The boy's head came and came to marvel from the entire neighbourhood, where only rumors доползали about an unusual child, whose head is larger body, which in five years knows more than any adult, reads a lot of books, flipping through them infantile fingers, but not even able to walk and barely sitting with the help of special supports and cushions, without which his chicken neck would already broke.
When your uncle is now six years old, he suddenly spoke. No, saying that he could before, but now he could hear terrible things. I do not know that he ever said in there, but people simply jump steel. Tell that he kind of prophesy...
And then the war began. In the village we stopped the Germans, and your uncle taken away somewhere. Pelageya like it, of course, is not given but who would I ask her was confiscated and all. More of a boy's head, nobody has seen since then, and no one heard."
-See how you interesting relatives? "The girl asked.— And you mean they did not know.
I had no answer:
In this story it is hard to believe. More like a fairy-tale.
-And you on the attic слазь to Pelagiya. Maybe she was there, among the stuff, still photography any, by his photographed.
I looked at the girl.
-Слазь, слазь, — she nodded her head instead of answering my dumb question.
We had to talk plainly appeared before them as marginal house a Large Василихи for a well-known fork of the road. Fears that the us will pursue long been dispelled, and now around me hauntingly like an angry bee, circling the thought that Peter is really going to die, and I did not tried to do to save him.
When we entered the village, I asked Alena:
-Look, here is a hospital of some kind?
"Why should you? — Surprised Alena.
"Why what? I must do something to help Peter.
-It is unlikely to help him, — she nodded.
-Why? He is still alive, and therefore must be a hope of salvation, " I said, little by little starting to remember how бинтовал body of the victim, and as my fingers run across the corners переломанного spine. Painted a picture of complete despair, but I didn't want to give up, although somewhere in my mind I knew, felt that to do anything vain, and in vain.
-Okay, let's go! — Took me with a call by the hand Alena and led me like a little boy.
I had to catch it and take away my hand, and then she looked at me with hatred, сверкнувшей in her eyes, though I've never looked expected, but still went on.
The only cross-cutting street we crossed the whole village, whose centre of the mansion housed the big stone two-storey solid old building, apparently, the former once aristocratic mansion, now converted into a rural house of culture. The building was surrounded by a large Park and garden, walled high fence of iron curved ornaments of forged rods mounted in a low stone Foundation with square with skilful stucco columns-side tables. Behind the fence had not looked, and in some places gaped failures in the lattice and red bumps in the beautiful, when the snow-white from good plaster walls. Paths of the Park were manned by bushes and tall, old poplars, through yellowed whose crown was seen huge Jerzy crow nests. Before франтоном building froze dull, dead fountain, able to restore the anguish of their neighbors for their полуразвалившимися sculptures, the former three angels водившими a circle around something that fell apart completely, leaving only a short, ugly candy white concrete with a protruding from it погнутым, rusty piece of pipe.
Further from the facade of the building, ahead of the fountain stood a pedestal made of polished brown and grey slabs of marble. Plate ahead was absent, and the pedestal was deserted. The combination of it with dead fountain made depressing impression.
On the other side of the village against each other was a small Church with крашенным blue angular instead of a round dome-репкой with gilded cross on top and a one-storey long Barack facing the street was deaf end with a door, over which hung a dull signboard with an inscription in red, textile fabric basis Hospital.
Come through the door, we were in the dark corridor, where the burned on a low ceiling few dim lights. There was no one there, and chairs, placed along the walls were empty, and all the offices were closed. Corridor reached the middle of the barracks, and at the end of it remained the last door, which was unlocked, where we entered. There, in the second half of the building was quite light and spacious. Several rows of beds, chairs and tables, cabinets and wall Yes Desk at the entrance, which was sleeping , resting her head on his hands, nurse, all that here. The room was laying there, here a few people. All were asleep, and there was a dead silence.
I touched his shoulder nurse, and she raised her head quickly, glancing focus sleep-blurred eyes.
"Please excuse me, where is your doctors?
-No one answered the nurse, going to sleep again.
"But ima need help urgently. Man dies.
-Where? — Yawned, his hand covering his mouth, woman.
