Classics fantasy – 5

The rain ceased. The sun looked out and dried up clothes of fugitives. Anatole, tired for all endured disorders, with pleasure fell asleep. And Adam lay on the earth and without coming off looked at the sky.

At last the sky over the head instead of these opposite dead white ceilings where there are neither birds, nor the sun, nor stars, nor fresh breath of air.

Adam dreamed of a fast appointment to mountains. Though not the family, but nevertheless mountains. And it was happy for the first time for all the time since climbed down mountains to valleys where these strange people who prefer stone boxes to a scope of the earth and sky live in crowded conditions and vanity.

Happy days of free, vagrant life stretched. In the afternoon fugitives slept in thickets at the river, moved ahead at night on the southeast where, according to Anatole’s instructions, there were mountains.

Adam was able to sleep and watch each sound. When the sound seemed menacing to it, ears of the sleeping Adam began to move strenuously, and he woke up soon. And they managed to escape a meeting with people.

However the destiny measured on Adam’s share a few happy days. By poll of inhabitants the police defined the place of disappearance of the car soon. Persecutors surrounded with more and more narrowed ring fugitives.

One early in the morning to them had to escape in the face of police. They took refuge in the wood and several hours carried out at tree top, hidden by dense branches, looking from above at the enemies rummaging on the wood.

It was harder and harder to get food – hens and rabbits whom Adam caught about farms. The main thing, he felt that to them not to leave from tenacious paws of police, and then again bondage… One this thought gave him the creeps…

XI. ADAM’S END

At dawn of gray day Adam came back to Anatole and Dzhipsi, loaded with a young lamb.

Suddenly he pricked up the ears. His ears started moving. To it the remote disturbing bark of Dzhipsi and the scared shout of Anatole calling to the aid was heard.

With the inflated nostrils Adam rushed to more often bushes growing near the highway where he left Anatole.

Police officers bore to the car of the beating-off and crying Anatole. Dzhips overstrained from bark.

Having thrown a ram, Adam in several jumps appeared at the car. He seized one police officer by a collar, lifted over the head, took a detour in air and rejected far in bushes.

Three hefty police officers snatched on Adam. Fight was started. Adam rejected them from himself. They grabbed him hand and hung on them. One of police officers with professional dexterity tried to put to Adam cuffs, and he managed it. But Adam broke off shackles though wounded in hand blood at brushes, and after that, embittered by pain, he snatched on the police officer and stuck to it into a neck the sharp teeth. The second of attackers left an operation… Then the chief of small group, seeing what without use of weapons of Adam not to take, shot from the revolver. The bullet got into a shoulder of Adam on which bear claws left hems, and shattered a humeral bone.

Adam howled from pain, but continued to beat off a healthy hand. However severe bleeding weakened it more and more.

Police officers snatched on it again and after several unsuccessful attempts held down to it hands again. Adam pulled a chain and moaned from pain. It was tumbled down, strong connected, thrown into the car where Anatole, pale for fear, already sat, picked up wounded and quickly started on on a way.

Dzhips with abrupt bark pursued the disappearing car…

Adam was placed in one of the cameras intended for violent mads. Walls of the room were upholstered with soft felt, at windows – lattices. A heavy door – on an iron bolt.

To Adam made bandaging and left one. He growled, rushed to a door, bent a lattice at a window. He raved the whole day, and at night so howled that gave the creeps even the hospital attendants who got used to everything.

By the morning it ceased. But when it was given to a door window a breakfast, without deciding to enter still, he only drank several drinks of tea, and the breakfast threw out in a corridor.

Adam shouted and as the animal in a cage, went, without ceasing for a minute, heaved a deep sigh and from time to time loudly and lingeringly shouted, calling Desdemona, Anatole, Dzhipsi… Sometimes called also Likorn.

It was one, absolutely one in this close box where there was so not enough air for his lungs and where the sun only through thick rods of a lattice looked, casting from it a trellised shadow on a white wall.

