Anton Chekhov (1889) — a banker and a young lawyer make a strange bet, and one man waits fifteen years
Original version available: read this lesson at B2/C1 level →
This is a famous short story, told here in simple English. Read each part, then stop and talk about the questions. The end is a big surprise — read slowly and do not jump ahead.
Many years ago, a rich banker had a party. At the party, the people talked about prison. Which is worse, they asked: many years in prison, or no life at all?
A young lawyer was there too. He and the banker did not agree. They started to argue.
The banker was angry. "You cannot stay alone in one room for fifteen years," he said. "I bet you two million! If you do it, the money is yours."
The young lawyer was proud. "Yes! I will do it," he said. "I will stay alone for fifteen years. Then you will give me the two million."
So the young lawyer went to live in a small house. He could not go out. He could not see his family or his friends. He was completely alone.
For the first year, he was very sad. The days were long and quiet. But then he started to read. He read one book, then another book, then many, many books.
The years passed. He learned new languages. He read about history, science, and God. He thought a lot. Slowly, year after year, the young lawyer changed. He was not the same man now.
Fifteen years is a long time. The banker was not rich now. He lost most of his money, and he was afraid. "Tomorrow I must pay two million," he thought. "But I do not have it!"
On the last night, the banker went to the small house. The lawyer was asleep. On the table, there was a letter. The banker read it.
In the letter, the lawyer wrote something surprising. "Now, books and ideas are more important to me than money. I do not want your two million. So I will leave this room a few hours early, before the time ends."
And he did. A few hours before the fifteen years ended, the lawyer left the room. He lost the bet — but he chose to lose it.
Ten useful words. Tap each card to see what it means and an example sentence.
1. The rich man was a ______. 2. He lived ______ for fifteen years. 3. The years started to ______ him.
This story happened in the past. We use the past simple to tell stories about the past, and we use small time words to say when things happened.
Past simple = a finished action. He made a bet. She read a book. They lived alone.
Many verbs add -ed (talk → talked, live → lived). But some are special: make → made, read → read, go → went, lose → lost.
1. The banker a bet with the lawyer. (make)
2. The young lawyer alone for fifteen years. (live)
3. He many, many books. (read)
4. The banker most of his money. (lose)
5. On the last night, the lawyer the room early. (leave)
1. made 2. lived 3. read 4. lost 5. left
1. He stayed in the room fifteen years.
2. The party happened many years .
3. The lawyer has been alone the start of the bet.
4. The banker was rich, but that was a long time .
5. He has read books every day he came to the small house.
1. for 2. ago 3. since 4. ago 5. since
for = how long (a period of time). for fifteen years, for two hours, for a long time.
since = the start point (when it began). since 1889, since Monday, since the party.
ago = how long before now. It comes after the time. fifteen years ago, two days ago, a long time ago.
A good short story is more than just words. The writer uses tricks to make you feel something. Here are two simple ones from this story.
For the whole story, we think the lawyer wants the two million. He waited fifteen long years for it! Then, at the end, he does not want it. He even leaves early, so he loses the bet. This big surprise at the end is called a twist. It makes us think about the whole story again.
At the start, the lawyer is young and proud. He wants money. But the books and the quiet years change him. At the end, he is a different man. Money is not important to him now. When a person changes inside like this, we feel the story is true and deep.
Do all three. Use the timer and try to keep talking. The sentence starters can help you begin.
Now tell the story again in your own words. Use short, simple sentences. Try to use four or five words from the Words tab, and tell the events in order.
These steps will help you: a banker bets a lawyer cannot live alone for fifteen years · the lawyer says yes and lives alone, reading many books · he changes and stops wanting money · on the last night the banker reads his letter · the lawyer leaves early and loses the bet on purpose.
Talk about a time when you waited a long time for something. Say what it was and how you felt. Use for, since, and ago.
The lawyer said books and ideas are more important than money. Do you agree? Say what you think.