The Beggar

Summary

An advocate, Sergei, encounters a ragged beggar, who claims to be a teacher fired unjustly
from his job. Sergei, however, remembers that he saw the same man the other day, when he
claimed to be an impoverished student. The beggar, Lushkoff breaks down and admits that
he is a simply a drunk without work. Segei offers him a job chopping wood, which he
reluctantly accepts. Olga, the cook, takes Lushkoff and shows him the wood stack.

After that, Luskoff returns frequently to do odd jobs, and eventually Sergei sets him up with a
clerical position. Two years later, Sergei sees the Lushkoff at the theatre. He prides himself
for having saved Lushkoff from a life of drunkenness, but Luskoff reveals that it was Olga
who saved him.

Comprehension Questions

1. How did Sergei recognise the beggar?
Sergei looked at the beggar. His face appeared familiar to him. He tried to recollect
where he had seen him. Suddenly, his eyes fell on the beggar’s shoes. One shoe was high
and the other was low. Now he clearly remembered where he had seen the beggar
before. He had seen the beggar the day before in the Sadovya Street.

2. What kind of work was given to Lushkoff initially? Why did he agree to do it?
Sergei refused to give alms to Lushkolf, the beggar. He offered to give him work. He took
him home and gave him the work of chopping wood. Lushkoff agreed to do this work,
not because he was hungry and needed work. He agreed to do it because of pride and
shame and because he had been trapped by his own words.

3. How did Olga treat Lushkoff in the beginning? Why did she do this?
In the beginning, Olga treated Lushkoff callously. She called him a drunkard and rebuked
him. Then she would sit before him and grow sad. She looked into his face and wept.
Then she chopped wood for him. She did so because she felt pity for him. Secondly, she
wanted to put him on the right path.

4. Where did Sergei see Lushkoff after two years? What work was he doing then?
One day, after two years, Sergei came across Lushkoff standing at the ticket window of a
theatre, paying for a seat in the gallery in copper coins. He was wearing a coat collar of
curly fur and sealskin cap. Sergei recognized him. Lushkoff told him that now he was a
notary and was paid thirty-five roubles a month.

5. Describe Lushkoff’s attempt to chop wood.

In order to chop wood, Lushkoff irresolutely pulled a billet of wood towards him, set it up
between his feet; and tapped it feebly with the axe instead of hitting it hard. As a result,
the billet wavered and fell down. He again pulled it to him, blew on his freezing hands,
and tapped it with his axe cautiously. The billet again fell to the ground without being
chopped.

6. Write a brief character-sketch of Olga. 
Olga was Sergei’s maidservant. She was stem looking, but she was kind at heart. She
rebuked Lushkoff. But then she took pity on him as he was weak and hungry. She did the
chopping work for Lushkoff. Olga’s kindness had great effect on Lushkoff. He gave up
drinking and started taking interest in work. Thus, Olga’s kindness saved Lushkoff’s life.

7. What does Lushkoff say to Sergei when he appears before him?
Lushkoff pleads with Sergei to have pity on him. He says that he has not eaten anything
for three days and does not have five copecks for lodging. He further tells Sergei that he
had been a village school teacher for eight years and had lost his job due to intrigues and
calumny. He had been doing nothing for the past year.

8. Describe the physical appearance of Lushkoff when he first appeared before Sergei.
Lushkoff had a ragged appearance. He had worn a fawn-coloured overcoat and his eyes
were dull and drunken. There was a red spot on either cheek.

9. Why did Lushkoff want to go to Kaluga?
Lushkoff wanted to go to Kaluga because he claimed that he had an offer of a position in
the province, after having lived without work for nearly a year. However, he could not go
there because he did not have any money.

10. How did Sergei react when the beggar lied about his identity?
Sergei was infuriated when the beggar lied about his identity. He turned from the ragged
creature with an expression of disgust and reprimanded him for dishonesty and
swindling. He threatened to call the police as well.

