The Cavalier Guards. 1812.White colet and phrygian cap

— Well, what? the master shouted to the barkers.

— You won!! ‘he shouted, removing the crowd’s silence.

People frantically shouted, not believing their eyes, and admiring the unexpected winner.

The barker approached Fedot, while the guy helped the fighter regain his breath.

— Sit down a couple of times, breathe right away, he advised.

The fighter sat down, then more, and rather smiled, twisted his head, and tapped Fedot approvingly on the shoulder, and the young man thought that the mountain had fallen on him now.

— You are good, — the market strongman praised the master, — the other would not have managed me like that.

Here Anastasia Rodionovna made her way to them, pushing the crowd of people, with an alarmed whitened face. She quickly looked at Fedot without saying a word, but she called and the man in the red shirt did not believe his eyes when he saw this girl here.

— Anastasia Rodionovna, — the entrepreneur nodded, — the lowest bow to the priest.

— And you, Prokhor Lukich, — answered Nastya, — Fedot, we have to go.

— This is yours, — and the barker put a bag of ringing coins in the young man’s hand, and said very quietly, — always glad. If you come here again, wave your fists, then the noble rivals will find you, and I will not hurt you with money.

Fedot smiled as he put on a caftan and saw the crowd melting like snow after rain. And he saw an officer, in a luxurious uniform, accompanied by two privates. The guy did not believe his eyes, seeing how the strongman in red gave a dragonfly, like a hare from a pack of hounds.

— Hurry, run! Nastya shouted, grabbing his hand, and Akim followed them with a quick step.

But there were already tall soldiers on the way, and a smiling officer, making a ceremonial bow to Nastasya.

“What do I see?” Gentlemen Old Believers??? And who is this with you, is it not otherwise a recruit for the royal guard?

— By law must draw lots! Akeem shook.

— So he’s a merchant of the first guild, like Mr. Khrenov? ‘the officer did not let up.

— Yes, you are Mr. Captain, they spoke with the priest, — said Nastya, grabbing the sleeve of the Fedotov caftan, — Mr. von Goltz?

— There is a shortage in the regiment, after Austerlitz we will not recruit soldiers for the emperor himself. We would not need anyone, but the best, I explained to Mr. Khrenov three days ago. We don’t take it to the infantry, but to the Cavalier Guard regiment, “he said, touching his gate. — Lead his guys to the Yamskaya yard. My sincere respect, Mademoiselle, — von Goltz took off his hat and gracefully bowed to the girl.

His Majesty’s Cuirassier

Was a chariot, became a recruit

The soldiers led him to the wagon, sat next to three more recruits, something similar to Fedot. The cuirassiers jumped on their horses, and surrounded the recruits that they had not escaped.

“Where are we going, servant?” ‘asked one of the soldier’s recruits.

— To the post station, and then to St. Petersburg, to the reserve squadron.

“I thought to the recruiting depot,” said a third.

— You are not going to the army, a hillbilly, but to the Life Guards, — von Goltz shouted, — to contact me — “your nobility,” well, the non-commissioned officer at the station will explain to you or the wahmister. You will change clothes there, take off your civilian clothes, and wear a soldier’s uniform. That’s it, “the officer said, and galloped forward.

— My name is Fedot, — the young man called himself the first.

— Artamon Nikolaev

— Fedor Egorov.

— Ilya Zhurov.

— That’s okay, — added Fedot, sadly looking at the houses that stood along the road, — I’m a wheeler, — he called his craft.

— Potters we are, Artamon said cautiously

— Carpentry, — said Fedor, — did good doors.

“Hunter. Well, he made traps and traps, — Ilya finished the conversation, — now pull the strap to death.

“That’s how people come back, isn’t it?” Fedot replied.

— In twenty-five years? Ilya laughed, said goodbye to all his family, said that he would not return.

No one else said a word, scowling gloomily at the convoy. The cart rolled along the road, rumbling in potholes and mounds.

We got to the station, where von Goltz argued about something with the postmaster. I just heard that the official said that two carts were broken, the wheels needed to be repaired, and there was nothing, and there was no one, to wait a week.

An elderly soldier was already visible to them, in a cap, and also a cuirassier uniform. Wahmister was tightened, rather toasted, despite his age. He wore not a mustache, but even sideburns, combed and stuffed, making his face even rounder.

