title: Tolstoy: Death of Ivan Ilyich (Russian Texts)
author: L.N. Tolstoy
description: Michael Beresford was Senior Lecturer in Russian at theUniversity of Manchester, U.K.
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  # The Death of Ivan Ilych
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ### Leo Tolstoy
  
  
  ##### Translated by Louise and Aylmer Maude
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ###  I
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  During an interval in the Melvinski trial in the large
  
  
  building of the Law Courts the members and public prosecutor met in
  
  
  Ivan Egorovich Shebek's private room, where the conversation turned
  
  
  on the celebrated Krasovski case. Fedor Vasilievich warmly
  
  
  maintained that it was not subject to their jurisdiction, Ivan
  
  
  Egorovich maintained the contrary, while Peter Ivanovich, not
  
  
  having entered into the discussion at the start, took no part in it
  
  
  but looked through the *Gazette* which had just been handed in.
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  "Gentlemen," he said, "Ivan Ilych has died!"
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  "You don't say so!"
  
  
  
  
  
    
  
  
  "Here, read it yourself," replied Peter Ivanovich, handing
  
  
  Fedor Vasilievich the paper still damp from the press. Surrounded
  
  
  by a black border were the words: "Praskovya Fedoro