THE BET

BY ANTON P. CHEKHOV
I
It was a dark autumn night. The old anker was !a"ing #rom "orner to
"orner o# his stud$% re"alling to his mind the !art$ he ga&e in the
autumn #i#teen $ears e#ore. There were man$ "le&er !eo!le at the
!art$ and mu"h interesting "on&ersation. The$ talked among other
things o# "a!ital !unishment. The guests% among them not a #ew
s"holars and 'ournalists% #or the most !art disa!!ro&ed o# "a!ital
!unishment. The$ #ound it osolete as a means o# !unishment% un#itted
to a Christian (tate and immoral. (ome o# them thought that "a!ital
!unishment should e re!la"ed uni&ersall$ $ li#e)im!risonment.
*I don+t agree with $ou%* said the host. *I m$sel# ha&e e,!erien"ed
neither "a!ital !unishment nor li#e)im!risonment% ut i# one ma$ 'udge
-a !riori-% then in m$ o!inion "a!ital !unishment is more moral and
more humane than im!risonment. E,e"ution kills instantl$%
li#e)im!risonment kills $ degrees. .ho is the more humane
e,e"utioner% one who kills $ou in a #ew se"onds or one who draws the
li#e out o# $ou in"essantl$% #or $ears/*
*The$+re oth e0uall$ immoral%* remarked one o# the guests% *e"ause
their !ur!ose is the same% to take awa$ li#e. The (tate is not 1od. It
has no right to take awa$ that whi"h it "annot gi&e a"k% i# it should
so desire.*
Among the "om!an$ was a law$er% a $oung man o# aout twent$)#i&e. On
eing asked his o!inion% he said2
*Ca!ital !unishment and li#e)im!risonment are e0uall$ immoral3 ut i#
I were o##ered the "hoi"e etween them% I would "ertainl$ "hoose the
se"ond. It+s etter to li&e somehow than not to li&e at all.*
There ensued a li&el$ dis"ussion. The anker who was then $ounger and
more ner&ous suddenl$ lost his tem!er% anged his #ist on the tale%
and turning to the $oung law$er% "ried out2
*It+s a lie. I et $ou two millions $ou wouldn+t sti"k in a "ell e&en
#or #i&e $ears.*
*I# $ou mean it seriousl$%* re!lied the law$er% *then I et I+ll sta$
not #i&e ut #i#teen.*
*4i#teen5 6one5* "ried the anker. *1entlemen% I stake two millions.*
*Agreed. You stake two millions% I m$ #reedom%* said the law$er.
(o this wild% ridi"ulous et "ame to !ass. The anker% who at that
time had too man$ millions to "ount% s!oiled and "a!ri"ious% was
eside himsel# with ra!ture. 6uring su!!er he said to the law$er
'okingl$2
*Come to $our senses% $oung roan% e#ore it+s too late. Two millions
are nothing to me% ut $ou stand to lose three or #our o# the est
$ears o# $our li#e. I sa$ three or #our% e"ause $ou+ll ne&er sti"k it
out an$ longer. 6on+t #orget either% $ou unha!!$ man% that &oluntar$
is mu"h hea&ier than en#or"ed im!risonment. The idea that $ou ha&e the
right to #ree $oursel# at an$ moment will !oison the whole o# $our
li#e in the "ell. I !it$ $ou.*
And now the anker% !a"ing #rom "orner to "orner% re"alled all this
and asked himsel#2
*.h$ did I make this et/ .hat+s the good/ The law$er loses #i#teen
$ears o# his li#e and I throw awa$ two millions. .ill it "on&in"e
!eo!le that "a!ital !unishment is worse or etter than im!risonment
#or li#e/ No% no5 all stu## and ruish. On m$ !art% it was the
"a!ri"e o# a well)#ed man3 on the law$er+s !ure greed o# gold.*
He re"olle"ted #urther what ha!!ened a#ter the e&ening !art$. It was
de"ided that the law$er must undergo his im!risonment under the
stri"test oser&ation% in a garden wing o# the anker+s house. It was
agreed that during the !eriod he would e de!ri&ed o# the right to
"ross the threshold% to see li&ing !eo!le% to hear human &oi"es% and
to re"ei&e letters and news!a!ers. He was !ermitted to ha&e a musi"al
instrument% to read ooks% to write letters% to drink wine and smoke
toa""o. B$ the agreement he "ould "ommuni"ate% ut onl$ in silen"e%
with the outside world through a little window s!e"iall$ "onstru"ted
#or this !ur!ose. E&er$thing ne"essar$% ooks% musi"% wine% he "ould
re"ei&e in an$ 0uantit$ $ sending a note through the window. The
agreement !ro&ided #or all the minutest details% whi"h made the
"on#inement stri"tl$ solitar$% and it oliged the law$er to remain
e,a"tl$ #i#teen $ears #rom twel&e o+"lo"k o# No&emer 78th% 79:;% to
twel&e o+"lo"k o# No&emer 78th% 799<. The least attem!t on his !art
to &iolate the "onditions% to es"a!e i# onl$ #or two minutes e#ore
the time #reed the anker #rom the oligation to !a$ him the two
millions.
