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A chat with Pushkin in cafe “At Biron” · перевод (English) · раздел 1 из 1
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A chat with Pushkin in cafe “At Biron”.
A pain was going away. Almost two days it rankled him like rabid beast and suddenly started to subside. Finely, it does not hurt anymore. Is it over, indeed? He opened his eyes and saw himself wounded on a sofa, where he was brought by Nikita.
Yes, it is. This is the same sofa. But why is he dressed? A shirt, a frock coat, pantalons, boots. When was he dressed? Or had he dresses by himself? He looked around at bookshelves, familiar furniture – nothing has changed, the same old stuff. Vladimir Ivanovich told him, that the bullet was lodged in the backbone. That why any attempts to move by legs caused a severe pain. He moved by one leg, then by another one. Strange, there is no pain. And what if try to get up. He put his legs on the floor, got up, walked in the room. He touched a door to the kinder room – it is closed. He pushed a door to the anteroom, opened the door slightly and immediately closed it.
What’s up? Who are these persons in strange clothes walking in his apartment – men, women, children? The view from the window indicated that outside was summer, although, he was brought during winter, and Moyka was covered by ice, and blizzard howled outside window. He again opened the door and … recognized himself. For sure, this was not him, but someone was dressed like him and was made-up in a way that nobody could distinguish him. Some people were staying near his double person. They obviously performed poses for somebody. He looked around and saw a young man, holding in his arms a small thing, alternatively emitting flashing lights.
He tried go down – outside, along the main staircase, but his view stopped on the table with inscription that main entrance was closed. Then he entered to the small group of visitors, which was moving to the black entrance. Although, he was not dressed like everybody, almost nobody paid attention to him. And those who met him nodded and smiled. He passed the apartments of ground floor, that had not familiar smell of laundry and kitchen. He got out to the courtyard. Indeed summer. The courtyard is clean, in the center are sheared shrubs and a monument on the high pedestal from white stone. At the foot of the monument are flowers, plenty of flowers. He came up closer.
So that, this monument is for me! Here is the notice – “Pushkin”, and slightly below – 1950 year.
What is this? I am at 150 years old? But this is rather an installing time of the monument. And which year is now?
He walked around the monument from the right side over paved cobblestone and saw carriage courts. On the gates of one of them was a notice with big letters – “Café”. He come up closer, slightly below with small letters – “At Biron”. Last year in September, during renting apartment in Volkonskiy’s house, somebody talked that for the first time in this house in the past century settled in Biron. Suddenly he felt hunger.
- I didn’t eat two days, only drank water.
He opened the door, the cafe was empty, and just a single visitor was sitting at the left corner table opposite to a bar-stand. He looked around the room: walls, ceiling, tables, chairs – all in white decor, on the right and left walls were lithographs, a room lighting formed with lamps without candles…
With fast steps, he come to the table. A man sitting at the table looked like of elderly ages with gray hairs and weirdly familiar gray eyes. He stood up with affable smile as if he was waiting him for a long time. A waiter-woman came to the bar.
- Finally, you have met your friend after a long last waiting, - she said smiling.
On the table were two meals with scrambled eggs in separate plates, bred, kitchen utensils, two glasses either compote or juice, and two cups of coffee.
Hello, young man, - a new visitor sits to the chair.
It seems to me that I am older than you, - answered host.
Really! Considering the year when monument was installed, I am at least 150 years old. By the way, what is the year now according to calendar?
Today in the morning was - 2015th.
Then I am more than two hundred years old, not less. Is this all for me?
Yes, of course, I am waiting you for a long time, but this is so … surprisingly.
Did you wait exactly for me?
Yes, he is coming once again and every time orders the same for both. He eats his portion and goes away, - joins to the talk the woman at the bar.
For whom is the second portion I ask him? And he answers for comrade. He eats, sits in silence and goes away.
All these words she says as a patter, but the jumping joy sparks in her eyes tell visitors as if she is participating in some joke.
- Certainly, someone tries to play a Trick on me, - thinks Gray-headed man, - is it for sure George who has decided to play this scene with an animator? I already have told him a joke about lunch for two persons. In addition, after my second visit this waiter asked me whom I was waiting for. And then I answered as a joke – for Pushkin. But this was already last winter. Yes, indeed, there is something unusual in this visitor, also he speaks with some strange intonations. But also, he does not look like the animators, whom are walking here to earn something on making photos for tourists. Well, if Pushkin was here by himself would the visitors of museum-room recognize him or they would accept him for ordinary animator, as me him now. And where has he come from? If he came from his apartment, but then there were plenty of tourists, the museum staff, guard. It seems, that in my desire to speak with poet I went too far. Of course, that was a joke, and I accept this animator as real Pushkin.
All these thoughts have appeared in one moment, but somewhere in a corner of the mind lurked a hope of miracle.
- Who knows maybe he is real… But nobody yet come back from there? And if this is him, then how was he able to come back to our time?
Meanwhile, the visitor ate scrambled eggs and merrily cast a glance on the neighbor.
