Master And Man

Set in the winter of the 1870s, the story centers on Vasili Andreevich Brekhunov, a merchant and church elder, who prioritizes a business deal over family obligations. After a church fete, he hastily prepares to visit a neighboring landowner regarding a timber purchase, eager to secure a profitable transaction before potential buyers from town intervene. The narrative explores themes of duty, ambition, and the contrast between personal relationships and material pursuits, reflecting Tolstoy's keen insight into human nature.