Country Cottage," in which a couple is relaxing near a train station. Which detail from the excerpt best marks the introduction of the conflict?
excerpt adapted from
A Country Cottage
by Anton Chekhov
"Let's see the train in and go home," said Sasha, yawning. "What a splendid time we are having together, Varya, it's so splendid, one can hardly
belleve it's true!"
"Looki look!" they heard from one of the carriages. "Varya and Sasha have come to meet us! There they arel... Varyal... Varya... Look!"
Two little girls skipped out of the train and hung on Varya's neck. They were followed by a stout, middle-aged lady, and a tall, lanky gentleman
with grey whiskers; behind them came two schoolboys, laden with bags, and after the schoolboys, the governess, after the governess the
grandmother
"Here we are, here we are, dear boyl" began the whiskered gentleman, squeezing Sasha's hand. "Sick of waiting for us, I expect! You have been
pitching into your old uncle for not coming down all this time, I daresayl Kolya, Kostya, Nina, Fifa ... children! Kiss your cousin Sasha! We're all
here, the whole troop of us, just for three or four days. I hope we shan't be too many for you? You mustn't let us put you out!"
At the sight of their uncle and his family, the young couple were horror-stricken aile his uncle talked and kissed them, Sasha had a vision of
their little cottage: he and Varya giving up their three little rooms, all the pillows and bedding to their guests; the salmon, the sardines, the
chicken all devoured in a single instant; the cousins plucking the flowers in their little garden