Shackles

– You grew poor, because at you and thoughts were changed! And all impoverished people to think will conceive!

Chelyak even stopped on the road, significantly a vypucha tin eyes.

– Here in what force, but not that a mare Siwa! – he muttered, swinging the head. Picked up Elizar under a hand and, having drawn near is closer to an ear of the interlocutor, whispered in a low voice: – And you know what books are read now by our sectarians? not sacred the old letter and what would think? and?

– Well?

– You know Leo Tolstoy’s “gospel”? “In what my belief?” read? it is printed on a hectograph. “About harm of smoking to tobacco” do not want to read: destructive books of Lev Nikolaich went to the people! Here than began to smell in the village! What will be farther?

They approached the tent house of Chelyak at the corner of the church area: in the house the spark shone. Rose by the high covered porch with carved columns, and Chelyak knocked an iron ring.

Yurlovka was called one of minor, side streets of the village going at right angle to the main street. It was the suburb leaving to pasture to the steppe, on the main road. Short and poor, Yurlovka consisted of only several stocky huts standing in one row on “yura”, on the hillock opened from all directions where autumn violent winds and winter blizzards freely stormed over them.

* * *

Yurlovka was taken away by rural society for “strange”, the most part of the handicraftsmen who settled at a rich mudflow.

Stranniye had no country economy, did not hold either a cow, or a horse, nor even the small cattle: pathetic izbenka stood aloone, and about them was not neither house nor home. There long since sheep shepherds, fishermen, hunters, smiths of the next smithies located on the coast of the Lousy lake which was drying up in the summer lodged. Lived in Yurlovka the Jewish tailor – only on all village, the Pole with the daughter – the widow of the retired soldier receiving visiting guests, the zapoyny shoemaker, the mechanic tinman and to that similar craft люд.

Along with them also Elizar with a family lodged in own izba. This izba was allocated with the newcomer, a cheerful look, a board roof, a double joiner’s glazing of windows, and on internal furniture – hints for culture at undoubted poverty. Elizar performed artworks on finishing of new church, then passed to construction of a steam mill of Neulybov. Work for it appeared much: the prosperous village needed such Jack of all trades what was Elizar.

On the maintenance of the Laurels going to school together with Vukol, the grandfather Matvei monthly brought пятерик torments. Children both studied well; the nephew who arrived earlier went a class uncles are more senior. On Saturdays they received from school library of the book for reading which with interest were read also by Elizar. It happened so that the village assembly, according to the teacher, with assistance of Oferov and Chelyak, assigned two hundred rubles on an extract of “efficient” books for school library, and the teacher, it was entrusted to them to make the list, having consulted to Oferov, wrote out classics where near Pushkin, Gogol and Tolstoy there were Shakespeare, Homer in translation of Zhukovsky and others, till this time writers not famous to the village.

It was the first noticeable ray of light in the village of Candala.

From new books not only Vukolu and to Laurels, but also both adults – to Chelyak and resembling “the student from the people” Oferova – from time to time gathering in Elizar’s izba, most liked Homer: a siege of Troy, brave heroes and “smart” Odysseus pleased all. There was a wish to resemble them, to speak about them. From heroes of antiquity passed to searches them in modern life. Were interested in the numerous antique gods close to human affairs, right there criticized church god who only “berezheny protects” yes strong sides.

After the meeting with the archpriest Elizar never appeared in church any more, long ago having grown cold to religion; all his family did not observe posts, but it did not cause condemnation in the village, half sectarian. Elizar, Chelyak, Oferov and Listratova were considered as the freethinkers who were openly blaming not only god, but also the governor.

Once on Sunday after a mass absolutely unexpectedly for kandalinets the archpriest came to an ambon and read a printing leaf in which it was told about sudden explosion in the imperial Winter Palace and wonderful rescue of the tsar from death. Immediately after reading the thanksgiving began.

News caused bewilderment: who needs the death of the tsar about whom said that he exempted peasants from the power of landowners? “Precisely landowners” – kandalinets thought; though they were never serfs, but many of the neighboring villages endured this humiliating state and remembered horrors of that time. The terrible event was understood as attempt of landowners to turn back back serfdom. Tranquility of kandalinets was broken: nobody wished return of the cancelled serfdom. Least of all his state peasants wanted – what never were at that time kandalinets – got used not to break caps before any administration, and landowners and not seeing before.

