Classics fantasy – 4

Yes, the person will undergo wonderful transformation, will rise by the highest step, will gain “divine” properties of an omniscience and vseslyshaniye.

Eternal glory to that who worked on creation of these new tools of human knowledge of the world – “superears” and “a wonderful eye”!”

– Well? How? – Mischa asked, having finished reading.

Ginzburg moved lips.

– Anything, interestingly. You did not understand something, something is inexact lit. And in general it is interesting. About a cat tiger – it at you well left.

Mischa was a little disappointed. The cat is so, for humour, and here what scientific inaccuracies? But Ginzburg hurried.

– Reach! You will study more deeply, you will correct itself. Then you will read to me once again.

– But you go soon!

Ginzburg a broad gesture showed on the screen, a loud-speaker and theatrically recited:

– There is no separation any more. We will see and speak here is how now.

At last there came also day of departure of an expedition. Ginzburg warmly said goodbye to Mischa.

– Good-bye, and, I hope, to fast – he told. – You will see me on the screen as soon as I arrive to Murmansk and I will enter a radio cabin. On our trawler I will place TVs so that you will be able to see almost everything and by steamship, and around. We not for nothing worked with your father!

Mischa strong shook hands with Ginzburg, and they left.

The engineer Borin left to see off the guest.

When Mischa remained one, he looked at the white screen with the size in square meter, as on the page of the book where the text of the fascinating novel will appear soon.

MISCHA THE BARIN GOES TO THE TELEEXPEDITION

In the evening of the same day Mischa heard Ginzburg’s voice from a loud-speaker:

– Hallo, Mischa! I fly over Petrozavodsk. Over the Petrozavodsk airfield a beacon in two million candles. Bumpiness. Night flight over Karelia. Aero beacons specify the direction of flight… Just came back from salon restaurant. Ate tasty fish – a salmon. At supper – a concert from Madrid. I go to bed soon. Good night! In the morning, I hope, we will meet.

The voice ceased. The father entered.

– Who with you spoke? – he asked.

– Motya – Mischa answered and sighed.

This night he slept is disturbing. It dreamed flight over Karelia. The plane fell in dark. Bears ran together and began to jump near the broken car. Mischa drove away them the burning golovny. Then it flew again, and again the plane fell. Mischa bailed out and broke a leg. Leg of a zanyl. He moaned and woke up. Windows of an office were densely closed, the lamp shone, and it was impossible to define, morning now or night. The nurse came, washed Mischa and gave hot tea. There was ninth o’clock in the morning. Suddenly Mischa heard Ginzburg’s voice again:

– Hallo, Mischa! Turn off light.

Mischa forgot about tea and clicked the switch. The screen recovered. Ginzburg, smiling, stood on the deck of the trawler and nodded. For Ginzburg were seen the boat and near port – an arrow and the winch for a trawl raising. Mischa already knew that this winch will lift the underwater TV. Behind a board dark waters of Kola Bay were seen.

Ginzburg made a sign a hand, and the screen darkened. In a few minutes Mischa heard Ginzburg’s voice again:

– Microphones are not installed on the deck yet. You will see soon and will hear me. In an hour we will move to the sea.

So the screen of the TV turned for Mischa into the original fascinating novel. A lack of this book was that Mischa could not overturn the read pages. However Ginzburg consoled him in the fact that as soon as the trawler comes to the place, continuous transfer of everything will begin that will occur.

Pages turned over one by one. Mischa saw how Sergo took to the open sea and began to rock on gray-haired waves as high-speed Perseus caught up with the trawler “Sergo” and went forward… There passed shkher of Finland, the cape Nordkap, Lofoten Islands, coast of Norway, Sweden.

Days went behind days, and on the screen of the TV the new picture – the Leningrad port appeared. The big motor ship lifted anchors and went to swimming. All three ships had to meet in the Atlantic Ocean.

Nikolay Petrovich Borin established a two-way radio communication with all three steamships. Mischa could now several times in day speak with the friend Motya. Got acquainted with the captain Makovsky, still the young man, with swarty Azores who also went to a travel, and, at last, with the diver Protchev. Protchev interested Mischa. If the captain Makovsky had a typical face of the Englishman, then the shaved face of Protchev had obviously Mongolian lines. It could be taken for the Mongol or the Chinese. Once Mischa asked Protchev why he is similar to the Chinese, and that answered that he was born in Vladivostok. Mother his Mongol.

Protchev grew up on ocean coasts and since the childhood fell in love with diving business. Now it was the person of years under forty, very strong. The round head, a very broad breast, to Pomor widely placed legs, heavy fists. He called himself the diver on calling. Still the young man he “set up records” long stay under water without diving suit. Protchev already fell by a bottom of five Soviet seas and now with impatience expected when it is possible to look that he is created at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.

