Month to year. Defense of Sevastopol. 1853—1855. Eastern War. Love and death do not know barriers

– So how do you like it?

– For accurate shooting better, of course, dueling Belgian. Better barrel treatment. But these, yes. If we go to war.

– Do you think there will be a war, Nikita?

– Napoleon became emperor of France like an uncle. He will want, of course, to shine. Where? – and he spread his hands picturesquely – most likely where the First was torn. That is, he will go to Mother Russia. Where to? Maybe he will try to St. Petersburg, or to the Crimea. Kamchatka, agree, is not solid somehow. Well, if our diplomats have the intelligence to seduce this Napoleon with Constantinople, then we will not fight. Okay. And what is there?

– Camera…

– Yes, you are a brother, and I walked around! With my trotters! Now all the maids of honor are ours!

– Yes, I, you know, Nikita…

– What?

“I’m married.

– What are you? Well, okay, married – not a gate, wait, wait. Where do you have it? I hope not in St. Petersburg?

– In the estate, in Gdov.

– Nothing, do not be sad. Lunch is coming, “he said, glancing at the breget.

Michelle, not wanting to blunder, took out his watch, looked at the time. The young man changed his clothes behind a screen, wearing a military frock coat, decent for the house.

They went to the dining room. Nikita was already in shape, and Michelle is now in uniform. They walked to the officer’s dining room, where there was a separate table for the regiment’s cadets. There were ten cadets in total, and only six should have remained cornets in the regiment.

New friends

Not quite familiar after the free estate living in a stone huge four-story house. The bat was lit with lanterns, junkers were forbidden to burn candles once again, everyone was afraid of fires. Well, it is in St. Petersburg after the forests of the Pskov region was a little hard. The building was still damp and cold, although the stokers tried with might and main.

City baths went. Once a week, as if on schedule, the attendants carried change of linen behind the bars. In the dressing room, Michelle undressed, and saw with what eyes his friends were looking at him.

“Is that where you are?” Nikita exhaled directly.

– Torn… tiger? -with the look of a connoisseur asked Alexey Tokmakov.

– Just a bear, Michel replied, earning respectful nods from his comrades.

But I didn’t have to get bored in the regiment either. In the morning they were taken to the arena, but what is more difficult, the dressage was with regimental horses, not personal ones. The keeper of the regiment lined up his charges, and they went the usual allure for cuirassiers, on a trot. On command, they stopped a step without falling out of order. Everyone here was skillful horsemen, but Golitsyn stood out, and von Rosen was just as good. Tokmakov Alexey also kept well in the saddle, and Nikolai Leskov and Grigory Loparev and Michel’s friend Nikita Repnin. Nosov and Kruglov, Bukhvostov, were all good riders.

Bereitor taught not only to control the horse, but to keep the system. rebuild, and do not fall out of rows during rebuilding.

Michel attached a seven-year-old stallion, bay, regimental suit of the regiment. The horse’s nickname was Gunpowder, and it was quite suitable for him. He was lively, responded well to orders, fast and sharp.

After classes, they drove into the stables, where Zalepsky dismounted, took Gunpowder to his pen, and went to visit his Thunder. He stroked the horse, fed him crackers, looked at the groom, Ilya. The non-combatant was diligent, and the horses were fine, cleaned out, sleeping in fresh hay. Michel took out the one, and gave it to the servant.

– For your work, look after it properly

“We know the service,” Ilya replied. – don’t hesitate

Junker delved into the service, and in turn Zalepsky went to help the regiment duty officer. In the morning, Michelle checked how Yakim prepared the colet, boots, crags. Junker looked in the mirror, looked at his funny while barely growing whiskers and liquid light mustache. Prokhor also engaged in the uniform of his master.

– everything is great. The uniform is in order, – Nikita supported, – soon the divorce, Lieutenant Shulga does not like to wait.

– I’ll go…

For the first time, Zalepsky was worried of course. But then the lieutenant came out, nodding at him along the way. Michel followed Grigory Semenovich Shulge. So they are on the square, next to the guardhouse, where the famous money cart stood. She had yesterday’s duty officer on the regiment, staff captain Tulev Vasily Ivanovich. The officers saluted each other, the junker froze at attention, waiting for the completion of the ritual.

The lieutenant checked the seals on the wagon, and the non-commissioned officer, the senior guard, reported to him, and the squadrons on duty began to report. Zalepsky remembered everything, imagining how he himself would serve.

