The magic word (collection). Oseeva

Chapter thirty-six

BAD GIFT

Alina greeted her sister with an excited exclamation:

Finally! Where have you been?

Frightened Dinka hastily came up with an excuse:

I walked very far... and became very weak... - Weak?

Well, yes... it's all over now, don't worry. Has Katya already left? - Dinka asked cautiously.

Certainly. She was already delayed because of you. I asked her not to tell mom that you disappeared somewhere. After all, mom will sit in the theater on pins and needles! - Alina said reproachfully.

It’s okay, Alina, don’t be angry, okay? “I’ll just eat now, and then I’ll do whatever you want,” Dinka said, looking into her sister’s eyes.

Oh, what are you! - Alina shook her head, softening from Dinka’s submissive appearance. - Well, go eat, and then we’ll study!

But Dinka wanted to finally calm her sister down and appease her with a gift.

Aliochka, I bought one book to change my character... These are useful tips, they cost only three kopecks...

But so far only one bucket here suits me. Do you want me to give it to you? - she asked, handing Alina a rolled-up market book.

Did you buy the book? - Alina asked in surprise. - About the bucket?

Not really! - Dinka laughed. - You’d better read it yourself, then you’ll understand everything! I'll go to Lina, okay?

Dinka ran to the kitchen. Alina smoothed out the crumpled book and, opening the first page, read a few lines, then looked at the cover... The author was not listed anywhere Alina opened another page at random and was surprised to read the title of the third chapter:

“Family advice.

If you have seriously offended your wife and do not expect quick forgiveness, then pretend to be mortally ill and fill the air with quiet cries, and also avoid a good appetite, and you will receive forgiveness ... "

Alina shrugged and looked at the cover again.

The issue is three kopecks,” she repeated out loud and ran to look for Dinka.

Dina, Dina! Where did you buy this book? - she asked her sister, finding her at the kitchen table eating her morning breakfast and lunch. - Where did you buy this book? - Alina repeated.

Dinka wanted to increase the value of “helpful advice” in her sister’s eyes.

I bought it from one teacher! - she said proudly.

At the teacher's? - Alina glanced at the cover again and decisively declared: “You’re lying!” No teacher would sell such nonsense. Tell the truth!

“I found her in the forest,” Dinka said, afraid of further questions.

What does this have to do with the teacher? - Alina asked sternly.

Yes, I just said it, for the sake of a nice word... I found it at the Teacher's dachas and thought that some teacher had lost it, because there was such useful advice... - Dinka completely lied.

Well, Dina!.. Finding such books and even bringing them into the house! I didn't expect this from you...

But I didn’t know what was written here! I only brought it to show! Throw her in the oven, Alina! Give it up quickly!

No, I'll show my mom. Let mom know what books her daughter finds! - Alina said threateningly and, holding the ill-fated “tips” with two fingers, headed to her room.

Having closed the door with a hook and settled down in the corner of the bed, she carefully read all the advice, quietly snorting into her hand, and sometimes laughing until she cried. Some of the funniest ones, in her opinion, she even rewrote for Beba. Together they talked about a lot and knew much more than adults could assume.

Having finished this lesson, Alina wrapped the book in paper so that her mother would not get her hands dirty, and she herself thoroughly washed her hands with soap.

“That’s three kopecks...” they later repeated with Beba every time they encountered the greatest stupidity or a high school student unworthy of their attention asked them for ribbons made from braids as a souvenir.

A little old man with a long gray beard was sitting on a bench and drawing something in the sand with an umbrella. “Move over,” Pavlik told him and sat down on the edge.

The old man moved and, looking at the boy’s red, angry face, said:

- Did something happen to you?

- Well, okay! What do you care? - Pavlik looked sideways at him.

- Nothing for me. But now you were screaming, crying, quarreling with someone...

- Of course! - the boy muttered angrily. “I’ll soon run away from home completely.”

- Will you run away?

- I'll run away! I’ll run away because of Lenka alone. - Pavlik clenched his fists. “I almost gave her a good one just now!” Doesn't give any paint! And how many do you have?

- Doesn’t it? Well, there's no point in running away because of this.

- Not only because of this. Grandma chased me out of the kitchen for one carrot... right with a rag, a rag...

Pavlik snorted with resentment.

- Nonsense! - said the old man. - One will scold, the other will regret.

- Nobody feels sorry for me! - Pavlik shouted. “My brother is going for a boat ride, but he doesn’t take me.” I tell him: “You better take it, I won’t leave you anyway, I’ll drag the oars away, I’ll climb into the boat myself!”

Pavlik slammed his fist on the bench. And suddenly he fell silent.

- So, your brother won’t take you?

- Why do you keep asking?

The old man smoothed his long beard:

- I want to help you. There is such a thing magic word...

Pavlik opened his mouth.

- I'll tell you this word. But remember: you need to say it in a quiet voice, looking straight into the eyes of the person you are talking to. Remember - in a quiet voice, looking straight into your eyes...

- What word?

- This is a magic word. But don't forget how to say it.

“I’ll try,” Pavlik grinned, “I’ll try right now.”

He jumped up and ran home.

Lena was sitting at the table and drawing. Paints - green, blue, red - lay in front of her. Seeing Pavlik, she immediately raked them into a pile and covered them with her hand.

“The old man deceived me! — the boy thought with annoyance. “Will someone like that understand the magic word!”

Pavlik walked sideways towards his sister and pulled her sleeve. The sister looked back. Then, looking into her eyes, the boy said in a quiet voice:

- Lena, give me one paint... please...

Lena opened her eyes wide. Her fingers unclenched, and, taking her hand off the table, she muttered embarrassedly:

-Which one do you want?

“I’ll have the blue one,” Pavlik said timidly.

He took the paint, held it in his hands, walked around the room with it and gave it to his sister. He didn't need paint. He was now thinking only about the magic word.

