childhood, on earth, my university

Chapter 12: In the world (5)
One day, the master noticed that I was depressed and asked me:

"What's wrong with you? Are you sick?"

I told him about the debt without reservation.He frowned:

"Look, no matter what book you read, there will be no good results..."

Then he gave me fifty kopeks and told me sternly:

"Don't say you slipped your tongue, otherwise, if you let them know, there will be an uproar again! After a pause, he smiled kindly and said:

"You're stubborn enough, there's nothing you can do about it! But don't read any more books in the future. I'll order a good newspaper when the New Year comes, and read it then."

New Year is here.The master has subscribed to the Moscow Gazette.So every night from tea to dinner, I read newspapers to my hosts, and read the novels and literary works for entertainment.They listened intently, making exclamations from time to time.However, they often confuse things in the books and remember people's names wrongly.From time to time I have to correct their mistakes.Sitting face to face with the hosts in this narrow and small room on a winter night, I feel really uncomfortable.

There were not enough works in the sketch column of the "Moscow Gazette" to read for one night, so I suggested that they take out the magazines stuffed under the bed and read them.Those magazines helped me out and I was allowed to take them into the kitchen.In this way, I can read again at night.

Because the nanny who looked after the children was always drunk, the old lady moved to the nursery to sleep, and Victor often slipped out at night to have fun and came back at dawn.This way I can sleep alone in the kitchen.I surreptitiously collected the wax oil from the candlesticks, put it in a sardine tin, and added a little oil from the lamp, with a thin thread for the wick.In this way, a smoky light accompanied me through many nights.

The pictures in the magazines unfolded a wider and wider world before my eyes.There are fabulous cities, high mountains and picturesque coasts.The description of the pictures tells the history of some countries and nations in an easy-to-understand manner, and tells many things from ancient times to the present.

The book showed me another life, one full of strong emotions and hopes.Compared with the life described in the book, the real life seems poor and scattered.As long as I have books to read, I feel healthy and powerful, and I can do things more efficiently, because I want to finish my work earlier and save time to read books.Once there is no book, I will be listless and lazy.

One night, just as everyone was lying down to sleep, suddenly there was a loud ringing of bells from the church, which alarmed all the people in the host's house.It can be heard that there is also chaos outside.

The master told me to go up to the attic to see if there was a fire.I ran up and climbed on to the roof through the skylight, but there was no fire.The bell was still ringing, sounding more and more terrifying.

The master and his brother Victor got dressed and went out.Presently the master came back from the street, and said in a low voice:

"The Tsar (Alexander II) has been assassinated!"

For several days, the host muttered mysteriously in a low voice.They often go out, and people keep coming, and they keep talking.I wanted to find out what was going on, but the master put away the newspaper and wouldn't let me read it.When I asked Sidorov, he lowered his voice and said:

"Don't talk nonsense about this..."

However, the incident was quickly forgotten.I was busy with daily chores again.Then, another terrible thing happened.

It was a Sunday, and the hosts went to early mass.I lit the samovar and went to clean the room.At this moment the master's eldest child ran into the kitchen, unplugged the samovar, and sat under the table to play.By the time I realized it, the entire samovar had been burnt to the point of being useless.I was terrified.At this time, the old lady happened to come back.Seeing all this, she beat me viciously with a handful of pine wood, and many splinters went into my back.By evening, my back was swollen like a pillow.The next day, the owner had to take me to the hospital.

After the doctor examined my injuries, he said that he would issue a certificate of abuse and injury, and asked me if I wanted to sue the owner.My back hurts, but I still say:

"No, please treat me quickly."

The doctor pulled out 24 thorns from my back, and brought me before my master, saying:
"You brought it back, come tomorrow to change the bandages. Luckily for you, this kid is an optimist."

When I got home, they greeted me like a distinguished guest and asked me to tell how the doctor treated my injury.They listened with relish, and I was shocked by the excitement on their faces.