After a while in soft March day, in thaw when fluffy snow slowly fell in large flakes on the kandalinsky road pitted by wagon trains, to Elizar’s izba zavorotit the small light sledge harnessed by a black stately zherebchik. The grandfather Matvei and Nastya in tanned short fur coats got out of sledge.

Nastya was married on Settlements in only five versts from Zaymishcha, but, leaving the parental house on life, new to it, “cried out” in the “nevestiny lamentations” established by ancient custom:

Spent on drink my golovushka

To foreign people on a distant storonushka!

Her face was unrecognizably faded now and expressed care, a sukhota and a grief.

The grandfather took out from sledge a bag with flour, brought in not locked outer entrance hall. Towards to them Masha ran out, and all of them entered a log hut. The door did not manage to be closed as there passed Amos Chelyak there, attentively looked at the attached horse and sledge, and in a gate school students – Vukol and Laurels ran in. Завидя a familiar horse, they began to caress her, calling by two names: Monasteries – Vaskoy, and Vukol – Hector. Vaska-Hector, playfully pressing ears, pretended that he wants to bite children, but it they did not frighten at all.

Having passed through Elizar’s workshop, they appeared on a pure half and in confusion stopped, seeing the guests sitting at a table.

– What late? – Elizar asked – really without lunch left?

Vukol, having kept silent, answered gloomy:

– On a prayer in church drove! – and, having approached a table, put a small printing leaf.

Laurels, looking frowningly, muttered a low viola:

– The tsar was killed!

This news struck all as unexpected blow.

There came the general heavy silence. All stood in those poses in what the disturbing message found them. At everyone terrible presentiments began to move. The general thought owning masses was about the landowners who are trying to obtain return of serf slavery. Ded Matvei was deeply convinced of it. The old giant with gray-haired borodishchy, in an open short fur coat sat in such pose as though he propped up a wide back the weight which fell down all. His eyes were filled with tears. The horror stood in suffering eyes of Nastya. Masha, having hung and having thrown for the hand head, dropped facing a wall. It seemed that this minute all dark country weight shuddered not so much because that considered the killed tsar the defender, how many for fear that the serf bondage will return.

Elizar took a printing leaf from a table and began to read in a low voice:

– “The malicious persons wishing to catch fish in muddy water…” – also broke off.

– Not clearly! – he sighed, having seen a leaf – what means malicious when nothing is told about their intentions? what do they want? and who killed? Really landowners?

Chelyak sat in a corner, having thoughtfully taken a chestnut beard in a handful, having made buldge out tin eyes.

– Just Listratov Kirill came to me: the St. Petersburg university of students dismissed on houses, also it goes – to Zaymishche. I ask: what supposedly for people it put otmochil? And he speaks: “Socialists killed the tsar! And rightly! a cur’s death for a cur!” Well, I marveled! Socialists? Yes same all youth, students, I met them, they do not know the people! Think that if to kill the tsar, then now and revolution will be!

– But not landowners after all here bend the line? – Chelyak interrupted – the popushcheniye to students is done? “Kill supposedly with the purpose, and actually for us you try! We will set later the people on you! We will kill two hares!”

Chelyak kept silent and made a helpless gesture:

– And really – miraculously somehow: explosion in the palace was made, at last, to turn gray it is white day killed, really protection knew nothing? Whether the court authorities not purposely allowed? Ась? The people – he intuition feels that “students” – then blindly go, do not know on whose mill water is poured!

– Perhaps or maybe another: we can approve nothing for eyes! – meditatively Elizar confirmed. – Time will show where the truth!. One is available: the tsar was killed by good people, in advance doomed themselves for it to death!. pay in the lives for life of one, means – are quits!. And still here what I will tell: it is felt to me, only the beginning – ahead still a lot of things we will see it; everything will judge the people!.

– Yes will be about the tsar! – Masha begged suddenly. – Well, killed and killed! We here at what? Not on this case our family arrived: have a look what Nastya became similar to? At the husband at it, at Saveli, a consumption, hear, a throat blood goes?. not to a fershal it is necessary, not to Svinukhu to go, to the fortune-teller? Advise!.

At Nastya tears slid from eyes.