11. What lies did Lushkoff tell people to beg? What reason did he give for doing so?
In order to beg alms and earn sympathy, Lushkoff told different lies to people. He would
claim to be a student who had been expelled or a village schoolteacher who had lost his
job because of intrigues.
He actually sang in a Russian Choir and was sent away due to drunkenness. He couldn’t
get along without lying because people wouldn’t give him anything when he told them
the truth.

12. What did Sergei offer the beggar? Why?
Sergei asked Lushkoff to work instead of begging. He asked Lushkoff to chop wood for
him and earn money Sergei made this offer because he believed that people could be
reformed by hard work and not by giving sympathy or alms.

13. Who was Olga? What task did Sergei assign to her?
Olga was Sergei’s cook. She appeared to be ill-tempered but eventually played an
instrumental role in reforming Lushkoff with her words and noble deeds. Sergei told her
to take Lushkoff to the wood-shed and make him chop wood for them.

14. How did Olga behave with the beggar while taking him to the wood-shed?
Olga behaved with Lushkoff in a very shabby manner. She looked at him angrily and even
shoved him aside with her elbow while unlocking the shed. She threw an axe at his feet
and scolded him all the time as he tried to chop wood.

15. How did Sergei feel after he saw Lushkoff chopping wood?
Sergei didn’t feel angry anymore after he saw Lushkoff’s attempt at chopping wood.
Instead, he felt a little sorry and ashamed at having given the tough task of wood- chopping to Lushkoff who seemed to him a spoiled, drunkard and probably a sick man. It
was difficult for him to do such a menial task in the severe cold.

16. What remuneration was paid to Lushkoff for chopping wood for the first time? What
additional offer was made at this time?
Sergei paid a rouble as remuneration to the beggar for chopping wood and instructed
Olga to tell him that if he wanted, he could come back and chop wood on the first day of
each month.

17. Why did Lushkoff return to the yard on the first of the month? Why did he reappear
often?
Lushkoff returned to the yard on the first of the month in order to chop wood and earn
one rouble in return. He reappeared often because every time he used to be given odd
jobs like shovelling snow, putting the wood-shed in order and beating the dust out of
rugs and mattresses. The money he thus got helped him survive.

18. How did Lushkoff behave when Sergei hired him to move to another house?
Lushkoff appeared sober but gloomy and silent. Lushkoff was embarrassed because he
could not help in any way. He simply walked behind the wagons hanging his head and
shivered in the cold. The other carters mocked at his idleness, feebleness and his tattered
fancy over-coat.

19. What revelation was made by Lushkoff to Sergei at the theatre?
Lushkoff revealed to Sergei that he did not chop even a single stick of wood at his yard.
All the toil was done by the good and noble cook, Olga, who tried to help him and
underwent misery and shed tears for his sake.

20. “Thank you, too”. Why does Lushkoff say this to Sergei?
Lushkoff says this to Sergei because although Olga was the one who had actually
reformed him but Sergei’s contribution too was important. He had taken interest in the
life of a beggar and helped him drag himself out of the mess he was in.

21. How did Sergei help Lushkoff to live respectfully?
Sergei helped Lushkoff to live respectfully by giving him odd jobs every time he came to
the yard. Now Lushkoff did not need to beg alms since he got money for all the little
tasks that he was given by Sergei. Lastly, Sergei sent Lushkoff to his friend with a letter of
recommendation for a cleaner employment as a copier. As a parting advice, he told
Lushkoff to work hard and not to drink.

22. Where did Sergei meet Lushkoff after two years? What did Lushkoff tell him about
himself?
Sergei saw Lushkoff after a period of two years at the ticket window of a theatre. Lushkoff
was wearing a coat collar of curly fur and a worn sealskin cap. He was buying a ticket for
a gallery seat for himself. He told Sergei that he was a notary and earned thirty-five
roubles a month.

23. Why did Sergei call Lushkoff his ‘godson’?
Sergei called Lushkoff his ‘godson’ because he had given him a push along the right path
and his efforts had lifted him out of the pit of begging. He had shown interest in
Lushkoff’s life and had felt happy to see him reformed.