You can tell they're happy that I didn't sue them.So I took this opportunity to ask permission to borrow books from the tailor's wife.

I started reading tomes again.I read the books of Alexandre Dumas, Montepan, Gaborio, Emar, etc. one after another, and I read them quickly, and my mood became happy.I feel that I am participating in an extraordinary life that excites and invigorates me.I looked at it all night long, and it made something wrong with my eyes.

It soon became clear to me that although the contents of these books were very different, they all said the same thing: good people are always unlucky, bad people are always luckier than good people, but in the end, some intangible thing always overcomes the bad people and makes the good people win .Moreover, with each new book the difference between life in Russia and life abroad became more and more apparent to me.I began to doubt the authenticity of the foreign life described in the book.

By chance, I read Goncourt's novel "The Brothers Sangano".I finished watching it overnight.I was shocked by the kind of things described in the book that I hadn't experienced.As the tragic story of the showboy brothers gradually unfolded, my hands trembled.I cried aloud when I saw the unfortunate entertainer with a broken leg climb into the attic while his brother was upstairs quietly practicing his beloved art.

A few days later, the tailor's wife lent me another copy of Greenwood's "The True Story of a Waif".This book has greatly enhanced my courage to face life.After that, I read Balzac's Eugenie?Grandet".I was amazed that so many real things were written in the book.These things are both familiar and repulsive in my life.But Balzac expresses them in a new, innocuous, peaceful style.In the works of Goncourt, Grimwood, and Balzac, there are no villains or good men, but only real ordinary people. Their words and deeds are true and credible, they can only be like this, and they cannot be otherwise.This made me understand that a good book can bring people endless fun.But how do you find such a book?The tailor's wife couldn't do anything about it either.

When spring came, the tailor's wife suddenly disappeared somewhere.Within a few days, the tailor also moved away.

I went in to have a look at the empty houses before they moved in with new residents.I felt sad for a moment and wanted to see her again and tell her how much I appreciated her...

10
Before the tailor's wife moved away, a dark-eyed young lady lived downstairs with her mother and a little girl.The young lady was very pretty and had a haughty air.Her beauty is a rare beauty.Whenever I see her, I think of Diana, Poitiers, Queen Margaux, the Maiden of La Valere, and other beautiful heroines of historical fiction, and she is as beautiful as they are.

Almost every day, a dark-skinned soldier named Qiufyaev brought a bay red horse with thin legs to her door.She stepped out, stepped on the soldier's knee, and jumped nimbly into the saddle.The horse took a stride proudly and ran along the ridge.

Many officers of a certain division stationed in this city were constantly hanging around her.In the evening, they come to her house to play the piano, violin, guitar, sing and dance.

The little girl was only five years old, chubby, with curly hair, and beautiful like her mother.The big blue eyes are serious and quiet, as if looking forward to something.She played alone all day on the porch or on the log pile across from the porch.I often come out to play with her in the evening.She got to know me very quickly, and often listened to my fairy tales, and sometimes she would fall asleep in my arms while listening, and I would send her home.Soon she got into the habit of asking me to say good-bye to her every time she was going to bed.When I went, she solemnly stretched out her chubby little hand and said:
"See you tomorrow! Oh, grandma, what should I say?"

"Say God bless you," her grandmother replied.

"May God bless you until tomorrow, I'm going to bed!" the little girl learned to say, and got into the quilt.

"Not only until tomorrow, but forever!" corrected her grandmother.

"Isn't tomorrow forever?"

She likes the word "tomorrow" and likes to entrust everything she is interested in to tomorrow.She put the picked flowers and broken branches on the ground and said:
"Tomorrow it will be a garden..."

I enjoyed hearing her talk because she was talking about a world I was not familiar with, and she never tired of talking about her mother.I thought of Queen Margot again.

