Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ: Akụkọ ahụ na-agazi na Crimea, bụ́ ebe onye ala nna ya nwụrụ anwụ bụ́ Nikolai Mikhailovich Layevsky na-anabata nwa ya nwoke bụ́ Pavel ka o si agha lọta mgbe ọ nọrọla afọ ise n'ọchịchị. O juru ya anya na nnọkọ ahụ abụghị nke nzuzo ebe ọ bụ na Pavel kpọtara Vitkevich. Onye na-enweghị nkwanye ugwu na onye na-eme ihe na-adịghị mma nke na-eme ka ikuku na-adịgide adịgide nke enweghị nchekasị, Vitkevich abụghị naanị ọkacha mmasị nke ezinụlọ ndị eze Russia, kamakwa ọ bụ ihe ndị ọrụ ibe ya na-ahụ n'anya. Mana Nikolai aghọtaghị ihe mere nwa ya nwoke ji nwee mmasị n'ebe onye ọ na-amaghị nọ, n'amaghị na Vitkevich bụ ụdị onye ga-ezo onwe ya n'ụlọ akwụna maka naanị ebumnuche ị drinkingụ champeenu. Vitkevich jidere Nikolai ka ya na Masha, onye isi nri nke ụlọ ahụ na-enwe mmekọrịta chiri anya, onye bụ ihe dị ka nne na-anọchi anya Pavel, nke na-eme ka Vitkevich kpughee na ọ ga-amalite ọrụ dị oke mkpa, ya bụ nleta na Kabul. Vitkevich na-aga n'ihu na-ekwu okwuchukwu banyere ọdịnihu doro anya nke Russia na
mkpa alaeze ukwu ahụ nwere maka ịgbasawanye ókèala ya, echiche nke Masha na-ekwupụta obi abụọ.