The Hunting Sketches : The District Doctor and Other Stories - Bk. 2

In The District Doctor, a traveller falls ill and is treated by the local physician, who unexpectedly shares a story with the stranger.

Once the doctor was asked to make a house call by a woman who believed her daughter might be dying.

On his arrival, the physician finds a beautiful 20 year old woman who is feverish and initially unconscious.

Although fully aware how ill she is, he nonetheless promises everyone that she will survive.

He is immediately infatuated with the woman and spends days and nights at her bed side caring for this single patient.

As Alexandra's condition worsens and she becomes convinced her death is imminent, she professes love for the doctor. It's hard to die at twenty without having known love; this was what was torturing her this was why, in despair, she caught at me, asserts the doctor during his confession.

Just before her death, the doctor lies about their relationship to Alexandra's mother.

Later the doctor marries another woman. Did he marry for love, convenience, or money? In Kassyan Of Fair Springs we get an opportunity to marvel at Turgenev's divine descriptions of nature. They become so beautiful that one can easily fall into a state of deep meditation.

We also learn about very strange and mysterious character Kassyan, nicknamed the Flea who seem to be able to speak to birds and astonishes Turgenev with his deeply spiritual views of the world and nature.

We learn about Kassyan's deep love for nature and his fascination with Gamayunne, a prophetic bird of Russian folklore, a symbol of wisdom and knowledge.

Queer things happen in the world: you may live a long while with some people, and be on friendly terms with them, and never once speak openly with them from your soul; with others you have scarcely time to get acquainted, and all at once you are pouring out to him - or he to you - all your secrets, as though you were at confession.