“I’ll go to my grandmother. She's just cooking. Will he drive away or not?

Pavlik opened the door to the kitchen. The old woman was removing hot pies from the baking sheet. The grandson ran up to her, turned her red, wrinkled face with both hands, looked into her eyes and whispered:

- Give me a piece of pie... please.

Grandma straightened up.

The magic word shone in every wrinkle, in the eyes, in the smile...

- I wanted something hot... something hot, my darling! - she said, choosing the best, rosy pie.

Pavlik jumped for joy and kissed her on both cheeks.

"Wizard! Wizard!" - he repeated to himself, remembering the old man.

At dinner, Pavlik sat quietly and listened to his brother’s every word. When his brother said that he would go boating, Pavlik put his hand on his shoulder and quietly asked:

- Take me, please.

Everyone at the table immediately fell silent. The brother raised his eyebrows and grinned.

“Take it,” the sister suddenly said. - What is it worth to you!

- Well, why not take it? - Grandma smiled. - Of course, take it.

“Please,” Pavlik repeated.

The brother laughed loudly, patted the boy on the shoulder, ruffled his hair:

- Oh, you traveler! Okay, get ready!

“It helped! It helped again!”

Pavlik jumped out from the table and ran into the street. But the old man was no longer in the park. The bench was empty, and only incomprehensible signs drawn by an umbrella remained on the sand.

Current page: 3 (book has 7 pages total) [available reading passage: 2 pages]

Which is easier?

Three boys went into the forest. There are mushrooms, berries, birds in the forest. The boys went on a spree. We didn’t notice how the day passed. They go home - they are afraid:

- It will hit us at home!

So they stopped on the road and thought what was better: to lie or to tell the truth?

“I’ll say,” says the first, “that a wolf attacked me in the forest.” The father will be afraid and will not scold.

“I’ll say,” says the second, “that I met my grandfather.” My mother will be happy and will not scold me.

“And I’ll tell the truth,” says the third. – It’s always easier to tell the truth, because it’s the truth and you don’t need to invent anything.

So they all went home. As soon as the first boy told his father about the wolf, lo and behold: the forest guard was coming.

“No,” he says, “there are no wolves in these places.”

The father got angry. For the first guilt he punished, and for a lie - twice.

The second boy told about his grandfather. And the grandfather is right there, coming to visit.

Mother found out the truth. For the first offense she was punished, and for a lie - twice as much.

And the third boy, as soon as he arrived, immediately confessed to everything. His aunt grumbled at him and forgave him.

Present

I have friends: Misha, Vova and their mother. When mom is at work, I come in to check on the boys.

- Hello! - they both shout to me. -What did you bring us?

One time I said:

- Why don’t you ask, maybe I’m cold, tired? Why do you immediately ask what I brought you?

“I don’t care,” said Misha, “I’ll ask you the way you want.”

“We don’t care,” Vova repeated after his brother.

Today they both greeted me with a patter:

- Hello. You are cold, tired, and what did you bring us?

– I brought you only one gift.

- One for three? – Misha was surprised.

- Yes. You must decide for yourself who to give it to: Misha, mom or Vova.

- Let's hurry up. I'll decide for myself! - said Misha.

Vova, sticking out his lower lip, looked at his brother incredulously and snorted loudly.

I started rummaging through my purse. The boys looked at my hands impatiently. Finally I pulled out a clean handkerchief.

- Here's a gift for you.

- So this is... this is... a handkerchief! - Misha said stuttering. – Who needs such a gift?

- Well, yes! Who needs it? – Vova repeated after his brother.

- It's still a gift. So decide who to give it to.

Misha waved his hand.

- Who needs it? Nobody needs him! Give it to mom!

- Give it to mom! – Vova repeated after his brother.

Until the first rain

Tanya and Masha were very friendly and always went to kindergarten together. First Masha came for Tanya, then Tanya came for Masha. One day, when the girls were walking down the street, it started to rain heavily. Masha was in a raincoat, and Tanya was in one dress. The girls ran.

- Take off your cloak, we will cover ourselves together! – Tanya shouted as she ran.

– I can’t, I’ll get wet! – Masha answered her, bending her hooded head down.

In kindergarten the teacher said:

- How strange, Masha’s dress is dry, but yours, Tanya, is completely wet, how did this happen? After all, you walked together?

“Masha had a raincoat, and I walked in one dress,” Tanya said.

“So you could cover yourself with just a cloak,” said the teacher and, looking at Masha, shook her head.

- Apparently, your friendship is until the first rain!

Both girls blushed: Masha for herself, and Tanya for Masha.

Dreamer

Yura and Tolya walked not far from the river bank.

“I wonder,” said Tolya, “how these feats are accomplished?” I always dream of a feat!

“I don’t even think about it,” Yura answered and suddenly stopped...

Desperate cries for help were heard from the river. Both boys rushed to the call... Yura kicked off his shoes as he walked, threw his books aside and, reaching the shore, threw himself into the water.

And Tolya ran along the shore and shouted:

- Who called? Who was screaming? Who's drowning?

Meanwhile, Yura hardly dragged the crying baby ashore.

- Oh, here it is! That's who screamed! – Tolya was delighted. - Alive? Well, good! But if we hadn’t arrived on time, who knows what would have happened!

Merry Christmas tree

Tanya and mom decorated the Christmas tree. Guests came to the Christmas tree. Tanya's friend brought a violin. Tanya’s brother came, a student at a vocational school. Two Suvorov officers and Tanya’s uncle came.

One place was empty at the table: the mother was waiting for her son, a sailor.

Everyone was having fun, only mom was sad.

The bell rang and the guys rushed to the door. Santa Claus entered the room and began handing out gifts. Tanya received a large doll. Then Santa Claus came up to mom and took off his beard. It was her son, a sailor.

From the collection “Father's Jacket”

Ginger cat

A short whistle was heard under the window. Jumping three steps, Seryozha jumped out into the dark garden.