6uring the #irst $ear o# im!risonment% the law$er% as #ar as it was
!ossile to 'udge #rom his short notes% su##ered terril$ #rom
loneliness and oredom. 4rom his wing da$ and night "ame the sound o#
the !iano. He re'e"ted wine and toa""o. *.ine%* he wrote% *e,"ites
desires% and desires are the "hie# #oes o# a !risoner3 esides%
nothing is more oring than to drink good wine alone%* and toa""o
s!oils the air in his room. 6uring the #irst $ear the law$er was sent
ooks o# a light "hara"ter3 no&els with a "om!li"ated lo&e interest%
stories o# "rime and #antas$% "omedies% and so on.
In the se"ond $ear the !iano was heard no longer and the law$er asked
onl$ #or "lassi"s. In the #i#th $ear% musi" was heard again% and the
!risoner asked #or wine. Those who wat"hed him said that during the
whole o# that $ear he was onl$ eating% drinking% and l$ing on his ed.
He $awned o#ten and talked angril$ to himsel#. Books he did not read.
(ometimes at nights he would sit down to write. He would write #or a
long time and tear it all u! in the morning. =ore than on"e he was
heard to wee!.
In the se"ond hal# o# the si,th $ear% the !risoner egan >ealousl$ to
stud$ languages% !hiloso!h$% and histor$. He #ell on these su'e"ts so
hungril$ that the anker hardl$ had time to get ooks enough #or him.
In the s!a"e o# #our $ears aout si, hundred &olumes were ought at
his re0uest. It was while that !assion lasted that the anker re"ei&ed
the #ollowing letter #rom the !risoner2 *=$ dear gaoler% I am writing
these lines in si, languages. (how them to e,!erts. ?et them read
them. I# the$ do not #ind one single mistake% I eg $ou to gi&e orders
to ha&e a gun #ired o## in the garden. B$ the noise I shall know that
m$ e##orts ha&e not een in &ain. The geniuses o# all ages and
"ountries s!eak in di##erent languages3 ut in them all urns the same
#lame. Oh% i# $ou knew m$ hea&enl$ ha!!iness now that I "an understand
them5* The !risoner+s desire was #ul#illed. Two shots were #ired in
the garden $ the anker+s order.
?ater on% a#ter the tenth $ear% the law$er sat immo&ale e#ore his
tale and read onl$ the New Testament. The anker #ound it strange
that a man who in #our $ears had mastered si, hundred erudite &olumes%
should ha&e s!ent nearl$ a $ear in reading one ook% eas$ to
understand and $ no means thi"k. The New Testament was then re!la"ed
$ the histor$ o# religions and theolog$.
6uring the last two $ears o# his "on#inement the !risoner read an
e,traordinar$ amount% 0uite ha!ha>ard. Now he would a!!l$ himsel# to
the natural s"ien"es% then he would read B$ron or (hakes!eare. Notes
used to "ome #rom him in whi"h he asked to e sent at the same time a
ook on "hemistr$% a te,t)ook o# medi"ine% a no&el% and some treatise
on !hiloso!h$ or theolog$. He read as though he were swimming in the
sea among roken !ie"es o# wre"kage% and in his desire to sa&e his
li#e was eagerl$ gras!ing one !ie"e a#ter another.