- So many things I wanted to ask him, and can’t call to my mind something worthwhile. No, of course, he is not real Pushkin. Although, here you are the sideburns, and hair style, and clothes – seemingly everything is real.
Well, he will eat now, we shall start to speak, and everything will become clear.
And for me your face is familiar, - suddenly begin to talk the animator. Exactly we have already met each other somewhere.
Unlikely, may be the face is simply usual. And you are very look like original. Although, I have seen it only on the portraits.
I understand, you can’t believe that in front of you is real Pushkin. Yes, to be honest, I don’t believe what I see by myself. It was the end of January 1837, duel with d'Anthès, the bullet struck me exactly in the belly, and as then Vladimir Ivanovich said, - it lodged in the backbone. I clear remember, that I shot to this Bon Vivant and hit him exactly into the heart, but he for some reason fell to the back, and did not lie prone like me. Almost two days of terrible sufferings and waiting for death. And then, the pain suddenly had gone, and I woke up on Summer in 2015. I went out from cabinet, some unfamiliar people walking in my apartment, and one person among them who is dressed like me and made-up as me – looks very similar. He is surrounded by men, women, children, and opposite to this group a person with strange thing which is lightning by brief flashes. I went out to the courtyard through the back door, nobody paid attention to me. I saw a monument – which is handmade and on the pedestal – again me and now in bronze. I saw a cafeteria and entered in.
The same as you? And you are not alone? Your apartment long ago was turned into museum, and people, whom didn’t look at you are the visitors of museum.
Gray-headed man took his iPhone, a light-click sounded, and the faces of siting people were illuminated by a brief flash.
Was a strange thing looked like this?
Yes, and what is it doing?
Gray-headed man turned the display to Pushkin and showed him a photo of poet.
These animators made-up like you and create photo sessions with museum visitors – in such way they earn money for life. Excuse me that I took a photo without your permission, although … no matter nobody will believe me.
And who are these animators?
They are mummers. They are selected by psychologists, made-up, dressed according that time, and recommended to the owners of tourist agencies for attracting tourists. Indeed, for many people will be interesting to demonstrate the photo with most famous Russian poet. Mainly, this deal like to do the tourists from the West. Walk to the Palace square, visit Pavlovsk or Peterhof – there are plenty such mummers – as men and women. And here in your former apartment there are particularly many tourists from west countries. They still can’t understand why Pushkin is so popular in Russia.
And am I indeed popular in Russia?
Extra than you think. You are – our everything. For some people it is true, and for others is ineptness. Almost in every city there is a monument devoted for you. And, also, in the world there are monuments in many countries. Even in Africa.
Gray-headed man spoke and at that time attentively followed for the eyes of neighbor sitting at the table. He had long time learned that the eyes are the mirror of a soul: a man can lie with tongue, but can’t lie with eyes. This guest exactly did not lie. Although, while listening his questions, he checked: how the animator playing his role of Pushkin would have react to this information? He noticed with regret, that he couldn’t distinctly determine who is in front of him: mummer or Pushkin himself.
If it is a game, - he thought, - then I must play in such way that no doubts will leave finally. And how? Of course, there is an art to find a truth by setting leading questions. This art demonstrated Socrates to his students, this had cost him his life. My contemporaries (even not all of them) know about this from encyclopedias, for example – Big Soviet Encyclopedia. And what about real Pushkin? Did he know about dialectics? In contrast of us, he was proficient in Ancient Greek and read ancient Greeks in original. But it turns out, that main complicated trick in this art is to formulate a question which would be adequate to the situation.
And who is called in Russia “Your Majesty” now? Are the Romanov’s continuing to be “Your Majesty”? – has asked the guest from the past.
“Your Majesty” almost hundred years is sitting not in Petersburg, but in Moscow. And last Romanov hundred years ago either had abdicate the title “Your Majesty” by himself, or he was forced to do this by his relatives and friends. However, you know, that in our Russia the czars were always overthrown by their court ranks, and civilians were dragged into their conflicts. In the same way in 1917 year was overthrown the last czar. One year later he with his family were shot.
And who did this, new Decembrists? Even in December 1825 they were going to cut-out all Romanov’s. But, at that time, Nikolay Pavlovich didn’t make a misstep and he took them down a peg. Despite of his young ages, he was a strong Czar. His idol was Petr I.
We may say that your words are also correct. In the beginning of XX century Russia was engaged into the World War I, and the role of “Your Majesty” at that time played the great-grandson of Nikolay Pavlovich – Nikolay II. He took under his own responsibility the supreme command of the army, but the “new Decembrists” did not like him, and they insisted on his renunciation of a throne. After that the power in Empire was seized by interim Government, which imprisoned the czar. After the fall of monarchy, the war endured. In the beginning the army started to collapse and then Russia. And the fate of Empire had decided by Bolsheviks in October of the same year.
And who are these?
Those who always represented the interests of majority of working population in Empire.
That is in Russia began revolt like Pugachev’s one? And who was in the role of Pugachev?
Lenin. He arrived from Swiss through Germany, which was the main adversary together with Austria-Hungary and Ottoman Empires against Russia at that war.