-In Василихе.
-Ah. There nobody goes.
-How not to go?! — I angered her calm tone. — You must understand that there is a person dies. He needs to render urgent medical aid, — I have tried to highlight the word "medical", but this had no effect: not one muscle moved on the swollen face of the nurse.
-What happened to him? "She said softly and sweetly, from what seemed that this voice can be put to sleep any.
-Bear his dented.
The nurse already cocked her head to the hands, but for a moment, before dropping it altogether limply on her hands lingered and, nodding her, she said, frowning irritably:
-Oh, I don't know what you do. Doctor today will not.
-Well, you see, that man dies...
but she did not hear me. Her eyes closed and plump lips, pressed his cheek, blossomed in the roses.
-Well, what can we do? — I turned to Alena and saw her eyes as if спрашивавшие in злорадном прищуре: "Well, have you seen it?! -So."
"Well no, " with malice I thought, " I растормошу this land of nod."
-Listen, where he lives doctor? — I shook again nurse's shoulder.
She she something unintelligible, but then opened her eyes again and, to measure look from top to bottom, said through clenched teeth:
The third house on this side...
In the specified her house was no one there. We had been subjected at his door and kicking, and when they went to leave the gate faced with some old man, державшим in the hands of a fishing tackle and a bucket with a small fish, filled only by a quarter.
What were you guys? "He asked.
-Yes, you probably are looking for. We have trouble. Man bear dented. It seems bursted spine and ribs. But he is still alive, he needs help...
The old man made a gesture, making it clear to concede догогу, and the course went on to say:
-Well, where it here bears seen? Forty years ago, they still existed, but have long since been all повывели, on the skins попороли... But even if so, I can't help you. I therapist, I am not a surgeon, and judging by your descriptions, case heavy. We need a surgeon. The one I am nothing I can not help, unless antipyretic write, Yes iodine bottle give you. All...
He turned on the porch, looked at us from the top down.
-Well, take a surgeon! — I asked.
No surgeon at us in the hospital, and operating have not, and the machines we have no — Where, by the way, the victim?
-In Василихе...
-Ah, so you have a car?
-No, where we have a car? We walk...
Oh, so what do you kids, what I want to bring to the patient?
I don't know, we thought you had a machine is...
"We don't have the machine for a long time already collapsed, and no surgeon. He already half a year ago left. The nearest surgeon now in district only.
-And is it far?
"Don't лизко, fifteen kilometers from.
-What can we do? I asked, knowing his weakness.
The little old man went into the house unlock the backdoor, and appeared in ten minutes:
-Here, take the bandages, iodine, antipyretic... Syringe you have?.. Take the syringe, he кипяченный, but it diphenhydramine and morphine drug. If diphenhydramine will not help, then make a shot полкубика morphine. But do not get carried away, this is very dangerous...
-Yeah, dangerous and can not be, " I said with irony, " thanks for the assist.
"Thank you, " said Alena and turned to me. "Let us go.
Leaving the gate, I turned to look into the eyes of the doctor, who is so indifferent left dying on an arbitrariness of destiny, but already and was not on the porch.
"You see? — Alena was angry распихивая me in the pockets of the packaging.
It was dusk, and the sun sank in the densely-blue clouds on the horizon, illuminating the red-gold edging their edge. From somewhere came unexpectedly cool wind that carries rare even yellow leaves, broken from the trees, which reminded, that it's not the summer. The night promised to be cold, and I shivered, with displeasure thought shivered, куак cold and unpleasant to go Василиху. Maybe even have to go промозглому autumn rain.
In some houses are already lit light bulb, and people on the street became much less, although only the first twilight came on earth. The sun disappeared behind the clouds.
We came to the house. Here flocks and one went teenagers, boys and girls have grown up. The first in a hurry, have not yet lost restless energy of childhood, and quickly overtook them, walking sedately with dignity strolling along the Boulevard somewhere in Paris and gentlemen. They looked quite comical, but I did not share his impressions with Alyona, fearing that her battered village girl never have been in the city, will be unable to understand my humour.