Grigory Semenovich went to the barracks, Zalepsky followed, rattling his heels on the stones of the parade ground. The regiment duty officer bypassed the locations of all squadrons, receiving reports from the duty officers. The daytime was well served, everywhere it was clean and tidy. Shulga approached the soldiers and said hello.

– Hello, brothers! ‘he said quietly.

– Good morning, your nobility! – the soldiers answered together.

The privates looked very strict. Working tunic and ratings, low boots, fodder hats made up the outfit of cavalry guards.

– Remember, junker. It is not customary for a regiment to raise its voice to soldiers, much less beat them. Even the rank and file is personally selected by the sovereign himself, you will understand over time.

Michel tried to remember everything, the instructions of the officers, the laws of the regiment.

***

The Junkers themselves were trained as young soldiers. They were only instructed not by Wahmisters, but exclusively by officers of the seventh squadron. Now they went to the arena, to engage in fencing and shooting. He led the cadets to the headquarters classes – captain Savelyev Kirill Mikhailovich. Junior non-commissioned officer Tereshchenko closed the column, with two guns behind him.

Manege left the second squadron of the regiment, which finished dressage. Manege’s soil, a mixture of sawdust and sand, stored prints of hooves and horseshoes of heavy cuirassier horses.

The staff captain placed the young men in a checkerboard pattern, so that every cadet would see him. The officer drew his broadsword, and commanded:

“Bare the blades! Repeat after me! Cover your left cheek! Left if, right cut!

Junkers followed Savelyev’s orders, training lunges, strikes and protection with the cuirassiers’ main weapon. Despite the cold, mid-autumn, everyone turned red, the cadets got hot.

They trained the brush by holding the blade in front of them in an outstretched hand. So, they fenced until the staff captain ordered to stop. But now, the non-commissioned officer brought a table on which he put two guns.

– Well, junkers. These are capsule guns, not nozzles, it is more convenient to load them. Remember the commands for loading. Now the gun is ready to fire. Tereshchenko, hang the target. Well. who is our best shooter? I heard about Zalepsky as a noble hunter. We shoot with you.

Michel went out, took a gun, and stood next to the lieutenant.

– Aim! ‘the officer ordered.

The young man took up the forearm with his left hand, and out of habit checked the capsule.

“Your nobility! Primer!

– Well done, junker, – said Kirill Mikhailovich, – you check everything, a good officer will get out of you. Tereshchenko, capsules!

Unter brought shock – igniting devices to everyone, and now, shots broke out, and gray smoke filled the room. Savelyev, putting a gun at the table, went to the target. Michel was so agitated and kept his gun at his foot.

The lieutenant examined the results of the shooting, and returned, already with a satisfied smile.

– Above all praise, Zalepsky. It was not for nothing that they praised your skill that you are a shooter and a noble hunter. So you will go to the commanders of the flankers.

Michelle smiled rather, but somehow not for very long. Savelyev found a talent case. He appointed him to help train junkers in whole shooting, and then firing pistols.

But most of all, of course, they taught horseback riding, and today the junkers were waiting for the show jumping. The horses were, of course, official.

– Kirill Mikhailovich, why can’t you ride your horses? – asked the lieutenant restless Nikita, – it would be easier.

– Here, junker, it is important that you can handle any horse. Anything can happen in battle. Ask Zalepsky, his father about the company of 1812, I suppose he told everyone. Or Golitsyn and von Rosen.

“Michelle, what did my father say?” The most memorable thing?

Junker remembered his father’s stories, rubbing his forehead over the visor of a copper helmet.

– Fights near Polotsk. The first battle where he was wounded, the autumn assault on the city in the fall by militias…

– So, the man’s city recaptured from the French? Rosen shook.

– Infantry regiments with huntsmen did not manage the French army during the day. The militia took Polotsk by night assault. Seine-Cyr could barely escape. Yes, in Germany, Blucher had half of the army from the Landsturm, – added Michel, – Leipzig… There, the British used missiles for the first time… Kulm, and Fer – Champenoise, of course.

– Does cuirass help with bullets? Repnin asked again.

– He keeps a hundred steps for sure, – Zalepsky assured, – near Fer – Champenoise only one officer was killed, and what was the battle!

– Well, we talked, it’s time to start, – said Savelyev.