And what about allies? Was it France really ally?
France and Britain, later the United States enjoined to them.
With such allies Russia does not need enemies.
In anyway, Alexander Sergeevich, the allies after revolution fought on the side of interim Government against Bolsheviks. And tried on the quite of civil war expropriate from Russia Far East and North.
The civil war after revolution was like in France? And who did fight there?
The country at the beginning of XX century was peasant one, but in the cities an industry was developed and part of peasants left to the cities to work in the factories and in the plants.
And did peasants become free?
Yes, in 1861 under the govern of son of Nikolay Pavlovich – Alexander II abolished the serfdom, but the peasants were obliged to buy a land from landlords. Thus, they got the land but equipment, horses for soil processing, were not enough for everybody. The peasants began to stratify into rich and poor. In the cities appeared the owners of manufactures and plants – bourgeoises. And finally, the workers in the cities, and then the peasants in the villages, the soldiers coming from war supported the revolution against their former owners – nobility, bourgeoises, rich peasants. And who does give the power easily? That why the civil war began. From one side were Whites (officers and dedicated to them troops), who wanted to return back czar and bourgeoises, and from the other side were Reds (workers, peasants and joined to them soldiers), who fought for a new power. The Reds had created their own army and won the Whites in the civil war. A part of Whites had run away to the West, in Europe. And another part left to help build new Russia, which got the name - Soviet (advise).
Where does this name originate from? Who and what did there advise?
Workers, peasants, soldiers combined in the cities and villages in communities, with help of which they ruled in the country after revolution. These communities had got the name Soviets. Revolution was done by Bolsheviks and Mensheviks together. And those (Mensheviks) had their own Pugachev– Trotsky. This is a nickname, and his real surname was Bronstein. He like Lenin came from abroad. Lenin came from Europe, and Trotsky from the USA.
Was he a Jew?
Yes, these guys during revolution and civil war have greatly succeeded. A new power was needed in competent professionals. And peasants in majority were illiterate. Jews, although they lived in the Pale of Settlement, hardly studied literacy and that why they were demanded by new power. And their leader Trotsky contributed for them. The army, punitive organs, government, cultural institutions, educational system – they were everywhere. Gradually, in society formed an opinion, that they were in demand because of their especial talent and cleverness. They even put a slogan “Let us discard Pushkin from a ship of modernity!”
What was the reason that my poems had not pleased them?
What was the reason? They thought, that they were the main suffering community in Russia, and revolution was done particularly for their freedom. This idea was inspired in whole society by their leaders. That why the word «Jew» or «Zhid» were qualified abusive. For these words, they could shoot. But, what are in your texts? – «To me has knocked a despicable Jew» - this is yours «Black scarf»; «But you, zhid soul, I will hang you on the gates», and this is – «Stingy knight»; «I look, and in the ugly game the Zhid and frog have wedding» - this is «Hussar». At revolutionary time, all these things were accepted as demonstration of antisemitism.
And who are these anti-Semites?
If briefly, then officially from encyclopedia these are those who don’t like Jews, and indeed these are those whom Jews don’t like – such a pun occurs.
But Semites are Arabs. I can’t understand why?
This still nobody can understand. But, to the end of civil war in 1922 the Bolsheviks together with Trotskyists finally gathered crashing Russia and called it – Soviet Union. New government had left in 1918 Petersburg and quickly move in Moscow. In 1924 the head of new government, Lenin, died. To his occupation was claimed Trotsky, but Bolsheviks had preferred Stalin instead of him, whom had become a new leader of Bolsheviks. He expelled Trotsky out of country and held cleansing in army and in government from Trotsky’s followers – unfortunately, not completely. After World War II in 1953 Trotskyists performed coup d’etat, killed Stalin and opened the way for liberals to the power. The coup was sluggish, it endured 40 years, and in 1991 liberals together with Trotskyists destroyed Soviet Union, national “elites” of Russia suburbs hastily started creating their own independent states, which people never had before statehood. Russia transformed to Russian Federation, it’s population decreased until less than population of Russia Empire before First World War.
And how big was the population of Empire at the beginning of XX century?
Almost hundred million more than our days.
And today at the beginning of XXI century?
Little bit less – about 150 million.
And Romanov’s did not try to return the power in Russia?
Now days we have everything: liberals, Trotskyists, Bolsheviks and even monarchists. They want as in Great Britain restore distant relatives of Romanov’s into Russia and sit them to the neck of people. But, unlikely, the people will agree to that: we have enough parasite and without them.
Thus, I was right, when I gave to Romanov’s about 300 years of ruling of Russia? – said stared dreamily the guest from past.
But this the animator could not know. About this know only me and Pushkin, if of course, this is not my fantasy. Then what does it mean? In front of me is really Pushkin? – thought Gray-headed man.
And why only 300 years?
By analogy to Ptolemy’s in Egypt. Their dynasty existed three centuries.
And what is the essence of analogy?