Elizar waved a hand.

– What there fortune-teller? And fershat ours what understands? To the city it is necessary, to the doctor!

Nastya started talking:

– Gave me – have not a look for whom!. if only quiet was. However, quiet, meek, meek will also die!. and I where will get to? Кандалинским it is good, they have lands too much, and far away – lack of land!

Women exorcized both at once.

The grandfather got up in all the giant stature, nearly under a matitsa the head in a close izba, wrapped up sheepskin шубняк.

– Well, not before теперя… to go it is time to go home!. what in good time to cry? A man can die but once. And to what is wanted by swindlers – not to happen too! Подушны pay them, war will come – for them put a stomach, and back from them – what from bastards you will receive?

And it moved to an exit. All rose to see off visitors.

But at Nastya with Masha languages were untied only now. Told everyone the, without listening to each other, everything that at them boiled. They continued to speak even on a threshold of an outer entrance hall at the door dissolved outside.

The grandfather, scowling, in a cap and mittens, long sat in sledge, expecting.

– But-but! – with irritation he told Vaske, without touching, however, reins why the clever horse and did not pay attention to exclamation of the owner. Only when Nastya hasty rushed in sledge, and the grandfather pulled reins – Vaska a graceful, easy lynx ran out on the road.

Elizar, looking after sledge, shook the head.

Chelyak, shaking hands the friend, told at farewell, having significantly winked:

– Well, and so in what force, but not that a mare Siwa!

About Vukole and the Monastery listening and looking with greedy attention all forgot.

VIII

On the familiar forest road towards evening summer day Lavrusha and Vukol went astride: there was a custom to take away horses in the summer in the wood on a pasture sometimes for several days. Sputyvali to horses forward legs, removed a bridle and let. When it was necessary, went to look for to the wood and found the most part soon: places were acquaintances, the, seldom it was necessary to wander long unless if horses come into a thicket; the horse stealing did not happen: horse thieves in these parts were not found.

Lavrusha went to Chalke who absolutely already grew old by this time, turned gray even, hardly tripped legs; but Vukol caracoled on Vaske-Hector. The stallion was successful wonderfully well – all in mother: the handsome with a little head, thin, dry legs and a broad chest, before all accurate – though paint a picture; does not go, and dances – “шлопак”, Don, Cossack to a sort the uterus was. To put Vaska into operation were sorry, harnessed only on holidays, in church or on a visit, fed on an osobitsa with bran, and Vaska in the wood, and even in distant herd, to the steppe walked in the summer, sent it to the amendment – and there was Vaska an exit, ceremonial horse; there was it notably: the racer appeared. Went a row, a step on the soft forest road under a green canopy of century oaks and, as always, talked. Vaska-Hector went beautiful “shlopaky” and asked reins, bridled under language, gnawed a bit, bending an abrupt neck with a long wavy mane. Tolstobryukhy Chalka ridiculously tried to go level with a young horse. It was not bridled, went dejectedly, pokryakhtyvy. Riders went without saddles, there was no such custom in Zaymishche. Elbows and bare feet of Laurels dangled from a jolty trot of an old horse. He laughed, seeing as the nephew tries to sit the good fellow and demands the beautiful course from a horse.

– Yes to you will invigorate him! Than to keep a horse – and you her heat!.

The nephew laughed in reply…

– And you read “Nal and Damayanti”? there was such master to operate horses! And that there was Achilles – with him horses on – human used to say…

– Interpret with you!.

– Really, I do not lie!. I am Nal!

– Liar?

– Eh, the uncle, listen as the wood rustles, he – live, really, is able to speak! And clouds! Well as!

– Anything to!. To us all this got accustomed long ago!. And the wood of ours, perhaps, we will lose soon: heard? bat, because of the wood want to have legal proceedings!

– And what your fathers to whom in a mouth look? How you will live without the wood?

– In any way!. the wood the barin according to donative paper refused to us, and after died …, still long ago at grandfathers if were released… And hearing passed a teperich – the successor was and wants to sell on a felling our wood… to the merchant!

– There cannot be it and where donative?

– That is that it is absent… Lost…

– And who told… about the successor?

– Yes all know… News flies quickly!. Uslykhamsha, our men went to the city, on a market there аблакат is and what аблакат? The employed conscience, the drunkard! Want the father твово to ask – how to be?

