Bitter pomegranate bracelet summary. Brief retelling Garnet bracelet (Kuprin A

L. van Beethoven. 2 Son. (op. 2, no. 2).

Largo Appassionato

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The story of Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin Garnet bracelet» is one of the most read works in the creative heritage of the famous Russian prose writer. Written in 1910, "Garnet Bracelet" does not leave readers indifferent today, because it speaks of the eternal - about love.

It is interesting to know that the plot of the story was inspired by the author of a real life chance, which happened to the mother of the writer Lev Lyubimov, Lyudmila Ivanovna Tugan-Baranovsky (the prototype of Vera Sheina). A certain telegraph operator by the name of Zheltikov was fanatically in love with her (Kuprin's name was Zheltkov). Zheltikov bombarded Lyudmila Ivanovna with letters with declarations of love. Such persistent courtship could not but disturb the groom Lyudmila Ivanovna Dmitry Nikolaevich Lyubimov (the prototype of Prince Vasily Lvovich Shein).

Once he, together with his fiancee's brother Nikolai Ivanovich (at Kuprin's - Nikolai Nikolaevich) went to Zheltikov. The men found the unfortunate lover writing another fiery message. After a detailed conversation, Zheltikov promised not to bother the young lady anymore, and Dmitry Nikolaevich had a strange feeling - for some reason he was not angry with the telegraph operator, it seems that he was actually in love with Lyudmila. The Lyubimov family did not hear more about Zheltikov and his future fate.

Kuprin was very touched by this story. In the masterful artistic processing, the story of the telegraph operator Zheltikov, who turned into an official Zheltkov, sounded in a special way and became a hymn of great love, the one that everyone dreams of, but cannot always see it.

On this day, September 17, was the name day of Princess Vera Nikolaevna Sheina. She, along with her husband Vasily Lvovich, spent time at the Black Sea dacha, and therefore was incredibly happy. It was warm autumn days, everything around was green and fragrant. There was no need for a magnificent ball, so Sheina decided to limit herself to a modest reception among close friends.

In the morning, when Vera Nikolaevna was cutting flowers in the garden, her sister Anna Nikolaevna Friesse arrived. The house was immediately filled with her cheerful sonorous voice. Vera and Anna were two opposites. The younger Anna absorbed her father's Mongolian roots - short stature, a certain stockiness, prominent cheekbones and narrow, slightly slanting eyes. Vera, on the contrary, took after her mother and looked like a cold, graceful Englishwoman.

Anna was cheerful, perky, flirtatious, she really gushed with life, and her charming ugliness attracted the attention of the opposite sex much more often than the aristocratic beauty of her sister.

Frank flirting

Meanwhile, Anna was married and had two children. Her husband - a stupid and unsympathetic rich man - she despised and constantly ridiculed behind her back. She wore the deepest cleavage, openly flirted with gentlemen, but never cheated on her legal spouse.

The seven-year marriage of Vera Nikolaevna and Vasily Lvovich could be called happy. The first passions have already subsided and have given way to mutual respect, devotion, gratitude. The Sheins did not have children, although Vera dreamed of them passionately.

Little by little in country house Sheinykh guests began to flock. There were few invitees: the widowed Lyudmila Lvovna (Vasily Lvovich’s sister), a reveler and a local celebrity, known by the familiar nickname Vasyuchok, the talented pianist Jenny Reiter, Vera’s brother Nikolai Nikolaevich, Anna’s husband Gustav Ivanovich Friesse with the city governor and professor, as well as a family friend, Godfather of Anna and Vera, General Yakov Mikhailovich Anosov.

At the table, everyone was amused by Prince Vasily Lvovich - a masterful storyteller and inventor. When the audience moved to the poker table, the maid handed Vera Nikolaevna a bundle with a note - someone's gift - the courier disappeared so quickly that the girl did not have time to ask him anything.

Opening the wrapping paper, the birthday girl found a case with a decoration. It was a low-grade gold bracelet with five pea-sized garnets, in the center of the jewelry composition there was a large green stone. In the light, red lights began to play in the depths of the stones. "Just like blood!" Vera Nikolaevna thought superstitiously, hastily put the bracelet aside and began to write the note.

She was from Him. This half-crazy admirer began to flood Vera with letters when she was still a young lady. After her marriage, Vera Nikolaevna answered him only once, asking him not to send letters anymore. Since then, notes began to come only on holidays. Vera never saw her admirer, did not know who he was and how he lived. She didn't even know his name, because all the letters were anonymous, signed with the initials G.S.Z.

