Arkady Averchenko’s contemporaries called him “The King of Laughter” and “The Knight of Smiles.” The writer’s prose was very popular during the author’s lifetime. Despite the fact that A. Averchenko took an anti-monarchist position, believing that before the revolution “all of Russia was sick” and accepted the February Revolution, he considered the October Revolution of 1917 to be destroying traditions, leading to civil war, the destruction of the connection of times, denying national and patriotic ideas. But the merciless truth does not stop the healthy laughter of the writer, involving the reader in the action of masks and carnival disguises. His heroes abandoned the people's truth, accepting the official one. In his satirical, extremely sharp, not without tragedy stories, the writer warns about the serious danger that a prolonged masquerade leads to, when evil spirits, summoned to a national holiday, replace real faces and good friends from old fairy tales.

O benefits of travel. - Who is Krysakov? — Mifasov’s mental and physical properties. — Something about Sanders. - Ya - Our servant Mitya

A brief description of Europe. - Statistical data. - Flora. - Fauna. - Climate. — My conversations with travelers

Innsbruck. - Feathered. - Difficult conversation. — About German wit. - The theory of ebb and flow. — Sanders is sick. - Another theory. - In Steins. - An ominous place. — Quarrel with Krysakov. — Departure for Farquharten

The city of laziness and music. — Cartolina postale. - Krysakov's method. - Mifasov's method. - Sanders method. — Democracy and aristocracy. - A feast with a beggar woman. — Sanders gets caught up in the fever. — Treatment

Swimming on the Lido. - “I’m telling you in Russian!” - Gondolas. - Parasites. — St. Mark's Cathedral. - Overproduction of doges. — St. Margaret's School. “Over and over again Sanders is sick. — How we swam

The guide’s opinion. - Damaged Mifasov mechanism. - Fiesole. — Riding in a strange carriage. — The man who outdid Sanders. - We are confused. - Searches. — A witty poster. — Fiesole again

Sanders laments. - Old man. — I try to outdo the guide. - Colosseum. — Sanders in the catacombs. - Museum. - Difficult life. - Artistic flair. - Dear stick. — Una Lira

Neapolitans. — The incident with the coin. - City of beggars. - Neapolitan merchant. — First appearance of Gabriel. - Aquarium. - Posilippo. - Tarantella. - We are breaking up with Gabriel. — Cafe-concert. — Restaurant tactics. - Pompey. —Grivoise Gabriel. — The richest country

Pink turtle. - Maksim Gorky. - Italian crowd. - Old man. — A difficult journey. - The latest scam. — Gabriel again

Homesickness. - We are four. - The ghost of hunger. - Torment. - the 14 th of July. - Lyrical digression. - Money is being found. — Last efforts. - Fight. - Victory. - In Russia. — Last merci...