How did the passage affect you?

Do you mean the whole story? I rather like it. I love books and Chekov's story speaks to the company and enlightenment that books can give people even in the most dire and isolating circumstances. The lawyer reads so many books of wisdom that he becomes a dynamic character. He is no longer interested in beating the banker or collecting the prize. Certainly, in our time of isolation, Covid 19, books have no doubt been a comfort to countless people around the world.