- Levka, is that you?

Something was stirring in the lilac bushes.

Seryozha ran up to his friend.

- What? – he asked in a whisper.

Levka was pressing something large, wrapped in a coat, to the ground with both hands.

- Healthy as hell! I can't hold it back!

A fluffy red tail poked out from under his coat.

- Did you catch it? – Seryozha gasped.

- Right by the tail! He's going to scream! I thought everyone would run out.

– Head, wrap his head better!

The boys squatted down.

-Where are we going to take it? – Seryozha became worried.

- What - where? Let's give it to someone and that's it! It's beautiful, everyone will take it.

The cat meowed pitifully.

- Let's run! Otherwise they will see him and me...

Levka clutched the bundle to his chest and, bending to the ground, rushed to the gate.

Seryozha rushed after him.

They both stopped on the illuminated street.

“Let’s tie it here somewhere, and that’s all,” said Seryozha.

- No. It's close here. She'll find it quickly. Wait!

Levka opened his coat and released his yellow, mustachioed muzzle. The cat snorted and shook his head.

- Auntie! Take the kitty! Will catch mice...

The woman with the basket glanced at the boys briefly:

- Where is he going! I'm bored to death with my cat!

- Well, okay! – Levka said rudely. “There’s an old lady walking on the other side, let’s go to her!”

- Grandma, grandma! - Seryozha shouted. - Wait!

The old lady stopped.

- Take our cat! Nice red-haired one! Catches mice!

- Where do you have it? This one, or what?

- Well, yes! We have nowhere to go... Mom and Dad don’t want to keep us...

- Take it for yourself, grandma!

- Where can I take him, my darlings! He probably won’t even live with me... The cat is getting used to its home...

“It’ll be okay,” the boys assured, “he loves old people...

- Look, he loves...

The old woman stroked the soft fur. The cat arched his back, grabbed his coat with his claws and thrashed in his hands.

- Oh, fathers! He's tormented by you! Well, come on, maybe it will take root.

The old woman opened her shawl:

- Come here, dear, don’t be afraid...

The cat fought back furiously.

- I don’t know, will I report it?

- Tell me! – the boys shouted cheerfully. - Goodbye, grandma.

* * *

The boys sat down on the porch, warily listening to every rustle. From the windows of the first floor, yellow light fell onto the path strewn with sand and onto the lilac bushes.

- He's looking for a home. He’s probably looking around in all corners,” Levka nudged his comrade.

The door creaked.

- Kitty, kitty, kitty! – came from somewhere in the corridor.

Seryozha snorted and covered his mouth with his hand. Levka buried himself in his shoulder.

- Purr! Purr!

The lower vein in an old scarf with a long fringe, limping on one leg, appeared on the path.

- Purr, such a nasty one! Purr!

She looked around the garden and parted the bushes.

- Kitty, kitty!

The gate slammed. The sand creaked underfoot.

- Good evening, Marya Pavlovna! Looking for a favorite?

“Your father,” Levka whispered and quickly ducked into the bushes.

"Dad!" – Seryozha wanted to shout, but Marya Pavlovna’s excited voice reached him:

- No and no. How he sank into the water! He was always on time. He scratches the window with his little paw and waits for me to open it for him. Maybe he hid in the barn, there is a hole there...

“Let’s take a look,” Serezhin’s dad suggested. – Now we will find your fugitive!

Seryozha shrugged.

- Weird dad. You really need to look for someone else's cat at night!

In the yard, near the sheds, the round eye of an electric flashlight darted around.

- Purr, go home, little kitty!

- Look for the wind in the field! – Levka chuckled from the bushes. - What fun! Made me look for your father!

- Well, let him look! – Seryozha suddenly became angry. - I'll go to bed.

“And I’ll go,” said Levka.

* * *

When Seryozha and Levka were still in kindergarten, tenants arrived in the lower apartment - a mother and son. A hammock was hung under the window. Every morning the mother, a short, limping old woman, took out a pillow and a blanket, laid a blanket in the hammock, and then her son came out of the house, hunched over. There were early wrinkles on the pale young face, long, thin arms hung from the wide sleeves, and a ginger kitten sat on his shoulder. The kitten had three lines on its forehead; they gave its feline face a funny, preoccupied expression. And when he played, his right ear turned inside out. The patient laughed quietly, abruptly. The kitten climbed onto his pillow and, curling up in a ball, fell asleep. The patient lowered his thin, transparent eyelids.

His mother moved silently, preparing his medicine. The neighbors said:

- What a pity! So young!

In autumn the hammock is empty. Yellow leaves swirled above him, got stuck in the net, rustled on the paths. Marya Pavlovna, hunched over and heavily dragging her sore leg, walked behind her son’s coffin... In an empty room, a ginger kitten screamed...

* * *

Since then, Seryozha and Levka have grown up. Often, after dropping off his bag of books at home, Levka would appear on the fence. Lilac bushes covered it from Marya Pavlovna's window. Putting two fingers in his mouth, he called Seryozha with a short whistle. The old woman did not stop the boys from playing in this corner of the garden. They floundered in the grass like two bear cubs. She looked at them from the window and, before the rain, hid the toys thrown on the sand.

One summer, Levka, perched on the fence, waved his hand to Seryozha.

- Look... I have a slingshot. I did it myself! Hit without missing a beat!

We tried the slingshot. Small pebbles jumped on the iron roof, made noise in the bushes, and hit the cornice. The ginger cat fell from the tree and jumped out the window with a hiss. The fur stood on end on his arched back.

The boys laughed. Marya Pavlovna looked out of the window.

- This is not a good game - you can get into Murlyshka.

- So, because of your cat, we can’t play? – Levka asked boldly.

Marya Pavlovna looked at him intently, took Murlyshka in her arms, shook her head and closed the window.

