Severny Vestnik
The novella was first published in March 1888 by "Severny Vestnik". With minor changes it was included in the "Stories" (Рассказы, 1888) to be reproduced unchanged in all its 13 editions (1889–1899). In a revised version it was included by Chekhov into Volume 4 of his Collected Works published in 1899–1901 by Adolf Marks.