An action takes place in the town B., which is terribly boring, and where the streets are deserted. Once the cavalry regiment comes in this town and everything changes immediately. The town comes alive and takes a completely different view. In addition, a general comes here who likes to arrange dinner parties, and there are always a lot of people at these parties. Mainly, it's a male company, consisting of officers and some landowners. The most famous landowner is Chertokutskiy Pyphagor Pyphagorovich. In his time he served in one of the cavalry regiments, but he retired because of participating in the fight. Since then Chertokutskiy does not miss any opportunity to see the officers.
General arranges his next dinner party.
A few officers and landowners, Chertokutskiy is there as well, have met together. After lunch, the general is bragging to the guests about his purchase - a magnificent bay mare. All guests admire the beauty of the horse, and Chertokutskiy is wondering whether the general has a suitable crew for a mare. When it became clear that the general has not suitable crew, Chertokutskiy offers him to buy an excellent carriage, very comfortable and nice. Hoping to sell the carriage profitably, Chertokutskiy invites the general and all the officers for a dinner tomorrow.
The general’s dinner party lasted until the evening. Men drank a lot, told the stories of their lives and different tall tales, played whist, and began to disperse around three o'clock in the morning. Having come home Chertokutskiy fell into bed and fell asleep next to his wife, telling her nothing about inviting guests to dinner. Wife did not disturb him in the morning deciding to let him sleep. And when several crews, going to their house, appeared on the road, the horrified hostess ran to wake her husband. Chertokutskiy jumped wearing nothing but his shirt, having recollected on yesterday's invitation, realized that there was nothing to meet guests with and decided to hide to avoid shame, and warned servants to say that the owner had left for the whole day. Chertokutsky ran to hide into the shed and came up with nothing better than to get into the carriage he praised to the general the day before.
Guests came into the house. The news that the owner is not at home today, enraged officers the general himself. But then it was decided to have a look at the carriage. A groom rolled it out of the shed. Having looked over the carriage, the general found it very ordinary and, thinking that maybe it was a kind of special inside, opened the door. Seeing Chertokutskiy, amazed general just said, "Oh, you're here! .." Then he slammed the door and left.
