The Cook's Wedding Page #2

"The Cook's Wedding" is a short story by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov that explores themes of love, social status, and the absurdities of human relationships. Set in a rural Russian context, the narrative follows a cook who anxiously prepares for his upcoming wedding, only to confront various complications and misunderstandings. Through Chekhov's signature blend of humor and poignancy, the story reveals the complexities of desire and the often comical nature of life's expectations, while providing a keen observation of character dynamics within the confines of society.

								

kitchen, and there was the sound of whispering till late evening. How
they had scented out the matchmaking, God knows. When Grisha woke in the
night he heard his nurse and the cook whispering together in the
nursery. Nurse was talking persuasively, while the cook alternately
sobbed and giggled. When he fell asleep after this, Grisha dreamed of
Pelageya being carried off by Tchernomor and a witch.

Next day there was a calm. The life of the kitchen went on its
accustomed way as though the cabman did not exist. Only from time to
time nurse put on her new shawl, assumed a solemn and austere air, and
went off somewhere for an hour or two, obviously to conduct
negotiations. . . . Pelageya did not see the cabman, and when his name
was mentioned she flushed up and cried:

"May he be thrice damned! As though I should be thinking of him! Tfoo!"

In the evening mamma went into the kitchen, while nurse and Pelageya
were zealously mincing something, and said:

"You can marry him, of course--that's your business--but I must tell you,
Pelageya, that he cannot live here. . . . You know I don't like to have
anyone sitting in the kitchen. Mind now, remember . . . . And I can't
let you sleep out."

"Goodness knows! What an idea, mistress!" shrieked the cook. "Why do you
keep throwing him up at me? Plague take him! He's a regular curse,
confound him! . . ."

Glancing one Sunday morning into the kitchen, Grisha was struck dumb
with amazement. The kitchen was crammed full of people. Here were cooks
from the whole courtyard, the porter, two policemen, a non-commissioned
officer with good-conduct stripes, and the boy Filka. . . . This Filka
was generally hanging about the laundry playing with the dogs; now he
was combed and washed, and was holding an ikon in a tinfoil setting.
Pelageya was standing in the middle of the kitchen in a new cotton
dress, with a flower on her head. Beside her stood the cabman. The happy
pair were red in the face and perspiring and blinking with
embarrassment.

"Well . . . I fancy it is time," said the non-commissioned officer,
after a prolonged silence.

Pelageya's face worked all over and she began blubbering. . . .

The soldier took a big loaf from the table, stood beside nurse, and
began blessing the couple. The cabman went up to the soldier, flopped
down on his knees, and gave a smacking kiss on his hand. He did the same
before nurse. Pelageya followed him mechanically, and she too bowed down
to the ground. At last the outer door was opened, there was a whiff of
white mist, and the whole party flocked noisily out of the kitchen into
the yard.

"Poor thing, poor thing," thought Grisha, hearing the sobs of the cook.
"Where have they taken her? Why don't papa and mamma protect her?"

After the wedding there was singing and concertina-playing in the
laundry till late evening. Mamma was cross all the evening because nurse
smelt of vodka, and owing to the wedding there was no one to heat the
samovar. Pelageya had not come back by the time Grisha went to bed.

"The poor thing is crying somewhere in the dark!" he thought. "While the
cabman is saying to her 'shut up!'"

Next morning the cook was in the kitchen again. The cabman came in for a
minute. He thanked mamma, and glancing sternly at Pelageya, said:

"Will you look after her, madam? Be a father and a mother to her. And
you, too, Aksinya Stepanovna, do not forsake her, see that everything is
as it should be . . . without any nonsense. . . . And also, madam, if
you would kindly advance me five roubles of her wages. I have got to buy
a new horse-collar."

Again a problem for Grisha: Pelageya was living in freedom, doing as she
liked, and not having to account to anyone for her actions, and all at
once, for no sort of reason, a stranger turns up, who has somehow
acquired rights over her conduct and her property! Grisha was
distressed. He longed passionately, almost to tears, to comfort this
victim, as he supposed, of man's injustice. Picking out the very biggest
apple in the store-room he stole into the kitchen, slipped it into
Pelageya's hand, and darted headlong away.
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