White Nights

A young man of twenty-six years - a petty official, living for eight years in St. Petersburg, the 1840 's., in one of the apartment buildings along the Catherine Canal, in a room with cobwebs and dingy walls. After the service, his favorite activity - walking around the city. He notices passersby and houses, some of them are his "friends." However, among the people he has almost no friends. He is poor and lonely. Sadly, he makes sure that the residents of St. Petersburg are going to the country. He is going nowhere. Going out of town, he enjoys the northern spring nature, which is similar to "stunted and sickly," Man, for a moment to do "wonderful wonderful."

Returning home at ten in the evening, he watches at the gate channel female figure and heard sobbing. Sympathy prompts him to get acquainted, but the girl runs away in fright. By trying to stick her drunk, and only "Suchkov stick" which was in the hand of the hero saves the pretty stranger. They talk to each other. The young man admits that before he knew only "housewives" with "women" is never mentioned, and therefore very timid. It calms the fellow traveler. She listens to the story of the "novels" that escort created in dreams, about being in love with the perfect fictional images of hope ever to meet in reality worthy of love girl. But here it is almost home and wants to say goodbye. Dreamer begs for a new meeting. Girl "to be here for yourself," and she does not mind the presence of a new acquaintance tomorrow at the same hour at the same location. Her condition - "friendship", "fall in love and can not." As Dreamer, she needs is someone to confide in, someone to ask for advice.

During the second meeting they decide to listen to the "history" of each other. Begins a hero. Turns out he's a "type": the "strange cityscapes" live like it "being neuter" - "dreamers" - whose "life is a mixture of something purely fantastic, hot-perfect, yet dull prosaic and ordinary ". They scared the living society, as many hours are spent among the "magic ghosts" in the "enthusiastic dreams" in the imaginary "adventures." "You talk like a book reading" - guess Nastya source plots and companion: works of Hoffmann, Merimee, W. Scott, and Pushkin. After ravishing, "voluptuous" painful dreams is to wake up in the "alone" in their "stale, useless life." Sorry girl friend, and he understands that "this life is a crime and a sin." After a "fantastic night" to it already "are sobering moments, which are terrible." "Dreams survive", the soul wants to "real life." Nastya Dreamer promises that now they will be together. And here is her confession. She is an orphan. She lives with an old blind grandmother in a small own house. To fifteen years worked with the teacher, and the last two years sitting, "pinned" to the dress pin grandmother, who otherwise could not keep track of her. A year ago, they have been a tenant, a young man, "good-looking." He gave his young mistress of the book by W. Scott, Pushkin and others. Took them to the theater with her grandmother. I especially remember the opera "The Barber of Seville." When he announced that he was leaving, the poor hermit decided on a desperate act: packed up in a knot, came into the room to the tenant, the village and the "crying in three streams." Fortunately, he knew everything, and most importantly, time to fall in love with this Nastya. But he was poor and without a "decent place" and therefore could not immediately marry. They agreed that in a year, after returning from Moscow, where he hoped to "arrange their affairs," the young man will be waiting for his bride on a bench near the canal at ten o'clock in the evening. A year has passed. For three days he was in St. Petersburg. At the appointed place it is not ... Now the hero is clear cause tears in the evening girls dating. Trying to help, he called for the groom to convey her message, which makes the next day.

Because of the rain the third meeting between the characters is only through the night. Nastya is afraid that the groom will come again, and could not hide his emotion from another. She desperately dreams of the future. Hero is sad because he likes her. Still, Dreamer gets dedication to comfort and assure the fallen spirit Nastya. Touched, she compares the groom with a new friend: "Why is he - not you? .. He's worse than you, even though I love him more than you. " And he continues to dream: "why do not we all, as when the man and his brother? Why the best man always like something from another conceals from him and said nothing? Every so looks as if he is more severe than it really is ... "Thankfully the victim taking the Dreamer, Nastya also takes care of him," you are recovering, "" you'll love ... "" God give you happiness with her »Also, now a hero forever and friendship.

And finally, the fourth night. The girl finally felt abandoned "inhumane" and "cruel." Dreamer again offers help: go to the offender and get him to "respect" the feelings of Nastya. However, it is awakened pride: she no longer likes a cheater and try to forget it. "Barbaric" act tenant emphasizes moral beauty sitting next to each other: "You would not have done? you would not have thrown that which she would come to you, in the eyes of a shameless mockery of her weak, foolish heart? "Dreamer no longer has the right to hide the truth is to guess the girl," I love you, Nastya! "He does not want to" torment "her his "selfishness" in a bitter moment, but then his love would be required? Indeed, in response to hear: "I do not like it because I just love the fact that generous, that I understand that noble ..." If the dreamer will wait until the old feelings die down completely, then gratitude and love the girls will go to him. Young people dream of a joyful future together. In the moment of their parting suddenly appears groom. Cry, trembling, Nastya escapes from the hands of the hero and runs to meet him. Already, it would seem to come true hope for happiness, true life leaves a daydreamer. He silently looked after love.

The next morning the hero receives a letter from a happy girl with a request for forgiveness for infidelity, and with gratitude for his love, to "cure" her "dead heart." The other day she gets married. But her feelings are contradictory: "O God! If I could love you both at once! "Yet Dreamer should remain" forever friend, brother ... ". Again, he was one of suddenly "aged" room. But fifteen years later, he fondly recalls his brief love: "May you be blessed for a moment of bliss and happiness which you gave to another lonely and grateful heart! A whole minute of bliss! Do you think this is not enough though and the whole human life? .