After a collapse of Empire of Alexander the Great, Ptolemy Soter took to his own rule Egypt and decided to establish Ptolemy’s dynasty. But in ancient Egypt the pharaoh dynasties practiced an incest - sexual relations between family members. Ptolemy suggested for his sons and daughters to get married. The oldest son, it seems Keraunos, had rejected this offer, and younger son had accepted and left in history with name Phyladelphus, which means in Greek language – the one who loves his sister. His sister Arsinoe at the beginning declined such idea and run away from Egypt to Thrace to Lysimachus, whom was one of the supporters of Alexander the Great. However, after his death, in the beginning she married to her paternal half-brother Keraunos, the king of Macedonia, but then after Keraunos killed her small children from Lysimachus, she run away to Alexandria to her brother and became his wife. Although Egyptians acknowledged Ptolemy’s as dynasty of pharaohs, but like noblemen in Russia, Greeks did not know and understand the language of their partials. During Alexander and his brother Nikolay in Empire, among noblemen in Russia the French language was in vogue. Even in my family we usually spoke in French language. And in Russian I indeed began to speak in the village Zaharovo, where I was sent to grandmother – Maria Alekseevna. And which language is in vogue among those who are ruling Russia at present?
After World War I, revolution and civil war in vogue was German language. But after World War II till nowadays is English.
With whom did Russians fight in XX century?
With Germans.
Does it mean that Russia should fight with British?
No, sly Saxons, unlikely, will decide to war with Russia. But Americans – they can push someone to such war.
Is it possible that this will Germans?
No, Germans now are not warriors, they were given a good lesson in 1945. In addition, they pay contribution almost 70 years to Israel.
And what kind of state is this?
In your time, the word “Israel” has some ambiguity. From one side, it is a self-name of Jewish diaspora. And from another side it is an expression of Russian Orthodox Church claiming itself as “New Israel”. Naturally, many people ask the question: “How is possible pay contribution to those who are dispersed throughout the lands?”
Yes, the issue of dispersed Jews very interested me, and I even left for researches of my literature works one case, which they did not notice. It is interesting, are their descendants more curious?
If you are meaning the poems devoted to Cleopatra, then yes, they have payed attention.
For what exactly they have payed attention? If it is not a secret.
It is not a secret. In the poems, which were written in 1823, there are such words “And first is Archelaus, a brave kleverlet of Pompey”, but eleven years later in “Egypt’s nights” you have replaced Pompey by Flavius, “And first is Flavius a brave warrior”. If you don’t know the history of Ancient Rome, you will not be able to notice this replacement. But those who interested in chronology of important historical events of Ancient Rome, those know, that almost one and half century separates the epoch of Pompey governing from dynasty of Flavius. But then raises a question: Did Pushkin occasionally mixed the epochs of ruling of Pompey and Flavius?
And what will be the answer of such puzzle?
No, Pushkin couldn’t mix up these two epochs. That means, he was interested in something that combined them.
Right. And what did combine them?
Both Pompey and Flavius at different time did the same business – brutally repressed uprisings in one of the province of Rome Empire – Judea. They enslaved Jewish people and dispersed them throughout the lands of future Europe.
Not exactly, but something similar was in my mind.
And now, in the middle of XX century, after World War II, Jews of Europe were gathered in Palestine, they pressed Arabs lived there, and first time in history created a new state based on Bible mythology – Israel.
And why Israel and not Judea? It is known that Israel as state existed about hundred years, and Judea about thousand.
It is a puzzle of history of XX century. May be for new Israel was given the same period, as for ancient one, if not less.
But gathered in one place for what?
To make from this religious community a nation, folk.
If Germany was defeated by Russia, then why do Germans pay contribution to the state, which did not exist before the war?
Officially they pay do not to state but to Jews, because during World War II the Fuhrer of Germans “solved Jewish question”, by killing Jewish people of Europe and Russia. Furthermore, Israel is supported by United States, which after World War II enriched by the blood of winners and defeated, and whose military bases are distributed all over the world. All became their vassals – French, Germans, English and even Japans. Only Russia does not surrender – holds its ground.
And has Russia this ground?
After World War II Russia had not, now it has. If you mentioned World War III, then it already is going. This is an informational War.
And what kind of War is it?
Yes, it is written in yours “A House in Kolomna”- very symbolically: “Philologists are against each other, stabbing each other, and destroying each other and claiming in chorus about their victories”. And now the West is claiming throughout the world about a victory in this war. But they will have heavy disappointing when they will learn that Russia this war even has not started yet.
It is known that all generals always prepare to the past wars. And how it is now?
Still without changes, although now we can say that Russia is ready for new war, which is not like all past wars.
Then whom the West is going to move to Russia?
Ukraine.
Is such country existing?
After crashing Soviet Union, the Ukrainian “elite”, which always dreamed about “nezalezhnost” (independence), tried to create its own statehood. Now they have their own Mazepa with last name Waltzman. By the way, he looks very like Mazepa during the war with Swedes. And, also, he is from those region, where Mazepa run together with Karl after Poltava battle. Yours “Poltava” is a great illustration of today’s situation. Sweden at that time had the most powerful army in Europe. Today, the role of Sweden is replaced by the USA, although they act more smarter and don’t intervene directly by themselves. The Germany’s defeat was not only lesson for Germans but also for Americans, whom at the end of war supported Russia. And our victory in 1945 was not only a defeat of Germany, but also in some sense a defeat of establishment of the USA. And today, 70 years later, after our great victory, Americans try to get back for this defeat.
