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 Elizars 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 Elizars 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 curs 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!