For the third day Adam calmed down. It ceased to go. Sat down on a floor in a corner, a back to light, put a chin on the raised knees and as if stiffened. It touched nobody any more. To it doctors and scientists entered, but he sat silently, not answering questions and without moving. And still ate nothing, but greedy drank.

Adam began to grow thin extraordinary quickly. In the evenings it began to be in a fever. He sat, knocking teeth, covered cold then. Cough began to torment him soon, and during fits of coughing blood even more often began to be shown.

Doctors swung the heads:

– Transient consumption… These mountain inhabitants so difficult adapt to air of valleys…

One night after the most severe fit of coughing blood suddenly rushed from his throat and filled in all half of the room. Adam fell to a floor. He died…

When he recovered after a faint, he quietly and hoarsely asked the doctor:

– There … – And he showed the door.

The doctor understood. Adam wants on air. Perhaps, last time to look at the sky. He choked. But unless it is possible to take out the heavy pulmonary patient in crude autumn night on air, under a drizzle!

The doctor negatively shook the head.

Adam looked at him with plaintive eyes of the dying dog.

– No, no. To you it is harmful, Adam … – And, having addressed the hospital attendant, the doctor gave an order: – A pillow with oxygen…

Oxygen prolonged Adam’s tortures till the morning. In the morning when the pale beam of the sun lit a white wall, having drawn on it with a shadow a window lattice, something like a smile, same pale as a beam, flashed on Adam’s lips. It began an agony. He occasionally cried out some unclear words… He did not pronounce any French word.

At ten hours twenty minutes mornings Adam died. And at one o’clock in the afternoon the official notice that Adam needs to be discharged from hospital as it is decided to send it to the Himalayas was received…

* * *

– After all he well made that he hurried to die – without hiding joy, the anatomist said, starting anatomization of a corpse of Adam.

Any corpse was not so carefully prepared. Everything was measured, weighed, carefully recorded. Opening – gave a lot of extremely interesting. Apendix was very big sizes. Muskulus erectus cocigum was clearly allocated, muscles of ears were very developed. Brain… About Adam’s brain professor Likorn wrote the whole volume. Adam’s skeleton was carefully built, placed in a glass show-window and put in the museum with an inscription:

HOMO HIMALAJUS

In the first days in the museum at a show-window with Adam’s skeleton crowded to many people. Among visitors curious looks marked out Clotilda de Troyes and the famous actress…

Adam stopped being dangerous to «cultural» society and began to serve science…

IDIOPHONE

I

The investigator Paolo Minetti carelessly threw eye-glasses on the opened «business», carried out by the left palm on a high forehead, the aquiline nose acting from red, thick cheeks and clamped the turning gray small beard.

– Take away it!.

Three carabineers, with checkers bare, in a black form with red edgings and in the cocked hats decorated with feathers took away the arrested – the young man in a working suit, with a suntanned face on which the prison already put a grayish raid.

Having remained one, the investigator slowly lit a long sigarette, drank from a glass ice water with red wine and wearily looked in a window. The window lattice stood out on the sparkling surface of the Mediterranean Sea clearly. In the distance the Pisa hills became blue.

Minetti brushed away the flies who chose his moist forehead and annoyancely grunted.

Already two weeks as sits in this hole – Voltaire, caused here for interrogation of five defendants placed in the local prison similar to the medieval castle with chambers cages for solitary confinement.

Minetti, the inveterate theater-goer and the passionate fan of music, was upset up to the soul depth when he was called from Livorno in the heat of tours of the Milan opera here.

But, having examined business, he was consoled. Business was interesting and promised for his career in a case of a successful outcome much.

For it was already honor that charged to carry on the investigation to it. Loud political process was coming.