How?
A quarter of century they inspired to Ukrainian, that Russian people are their worst enemies, and Russian language can’t be a state language of Ukraine. When Russians living in the south-east part of Ukraine were tired from this, they declared their independence from Kiev. After that Kiev sent the troops to suppress citizens disgruntled with Kiev’s policy.
Well, such things were difficult to imagine in our time. At that time Russia was placed from Alaska till borders of Poland and Finland. And what processes are going in the East?
The revolution in Russia, whatever is said about it, helped to people of China and India to become independent in the middle of XX century. Even at your time the “elite” of Russia demonstrated loyalty towards the West, and the West constantly reminded to the world, that Russia is the part of the West. But meanwhile, the West for more than 1000 years regularly attacked this part: German dogs-knights, Poles, Swedes, then French. They already at your time argued with English – who has more rights to possess the world? You remember, during argue they came to liberate Russia. Then French together with their “enemies” even tried to confiscate Crimea. What did think about this people of Russia, nobody was interested. But especially the people of Russia together push back each invasion from the West. By themselves. The East was not to us a supporter; it by itself was suppressed by the West. And when the West went away from China and India, it left there a bone of contention – a small area in Tibet. From that time India and China are looking askance at each other. That gives a possibility to the West to provoke a clash between them at any time. Very nearly, on the 70th anniversary of Victory in the most terrible war of XX century, the military troops of China and India together with our troops marched on the Red Square in Moscow during Victory parade. This for the West meant that from now on, in case of invasion from the West, for the first time in history the alliance between Russia and the East is possible. At the same time, this parade is visual proof that Russia by itself is self-sufficient civilization like the East and the West. And that it has its own mission. The mission to combine the East and the West in one Earth civilization. This process is possible on the base of such ideas, which will be attractive for people of Russia, people of the East and people of the West.
May be the West has such ideas?
No, the West is not interested in combining humanity into one civilization. The West wants to rule the world, and the idea of ruling from their point of view is simple: divide and conquer! At the end of XX century English poet Kipling said: “O, East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet, till Earth and Sky stand presently at God’s great Judgment Seat…”
And have Russians such idea?
Yes. It is simple and will clear for all citizens of planet.
And how this idea is look like?
People, be humans!
This is too simple.
But I have said that it had to be very simple. It originates from Russian folk wisdom. Your friend Vladimir Ivanovich Dal had written it in his remarkable work – “Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language”. Here it is: “All are people, but not all are humans”. That is the wisdom of Russian people indicated to the way of combining all people on Earth: “People become humans!” But the problem is in atheism which the mankind can’t understand.
What does this mean? For my atheism Alexander had exiled me to Mihaylovskoe under supervision of local priest and my father.
Are you indeed an atheist, Alexander Sergeevich? We researched your dialogs with a dean of Svjatogorsky monastery – Iona and with priest Shkoda from Voronichey. Form these dialogs is clear that you are person who believes to God, and they just believed in God.
Yes, I remember these disputants very good. Iona was simpler person, he accomplished orders of supervisors with high diligence. And Larion from Voronichey seems not occasionally had nickname “Shkoda”. Don’t put finger in his mouth, he will bite off a whole arm (Russian proverb). He liked to drink. Sometimes, after a glass of rum he told such nonsense things, that even me accepted this as heresy. And how have you known about these disputes?
From Akulina, the daughter of Larion.
But she was a little girl, may be about six years old. What could she understand from our disputes, when we by ourselves didn’t understand each other, sometimes?
She lived until 1927 and passed away when she was 108 years old. Her father told her about your disputes, when she was already adult. And her very vivid memories gave us a food for thought about character of your atheism. After that your disagreements with church hierarchy became understandable for us. These disagreements were reflected in “The Prophet”, which was written at the house of your uncle Vasiliy Lvovich after that significant meeting with Nikolay Pavlovich on September 8, 1826. I would like to ask you, who or what did motivate you to write “The Prophet”?
Our chat with emperor was this motivation. He tried to get an answer to the question: “Why? For what I had written “The Gabrieliad”?” Since his brother exiled me to Mikhailovskoye for the atheism, then I had to explain him, that our church hierarchy was suffered by atheism. I had to use a Greek term – anthropomorphism, which means to give to nonhuman natures the human properties. With this anthropomorphism were obsessed all ancient Greeks. That why their gods in myths live almost like people and susceptible to lusts as people on the earth. But how do think all church hierarchy? The same as ancient Greeks. They look at the emperor, see his ministers, assistants and naive to believe that in the Kingdom of God everything is established in the same manner. That why I tried to explain to emperor, that in “The Gabrieliad” I just ridiculed the anthropomorphism of church hierarchy. And moreover, I had indicated to vicissitudes of Bible by words “with Moses’s story I will not agree…” But church hierarchy blamed me for atheism and demanded a punishment for me.