— Become! — he shouted, — build in height! I explain the last time — then they will straighten your head! Ahead is the highest, behind him who is lower, and further, so everyone should stand in a frunte! I see? ‘asked the NCO sternly.

— I see… — recruits answered inconsistently.

— The soldiers must answer: That’s right! Again!

“That’s right! they answered him almost simultaneously.

— I am called only “Mr. Wahmister,” out of the ranks — Nikolai Kuzmich! I am for you like an archangel under God, only I am with my father-commander. No one dares to move away without my permission, otherwise it will be cut with rods! Clear to everyone?

“That’s right!

The officer walked a springy step towards the recruits who stood in front of the commander.

— hi, guys! Such a thing, are there any wheels among you? And then we will hang around for two weeks, and food for only a week, so you understand that I have nothing to feed you.

“I am, Mr. Officer,” Fedot shouted.

“Turn to Mr. Officer” your nobility, “” shouted the Wahmister, swinging his stick.

“Your nobility,” the master corrected himself.

— Get out of order recruit! Nikolai Kuzmich ran up to him.

Fedot went out, not knowing where to put his hands, only looked again at von Goltz. The officer held one hand on the hand of the sword handle, played with the stack with the other hand.

— Come get me, recruit, the officer added, thinking.

The officer slowly walked around the station yard, hitting the stack on patent boots to the beat of his steps. He did not think to look back, only looked forward. Fedot walked a little behind, looked closely. He saw the wheel removed from the cart and the tire jumping off it, and the drivers standing nearby, only scratching their mighty foreheads and tongues, only telling his friend how to repair the breakdown. But no one did anything, and probably did not know how to do.

— Well, servants? the officer asked, “what will you do?”

— It is necessary to buy a wheel instead of broken. You can’t fix it…

— Okay. Fedot, did you hear?

The guy only nodded in response, crouching nearby, and groping the iron rim with his fingers.

— Yes, nothing. The horn is needed, coal, iron ticks and hammers. One of wood, the other of gray iron.

— Carry what is said, — von Goltz quickly said, and in such a voice that the carriers rushed to perform almost a run.

They brought everything, and even felt mittens. Fedot put them on so as not to burn his hands, and began to warm the iron rim. The metal from gray became crimson, and the wheel, putting it to the place with ticks, began to fill the tire on the wheel with quick blows of the hammer.

— That’s it, and you’re done! ‘the officer admired as he inspected the finished work. “Gentlemen, drivers! Now it’s up to you! Recruit, follow me!

They moved away, and the officer addressed him personally:

— What’s the name? Where do you come from?

— From Vologda, — said the learned Fedot, — we are Andreevs. He lived with the merchant Khrenov.

— Nothing, Fedot. Now I got into the guard. Can you read or write?

— I can. Learned.

— That’s okay, but you will still go to the gymnasium class. You will see St. Petersburg, not this village. Beauty, not the city.

They returned to the station, and von Goltz recalled the wahmister to whisper. They talked for a long time, sometimes the officer nodded at Fedot. It was already evening, and the recruits were invited to dinner. The first state meal for young soldiers.

— Do everyone have spoons? — asked the non-commissioned officer, — for the soldier spoon-first thing, everyone must have their own. Well, okay, I’ll give it to everyone — and everyone got an ugly, but new wooden spoon from his hands.

The porridge was ready, and was laid out in bowls. Barley boiled for taste with onions. We ate quickly, and then they were taken to sleep in the barn. Fedot spun for a long time, and could not fall asleep, all remembering his past life.

***

The next morning they washed, ate, and the soldiers led the recruits to the stable, to look after the large combat horses. How to clean, horseshoes check if they are broken, feed and water. While everyone was so busy, Fedot still heard a crash in the yard, as if breaking the station gates.

— What is it there, gopodin wahmister? — asked the young man, — what kind of noise?

— No way behind you, — said the old warrior, smoothing his mustache, — yesterday the merchant Khrenov sent the clerk, and now he himself appeared. What von Goltz did not promise, but the master also rested.

***

Anastasia watched powerlessly as the military led Fedot away from the bargain, she pursed her lips, angry.