II
The anker re"alled all this% and thought2
*To)morrow at twel&e o+"lo"k he re"ei&es his #reedom. @nder the
agreement% I shall ha&e to !a$ him two millions. I# I !a$% it+s all
o&er with me. I am ruined #or e&er ...*
4i#teen $ears e#ore he had too man$ millions to "ount% ut now he was
a#raid to ask himsel# whi"h he had more o#% mone$ or dets. 1amling
on the (to"k)E,"hange% risk$ s!e"ulation% and the re"klessness o#
whi"h he "ould not rid himsel# e&en in old age% had graduall$ rought
his usiness to de"a$3 and the #earless% sel#)"on#ident% !roud man o#
usiness had e"ome an ordinar$ anker% tremling at e&er$ rise and
#all in the market.
*That "ursed et%* murmured the old man "lut"hing his head in
des!air... *.h$ didn+t the man die/ He+s onl$ #ort$ $ears old. He will
take awa$ m$ last #arthing% marr$% en'o$ li#e% gamle on the E,"hange%
and I will look on like an en&ious eggar and hear the same words #rom
him e&er$ da$2 +I+m oliged to $ou #or the ha!!iness o# m$ li#e. ?et
me hel! $ou.+ No% it+s too mu"h5 The onl$ es"a!e #rom ankru!t"$ and
disgra"e))is that the man should die.*
The "lo"k had 'ust stru"k three. The anker was listening. In the
house e&er$ one was aslee!% and one "ould hear onl$ the #ro>en trees
whining outside the windows. Tr$ing to make no sound% he took out o#
his sa#e the ke$ o# the door whi"h had not een o!ened #or #i#teen
$ears% !ut on his o&er"oat% and went out o# the house. The garden was
dark and "old. It was raining. A dam!% !enetrating wind howled in the
garden and ga&e the trees no rest. Though he strained his e$es% the
anker "ould see neither the ground% nor the white statues% nor the
garden wing% nor the trees. A!!roa"hing the garden wing% he "alled the
wat"hman twi"e. There was no answer. E&identl$ the wat"hman had taken
shelter #rom the ad weather and was now aslee! somewhere in the
kit"hen or the greenhouse.
*I# I ha&e the "ourage to #ul#il m$ intention%* thought the old man%
*the sus!i"ion will #all on the wat"hman #irst o# all.*
In the darkness he gro!ed #or the ste!s and the door and entered the
hall o# the garden)wing% then !oked his wa$ into a narrow !assage and
stru"k a mat"h. Not a soul was there. (ome one+s ed% with no
ed"lothes on it% stood there% and an iron sto&e loomed dark in the
"orner. The seals on the door that led into the !risoner+s room were
unroken.
.hen the mat"h went out% the old man% tremling #rom agitation% !ee!ed
into the little window.
In the !risoner+s room a "andle was urning diml$. The !risoner
himsel# sat $ the tale. Onl$ his a"k% the hair on his head and his
hands were &isile. O!en ooks were strewn aout on the tale% the two
"hairs% and on the "ar!et near the tale.
4i&e minutes !assed and the !risoner ne&er on"e stirred. 4i#teen
$ears+ "on#inement had taught him to sit motionless. The anker ta!!ed
on the window with his #inger% ut the !risoner made no mo&ement in
re!l$. Then the anker "autiousl$ tore the seals #rom the door and !ut
the ke$ into the lo"k. The rust$ lo"k ga&e a hoarse groan and the door
"reaked. The anker e,!e"ted instantl$ to hear a "r$ o# sur!rise and
the sound o# ste!s. Three minutes !assed and it was as 0uiet inside as
it had een e#ore. He made u! his mind to enter.
Be#ore the tale sat a man% unlike an ordinar$ human eing. It was a
skeleton% with tight)drawn skin% with long "url$ hair like a woman+s%
and a shagg$ eard. The "olour o# his #a"e was $ellow% o# an earth$
shade3 the "heeks were sunken% the a"k long and narrow% and the hand
u!on whi"h he leaned his hair$ head was so lean and skinn$ that it was
!ain#ul to look u!on. His hair was alread$ sil&ering with gre$% and no
one who glan"ed at the senile ema"iation o# the #a"e would ha&e
elie&ed that he was onl$ #ort$ $ears old. On the tale% e#ore his
ended head% la$ a sheet o# !a!er on whi"h something was written in a
tin$ hand.
