Short Fiction · Chapter
A Transgression explained
Collegiate assessor Miguev, haunted by guilt over an affair with his former housemaid Agnia, discovers an abandoned baby on his doorstep—the child of his transgression.
What happens
Collegiate assessor Miguev, haunted by guilt over an affair with his former housemaid Agnia, discovers an abandoned baby on his doorstep—the child of his transgression. In a panic, he tries to abandon it at a merchant's house, but his conscience wrestles with him. He ultimately returns home, confesses to his wife, and then learns from the porter that the baby actually belongs to the washerwoman Aksinya, not to him.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This is the dramatic climax because it marks the psychological peak where Ivan Dmitritch’s paranoid resistance…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Hypocrisy and Moral Failure
Miguev's initial attempt to abandon the baby and his later confession highlight his moral cowardice and hypocrisy.
- Suffering and Compassion
Miguev's internal conflict and eventual return to the baby show a flicker of compassion amid his suffering.
Characters to notice
Key passages
“How mean it is really! So mean that one can't imagine anything meaner.”
Miguev realizes the cruelty of abandoning the baby.
Reflects his moral awakening during the walk.
“Forgive me! I have sinned! Torture me, but we won't ruin an innocent child.”
Miguev imagines confessing to his wife and adopting the baby.
Shows his desire for redemption.
