The Devil

The Devil is a novella written by Leo Tolstoy and first published in 1889.

This short novel tells the story of a rich landowner who falls totally in love and becomes obsessed with Stepanida, a married peasant girl who ends up working for him.

Eugene Irtenev and his brother receive a large inheritance after the death of their father. However, there are also outstanding debts to be paid and they must decide whether to accept or reject it. Eugene is the only one to accept and decides to buy his brother's share as an investment to try to sell part of the land later.

Moving to live on the farm, Eugene leaves the city of St. Petersburg and with it the women he used to associate with there. On the farm he feels lonely and in the village he is introduced to a peasant woman Stepanida who is married but her husband lives far away. The two of them will have meetings and he will pay her for it... however Eugene will be forced by his mother to look for a wealthy woman to help him pay his debts...

This edition of the novella The Devil uses the English translation by Aylmer and Louise Maude in 1911.