— Akim! Quickly, to the estate, to my father! yelled the girl.

They went through bargaining, almost ran past the long-awaited silk-velvets, Bukhara carpets and Petersburg porcelain. The girl raised her skirt to go faster, and only hurried and hurried, dodging people shouting after her. Finally, she just jumped into the carriage, Akim on the goats, and the driver sent the horses to the quarry. The team quickly nursed Anastasia to her father’s house, and she ran through the gate without thinking about anything, took off up the main staircase past the dumbfounded servants who were flying in front of her like a pigeon pack in front of a cat. The girl pulled the iron ring of the oak door leading to her father’s bedroom. Rodion Lavrentievich, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, checked the books of clerks’ records, checking against the receipts and expenses. The merchant quickly looked up at his daughter and removed the glasses from the bridge of his nose.

“I’m getting blind,” the merchant grinned. “What is so red?” Who ran from? Khrenov asked sternly.

— Trouble father, — his daughter said quietly, — Fedot was seized…

“The police?” Did you find Telnov from the estate? Yes, you sit down, daughter, and the flour pointed to the chair.

— No, they took it to the recruits, — Nastya added crouching, and her lips tightened, and her face cramped, and she cried bitterly.

— Recruits? Nonsense, the price of the case is fifty rubles, everything is sold, and the head of the party Fedota will vividly give me. It’s there for a couple of hours, I’ll go now…

— No, little one, — whispered the inconsolable daughter to her father, — the label guard… I heard it myself, and they took him to the post station.

— Exactly postal?

— More precisely doesn’t happen. And the eldest with them, an officer, so all in white, only a collar…

— Blue?

— Crimson. Exactly.

— Cavalier guards… All one, Life Guards… Yes, it will be more difficult, but you still have to go.

“I’m with you,” the impetuous girl jumped out of her chair.

— It is impossible, Nastasya. Your business is girlish, sit, wait, yes hope. Okay, I’m going, and the man crossed himself on the red corner of the room.

And Rodion Lavrentievich began to put on the best, he even took out a watch from an elegant box, attaching it to a vest on a gold chain.

— Akim! he shouted at the open door of the people.

Servants fussed inside, boots fell, shops creaked, a janitor looked at the doorway, and immediately disappeared.

“What, master?” — the faithful minister responded, — What are the things?

— We go to the post station, prepare the carriage.

“It will be executed. I’ll go find the coachman.

— As you do, immediately to me, and leave.

— Exactly, — said Akim, and went to look for the coachman.

Rodion just sighed and went to his office. He went in and closed the door on the valve, took out a tricky key, and opened the supplier’s door. There was a cunning iron box, with part of the merchant’s treasury. Khrenov opened, and took out a casket, from where he took a handful of gold pieces, and a fashionable thing — a purse, where paper money and banknotes lay. He didn’t like them, oh he didn’t! Although he won a lot, all Khrenova saved money in gold and silver, not trusting pieces of paper. Previously, my grandfather said, in the old days, especially in Siberia, even leather money went. Rodion Lavrentievich only shook his head, remembering that story. What will not lie for the beauty of the word? Okay, it’s time, and he looked at the fashionable thing — the watch. It seems that half an hour has passed, Akim must have managed.

The sales man closed the box with the treasury, closed the secret closet. I sat a little on the track, and went down again. Towards, on the stairs, always Akim was already walking.

“You’re done,” the clerk said quickly.

“Let’s go then,” the merchant replied.

The carriage left the yard and rolled to the pit, a postal station on the outskirts of the city. The man drummed impatiently on the door, and squinted at his watch. “How much did people think of? Masters like Fedot. Why pull the strap like that? Are there few fools in Russia? There is nothing to think in the army, and it is not for nothing — ordered, did, — the merchant was thinking on the road”

Here, the driver shouted:

“Stop! Stand the crow full, — and pulled the reins, stopping the carriage.

Horseradish opened the door — exactly, the fence of the post station. He just sighed, put on a rich hat trimmed with sable, and got out of the carriage, carefully passing by piles of horse manure. Rested on a stick more for solidity, and the thing is beautiful and useful-carved. The gates were closed, and the merchant began to pound them with a stick. It is known that in Russia delicacy is not in honor, no one will notice you, not what he hears, and even more so will help. Therefore, he pounded with all his might, so that the door was only bluntly buzzing with blows.

