The first, second and third actions take place in the winter of 1918, the fourth action - at the beginning of 1919. The scene is the city of Kiev.

Action one

First picture

Evening. The fire is in the fireplace, the clock strikes nine times. Aleksei Vasilyevich Turbin, a 30-year-old colonel-gunner, leaned over the papers, his 18-year-old brother Nikolka plays the guitar and sings: “Worse rumors every hour. Petlyura is coming at us! ” Aleksey asks Nikolka not to sing “Cook's Songs”.

Electricity suddenly goes out, a military unit passes through the windows with a song and a distant cannon strike is heard. Electricity flashes again. Elena Vasilievna Talberg, the 24-year-old sister of Alexei and Nikolka, begins to seriously worry about her husband, Alexey and Nikolka reassure her: “You know that the Germans guard the line to the west. And he rides for a long time, because they are at each station. A revolutionary ride: an hour you drive, two you stand. ”

The bell rings and the headquarters artillery captain, 38-year-old Viktor Viktorovich Myshlaevsky, is completely frozen, almost frostbitten, in his overcoat pocket is his bottle of vodka. Myshlaevsky says that he came from under the Red Tavern, all of whose peasants went over to the side of Petlyura. Myshlaevsky himself almost miraculously got into the city - the transfer was organized by staff officers, whom Myshlaevsky made a terrible scandal. Aleksey gladly accepts Myshlaevsky in his unit located in the Alexander Gymnasium.

Myshlaevsky warms himself by the fireplace and drinks vodka, Nikolka rubs his frostbitten legs, Elena is preparing a hot bath. When Myshlaevsky goes to the bathroom, a continuous bell rings. Includes the 21-year-old Zhytomyr Turbin cousin Larion Larionovich Surzhansky, Lariosik, with a suitcase and a knot. Lariosik joyfully greets those present, not noticing completely that no one will recognize him despite his mother's 63-word telegram. Only after Lariosik appears is a misunderstanding resolved. It turns out that Lariosik is a cousin from Zhytomyr who came to enter Kiev University.

Lariosik is a sissy, a ridiculous, unadapted youth, a “terrible loser” living in his own world and time. He traveled from Zhitomir for 11 days, on his way a bundle of linen was stolen from him, only books and manuscripts were left, only the shirt survived, in which Lariosik wrapped Chekhov’s collected works. Elena decides to settle her cousin in the library.

When Lariosik leaves, the bell rings - Colonel of the General Staff Vladimir Robertovich Talberg, 38-year-old husband of Elena came. Elena happily talks about the arrival of Myshlaevsky and Lariosik. Talberg is not happy. He talks about the miserable state of affairs: the city is surrounded by Petliurites, the Germans leave the hetman to their fate, and no one knows about it yet, even the hetman himself.

Talberg, a person too prominent and famous (after all, the assistant to the Minister of War), is going to flee to Germany. One, since the Germans do not take women. The train leaves in an hour and a half, Talberg seems to be consulting with his wife, but actually confronts her with the fact of his "business trip" (colonels of the General Staff do not run). Talberg beautifully argues that he is traveling only two months, the hetman will definitely return, and then he will return, and Elena, meanwhile, will save their rooms. Talberg severely punishes Elena not to accept the annoying boyfriend, personal adjutant of the hetman, lieutenant Leonid Yuryevich Shervinsky and not to cast a shadow on the name of Talberg.

Elena leaves to collect her suitcase to her husband, and Alexey enters the room. Talberg briefly informs him of his departure. Alexei is in a cold rage; he does not accept Talberg's handshake. Talberg announces that Alexey will have to answer for his words when ... when Talberg returns. Nikolka enters, he also condemns the cowardly and petty Talberg, calls him a "rat." Talberg is leaving ...

The second picture

Some time later. The table is set for dinner, Elena sits at the piano and takes the same chord. Suddenly Shervinsky enters with a huge bouquet and presents it to Elena. Shervinsky delicately cares for her, says compliments.

Elena told Shervinsky about Talberg’s departure, Shervinsky is glad to hear, as she now has the opportunity to look out in the open. Shervinsky boasts of how he once sang in Zhmerinka - he has a beautiful opera voice:

Enter Alexei Turbin, 29-year-old captain Alexander Bronislavovich Studzinsky, Myshlaevsky, Lariosik and Nikolka. Elena invites everyone to the table - this is the last dinner before the performance of the Alexei Turbin division. The guests together eat, drink for Elena's health, scatter compliments in front of her. Shervinsky says that everything is safe with the hetman, and rumors should not be believed that the Germans are leaving him to their fate.

