Now I noticed that in the house of several rooms, and it was in one of them where now come out with a girl aged ten to twelve.
-This is my mom, Valya, " she said to me, " don't shout at her.
-What is your name? — I turned to her.
-My name is Larisa, she said, coming closer to him, as do during a conversation many children, trusting adults. — Today we with dad went to the forest for mushrooms and saw a bear, a little of this. I started to play, and then his mother bear jumped out from behind the bushes. Papa on the tree gave up, and he began to run away. But bear behind him has pursued, and looked behind me on the tree. I began to cry, and dad ran to the tree and began to cast a she-bear with canes, and then grabbed the bear by the scruff of the neck and lifted him up so that he began to shout. Bear jumped down from the tree and threw herself on the Pope. But daddy's gun took not, and he only had the knife. They embraced and began to roll on the ground. Papa bear with a knife beats, and she him breaking, tearing claws. And they struggled so long, and both scary screaming. And then came running uncle Alyosha, and helped to kill the she-bear.
-And who is this guy? I inquired.
Is dad's friend.
Valentina, Larisa's mother, gained from a tub again basin water обмывала her husband piece of Terry towels. I went out of the house. Now to me that was clear.
The yard of the house the people were gone. Stand there, just one and a half dozen people, including several men.
-Who Alexei? I asked the standing under the porch.
"Well I, " replied the elderly bearded man, in which I immediately recognized one of his three saviours.
-Is that you, where I saw that happened in the forest?
-Well I nodded Alexey.
-What happened there?
-And what it is now?
"Indeed, " I replied, biting his lip: "really, what it is now?"
-Very close to the village happened suddenly spoke Alexey, referring not to me but to others, and changing his tone of voice from the caller to surprise. — Here, a hundred yards in the direction of the cemetery. Whence here only here for the bears? And in this time they had the person not attack her, as time going to sleep to fall. I can hear the screams and roars. "Well — I think — the going gets tough!" Took an axe and rushed there. And there dipper Петрухе Boca pounds. Well, I'm her with an axe on the head and оприходовал. The only pity is that arrived too late.
Someone wanted to look at the bear, killed him, and remaining in the yard moved to the place where the tragedy occurred: according to Alexei carcass bear with his throat slit, still laying there, and had now to take her to not be in vain fat, meat and fur. I tried to stop them, but I didn't hear wanted.
I went into the hut to Peter, but Valentina зыркнула me so evil, so evil eyes flashed, that I realized: it's nothing to do.
"How strange, I thought, went down through the street to the house Pelageya — a person dies, and nobody wants to help him. Even if he is doomed, it still needs to try to help at least some support it with their participation in its fate. And they went to see the зарубленную dipper. It was necessary to find somewhere a car or anything else, Yes even combine or tractor, and take Peter to the hospital. However, where it's here you'll find."
In fact, in the village of almost that there was no technique, and for the whole week, that had been here, I have not heard even once the engine running.
Once in the yard and saw still in the middle of it stood Пелагею, I heard that from the corner of the house someone calls me. It was a light, almost spectral whistle on a high note, that you can be accepted for the creak of a swinging to and fro, and wooden shutters on the window. I was not even paid attention to it, but the whistle once persistently and invitingly and a little stronger repeated, so that it was impossible to pay attention. Pelageya also drew attention to a strange sound.
-What is there? "She asked me.
-Ah, wearily waved my hand, — that-that, dies Peter, and no it does not want to help.
-And what Baba to Varvara gone?
-To Varvara? — I was surprised and shocked at her words. I don't know.
Pelageya went out the gate, and I heard again посвитывание, доносившееся the corner of the house. There I was waiting for my friend rustic shepherd. His eyes were seven kopecks like mad.
-Do you know what happened? "He asked.
-Yes, I saw.
"No, not that. Baba village to Varvara went!
-So what? — I asked innocently.
As what?! Shepherd strongly grabbed my hand, showing remarkable effect, so unexpected in his frail body, and pulled her to himself. 'Do you know why they went?
-No...
-They went to ask her to help with her magic to return to Peter life.
-So what?
-How's that?! Don't you understand, that from the barbarians nothing good to wait. She's a witch. Indian sorrow blindly, she goes wherever she may seem faster help. And very often it is evil spirits, plays this...