24. Who does Lushkoff give the credit for reforming him? Why?
                                                             Or
Why does Lushkoff acknowledge Olga’s contribution in reforming him?
Lushkoff is grateful to Sergei for employment but he gives true credit for his reformation
to Olga, Sergei’s cook. Outwardly Olga is full of anger and spite, but her heart is full of
human sympathy and kindness. While she severely scolds Lushkoff for being a miserable
drunkard, she weeps for him and chops wood for him. She is the chief reason why
Lushkoff gives up his bad habits and transforms into a hardworking man.

Long Answer Type Questions (in about 100 -150 words each)

1. Describe the first meeting between Sergei and Lushkoff.
One day advocate Sergei came across a beggar. He was dressed in very poor clothes. He
was crying and requested Sergei to have pity on him. He told Sergei that he had the offer
of a position in Katuga, but he did not have money to get there. So he wanted some
money to pay for the fare. Sergei looked at the beggar closely. Suddenly he remembered
that he had seen him the previous day in Sadovya Street. Then he had told him that he
was a student and had been expelled for not paying his fees. At first, the beggar denied
the charge But when Sergei rebuked him, he admitted that he earned his living by lying.
He told Sergei that his name was Lushkoff and that he was out of work. Sergei refused to
give him alms. But he said that he would give him work of chopping wood. He brought
Lushkoff home. He called his maidservant Olga and told her to take him into the
woodshed and get some wood chopped. Sergei could see from a room that Lushkoff was
weak as well as unwilling to do the chopping work. However, after one hour, Olga came
and told Sergei that the wood had been chopped. Sergei gave Lushkoff half a rouble.

2. Sergei brought Lushkoff home to get some wood chopped. What other work was given
to him?
After getting wood chopped, Sergei was happy that he had helped a man. He had
reformed a beggar. He told Lushkoff that he could come on the first of every month and
chop wood for money. Lushkoff came on the first of every month. Although he was so
weak that he could hardly stand on his legs, yet there was always work for him and he did
it. Sometimes, it was chopping of wood. At other times, he had to shovel snow or to put
the woodshed in order. Sometimes, he was asked to beat the dust out of mattresses and
rugs. Every time he received from twenty to forty kopecks. One day Sergei moved to
another house. He hired Lushkoff to help in packing and hauling of furniture. This time,
he was silent and sober. The carters jeered him for his feebleness.
Sergei offered to find better work for him. He wrote a letter to one of his friends asked
Lushkoff to take it and told him that he would find the job of copying. In this way,
Sergei was pleased with having put a man on the right path. 3. Describe the last meeting between Sergei and Luslikoff.
One day, after two years, Sergei came across Lushkoff standing at the ticket window of a
theatre, paying for a seat. He was wearing a coat collar of curly fur and sealskin cap.
Sergei recognized him. Lushkoff told him that now he was a notary and was paid thirty-
five roubles a month. Sergei was pleased to hear this. He congratulated Lushkoff for
standing on his own feet in life. At this Lushkoff disclosed that it was not because of him,
but his maidservant Olga that he had reformed himself. When he used to come to his
house to chop wood, he could not do so because he was weak and inexperienced. Then
Olga would start screaming and shouting at him. She would take pity on him and chop
the wood for him. He told Sergei that he never chopped a single stick. It was all done by
Olga. Her kindness transformed him. He stopped drinking and started earning his living
by hard work. In this way, Olga’s kindness had changed his life.

4. Sergei’s sympathy was as important as Olga’s noble deeds that reformed Lushkoff.
Discuss.
Lushkoff gave the credit of his reformation to Olga but it is true that Sergei’s sympathy
towards him was also important. If Sergei had not taken the initiative to assign work to
Lushkoff and had instead handed him over to the police, the beggar’s life would have
ended in a disaster. Sergei, like Olga, went out of his way to uplift the ragged beggar by
making him do odd jobs and paying him in return. Sergei was not obliged in any way to
spend money on a beggar in this manner but it was his concern for Lushkoff that he
made sincere efforts to reform him. Sergei also arranged a ‘cleaner employment’ of a
copier for Lushkoff by sending him to his friend with a letter of recommendation. Again,
it was Sergei who brought Lushkoff to Olga. If this had not been done, Olga would not
have been able to help him. Hence, the contribution of Sergei in the reformation of
Lushkoff was as important as that of Olga.