Show jumping, all this is newfangled English stuff. The matter was not easy, and everyone managed to fall more than once or twice in the sand, so everyone learned to go through these races well only by the summer, when the regiment went to Summer apartments, to Peterhof.

But the cadets continued their studies, sat in the saddles again, and repeated the lessons of controlling the horse. It’s one thing, nevertheless, it’s free to drive around the fields of your estates, another thing is to move in rows, or learn to jump over obstacles.

***

After a difficult day, Michelle wanted to read a little for the night. A lamp with a green lampshade, a book, in an elegant binding, a soothing rustle of pages. But – in his free time, when it was not necessary to memorize “Instructions”… or “Field exercises of cavalry.”

Nikita was equipped to perform feats. His outfit was flawless, but in fact, he could not go at night in a cavalry guard stake? He was not alone in the sortie, Nikolai Leskov and Grigory Loparev were going to go with him. They had to go to Gorokhovaya, visit a tavern, where they really fed them perfectly. Nikita wanted to drag his friends to the Bolshoi Theater, to the actresses, but everyone decided that it was definitely too much. The batman, Prokhor, remained here too.

– Michelle, we went, Repnin said quietly.

– I will try to cover, – Zalepsky honestly promised, – if the duty officer checks if everything is in place.

This time, the turn of Zalepsky and Golitsyn was to remain in the disposition. This kind of thing was done by the chief officers of the regiment. Including there were indispensable trips to the actresses of the Alexandrinsky Theater. In these actions there was also a certain chic of the guards officers, especially the Big Four Preobrazhensky, Kavalergardsky, Konnogvardeisky and Semenovsky. I must say that these cases corresponded to the spirit of the regiment, as was even believed by the chiefs of the guard regiments. The guard officer must be lych, cocky and not afraid of dangers, and most importantly, that he would be devoted to the sovereign. And if he does not commit extravagances in peacetime, then he is not capable of desperate deeds in war. The loyalty of the cavalry guards was absolute, and everyone knew it. Willingness to fight anyone, anytime – also known. But duels, fights in the regiment were not encouraged, and the guilty were sent without regret to serve in other regiments.

But Michelle was not bored – the library of the regiment was excellent, and he got new French magazines, tried to find something new about the Vincennes Rifle School. Zalepsky tried to track all the fresh innovations in the matter of weapons. Soon, closer to twelve, he went to bed.

The next morning, when climbing, Repnin was in place, cheerful and smiling. He, lying on the bed, took off his velvet cap from his head, smiled broadly, and said hello:

– Good day, Michelle! Well, next time you’re with us… Great place, I’ll tell you. What a meat hodgepodge… And open up…

– And here cabbage soup is excellent, and porridge.

– Well, you say, – and Nikita jumped out of bed, – however, there is not long left before Christmas. Empress Maria Fedorovna will come to personally congratulate the maids of honor, and he winked at Michel.

“Yes, I’m married, actually.

“So many of them are married. So what? Bring the overcoat! Nikita shouted to the batman.

It was already getting cold, and their regimental commander, Major General Bezobrazov Sergey Dmitrievich, ordered to wear overcoats.

***

Things were approaching December, the days were getting shorter, and there was not much time left for service. It was almost impossible to do military work under the light of smoky lights, so life in the regiment really froze at about four o’clock in the afternoon.

There were changes to the regiment. At the construction of the regiment on December 6, 1851, the ladle Bezobrazov introduced a new commander, Colonel Alexander Ivanovich Brevern de la Gardie.

But the holiday was also expected – Christmas. The soldiers checked their uniforms so as not to hit the dirt in front of the empress, the august chief of the regiment.

The location of the regiment was decorated with spruce and spruce branches, and now, it jumped on purpose that the empress’s motorcade was on the way. Yes, actually, it is not far to get from the Winter Palace to Shpalernaya Street.

Junkers were behind the officers in the ranks of the seventh squadron. The squadron commander once again examined the slender rows of his cuirassiers, and was pleased with everything.

– Wahmister! – he shouted, – open the windows in the location, very stuffy!

“That’s right, Your Excellency! – shouted the non-commissioned officer, and began to execute.

Alexander Alexandrovich once again went around the location, examined all the corners, did not say a word. Colonel Esipov now stood at the head of the squadron, adjusting his hat on his head.

But then Alexandra Fedorovna came up, followed by the division commander Essen, and her maids of honor. Zalepsky tried to look in front of him, but it was impossible to break away from such beauties in beautiful dresses decorated with jewelry.