The laurels were afraid on Chalka and are efficient as the adult, interpreted the wood…

And the wood, native and close where each tree was familiar, each natural boundary bore the name, moved as live, and rustled under warm wind, spoke by many voices, and its voices merged in a solemn, viscous song. Ahead, through wide branches of oaks the flat, oval valley appeared through, the silvery black poplars going to the sky were seen.

– The merchant – continued Laurels – through the Spiked glade began to dig a ditch glubochenny and whose cattle for it will pass – we will exhaust! Did not see still a ditch?.

– And to spit to me on a kuptsova a ditch!

Vukol flashed and suddenly whacked fetters of a quick racer. The uncle did not manage to tell also words how Hector with the rider was taken out on a glade. Ringing footfall was given in the wood, the croup of a horse with a wavy long tail flashed and easy hoofs started gleaming.

– Ditch! – very much the Laurels cried and, lapping Chalka, zatrusit after. But where there was Chalke to keep up with Vaska who became angry from blow? Vukol rushed on a bareback racer mad gallop and enjoyed a desperate gallop: only wind whistled in ears, the wide field rushed towards, floated, coming nearer, gray-haired black poplars, and gradually as the cradle or a castle on waves, shook under them a hot, smooth back of a stately horse. There was a wish to rush сломя a head that everything was at all, and here only Vukol felt, without giving himself in it the report as he passionately loves this wood, both a glade, and mighty black poplars over eternally roaring Proran, the native village at silent Postepk and the hot, fire-spitting, fantastically flying together with it racer. There was a wish to throw down someone a challenge, to show that to it the devil not the brother, to overturn the enraged horse nonexistent barriers, to crush someone who plans the evil against darling, from a cradle of the favourite wood.

– Ditch! – from far away the warning, thin, plaintive voice of Laurels reached it because of wind noise.

Vukol for a moment became puzzled, wanted to besiege a horse, but was already late. In one of waves of a gallop of Vaskin the back rose especially highly and is long. The horse reared and suddenly as if separated from the earth. Vukolu seemed that he somehow very easily slipped from Vaski’s back and head over heels swept on a grass, having painfully hit a heel of the left leg against the earth.

At this time it was approached by Laurels, nearly falling from Chalka from laughter.

The edge of the wood left three children – barefoot, everyone with a horse bridle through a shoulder. They helped Laurels to take Vaska for an occasion. The laurels confused to it and Chalke forward legs fetters, removed from that and another a bridle, lashed everyone, and horses amicably began to jump to the wood.

Vukol rubbed and warmed up a leg: nothing, pain ceased, now it was possible to go. Children still from a distance cried to it:

– To catch crayfish!

It were the neighbour’s children living near a dedovy log hut, three brothers Rebrov: Stepashka, on a pro-rank the Sheep Mug, the Scaffold and Vanka Alyapa. All of them five since small years kept the unseparable company.

Vukol invented fantastic games, every time new, in compliance with contents of the read books, told strange and sophisticated stories, but for this purpose it was always necessary to go at first to the wood, to a stream or the lake, to catch hands of crayfish, then to make fire, and after it Vukol was inspired on stories and any inventions: the last campaigns behind cucumbers and water-melons on others often were among a melon field and kitchen gardens, behind green pods and podsolnushka; for these feats to them sometimes got, but it was so pleasant to creep with fragile heart on a belly, to talk in a whisper and to come back in the same way with production. Business was not in a theft charm: it was always the game invented by Vukol. It was – the ataman of robbers, the captain Nemo, Robinzon, and the uncle – a Cossack captain or Friday, the others received roles too. Before beginning a game, he behind a fire told a story which should be played.

– Teperich, so we will catch crayfish, and after the game will go!. Tea, brought what new?

– Of course!. I will already tell you, and now – let’s go on Eric.

Vukol, despite the hurt leg, ran ahead of all: dry and thin, it was easiest on the run: nobody could be ahead him. Behind the Spiked glade Postepok fell into abrupt, hilly coast, and in this place was called Eric: here much crayfish were found. The great master to catch them there was Stepashka the Sheep Mug. He undressed, carefully went down in water, having plunged into it up to a throat, a vypucha of an eye, began to rummage hands under water: in the abrupt, mossy coast crayfish hid in special holes, and nobody was able to pull out so dexterously underwater hermits as did it the Mug. In a minute he threw on the coast of large cancer, then another, the third. Other children brought together them and piled. The laurels went to ask a kettle to fishermen, Vukol collected dead wood. The fire flared soon.