Entering in the Central alley, which was beautiful and shady, but now already lost its former charm, we passed the decapitated pedestal, and I asked:
-Why pedestal is, and the monument itself not?
-And here the monument to Lenin stood. His eight years ago piled up, and that instead put it up. He was lying in the garden, behind the house of culture. Him say gathered put back, so here's something not thinking.
We rounded the concrete pelvis fountain covered with patches of moss, and, rising to a low-round porch, went inside the building, leaving ahead arrogant беспардонных brats, climbing ahead.
In the hall with columns restored lobby, was somewhat dark and chaos random motion and bustle of adolescents, noisy games which were often similar to the real fight with the screaming and screaming, вносившие in all happened Bedlam and the feeling only train stations or airports. In the corner stood a plywood brightly colored booth from which sold tickets. Her stretched a small queue, where they sit back and we.
-Take tickets to the dance, " said Alena, looking around.
-And where it is still possible to take? I smiled involuntarily in contempt for local poverty culture, and in turn began to look around.
-In the movie — Alena not noticed the sarcasm issue.
In the big hall with a circular balcony on the columns was still empty. Several couples мялись in the corners, although хрипловатые dynamics, which exactly redoubts hidden a few people, apparently, the organizers discos on a small, low stage the far wall, exploding cutting, крушащими sounds crazy rhythm which was so out of place here. The roar of the disturbed not to say, but even to think, why, probably, all the participants feel uncomfortable, and in the other half of the hall, where there was a scene with equipment, nobody went.
Day behind the high, why they looked thin Windows overlooking the balustrades on the huge balcony on the facade of the mansion, soon faded, and the people was added. Special fire music continued to rumble. In the hall quickly became dark. Blink colored spotlights, fortified the columns under the eaves of the balustrade along its entire length, making all around being mentioned in erratic всполохах, высвечивающих, wresting from the darkness of the motionless figure, столпившиеся in circles and рассевшиеся on wooden folding chairs along the walls, twisted озирающиеся person, heady, бахвальные muzzle.
No one was dancing, and although people were crammed a lot already, in the middle of the hall was empty. As was seen in the blinking yellow, green, red and blue lights guys gathered in several groups, leaving her friends and drank, did not hesitate bottles and glasses in their hands. I pay attention to them Alena.
-Are charged, " she said, shouting to me in my ear. — Until they have done drinking — dance will not go.
Girls have gathered in flocks, but not to drink or at least have a chat, if there weren you can do it, but just in submission awaiting their knights. They didn't even look at each other and searched empty glances around the room, considering the long time already familiar columns and a balcony, whimsically change their shape in multi-colored shadows outbreaks.
Is that just going to stand there?! — I shouted in his ear Alena why she shook her head.
Let's go to the balcony! — I heard through the DIN of the music of her answer. She took my hand and led her to a closed door in the side wall.
Chapter 13.
Making his way along the corridor of the car between somebody's knees, sacks, bags, filled to the top with all sorts of things, I've been looking for a free place, but in the coupe, and on the side shelves it was overcrowded. When he reached the last coupe, I stopped in the passage: to go back there was no sense. People continually squeezed past me with a request to step aside., and then just silence. Give them the road was difficult because there are a step was impossible, but they still made the way, thundering with insults and попреками on his life, going to the toilet and smoke in the vestibule. Children in such a case, transmitted on hands, and one bright boy of four or five, озорничая, kicked me to her little shoes in the chest, almost being included in the solar plexus and looked with curiosity, what will you do with my hand. I immediately realized that he did it intentionally, but, although everything inside вскипело from such insolence and disrespect by little хамца, not innocent, what happened anything.
The train moved like a turtle and stopping at each post. At a stop, immediately after the city, the people went down so much, that the car was like a city bus during peak hours, but then, the farther drove away from town, people are becoming less and less, and soon there were seats available.
I've wanted to sit down and, finally, to sigh in pleasure of sitting down suddenly in a compartment in front of which I was standing at the window he saw the familiar top of his head, and before he knew, felt pricked in the heart of surprise. This happens when one not long ago встречавшемся man know of another, sunken into the fly.