During swimming the screen lit up not really often. Mischa saw the deck of Perseus, the captain’s cabin of Sergo, a cabin of the big motor ship.

The ships headed for twenty degrees of the western longitude and thirty seven degrees of northern latitude – exactly here, on the great ocean way from Buenos Aires to London and Hamburg, “Leviathan” died. Moscow shone electric fires for a long time, and on the TV screen Makovsky’s face with the English profile was still filled in with the evening sun. And what tone! This golden light of the sun, an ocean blue, yellow with black strips of a pipe of the steamship, white shirts of seamen – what clearness! Yes, it is better, than on the screen of cinema.

Captains of three ships reported on Barkovsky. Weather favored to an expedition. The ocean was quiet. Mischa himself could observe a rhythmical kolykhaniye of a surface of the water, and sometimes it seemed to it that he inhales “aroma of the ocean”. But, perhaps, this aroma was brought by ep-ronovets Kirillov if only aroma of strong “kepsten” [57] could remind a sea smell.

Sometimes on the edge of the screen steamships with overseas flags were seen. Passed them on a great way between Europe and America much. The Soviet flotilla from three vessels could draw, of course, attention. But as the Soviet vessels often crossed at this time the ocean, a talk on a flotilla was carried on meanwhile only among teams of foreign vessels. Some more days, and a flotilla will come to the place.

IN ATLANTIC

Makovsky sat in a captain’s cabin, having inclined over the card.

– So – he told and put a pencil the end to a skreshcheniye of the twenty ninth degree of the western longitude and the thirty seventh northern latitude.

– Profits? – Azores asked, releasing dense puffs of the Manila cigar from a mouth.

– As if – the captain answered. – The place of death of “Leviathan” is designated quite precisely. We, probably, should probe a bottom on the square about a quarter of square mile, no more. It is necessary to report to the headquarters that we arrived to the place. – Makovsky gave a hand to phone.

– A billeting – Azores stopped it – I will pass in a radio cabin.

Mischa Borin re-read history of ice campaigns.

– Hallo! – he heard Azores’s voice. – Who is on duty in the headquarters?

Mischa jumped up on a bed. He could already sit, but did not allow go to him yet.

– Ya. Mischa. It you, Azores? What new? You arrived to the place?

– Yes. Tell about it by phone to the father and companion Barkovsky. The captain Makovsky waits for orders of the headquarters.

– Now! – Azores heard an uneasy voice of Mischa and grinned. Azores knew with what impatience the inquisitive teenager expected when the flotilla arrives to the place. While Mischa called by telephone to members of the headquarters, Azores came back to a cabin of the captain and told:

– One is not absolutely clear to me: you, Makovsky, say that the place of death of “Leviathan” is known quite precisely; depths of the Atlantic Ocean are precisely known too why our scientists and technicians, designing the underwater TV, counted on depth about one thousand meters? Perhaps, such depth is also not necessary.

– Yes. Depths of the Atlantic Ocean are rather known – Makovsky answered. – Measurements of ocean depths established existence of the greatest underwater plateau which begins to the south of the British Isles, lasts on the West along the African coast and at an angle approaches South America. However this underwater plateau not flat. In 1898 laid the cable line from Europe to North America. For nine hundred kilometers to the north from the Azores the cable broke and fell to a bottom. To lift the end, it was necessary to look for several days it on a bottom steel cats. And that’s when it became clear that the bottom in this place reminded a mountain chain: everywhere high rocky tops, steep slopes, gorges, deep valleys met. Sami Azorskiye and the Canary Islands – only tops of these underwater mountains. The sunk “Leviathan” could lay down on top of the underwater mountain, and then to us, perhaps, it will be possible to lower to him even the diver. But it could dive also into the deep gorge, and into the underwater valley. Then who knows whether we will be able to lower even the television transmitter. Should we redesign it counting upon a deep water, so, and bigger pressure. We are over very uneven underwater relief now. Calculations were conducted on average depths of these places.

– What we will begin with? – Azores asked.

– As the headquarters will order – the captain answered. – I think, from a measurement of depths.

Makovsky was not mistaken. The headquarters ordered to begin careful measurements of depths on the radius of five hundred meters from that point where died as assumed, “Leviathan”.

“The reconnoitered circle” as it was called on the card, was divided into three sectors. In each of them one of expedition steamships had to conduct works. All data were marked on the map of big scale and broadcast to the headquarters.

For Mischa interesting days and hours came: it also got the card and designated on it depths, character of soil and so forth. Soon the piece of a bottom of the Atlantic Ocean became known to it, probably, better, than topography of streets of Moscow. What it was the marvelous underwater country! Around death of “Leviathan” from a bottom of the sea the mountain peak which hollow fell by the southwest rose. In the northwest there passed the deepest gorge of one thousand four hundred meters in depth. Now all question was in where “Leviathan” fell.