- Look, what a touchy-feely thing! “I shaved it deftly,” said Levka.

“She was probably offended,” Seryozha responded.

- Well, I don’t care! I want to get into the drainpipe.

Levka narrowed his eyes. The pebble disappeared into the dense foliage.

- Past! “Here, try it,” he said to Seryozha. - Squint one eye.

Seryozha chose a larger pebble and pulled the elastic band. Glass fell from Marya Pavlovna's window with a clink. The boys froze. Seryozha looked around in fear.

- Let's run! - Levka whispered. - Otherwise they’ll tell on us!

In the morning a glazier came and installed new glass. And a few days later Marya Pavlovna approached the guys:

-Which of you broke the glass?

Seryozha blushed.

- Nobody! – Levka jumped forward. - It just burst!

- It's not true! Seryozha smashed. And he didn’t say anything to his dad... And I waited...

- We found fools! – Levka snorted.

– Why am I going to talk to myself? - Seryozha muttered.

“We must go and tell the truth,” Marya Pavlovna said seriously. “Are you a coward?”

- I'm not a coward! – Seryozha flushed. – You have no right to call me that!

- Why didn’t you say so? – Marya Pavlovna asked, looking intently at Seryozha.

“Why, yes why, and on what occasion...” Levka sang. - I don’t want to talk! Let's go, Seryozhka!

Marya Pavlovna looked after them.

“One is a coward, and the other is a rude person,” she said regretfully.

- Well, talk about it! – the guys shouted to her.

These are unpleasant days.

“The old woman will definitely complain,” Levka said.

The boys constantly called each other and, pressing their lips to the round hole in the fence, asked:

- Well, how? Did you get it?

- Not yet... What about you?

- Neither do I!

- What a furious one! She tortures us on purpose to make us more afraid. And if I told you about her, how she scolded us... It would get her in the nuts! - Levka whispered.

- And why did she cling to some unfortunate glass? – Seryozha was indignant.

- Just wait... I’ll arrange a trick for her! She will know...

Levka pointed to Murlyshka sleeping peacefully outside the window and whispered something in his friend’s ear.

“Yes, that would be good,” said Seryozha.

But the cat was shy of strangers and did not go to anyone. Therefore, when Levka managed to catch him, Seryozha was imbued with respect for his comrade.

“What a trickster!” – he thought to himself.

* * *

Covering his head with a blanket and freeing one ear, Seryozha listened to the conversation of his parents. Mother did not go to bed for a long time, opened the window, and when Marya Pavlovna’s voice came from the yard, she threw up her hands and asked her father:

“What do you think, Mitya, where could he have gone?”

- Well, what can I think! – the father grinned. – The cat went for a walk, that’s all. Or maybe someone stole it? There are such scoundrels...

Seryozha went cold: what if the neighbors saw him and Levka?

“It can’t be,” the mother said decisively, “everyone on this street knows Marya Pavlovna.” No one would hurt an old, sick woman like that...

“And tell you what,” the father said, yawning, “if the cat is not found in the morning, send Seryozha to have a good look in the neighboring yards.” The guys will find it sooner.

“It’s not like that...” thought Seryozha.

* * *

In the morning, when Seryozha was drinking tea, loud voices were heard in the kitchen. Residents were discussing the missing cat. Through the noise of the primus stoves one could hear neighbor Esther Yakovlevna running from the kitchen into the room and shouting to her husband:

- Misha, why aren’t you interested in other people’s misfortune? I ask where to find this cat?

The old professor, with his short, plump hands behind his back, walked excitedly around the kitchen.

– A most unpleasant event... It’s impossible to remain indifferent...

Seryozha took a sip of iced tea and pushed the cup away. “Everyone is yelling... and they don’t know what they’re yelling at. Great importance - cat! If only the service dog had disappeared..."

The mother came out from the next room:

- Esther Yakovlevna! Don't worry, I'll send Seryozha on a search now.

- Oh, I beg you... after all, this Murlyshka - let him burn! - her whole life.

Seryozha grabbed the skullcap and quietly slipped past the women.

“Here they are raising a fuss! If I had known, I wouldn’t have gotten involved, he thought with annoyance. - And the old woman is good too! I burst into tears all over the yard!”

He was drawn to look at Marya Pavlovna.

With his hands in his pockets and swaying casually, he walked through the garden.

Levka looked out from behind the fence. Seryozha came closer.

“Get down,” he said gloomily. “You fool, I made noise throughout the whole yard.”

- And what? Is she looking? – Levka asked.

- Looking... I cried all night...

“I said, just tie it by the paw, but you completely gave it away, such a fool!”

- Oh, you! Scared! – Levka narrowed his eyes. - But I’m not at all!

“He’s coming,” Seryozha whispered anxiously.

Marya Pavlovna walked along the path with a jumping, uneven gait. Gray hair, tied in a knot at the back of his head, was disheveled, and one strand scattered over his crumpled collar. She approached the boys.

- My Murlyshka is missing... Have you guys seen him? “Her voice was quiet, her eyes were gray and empty.

“No,” Seryozha said, looking to the side.

Marya Pavlovna sighed, ran her hand over her forehead and slowly walked home. Levka made a grimace.

“He’s sucking up... But she’s still harmful,” he shook his head, “she swears with such words!” "Rude"! This is worse than God knows what! And now he’s sucking up: “Boys, have you seen my cat?” – he drawled thinly.

Seryozha laughed.

- It’s really her own fault... She thinks that if we are children, we won’t be able to stand up for ourselves!

- Fi! - Levka whistled. - What a crybaby! Just think - the red cat is missing!

- Yes, they say he was with her son. So she kept it as a keepsake.

- For memory? - Levka was surprised and suddenly, slapping himself on the knee, he choked with laughter. - A red cat as a souvenir!

An old professor walked by. Approaching Marya Pavlovna’s open window, he knocked index finger into the glass and, resting his elbows on the windowsill, looked inside the room.

