Malingerers (Chekhov)
Short summary
Russia, late 19th century. Marfa Petrovna Petchonkin, a General's widow, was seeing patients in her study on a Tuesday in May. She had been practicing homeopathy for ten years and was deeply devoted to it.
Among her patients was Kuzma Kuzmitch Zamuhrishen, an impoverished neighboring landowner. He dramatically fell to his knees before Marfa Petrovna, praising her as a miracle worker who had cured his eight-year rheumatism with just one homeopathic pill.
Flattered by his praise, Marfa Petrovna failed to notice that Zamuhrishen skillfully turned the conversation to his poverty. He managed to get her to promise him oats for sowing, wood for his leaking roof, and even a cow. As he left, a red paper containing the unused pills fell from his pocket.
When Marfa Petrovna discovered the pills, she realized Zamuhrishen had never taken them. As she continued seeing other patients, she noticed they all followed the same pattern: praising her miraculous cures before asking for material assistance.
She looks at the broad, benevolent countenance of Father Aristark who has revealed the truth to her, and a new truth begins gnawing at her heart. An evil oppressive truth... The deceitfulness of man!
Detailed summary
Division into chapters is editorial.
Introduction to Marfa Petrovnas homeopathic practice
On a Tuesday in May, Marfa Petrovna Petchonkin received patients in her study. Her desk displayed a chest of homeopathic medicines, a book on homeopathy, and bills from a homeopathic chemist. The wall featured framed letters from a celebrated Petersburg homeopath and a portrait of Father Aristark, whom she credited for her conversion to homeopathy from conventional medicine.
In the vestibule, peasant patients waited, most of them barefoot as Marfa Petrovna had ordered their boots to be left outside due to their unpleasant smell. After seeing ten patients, she called for the eleventh, Gavrila Gruzd.
Zamuhrishens dramatic display of gratitude
Instead of Gavrila Gruzd, an elderly impoverished landowner named Kuzma Kuzmitch Zamuhrishen entered the room. Without a word, he placed his stick in the corner, approached Marfa Petrovna, and dramatically dropped to one knee before her, causing her to flush crimson with embarrassment.
Despite her protests, Zamuhrishen refused to rise, declaring that he wanted the world to witness his homage to the "guardian angel" and "benefactress of the human race" who had given him life and guided him to the path of truth. He proclaimed himself a new man, miraculously healed by her treatment.
Flushing with pleasure at his praise, Marfa Petrovna invited him to sit and remarked on how seriously ill he had been during his previous visit. Zamuhrishen launched into an elaborate account of his eight-year suffering from rheumatism, describing how he had consulted numerous doctors and tried various treatments without success.
The doctors did me nothing but harm. They drove the disease inwards. Drive in, that they did, but to drive out was beyond their science. All they care about is their fees, the brigands; but as for the benefit of humanity—for that they don't care a straw.
He continued his story, describing how he had initially doubted that the tiny homeopathic pills could cure his longstanding illness, but claimed that after taking just one, he experienced an instantaneous recovery that astonished his wife. They had knelt together before an icon to pray for their "angel."
Requests for material assistance following the miraculous cure
Marfa Petrovna humbly deflected his gratitude, insisting that she was merely an obedient instrument and that the cure was truly a miracle—rheumatism of eight years' standing cured by a single pill of scrofuloso. Zamuhrishen corrected her, saying she had given him three pills, though he only needed to take one for the instantaneous effect.
After further praising his miraculous recovery, Zamuhrishen's tone subtly shifted. He lamented that while he was now healthy, poverty weighed on him worse than illness. He explained that it was time to sow oats, but he had no seed to plant due to his financial situation.
I'm well now, but what's the use of health if there's nothing to live on? Poverty weighs on me worse than illness... It's the time to sow oats, and how is one to sow it if one has no seed? I ought to buy it, but the money...
Touched by his story and delighted by his effusive gratitude, Marfa Petrovna immediately offered to give him oats. Encouraged by her generosity, Zamuhrishen continued his self-deprecating speech, describing himself and other impoverished gentry as "paltry, poor-spirited, useless people" who lived in stone houses with leaking roofs and no money for repairs.
Marfa Petrovna promptly offered him wood as well. Emboldened by her generosity, Zamuhrishen proceeded to request and receive a cow, a letter of recommendation for his daughter to attend boarding school, and other assistance.
Discovery of the unused homeopathic pills
Overwhelmed with emotion and gratitude, Zamuhrishen whimpered and reached for his handkerchief. As he did so, Marfa Petrovna noticed a red paper slip from his pocket and fall noiselessly to the floor. He continued to express his eternal gratitude, promising to make his children and grandchildren remember her kindness for generations to come.
After Zamuhrishen left, Marfa Petrovna gazed tearfully at Father Aristark's portrait, then at her medical equipment and the chair where her grateful patient had sat. Her eyes fell on the red paper Zamuhrishen had dropped. She picked it up and unfolded it to discover the three homeopathic pills she had given him the previous Tuesday—still wrapped and unused.
Marfa Petrovna sees a red paper slip out of his pocket with his handkerchief and fall noiselessly to the floor... When she has seen her patient out... she picks up the paper, unfolds it, and sees in it three pilules—the very pilules she had given Zamuhrishen.
Realization of the patients widespread deception
Puzzled by this discovery, Marfa Petrovna stared at the pills, recognizing the same paper wrapper. She wondered what Zamuhrishen had actually taken for his supposed cure and whether he had deliberately deceived her. For the first time in her ten years of practice, doubt crept into her mind.
She summoned her remaining patients and began to listen more carefully to their conversations. A pattern emerged: each patient first lavishly praised her miraculous healing powers and medical skill while disparaging conventional doctors. Then, once she was flushed with excitement from their flattery, they would begin making requests for various material needs—land to plough, wood, hunting permissions, and other favors.
And for the first time in her ten years of practice a doubt creeps into Marfa Petrovna's mind... The patients, every one of them as though they were in a conspiracy, first belaud her for their miraculous cure... then begin holding forth on their needs.
Looking at Father Aristark's broad, benevolent countenance, Marfa Petrovna felt a new and oppressive truth gnawing at her heart—the deceitfulness of man.