A. Belyaev - Classics of a fantasy

your wife, so there were two doctors. And at me the attack was nearly played

liver… Medical ethics, however, always for me were unclear.

The ticker shifted from one foot to the other. Internally he was enraged, but

constrained itself, having remembered the newborn: new duties of the father, new

responsibility…

Having set the patient several questions, Teker wanted to leave. But at the lady

Hinton already was on call women’s revenge.

– I hope, the doctor, you will not refuse to remain to Fife-au-shred?

My old friends will gather, – she told with a smile hospitable

hostesses.

The ticker shortly sighed, bowed and took seat on a chair with such look,

as if it was the hot brazier. There came silence.

To interrupt a burdensome pause, the captive of artful hospitality

started talking:

– I read in the newspaper: somehow at the London economic school acted

famous writer. He addressed listeners with such speech:

“Many of the young people sitting here will be killed, others are suffocated

gases, the third will die of hunger. World accident approaches.

The civilization perishes, and there is no exit. It is necessary unless to construct an ark

like Noyev…”

Lady Hinton omitted embroidery on knees. She turned pale, eyes

sparkled anger.

– Spare nerves of your patient, Mr. Teker! The servant entered:

– His Excellency baron Marshal de Terlonzh and his excellency

commerce adviser Mr. Stormer.

Displeasure was replaced on a face of lady Hinton by a habitual mask

courtesies.

Marshal de Terlonzh, the French banker with shadowy past entered,

the title of the baron which profited in the war and bought. To it was under fifty, but

it looked a perfect wreck. Together with it appeared broad-shouldered,

the strong old man with a red face of the butcher. The baron проковылял to a chair,

kissed a hand of the hostess and, strongly stammering, told:

– Allow, e-e-e., to present my kkompanion and Mr. friend

St… St… St…

– Stormer! – the fat man banged, stretching to the shuddered hostess

the spread wide thick fingers.

– His Eminence bishop! – the footman announced.

The bishop Iov Weller, the stout, healthy man with thoroughbred entered

ruddy face. His radiant eyes and juicy lips smiled.

After the bishop professor of philosophy Shnirer seemed. It

puzzly looked round around as if got at the wrong door, smiled as

the child who learned familiar faces and, having given both hands, went to the lady

Hinton.

After mutual greetings all took seat at a tea table. At this moment

at an entrance the beep of the car cried. Lady Hinton discontentedly frowned

– “after all is!.” – and Ellen slightly reddened. She learned beep

blottonovsky car.

In two minutes lord Henry Blotton already entered a drawing room, in black

tuxedo, fashionable vest and tie, sparkling a monocle. It was scented,

it is perfectly shaved.

– I was not late? Hello, aunt! – so he called lady Hinton,

which had the remote relative.

As soon as all took seat at a table, the lady started talking on a favourite subject about

degradation of morals, dissoluteness of youth, modern books, “which

it is impossible to give in hands to the well-educated girl”, about lack of due

respect for authorities and seniors.

– Tell, dear baron, – she addressed the banker, – I heard, you

came to us to extort the English gold? You want to shoal our gold

pool?

The face of the banker warped.

– Хь., хь., хь… I am for this purpose too low-power pump, the lady.

TT., the same success I could shoal the Atlantic Ocean.

Lady Hinton reluctantly received “it the upstart”, but was with it

it is kind at insistance of the legal adviser and managing affairs

Smiggers who ran large business with the banker.

Did not forget lady Hinton as the hospitable hostess, and the old philosopher.

– And where your charming daughter, Mr. Shnirer?

– And? What? – professor as if wakening from a dream asked. – Amelie?

Yes. At a football match! What? Soccer! And? – It plunged into the again

usual contemplate state.

– It is a pity, – lady Hinton stretched though she in soul was glad: it

preferred men’s society, besides in Amelie’s behavior a lot of things

shocked her.

– Doctor Teker told me terrible things, – it continued,

addressing already all and darting a sidelong glance at Teker, – how ours

the famous writer predicted death of a civilization. Really it

perhaps?

The ticker was on thorns. He thought of the wife, of the newborn and

every minute tried to rise, take the leave and leave, but did not decide to make

it.

Shnirer, having heard about the favourite subject, unexpectedly turned from

contemplate Buddha in the ardent speaker.

– Death of a civilization! – he exclaimed, having sparkled eyes, and continued,

increasing tone:

– Yes, the civilization perishes! She is doomed, and she is ruined by the car, it

iron monster. The owner of land becomes the slave to the car. It forces

us, one and all whether we know and whether we want it or not to go

till its ways. Without restraint the rushing chariot drags for itself prostrate

the winner, until he dies… Human beings, so

carefully raised these wild and dangerous animals, woke up and found

in an environment of the new race of iron monsters dominating over them…

Shnirer did not speak any more, and cried out, shaking by the wrinkled fist:

– It is necessary to bridle even stronger science, to detain rationalization,

to clamp the equipment, to suffocate invention, differently death of a civilization and

our death are inevitable… Still a cup of tea, more strong if you allow, —

unexpectedly it finished.

Ellen silently spilled tea, imperceptibly glancing at the groom. But that

was interested in liqueurs more, strenuously adding the bishop whose face

shone light of terrestrial pleasures.

– WW., ffva., are right, professor, – objected the banker, – it is necessary to the technician

to keep in a strong bridle. But civilizations threaten not only машшш.,

cars. There are animals more dangerous, artful and ruthless…

– Communists! – lady Hinton exclaimed.

Precisely December cold blew softly in August. The society which gathered for

table, it was stirred up.

All started talking at once, having forgotten about ethics. Faces were poured by hatred,

rage and fear. The word was pronounced. General disease, which

undermined all, saddened, joy of life poisoned, sang dreadful

dreams, it was called…

Everyone hurried to facilitate the soul, to pour out what overflowed long ago

heart. Spoke differently, but about same: about damned

communists, destroyers of culture and civilization, fanatics. Here was

in total: and revolutions in three states, and “nationalization of women”, and

Komintern, both dumping, and destruction of temples, and hunger…

Never before society of lady Hinton was so unanimously, so sincerely

in expression of feelings and thoughts. Never at a table sounded so harmoniously

the symphony of hatred and bodily fear before close revolution.

“Red animals” – unless not they threaten to take away everything from lady Hinton:

title, power, situation, wealth?

Their propagandists decompose Christ’s herd and threaten with God’s desolation

to temples, starvation to the bishop Iov Weller.

And the philosopher Shnirer – that other, except boundless hatred, he could