"Asya" - the story of Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev. Written in 1857, first published in 1858.

The narration is conducted on behalf of an anonymous narrator (Mr. N. N.). He recalls youth, his stay in a small town on the banks of the Rhine. Once, having heard the music and the noise of the student festival, he crossed the river to the neighboring town of L. Here the hero met two Russians: a young man by the name of Gagin, who wants to become an artist, and the girl Asya (Anna), whom he presented as his sister . Asya is having fun, she is sad, makes eccentric acts (climbs the castle ruins to water the flowers). The hero begins to suspect that Asya is not Gagina’s sister.

A few days later the narrator leads a frank conversation with Gagin. It turns out that Asya is really his sister. At the age of twelve, Gagin was sent to Petersburg to a boarding house. His widowed father remained in the village. After the death of his father, it turned out that he had another child, his daughter, Asya, whose mother was Tatiana, the maid in the Gagins' house. Gagin is forced alone to raise a thirteen-year-old girl. He gives her a few years in a boarding house, where she lives hard. Finally, Gagin decided to go abroad with Asya.

The narrator is penetrated with deep pity for Asa: he understands that it is her obscure social position (the daughter of a serf and the master) that causes nervous tension in her. Gradually, he falls in love with Asya. Asya writes him a letter asking for a date. Gagin, who knows about his sister's feelings, asks the hero if he agrees to marry her. The hero, who is not sure of his feelings, can not yet agree with him and promises to reject Asi’s love at the meeting (if it takes place).

Hero's date with Asya takes place in the house of the burgomaster's widow. After the explanation, Asya finds herself in his arms, but then the hero begins to reproach her for spoiling everything, admitting to her brother, and now their happiness is impossible. Asya runs away. The hero and Gagin are looking for her. In the end, the narrator realizes that he really loves Asya and wants to marry her. He is going to ask the brother of the girl's hand the next day. But the next day it turns out that Gagin and Asya left the city. The hero tries to overtake them, but in London their trail is lost.

The hero has never met with Asya. There were other women in his life, but now, on the verge of old age and death, he realizes that he truly loved her only, and that even a dried flower that she gave him will outlive both lovers - so fleeting is human life.

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