The Death of an Actor

This is a story about the actor Shchiptsov, a man of robust build, who became famous not so much for his stage talent as for his extraordinary physical strength. He had a quarrel with the theater director during the intermission, and in the midst of the quarrel, he suddenly felt as if something had given way in his chest. Shchiptsov feels that he will die soon; he sits in the dressing room and quietly repeats that he wants to go back to his homeland — to Vyazma, but none of the actors fully believes that he is seriously ill; they “jokingly” encourage him. When the second act begins, everyone calmly leaves the stage; he, alone and using his last remaining strength, climbs onto the roof and falls dead.