Master and Man

The avaricious Vasili Andreevich Brekhunov is impatient to set out on a business venture. Defying common sense, he drags his servant, Nikita, along with him into the bitter cold of a Russian blizzard. Brekhunov and Nikita lose themselves in the forest; in a matter of minutes, the master shifts from discomfort to panic and from irritation to desperation. Both his life and that of his servant are in his hands. Master and Man shares the startlingly precise insight into human nature that characterizes all of Tolstoy’s work. Passionate and rich in imagery, the short story has enchanted readers with its message of selfless love.

Kathleen O’Bannon
CCEL Staff