Tatyana Petrovna stayed at the old Potapov's house. A month later, the old man passed away. Now only Tatyana, her daughter Valya and the old nanny who took care of the children are left in this small house.
Old Potapov's house was built on a hill in the northernmost part of the town, next to a small river. There are three rooms in the house, and there is a small garden outside. The flowers in it have long withered. Behind the garden is a bare birch forest. Groups of jackdaws fly over the forest, chirping non-stop from morning to night, seeming to herald the arrival of a snowstorm.
Since leaving Moscow, Tatyana has been unable to adapt to the boring life in the small town for a long time. She cannot stand the creaking sound of the door, nor does she like the sound of the burning kerosene lamp in the cold night.
Whenever this happens, Tatyana will regret: "What a fool I am! Why should I leave Moscow, give up my job in the theater, leave my friends, and come to this ghost place! I should let The nanny took Valya to Pushkino, where there were no air raids and was safe, and I should have stayed in Moscow. Oh, what a fool I was!"
But returning to Moscow was no longer possible. Tatyana decided to stay in the small town and work in the military hospital, performing for injured soldiers. Her mood gradually calmed down, and she even began to like this place, especially when winter just came, when the snowflakes fell and decorated the town. The weather was still very warm at that time, the river had not yet frozen, and there was always a layer of fog on the green water.
Tatiana gradually adapted to the life in the small town, and gradually accepted everything in this house: the piano that was always out of tune, and the yellowed old photos on the wall. A bulky cruiser. The elder Potapov served in the Marine Border Guard as a ship mechanic. There is a green tablecloth spread on the desk in his study, and there is a model of the cruiser "Thunder" on which the old Potapov once worked. Tatyana never allowed Valya to touch it, in fact, she was not allowed to touch anything in the room.
Tatyana knew that the elder Potapov’s son Nikolai was a lieutenant in the Black Sea Fleet, and Nikolai’s photo was placed next to the model. Tatyana picked up the photo, looked at it carefully, and couldn't help frowning. She always felt that she had met the person in the photo somewhere, maybe before experiencing that failed marriage. But where exactly and when?
The officer in the photo looked at her calmly, with a hint of ridicule, as if asking: "Have you forgotten where we met?"
"Yes. , I don’t remember,” Tatiana said softly.
"Mom, who are you talking to?" Valya's voice came from next door.
Tatyana smiled and replied: "And the piano."
Throughout the winter, letters were sent to old Potapov one after another, all signed by the same personal. Tatiana put them away and put them on the desk. One night, she woke up from her sleep and vaguely saw a light on the other side of the window. It turned out to be the snow shining under the moonlight, shining into the house through the window. A gray cat was sleeping soundly on the sofa. It was Alsip, the pet left by old Potapov.
Tatiana put on a nightgown, walked into the study, and stood in front of the window. A little bird shook the snow off its body and flew down from the branch silently. Snowflakes were falling and scattered by the window, and there was even a thin layer of frost on the windowsill.
Tatiana lit the candle on the table, sat on the armchair, and stared at the flames quietly. Then, she carefully picked up a letter, opened it and read it.
"Dear Dad, I have been in the hospital for a month. Fortunately, the injury is not that serious and I am almost healed. For the sake of God, don't get excited and don't take a breath. Then smoke a cigarette, please!"
Tatiana continued reading: "Dad, I miss you a lot, our house, and our town, but it's all. They are all too far away from me, as if they are on the other side of the world. Whenever I close my eyes, the scenes from the past will appear in front of me: I open the door and walk into the garden. In winter, there is snow everywhere. The path to the pavilion is clean, there is a layer of rime on the lilac bushes, the fire is crackling in the house, and the air is filled with the faint smell of birch firewood. Brought back from Leningrad. The piano is tuned, and the music scores are already on it: the overture to "The Queen of Spades" and the ballad "To the Shore of My Distant Homeland." Will the little wind chime on the door still ring? I didn't have time to fix it before. Can I see this again? Can I wash my face with a can of well water on the roadside like before? Oh, I wish you knew how much I love all this. p> Don't be surprised, I am serious. Even in the most difficult moments of the battle, I still miss my hometown. I know that I not only want to protect the motherland, but also protect everything I cherish - protect you and protect us. The garden, the lovely children, the birch forest by the river, and even our cat Alsip. Please don’t laugh at me, and don’t shake your head to deny me.
Maybe I can apply after I’m discharged from the hospital. I'll take a look back after my vacation, but I can't tell yet, so don't hold out too much hope.
"
Tatyana sat at the table for a long time, staring out the window, the dawn breaking through the dark sky. She thought that maybe one day a stranger would return from the front, but he would be very disappointed. , The person living here was not the person he wanted to see.