-What are you плетешь?! "I broke and shook shepherd by his shirt. I was beginning to be annoyed that he is to me hooked on. I relax here! Not in every village shit go! Less than a week I stay remained in this damn phone village, but I still have the reason persistently not left in peace. And I'm already tired!
I tried to throw, to shake a shepherd, вцепившегося in my sleeves, but it was not there. He kept asking:
-Yes, you understand that it raises a big deal...
-What is the next big deal? — I wanted to get rid of him.
"I don't know. I have long forgotten how to anticipate, but anxiety, anxiety in my heart, and it gives me peace.
-What was the response? Why?
-Yes that is, with a bear, a trick Barbara. It's her. And the wolf that attacked you...
-Why did you take?
"Because I just seen a bear disappeared, disappeared and killed the wolf.
"Listen!" I'm sick of all this! -I hoped that he finally get loose from me, and found the grateful audience, which can be bullshit every ears hang. Maybe he's really crazy to some, quiet village crazy...
From the edge of the forest at the outskirts of the village heard the voice appeared from behind the trees, people, and the shepherd himself let go of my hands and quickly, ducking to the high grass, ran down to the river. I went into the street, to meet people.
They were the ones who went to watch the killed animal. Now they were in a strange condition, if подвыпили there in the woods, and they were not that drunk, but somehow, sloppily and even smiling, strange and дурновато.
-Why are you such wonderful? I inquired.
-Like what?! — come running to me one of the men. -Bear-gone!
He just ran to catch up with the old piano crowd.
Behind all trudged Alexey, sadly повесивший head. I asked when he caught up with me:
-What happened?
Bear is lost, — he glanced at me lost, he said.
He went on so hard, barely dragging its feet, but I was not behind him. I always thought that he said something wrong, and the meaning of his words floated somewhere in the fog of guesses...
-Wait, wait! — Feeling like me starts sending an adverse, unsteady, trembling, appearing in those moments when disappears, the presence of mind затормошил I Alexei. — Disappeared?! Think someone stole?
Suddenly Alexei changed. His face was contorted with rage, teeth evil flashed in покривившемся mouth, and he's just a sword slashed me oblique, from top to bottom at a glance:
-Fool! Who steal?!
He is evil moved his big serf's hand, and I flew to the side, on the side of the road is surprisingly easy, as стряхнутый with elbow kitten. Falling into the nettle of покосившегося gray жердяного of the fence, I burned on the grass and began to furiously shaking and scratching your hands are swollen, fast frozen red blisters.
"You fool! — An evil feeling I hissed, looking after him and imagining a good kick and I would now he bowed, if...-Goat!
On the other side of the fence emerged shepherd.
-Well, what?! He smiled his придурошной smile. "See?!
In his eyes was read celebration of the winner. I released the full charge of their verbal rage, because even in the depths of consciousness wasn't fear the village fool, didn't feel the danger, although sometime in the early childhood warned me to stay away from the insane and in case something to them the most neutral, because it is unknown ever, decide in the next second.
Having cursed the shepherd, I went to the gate and suddenly almost immediately felt a dull pain above the elbow. If someone is good to me his cudgel.
-Yes, he's really a fool! "I thought, turning around and seeing that the shepherd stands still on the other side of the fence, but in the grass away from me rolling a heavy boulder, one of those neat pile lay in the corner of the garden Пантелеихи.
I barely had time to understand something, as barely dodged a second stone, flying me straight in the head.
-What are you, stupid?! — I shouted, but the shepherd already bent down for the third stone.
Not waiting, I suddenly asked heels on the street, but immediately from acute болив the heel, where I went next hit, stumbled and rolled head over heels, picking up the dry dust.
-What are you, crazy, doing!?" — Sounded somewhere behind the heart-rending cry of an old woman Pelagia. "Oh, accursed, well I-R now you ask! Don't care if you're the fool-t!
On the teeth скрежетал sand, which somehow was full mouth. Very near the ear, flopped, брызнув in the face of the dust, another one, probably, the last stone, and I couldn't even get frightened that he almost had crushed the man's with me.
"Aptly is thrown!" — Sped through my mind. Very close I saw подбегающего Alexei with a big stick in his hands. His face was alive from the evil of excitement.
-What happened?! He pulled my hand and helped me sit up. Her head went round, stand up on your feet there was no opportunity.
