A. Belyaev - Classics of a fantasy

– Exult, Zander. I brought to you a good portion of fuel. I and not

knew that the way to stars lies through an altar.

– What altar? Blotton laughed again, but did not answer a question.

– I think, we will have now means to finish the first stratospheric

rocket.

Zander’s face turned pink.

– I am very glad. But we will build it not here. Today at dawn I

I depart to Switzerland.

– Did not get on with “Mohicans”? – Zander nodded. – Switzerland?.

It, perhaps, better. There to you will work more quietly. I will give you the check

on the Lyons credit. Report the address. At five in the morning I depart to London.

And how your work moved?

Zander developed the drawing and began to explain. Blotton absent-mindedly listened

several minutes, pretending what understands, thanked Zander, left

the check, told several latest sports news and left. Zander

called Vinkler and showed him the check.

– Obviously, lord Blotton managed to receive money under the bride, —

told, smiling, Vinkler.

– How it “under the bride”?

– Recently in Taymsa it was printed about lord Blotton’s engagement with

Ellen Hinton. Ms. Ellen is the niece and the only heir

millionaire lady Hinton. Probably, to Blotton allotted the wide credit.

– And so why he said that the way to stars lies through

altar! – Zander remembered.

– Well, so far we can do without repair shop. It

will replace to us sports vanity of Blotton. It is better for those. Leave, mister

Zander. Now at us work will begin to boil. If only…

– What?

– If only you managed to get out safely. At you the plan is ready

departure? Is not present? It is necessary to help you.

And they were inclined over the map of the country which was once their homeland.

– Whether everything is given? A benedictine for the bishop? Sherribrendi for sir Henry?

White wine? Cheese? Cake? And honey? His Eminence loves honey – food

hermits. There is no honey? – Lady Hinton called.

The girl, the red-cheeked Scotswoman in a gray dress, with white entered

starched apron and in a white lacy headdress, from under which

locks of a thick nutbrown hair were beaten out. In Mary’s hand was crystal

vase with honey.

– You forgot to put honey again, Mary? Mary silently put a vase

and silently came to a table. Hinton carried out it by eyes and translated a look

on a pale face of the niece.

– Why you cut hair, Ellen?

The girl touched slender white fingers with long bright pink

nails the ashy hair falling to cheeks equal waves

waves, and silently told:

– Sir Henry…

– Certainly! – with displeasure the old lady said. – Give me

“air” also take the book.

Lady Hinton embroidered five months with silk and gold flowers and

cherubs on “air” for an altar of church in which prior was

the bishop Iov Weller is a confessor the lady, her old friend and the adviser.

– What time is it now?

– Five minutes to five.

– Read, Ellen.

The niece opened at random Dickens’s volume:

– “Then they only feel in a happy state

the friendly association and mutual goodwill which is

source of the most true, pure pleasure…”

– In the Hyde park again, apparently, a meeting, – interrupted reading lady Hinton,

listening. Shook the head and heaved so a deep sigh that it

the breast which is stirred up under a lilac silk dress touched double

chin.

After this lady Hinton fiercely thrust a needle in an eye of the cherub and

deeply thought.

How many years it wages war, hopeless war over time!

At first against each new pound of weight of a fat body, against everyone

new wrinkle on a face – not without reason she endured three husbands and collected in

the strong hands three states, – and then against that new that

interfered in political, public and private life, up to these

“modern short-haired hair and indecent suits” Ellen.

Lady Hinton considered the Golden Age kind old England of times

the Queen Victoria to whom the lady was a little similar and which

tried to imitate.

The old mansion in West End, against the Hyde park, lady Hinton

turned into fortress – “my house – my fortress”, – in which wanted

to sit out from time pressure. The twentieth century had to come to an end on

threshold. Here everything, beginning from heavy furniture and finishing vital

way and etiquette, was antiquated and pradedovsky times.

Lady Hinton even did not open tightly the closed double glazing in the summer and

forced to lower heavy curtains on windows not to see crowd

the excited people passing in the Hyde park – the favourite place for

meetings. But voices and songs, rumble, and sometimes and dry crash of shots

got through thick walls. At its canneries – inheritance

the second husband – workers striked, and it had to conduct unpleasant

talk with the managing director. To its Fife-au-shreds a political talk was

are expelled as a sign of bad form. And nevertheless it is frequent behind these ceremonious

tea drinking political debates erupted.

Time has come, time conducted the correct siege of the mansion which took cover for

lattice, under old chestnuts and elms.

Time rushed a street rumble, the concerning talk, terrible

news. Neither old servants, nor thick walls, nor double glazing, nor curtains

did not save from time impact.

At lady Hinton the real mania of prosecution began. And

time was a persecutor, the enemy, the murderer…

– Read, Ellen.

But it was not necessary to continue reading. Hours slowly, deafly, as if blows

them reached from a far tower, punched five.

In the doorway silently the old footman in a gray livery with braids appeared.

Deaf aged voice respectfully reported:

– Doctor Mr. Teker.

Lady Hinton frowned. On Thursdays – put Fife-au-shred – house

the doctor had to be at four hours forty five minutes to end

evening visit before arrival of guests. Today the doctor was late for whole

fifteen minutes.

– Ask.

Because of a door the close-cut head with turning gray seemed

temples, then also all figure of the doctor – in black carefully promoted,

tightly the clasped frock coat. A frock coat instead of traditional evening

tuxedo! Lady Hinton forgave such violation of etiquette Tekera only

because he was “the person of other circle”, besides the foreigner, fine

doctor, “victim and refugee of time”. In the homeland he did not get on with “spirit

modern times” which was given for there “true spirit ancient”.

Teker’s face was confused and joyful and uneasy. About ostentatious

confidence it passed space from a door to a tronopodobny chair,

welcomed lady Hinton respectful bow and it is careful as fragile

jewelry, took a thick hand of the patient to probe pulse.

– Said to me that doctors differ in punctuality, and German in

features! – viscously lady Hinton told.

– . Sixty six., sixty seven… – the Ticker counted blows

pulse, looking at a second hand of the pocket watch – Pulse normal.

Forgive, the lady. House circumstances detained me. My wife.,

it was resolved from a burden. Boy. – And Teker’s eyes flashed joy.

– I congratulate, – lady Hinton silently told. – The doctor accepted? At