The next morning, Tatiana asked Valya to take a wooden shovel and clean the path outside the pavilion. The pavilion was already dilapidated. It was unbearable. Several pillars were also whitened and covered with moss. Tatiana replaced the doorbell with an interesting text engraved on it: I am here, come and ring me! After ringing the wind chime, Alship shook his ears in dissatisfaction and ran out of the front hall angrily.
During the day, Ta. Tiyana has been busy and in high spirits, her cheeks are flushed, which makes her eyes clearer and brighter. She hired an old tuner from the city, who is a Czech but has become a Soviet citizen. He repairs gas stoves, kerosene stoves, puppets and accordions, and also tunes pianos. His last name is very interesting: Nievedali. After tuning the piano, Nievedali said: "This is a good piano, but it has some age. . "Tatiana also agreed with him.
After the tuner left, Tatyana went through all the drawers of the desk one by one, found a pack of thick threaded candles, and inserted them on the piano In the candlestick. As dusk grew, she lit the candle, sat down at the piano, and began to play.
After Tatiana finished playing, she blew out the candle, and the scent of the fir tree filled the room.
Valya asked excitedly
“Why do you touch other people’s things? "She said to Tatyana, "You don't allow me to do this, can you do it yourself? You touched the bells, candles, and piano, and even placed other people's music scores on the piano. "
Tatyana replied: "Because I am an adult. ”
Valya frowned and glanced at her in disbelief. Tatiana looked like an adult now. She looked so beautiful and dazzling, more like the one in a fairy tale The blonde girl who lost a glass slipper in the palace.
On the train, Lieutenant Nicholas was thinking that he would not be able to stay at home for the night. He was only approved for a short leave. There will be a long delay on the way.
The train arrived at the station in the afternoon. After getting off the train, he learned from the stationmaster that his father had passed away a month ago and now there was a man living in their house. A young female singer from Moscow, and her daughter.
"They were evacuated," the webmaster explained.
Nikolai was silent for a while, and he looked. Watching the passengers wearing cotton clothes and felt boots coming and going, I couldn't help but feel a little dazed when I thought that my father had passed away.
"Alas," the stationmaster sighed, "your father was a good man, but he died before his death." I didn’t get to see you for the last time. ”
“When is the train back?” "Nicholas asked.
"At five o'clock in the morning," the stationmaster paused and added, "How about you go to my house and sit for a while, and let my wife make you a pot of tea. Let’s have dinner together again, don’t rush home yet. ”
“Thank you for your kindness. "Nicholas decided to go back first.
The stationmaster looked at his retreating figure and shook his head.
Nikolai walked through the familiar town and came to the river There were scattered snowflakes in the gray sky, and a few jackdaws were jumping around on the fertilized path. The sky was getting darker, and a gust of wind blew from the woods on the other side of the river. People shed tears.
“Alas! He blamed himself painfully, "It's still too late to come back!" Now, whether it is this town, this river, or this house, they all seem strange to me. ”
He turned around and looked at the cliff outside the town. His eyes passed through the rime garden and settled on his home. The smoke rose from the chimney and was suddenly blown in by the wind.
Nicholas was lingering in front of the house. He had no intention of entering the house, but he just wanted to take a look in the garden or stand in the dilapidated pavilion. For a while. The thought of strangers living in my father's house is unbearable, and the best way is not to look at anything, or just leave here and forget everything about the past! >
“So what! Nicholas thought to himself, "As time goes by, I should become more mature and learn to look at all this more calmly." "
In the evening, Nicholas walked to the door of his house and carefully opened the door, but there was still a creaking sound, breaking the tranquility in the garden. The snow on the branches fell down like an earthquake. , making a rustling sound. Nicholas looked around, and the path leading to the pavilion had been cleared. He walked into the pavilion, put his hand on the worn railing, and looked towards the other side of the woods. The dusk was dim, and the moon quietly rose from behind the clouds. Nicholas took off his hat and tidied his hair with his hands. There was silence all around, and he could only hear the sounds of women going to the ice cave to fetch water at the foot of the mountain. The clinking sound of empty buckets in their hands.
Nicholas leaned against the railing and muttered: "What's going on?"
At this time, someone tapped him lightly on the shoulder. He turned around and saw a young woman wearing a headscarf. Her face was pale and her expression was serious, and she was watching him silently. There was melted snow on the young woman's eyelashes and cheeks, as if falling from the branches.
She said softly: "Put on your hat, otherwise you will catch a cold. Stop standing here and go into the house!"
Nicholas remained silent. The young woman took his hand and led him toward the house along the snow-swept path. When he reached the front steps of the house, he stopped and choked with sobs that he could hardly breathe.
The young woman said gently: "It doesn't matter, you don't have to worry about me, all this will be over soon."
