The Tambov Treasurer's Wife

Tambov Treasurer's Wife (Tambovskaya kaznacheysha, Тамбо′вская казначе′йша) is a poem by Mikhail Lermontov, written and published by Sovremennik in 1838.

[1] A visiting uhlan falls in love with the 18-year-old wife of the old Tambov's treasurer and, after several attempts to woo her, 'wins' her from her husband in the game of cards.

[2] On February 15, 1838, Lermontov informed M.A.Lopukhina (writing in French): "I've been to Zhukovsky and, following his request, brought him Tambov Teasurer's Wife.

He [Lermontov] held a thin pink book of Sovremennik in his hands showing the intention to tear it apart, but Krayevsky wouldn't let him.

Then he sat at the table, took a large red pencil and on the sleeve of the journal where his Treasurer's Wife was published, drew some sort of caricature.