This time, the unfortunate lover dared to present a gift. The note said that the bracelet was encrusted with family cabochon garnets, the largest of which is able to protect a man from violent death, and endow a woman with the gift of foresight.

Conversation with General Anosov: "Love must be a tragedy!"

The festive evening is coming to an end. Seeing off the guests, Vera talks with General Anosov. This is not the first time that the conversation has been about love.

The old general repents that he has never met true unrequited love in his life. He does not set his married life as an example - she failed - the wife turned out to be a deceitful flirt and ran away with a pretty actor, then repented, but was never accepted by Yakov Lvovich. But what about seemingly happy marriages? They still have a calculation to some extent. Women get married because it is indecent and inconvenient to stay in young ladies for a long time, because they want to become mistresses, mothers. Men get married when they get tired of the bachelor life, when the position obliges them to start a family, when the thought of offspring correlates with the illusion of immortality.

Only selfless, selfless love does not wait for a reward. She is strong as death. For her, to accomplish a feat, to go to torment, to give her life is a true joy. “Love must be a tragedy. The greatest secret in the world! No comforts of life, calculations and compromises should concern her.”

The words of the general’s grandfather sounded in Vera’s head for a long time, and meanwhile Prince Vasily Lvovich and his brother-in-law Nikolai Nikolaevich found a bracelet with a note and puzzled over what to do with an uncomfortable gift from Vera Nikolaevna’s annoying admirer.

The next day, it was decided to visit G. S. Zh., whose identity Nikolai Nikolayevich undertook to establish, and return the bracelet to him without involving unauthorized persons (the governor, gendarmes, etc.)

Already in the morning, the prince and his brother-in-law knew that the name of the anonymous admirer was Georgy Stepanovich Zheltkov. He serves as an official of the control chamber and lives poorly in one of those disgusting furnished rooms with which the cities of our glorious fatherland abound.

Zheltkov turned out to be a lanky, thin man with long blond fluffy hair. With the news that on the threshold of his room, Prince Shein, the husband of Vera Nikolaevna, Georgy Stepanovich became noticeably nervous, but did not refuse and admitted that he had been sincerely and hopelessly in love with Vera Nikolaevna for seven years now. It is impossible to destroy this feeling, it is so strong that it can only be eradicated together with it. However, he is ready to voluntarily leave the city so as not to compromise Vera Nikolaevna and not to discredit good name Sheinykh.

Arriving home, Vasily Lvovich told his wife about what had happened and added - this man is by no means crazy, he is really in love and is well aware of this. “It seemed to me that I was present at some tremendous tragedy of the soul.”

The next morning, the newspapers wrote that Georgy Stepanovich Zheltkov, an employee of the Control Chamber, was found shot dead in his room. The suicide note states that the cause of his suicide was official embezzlement, which he was unable to reimburse.

Without saying a word about Vera Nikolaevna, he sent her his farewell note. “I am infinitely grateful to you,” the lines of the message sincerely said, “Only for the fact that you exist.” Zheltkov assured that his feeling is not the result of physical or mental disorder, this is the love that the merciful God rewarded him for something.

He asks Vera Nikolaevna to burn this letter, just as he burns things dear to his heart - a handkerchief that she accidentally forgot on the bench, a note in which she demanded not to send letters anymore, and a theater program that she squeezed the whole performance, and then left in bed.

Having asked permission from her husband, Vera visited Zheltkov in his wretched little room. His face was not the disfigured grimace of a dead man, he smiled, as if he had learned something important before his death.

Here you can read summary story, which caused a stormy reaction from critics of that time, who did not share the author's views on the delicate topic disclosed in the book.

We offer you a summary of a mysterious, or even a little mystical story, a work that is a favorite for many admirers of the author's work.

On that day, Jenny Reiter played the Appassionata from Beethoven's Sonata No. 2, the late Zheltkov's favorite piece of music. And Princess Vera Nikolaevna Sheina wept bitterly. She knew that that real, selfless, modest and all-forgiving love that every woman dreams of passed by her.

The story of Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin "Garnet Bracelet": a summary

1. Vera Sheina- Princess, wife of the leader of the nobility Shein. She married him for love, which eventually grew into friendship and respect for her husband. She began receiving messages from a mysterious admirer even before her marriage.
2. Zheltkov- minor official For many years, unrequitedly in love with Vera.
3. Vasily Shein- Prince, provincial marshal of the nobility. He loves his wife, does not take seriously love messages from a secret admirer.

