In the district Ural town of Uzel, the event: after a long absence, the young millionaire Sergey Aleksandrovich Privalov returns. His arrival makes a noticeable variety and in the life of the local matchmaker – Hionia Alekseevna Zaplatina, “ladies of uncertain years with a faded face.” She sees Privalov as a profitable bridegroom and at first wins for him Nadezhda, the eldest daughter of a large gold mining entrepreneur Vasily Nazarych Bakharev, whose family was brought up by Sergei. The late father of Sergei Alexander Privalov once worked with Bakharev in the mines. He was a well-known factory owner, however, living on a broad foot, lavished the wealth accumulated by his ancestors. Saved his marriage to the daughter of the famous gold-mining owner Gulyaev Varvara – the future mother of Sergei. Together with his own daughter Gulyaev brought up orphans, among whom were favorite “Vasya and Masha” – Vasily Nazarych Bakharev and Marya Stepanovna.
When they grew up, Gulyaev blessed them for the wedding, and soon they were married to a schismatic rite. Later, the Bakharevs had four children: Kostya, Nadezhda, Verochka and Viktor. Marya Stepanovna and in the Bakharev House continued to venerate the rituals of the schismatics that they learned from the Gulyaevs and was an ardent opponent of any innovations and education, considering this “bassurment” and bringing up practical Vera in her own way, however, like the weakly characteristic Victor – a typical “mama’s son “. Vasily Nazarych, on the contrary, defended the education of children and found a soul mate in the eldest daughter of Nadezhda. Stubborn Constantine was also close to his father, although, after quarreling with him, he left immediately after the university as a manager for the Shatrovsky plants that belonged to Privalov… In a word, over the years the house of the Bakharevs was already “sharply divided into two halves.” Rosa in this family and Sergei: when his mother died, Privalov Sr. asked Bakharev to take care of his son. Life in the Privalovs’
house was unbearable: endless orgies, gypsy festivities and husband’s drunkenness brought Sergei’s unhappy mother to madness, and then to the grave. The widow married the gypsy Steshe, from whom he had two sons – Ivan and Titus. But Stesha led a lover – Sashka Holostov and in conspiracy with him killed Privalov, presenting it as an accident. Then she married a lover who, however, squandered the last capitals and, without intervening, Bakharev would have brought down the factories as well. Sasha went to court, and Stesha took her sons to Moscow. Bakharev took care of Seryozha and “joined the number” of his guardians. When Sergei was fifteen, he and Kostya were sent to study in Petersburg. And then, after fifteen years, Sergei again in his hometown. The Baha-roars accept him as their own son, and even though he stopped at the hotel, he feels at ease and calm, as if returning home after a long journey. Bakharev hopes that Sergei Alexandrovich will follow in his footsteps and become a gold miner, but this is not for Privalov: he likes the milling business more, and he is not fit to continue the tradition. Daughter of Bakharev Hope strikes Privalov at first sight – not so much beauty, but as a special spiritual power. However, the girl herself remains indifferent to the groom: she is disgusted with the forced role of the bride of the millionaire. Meanwhile, the matchmaker Khionia Alekseevna, building her own plans for Privalov, settles him in his little house: she is not yet sure who will marry him, but the very neighborhood of the owner of millions leads Madame Zaplatinu into rapture (even if only the Shatrov factories were left from millions). One surprises the highly experienced matchmaker: why Privalov became a frequent visitor to Bakharev and never visit his other guardians, Polovodov and Lyakhovsky, especially since Lyakhovsky has a beautiful daughter. Privalov indeed does not immediately decide to go to the guardians, although he wants to be freed from custody; but every time he, without noticing it, finds himself in the house of the Bakharevs and talks with Nadezhda Vasilyevna in a friendly manner, hiding her feelings and not wanting to marry. Meanwhile, the guardian of Polovodov, along with his German uncle, is devising a cunning plan how to finally take over the privat wealth: the eldest son and heir Ivan Privalov, though feeble, ” formally not declared crazy “and can” issue a large sum of bills, and then declare themselves insolvent, “after which -” guardians poboku, a contest is appointed, and the main trustee of the contest “will Polovodov, and all other trustees and heirs” will become pawns ” But for this it is necessary to somehow remove Sergei Alexandrovich from his affairs, to keep him in the Uzel, groping for his weak spot. “The eternal weakness of Privalovs is women.” This trump card plays Polovodov, using his own wife Antonida Ivanovna as a bait. It is not only Sergey’s weak character that contributes to the rhetoric, but also that the beloved Nadezhda Bakhareva loves another person – Maxim Loskutov, a talented, somewhat out of the world, philosopher and scientist, who was in exile for free-thinking, but now he opened his field in the Urals. The first beauty of the city is also in love with him, the clever but self-loving and eccentric daughter of the old Lyakhovsky Zosia. Raskutov chooses Hope, because of which Zosya then a long time and very seriously ill. Privalov, having accidentally heard the love conversation between Nadezhda and Loskutov, falls into a longing and, to general perplexity, disappears, “for hours on end lying motionless on his couch.” He deduces him from captivity the news of the ruin of the Bakharevs. Vasily Nazarych and Marya Stepanovna endure bankruptcy “with coolness.” They get angry at Privalov for a long time without understanding what’s wrong. Sergei Alexandrovich gradually returns to life and begins, to the horror of his matchmaker Zaplatin, to build a mill in the village of Garchiki and to lead a friendship with ordinary peasants. Meanwhile, the wife of Polovodova in full swindles Privalov, While Polovodov himself is seriously involved in Zosya Lyakhovskaya. Finally, after the ball at Lyakhovsky, Privalov begins a “novel” with Antonida Ivanovna – and when a childhood friend and “fanatic of