Everyone drinks for the health of Alexei Turbin. Hopped Lariosik suddenly says: “... cream curtains ... you rest your soul behind them ... forget about all the horrors of the civil war. But our wounded souls are so hungry for peace ... ”, causing this statement to make friendly banter. Nikolka sits down at the piano and sings a patriotic soldier's song, and here Shervinsky announces a toast in honor of the hetman. They do not support the toast, Studzinsky announces that "he will not drink this toast and does not advise other officers." An unpleasant situation is brewing, against the background of which Lariosik suddenly stands inappropriately with a toast "in honor of Elena Vasilievna and her husband, who left for Berlin." Officers enter into a fierce discussion about the hetman and his actions; Alexei very sharply condemns the hetman's policy.

Lariosik, meanwhile, sits down at the piano and sings, everyone picks up chaotically. Drunk Myshlaevsky grabs the Mauser and is about to go shoot the commissars, he is being calmed down. Shervinsky continues to defend the hetman, while mentioning the emperor Nikolai Alexandrovich. Nikolka notes that the emperor was killed by the Bolsheviks. Shervinsky says that this is a fiction of the Bolsheviks, and tells the legendary story of Nicholas II, who is allegedly now at the court of the German emperor Wilhelm. Other officers object to him. Myshlaevsky is crying. He recalls Emperor Peter III, Paul I and Alexander I, who were killed by their subjects. Then Myshlaevsky becomes ill, Studzinsky, Nikolka and Alexei are taken to the bathroom.

Shervinsky and Elena are left alone. Elena is restless, she tells Shervinsky a dream: “As if we were all traveling by ship to America and sitting in the hold. And then a storm ... Water rises to the very feet ... We climb into some bunks. And suddenly the rats. So disgusting, so huge ... "

Shervinsky suddenly declares to Elena that her husband will not return, and confesses her love. Elena does not believe Shervinsky, reproaches him for impudence, "adventures" with mezzo-soprano with painted lips; then she admits that she doesn’t love and respect her husband, and she really likes Shervinsky. Shervinsky begs Elena to divorce Talberg and marry him. They are kissing.

Action two

First picture

Night. Hetman’s office in the palace. The room has a huge desk with telephones on it. The door opens and footman Fyodor lets Shervinsky in. Shervinsky was surprised that there was no one in the office, neither the attendants, nor the adjutants. Fyodor tells him that the second personal adjutant of the hetman, Prince Novozhiltsev, “deigned to receive unpleasant news” by telephone and at the same time “changed a lot in the face”, and then “left the palace altogether”, “left in civilian clothes”. Shervinsky is perplexed, furious. He rushes to the phone and calls Novozhiltsev, but on the phone he answers with the voice of Novozhiltsev that he is not there. The chief of staff of the Svyatoshinsky regiment and his assistants are also gone. Shervinsky writes a note and asks Fedor to hand it over to the messenger, who should receive a certain package from this note.

The hetman of all Ukraine enters. He is in the richest Circassian, raspberry harem pants and boots without heels of the Caucasian type. Brilliant general epaulettes. A short trimmed graying mustache, a smoothly shaved head, about forty-five.

The hetman appointed at a quarter to twelve a meeting at which the high command of the Russian and German armies should arrive. Shervinsky reports that no one arrived. In broken Ukrainian, he is trying to tell the hetman about Novozhiltsev’s misbehavior, the hetman breaks down on Shervinsky. Shervinsky, turning already into Russian, reports that they called from the headquarters and reported that the commander of the volunteer army fell ill and departed with the whole headquarters in a German train to Germany. The hetman is amazed. Shervinsky reports that at ten o’clock in the evening the Petlyura units broke through the front and the 1st mounted Petliura division under the command of Bolbotun went into a breakthrough.

There is a knock on the door, representatives of the German command enter: the gray-haired, long-faced General von Schratt and the purple-faced Major von Dust. The hetman joyfully meets them, talks about the betrayal of the headquarters of the Russian command and the breakthrough of the front by Petlyura's cavalry. He asks the German command to immediately give troops to repel the gangs and "restore order in Ukraine, so friendly Germany."

The generals refuse to help the hetman, claiming that all of Ukraine is on the side of Petliura, and therefore the German command withdraws its divisions back to Germany, and offer an immediate "evacuation" of the hetman in the same direction. The hetman begins to get nervous and swagger. He protests and declares that he himself will gather an army to defend Kiev. The Germans in response are hinting that if the hetman is suddenly captured, he will be immediately hanged. The hetman is broken.