Other heroes

1. Yakov Mikhailovich Anosov- General, friend of the late father of Vera, Anna and Nikolai.
2. Anna Friesse- Sister of Vera and Nikolai.
3. Nikolay Mirza-Bulat-Tuganovsky- serves as an assistant prosecutor, brother of Vera and Anna.
4. Jenny Reiter- Vera's friend, an excellent pianist

Acquaintance with the Shein family

In mid-August, bad weather reigned on the Black Sea coast. Because of this, many who were in the dachas began to hastily move to the city. Princess Sheina could not do this, because in her city house there were repair work. In the first days of September the weather was warm and sunny. The princess is glad of clear autumn days.

Vera had a name day on September 17, to which she invited guests. The husband left on business, after which he had to bring guests to dinner. Sheina was pleased that the dinner would be at the dacha, because it was too expensive to arrange it in the city.

The Sheins were in a difficult financial situation, but because of the prominent social position of the prince, they had to behave accordingly. Vera, whose love for her husband turned into a feeling of strong and most devoted friendship, tried to support the prince in everything and save money. The sister of Princess Anna Friesse came to help in preparing the name day.

Vera's name day and a gift from a secret admirer

General Anosov, who was a friend of the late father of the sisters, was invited to the celebration. The guests were entertained by the owner of the house, Vasily Shein. He was a great storyteller and the guests loved his stories. When the invitees sat down to play poker, Vera was brought a package.

The princess opens it and finds a golden bracelet there. The chain was made of base gold and adorned with garnet stones of extraordinary beauty. Their bright red color reminded Vera of drops of blood. Among the stones, one green garnet stood out - a rare variety.

The gift was accompanied by a note from a secret admirer of Vera, in which he congratulated her on her birthday and told the story of the bracelet. He wrote about his unrequited love for her and only dared to hope that the princess would be happy. Sheina pondered whether to show the letter to the prince.

"The Story of Vera and the Telegraph Operator in Love"

At the celebration, Prince Shein showed the audience a home album with drawings he had made. These illustrations were a good addition to the funny stories of the prince. The last was the story of his wife and the telegrapher who was in love with her. Vera did not want her husband to tell this incident, but the prince preferred not to hear this and told how his wife received messages full of passion from the telegraph operator.

After one part of the guests dispersed, the rest listened to stories about the army life of General Anosov. Vera and Anna decided to see the old general off. The princess asks her husband to read the note. On the way to the carriage, Anosov and the sisters talk about true love. According to the old general, it must certainly be a tragedy. Vera talks about what is true in her husband's story about the telegrapher.

Prince Shein and Vera's brother, Nikolai, discuss what to do with a mysterious admirer. Nikolai insists that this must be stopped immediately, otherwise his gifts and messages will damage the honor of the family. It was decided to find him, return the bracelet and ask him not to disturb Vera anymore.

Visit to Zheltkovo

Vasily Shein and Mirza-Bulat-Taganovsky find an admirer for Sheina. It turned out to be a petty official Zheltkov. Nikolai immediately spoke about the reason for their visit - he crossed all the lines of decency with a donated bracelet. Zheltkov agrees with him.

Zheltkov, turning to the prince, talks about his love, which is impossible and the only way out of it is death. He asks permission to make a call to Vera. While Zheltkov is talking to Sheina, Nikolai accuses Vasily of being soft. But the prince says that he understands Zheltkov and sympathizes with him, because it is not his fault that he fell in love with the princess.

Returning, the official asks permission to write to Vera for the last time and promises to stop this story. In the evening, the prince tells the details of their visit to Zheltkov. The princess is a little excited about Zheltkov's future.

News of Zheltkov's suicide

The next day, Vera learns from the newspapers that due to the waste of public funds, Zheltkov committed suicide. The princess has been thinking about this man all day and trying to understand why she had a premonition of a tragic denouement.

Zheltkov's last letter is brought to her. In it, he writes that loving her was the greatest happiness in his life, which was concluded in the princess. Zheltkov apologizes for causing Vera inconvenience. Vera asks permission from the prince to look at him, Shein supports her decision.

Farewell Farewell with love

At the suitor's apartment, Sheina meets a woman who tells her about Zheltkov. She conveys his request that if he suddenly dies and a woman comes to say goodbye to him, that Beethoven's best work is Sonata No. 2.

Vera's friend, the famous pianist Jenny Reiter, comes to visit Vera. With tears in her eyes, Sheina asks her to play Zheltkov's favorite passage from this sonata. During the game, Vera realizes that she great love, which is the dream of all women, was in her life and left with Zheltkov.