factory business” Kostya Bakharev begs him urgently “to throw everything at the Uzel and go to Petersburg” in order to decide “the fate of all the plants” , then Alexandrovich, “lulled by cat’s weasels” Polovodova, “who could undividedly master his soft, pliable soul,” sends her attorney to St. Petersburg on her advice. And in the house of Bakharev another misfortune. Hope tells his father that he is expecting a child from a person who “likes her and whom her parents hate” (the speech about Loshutov, but his name is not called), that she does not regret anything and wants to “live honestly” with her beloved, without leaving marry him. But the angry father curses Hope and, despite the tears and desperate pleas of her daughter, points her to the door. And strict Marya Stepanovna “the flight of the eldest daughter from home only strengthened in the minds of the rightness of the old-Beliefs of Privalov and Gulyaev’s ideals, above which nothing was for her.” The name of Nadezhda Vasilyevna is no longer pronounced in Bakharev’s house; she is “permanently excluded from the list of living people.” In the meantime, Hionia Alekseevna has a new “idee fixe”: to hand over Zosia Privalov, who is being treated just near the village of Garchiki. Making her best friend, Zaplatina sings praises to Privalov, and soon he becomes a hero in the eyes of Zosi. Privalova is captivated by the beauty, liveliness and wit of the girl, and he hopes that after the wedding her erratic temper will soften. These hopes are shared by the doctor, a clever, long-time friend and teacher Zosi and Nadezhda Vasilievna, deeply devoted to Zosia and left her after the illness. He inclines Zosia to marry Privalov and Polovodov, telling her that only this way she can save the Lyakhovsky family from ruin (in fact, this is another clever move in the game: no matter how painful it is for Polovodov to see Zosu, his beloved, he realizes that in case of something Privalov will not be able to sue his guardian Lyakhovsky if he is his father-in-law). But Marya Stepanovna, who until the very last moment hoped for Privalov’s marriage with her daughter, does not approve of his marriage to the “bassurmank” – the Polish Catholic Zose. And yet the marriage takes place, and even the “groom in the stream” groom, and the enthusiastic bride are sure that they love each other. However, almost immediately after the wedding, everything changes: Zosia arranges stormy feasts with people like Polovodova, Privalov perceives all the objections as a manifestation of limitations. With grief Privalov leaves for Garchiki and begins to drink. The message to Kostya Bakharev that Polovodov was able to seize the rights to the factories adds to the fire. Kostya reproaches Sergei for inexcusable frivolity: if he had once gone to Petersburg, everything would have been saved. True, the attorney (lawyer Verevkin, who later married Verochka Bakhareva) is convinced that it will be possible to catch Polovodov by the hand, exposing him to fraud and embezzlement. There is a time, new events are taking place… The affairs of old Bakharev “recovered with the speed that is possible only in the gold industry.” And Loskutov seriously fell ill, and they with Nadezhda Vasilyevna, after returning from the mine, stopped at the doctor. Upon learning of this, Privalov visited them: Hope still has a huge influence on him, he pours out her soul, at her insistence she throws down drinking. She very much pities this kind and stupid, but weak-tempered man who has become “a victim of his, privalovskys, millions”, but feels that Sergei Alexandrovich is not telling something… He really continues to hide his love for her. The doctor prescribes rest to Loskutov, fresh air, moderate physical work, and all this can be found in Garchiki, where the Privalov mill. And Sergey Alexandrovich gladly agrees to settle there Loskutova with Nadezhda and their daughter, the good is a suitable lodge. Nadezhda Vasilyevna, although embarrassed by this proposal, is certainly afraid of getting closer to Privalov, feels great in the village: she is also courting a patient who is already beginning to go crazy with Loskutov, and little by little helps the women in labor, and teaches local children. Fortunately, the attorney manages to “press” Polovodov, having caught him in embezzlement. Privalov “decided to go to Petersburg himself, to transfer the case to the Senate.” Immediately he receives news that his wife Zosia fled with Polovodov abroad. The doctor, who loves Zosia, is killed by this news, Privalov also realizes that he never loved his wife… But Loskutov is worse: he finally loses his mind and dies in two weeks. Nadezhda Vasilevna decides to stay forever in Garchiki, where she “buried her young happiness.” At the time of Privalov’s departure for Petersburg, she takes care of the mill. A year later Privalov, to the full horror of the old Bakharev, sells the Shatrov factories. And from Paris comes the news that Polovodov, under threat of exposure, shot himself. Zosya is filing for divorce, and the doctor goes to her abroad. Vasily Nazarych Bakharev does not lose hope to become related to the Privalov family, to buy out plants and make Sergei Aleksandrovich, whom he loves as a son, and his eldest daughter happy. Bakharev comes to Nadezhda and sees how happy she is with her position, her working life, her almost poor situation, her working life. He completely reconciles with his beloved daughter, watches over his granddaughter, but Nadezhda has a vague feeling that his father came not only for reconciliation. In fact, Vasily Nazarych, almost with tears in his eyes, asks his daughter to marry Privalov, saying that he always loved her and, perhaps, because of her, and made all his mistakes. Hope is in confusion, she needs time to understand her feelings, to think things over. “If earlier in Privalov Nadezhda Vasilievna saw the” groom “, but also with his lawful grandson, Pavel Privalov. So “the basic idea of the stubborn old man triumphed: if millions of millions of millions broke through the smoke, then he did not let die a strong Privalov family.” but also with his lawful grandson, Pavel Privalov. So “the basic idea of the stubborn old man triumphed: if millions of millions of millions broke through the smoke, then he did not let die a strong Privalov family.”