And emperor, had he understood you?
It seemed to me that first thing he had understood, but the viability of second thing he had not understood and had considered that as irresponsible hooliganism, which was a characteristic for everyone in teenager ages. At these ages people search themselves and violate world laws of really adult persons. As for me, I had fillings, that for discussing second thing our society was not ready. And what about first thing he asked me to write for this public something, that could convince the members of Synod in my sinlessness and non-involvement to atheism. However, as it was seen in his eyes, that he was shocked with my story and many times tried to interrupt me. But something held him.
May be, the desire to learn, what he could not learn from anybody.
Probably, he did not want that somebody else would know this, besides both us. That why he asked me in case Synod would call me, to not tell anything what he had heard to members of Synod. And what is the situation with religion in Russia in modern time?
The same as it was written in your “A House in Kolomna”. In the beginning the role of cook-woman implemented Thecla, then she was replaced by Mavra.
And what is the matter with Thecla and Mavra?
Thecla was a closest follower of Paul the Apostle, whom perverted the doctrine of Jesus. And Marx, (by the way, you contemporary) when he was young, sighted his letters by alias Mavr. It is obviously, that the difference between doctrine of Christ and historically formed Christianity is very huge, because there is no any Christ’s word in the Nicene Creed. We call such Christianity an idealistic atheism.
What is the essence of that?
The idealistic atheists say that God exists, but they mix the faith to God with the faith in God. And thus, they fence themselves off God with help of church cult and various kinds of ritual. And materialistic atheists claim, that God is not exists, but there are nature laws, which they adore. That is, in fact they adore the nature, which is God’s creature. By researching “A House in Kolomna” we have found, that you somehow predicted and demonstrated in your literature works, that instead of the idealistic atheism (in our understanding Pauline Christianity) in Russia will come Marx theory – Marxism, to be more precisely – materialistic atheism.
No, this I could not know.
Then why in “A House in Kolomna” there are these words: “Ah, if nobody in funny crowd would not recognize me under light mask”. Who was for you a “funny crowd”?
Well, you are telling about this? Of course, my first readers, the nearest neighborhood.
And what did you want to hide from them?
They in common could not understand what I am writing about in this poem. That why I wanted to publish it anonymously.
We know that Alexander I exiled you in Mikhaylovskoye for atheism under control of local priest. And for which atheism, - materialistic or idealistic? For emperor and his officials this was not known. You had at first time in “A House in Kolomna”, by using definite number of symbols, demonstrated idealistic atheism of Pauline Christianity. You demonstrated this by presenting cook-woman Thecla, which was “kind old woman with long standing reduced sense and hearing”. Then, after you, about this wrote count Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy. For that he was even separated from Church. In addition, you had problems after “The Gabrieliad” with Synod, which had called you to interrogation in Kronstadt in autumn, 1828.
You even know about this?
And not only about this. We have found a letter – an answer of Nikolay Pavlovich to Synod, when Synod attacked you relatively of your authorship of “The Gabrieliad”. The emperor asked you to not tell anything to Synod about your conversation with him?
Yes. There was an arrangement to not tell anything to anybody, not only the members of Synod. He and me kept the promise. Only after the duel in his farewell letter the emperor with one phrase made clear to me, that he remembered about our 4-hours conversation in September 8, 1826 in Nikolaevskiy palace.
“I am asking you only one thing: die as Christian” – this phrase?
Yes!? And how did you guess?
Nun, this in our time of materialistic atheism was not complicated. By whom could a nobleman go to next world in orthodox power? By Muslim? By Judaist? By Buddhist? Namely by elimination method. After that it was possible to restore the content of your conversation with emperor.
How is it possible?
It is reliably known only the answer of emperor to the question of the State Secretary count Bludov regarding this conversation: “I spoke today with the cleverest man of Russia”.
And what does it give?
If you will use dialectics as the art of learning truth by means of setting thought-provoking questions, then many things can be clear. The difficulty in this art is to formulate a question which is adequate to the situation.
And what question would you ask?
What something unusual could tell 27 years old Pushkin to 30 years old emperor? After what did he give so high estimation to exiled poet in the presence of all court? – this is at output.
And what is at input?
What did research Pushkin in Mikhaylovskoye before he met the emperor in Moscow?
It is known. I researched a history of rising and death of Ptolemy’s dynasty in ancient Egypt. But what does this give for you?
In the deeply rooted history of this dynasty there is another one inside, which is more shorter, but very important. The history of relation between Ptolemy II Philadelphus and a poet of Alexandria epoch – Callimachus. At moment, when his father Ptolemy I Soter dead, the son was at 30 years old, whom after father’s death possessed completely whole power. And now we come to the question: why Ptolemy Phyladelphus kicked away from Alexandria his mentor Demetrius of Phalerum and instead of him invited a lyceum teacher Callimachus from Eleusis, a suburb of Alexandria? It is known that Demetrius of Phalerum began collect manuscripts for famous Alexandria library. In addition, at his time was started translation of Judaic Torah to Greek language – five Books of Moses. What was the guilt of Demetrius before younger Ptolemy? Or in other words: why did he prefer Callimachus instead of Demetrius? And what was interested Pushkin in this mysterious history? Could it be, that both Callimachus and king Philadelphus were at thirty years old, but Pushkin and recently ascended the throne of Russia Empire Nikolay were 27 and 30 correspondingly? Or something else?