At journey of the Italian prime minister on the car through Siena in it the shot from crowd which did not do harm was made. The police of public safety which appeared in time on the scene arrested, on suspicion, five people and seized a material evidence – the revolver thrown on the earth. But who exactly made a shot, it was not succeeded to find out. At anybody of arrested of weapon it was not found.

It was not succeeded to establish also accessories any of them to some «criminal political organization».

It is clear, that at such provision of business it was impossible to bring charge to all five. It was necessary to get more weighty proofs by all means. But how?. Personal recognition would be best of all. However, despite all the experience, on all professional tricks and tricks, Minetti could not achieve recognition. All five arrested categorically denied the participation in attempt at life of the prime minister and at the same time watched at the investigator such innocent eyes that he flew into a rage.

– Or all of them are cunning fellows and shot five together from one revolver, or… or the sixth shot, the devil all of them a pobera!. – Minetti muttered, having remained one ambassador of interrogation.

Time went… The going on tour troupe left Livorno long ago, but the hell with her – another will arrive. The fourteenth day passed also fruitlessly, as well as thirteen previous, however, not absolutely so. This day from Rome the inquiry was sent whether Minetti will complete the investigation soon and will submit the case to Tribunal.

It is already worse. One more such inquiry, and Minetti can withdraw, and to send other investigator to his place. And then – farewell dreams of the transfer to Rome or Turin… It is good if do not transfer with decrease, to Kalta-nizetta somewhere yet or Sassari where you will be bored to death…

From one this thought of Minetti felt that he begins migraine.

It is necessary to work quickly, resolutely.

– Oh, damned flies!. – The investigator took out a red fulyarovy scarf and threw with it the head. – Idiophone!. – he spoke, smiled to some thought and negatively shook the head.

The scarf thrown over the head reminded him the story of the old inspector of prison that the local candidate for judicial positions, signor Berichi, invented the device by means of which it is possible «to listen to others thoughts» – an idiophone.

The metal cap from which go a wire to phone is put on the head…

– The nonsense is some! – spoke aloud Minetti. – And however, than I risk? Though I will have a good time a little. Grew dull absolutely! – And it, having called the inspector of prison, asked to invite signor Berichi with his device.

II

Signor Berichi did not keep itself waiting long. In half an hour the door with noise revealed, and to the room the inventor of an idiophone with a sac in hands ran in.

Minetti expected to see the silent, concentrated person, one of those maniacs who puzzle over a quadrature of a circle or invent the perpetual motion machine. But before it span cheerful, live as a monkey, the dark-haired, curly Neapolitan. Whether it is a mistake?

However the guest hurried to disseminate doubts of the investigator.

– I am very glad to get acquainted… Беричи… that!. Here mine child.

And, having strong shaken hands the investigator, smiling from ear to ear, sparkling white teeth, for a minute without stopping, Berichi began to take out «idiophone» from a sac.

– There is a metal cap… It is put on the head of the person, whose thoughts you want to learn. Very useful piece for investigators and jealous husbands. I will declare the patent and I will put to myself in a pocket one million liras!.

At the same time Berichi so derisively shchurit eyes that it was impossible to understand whether he speaks seriously or mystifies, wishing to play a cheerful joke.

Minetti did not manage to squeeze any word, and Berichi continued to crack as a record player which plate rotates with extraordinary speed.

– You probably know, signor Minetti that, on the last scientific researches, our nervous system and a brain are the transformer of electromagnetic waves. Result of work of a brain – our thought – radiates special electrowaves. It is only necessary to catch them and to make the return transformation of electrowaves in a thought, in the sounding thoughts if you want. A metal cap – the receiver. This box – the amplifier of the electromagnetic oscillations made by a thought, and this box – the return transformer. Here electrowaves are made out in a sound thought. And this reception phone. It is clear, how new moon, isn’t that so?

Minetti vaguely lowed.

– Allow to make experience… I already disposed to bring one of five arrested, by name the Sell here.

And, without expecting the answer, Berichi opened a door and shouted:

– Enter!