Dust shoots from the revolver at the ceiling, Schratt hides in the next room. Dust explains to those who had run up to the noise that everything is in order with the hetman; it was General von Schratt who caught the revolver with his trousers and "mistakenly got on his head." The doctor of the German army enters the room with a medical bag. Schratt hurriedly dresses the hetman into a German uniform, “as if you are me, and I am wounded; we will secretly take you out of the city. ”

There is a call on the field telephone, Shervinsky reports to the hetman that two regiments of Serdyukov crossed to Petlyura's side, and enemy cavalry appeared on the exposed section of the front. The hetman asks to be transferred so that the cavalry is detained at least for half an hour - he wants to have time to leave. Shervinsky appeals to Schratt with a request to take him and his bride to Germany. Schratt refuses, he reports that there are no places in the evacuation train, and there is already an adjutant - Prince Novozhiltsev. Meanwhile, a bewildered hetman would be disguised as a German general. The doctor tightly bandages his head and puts it on a stretcher. The hetman is carried out, and Schratt goes unnoticed through the back door.

Shervinsky notices a golden cigarette case, which the hetman forgot. After a little hesitation, Shervinsky hides his cigarette case in his pocket. Then he calls Turbin and talks about the betrayal of the hetman, changes into civilian clothes, which he delivered at the request of the messenger, and disappears.

The second picture

Evening. Empty, gloomy room. Caption: "Headquarters of the 1st Cinema Division." Standard blue with yellow, a kerosene lamp at the entrance. Outside the windows, the sound of horse hooves is occasionally heard, the harmonica quietly plays up.

A headhunter with a bloodied face is dragged into the headquarters. A centurion-Petliurist, former Ulan-based captain Galanba, cold, black, brutally interrogates the deserter, who in fact turns out to be a Petliurist with frostbitten legs, making his way to the infirmary. Galanba orders to take the sechik to the infirmary, and after the doctor has bandaged his legs, bring him back to the headquarters and give fifteen ramrods "knowing the wines of the wines, as if without documents to run from his regiment."

Disturbing voices are heard outside the window: “Hold them!” - it is the Jews who ran from Slobodka right on the ice. Riding Petliurists rush after them.

A man with a basket is brought to headquarters. This is a shoemaker, he works at home, and takes the finished goods to the city, to the hardware store. Petliurists are happy - there is something to profit from, they grab their boots, despite the shy objection of the shoemaker. Bolbotun states that they will give the shoemaker a receipt, and Galanba gives the shoemaker in the ear. The shoemaker runs away. At this time, an offensive is being announced.

Action Three

First picture

Dawn. The lobby of the Alexander Gymnasium. Shotguns in boxes, boxes, machine guns. Giant staircase, portrait of Alexander I at the top. The division marching along the corridors of the gymnasium, Nikolka sings romances for the ridiculous motive of a soldier’s song, the cadets are deafeningly picked up.

An officer approaches Myshlaevsky and Studzinsky and says that five cadets escaped from his platoon at night. Myshlaevsky replies that Turbin left to find out the situation, and then orders the junkers to go to the classes "to break the desks, to heat the stoves!" A 60-year-old student supervisor, Maxim, appears from the closet and says in horror that you can’t heat the desks, but you need to heat the wood; but there is no firewood, and the officers wave him away.

Shell explosions come very close. Enter Alexey Turbin. He urgently orders to return the outpost at Demievka, and then turns to the officers and the division: “I declare that I am dismissing our division. The fight with Petliura is over. I order everyone, including officers, to immediately take off their epaulets, all insignia and run home. ”

Dead silence explodes with shouts: “Arrest him!”, “What does this mean?”, “Junker, take him!”, “Junker, back!” There is confusion, the officers wave their revolvers, the cadets do not understand what is happening, and refuse to obey the order. Myshlaevsky and Studzinsky stand up for the Turbine, which again takes the word: “Whom do you want to protect? Tonight, the hetman, leaving the army to the mercy of fate, fled, disguised as a German officer, to Germany. At the same time, another canal fled in the same direction - the army commander, Prince Belorukov. <...> Here we are, two hundred of us. And the two hundred thousandth army of Petlyura on the outskirts of the city! In a word, I won’t lead you into the battle, because I don’t participate in the booth, all the more so since all of you pay with your blood for this booby! <...> I tell you: the white movement in Ukraine is over. He’s finished everywhere! The people are not with us. He is against us. And here I am, a career officer Aleksey Turbin, who endured the war with the Germans, I accept everything in my conscience and responsibility, I warn and, loving you, I send home. Tear off shoulder straps, throw rifles and immediately go home! ”

