Zinotchka

"Zinotchka" is a short story by Anton Chekhov that follows a group of sportsmen discussing love and hatred during an evening in a peasant's hut. One of the men shares his personal experience of being passionately hated by a young governess named Zinotchka when he was just a child. As he recounts the story, he reveals how he stumbled upon a secret rendezvous between Zinotchka and his elder brother Sasha. The young boy, relishing in his power to expose their secret, blackmails Zinotchka, causing her great distress. However, his actions ultimately lead to her departure from their household and her eventual marriage to his brother. Despite the passage of time, the narrator reveals that Zinotchka still harbors lingering animosity towards him, highlighting the enduring nature of both love and hatred. Read in English, unabridged.