- How are you, Marya Pavlovna? Not found yet?

The boys listened.

- Why is this one bothering? – Levka was surprised.

“He feels sorry for her,” Seryozha whispered. - For some reason, everyone feels sorry... If I scolded them like we did, they wouldn’t feel sorry for us! Let's go and listen: maybe she will tell him about us.

They came close and hid behind the bushes.

Marya Pavlovna said:

- For a long time he could not forget Kolya... And he went to the cemetery with me... There was something warm, alive... Kolyo...

The window tinkled. The boys looked at each other in fear. The old professor became worried:

- Marya Pavlovna! Darling! What do you? What do you? We will help out your Murlyshka. So I came up with something here. “He straightened his pince-nez with trembling fingers and reached into his side pocket. “I wrote an advertisement here, I want to ask the kids to post it on poles somewhere.” Just calm down, have pity on yourself!

He left the window and walked towards the house.

- Guys! Guys!

- Go! – Levka suddenly chickened out.

- Go yourself! – Seryozha snapped.

The old man approached them.

- Come on, young people! There is an order for you. Don't refuse the old man: run and put up notices somewhere in public places. A? Lively! – He nodded towards the window. - I feel sorry for the old lady, we need to help her somehow...

“We... please,” Seryozha mumbled.

Levka extended his hand:

- Let's! We're... fast. Come on, Seryozhka!

- Well, well, well done!

The boys ran out into the street.

- Read it, what’s here? - said Seryozha.

Levka unfolded the paper.

- Five rubles! Wow! How much money! For some red cat!

Is he crazy, or what?

Seryozha shrugged.

“Everyone is crazy,” he said gloomily. - Maybe all the residents will give it. My father would have given it too. On the buttons, hold it.

-Where will we hang it? In crowded places it is necessary.

- Let's go to the cooperative. There are always people milling around there.

The boys ran.

“We’ll hang another piece of paper at the station - there are a lot of people there too,” Seryozha said, out of breath.

But Levka suddenly stopped.

- Whoa, Seryozhka, stop! After all, we’ll get stuck with this thing like flies in honey! What fools! What fools!

Seryozha grabbed his hand.

- Grandma will bring it, right? And he’ll talk about us, right?

Levka, thinking about something, was furiously biting his nails.

- What should we do now? – Seryozha asked, looking into his face.

“We’ll tear it up,” Levka stamped his foot, “and bury it in the ground!”

“No need,” Seryozha winced, “everyone will ask... You’ll have to lie again...

- So what - lie? Let's talk at once!

“Or maybe grandma would bring the cat and that would be the end of the matter?” Maybe she wouldn’t tell us about us?

- “Maybe, maybe”! – Levka mimicked. “Rely on the old woman, but she will let you down and talk all over the yard.”

“That’s right,” Seryozha sighed. - No way! Dad said: “The scoundrels stole some...”

“You live well, they’ll make you look like scoundrels!” Let's go around the corner, tear it up and bury it under the bench.

The boys turned the corner and sat down on the bench. Seryozha took the pieces of paper and, crumpling them in his hands, said:

- And she’ll be waiting again... She probably won’t even go to bed today...

- Clearly, he won’t lie down... Why did her son die?

– I don’t know... I was sick for a long time... And even earlier my husband died. One cat is left, and now there is no cat... It’s still a shame for her!

- OK! – Levka said decisively. “We shouldn’t get lost because of this?” Let's tear it up!

- Rip it yourself! Why should I? Heather too!

- Let's be honest: you alone and I alone! Let's! Here!

Levka tore the advertisement into small pieces.

Seryozha folded the piece of paper and slowly tore it in half. Then he grabbed a piece of wood and dug a hole.

- Put it down! Sleep tight!

They both breathed a sigh of relief.

“You wouldn’t scold us with such words...” Levka said kindly.

“But she still didn’t tell anyone about the glass,” Seryozha reminded him.

- Well, okay! I'm tired of messing with this! I'd better go to school tomorrow. Our guys play football there. Otherwise, all the holidays will be in vain.

- They won’t pass... We’ll go to camp soon. We can live there for at least a month without any troubles...

Levka frowned.

- Let's go home, shall we?

- What shall we say?

- Hanged, that's all! Just one word to lie: “Hanged.”

- Well, let's go!

The old man was still standing at Marya Pavlovna’s window.

- How's it going, guys? - he shouted.

- Hanged! – both suddenly shouted.

* * *

Several days passed. There was no word or breath about Murlyshka. It was quiet in Marya Pavlovna's room. She did not go into the garden. First one or the other tenants visited the old woman.

Every day Esther Yakovlevna sent her husband:

- Misha, go immediately and bring some jam to the poor woman. Pretend that nothing happened and don't bring up the issue of pets.

- How much grief has fallen on one person! – Seryozha’s mother sighed.

“Yes,” the father frowned, “it’s still incomprehensible, where did Murlyshka go?” And no one showed up for the announcement. One must think that the dogs drove the poor fellow somewhere.

In the mornings, Seryozha got up in a gloomy mood, drank tea and ran to Levka. Levka also became sad.

“I won’t go to your yard,” he said, “let’s play here!”

One evening, sitting on the fence, they saw the curtain quietly rise in Marya Pavlovna’s window. The old woman lit a small lamp and placed it on the windowsill. Then, hunched over, she went to the table, poured milk into a saucer and placed it next to the light bulb.

- He’s waiting... He thinks he’ll see the light and come running...

Levka sighed.

- He won’t come anyway. They locked him up somewhere. I could get her a shepherd dog: one boy promised me. I just wanted to take it for myself. Nice dog!..

- Do you know what? – Seryozha suddenly perked up. - Here one auntie gave birth to many kittens, let's go tomorrow and ask for one. Maybe the red-haired one will come across! Let's take it to her, she will be happy and forget her Purr.