A terrible turmoil rises in the hall, the junkers and the officers scatter. Nikolka hits the switch box with a rifle and runs away. The light goes out. Alexei at the stove vomits and burns paper. Maxim comes in, Turbin sends him home. A glow breaks through the windows of the gymnasium, Myshlaevsky appears upstairs and shouts that he has lit the Zeichhaus, now he will roll two more bombs into the hay - and go. But when he finds out that Turbin remains in the gymnasium to wait for the outpost, decides to stay with him. Turbin is against, he orders Myshlaevsky to immediately go to Elena and guard her. Myshlaevsky disappears.

Nikolka appears at the top of the stairs and declares that she will not leave without Alexei. Alex grabs a revolver in order to somehow make Nikolka flee. At this time, the cadets that were in the outpost appear. They report that Petlyura’s cavalry is following. Alexey orders them to run, but he remains to cover the departure of the cadets.

A close gap is heard, the glasses burst, Alex falls. Of all his strength, he orders Nikolka to give up heroism and flee. At that moment, Haidamaks burst into the hall and shoot at Nikolka. Nikolka crawls up the stairs, rushes off the railing and disappears.

The harmonica is noisy and buzzing, a trumpet is heard, the banners are floating up the stairs. Deafening March.

The second picture

Dawn.There is no electricity, a candle is burning on the ombre table. In the room are Lariosik and Elena, who is very worried about the brothers, Myshlaevsky, Studzinsky and Shervinsky. Lariosik volunteers to go in search, but Elena dissuades him. She herself is going to meet her brothers. Lariosik was talking about Talberg, but Elena strictly cuts him off: “Don’t mention my husband’s name in the house anymore. Do you hear? "

There is a knock on the door - Shervinsky came. He brought bad news: the hetman and Prince Belorukov fled, Petlyura took the city. Shervinsky is trying to calm Elena, explaining that he had warned Alexei, and he would come soon.

Again a knock on the door - Myshlaevsky and Studzinsky enter. Elena rushes to them with the question: “And where is Alyosha and Nikolai?” They calm her down.

Myshlaevsky begins to taunt Shervinsky, reproaching him for his love for the hetman. Shervinsky is furious. Studzinsky is trying to end the quarrel. Myshlaevsky relents, asks: "Well, does he mean that he made a move with you?" Shervinsky replies: “With me. He hugged and thanked for the faithful service. And he wept ... And he presented a golden cigarette-case with a monogram. ”

Myshlaevsky does not believe, hints at Shervinsky's "rich imagination", he silently shows the stolen cigarette case. Everyone is amazed.

There is a knock at the window. Studzinsky and Myshlaevsky approach the window and, carefully moving the curtain aside, look out and run out. A few minutes later, Nikolka was brought into the room, his head was broken, the blood in his boot. Lariosik wants to notify Elena, but Myshlaevsky pinches his mouth: "Lenka, Lenka needs to be removed somewhere ...".

Shervinsky resorts with iodine and bandages, Studzinsky bandages Nikolka’s head. Suddenly Nikolka comes to his senses, they immediately ask him: “Where is Alyoshka?”, But Nikolka only mutters incoherently in response.

Elena quickly enters the room, and they immediately begin to calm her down: “He fell and hit his head. There is nothing terrible. ” Elena interrogates Nikolka in alarm: “Where is Alexey?”, - Myshlaevsky makes a sign to Nikolka - “be silent.” Elena is hysterical, she realizes that a terrible thing happened to Alexei, and reproaches the survivors for inaction. Studzinsky grabs hold of a revolver: “She is absolutely right! It's all my fault. You could not leave him! I’m a senior officer, and I’ll correct my mistake! ”

Shervinsky and Myshlaevsky are trying to reason Studzinsky, to take away his revolver. Elena tries to soften her rebuke: “I said out of grief. My head became confused ... I became mad ... "And then Nikolka opens her eyes and confirms Elena's terrible guess:" They killed the commander. " Elena faints.