But the most interesting was ahead. People will lower “an underwater eye” in ocean depth, and Mischa will see hiding places of the underwater world. Oh, as slowly there is time!

Sergo, Perseus and Martie worked several days until finished measurements.

The radio communication worked almost continuously. The difficult question was considered: how to give to steamships perhaps big stability in the open ocean. The extended anchor chains hardly reached tops of the underwater mountain. One steamship still could drop an anchor, but for three over peak there was no place. Waves and wind could lead to collision of steamships and accident. And “Leviathan” could lie on a considerable distance from underwater peak. The floating anchor only slowed down drift of the steamships carried by a sea current and wind. Meanwhile almost full immovability of vessels was necessary for work with a TV eye. It was necessary to lower a teleeye on the bottom, and it extremely uneven. The device will trudge on a bottom and can crash against ledges of sharp rocks. It was necessary to hold cars under steam and to maneuver the screw.

– And unless it is impossible to extend an anchor chain? – Azores asked.

– Of course, it is possible – Makovsky answered. – But you represent what weight of a one and a half kilometer long chain will be?

– Means, it is impossible?

– Up to the certain depth it is possible. For big depths we should build special steamships, special winches, arrows, special decks or pontoon bridges for folding of a chain. Depth is a stronghold which is not so easy for overcoming.

At that time when steamships prepared for descent of a teleeye, in Moscow, at institute of telemechanics, three new offices of underwater television were prepared. With the first there could be an accident. Besides and searches will be quicker conducted if each steamship has the TV. TVs will be delivered to the ships gidrostratoplany which creation is just finished by the new plant of jet superhigh-rise transport.

UNDERWATER TRAVEL

Mischa has just breakfast and “laid down on watch”. Ginzburg promised for today a lot of interesting.

The radio telephone and televizorny installation worked smoothly. Let behind a window the Moscow trams ring and cars, and here, in a spacious office – Atlantic Ocean hoot.

At last on the screen there was a cheerful face of Motya. As he sunbathed!

– The session begins! – the voice was heard, and Mischa saw narrow boards of the deck on the screen, is dazzling lit with the sun. Someone’s bare feet ran on the deck, the white bucket with the blue inscription “Sergo” flashed, the excited voices were heard, for some reason a low shmeliny bass the beep of the steamship shortly hooted, to it another responded.

Trawler board. On an arrow – two sailors strengthen a cradle, the hook-on platform on four ropes. Probably, will paint the trawler case. In foreign swimming seamen like to brag of purity and beauty of the vessel. Near the winch – the compressor, near it – a diving suit, a helmet, the curtailed hose. All equipment of the diver.

Popykhivy a tube and straightening out a woolen jersey, there is Protchev. On his head – a woolen hat tarboosh.

– Protchev, you are going to dive? – Mischa asked. And his words, sounds of its voice, having undergone difficult transformations, already sound on the deck of the trawler. Protchev involuntarily turns the head to a loud-speaker and speaks:

– Yes, I want to go down, look that here under water.

Kirillov enters Borin’s office. On the run he welcomes Mischa and gives the order in the microphone:

– To prepare for descent! One on the compressor, one on a signal, one on a hose, one on the manometer, one for hours!

Protchev beats out a tube – under water will not smoke – and already orders:

– Shirt! Galoshes! Shirtfront! Helmet! Cables!

Begin to dress the diver. Protchev gets into a diving shirt – the green rubberized suit from a strong canvas; to it help to put on heavy boots with strong socks and lead soles, tighten thongs, through the head put on a heavy shirtfront, screw an air hose on a copper branch pipe.

While Protchev prepares for descent, Mischa quietly asks Kirillov: why it gave the team “one on a signal”, that is to watch an alarm rope – in a helmet there is phone.

– And at the railroad do not forget a two-wheeled cart – Kirillov answers with Kozma Prutkov’s aphorism.

Sailors fastened on a breast and Protchev’s back diving heavyweights in forty kilograms, stretched from a back under Protchev’s legs “podkhvatnik” and fixed it in front.

At last, put on the heavy “copper head” Protchev’s head and began to screw it on a shirtfront. At the same time earned the compressor giving air. In beams of the sun a copper helmet and its glass it is dazzling shone. Protchev stood on the deck, but was already “a water inhabitant”. What monster he seemed to Mischa!

Old companion Protcheva epronovets Grey clapped a hand on a helmet: it is possible to go down. The cradle was fastened near the board. Protchev moved on the deck, boomingly knocking lead soles.

– What athlete! What force! – Mischa was surprised.