- Let's go now! - Levka jumped off the fence.

- Yes, it’s late now...

- Nothing... Let's say: definitely, definitely needed soon!

- Seryozha! - shouted the mother. - It's time to sleep!

“We’ll have to tomorrow,” Levka said disappointedly. - Only in the morning. I'll be waiting for you.

* * *

In the morning the boys got up early. A stranger's lady, whose cat gave birth to six kittens, greeted them warmly.

“Choose, choose...” she said, pulling fluffy lumps out of the basket.

The room was filled with squeaking. The kittens barely knew how to crawl - their paws were moving apart, their dull round eyes looked at the boys in surprise. Levka grabbed the yellow kitten with delight:

- Ginger! Almost red! Seryozha, look!

- Auntie, can I take this? – asked Seryozha.

- Yes, take it, take it! At least take everyone. Where should I put them?

Levka tore the cap from his head, put the kitten in it and ran out into the street. Seryozha, jumping, hurried after him.

Both stopped at Marya Pavlovna’s porch.

“Go first,” said Levka. - She’s from your yard...

- Better together...

They tiptoed down the corridor. The kitten squeaked and floundered in his cap. Levka knocked quietly.

“Come in,” the old woman responded.

The guys squeezed sideways through the door. Marya Pavlovna was sitting in front of an open desk drawer. She raised her eyebrows in surprise and suddenly became worried:

-What is that beeping at you?

- It’s us, Marya Pavlovna... Here’s a red kitten for you... So that instead of Murlyshka there would be...

Levka placed his cap on the old woman’s lap. A big-eyed muzzle and a yellow tail peeked out of the cap...

Marya Pavlovna bent her head, and tears quickly dripped into her cap. The boys backed towards the door.

- Wait!.. Thank you, my dears, thank you! “She wiped her eyes, stroked the kitten and shook her head. “Purry and I have caused trouble for everyone.” But you guys were worrying in vain... Take the kitten back... I’ll never get used to it.

Levka, holding the headboard of the bed, was rooted to the floor. Seryozha winced as if from a toothache.

“Well, nothing,” said Marya Pavlovna. - What should we do? Here's my memory card...

She pointed to a small table near the bed. From the wooden frame, big sad eyes, a smiling face and next to the surprised mustachioed muzzle of Purr looked out at the boys. The patient's long fingers sank into fluffy fur.

- He loved Murlyshka... He fed it himself. Sometimes he would cheer up and say: “Purry will never leave us, he understands everything...”

Levka sat down on the edge of the bed, his ears were burning, their whole head was hot, and sweat appeared on his forehead...

Seryozha glanced at him: both remembered how the caught cat scratched and fought back.

“We’ll go,” Levka said quietly.

“We’ll go,” Seryozha sighed, hiding the kitten in his cap.

- Go, go... Take the kitten, my dears...

The guys carried the kitten and silently put it in a basket with kittens.

- Did they bring it back? – asked the auntie.

Seryozha waved his hand...

“Here,” said Levka, jumping over the fence and slamming to the ground, “I’ll sit here all my life!”

- Well? – Seryozha drawled incredulously, squatting down in front of him. - You can’t sit like that!

- If only we could go to camp soon! – Levka said with despair. “Otherwise you only let loose during the holidays and all sorts of troubles arise.” You get up in the morning - everything is fine, and then - bam! – and you’ll do something! I, Seryozha, invented a means so as not to swear, for example...

- How is this? Sprinkle salt on your tongue, right?

- No. Why salt? Just when you get very angry, immediately turn away from that person, close your eyes and count: one, two, three, four... until the anger goes away. I already tried this, it helps me!

“But nothing helps me,” Seryozha waved his hand. – One word really sticks with me.

- Which? – Levka became interested.

- Stupid - that's what! – Serezha whispered.

“Unlearn,” Levka said sternly and, stretching out on his back, sighed. - If I could get this cat, then everything would be fine...

- I told you, tie it by the paw...

- Fool! Unhappy parrot! - Levka boiled. – Just repeat it to me again, I’ll give you such pills! By the paw, by the paw, by the tail! You have to look, that's what! Stupid bullshit!

“Count,” said Seryozha sadly, “count, otherwise you’ll swear again!” Oh, you inventor!

* * *

“That’s how we walked, and that’s how she walked.” – Levka pointed to the other side of the street.

Seryozha, leaning against the fence, was gnawing on a green sprig of lilac.

“The old women are all alike,” he said, “all wrinkled and hunched over.”

- Well, no, there are those straight, long, like sticks, those are easy to recognize. Only our short one was...

- In a scarf, or what? – Levka asked.

- Yes, yes, in a scarf. Oh, what an old woman! – Seryozha said bitterly. “I immediately took it and dragged it away.” She didn’t even ask anything really: whose cat? Maybe it's really needed?

“Okay,” Levka frowned. - We'll find it somehow. Maybe she lives close by. Old women don't walk far...

“Any old woman can now cover two, or even three, kilometers.” And in which direction...

- At least in all four directions! We'll go everywhere! Today to one, tomorrow to another. And we will look into every yard!

- This is how you spend the whole summer! It’s good if you don’t have time to swim before camp...

- Oh, you swimmer! He let someone else’s cat go to the damn grandmother and doesn’t want to look for him! – Levka got angry. - Let's go better. Three kilometers straight!

Seryozha spat the branch out of his mouth and walked next to his comrade.

– At least once in your life you’ll be lucky!

* * *

But the boys were unlucky. On the contrary, things got even worse.

– Where are you hanging out, Seryozha? Avoided, turned black... From morning to evening you disappear! - the mother was angry.

- What should I do at home?

- Well, I would go to school. There are kids swinging on swings and playing football...

- Well, yes, football! Very interesting... If they hurt my leg, I’ll remain lame for the rest of my life, and then you’ll scold me. Otherwise I’ll fall off the swing.