*Poor de&il%* thought the anker% *he+s aslee! and !roal$ seeing
millions in his dreams. I ha&e onl$ to take and throw this hal#)dead
thing on the ed% smother him a moment with the !illow% and the most
"are#ul e,amination will #ind no tra"e o# unnatural death. But% #irst%
let us read what he has written here.*
The anker took the sheet #rom the tale and read2
*To)morrow at twel&e o+"lo"k midnight% I shall otain m$ #reedom and
the right to mi, with !eo!le. But e#ore I lea&e this room and see the
sun I think it ne"essar$ to sa$ a #ew words to $ou. On m$ own "lear
"ons"ien"e and e#ore 1od who sees me I de"lare to $ou that I des!ise
#reedom% li#e% health% and all that $our ooks "all the lessings o#
the world.
*4or #i#teen $ears I ha&e diligentl$ studied earthl$ li#e. True% I saw
neither the earth nor the !eo!le% ut in $our ooks I drank #ragrant
wine% sang songs% hunted deer and wild oar in the #orests% lo&ed
women... And eauti#ul women% like "louds ethereal% "reated $ the
magi" o# $our !oets+ genius% &isited me $ night and whis!ered to me
wonder#ul tales% whi"h made m$ head drunken. In $our ooks I "limed
the summits o# Elru> and =ont Blan" and saw #rom there how the sun
rose in the morning% and in the e&ening su##used the sk$% the o"ean
and lie mountain ridges with a !ur!le gold. I saw #rom there how ao&e
me lightnings glimmered "lea&ing the "louds3 I saw green #orests%
#ields% ri&ers% lakes% "ities3 I heard s$rens singing% and the !la$ing
o# the !i!es o# Pan3 I tou"hed the wings o# eauti#ul de&ils who "ame
#l$ing to me to s!eak o# 1od... In $our ooks I "ast m$sel# into
ottomless a$sses% worked mira"les% urned "ities to the ground%
!rea"hed new religions% "on0uered whole "ountries...
*Your ooks ga&e me wisdom. All that unwear$ing human thought "reated
in the "enturies is "om!ressed to a little lum! in m$ skull. I know
that I am "le&erer than $ou all.
*And I des!ise $our ooks% des!ise all worldl$ lessings and wisdom.
E&er$thing is &oid% #rail% &isionar$ and delusi&e as a mirage. Though
$ou e !roud and wise and eauti#ul% $et will death wi!e $ou #rom the
#a"e o# the earth like the mi"e underground3 and $our !osterit$% $our
histor$% and the immortalit$ o# $our men o# genius will e as #ro>en
slag% urnt down together with the terrestrial gloe.
*You are mad% and gone the wrong wa$. You take #alsehood #or truth and
ugliness #or eaut$. You would mar&el i# suddenl$ a!!le and orange
trees should ear #rogs and li>ards instead o# #ruit% and i# roses
should egin to reathe the odour o# a sweating horse. (o do I mar&el
at $ou% who ha&e artered hea&en #or earth. I do not want to
understand $ou.
*That I ma$ show $ou in deed m$ "ontem!t #or that $ whi"h $ou li&e% I
wai&e the two millions o# whi"h I on"e dreamed as o# !aradise% and
whi"h I now des!ise. That I ma$ de!ri&e m$sel# o# m$ right to them% I
shall "ome out #rom here #i&e minutes e#ore the sti!ulated term% and
thus shall &iolate the agreement.*
.hen he had read% the anker !ut the sheet on the tale% kissed the
head o# the strange man% and egan to wee!. He went out o# the wing.
Ne&er at an$ other time% not e&en a#ter his terrile losses on the
E,"hange% had he #elt su"h "ontem!t #or himsel# as now. Coming home%
he la$ down on his ed% ut agitation and tears ke!t him a long time
#rom slee!ing...
The ne,t morning the !oor wat"hman "ame running to him and told him
that the$ had seen the man who li&ed in the wing "lim through the
window into the garden. He had gone to the gate and disa!!eared. The
anker instantl$ went with his ser&ants to the wing and estalished
the es"a!e o# his !risoner. To a&oid unne"essar$ rumours he took the
!a!er with the renun"iation #rom the tale and% on his return% lo"ked
it in his sa#e.