Here Protchev sat down in a cradle as he in a swing, grasped with hands a rope.

– Lower! – Kirillov’s team in Moscow and in the Atlantic Ocean was heard.

The winch began to work. Protchev plunged into water. The teleeye slipped on a board, and Mischa saw the second winch, and about it Ginzburg. That fussed among sailors who helped to lower a teleeye on a bottom. The big black sphere with konusopodobny ledges slowly went to water.

Kirillov lit a cigarette. Azores on the deck of the trawler also. The Spaniard stood near a board. Ginzburg bent over a board and looked in water. On the trawler the call rang out. Kirillov approached Borin’s table and began to write. Mishina the aunt entered and gave it an envelope. The letter was sent by the companion who went to Pamir.

Probably, the interesting letter, but there is no time to read. Sounds of the Atlantic Ocean as if failed in a silence abyss. And at once incessant noise of Moscow became more heard. On the screen the smoke of a cigar of Azores blinked. Also the screen went out…

What there happened?

And suddenly Mischa saw Protchev. He sat in the cradle which hung in a greenish haze of the ocean. Ropes left up.

Now Protchev, probably, does not feel weight of the suit. Perfectly! Flies “between heaven and earth” and admires the underwater world. In beams of an underwater searchlight it is clearly visible how from an air branch pipe on the copper head the air bubbles similar to mercury droplets rise. This is Protchev “poisons air”, pressing the head “a head zolotnik”.

– Protchev, you hear me? – with emotion Mischa asked.

– I hear – Protchev’s bass sounds.

– Why you went down under water?

– The needle was lost, I look for it.

– And teleeye, what for?

– One eye – is good, two – it is better, and three – it is even better. Unless not so? – Protchev answers. – My field of vision is wider, but an eye is habitual. Still to study a teleeye it is necessary to look in a diving way – Protchev jokes.

In this joke Mischa hears a certain mistrust to novelties.

– What do you see?

– Meanwhile crucians, I do not know how in a local way they are called. Now and you will see the same, as I. Well, where your bubble? – This phrase concerns already Ginzburg.

– I bring, look more to the left! – Motya answers.

A copper helmet of Protchev slepyashche shines. Mischa sees through the wide Mongolian face of the diver flew down. Probably, searchlight absolutely close. Protchev gives the left hand and something catches. His hand approaches the screen, grows, closes all field of vision… Green dregs… A strong sheaf of light, and in it – herd of fishes. Slowly the big beautiful jellyfish floats… The gold sheaf goes to depth of the ocean, gradually weakening, dissipating. And there, below, vague outlines of mountains are visible. Yes, it is mountains, and even covered with vegetation.

The mountain top as if grows and meets halfway… There is no more Moscow, an office, a bed. Whether not Mischa hangs in a cradle and looks at the underwater world? No, it lies in a gondola of underwater “balloon” over the mountain country. The underwater Caucasus, but without glaciers, the mountain rivers and falls. There are no rivers in the region where “airspace” – water.

Again the deck, it is dazzling lit with the sun. The winch rattles. It is heard as waves rustle, hitting against a trawler board. Ginzburg turned back. White teeth flashed…

– Well that there? – the voice is heard. Whose?

Mischa guessed not at once. Ah, it “is told by Moscow”.

Kirillov departs from a table and looks at the screen.

The deck disappeared. Dregs… Mischa lives in “three plans”: under water, on the deck of the trawler and in Moscow.

You will sort nothing… Dregs! Some shadows crawl on the screen…

– Seaweed – Mischa hears a voice of the captain Makovsky.

The dark cloudlet floated. Perhaps, the shark or a killer whale nearby floated. The huge fin, a white belly flashed… And again dregs…

And suddenly via the screen the sparkling line from below spread. It was more and more thickened, took the round form.

– Mast! A mast of the sunk ship! – Mischa exclaimed.

– Yes, it is obvious, it is a mast – Ginzburg answered. – It is well visible to you, Mischa? – he asked.

– Now will clear up – Nikolay Petrovich said.

Mischa did not notice when the father approached. Whether it is a dream?

Mischa, the father, Ginzburg, Barkovsky, Moscow, the Atlantic Ocean – everything crowded in one room. Yes, now Mischa felt like the participant of an expedition. And Ginzburg sees there the same as Mischa.

The mast descended from the screen, the device, probably, turned in other party. The school of large fishes floated in a distance, measuredly waving fins and gleaming silvery bodies. Very long body was thrown, coiling as a snake. Somewhere very far the fosforichesky spark flashed.

“Marvelous, bewitching world of underwater depths! – Mischa thought. – There are no storms, there are no changes of temperature, there is no weather. Always gloom, cold, silence… And there – life, fight, the pleasures and the grief…”

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