She stamped her feet and wiped the snow off her boots. Shake it down and make the little wind chimes jingle. Nicholas took a deep breath, muttered something under his breath, and walked into the room.
As soon as he arrived in the living room, a faint smell of birch firewood hit his nostrils. Nicholas took off his coat and saw Alsip lying on the sofa, yawning. There was a little girl with pigtails standing next to the sofa. She looked at Nicholas happily, but she was not looking at his appearance, but at his golden armband.
"Come with me!" Tatiana said and led Nikolay into the kitchen.
There was a jar of cold water, and a familiar linen towel with oak leaves embroidered on it was hanging beside it.
Tatiana left the kitchen. Nicholas took off his uniform, and the little girl brought him a piece of soap. When he washed his face, the little girl looked at him, which made him a little overwhelmed.
He blushed and asked: "What does your mother do?"
He asked just to find something to talk about.
The little girl pretended to be mysterious and whispered: "She thinks she is an adult, but in fact she is not at all, she is worse than me!"
"Why?" Nicholas asked road.
But the little girl did not answer him, but ran out of the kitchen with a smile.
Nicholas was haunted by a strange feeling throughout the night, as if he was in a vague but real dream. Nothing in the house had changed, just as he had expected it to be. There were still old music scores on the piano, and the crooked candle was burning and making a chirping sound, and the candlelight illuminated my father's small study. Even the letters he sent back from the hospital were still on the desk, under the old compass, where his father often put his letters.
After drinking a cup of hot tea, Tatiana led Nikolai to the back of the grove, where his father was buried. The hazy moon was already hanging high in the sky. The soft moonlight slightly illuminated the birch forest, and the shadows of the trees on the snow were dancing.
As the night got darker, Tatyana walked to the piano and sat down. After gently stroking the keys with her fingers, she turned to Nicholas:
"We seem to have met somewhere."
"I feel the same way," Nicholas Gula replied.
He stared at her, the candlelight tilted, making half of her face bright. Nicholas stood up, walked about the room for a moment, and then stopped.
"But I don't remember," his voice suddenly became hoarse.
Tatyana turned her head and glanced at Nikolai in surprise, but said nothing.
Nicholas was lying on the sofa in the study room, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep. Every minute spent in this room is so precious, and I can't bear to waste a moment. As he lay there, he heard Alship pacing in the corridor, the ticking of the clock, and Tatiana discussing something quietly with the nanny outside the study. Later, the sound gradually disappeared and the nanny walked out, but the ray of light under the door remained. He heard the rustle of a book, and it was evident that Tatiana was reading. Nikolay knew that she sat up to wake him on time in case he missed the train. He wanted to tell her that he wasn't asleep either, but he couldn't. At four o'clock in the morning, Tatiana gently opened the door and woke up Nikolai from his sleep.
"It's time to get up. I really don't want to wake you up so early, but I'm afraid you won't catch the train," Tatiana said softly.
Through the night-shrouded city, they arrived at the train station. The starting bell rang for the second time, and it was time to say goodbye. Tatiana grabbed Nikolai's arm and said, "Write letters home often! We are considered your relatives now, right?"
Nicholas said nothing, just nodded vigorously.
A few days later Tatyana received a letter from Nikolai.
Of course I remember where we met, but when I was at home, I didn't want to tell you this. Remember that autumn in Crimea in 1927? Remember the plane trees in Livadia Park? ?Gloomy sky, surging sea. On my way to Oreanda, I saw a girl, about sixteen years old, sitting on a bench by the roadside. She also saw me, stood up, and walked towards me. As we passed each other, I glanced at her. She walked past me quickly and lightly, holding an open book in her hand. I stopped and stared at her back for a long time.
This girl is you, I can't be mistaken. Watching you drifting away, I already feel that this girl who passed me by and made my heart skip a beat can change my life and bring me happiness. I realized that I was deeply in love with this girl and couldn't help myself. At that time I was thinking, no matter how much it costs, I will find you. But I have no choice but to stand there and wait, because I have no clues to follow you. Since then, I have fallen in love with Crimea, and also with the small road that we passed by. Life is so generous to me and arranges for you and me to meet again. If I am still alive after the war, if you wish, then everything about me, even my life, will belong to you. Yes, I found the letter I had sent to my father on the table. I understand everything you have done for me, and I can only thank you deeply from afar.
Tatyana put down the letter and looked out the window at the garden after the snow. She murmured: "How is that possible? I have never been to Crimea! Never! Forget it, what's the use of talking about it now? Can I still tell him the truth? Or should I keep it to myself? Keep this a secret!"
She laughed and covered her eyes with her hands. Outside the window, the glow dyed the horizon fiery red and lingered for a long time.