5. What are the different ways in which the writer refers to Lushkoff? Why?
The writer refers to Lushkoff by numerous derogatory terms. He calls him a suppliant,
mendicant, beggar, ragged creature, swindler, scarecrow of a beggar, pseudo-teacher,
spoiled, drunken, sick man, waif, miserable creature, unlucky man, an unhappy one. He
does so to convey to the reader the miserable plight into which Lushkoff had sunken
himself owing to his addiction. These derogatory terms not only highlight a character
marred by unsuitable habits but also amplify his improvement later in the story. This
technique of employing contrast is used by the writer to make the reader realise that bad
habits ruin an individual completely. His reformation thus gains significance because of
varied adjectives that indicate his depravity. It also emphasises the impact of compassion
and concern while rehabilitating an addict. It eventually builds faith that transformation is
possible if a person is made to realise his mistakes and is given proper support and
effective counselling.

Answers to Textbook Questions

1. Has Lushkoff become a beggar by circumstance or by choice?
Lushkoff became a beggar by circumstance. Formerly, he sang in a Russian choir, but was
sent away for drunkenness. This led him to beg.

2. What reasons does he give to Sergei for his telling lies?
Lushkoff said that since he was fired for being an alcoholic, he had to tell lies. And, if he
told the truth no one would give him anything.

3. Is Lushkoff a willing worker? Why, then, does he agree to chop wood for Sergei?
No, Lushkoff is not a willing worker. He agrees to chop wood for Sergei not because he
was hungry and wanted work but because of his pride and shame and since he had been
trapped by his own words. His strength had been undermined by drinking too much
vodka and he was unhealthy and did not feel the slightest inclination to do any work.

4. Sergei says, “I am happy that my words have taken effect.” Why does he say so? Is he
right in saying this?
When Sergei got Lushkoff to work for him the first time, he wasn’t a willing worker. But
after chopping wood for Sergei and helping him move houses, Sergei noticed that
Lushkoff had developed a willingness to work. On seeing this, Sergei felt content that his
advice had brought Lushkoff on the right path and that he wouldn’t have to beg again
for a living. If Sergei had not helped Lushkoff, he would have been living on the streets
begging.

5. Lushkoff is earning thirty five roubles a month. How is he obliged to Sergei for this?
Lushkoff was obliged to Sergei because if he had not come to Sergei, then he might still
have been calling himself a teacher or a student who had been expelled and would have
been begging.
By working for Sergei, he had changed his ways. He was now a notary and earned thirty
five roubles a month.

6. During their conversation Lushkoff reveals that Sergei’s cook, Olga, is responsible for the
positive change in him. How has Olga saved Lushkoff?
During their conversation Lushkoff reveals that Sergei’s cook, Olga, is responsible for the
positive change in him. Whenever he went to Sergei’s house to chop wood she used to insult him and call him names like ‘sot’ and ‘miserable creature’ and inform him that there
was nothing for him but ruin. She would sit down opposite him and grow sad, look into
his face and weep calling him an unlucky man and telling him that there would be no
pleasure for him either in this world or the next. She would call him a drunkard and tell
him that he would burn in hell. In this way she would carry on, suffering and shedding
tears for his sake. She pitied him yet kept on insulting him as she felt that was the only
way to make him change.
Through all this however she used to chop the wood for him. He had not chopped a
single stick of wood as she did it all for him. Her kindness and genuine concern in spite of
her insults was responsible for saving him and the reason, why he changed and stopped
drinking.
Her words and noble deeds were responsible for the change that took place in his heart.
She had set him right and he would never forget it.

PRACTICE QUESTIONS

Q 1 Read the given extracts and answer the following questions.

(a) On the first of the month the waif made his appearance and again earned half a

rouble, although he could barely stand on his legs.

i. Who is referred to as the ‘waif’? Where did he make an appearance?

Lushkoff, the beggar is referred to as the ‘waif’.

He made an appearance at the house of the advocate, Sergei.

ii. What work was given to him?