Of course, something else.
What?
Something that binds “The Gabrieliad” and “The Prophet” with poetry of Callimachus.
Is it indeed the hymn of Callimachus “Bath of Pallas”? And you answered to the hymn of Alexandrian epoch with such words: “What are the cunning, malice, word, deepness! How even powerful is crash of your ideas! And eternal new bath of Virgin! – Callimachus!”
Nun, this is unsuccessful imitation to Callimachus, first attempt of writing, it was not published anywhere with me. Where have you found this?
In Switzerland, from biographer of your second Danzas – Anatoliy Livri.
May be, may be, - in deep thinking said Pushkin. Maybe you remember that in this hymn Athena calmed her friend - mother of Tiresias, whom she made blind by verdict of Zeus: “I will create from he a prophet, venerable among descendants, and without comparison others he will exceed by him”.
The Gray-headed man some time looked at guest by keeping silence, but his head was full of thoughts and questions.
That why in “The Gabrieliad”: “I don’ need a great rank of prophet”? Thus, Tiresias had lost his gift of sight, but instead of that he had got a gift of prophecy. I am of course not Tiresias, but when I was 14 years old I tried to read out loud “The Prophet”. But suddenly I had left my speechless. And a shock which I had that time was the same shock as Tiresias had. The gift of speechless came back but the “Puzzle of prophet” had left, which haunted me about half of century. The guest as if he has heard these thoughts of Gray-headed man and interrupted them with question.
And what is the source of concern in “The Prophet”?
Well, consider this: the poem I know, the teacher asks me read “The Prophet”, and I can’t spell a word. How it is possible? If he gave me grade two (one of the lowest grades at school) then I could forget about this episode. But he invited me in teacher’s room and said me that for ten years of teaching he at first time met with person who couldn’t read out loud “The Prophet”. And I remind myself, that by giving a task to learn by heart, he was at the same situation, he couldn’t read your poem. And as reader he was very excellent, particularly good he read by heart your poems. So, I understood that I was not the only who couldn’t read out loud “The Prophet” because of some unclear reasons. To read to myself was no problem for me.
And, now can you?
Yes, I can, because I found the words, which then paralyzed my tongue.
Interestingly, what kind of words they are? Can you say loud them now?
Yes, I can. God address to prophet: Fulfill yourself by my will!
And what is dangerous in these words by your opinion?
At 14 years old I couldn’t know that, what I know today. However, I suppose, in that September evening, 1826 you knew this. Among all species on the Earth God gave a freedom of choice and possibility to get a freedom of will only to one species - Homo sapiens. You may understand, that freedom of choice without freedom of will is nothing. Once given such possibility to human, He could not take it back. And you had finished “The Prophet” with these words in purpose that in the future, when people of Russia become literate and will read your “The Prophet”, somebody will stumble on these words, he will not be able to say them out loud and will think “What is a problem?” It is as if you accomplished the ask of emperor and did not recede from your own opinion to religion?
I can’t say that I thought about this. I remember that near my bed on the nightstand lay Bible in French. I opened it and occasionally had got 6th chapter of prophet Isaiah. I read it one time, another time and wrote “The Prophet”.
As for “The Prophet” our philologists had great debates.
What couldn’t they share with each other?
The debates were around the date of writing: some of them argued that you in advance wrote this poem before meeting with emperor, when you were in exile. That you would be able throw it to the face of young satrap, who just nearly had come to the throne. Others argued that poem was written after the meeting with emperor.
Why did they debate? I had written at the end the date and even the time, as I usually did.
The facsimile of “The Prophet” was not found among your papers.
And who did look my papers after me?
The emperor ordered to look your archive to Vasily Andreyevich Zhukovsky.
Yes, of course. He performed the same role at Nikolay Pavlovich as Demetrius Phalerum at Ptolemy Soter – he was a mentor of his sons Alexandr and Michael.
Alexandr Sergeevich, and history of close relation between poet Callimachus and Ptolemy Philadelphus didn’t remind you a situation before your meeting with 30 years old emperor of Russia?
May be reminded, but what is following then? Nikolay Pavlovich nothing suggested me at meeting, and I did not ask him anything. What I thought at that time is an open question. The content of our conversation knew only both we and God. And by the way, was the answer of emperor to Synod remained?
Yes, and we have found it.
And do you remember what was there?
I remember very good, because there were only two phrases: “I know the author of “The Gabrieliad”. Leave Pushkin alone”.
That is how! The members of Synod at that time did not show me the answer. And the answer was ambiguous. First meaning: “I know, that author of “The Gabrieliad” is Pushkin, but he is under my protection. Leave him alone”. Another one: “I know the author of “The Gabrieliad” – this is not Pushkin. Leave Pushkin alone”. And the members of Synod had not right to ask several times explanations from emperor. Now it is clear why he asked me to say nothing in case when I would be called to the appointment in Synod, and require paper and envelope for writing letter to him where ever he would be. And added that: “I know what to do”.