One evening, as I sat on the porch waiting for my hosts to go out for a walk, the little girl fell asleep in my arms.It happened that her mother came back on horseback.She jumped off the horse lightly, stretched out her hands to me and said:
"Give her to me!"

"I'll take it in!"

"No!" she yelled at me.

After a few minutes, her maid came to call me.It turned out that the little girl refused to go to bed without saying goodbye to me.

I walked into her home proudly.

"See you tomorrow!" said the little girl, holding out a hand to me, "God bless you until tomorrow..."

The little girl went to bed.The young lady greeted me with a finger:

"What can I get you?"

Don't give me anything, can you just borrow a small book for me to read.

She smiled kindly and said:

"So it's like this. I like reading books, don't you? Then what kind of books have you read?"

I was a little embarrassed to tell her the names of several novels.Then I tried to explain to her that life was too hard and boring, and the only way to forget it was by reading.

"Oh, is that so?" she said. "That's a good point, and maybe it's true. Well, take this book."

She picked up from the sofa a book with a yellow cover, Prince Meschersky's "The Secret of Petersburg".I went back to my master's house and began to read the book, but I soon found it boring.But I firmly believe that this is a good book, because such a proud and beautiful woman will not read a bad book.

When I went to return the book, it was really hard for me to say that I didn't like the book.But she laughed, and took out a small book with a blue goatskin cover from the bedroom:
"You're sure to like this book, just don't get dirty!"

This is a collection of Pushkin's poems.I finished watching it in one breath, feeling as if I came to a beautiful place for the first time, eager to run around every corner.I meditate on these beautiful verses, which make me happy and make my life easy and pleasant.I like Pushkin's beautiful fairy tale poems the most.After watching it a few times, I can recite it.When I lie down to sleep, I close my eyes and chant these poems in a low voice until I fall asleep.When I returned the book to her, she said confidently:
"You must like this book!"

Then she asked me which poems I liked.I recited a few songs.She listened gravely, and then said thoughtfully:
"You little thing, you should go to school..."

She also lent me a beautifully bound copy of "The Songs of Berenger".Berenger's lines aroused in me an irrepressible surge of joy and excitement.

The status of that young lady in my heart is even higher, because she reads such a good book!I secretly called her Queen Margot in my heart.

It is also a pleasure for me to watch her sitting alone in the room and playing the piano.Except for the window, her shapely figure under the yellow light in the window, her proud face, and the pair of white hands flying like birds on the keys, I couldn't see anything, and I was completely intoxicated by the wonderful music.

However, no matter whether it is her neighbors or the servants in the yard, especially my masters, all of them speak ill of Queen Margot, just like a tailor's wife, only when they speak of her. , these people are more careful and their voices are lower.Perhaps because she was the widow of a prominent man.I couldn't understand it, I was distressed, and I even hated those who talked about her.

I used to go to her house whenever I could.I learned many useful things from her.Once, she taught me:
"Should read some Russian books and learn about life in the country."

She also mentioned the names of many Russian writers, and then asked me:

"Do you remember?"

I finished reading "Family Chronicle" by Russian writer Aksakov, the excellent Russian epic "In the Woods" and a series of works of Russian writers and poets.These books washed my soul and washed away the shadow left by the hard and difficult reality in my heart.These books make me feel that I am not alone in the world.

Grandmother is here, and I am delighted to talk to her about Queen Margot.Grandmother sniffed the snuff and said:
"Yes, that's great! You know, there are still many good people, as long as you look for it, you can always find it."

If only life could go on like this.But what happened on the Three Holy Days caused me to leave my master's house and Queen Margot again.

On Trinity Day, the orderlies were all drunk.At dawn, the orderly Yermokhin hit Sidorov on the head with a stick, Sidorov fell down in the doorway, and Yermokhin fled in a hurry.Everyone said that Sidorov had been beaten to death, and people crowded around the porch, and no one dared to touch him.That's when Natalia, the laundress, appeared in a brand new snow-blue dress.Pushing through the crowd angrily, she went into the doorway, knelt down, and said aloud:
"He's alive! Get some water..."