He was given the work of chopping the wood.

iii. Why could he not ‘stand on his legs’?

Lushkoff was in a miserable condition because he begged on the street as he had

no work to do because of his drunkenness.

iv. Give the synonym of ‘appearance’

entrance

(b) “Thank you, too,” said Lushkoff. If I hadn’t come to you then I might still have been

calling myself a teacher or a student to this day. Yes, by flying to your protection I

dragged myself out of a pit.

i. Whom does Lushkoff address? Where did the two meet?

Lushkoff addresses Sergei. The two met at the ticket window of a theatre after two years.

ii. What did Lushkoff do before coming to the person he addresses?

Lushkoff used to beg for money by lying. He sometimes called himself a village

schoolteacher who lost his place due to intrigues and sometimes a student who

an offer in Kaluga but had had no money to go there.

iii. Why does Lushkoff say “Thank you, too”?

Lushkoff says this to Sergei because although Olga was the one who had actually

reformed him but Sergei’s contribution too was important as he had taken

interest in the life of a beggar.

iv. Give the antonym of ‘protection’

destruction

Q 2 Answer each of the following questions in 30-40 words.

(a) How did Sergei come to remember that he had met the beggar before?

A close look at the beggar’s face made Sergei think that he had seen the man

somewhere before. Then his eyes fell on his overshoes, one of which was high

and the other was low. This made Sergei suddenly remember that he had seen

the beggar in Sadovya Street a couple of days ago.

(b) Why did Sergei accuse the beggar of dishonesty and swindling?

When the beggar met Sergei for the first time, he told him that he was a student

and had been expelled from the college. When he met Sergei for the second

time, he told him that he had been offered a position in Kaluga, but he had no

money for the fare to get there.

(c) Where did Sergei send Lushkoff? What advice did he give him?

Sergei wanted to give Lushkoff a better and cleaner employment. His friend

needed a copywriter. As Lushkoff was able to write, so Sergei sent him to his

friend. Sergei advised him to work hard and not to drink. He asked him not to

forget his advice.

(d) How did Lushkoff follow Olga to the wood-shed? What did this reveal about his

willingness to work?

Lushkoff followed Olga in a gait that showed his reluctance to work.

He had not consented to go and chop wood because he was hungry and wanted

work but because of pride and shame as he had been trapped by his own words.

Q 3 Answer each of the following questions in 100-150 words.

(a) How did Olga help Lushkoff to be a real man?

One day, after two years, Sergei came across Lushkoff standing at the ticket

window of a theatre, paying for a seat. He was wearing a coat collar of curly fur

and sealskin cap. Sergei recognized him. Lushkoff told him that now he was a

notary and was paid thirty-five roubles a month. Sergei was pleased to hear this.

He congratulated Lushkoff for standing on his own feet in life. At this Lushkoff

disclosed that it was not because of him, but his maidservant Olga that he had

reformed himself. When he used to come to his house to chop wood, he could

not do so because he was weak and inexperienced. Then Olga would start

screaming and shouting at him. She would take pity on him and chop the wood

for him. He told Sergei that he never chopped a single stick. It was all done by

Olga. Her kindness transformed him. He stopped drinking and started earning

his living by hard work. In this way, Olga’s kindness had changed his life.

(b) How was Lushkoff, the beggar different from Lushkoff, the notary?

Lushkoff, the beggar used to resort to lies in order to get sympathy and money

from people. He had a repulsive and disgusting appearance. He wore a ragged

fawn-coloured overcoat and his eyes were dull and drunken. Each of his cheeks

had a red spot. One of his overshoes was higher than the other. He was very

weak both physically and emotionally because of alcoholic habits. He did not

have any self-respect or dignity and quietly took all the jeering from others.

Lushkoff, the notary, in contrast, looked like a gentleman. He wore a coat collar

of curly fur and a worn sealskin cap. He was paid thirty-five roubles a month for

a ‘clean employment’. He was a respectable and responsible person now, not the

alcoholic who had stooped to telling lies and begging alms for survival. He now

had both a reformed soul and an improved life.