OnholidayinYalta,MuscovitebankerDimitriGurovcontrivestomeetayoungwomanwhowalksherdog.She'sAnnaSergeyovna,trappedinalovelessmarriagetoalackey.He'sunhappyinanarrangedmarriage.Withneitherspouseathand,DimitriandAnnabeginanaffair.Afterashorttime,shereturnstoSaratov,hetoMoscow,believingit'sgood-byforever.Allwinterheismiserable,enervated,distractedbytristesse.Indesperation,hecontrivestogotoSaratov,surprisingherataconcert.Fearingdiscoveryinherhometown,shepromisestocometoMoscow.Willtheycastasidereputationtolivetogether,orwilltheirsbeanaffairofinfrequentencountersinhotelrooms? Writtenby{jhailey@hotmail.com}