The colonel approached the empress and reported:

– The seventh squadron of the Cavalier Guard regiment is built, Your Majesty!

– Thank you, Alexander Alexandrovich. Is everything all right, are there many patients?

– No way, there are two in the infirmary, they are recovering, thank God.

– Happy holiday to you, Alexander Alexandrovich, – said the wife of Nikolai Pavlovich, and handed over a basket of gifts, – Happy holiday to you, gentlemen officers! ‘she also congratulated the squadron officers, while the ladies-in-waiting presented gifts to each. Her Majesty passed the rows of young cuirassiers.

– Merry Christmas, glorious warriors! ‘she congratulated the soldier.

– Merry Christmas, Empress! the guardsmen answered loudly and completely.

The soldiers of the guards regiments, at least the oldest, were considered almost members of the imperial family, and not just nameless soldiers, and the Romanovs treated them accordingly.

Ladies-in-waiting and ministers gave unters gifts to distribute to soldiers. The empress approached the cadets, and looked at the future officers with a pleasant smile.

– Merry Christmas Junker!

– Merry Christmas, Your Majesty!

– How do you like the service, future officers?

– We are glad to serve the sovereign, Your Majesty! Repnin replied loudly.

– How are you, well done? the empress asked Zalepsky.

“A worthy cause, Your Majesty. That’s my duty. A nobleman must serve!

“Well said, young man. And you will find a good service.

Alexandra Fedorovna went further, the maids of honor stopped at the cadets. One, in a blue silk dress, gave two baskets to Repnin. Nikita, of course, tried to shine in front of the beauty.

– Mademoiselle, let me introduce myself – Nikita Repnin, cavalry guard.

“Yes, I know that,” the maid of honor smiled, “the empress arrived at the Cavalier Guard regiment.

– Really?

– The Horse Guards were also very kind…

– But we are all the best, Mademoiselle… For example, my friend, Michel Zalepsky, is the best shooter in the entire guard.

The girl saw with interest the reddened cadet, who was hardly given not only communication with a socialite, but even just look at this brilliant beauty.

“Yes, your friend is very modest,” and she lifted the fan to her face, “as she blushed…

– So, on the other hand, I went to the bear alone, – the young lady Repnin intrigued, – and for two hundred steps any target from a gun or a pistol.

– The empress liked the young man… If that, here is my card, – and the maid of honor put a piece of cardboard in Michel’s hand, – Olga Pleshcheeva, And Ksenia Lopukhina is waiting for you, young man, – and she nodded at the maid of honor in a purple dress, struggling not to look at Repnin, – So how? Are you really familiar with her?

Repnin’s face became a color, like an officer’s tunic of a cavalry guard, worn only for a guard in the Winter Palace. But, as you can see, Lopukhina was like Repnina, and was not used to retreating. The girl gathered herself, and as if gluing a light smile to her lips, approached the ranks, and making a deliberately kind look, greeted the cadets, not forgetting Golitsyn, von Rosen, Alexei Tokmakov Nikolai Leskov and Grigory Loparev, Nosov and Kruglov, Bukhvostov. Three more girls came up to be kind, so the junkers considered the holiday doubly happy.

Repnin just petrified, and looked only in front of him. Finally, the empress left the location of the squadron, heading to the infirmary.

– Freely! – the command of Colonel Esipov sounded, – disperse! An hour later, a festive lunch in the dining room! The empress favors ordinary people for a pound of meat, and a glass of vodka! Gifts to soldiers – silver will be distributed in silver!

“Everything will work out, Nikita,” Zalepsky tried to talk to his friend.

– Michelle, Ksenia… – he spoke with difficulty.

– Meet, talk. Make peace…

– Listen, Michelle… – Repnin revived, – after all, Olga Pleshcheeva gave you a business card, and she is in great honor with the empress. If Pleshcheeva says a word, then Ksenia will change her anger to mercy.

– Yes, I barely know this maid of honor…

– Nothing, you will see that Colonel Esipov took you on a pencil. Leave in the regiment. But no, so they will determine the adjutants to the first cuirassier division, you will serve all one in the Cavalier Guard regiment, but they will not let you out of St. Petersburg, you will remember my words.

