Аннотация: The Story about the second series of the movie "Bolshoy Bridge"
The Story about the second series of the movie "Bolshoy Bridge"
Ahead fire began to sparkle ... Alexei Peshkov thought that sometime he will describe as he crossed the Kerch Strait in the story "My Fellow Traveller" (Максим Горький 'Мой спутник').
Waters became less ... knee-deep ... up to ankles ...
A few minutes later Alexei Peshkov and his companion were around a camp fire in the company of four shepherds dressed in 'touloups' or long sheepskin overcoats by wool up.
The steppe on big space was covered with thick layer something dense, gray and wavy, which had the appearance of snow in spring time, just when it is beginning to thaw. Only long and fixedly peering, it was possible to see separate figures of the sheep who densely clung to one another. Sometimes they bleated piteously and timidly ...
In the distance from a camp fire, aside, there were numerous modern cars. Some people were placing a some equipment.
Alexei Peshkov dried the overcoat by the camp fire and told the shepherds all story truthfully; even describing the way in which they became possessed of the boat.
- Where is that boat now? - inquired the severe-looking elder man, who kept his eyes fixed on Alexei.
Alexei told him.
- Go, Michal, and look for it!.
Michal went off with his stick over his shoulder, toward the sea-shore.
Peshkov, shivering from cold, dried at a camp fire and thought that their adventures would gratify the taste of admirers of Cooper or of Jules Vernes; there was shipwreck, then came hospitable aborigines, and a savage dance round the fire ...
The shepherds had given Alexei some bread and bacon.
Michal came and silently sat down near the old man.
- Well? - the old man asked.
- I have found the boat! - briefly Michal replied.
- It won't be washed away??
- No!
The shepherds were silent, once more scrutinizing Peshkov.
- Who are they? - Alexei at shepherds took an interest, having nodded towards disposition of the modern cars standing in the distance.
Shepherds did not hurry with the answer.
"I have contacts, of great significance, in Associated Press!!!" - the voice from cars was heard. - "Let's develop a culture. Big money is budgeted!!!"
- Well, - said Michal, at last, addressing no one in particular, - Shall we take them (he showed on Alexei and on his fellow traveler) to the village, to the ataman? - or perhaps - straight to the custom house officers?
Nobody replied to Michal's question.
- We could take them to the ataman - or we could take them to the custom house. One plan's as good as the other, - remarked the old man, after a short silence.
- Wait a bit, old man ..., - Alexei began.
But he did not pay any attention to Alexei.
- Michal! what about the boat? Is it there?
- Oh, it's there all right! ...
- Are you sure the waves won't wash it away?
- Quite sure.
- Then let it stay there. Tomorrow the boatmen will be going over to Kerch, and they can take it with them. They will not mind taking an empty boat along with them, will they? Well - so you mean to say you were not frightened, you vagabonds? Weren't you indeed? Both of you were not afraid? Is not present? And? You both had a chance to be drown, like axes, both!. Could drown, and - all.
As the old man finished speaking, he looked at Alexei with a smile on his lips.
- Well, why don't you speak, lad?
Alexei was vexed by the old man's reflections, which Alexei misinterpreted as sneering. So Alexei only answered rather sharply:
- I was listening to you.
- Well-and what do you say? - inquired the old man.
- Nothing.
- Why are you rude to me? Is it the right thing to be rude to a man older than yourself?
Alexei was silent, acknowledging in his heart that it really was not the right thing.
- Won't you have something more to eat? - continued the old shepherd.
- No, I can't eat any more.
- Well, don't have any, if you don't want it. Perhaps you'll take a bit of bread with you to eat on the road?
Alexei trembled with joy, but would not betray his feelings.
- Oh, yes. I should like to take some with me for the road ... - Alexei quietly told.
- I say, lads! give these fellows some bread and a piece of bacon each. If you can find something else, give it to them too.
- Are we to let them go, then? - Michal asked.
The other two shepherds looked up at the old man.
- What can they do here?
- Did we not intend to take them either to the ataman or to the custom house? - asked Michal, in a disappointed tone.
- What would they do at the ataman's? I should think there is nothing to do there just now. Perhaps later on they might like to go there?
- But how about the boat? - insisted Michal.
- What about the boat? - inquired the old man again. - Did you not say the boat was o'key? Is she there?
- Yes, it's all right there, - Michal replied.
- Well, let it stay there. In the morning John can row it round into the harbor. From there, someone will get it over to Kerch. That's all we can do with the boat.
Alexei watched attentively the old man's countenance, but failed to discover any emotion on his phlegmatic, sun-burned, weather-beaten face, over the features of which the flicker from the flames played merrily.
- If only we don't get into trouble ..., - Michal began to give way.
- Is it far you have to go? - the old man asked again Alexei, though Alexei had told him once before, how far.
- To Tiflis ...
- That's a long way yet. The ataman might detain them; then, when would they get to Tiflis? So let them be getting on their way. Eh?
- And what? Let go! - the old man's companions agreed when he, having terminated the slow speeches, tightly clenched lips and questioningly looked at all of them, twisting his fingers the gray beard.
- Well, my good fellows, be off, and God bless you! - he exclaimed with a gesture of dismissal. - And we'll send the boat back, so don't trouble about that!
- Many, many thanks, grandfather! - Alexei said, taking off his cap.
- What are you thanking me for? That's queer! I say, God bless you, and he thanks me! Were you afraid I'd send you to the devil, eh?
- I'd done wrong and I was afraid, - Alexei answered.
- Oh! - and the old man lifted his eyebrows. - Why should I drive a man farther along the wrong path? I'd do better by helping one along the way I'm going myself. Maybe, we shall meet again, and then we'll meet as friends. We ought to help one another where we can. Good-bye!
He took off his large shaggy sheepskin cap, and bowed low to to Alexei and his satellite. His comrades bowed too.
Alexei with the satellite inquired way to Anapa, and started off.
From the modern cars standing in the distance the vigorous voice was heard: "We begin shooting of the second series of the movie "Bolshoy Bridge". Time to develop culture came! Big money is budgeted!!! I have contacts, of great relevance, in Associated Press (AP)!!! The time for the development of culture has come!"
November 27, 2018 15:05
Translation from Russian into English: November 27, 2018 22:26.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский 'Рассказ о второй серии фильма 'Большой мост''.
(Was used the English translation (of the story "My Fellow Traveller" by Maxim Gorky), found on the Internet, - without specifying the translator).