A. Belyaev - Classics fantasy – 9

Storm, roar, noise also howl…

5

Dry Dol’s village as if the ruined ant hill. To look – and you will not understand what happened. At peasants bewilderment is more senior on faces, the youth is cheerful, and women howl, as on the dead man. Nobody stays at home, all run from a hut in a hut.

And at the Village Council the people already crowd, collect a descent.

Two persons came by the car, they also stirred a rural ant hill. Announced: Volga in the steppe turns, and on the Dry Dale water will begin to flow. It is necessary to move to the mountain. On transportation and building money will be given. Who has an old hut, the new wood will be received.

The people rustle. It is good to receive money, to get a new hut. It is bad to throw familiar spot.

Ipat calling himself “the strong middling person” strokes a long beard which for some reason turned gray from one side.

– So it is so. And it is not necessary to agree durolomy too. Perhaps on a hill there is no water. Perhaps there to dig wells – you will not get to the bottom of water.

– Yes at water, a skewbald beard, we will live. Though from a window sup water.

– It grieves it to throw a new hut on the stone base. All base will be crumbled. The reluctance to start.

– To whom hunting? – Ipat answers. – Today on the mountain, tomorrow downhill… Directly put huts on wheels.

– Truly. Let’s not go to the mountain.

Broke into parties. And again came from the city, it is necessary to convince a descent. Fought, postponed until evening.

– Children, and Panas Chepurenko will not go to the mountain at all. Uporisty old man.

– Who is Chepurenko? – visitors ask and learn that Panas – a thick oak of ninety two years, but still strong, the native from Ukraine. It is stubborn as a chock, believes in God. Tobacco smells, itself pounds.

Marishkin and Kurilko who came by the car decide to visit Panas after a descent.

It with a rake in hands digs in a kitchen garden. Answered a greeting with low bow and calls in a hut.

– Yes we here on an open air will talk to you.

But the old man is unshakable.

– Yakshcho on a rozmova, I ask to a hut. – And the first leaves.

There is nothing to do, followed for it.

– Here that, the grandfather – Marishkin says – it is necessary to move to the mountain. If itself you will not be able, people will help.

– And navishche to exchange on the mountain dertitsya. Meni and here much.

– It is impossible, old times. Here water will fill in everything soon.

Panas listens carefully, irons long moustaches, slowly takes out a tavlinka, smells tobacco and at last negatively swings the head.

– Not the mozha tsyy quarrystone – is surely answered by him. – God обицяв, що zliv бильш without awaking.

Visitors exchange glances. They did not expect such objection. Marishkin, at once not to embitter the old man, decided to act diplomatically.

– Yes that about a Flood is told, and here Volga only, will fill in several villages, here and yours too. For irrigation of fields, you understand? From a drought. Fills in villages and villages a spring flood. So same not a flood.

– Повинь – an insha on the right. To Rozilletsya a richka й in protect a znova having come. And ви you show, шо all the hall on vichno. And ви дурницю you show, шо the hall. Not to a mozha tsyy quarrystone. God казав, шо zliv without awaking, thaw without awaking. Nikudi not pita.

Well you will do with it? Marishkin took out a scarf from a pocket and wiped the sweated forehead.

– You think: we will give lifting on new building. You will live in a new hut.

– Not an occasional office to exchange of your crossing. Not pita, thaw a kineets.

– I see, you do not trust us. Well and so that, grandfather. Go with us on the car. Building you will look at itself, you will be convinced with own eyes. You will see what there with Volga becomes, and you will believe.

– And on an encore to exchange your car? Not pita. An axis of a tutochka it is live, i in a domovina to a lyazh here.

And left city with anything.

But after their departure Panas strong thought. And the next day unexpectedly for all harnessed the fad, took a loaf of bread and left the yard it is unknown where.

It arrived to Volga, came to building. To the people multitudes. Through Volga the bridge, cars, a roar, vanity. Between bulls workers fit iron boards. Will lower boards – and the dam is ready. Will dam Volga, you will begin to flow steppes – more water has no place to disappear.

Panas went to catering establishment from where all building is visible. Stayed at a window the whole day is silent and drank infinite quantity to tea. And when evening fires filled in building and noise of works was not lowered, the old man spoke deafly in gray-haired moustaches:

– So a stench, roll out dit, to sink us. – Also it was difficult to understand what it is more in his words – censures or praises.

Panas arrived home and three days did not leave a hut. Thought whether got sick after the journey.

And then left and began to tell it that sukhodolna even pootkryvat mouths on a descent. Did not happen at “the Piping of Volga” of such propagandist.

And amicably also the neighboring villages reached on a sukhodolna hill, and for them.

6

– Hit into my head! – Kondrat Semenych knocked a huge fist on a table so that the inkwell jumped up. The chairman of the board of “the Piping of Volga”, companion Markov, shuddered and corrected points.

– Well, however, you that… not too – he, щуря told weak-sighted eyes.

– What that? It you that – Kondrat Semenych was not appeased, and he suddenly rose in all growth as if preparing for fight. His red hair were disheveled, eyes threw sparks. The huge person was crimson as if it descended from a bathing regiment. – I will not allow to touch state farm. And you would visit “Red dawns” yes looked that there is heaped up. One silage tower of what costs! – Kondrat Semenych bent a thick finger. – From cement. Beauty! You will not transfer it. So, so and to throw? Will stand among the lake as a beacon. And эмтеэс – bent the second finger. – In all the district you will not find such machine and tractor station. Stone, capital construction. Elevator, repair shop, power plant, stables, sheds, cheese dairies, creameries… To list everything – there will not be enough fingers. All this under water.

Before “Piping” corrected points again and softly told:

– But you know that Volga will begin to flow spontaneously. Leveling shows that “Red dawns” lie on the way of a flood and will be filled in almost on meter.

– Means, it is not necessary to start up Volga spontaneously. You build dams, build bypass canals.

– If to dig channels yes to build dams, then all plan of works will change – Markov objected. – It will cost huge money.

The secretary of a cell the Inhabitant of Tula, small growth, thickset, in an old leather jacket, grinned, rose and, looking directly in eyes to Kondrat Semenychu, started talking by an equal metal voice:

– Nobody doubts, the companion, that you strong love “Red dawns”. You – the beautiful business executive. But also beautiful business executives have the shortcoming. Even defect: narrow-mindedness. It is impossible to take only a narrow. We cannot break the plan of work. The question was discussed by experts and here and in the center and cannot be changed. You want it or do not want, and “Red dawns” will be transferred.

– I do not want.

– Then you should be cleaned from the road.

Kondrat Semenych did not even understand at once. Then his thick fingers trembled, and the person turned pale.