Anatoly Rybakov - THE BRONZE BIRD

But how? The investigator paid no attention to what Misha and his friends said. It might be that he wanted to prove Nikolai's guilt at all cost? That was hard to believe, but certain circumstances tended to strengthen Misha's suspicions that that was so.

When the investigator came to the village he had had a long talk with Yerofeyev. Oh the next day, Misha had seen Yerofeyev in Long-shanks' home.

He was sitting on a bench, every now and then drawing from a hip pocket a large flower-patterned handkerchief that looked more like a small table-cloth and wiping first his red, wrinkled neck, then his forehead and, lastly, his glasses. Without the glasses, his eyes were small, red, helpless.

Then he put on his glasses and said:

"Maria Ivanovna, we must think as God commands and as He commands we must live. The community will help you and you must help the community."

"What can a poor woman like me do?" Maria Ivanovna said sadly. She was sitting at the table with her head resting on her hands.

"You can go to the prison and talk to your son. Why is he putting innocent people in an awkward position?"

"Is he accusing anyone?"

"No, but neither is he admitting his own guilt," Yerofeyev said sternly and impressively. "That is why they are looking for other people to pin the charge on. Before you know it an innocent man may be convicted. We had the investigator here wanting to know who took the boat. Who can tell? Some boy, perhaps. But suspicion has fallen on the whole village, on all the people here. It is not the boat, but the fact that a man was killed, that matters."

"Perhaps my Nikolai never killed him," Maria Ivanovna said despondently.

"Then who did? They were alone." Yerofeyev sighed. "No, he committed a sin and he must confess. It is evil. He has brought trouble to the whole village, to all of us. Is that the right thing to do? Most likely they had an argument and Nikolai did not know what he was doing. They won't be very strict with him, especially as he's a poor peasant. Soviet power is lenient to poor folk. In a year's time he might be pardoned."

"How can he take somebody else's sin upon himself?" Maria Ivanovna said.

"It will be a sin if he does not repent," Yerofeyev said. "Innocent people are being worried because of him. Investigators are running loose, searching. Naturally nobody is afraid of that because their consciences are clear, but it is unpleasant just the same. It is not the thing to do. The community is a force to be reckoned with. Is it right to go against the community? The community helps people in need or in misfortune. Your Nikolai will be sentenced anyway, because he is guilty. You have to live here among people. My advice to you is to think how people will look at you when your son is letting the community down."

Maria Ivanovna stared dully at the corner of the table.

Misha was surprised that in his presence Yerofeyev was so openly and cynically demanding Nikolai confess to something he was entirely innocent of. As though guessing Misha's thoughts, Yerofeyev added:

"Of course, it would be different if Nikolai was innocent. But if he is guilty he must confess. The law must not be cheated. And it is no use fooling the investigator. He is a busy man and must be told nothing but the truth. We must not deceive our Soviet government."

Misha winced at this hypocrisy. Of all people, Yerofeyev was the least expected to show such solicitude for Soviet rule.

"The Soviets gave us land," Yerofeyev continued. "There are rumours that this land may be taken away and given to a colony of delinquents, but I don't think the government will allow it. It will never leave the peasant without land."

Misha felt he could no longer keep silent.

"Nobody is taking land away from the peasants," he said. "It will have to be returned only by people who unlawfully own hundreds of acres and exploit the peasants and labourers."

"We have no exploiters in our village, young man," Yerofeyev said in an oily tone of voice. "We're living as one community without kulaks and without beggars-everybody is equal." Yerofeyev got up and put on his cap. "My advice to you, Maria Ivanovna, is to think of what I've told you." He paused, then added, "Send your boy to me this evening. I'll find some flour for you. Now about Nikolai- think. Everybody in the village is asking you to do that."

Yerofeyev walked out. His boots and long coat flowed past the low windows, for a moment plunging the hut into darkness.

"Don't even so much as think of listening to him! Do you understand, Maria Ivanovna?" Misha said.

Maria Ivanovna made no reply.

"Can't you see through him?" Misha exclaimed. "He wants Nikolai to take the blame. He's afraid that Kuzmin's real murderer will be found. Don't even think of telling Nikolai all this. And don't take any flour from him."

"But we have to live," Maria Ivanovna said unhappily.

"Can't you manage without the kulak's help? We'll give you everything we can."

"I don't mean the flour," Maria Ivanovna said sadly. "I can't go against the community. Our home is here. Vasya," she pointed to Longshanks, "has got to be put on his feet."-

"Yerofeyev-the community?" Misha cried indignantly. "He doesn't represent the community. The kulaks have laid their hands on everything here. You're afraid of them. The government is supporting you and yet you're afraid of the kulaks. It's disgraceful! I'm warning you, Maria Ivanovna, if you try to persuade Nikolai to shoulder the blame I'll tell everybody that Yerofeyev made you do it. Please, don't forget that. As for you, Longshanks, don't you dare go to Yerofeyev. What a guardian angel he's making himself out to be! He wants you to sell your son for a measure of meal. Whatever you may think, Maria Ivanovna, but we'll not allow it. Not for anything!"

Afraid that Maria Ivanovna might after all send Longshanks to Yerofeyev for the flour, Misha took him along with him to the club.

Zina Kruglova was explaining the rules and customs of the Young Pioneers to the village children.

"A Young Pioneer is courageous, honest and truthful," she was saying. "What does that mean? It means that a Young Pioneer is not afraid of anything or anybody, never lies, always tells the truth. That is what it means. Do you understand?"

The children were silent.

"Do you understand what I said?" Zina asked again.

"What about our parents? Mustn't we be afraid of them, too?" the Fly asked. "Of course."

"That's asking for a thrashing," the Fly said decisively.

"If you don't do anything that's bad why should you be afraid of them?"

"They won't stop to find out.if you're wrong or right," the Fly said. "They'll give you a thrashing. Try and prove you were right after that!"

"Parents should not be feared but respected," Slava explained. "Now do you understand?"

Nobody replied.

"Has it penetrated?" Zina said, uncertainly.

"What about thunder or lightning, for instance?" Longshanks asked. "Tell me, we're not to be afraid of that? What if it kills you?"

"Cowardice and prudence are two different things," Zina said. "Naturally, a person must be wary of lightning and take precautions. That is why we have lightning rods. But it's not something to walk in fear of. To be afraid of lightning will not save you."

"Do lightning rods help?" Longshanks asked with a smile.

"Of course."

"I say they don't."

"Why not?"

"Here's why! What is thunder? It is Elijah the prophet riding across the heavens in a chariot and driving demons before him. The demons hide from him in trees, in animals and even in human beings. Elijah shoots thunder-bolts at them. If a demon hides in a tree, that tree will be struck by lightning. If he hides in a human being, lightning will strike that human being. To prevent a demon from hiding in you, you must pray. If you pray during a thunderstorm, you can be sure no demon will try to hide in you and nothing will happen to you. There is no other way of saving yourself."