When the sounds of the instrument subsided, the princess calmed down. She found peace and realized that he forgave her and now everything will be fine.

Package with a small jewelry case in the name of the princess Vera Nikolaevna Sheina the messenger passed through the maid. The princess reprimanded her, but Dasha said that the messenger immediately ran away, and she did not dare to tear the birthday girl away from the guests.

Inside the case was gold, low standard blown bracelet, covered with pomegranates, among which was a small green pebble. The letter enclosed in the case contained congratulations on the day of the angel and a request to accept the bracelet that belonged to the great-grandmother. A green stone is a very rare green garnet that communicates the gift of providence and protects men from violent death. The letter ended with the words: “Your obedient servant G.S.Zh. before death and after death.”

Faith took over a bracelet- alarming thick red live fires lit up inside the stones. "Just like blood!" she thought as she returned to the living room.

Prince Vasily Lvovich was demonstrating at that moment his humorous home album, which had just been opened on the “tale” “Princess Vera and the Telegraph Operator in Love”. “Better not,” she pleaded. But the husband has already begun commenting on his own drawings full of brilliant humor. Here a girl named Vera receives a letter with kissing doves, signed by the telegraph operator P.P.Zh. Here young Vasya Shein returns to Vera wedding ring: "I dare not interfere with your happiness, and yet it is my duty to warn you: telegraphers are seductive, but insidious." But Vera marries the handsome Vasya Shein, but the telegraph operator continues to persecute. Here he, disguised as a chimney sweep, enters the boudoir of Princess Vera. Here, having changed clothes, he enters their kitchen as a dishwasher. Here, at last, he is in a lunatic asylum, etc.

"Gentlemen, who wants tea?" Vera asked. After tea, the guests began to leave. The old general Anosov, whom Vera and her sister Anna called grandfather, asked the princess to explain what was true in the prince's story.

G.S.Z. (and not P.P.Z.) began harassing her with letters two years before her marriage. Obviously, he constantly watched her, knew where she was at the parties, how she was dressed. When Vera, also in writing, asked not to bother her with his persecution, he fell silent about love and limited himself to congratulations on holidays, as well as today, on her name day.

The old man was silent. "Could it be a maniac? Or maybe, Verochka, your life path crossed precisely the kind of love that women dream of and that men are no longer capable of.”

After the guests left, Vera's husband and her brother Nikolai decided to find an admirer and return the bracelet. The next day they already knew the address of G.S.Zh. It turned out to be a man of about thirty to thirty-five. He did not deny anything and recognized the indecency of his behavior. Finding some understanding and even sympathy in the prince, he explained to him that, alas, he loves his wife and neither deportation nor prison will kill this feeling. Except death. He must confess that he has squandered government money and will be forced to flee the city, so that they will not hear from him again.

The next day, in the newspaper, Vera read about the suicide of G. S. Zheltkov, an official of the control chamber, and in the evening the postman brought his letter.

Zheltkov wrote that for him all life consisted only in her, in Vera Nikolaevna. It is the love that God rewarded him for something. Leaving, he repeats in delight: “Let the your name". If she remembers him, then let her play the D major part of Beethoven's Appassionata, he thanks her from the bottom of his heart for the fact that she was his only joy in life.

Vera could not help but go to say goodbye to this man. Her husband fully understood her impulse.

The face of the person lying in the coffin was serene, as if he had learned a deep secret. Vera raised his head, placed a large red rose under his neck, and kissed him on the forehead. She understood that the love that every woman dreams of had passed her by.

Returning home, she found only her college friend, the famous pianist Jenny Reiter. "Play something for me," she asked.

And Jenny (wonder!) began to play the part of "Appassionata", which Zheltkov indicated in the letter. She listened, and in her mind words were composed, like couplets, ending with a prayer: “Hallowed be thy name.” "What happened to you?" asked Jenny, seeing her tears. “…He has forgiven me now. Everything is fine,” Vera replied.

In August, vacation on the suburban seaside resort was spoiled by bad weather. The deserted dachas were sadly soaked in the rain. But in September the weather changed again, the sunny days. Princess Vera Nikolaevna Sheina did not leave the dacha - repairs were underway in her house - and now she is enjoying the warm days.

The princess's birthday is coming. She is glad that it fell on the summer season - in the city they would have to give a ceremonial dinner, and the Sheins "barely made ends meet."

Princess Vera, whose former passionate love for her husband had long since turned into a feeling of lasting, faithful, true friendship, tried with all her might to help the prince refrain from complete ruin.

