This is one of the most astonishing short stories in the history of world literature, written by the Russian author Anton Chekhov:

A few days ago, I was called into my office room, where my children’s nanny, Yulia Vassilyevna, had come to settle her account.

I said to her:

“Sit down, Yulia… Let’s do the calculations. You often need money, but you’re so shy that you never ask for it yourself. Well, we had agreed on thirty rubles per month.”

Yulia replied:

“Forty.”

I said:

“No, thirty… I have the records. I always pay nannies thirty rubles.”

She responded:

“Alright.”

I asked:

“How many months have you worked?”

Yulia answered:

“Two months and five days.”

I said:

“Alright, let’s count it as two months. That makes sixty rubles. But we will deduct nine Sundays since you didn’t tutor Kolya on those days, you just spent time with him. Then, you also took three days off.”

Yulia Vassilyevna’s face turned pale, and her fingers started fidgeting with her clothes, but she didn’t complain.

I continued:

“We deduct twelve rubles for those three days off. Kolya was sick for four days, so you only taught Farya, meaning we deduct another seven rubles. Then, for three days, you had a toothache, and my wife allowed you to tutor only in the afternoon, so that’s another twelve rubles deducted. That leaves us with forty-one rubles, right?”

Yulia Vassilyevna’s eyes filled with tears, her chin began trembling, but she still remained silent.

I further calculated:

“Before New Year, you broke a cup and a plate, so we deduct six rubles. Then, due to your carelessness, Kolya climbed a tree and tore his jacket, which means another ten rubles off. The maid stole a shoe, and since it was your responsibility to watch over everything, we’ll deduct another five rubles. And on January 10, you borrowed ten rubles from me.”

Yulia Vassilyevna whispered:

“I never borrowed any money.”

I said:

“But I have it recorded.”

She said:

“Alright, as you say.”

I completed the calculations:

“After deducting twenty-seven rubles from forty-one, we are left with fourteen rubles.”

Tears streamed down Yulia’s face, and beads of sweat appeared on her long, beautiful nose.

In a broken voice, she said:

“I only borrowed three rubles once, never more than that.”

I was taken aback and said:

“Really? I don’t have that in my records! So, if we deduct three rubles, that leaves eleven. Here, take your eleven rubles!”

I placed the coins in her trembling hands. She put them in her pocket and softly said:

“Thank you.”

I became furious. I asked:

“Thank you for what?”

She replied:

“For the money.”

I said:

“But I cheated you, I robbed you, I stole what was rightfully yours! And yet, you’re still thanking me?”

She said:

“At other places, I get nothing at all.”

I asked in shock:

“What? They don’t give you anything at all?

Unbelievable! I was just joking with you, trying to teach you a lesson! Here, take your full eighty rubles, which I had kept for you in this envelope!”

I handed her the full amount and added:

“But are you truly this helpless? Why didn’t you protest? Why did you remain silent? Is it possible that you can’t even ask for your rightful due? Are you really this powerless?”

With a faint smile, Yulia replied:

“Yes, it is possible.”

I looked at her intently and then began to think:

How painful it is to be weak in this world!