Two Suns. Дмитрий Наринский
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«I met him the other day at the train station. He was asking about the girl. I mean for directions to find the school.»
«What for?»
«Peter! He came here to get married. The boys are fighting over the girl!»
At these words, Kravchuk leaped to his feet.
«Sit down!» The policeman, a young and somewhat brash fellow, shouted at him and cast an unkind glance in Olga's direction. The «authorities» seemed to have their own preconceived notions about the situation.
«You claim you're here to get married? And with a shotgun?!»
«It wasn't his weapon!» Olga was desperate, realizing that the situation was taking a serious turn. «Please, officer, let us go. We'll miss our train!»
«That's right. What train? Now, you're going to join your accomplice!» The policeman noticed tears welling up in Olga's big brown eyes and added sternly, «And don't cry here!»
«So?» He turned to the duty officer again. «Who came with a shotgun?»
Miron only sighed and scratched the back of his head.
«You didn't see it?» the «investigator» concluded.
«You're right, I didn't see it. But I'm sure it wasn't his,» Miron nodded in the direction of the cell.
«Not his, huh?» A booming voice sounded from the doorway. Pavlenko, an older and more experienced figure, had arrived. «What's the matter, Kravchuk? Did you manage to find a weapon after all? Did you borrow it from your father or inherit it from your brother?»
Peter slowly rose from his chair, making room for the senior officer.
«So, what do we have here?» The chief gave a stern look to everyone. «Martynov, report.»
However, Martynov appeared somewhat confused, realizing that the incident's picture was not entirely clear.
«Well,» Pavlenko leaned back in his chair, «let's start from the beginning. And did you check the citizens' ids?»
Martynov had to release Leonid from the cell. After examining their documents and hearing accounts from Miron and all sides of the conflict, the chief summarized, «That's it, young newlyweds, go where you need to go,» and handed back their papers. «We'll take care of our own business here, of local importance, so to speak.»
«What about the report?» The failed «chief» regained his senses.
«We will write one,» Pavlenko reassured him. He then nodded to the Mirachevskys, «Goodbye.»
They left the station and embraced each other tightly. They were still shaken by the encounter. As the long-awaited train approached the station, they rushed to board it, nearly colliding with the duty officer.
«Watch out, youngsters!»
«Thank you!» Leonid firmly shook Miron's hand. «If it hadn't been for your help…»
«You'll be just fine,» the duty officer grinned and winked at Olga. «Your student is quite the fighter! Hold on to him, girl!»
The train's horn sounded.
«Hurry up!»
Only when the train gained momentum could Olga finally exhale. She was still frightened, but now she looked at her fiance in a completely different light. He appeared calm again, even smiling. That smile dispelled her fear and uncertainty…
Yet, despite calming his beloved, Mirachevsky couldn't sleep for a long time. He found comfort in contemplating the sound of the wheels. Now, Leonid realized that Miron's help had played a crucial role in their escape.
If it hadn't been for the intervention of the head of the department… It was fortunate that he had obviously been stationed in Lazirky for a considerable time and perhaps had personally apprehended criminals here. If the other officers were like Peter, their sympathies would not be in favor of the student – he was a stranger to them. And perhaps an even more estranged element than the understandable miller-kulak (wealthy or prosperous peasant). «What about the international proletariat anthem? Where is the justice?» The realization of this fact tormented his soul terribly. While the first part of the incident, the scuffle with the rival, was even somewhat satisfying to recall («how he stood up for her!»), the aftermath was something he wished to forget as soon as possible.
Indeed, Olga Gurko departed Lazirky just in the nick of time. The age-old village was undergoing transformations in its long-established way of life… Subsequently, an artel with the evocative name «Nezamozhnyk,» meaning «Poor Man,» was founded there.
However, fate beckoned the young men onward, leading them through Kharkov and onward by rail to Moscow.
Chapter 6: For a Better Share
In those years, Moscow warmly welcomed all who sought a new beginning. Young and old, rich and poor, from the «former» or «present,» people from all walks of life tried to establish themselves in the Red Capital and forge a fresh destiny. They settled in its alleys, cramped rooms, and barracks, clustering in the suburbs, yet persistently clinging to hope for a change in their fortunes.
Yakov Maretsky's decision to relocate from the Taurida Governorate to Moscow was a well-considered and arduous one. His wife, Maria, had been suffering from a prolonged illness, necessitating the attention of capable doctors. Moreover, the future of their children demanded attention, especially their eldest, Mark, who was already sixteen!
Nonetheless, parting with their beloved hometown of Henichesk was no easy task. It had experienced a literal blossoming just before the revolution, becoming an official city only in 1903. The construction of the port had transformed the landscape: mudbrick houses in the center were replaced by sturdy stone structures, streets were paved, and even the main square, which once rivaled a swamp in inclement weather, now looked quite decent. Various trading offices, including foreign ones, hotels, restaurants, coffee houses, and taverns had sprung up. Yakov himself was engaged in his own business, buying goods from villagers and reselling them at the city market or port.
Yakov had married a treasure of a wife: beautiful, thrifty, and from a reputable family – the daughter of a wealthy shopkeeper (the Bersovs' store was located near the market in the city center). As fate would have it, she bore him two children – first, a son to assist the father, and then a daughter to support the mother. It seemed that Yakov's love for Maria only grew stronger after the birth of their children.
Yakov cherished his offspring: Anna, a delicate flower with captivating green eyes, and Mark, a spirited force whose energy needed channeling from an early age. At the tender age of five, the responsible duty of looking after his one-year-old sister was entrusted to the eldest son, Mark. It quickly became evident that responsibility was the boy's second most prominent trait, following his boundless curiosity, for which there seemed to be no end. Mark was intrigued by everything, and who better than his father to explain the unfathomable!
It became apparent to Yakov that his son needed an education beyond the Talmud alone. «Perhaps grammar school would suit him better. He should attend a cheder and should strive for greater things.»
«Maria,» the father, feeling СКАЧАТЬ