— Well, why are you pounding? — asked Rodion a soldier in a forage cap, — everyone is going to sleep, ate. And Mr. Officer are worried, but they grab the pistol.

— Tell me, servant, — and Khrenov put a hryvnia in front of the cuirassier, — and you are the party that the recruits are lucky?

“Exactly,” the soldier replied, adjusting his mustache, “we are. Label Guards Cavalier Guard Regiment, arrived for replenishment.

— Well, I have to deal with your commander, — and the shrewd merchant put another ten kopecks, — very important.

“Then we must call. What to call you?

— Merchant of the first guild of horseradishes. And what to call Mr. Officer?

— Rotmister von Goltz, Nikolai Khristoforovich. I’ll go.

Khrenov remained patiently waiting, calculating the course of negotiations to himself, like the moves of figures in a game of chess. But here you play with a person, not with a board, and how he decides is never clear. It remained to understand what kind of person the captain is, what is important to him. If money, everything is simple. Fedot will buy the end of the matter, send him to a distant monastery, no one will find him, I will please my daughter. If it is vain, then here you can come up with a letter from the city, to a golden sword (gilded). If the servant is honest, but conscientious, we will bring Nastasya that they say, his betrothed. Yes, there is a catch — a girl of thirteen! Okay, what to do, it cannot be avoided!

Akim was already standing nearby with felt blankets for recruits and soldiers. It was inexpensive, he supplied it for the army, but how does von Goltz know?

— Attention! ‘he heard screaming outside the gate, and realised the officer was approaching the gate.

Khrenov made a mournfully caring face, corrected a suede wallet with gold coins and a purse, leaned on a stick like a man with a sore back. The gate was opened by a private, and a tall and slender officer came out, in a snow-white uniform, with an order, and habitually holding his hand on the hilt of a heavy broadsword.

— Hello, Nikolay Khristoforovich! — the merchant Khrenov greeted the first, — I am Rodion Lavrentievich, a merchant.

And it is true who he is for him, albeit a merchant of the first guild, for a guard officer who sees the tsar more than once a week!

— I brought blankets for our recruits, fellow countrymen after all.

— And you be healthy, good Rodion Lavrentievich! — stretched out his hand in a like glove, but when he saw that the merchant was not wearing gloves, he instantly pulled it off his hand, — I am glad that we have arrived, and I am glad for a gift for the army. The treasury for the recruit does not allocate funds, only running funds, and there are barely enough of them only for food.

“I’m always happy to help,” the merchant tilted his head a little, “and I have an important business.”

— What happened? the officer made a surprised face.

— A relative of my friends came to the royal service.

— So this is a considerable honor, and duty. Apparently, the lot fell to him. Who is this?

— Yes, on the bargain of the fair young man noticed, your mercy, and in recruits took. Fedot Andreev, from Vologda, was visiting me.

— Yes, the matter is, Mr. Khrenov, the war is on the threshold, and after Austerlitz the regiments are bloodless, and anyhow we do not take anyone to serve. The sovereign sees everyone, after all, read the same four regiments — Preobrazhensky, Semenovsky, Kavalergardov and ours, Konnogvardeisky.

— Yes, the matter is in another — he is an orphan, I undertook to look after the youth, — said the merchant, looking into the eyes of the officer, not forgetting about his hands. I remembered the lessons of the priest, Lavrenty Lukicha: “A person’s eyes can deceive, Rodka, but there is no hand, as the interlocutor will begin to doubt his truth, he will begin to hide his hands behind his back, in his pockets they were in his bosom, grab something, so your time has come. Dumbfounded him! Surprise, amaze, so that I would agree with you. But be careful — the thread is thin, it can break”

Khrenov noticed that he grabbed von Goltz by the hilt with his hand, and removed the other behind his back, but put his right leg forward, as if he would fight with him on sabers.

“Okay,” Rodion thought, “daddy’s lessons are ahead”

— And the most important thing, regret the parent. My daughter Anastasia, loves Fedot, cannot live without him. Do not separate for the young for Christ’s sake.

“How old is my daughter?” ‘the captain sighed, and his face blotched.