Vera's younger sister Anna Nikolaevna Friesse, the wife of a very rich and very stupid man, and her brother Nikolai come to Vera's name day. Toward evening, Prince Vasily Lvovich Shein brings the rest of the guests.

A bundle with a small jewelry case in the name of Princess Vera Nikolaevna is brought in the midst of simple country entertainment. Inside the case is a gold, low-grade puffy bracelet covered with garnets that surround a small green pebble.

When Vera... turned the bracelet in front of the light of the electric bulb, deep under their smooth egg-shaped surface, lovely deep red living lights suddenly lit up in them.

In addition to the garnet bracelet, a letter is found in the case. An unknown donor congratulates Vera on the day of the angel and asks to accept a bracelet that belonged to his great-grandmother. The green pebble is a very rare green garnet that communicates the gift of providence and protects men from violent death. The author of the letter reminds the princess how he wrote her "stupid and wild letters" seven years ago. The letter ends with the words: “Your obedient servant G.S.Zh. before death and after death.”

Prince Vasily Lvovich at this moment demonstrates his humorous home album, opened on the "story" "Princess Vera and the telegraph operator in love." “Better not,” Vera asks. But the husband nevertheless begins a commentary on his own drawings full of brilliant humor. Here the girl Vera receives a letter with kissing doves, signed by the telegrapher P.P.Zh. Here the young Vasya Shein returns the wedding ring to Vera: “I dare not interfere with your happiness, and yet it is my duty to warn you: telegraphists are seductive, but insidious.” But Vera marries the handsome Vasya Shein, but the telegraph operator continues to persecute. Here he, disguised as a chimney sweep, enters the boudoir of Princess Vera. Here, having changed clothes, he enters their kitchen as a dishwasher. Here, at last, he is in a lunatic asylum.

After tea, the guests leave. Whispering to her husband to look at the case with the bracelet and read the letter, Vera sets off to see off General Yakov Mikhailovich Anosov. The old general, whom Vera and her sister Anna call grandfather, asks the princess to explain what is true in the prince's story.

G. S. J. pursued her with letters two years before her marriage. Obviously, he constantly watched her, knew where she was at the parties, how she was dressed. He served not at the telegraph office, but in "some government institution as a small official." When Vera, also in writing, asked not to disturb her with her persecution, he fell silent about love and limited himself to congratulations on the holidays, as well as today, on her name day. Inventing a funny story, the prince replaced the initials of the unknown admirer with his own.

The old man suggests that the unknown may be a maniac.

Or maybe, Verochka, your life path was crossed precisely by the kind of love that women dream of and that men are incapable of more.

Vera finds her brother Nikolai very annoyed - he also read the letter and believes that his sister will get "in a ridiculous position" if she accepts this ridiculous gift. Together with Vasily Lvovich, he is going to find an admirer and return the bracelet.

The next day they find out the address of G.S.Zh. It turns out to be a blue-eyed man “with a gentle girlish face” about thirty or thirty-five years old named Zheltkov. Nikolai returns the bracelet to him. Zheltkov does not deny anything and recognizes the indecency of his behavior. Finding some understanding and even sympathy in the prince, he explains to him that he loves his wife, and this feeling will only kill death. Nikolai is outraged, but Vasily Lvovich treats him with pity.

Is he to blame for love, and is it possible to control such a feeling as love - a feeling that has not yet found an interpreter for itself.

Zheltkov admits that he squandered government money and is forced to flee the city, so that they will not hear from him again. He asks Vasily Lvovich for permission to write his last letter to his wife. Having heard from her husband a story about Zheltkov, Vera felt "that this man would kill himself."

In the morning, Vera learns from the newspaper about the suicide of G. S. Zheltkov, an official of the control chamber, and in the evening the postman brings his letter.

Zheltkov writes that for him all life consists only in her, in Vera Nikolaevna. It is the love that God rewarded him for something. As he leaves, he repeats in delight: "Hallowed be thy name." If she remembers him, then let her play the D major part of Beethoven's "Sonata No. 2", he thanks her from the bottom of his heart for the fact that she was his only joy in life.

Vera is going to say goodbye to this man. The husband fully understands her impulse and lets his wife go.

The coffin with Zheltkov stands in the middle of his poor room. His lips smile blissfully and serenely, as if he has learned a deep secret. Vera lifts his head, puts a big red rose under his neck and kisses him on the forehead. She understands that the love that every woman dreams of has passed her by. In the evening, Vera asks a familiar pianist to play Beethoven's Appassionata for her, listens to music and cries. When the music ends, Vera feels that Zheltkov has forgiven her.