When all took seat around fire, Vukol told:

– I will tell you a new game – the siege of Troy – from life of ancient people is called… There were heroes – Odysseus, Achilles and Hector. I read this book recently… Troy – it was the city, and it was burned during war, and war came out because of Beautiful Elena. This history so begins:

Anger, about the goddess, sing of Achilles, Peleev of the son…

Sheep Mug diligently inflated a flame, and his long, freckled face amazingly similar to a sheep or goat muzzle reddened from a flame and strain. The laurels, in a shubnyak full of holes, a ripped cap, barefoot, enclosed firewood, Alyapa, small, tolstenky, with linen hair, with a thick nose – broke the prepared boughs, the Scaffold, similar to the brother, but is more comely, was heated at fire: autumn morning was coldish, fresh wind blew. Vukol wound a wreath from oak branches, put on it the head. After the ardent story all were silent for about a minute.

– And an otkelev you know all this, exactly everywhere were? – with ingenuous surprise bloated Alyapa asked.

– Yes itself bat that in books read! – was responsible for Vukol Lyosk – at – ooh, fierce to a chitanye!.

– I not only read – Vukol objected – I when he in the city of veins, in theater saw any representations also in them played roles. There such stories are played, well and you see, happened as really, real-life such people what lived one thousand years ago…

– See you!

– Really! – all alive saw both Elena Prekrasnuyu and Paris and Menelaus! Only in a ridiculous look, and in the book they are not ridiculous!.

– And the fire of Troy saw?

– And that as?

– Eh, here to have a look! – lanky the Mug waved long hands – I love if that burns!. – and again began to blow on fire.

– Throw! – derisively told it the being silent Laurels all the time – and so too burns!

– I love! – it was not appeased the Mug, however rose from knees, shifted a cap on a nape and wiped sweat from a freckled forehead. Then, having become even more similar to a sheep, unexpectedly screamed, having turned on one leg: – Great burns! Give, children, a near stack zazhgy! at-at! as if was engaged!

– Waugh-from! – with a sneer the solid Laurels squoze the word – clever what!. it is told, three years not баял, and blurted out – so take out Saints! unless it then was mown to burn down?

– Yes it not our hay, not rustic, купцово!

– So that купцово?

– And that – Stepka zagoryachitsya suddenly – yesterday тятя came from a meeting, so told: the merchant at us otymt everything – and pasture will be its, and Zaymishche to it will depart, both the wood, and Shipova a glade!

Young peasants became agitated and made a din exactly as their fathers on a meeting:

– You lie all!

– The wood to us departed from the barin!

– Hundred years ours!

– You naplet everything!

– Yes ask men! – waving a hand, as if beat off the Mug. – In exactly men go: Yudan Gayduk, Spiridon yes in any way Ivan Listratov?

Along the road by a stack there were three men and about something argued with fervency, making and clapping a helpless gesture on hips.

One of them – big growth, the handsome with a black broad beard and a cap of a curly hair on the head – the brother Gruni, the joker and the mischievous person, shouted:

– Yes what to it in teeth to look? – And, увидав children, shouted, laughing: – Children, light merchants a stack! Tell that I ordered!

Also it raskatitsya by a laughter, sparkling white teeth and inflating the same thoroughbred, beautiful nostrils, as at Gruni. Men passed in the wood, continuing the conversation.

Sheep Mug triumphantly looked at companions.

– Shto? I lie? And men about what bat? Zazhgem, and more than anything! the uncle Ivan ordered!

He grabbed the burning brand, but interrogatively looked at Vukol, as if expecting permission of the ataman.

– Do not order! – in a low voice the uncle advised it – troubles we will acquire!

But as if the demon seized the nephew.

– Drag! – he resolved.

Sheep Mug with burning golovny in a hand delighted ran around a stack and stuck with it into dry, friable hay.

The stack was engaged from all directions.

Small sparks, smoking thin streams, quickly ran up and, expanding an ardent ring, captured a stack.