out and fell asleep.
He woke up first. Chelkash climbed up from the hold and returned only two hours later. He was wearing leather pants and a jacket. The suit is shabby, but strong and suits Chelkash very well. The awakened Gavrila was at first frightened, not recognizing the transformed Chelkash. The guy looked at Chelkash with admiration, calling him a master, and he, laughing at Gavrila’s nightly fears, asked if he was ready to try his luck again for two hundred rubles. Gavrila agrees. Chelkash laughs at the guy who easily succumbed to temptation. They got into the boat and swam to the shore. Chelkash realized that by nightfall a “good storm” would break out. Gavrila impatiently asks Chelkash how much he received for the goods. Chelkash takes out a stack of rainbow-colored bills from his pocket. Gavrila, looking at them with greedy eyes, says that she does not believe in the possibility of receiving such a sum.
“If only I had that kind of money!” - and he sighed dejectedly. And at that time Chelkash carefreely dreamed out loud how they would walk together on the shore. Chelkash does not need such a huge amount of money; he gave several pieces of paper to Gavrila. He hastily hid them in his bosom. The tramp was unpleasantly struck by Gavrila’s greed. And the guy began excitedly talking about what he would do if he had that kind of “money.” They reached the shore. Chelkash had the look of a man who had something very pleasant in mind. He smiled slyly.
Chelkash was surprised by Gavrila’s condition, he even asked the guy: “What’s making you cringe?” In response, Gavrila laughed, but the laughter was like a sob. Chelkash waved his hand and walked away. Gavrila caught up with him, grabbed him by the legs and pulled him. Chelkash fell on the sand and wanted to hit Gavrila, but stopped, listening to the guy’s bashful whisper: “Darling! Give me this money! Give, for Christ's sake! After all, in one night... You throw them into the wind, and I would into the ground!.. Do me a good deed... You are lost... there is no way for you.”
Chelkash looked at the guy with disgust, then took money out of his pocket and threw it to Gavrila. “Here, eat!” Chelkash felt like a hero. He was surprised that a person could torture himself so much for money. Gavrila, squealing in delight, collected money and began to say that he wanted to kill his partner. Chelkash jumped up and shouted: “Give me the money!” Then he knocked Gavrila down and took his money. Turning his back to the guy, Chelkash walked away. But he had not walked even five steps when Gavrila threw a large stone at him. Chelkash turned to face Gavrila and fell face first into the sand, clutching his head. Gavrila rushed away, but soon returned. The guy shook Chelkash, trying to lift him up, calling him brother. Chelkash, who woke up, chased Gavrila away, but he did not leave, asked to forgive him, said that the devil had misled him, picked Chelkash up and led him, supporting him by the waist. Chelkash was angry, saying that the guy didn’t even know how to fornicate.
Chelkash asked if Gavrila had taken the money, but he said that he had not. Chelkash took a wad of money out of his pocket, put one hundred in his pocket, and gave the rest of the money to Gavrila.
Gavrila refused, saying that he would take it only if Chelkash forgives him. Chelkash reassured him:
“Take it! Take it! It didn’t work for nothing! Take it, don't be afraid! Don't be ashamed that you almost killed a man! Nobody will punish people like me. They will also say thank you when they find out. Here, take it!”
Gavrila, seeing Chelkash laugh, took the money.
The rain was already pouring down in buckets. They said goodbye and went in different directions. Chelkash carried his head as if “he was afraid of losing it.” Gavrila looked after him for a long time until he disappeared behind a veil of rain. Then Gavrila sighed, crossed himself, hid the money and with wide, firm steps walked in the opposite direction from Chelkash.
“Soon the rain and splashes of the waves washed away the red spot in the place where Chelkash lay, washed away the traces of Chelkash and the traces of the young guy on the coastal sand... And on the deserted seashore there was nothing left in memory of the little drama that played out between two people.”


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