- Tell me please! – the mother threw up her hands. - Since when did you become so quiet? First he kept pestering me: “Buy a soccer ball,” - he didn’t give my father and me any peace, but now... Look at me, I’ll figure out your tricks...

Levka also got it from her father.

- Why are you, he says, hanging out on the fence like a rooster? Finally, he says, do something! – Levka complained to Seryozha.

Many streets were trodden during this time. In one courtyard, a ginger cat appeared on the roof. The guys rushed headlong after him.

- Hold it! Hold it! Go ahead! - Levka shouted, raising his head up.

The cat jumped up the tree. Skinning his knees, Levka climbed after him. But Seryozha, standing below, shouted in disappointment:

- Get down! Not the same: the chest is white and the face is not the same.

And a fat woman with a bucket jumped out of the house.

- Pigeons again! - she screamed. - Here I will wean you from my yard! Get out of here!

She waved the bucket and doused Seryozha with cold water. Potato peels had settled on my back and panties. The boys ran out of the gate as if scalded. Seryozha clenched his teeth and grabbed the stone.

- Count! – Levka shouted in alarm. - Count quickly!

“One, two, three, four...” Seryozha began, threw a stone and burst into tears. - Stupid, stupid, stupid! No matter what you think, everything is stupid!

Levka silently wrung out his panties, shaking off the stuck husks from them.

* * *

It rained at night. Levka, splashing his bare feet through the warm puddles, waited for Seryozha. Loud voices of adults could be heard from the open windows of the upper apartment.

“They’re scolding us...” Levka was scared. – Was it both of them or just one of Seryozha who was pinned against the wall? Just for what?..” During these days, it was as if they had done nothing wrong. “They did it, they didn’t do it, but adults, if they want, will always find something to complain about.”

Levka hid in the bushes and listened.

“In the end, I don’t approve of this at all - getting consumption because of an unfortunate cat!” Esfir Yakovlevna shouted irritably. - She doesn’t take poppy dewdrops into her mouth...

“A useless animal, in general...” the professor began.

Levka smiled contemptuously.

“It’s good for them to talk, but she, poor thing, doesn’t even want to eat,” he thought with pity about Marya Pavlovna. – If I had a shepherd, I would love it, raise it, and suddenly it would disappear! Clearly, I wouldn’t have lunch... I drank some kvass, that’s all!”

- Why are you standing? – Seryozha pushed him. - Let's go quickly while mother is busy!

“Let’s go,” Levka was happy, “otherwise we’ll be heading to camp soon!”

It was decided to go to the market.

“There are a lot of old women there!” - Levka swore. - Who is for milk, who is for what... They will gather in a group near the carts - everyone can be seen at once. Maybe ours is there too.

“I remember her now—I dreamed about her,” said Seryozha. - Short, wrinkled... If only I could see one like that!

The day was a holiday. People were milling about in the market. Seryozha and Levka, holding up their panties, looked anxiously under each scarf. Seeing an approaching old woman, they rushed across her, knocking down the housewives.

- Shameless! Hooligans! - they shouted after them.

In the midst of people, the boys noticed a school teacher.

They hid from him behind a stall, waited until he disappeared, and then ran around the market again. There were many old women - tall, short, fat and thin.

- But where is ours? - Levka was angry. – If only I had come to buy some meat for myself! Doesn't she cook dinner?

The sun was starting to get hot. Hair stuck to forehead.

“Let’s drink some kvass,” Levka suggested.

Seryozha pulled out twenty kopecks from his pocket.

- A mug for two! – he ordered.

“At least for three,” the merchant muttered lazily, wiping his red face with a handkerchief.

“Drink,” said Seryozha, marking the middle of the mug with his finger. - Still drink.

Levka, closing his eyes, slowly sipped the cold liquid.

“Leave the foam,” Seryozha became worried.

A short old woman in a black headscarf approached them from the side and looked at them both with curiosity.

OK! - Lenka said, waving his hand. It really suddenly seemed to him that his worry was in vain.

And Stepan, as if upset by something, kept walking and walking around the room, lanky, unshaven, in torn socks... but infinitely close and dear to Lenka’s heart. And therefore, despite the fact that Stepan got angry and shouted at him, Lenka calmly finished his tea, rinsed the cups and, getting ready to go home, hugged his friend tightly. He ruffled his hair and looked into his eyes:

Don't forget me, come. You can even spend the night here. The bed is free. I work at night.

“Where do you work?” - Lenka wanted to ask, but he bit his tongue in time and, thanking him, said goodbye.

Chapter thirty-eight

LINA FEES

A big event took place in the Arsenyev family - Lina’s engagement to Malaika. For the children it was only unexpected entertainment, exciting with its extraordinary preparations. None of them could even imagine that Lina was leaving, that she would no longer be a permanent member of their family, would not take care of them affectionately and grumpily, would not come running to their cries and laughter, fussy, hot from the stove. Accustomed from the cradle to consider Lina as one of their own, as grandfather Nikich, Katya and mother were in the house, they did not even think about separation from her, and, yielding to the adults, they only mentally united her with Malaika, whom they pitied and loved very much; It seemed to them that after Lina’s wedding, Malaika would simply be added to their family and everyone would be very happy and happy.

Adults viewed this event completely differently.

It will be bad, it will be bad for you, sisters, without Lina,” Oleg said, sighing. The main pillar of your well-being is collapsing.

Well, you never know! Of course it's difficult! But for her, a husband like Malaika is happiness! - Katya said with conviction. - We'll manage somehow! What to do!

Of course, we will cope... All this is nothing... You can live in any way, worse, better... - Marina said, smiling sadly. - But the house will be empty. And it will be very difficult. There is so much connected with Lina, and so we all got used to her... Marina’s eyes became misty, but she quickly controlled herself and, laughing, said: “I’ve been blossoming lately.” I can’t calmly accept this separation.

