Anton Chekhov 
The House with the Mezzanine and Other Stories 

The House with the Mezzanine features a romantic story of a young artist and Eugenia, one of the two sisters living in the house. Eugenia longs to discover the domain of the Eternal and the Beautiful though her discovery of the arts and her developing romantic relationship. Lidia, the other sister, does not care for endearments, she talks only of serious matters; she lives her life apart, and to her mother and sister is as sacred and enigmatic a person as the admiral, always sitting in his cabin, is to the sailors. Other stories in this volume include: The Darling, POlinka, Anyuta, The Two Vologyas, The Trousseau, The Helpmate, Talent, Three Years.