***

The New Year passed, and this winter in the capital was not slush. Severe frosts hit, but it was warm in the barracks, and the regimental commander did not freeze the soldier in vain on the street. Junker in the evenings was examined once a week by taverns and tea houses, but they still considered the establishment on Gorokhovaya the best, where the food was simply excellent.

– What will you do, Nikita, when we get cornet epaulettes. It will not be possible to come here? – Alexey Tokmakov urged Repnin.

– So Michel and I go to Dupp…

– For a hodgepodge or open?

– Alexey, your questions always just upset… I will eat at home… I’ll write the cook out of the imy. I’m not a big fan of turtle soup, unlike Serge Golitsyn.

“And onion soup is incomparable,” Serge added, “in an officer’s artel, good dinners are set…

“Everything is better than that of the Horse Guards, where they drink from Thursday to Thursday,” added Mikhail Fridrikhovich von Rosen, “everything is different there, either with envy or with regret, the baron added.

“One thing I don’t understand, why didn’t you go to the horse guard yourself?” Golitsyn forged the German, “are there yours alone?”

“I don’t understand your question,” von Rosen boiled, “do you think I am unworthy to serve in the regiment?”

– Enough, – Zalepsky intervened, – we are all friends, why are we quarreling?

– In the Horse Guard, Michel, their own order… And since 1825, the horse guards look askance at us, – added Serge Golitsyn.

“What is it?”

– They went to Senate Square in marching order, with cuirasses, helmets. Our regiment went out, as if for an ordinary review, only with broadswords, and we were not allowed into business. So they were under suspicion later. Let’s see what will happen again in Peterhof between ours and the horse guards. So sometimes it looks funny, just like Dumas in The Three Musketeers.

– So in the company of 1812 and in the overseas campaign they covered each other’s backs?

– Eh you, Michelle.., That just happened… Some families serve for years in the Cavalier Guards, others in the Horse Guards, and third in the Preobrazhentsy. But you yourself understand, to serve in the infantry…

– But some do not serve at all, like the Demidovs?

– They are not accepted anywhere in good houses, even the wealth of the former kunets did not help. Now the princes of San Donato have become, everyone is laughing here, so they live in Italy.

– But now they usually serve as such – the lieutenant of the guard will receive, and in the civil service, a career to do. You will go out to the officers, you will see enough at the regimental festival. But you are great, – and he patted the junker on the shoulder, – Olga Pleshcheeva herself noted you. It’s bad that you are married, otherwise you would have married the bride. Olga Nikolaevna, a young widow, is only eighteen years old, and she loves to arrange the life of young people who she liked. A small circle of pleasant people gathers in her house, and everyone values her society very much.

– I love Maria Petrovna, and we already have a son, Pyotr Mikhailovich.

– All this is strange, do not judge strictly for my words, I do not understand what your father and mother are up to. Many are sent to our regiment to find richer brides for their sons. Well, if you are not Apraksin, not Repnin, not Urusov or Yusupov or Sheremetev.

“Or not Golitsyn,” Zalepsky smiled.

– Also true…

So they sat in this tavern and ate the legendary fish pies, drinking them with beer, as a man entered the tavern, and immediately went to the junker table.

– Good afternoon, gentlemen. A letter for Mr. Zalepsky, into his own hands.

– I am Zalepsky, – the young man called himself and extended his hand

Vestovoy carefully looked at the junker, at his friends, with wide smiles on their faces, and gave a blue envelope sealed with wax.

The inscription on the envelope, in beautiful handwriting, read:

Michel Zalepsky in his own hands

Junker opened the envelope, where on the pink perfumed paper there was a short note:

I will be glad to see you on Thursday, by all means come. You will be released from the regiment, do not hesitate. You can take your friend with you, he will be glad.

Olga Pleshcheeva

The young man hid the letter in the sleeve of his uniform, tried to make a misunderstood face, but his lips seemed to stretch out in a smile, like a birch sprouting through a stone.

– I bypassed everything, I won everyone, – Nikolay Leskov urged the comrade.

“Go away without fail,” Serge said quietly, “such ladies do not tolerate carelessness.” Sit, entertain society. Such an invitation does not oblige you to anything. People are pleasant there, writers, poets, artists. By itself, and Svitsky, close to the sovereign.

– Have you been there? In the house of Olga Nikolaevna?

– We have a slightly different circle, although it was accepted by Pleshcheyeva. Then we’ll go to the Sheremetevs as we go out to the cornets.