What kind of separation? You will live in the same city and see each other every day! All this is nonsense, Marinka! Let's think better about how we can outfit our bride. So that everything would be, as they say in the village, “rich”... - Oleg smiled.

“I’ll sew Lina’s dowry,” Katya said thoughtfully. - We need to buy canvases...

And she began to list how much, in her opinion, it was necessary to sew linen for the dowry.

So go to the city tomorrow and buy everything you need,” the brother said, giving her the money. - Let's pawn our wives and children, and give our Lina away as expected! By the way, I already have a luxurious wedding gift! - he added, smiling slyly.

Already have it? Which? - the sisters were surprised. Oleg leaned back and laughed cheerfully:

What about the service? Forgot? Massive tea set with gold!

Wait, isn't this the one you gave to Sasha and me for our wedding, and then when you got married we gave it to your wife? Not the one? - Marina asked brightly.

That! The same one! - Oleg was completely amused. - He has already withstood two weddings, and will endure a third! The sisters laughed.

So is it really still there? - asked Marina.

Superbly preserved! It lies intact in the closet. Who drinks tea from such expensive cups? This is one worry! I will gladly give it to Lina. She loves all sorts of trinkets.

Luxurious gift! How did this come to your mind?

Why did you and Sasha even think of giving me my own gift for the wedding? - the brother laughed.

We didn’t have a penny of money! And suddenly you get married! We didn’t know your wife then... Well, we think we should give something good, otherwise he’ll be offended...

At least they would have warned me! It's good that I immediately understood what was going on!

Well, stop laughing! So you have this three-wedding service! What about Marina? - Katya said worriedly.

I'll get some more money tomorrow. You will give her a wedding dress! But you, Katyushka, don’t sew the dress yourself... Give it to someone! - my brother seriously advised.

The next day Katya went into town, and both sisters returned together, laden with shopping.

Sticking her nose into the heap of materials, Dinka immediately rushed to the kitchen and dragged Lina from there.

Go, go! - she screamed, pushing her. - Mom and Katya brought you everything! They will sew the dowry!

Fathers! - Lina clasped her hands when she saw mountains of canvas on the table. Are you really really marrying me off? - And, falling to Marina’s shoulder, she began to lament bitterly: “Where can I go from you?” How will I live? My heart will break from sadness...

Sewing the dowry upset Lina. Waving her hand and pulling her scarf over her eyes, she went home and never appeared again.

Late in the evening, Marina herself went to her kitchen. They sat together until midnight, remembering that distant happy time, when Lina came to the elevator for the first time in a long village sundress, with a thick brown braid.

How will I live? A leaf will tear off from a branch... I am leaving you, my untalented darling, I am also leaving my well-groomed child... - Lina cried. And, crying, she asked for Dinka: “Khush, don’t scold her here... After all, there’s no one to console her without me... That’s it, she runs to her Lina... Now I won’t find peace forever...

Don't cry, Linochka! We will always see each other. After all, we live in the same city. And Sasha will return, get a job somewhere and take Malaika with him. “We’ll all live together again,” Marina reassured.

And on the terrace from the very morning the sewing machine was knocking - Katya was sewing a dowry. Frustrated and silent, Lina walked from room to room, collecting children's linen, taking off covers and curtains, washing, darning, scrubbing and soaping...

Look, Katya, where there will be food... Don’t bring in pots... Don’t put them on high heat... Which of you will cook dinner... - she said in a dead voice.

Marina often whispered with Oleg and, lingering in the city, brought various packages... It seemed to the children that some kind of big holiday was coming, and they watched this pre-holiday fuss with interest. Malaika came, hurried to get ready, said that he had already been baptized into the Russian Ivan and that now he and Lina would be married in a Russian church.

Lina listened, nodded her head, and once quietly asked:

Do you think, Malay Ivanovich, what it’s like for me to part with my family?

Malaika was confused and blinked his eyelashes:

Why break up? We will walk, we will drive... - And, seeing Lina’s sad eyes, he plaintively asked: - Lina! My golden one, good one! Whatever you say, I'll do anything! I will carry it in my arms! You say: dive, Malaika, Volga, - now we dive! If you say: get out, we’ll get out!

Why should you dive from me, Malay Ivanovich! I'm a modest girl. I will be respectful to my husband. “What I don’t need, I don’t ask for,” Lina answered with the same sly smile.

Chapter thirty-nine

SEVERE LONELINESS

After Vasya’s terrible story, Dinka became afraid to walk alone, and until Lenka arrived from the city, she sat at home. While wandering around the garden or huddled in her room, the girl suddenly plunged into gloomy thought.

“Everything has become different... - she thought, - everything, everything... And mom became somehow different, and Katya, and Alina... and Mouse... and Nikich... and Lina... Even the leaves on the trees became different, as if someone had tinted them along the edges with yellow and red rims... But in the garden this could be from the approaching autumn, but what happened to the people?

Dinka felt a surge of deep melancholy in her heart and went to look for Mouse. It had been a long time since they had been alone together, they had not laughed together, they had not whispered in corners, they had not spoken angry or tender words to each other. What has changed so much in their lives?

Dinka suddenly remembers the pier and saying goodbye to Maryashka... Poor Maryashka... How sorry she was for her, how Dinka cried then... Tears burst out of her chest along with her heart... And then Maryashka recovered, and her mother took her to the village, And those tears remained forever. That’s why life has changed so much, and now they don’t laugh with Mouse. How they laugh if people don’t feel sorry for each other. Nyura took Maryashka away and didn’t even let her say goodbye. Of course, who are they? Strangers, they don’t do this to their relatives... So Malaika wants to take Lina away... And no one is even surprised at this... But Lina was theirs all her life. As long as Dinka remembers herself, Lina remembers as long... What does Malaika have to do with it? Of course, he is very good... But would Dinka ever exchange Lina even for the best person?