Elizar at random wanted, keeping is closer to houses, to pass by a wall of fighters where went, povidimy, a desperate dump: footfall of legs, blows of mittens and shouts merged together. The crowd of fighters as a stream, entrained it, and Elizar vaguely distinguished a figure of the stocky person rushing ahead of a moving general wall of coming. From blows of the low person to the right and on the left one, other hand at simultaneous kick fell and head over heels people as if the sheaves thrown by a pitchfork slid: the person as if laid a glade in the dense wood.
Eh, great beats! Elizar involuntarily admired and did not sustain rushed to him towards: they сшиблись, having run one on another, and, having for a moment linked, stood in an immovability. The stocky person, like the anchor which went paws to the earth Elizar could not raise from the earth how many strained. The dark figure seeming to pig-iron seized a belt his iron ticks. Fist fight calmed down, the crowd surrounded with a ring rivals from whom any did not concede to another. But here Elizar slowly and flexibly began to become straight as if lifting on itself excessive weight, and low, having heavy knocked by knees about the frozen earth, sighed. In fight embraces they close uvidat each other.
Amos? with astonishment Elizar shouted, bending. Chelyak?
I also am! having taken breath and hard rising, the miller answered.
Both easily sighed. Elizar remembered accident at the plant again.
Well and force at you, Amos, for the first time we met in fight fist!
In a draw left! spoke, dispersing, the people of kandalinskiya.
Not in that force that a mare Siwa! Chelyak objected the friend we should not struggle with you, and to stand up to one for another. Lets come to me: long ago I am going to talk to you!
Chelyak stroked a wide chestnut beard and took a thoughtful air. They went along the wide street of the autumn village, on strong rolled, ringing road.
Here that, Elizar, I will tell you: lets have a heart-to-heart talk. There was an hour such, know when also I could appear, but God was merciful, I failed on crops, I have nothing now, except my chicken pox and that it is necessary to sell, firmly I feel: not rich men to me the company, and simple men, the working people. And about you, about your destiny remembered: not without reason you were in exile, I know for what business! Before I hesitated, but now I respect this business quite!
Chelyak stroked a beard again.
And looking for here that! having kept silent, it continued nobody and in a mustache blows that the end will come to rent soon: I heard from Kirill Listratov, from our student that this earth as soon as will come to an end rent all entirely will depart to our Volga millionaires! What then with our people will be? Ась? You what you will tell on it?
In total as is without the earth you will be left! quietly Elizar told the earth will leave to the big capital!
Here, here! joyfully Chelyak exclaimed. The capital across Volga at full speed brings down! here to what state rent led us! It is necessary, oh, it is necessary, Elizar to hold the black people, for to blacken, for the poor, to look at the simple man! He sighed and has interrogatively a look in eyes to the interlocutor.
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 Tolstoys 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 joiners 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 Elizars 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.