蘇俄作家契可夫（Anton Chekhov, 1860-1904）以專業醫生的客觀與同情心來創造他的文學世界，成為寫實主義最重要的作家。他擅長描寫凡夫俗子在日常生活中荒謬的困境，幽默的情節中帶著悲哀與反諷。

〈打賭〉故事發生在暮秋的一個夜晚，年老的銀行家焦慮地在書房跺步，回憶起十五年前的往事。當年財大氣粗的銀行家在家中宴客，賓客們激烈地辯論著「死刑」與「無期徒刑」的優劣；一位年輕律師和主人大唱反調，他認為一息尚存總比沒命好。於是兩人打賭：律師自願被監禁在銀行家花園角落的小屋裡十五年，代價是兩百萬；除了看書、寫信、喝酒外不能見任何人，也只能從一個小窗子傳遞字條和外界聯絡。His only communication with the outside world was to be through a small, specially built window and he wasn't allowed to speak one word. Books, music, wine and so on-he could have anything he needed and as much as he liked, but only via the window and by writing little notes.

從第一年的寂寞無聊只看言情小說，到第二年定下心閱讀，律師十四年間涉獵了六百多本書，包括文史哲學、神學、科學、福音書、拜倫的詩和莎士比亞的戲劇等，他還學會六種語言。而明天中午就滿十五年了，銀行家此時憂心忡忡，因為付完兩百萬後他就要破產了。他上億的財產已經在股票及高風險投機買賣中流失殆盡，不再盛氣凌人。Gambling on the stock exchange and very risky speculation, combined with an impulsiveness that he had never managed to control despite his advanced years, had gradually brought a decline in his fortunes and that fearless, self-confident, proud man of wealth was now just a small-time financier, trembling at every rise and fall in his assets.

銀行家心想只有謀殺律師才能從破產的恥辱脫身。半夜三點，他潛入囚禁律師的小屋子。昏暗的燭光下只見到律師坐在桌前低頭沉睡，生鏽的門嘎嘎作響，他卻動也不動。他面容枯槁，膚色蠟黃，頭髮灰白，像半個死人。桌上有張寫滿字的紙，銀行家想：「他也許正夢到兩百萬呢！我只要將他用枕頭悶住，絕對查不出因暴力而死亡的跡象。可是，他到底寫了些什麼？」"He's asleep and probably dreaming of those millions! All I have to do is take hold of this semi-corpse, throw it on the bed, just smother it gently with a pillow and the most meticulous examination won't find a trace of death by violence. However, let's first read what he's written...... "

「明天中午十二點我就重獲自由了，但是上帝可以做我的見證，我厭惡自由、生命、健康及世間所有的恩賜。我閱讀了無數人類智慧的結晶，你們追求的一切都是海市蜃樓，過眼雲煙。我鄙視你們，為了放棄兩百萬，我將在期滿前五小時逃走。」銀行家看完信，親吻著律師的額頭，流著淚離開。即使之前在股票市場損失慘重，他也從未像現在這般輕視自己。After reading this the banker laid the piece of paper on the table, kissed the strange man's head and left the lodge weeping. At no other time, not even after heavy losses on the stock exchange, had he ever felt such contempt for himself as now.

銀行家不會破產，但貪念讓他失去人性，也輸了這場打賭。