Nikolai Semenovich Leskov (1831-1895) - the famousRussian writer. Many of his works take place at school. To study one of the most famous stories of the writer will help a brief summary. Leskov wrote the "old genius" in 1884, the same year the story was published in the magazine "Shards". Then it was republished many times.
Chapter first
In it we get acquainted with an elderly woman, we learn that she came to Petersburg on a "scandalous case." The old woman was kind and somehow regretted the son of an unfamiliar woman, giving him money in debt.
The young man had a difficult situation - whetherhe lost money in cards, or because of a passing hobby lost money. He told the old woman that he needed to get to Peter somehow. She pitied the man and gave him money in debt.
But he did not hurry to give them, on the contrary, he dida kind that does not receive those letters in which the woman asked to give him the debt. At first the messages were soft, but due to the fact that the debtor did not answer, they became more severe. However, this did not lead to anything.
And in the care of my grandmother was a sick daughter andyoung granddaughter. To then lend, the old woman laid her house, and now the family consisting only of women was threatened with a terrible - they could lose their homes and stay on the street. This is a brief summary. "Old genius" Leskov wrote in five chapters, then we turn to the second.
Chapter Two
From it we learn that the lawyer won the case,and the court decided to return the debt. But on this positive news came to an end, because the man skillfully hid, and he had a powerful kin. Therefore, no one wanted to contact him.
Representatives of the law, state peoplesympathized with my grandmother, they said that they felt sorry for her, but let her leave this empty venture. The woman was genuinely puzzled, she knew that he was not a poor man and could easily repay the debt.
She was explained that he took money not only from her,but to give them is not used. Representatives of the law hinted to the applicant that he could cause her trouble if she did not calm down. They said that it was better for her to walk quietly along Nevsky Prospekt or go home. But she believed that the debtor is a good person, he just "got bogged down".
The woman was told that she could go with herbusiness to the higher authorities. That's what she did. About this, too, will give a brief summary. "Old genius" - Leskov called this one intelligent person. Whom, you will learn more about this later.
The third chapter
It begins with the fact that an elderly womanwent to the higher authorities, only this did not lead to a positive result. There she was told that they did not know where the wanted person was. The old woman told me in which a man can be a house, she was objected, saying that it was his wife's house, and she does not answer for her debts, and he does not live there.
The elderly woman did not know what to do. Then she began to hint that she would give one or even three thousand rubles as a token of gratitude when the debtor was found. But it did not help either.
In this chapter we learn about one of the main charactersstory, which for the time being remained in the shadows. He will also be briefed about it. "The old genius" - Leskov so called this person, and why - it will soon become clear.
The woman told the interlocutor, on behalf of whomthere is a narrative that one person takes to the task. It was Ivan Ivanovich who called it and assured that he could take back his debt for 500 rubles. The old woman decided to think, but it was not possible to postpone more, but why, Leskov ("The Old Genius") writes about this further in his work. The summary will report this immediately.
Chapter Four
Her narrator begins with the fact that to himthe old lady has arrived. She was saddened by the news that Christmas is approaching, and the mortgaged house should soon be sold. Another elderly woman told me that she saw a debtor who walked with a woman. The old woman hurried after the couple, began to scream that the man owes her. However, no one helped her, on the contrary, she was told that she could not be shouted in a crowded place. While they were sorting out, the man with the companion left.
But the elderly woman managed to find out that tomorrow this dandy with a rich lady is leaving abroad, most likely for good. Therefore, it was necessary to act immediately.
It turns out that she had already met IvanIvanovich, gave him a pledge of 100 rubles and promised to bring another 400. But the whole amount of the old woman was not. She had only 250 rubles, and 150 asked the narrator, saying that she would return them.
He was also a kind person, he thought that evenIf a woman can not give this money, he will not become poor from this. This was Leskov himself. "The old genius" (the content of this story in a summary you are now reading) goes on to the next episode.
This chapter ends with the narrator,having given money, began to look forward impatiently to the events. What ended the case, the following will briefly describe. "The old genius" Leskov wrote the chapters, the statement in the abbreviation adheres to the same structure.
Chapter 5, Final
It was the third day of Christmas.The old woman, as the author says, "flew" to him in a road dress and immediately gave 150 rubles, and then showed a check for 15 thousand. The narrator understood that everything ended well, but wanted to know the details.
The woman told me that she met IvanIvanovich, he said that we must go looking for a "Serbian battler." So the author speaks about a person who participated in the wars of Serbia with Turkey. Not immediately, but they found this man, then everything was discussed.
The next morning the trio went to the station, withwhich the debtor was serving abroad. The old woman pointed Ivan Ivanovich to the one who was the cause of her troubles, they hid themselves, and the former military man stepped into the arena of the theatrical action.
He several times passed slowly past the debtor,who drank tea, and then asked sternly about why he looked at him so. The warrior provoked a scandal, hit the dandy. The police approached them. After finding out the personalities, the policeman showed the paper, because of which the debtor could not go abroad. It was a court decision. He soon repaid the debt with interest. This story ended so well.
Leskov, "The Old Genius": the heroes of the story (positive)
There are several of them.Of course, this is an insistent and daring old woman who went to St. Petersburg to save herself, her daughter and granddaughter. Otherwise, they would have lost their homes. The narrator is also the hero of the work, since without his 150 rubles it would hardly have been so well finished. Clever Ivan Ivanovich, to whom Leskov gave the nickname "Genius", "Serbian battler" - also positive characters of the story.