Action four

Two months have passed. The Epiphany Eve of 1919 arrived. Elena and Lariosik decorate the tree. Lariosik scatters compliments in front of Elena, reads her poems and admits that he is in love with her. Elena calls Lariosik “a terrible poet” and “a touching person”, asks to read poetry, and kisses his forehead in a friendly manner. And then she admits that she has long been in love with one person, moreover, she has an affair with him; and Lariosik knows this person very well ... Desperate Lariosik goes for vodka to "get drunk to insensibility", and at the door he encounters an incoming Shervinsky. He is wearing a nasty hat, a tattered coat and blue glasses. Shervinsky tells the news: “Congratulations, Petlyure cap! There will be reds tonight. <...> Lena, here it is all over. Nikolka is recovering ... Now a new life begins. It is impossible for us to languish anymore. He will not come. He was cut off, Lena! ” Elena agrees to become the wife of Shervinsky if he changes, stops lying and boasting. They decide to notify Talberg of the divorce by telegram.

Shervinsky tears off the wall and rubs Talberg and throws him into the fireplace. They go to Elena's room. The piano is heard, Shervinsky sings.

Nikolka enters, pale and weak, wearing a black cap and a student jacket, on crutches. He notices a torn frame and lays down on the sofa. Lariosik comes, he just got a bottle of vodka on his own, moreover, he brought it to the apartment unscathed, which is extremely proud. Nikolka points to the empty frame from the portrait: “Awesome news! Elena disagrees with her husband. She will marry Shervinsky. ” A stunned Lariosik drops a bottle that shatters.

A bell rings, Lariosik admits Myshlaevsky and Studzinsky, both in civilian clothes. Those vying to report the news: “The Reds defeated Petlyura! Petlyura’s troops leave the city! ”,“ The Reds are already in Slobodka. In half an hour they’ll be here. ”

Studzinsky reflects: “It is best for us to attach ourselves to the wagon train and leave after Petliura to Galicia! And there on the Don, to Denikin, and fight with the Bolsheviks. " Myshlaevsky does not want to return to the command of the generals: “I’ve been fighting for the fatherland since nine hundred and fourteen ... And where is this fatherland when they left me to shame ?! And again I go to these lords? <...> And if the Bolsheviks mobilize, then I’ll go and serve. Yes! Because Petliura has two hundred thousand, but they greased their heels with fat and blow at the very word “Bolsheviks”. Because the Bolsheviks are peasants of the clouds. <...> At least I will know that I will serve in the Russian army. "

“What the hell is the Russian army when they killed Russia ?!” “Objects Studzinsky,” “Russia was with us - a great power!”

"And will be!" - Myshlaevsky replies, - "There will not be the former, the new will be."

In the heat of the argument, Shervinsky runs in and announces that Elena divorces Talberg and marries Shervinsky. All congratulate them. Suddenly the front door opens, Talberg enters in a civilian coat, with a suitcase.

Elena asks everyone to leave them alone with Thalberg. Everyone leaves, and Lariosik for some reason on tiptoe. Elena briefly informs Talberg that Alexei was killed, and Nikolka is a cripple. Talberg claims that the Hetman "turned out to be a stupid operetta", the Germans deceived them, but in Berlin he managed to get a trip to the Don, to General Krasnov, and now he came for his wife. Elena dryly replies to Thalberg that he is divorcing him and marrying Shervinsky. Talberg is trying to stage the scene, but Myshlaevsky comes out and says: “Well? Out! ” - hits Talberg in the face. Talberg is confused, he goes to the front and leaves ...

Everything enters the room with the Christmas tree, Lariosik puts out the light and lights up the light bulbs on the Christmas tree, then brings the guitar and hands it to Nikolka. Nikolka sings, and everyone, except Studzinsky, picks up the chorus: “So for the Council of People’s Commissars, we will see the loud“ Hurray! Hooray! Hooray!".

Everyone asks Lariosik to give a speech. Lariosik is embarrassed, refuses, but still says: “We met in the most difficult and terrible times, and we all experienced a lot ... including myself. My fragile ship for a long time thrashed along the waves of the civil war ... Until it nailed to this harbor with cream curtains, to people who I liked so much ... However, I found drama with them too ... Time turned around, now Petliura disappeared ... We are all together again ... And even more than that: here is Elena Vasilievna, she, too, has experienced very, very much and deserves happiness, because she is a wonderful woman. "

Distant cannon strikes are heard. But this is not a fight, this is a salute. “International” is playing on the street - the Reds are coming. All come to the window.

“Gentlemen,” says Nikolka, “tonight is a great prologue to a new historical play.”

"To whom is the prologue," Studzinsky answers him, "and to whom is the epilogue."