Well, the second question was about authorship of “The Gabrieliad”? And the first?
With whom would you been during December 14 in Petersburg? And how do you think what was the answer?
With them… But, to stop them. Emperor had surprised: “Pushkin, your poems were found almost at every conspirator”. And you had reminded him about the poem “To Andre Chénier” and looking to his reaction you had understood, that incident was closed.
Yes, I had to remind him about poem “To Andre Chénier”, because I was not sure that Vasiliy Andreevich had sent my letter on May 1826 to emperor, in which I wrote my view to the events of December 1825. And where could be the manuscript of “The Gabrieliad” with date?
This could know only Vasiliy Andreevich Zhukovskiy. We think that there are many of your manuscripts, which are not known to the world.
And who is interested in this?
Well, you know what kind of battles were in your time between liberals and patriots. The tension has not decreased, and their degree even increased. And each branch tried and until now days tries use your literature heritage in their political purposes.
The Gray-headed man kept watching the guest. And the more he watched the more he convinced himself – in front of him is Pushkin.
But if he is here and has come from there, from where nobody has come, then not for eating scrambled eggs and drink a cup of bad coffee? What must he say to us, to his descendants, that we could solve problems of our time? – thought Gray-headed man. And the guest seems has heard him.
Well, young man, I don’t know how do you live with new things in new world, but I see that you have succeeded in learning of world in comparison with our generation, particularly regarding atheism. I understood that this problem even has intensified. I had thoughts about that. However, I was not successful to give explanation as it was done by you. And now this is all yours. Become by yourselves human and move all world to the humanity. Well, I am not worry for Russia. And what about governments - don’t worry for them, they will understand this at last moment.
The Gray-headed man looked at rounded electric clock on the wall behind the bar rack and noticed to himself, that it is about six hours pm.
- Well, are we talking about two hours? And is this cafe closing at 18:00?
At this moment appeared the waiter-woman.
- Well, boys, I will close after 10 minutes.
She has come close to their table took empty plates, kitchen utensils and has hidden behind buffet rack.
Alexander Sergeevich, maybe we shall walk? Let us go along embankment of Moyka, go out to Dvortcovaja street and continue conversation?
Why not? It is curiously watch to Petersburg of the beginning XXI century. And what is this unknown smell, which is sensed by nose as I get out to the courtyard of my house?
And what kind of smell was at your time in the streets and courtyards of Petersburg?
The smell of manure. And this smell is very new for me and not familiar.
This unknown smell is the smell of automobile exhaust gases. While in the cities they were not many, we did not notice this smell, like you may be, when you did not notice the smell of manure.
Well, this is the smell of XXI century?
Perhaps, in other things were not much changes. Mainly, instead horses and carriages today everywhere automobiles. They are the real scourge of modern city. Because of exhaust gases it is difficult to breath.
Thanking the waiter-woman, they went out to the courtyard with cobble stones and turned to the left directly to the grand gates. It was the middle of June – the very peak of white nights. The sun still shined bright. The last rare visitors, after them the employee of museum left comfortable courtyard of the Volkonskiy’s villa. Through soft soles of summer boots was acute felt of cobbled bridge. Gray-headed man looked at black boots of his companion and thought, that at his time the asphalt was absent and all bridges were such and may be more sensitive for pedestrians.
- Vasya, do you today decide to go to the city without changing the clothes?
Gray-headed man turned back and met the view of unknown man. May be, he is one of employees of museum. And Vasya is a local animator. He waited the reaction of his companion, whom suddenly rapidly turned to the voice, stopped, thought for second, put his hand into the right pocket of frock coat, got from there enough big bronze key, covered by green patina and dreamily, without looking to anybody, silently said:
- As for me, perhaps, indeed, I need to change my clothes according to the epoch, in which I have oddly appeared.
He inserted key into the keyhole. Turned it twice and a heavy oak door slowly as it itself opened. After that Pushkin turned to Gray-headed man and for some reason like conspirator said:
- Excuse me, I will just for one minute…
And disappeared himself behind the door. Gray-headed man for some time stood completely at a loss because of such final. Then he hesitantly pulls the grand door to himself, but it was closed.
You in vain want to enter there. This door is always closed, - said to him that employee, whom minute ago called his companion.
And what about Vasya? He just recently opened this door and went to change clothes.
Vasya? An animator? But he keeps his props in the cloakroom of ground floor. Today the visitors were not many, and he has left almost two hours ago. He knows, that grand door is always closed and left like others through the back door. And who are you for him?
I am? I am simply acquaintance, we had plans for dinner together after job.
Do you go or you stay here? I must close the grand gates.
Yes, yes, of course, I am going.
Gray-headed man with fast steps went out through the gates to the embankment of Moyka. At the powerful granite stabs of embankment were densely parked automobiles, where walked in hurry rare pedestrians. Pushkin was not among them…
Inner Predictor of USSR
10 July 2015