-Yes here! — I waved head towards the garden, where Pelageya chasing at the corners of the shepherd. Sand nasty скрежетнул on the teeth, making it difficult to talk. And it seemed to me that many do not отплевывайся, it does not decrease.
"Are you Noodles contacted? — Opened his eyes in surprise Alexey.
With which other "noodles"? — Not I understood.
-Yes with our Noodles, with a fool to ours, with a shepherd! — Waved for convincing a stick man.
-And what with the "noodles"? — Again I understood.
-Yes it is that's his name: Noodles. Ivan Noodles. Fools too surname is!
-A-a-a — again I заплевался sand and Alex held his hand out to help me stand up. -Do not. My head is spinning.
Came запыхавшаяся but satisfied Pelageya, and breathing often and finely, through the word, asked:
-What is-t he stoned швырялся?! Are you offended him eh?!
The corner of my eye I saw from home Barbara goes village women, but behind all goes itself Varvara, pushing the hands of women, as GURT timid sheep. She turned her head, something still talking in my direction. And our eyes met, from what I was scared, and I looked down in the ground.
-Well, to lift you can already? — Again asked Alex.
"Yes, " I replied weakly, and felt strong arms, lifting me from the earth and put on the legs.
Accompanied by a grandmother Pelageya I walked to the house, not daring to lift their gaze and stumbling at every step under a heavy black eye barbarians. Inside I was trembling from fear and felt that I do not have even the courage to go forward. And when we stopped, catching up with broads, real estate seemed to me higher, saving the good, what I could find at the moment.
Pelageya something whispered, talking with women, groaning and причмокивая language in surprise. They could speak louder because I still listened to it, couldn't just hear, understand what they actually say, immersed in a stupor, ensconced in it, like a tortoise in its shell from danger.
"Пантелеиха" led me stunned, nothing соображающего farther, and when we got home, in a deep whisper, from which it was impossible not to come to, hissed, holding his lips to my face, which I felt on my skin dew from her moist, warm, heavy breathing:
-Tonight you need somewhere to disappear from the village, dear boy.
Her tender unusual appeal made me suspicious.
-Why is this? — The tone of my voice, apparently issued excitement.
Varvara said that cure Peter, if she will communicate with you.
-How do you took?
Baba said.
Baba?..
-Yes, they went now to ask her to help., and Varvara them answered here. She promised, otherwise Peter will die present at night. Now, t the case.
I sat on a bench by the wall and wondered digesting heard.
-It might be true that with this Varvara meet? — Asked finally, I do not think of anything better.
-What are you?! — Scared Pelageya having shaken hands.
"But Peter life will save! — I tried to reinforce резонность their proposals, although he felt himself tremble were shaking from the fear of this one thought, that it can happen.
Don't you! — Shook a fist over my head grandmother. — It and you lose, and man will not save. Well this is a witch! From her t no good to wait!
I thought about it and asked:
"Listen, grandma, how could I hide? If I want to force issue Varvara...
I don't know. May, in the forest-'t go-t, night sit there...
-Yes do you think, what you say?! "Said I, feeling the big chill, cold ripple ran the distance on the back. -She's got me there avenge itself. And more likely, and any help is not required.
Не6ожиданно in memory I offer came Alena go to the dance in Large Василиху. This was the solution. However, what I learned in the bath, somewhat confused, and combined to damp my ardour. But it seems that nothing else could. "If Alena went with me secretly monitor their mother, it is unlikely that she is with her at the same time", — I said.
I asked Пелагею flood bath, call Alexei and go to Aliona.
Come Alexey, stood in the doorway hung his heavy paw on заскрипевшую door and asked:
"What else?
-Walk with me in a bath? I asked immediately.
"You, boy, just a fool or what? I have a friend dies, and you're in the bath... Nuts or what? — He shook his finger to his temple, turned around and disappeared, as he had appeared.
Pelageya came with Alyona:
I'll go to bath'm flooding, and you're покалякайте yet.
"What?" "The girl asked.
-Go to the dance, " I suggest.
Her eyes widened:
-Don't you know what happened?
-Know. But I know something else: Barbara said, that will help to Peter, if I stay with her eye to eye, but otherwise it in the night to die.
Alena hesitated and somehow all faded, but then with determination in his voice said:
-Get ready.
