Stories of Anton Chekhov: New Translation. Translated by Elena Nikitina.

This book includes: "Rothschild's Violin", "The Man in a Case", "A Conversation of a Drunk with a Sober Imp", "Life in Questions and Exclamations".

"Rothschild's Violin"
This story will not amuse you, will not cheer you up, but it will make you stop for a moment and look back at your life from a different angle. The coffin-maker Yakov is shocked by his wife's illness, with whom he lived for 52 years. An understanding suddenly came to him that the woman had never seen love or affection from him for the entire time of family life. But only accusations and abuse. The husband, who fell into extreme stinginess, forbade her to drink tea, and the unfortunate woman was forced to drink empty boiling water. Her whole life was spent in work and utmost need in the tiny hut where Yakov stored, ready for sale, coffins. Yakov feels acute pity for his wife and even takes her to the doctor. But it's too late...

"The Man in a Case"
The story is about the Greek teacher Belikov, who teaches at the gymnasium and looks very strange - he is always dressed in galoshes and a coat, regardless of the weather. Belikov has a constant and irresistible desire to wrap himself in something and create a case that would isolate him from the world and protect him from external influences. One day something completely unexpected happens to him. New geography and history teacher comes to the gymnasium, who has a cheerful sister Varenka...

"A Conversation of a Drunk with a Sober Imp"
The story is a miniature describing the meeting of a retired collegiate secretary, Lakhmatov, who was pretty drunk, with the imp who suddenly appeared at night.

"Life In Questions and Exclamations"
The short story is written in an unusual form of a collection of key phrases--memoirs for each stage of a man's life: childhood, adolescence, youth, the period "between 20 and 30 years", "between 30-50 years", and old age.