But the crowd of onlookers scattered timidly.I saw tears of anger glisten in Natalia's eyes.I brought a bucket of water and she told me to pour it on Sidorov's head and chest.Sidorov woke up, opened his glassy eyes, and groaned.We carried him into the kitchen and put him on the bed.Natalia wiped his face with a damp cloth and said to me:
"Look at him, I'll go find that guy!"

After a while, Natalya came back with Yermokhin.Then the two orderlies reconcile.Natalia and I went outside the gate and sat down on a bench.Listening to her wise words, I actually forgot the time, until I saw the master and his wife coming back from a distance, so I hurried over to open the door for them.

The next morning, I went to the shed to hold firewood, and found an empty wallet on the ground behind the door.I recognized Sidorov's wallet and immediately returned it to him.He took out his wallet with his fingers and asked:
"Where is the money? Thirty kopecks to a ruble!"

At this moment, Yermokhin came over.He insisted that I stole the money, and urged Sidorov:

"He must have stolen the money, take him to his master!"

They yelled and yelled and pushed me into the yard.Various people poked their heads out of the windows.

The master and housewife believed their words, and echoed them sympathetically.housewife says:

"Of course he did it! Otherwise, how dare he flirt with a washerwoman at the gate yesterday, which means he has money..."

Immediately, I felt angry and cursed at the housewife who spoke viciously. As a result, I was beaten severely.But it was not the beating that caused me pain, but the fear of what Queen Margo would think of me.

Fortunately, that night, I was lying in the attic when I heard Natalia from downstairs shouting:

"Come out, Yermokhin! Otherwise, I'll go to your master. How much did you show me yesterday? Where did it come from? Tell me!"

Then I heard Sidorov say with chagrin:

"Oh, Yermokhin stole it..."

I really want to run downstairs and thank Natalia well.

Later, the master walked slowly up the attic and sat down next to me:
"Why, boy, are you out of luck again?"

I turned my face away, was silent for a while, and said in a low voice:
"I've recovered from my injury and can move, so I'll leave here."

"Do as you please, you are not young anymore." After finishing speaking, he left.

After three days, I left the house.I really want to say goodbye to Queen Margot, but I don't have enough courage.When I said goodbye to the little girl, I said to her:

"Tell your mother that brother appreciates her very much, very much! Can you tell?"

"Yes." The little girl agreed, smiling cutely:

"See you tomorrow, will you?"

11
I went to work as a dishwasher on the "Perm" again.This time I did a small kitchen job.He receives a salary of seven rubles a month, and his duty is to be a helper to the cook.

The cafeteria owner has a round body, an arrogant expression, and a bald head like a rubber ball.His wife is in her forties and looks pretty, but her face is often covered with thick makeup.

Ivan?Chef Ivanovich, nicknamed "Little Bear", was a fat little man with a hooked nose and naughty eyes.He loves to dress up, his collar is always starched, and he often looks at the small round mirror with a handle.

Fireman Yakov?Shumov was the funniest guy on board.He has a broad chest and square shoulders, an upturned nose, a face as flat as a shovel, a pair of small bear-like eyes hidden under thick eyebrows, a beard full of small circles on his chin, and hair Thick and dense.He can play cards and always wins.His appetite was astonishing, and he often wandered around the kitchen like a hungry dog.In the evening, I drink tea with "Little Bear" and talk about my past experiences.He has been a trainee monk for four years, helped people clean the yard, and ran with others in a single gang.He addressed everyone as "you" and looked straight at everyone, no matter who he was.

He also often stood with his arms behind his back, before the captain or the mechanic, and listened quietly to others calling him lazy, or how he won a lot of money from others by being careless in playing cards.But this kind of scolding obviously didn't have any effect on him.Even if you told him to drive him ashore at the next pier, he would not be afraid.

(End of this chapter)