Only God knows how many diverse and fascinating impressions and thoughts, which they evoke, though unclear, yet understandable to our soul, pass in a single day. If they could be described in such a way that I could easily read myself and that others could read me as I read myself, it would make for a very instructive and interesting book. Strangely enough, we know exactly that on March 25, 1851, there was a quiet, clear night in Sivtsev Vrazhek; the young moon peeked out from behind the red roof of a large white house, and there was already little snow. All thanks to the resident of house number 34.

The main house of the city estate, owned by A.D. Negunova, E.A. Ivanova, and P.N. Ivanov, was built in 1833 on the site of a large estate's garden. In December 1850, twenty-two-year-old Leo Tolstoy rented a five-room apartment from titular advisor Ivanova in a one-story mansion. Sofya Andreevna Tolstaya later recorded from Leo Nikolayevich's words: for the first time, living in Moscow, he thought of describing something. After reading 'Voyage Sentimental' by Sterne, he, excited and captivated by this reading, sat one day by the window, lost in thought, observing what was happening on the street. He was curious about who the watchman was, what his life was like, who was riding in the carriage, where they were going and what they were thinking, who lived in the house and what their inner life was like. Thus was born the idea for 'The History of Yesterday,' describing one day, March 25, 1851.

Leo Tolstoy usually wrote his diary in the evening, a Franklin-style journal, and kept daily accounts. It is worth telling a little about this habit of Tolstoy. First, there was the 'Journal of Daily Activities,' where each page was divided into two parts: 'Future,' what he intended to do the next day, and 'Past,' a report on the fulfillment of the plan. There was no present. The 'Journal for Weaknesses,' or 'Franklin-style journal,' contained a list of moral weaknesses, such as laziness, indecision, vanity, and others, organized by columns. Weaknesses were marked with crosses. Soon the two journals mixed and merged into one. For example, the entry from March 24: 'Woke up a bit late and read, but did not manage to write. Puaré arrived, started fencing, did not send him away (laziness and cowardice). Ivanov came, talked too long with him (cowardice). Koloshin (Sergey) came to drink vodka, did not send him away (cowardice).' And here is March 25, described in 'The History...': 'From 10 to 11, the diary of yesterday and reading. From 11 to 12, gymnastics. From 12 to 1, English. Beklemishev and Beer from 1 to 2. From 2 to 4, horseback riding. From 4 to 6, lunch. From 6 to 8, reading. From 8 to 10, writing. Translation from a foreign language into Russian for the development of memory and style. To write about the current day with all the impressions and thoughts it will evoke.'

It turned out that describing one day is not so simple. For three weeks, Leo Nikolayevich did not progress beyond the morning and stopped there. He could not convey 'the heartfelt side of the life of one day.' Or could he?

Here, Leo Tolstoy writes 'A Tale from Gypsy Life,' which has not survived to our days. The description of the apartment in Sivtsev Vrazhek is found in 'War and Peace,' where the author settled the impoverished Nikolai Rostov, who returned from the war: despite his reluctance to stay in Moscow among people who knew him before, and his aversion to civil service, he took a position in Moscow in the civil service and, having removed his beloved uniform, settled with his mother and Sonya in a small apartment in Sivtsev Vrazhek. Here, Princess Mary will come to visit Countess Rostova, and Tolstoy will recreate some features of the dwelling: Nikolai first met her, as one could only pass to the countess through his room.

The mansion has been repeatedly reconstructed: in the 1850s, 1870s, and 1910s, but it has not lost its charm.