Carabineers entered the arrested.

Berich rushed on an office, placing furniture and fitting the device.

Minetti with a grimace of mistrust monitored all this vanity. He already regretted the invention to have a good time an idiophone.

– Take seat on this chair – Berichi addressed the arrested – we will put on to you the head this beautiful hat now and we will start up the smallest electric current.

The prisoner shuddered. His face turned pale.

– From what it a time – he answered – in Italy without court execute people electricity?.

Berich loudly burst out laughing.

– Anything similar! – And he put on to himself the head a metal cap. – Here you look. This piece is so safe for life as your own head of hear. It is the new device by means of which it is possible to listen to your thoughts. And if you are innocent, then have to agree to experience willingly: we will immediately be convinced that your conscience is true as sterilized milk.

Sell interrogatively looked at the investigator.

– I warrant you, the Sell that your life out of danger – Minetti unsteadily spoke. To tell the truth, this minute he doubted safety of experience, but to recede was late.

Sell thought and, having waved a hand, took seat in a chair.

Berich were quickly put on the prisoner’s head by a metal cap and something was turned in one of boxes. Hum of the induction coil was heard. Easy current spread as a touch of ant legs, on the prisoner’s head. A sell shuddered and frowned.

– It is not sick? Even it is pleasant, isn’t that so? Also protects the head from flies. Here so. And I will take seat here, for you, I will listen in phone and to write down your innocent thoughts. You sit absolutely quietly and think about what you want.

And the inventor of an idiophone took seat in a chair with telephone earphones on the head and with a pencil and a notebook in hands.

III

There came terrible silence. The silence was broken only by hum of the induction coil. Minetg and carabineers with alarm monitored experience.

In a few minutes the Sell got used to the current passing on the head and almost did not feel it any more. But he began to test something more painful soon: fear to ruin itself a careless thought. He was exhausted from internal fight. By extraordinary effort of will he tried to distract the thoughts from dangerous memoirs. But the rebellious thought came back to these forbidden places of memory as a moth to a candle flame which will burn its wings sooner or later…

«In vain I agreed – thought the Sell – as if I was not tricked. Ah, devil take it!. If they hear my thoughts, so they already heard that I am afraid to get on their rod. What if they consider it for recognition of fault?. Nonsenses! What here recognition?. And there is no fault. However it is necessary to think of something another… Clouds… Here behind a window, in the sky, clouds float… I will think of them. Clouds… clouds… But I can think that I shot, it is simple to think: „I shot“. It is only a thought! It is everyone can think. Really these words I already accused myself?.»

From nervous tension, from a metal cap on the head, hot from a heat, and tiresome tickling of electric current at the Sell the head was turned and on all body the perspiration acted. He did not get used to operate the thoughts, usually they floated at him a train as a chain of clouds. And here it was necessary to watch himself all the time, to think of to thinking of a shot in Siena… It was over its forces.

«Nonsense, nonsense! I will consider. Time, two, three… The prime minister went in the black car with the fat secretary… four, five… Disguised detectives represented the people welcoming the „favourite“ leader… six, seven… again I think of it! Well, and that from this?. I incidentally was in the scene!. And then, it is only a thought… Anjelica … – suddenly unexpectedly thought the Sell of the wife. – As she worries!. And Mikuel is probably happy. It remained to me has to. Just about, I will think of the».

But in a few minutes his thoughts soared over the fatal area in Siena again.

Suddenly the Sell it seemed that he invented very witty way of fight against the enemy overhearing his thoughts.

«Hey, you, signor! Listen!. I shot, I did not shoot. Write down if you want, but write down everything! What, was taken?.»

Sell smiled. It became cheerful.

«If you want, the signor, I will mentally sing to you a song:

If the grief gnaws heart,

Drain a glass of wine!

The old friend – it will help,

The leu is fuller, bottoms up!.»

He mentally sang, and under words of a cheerful song is imperceptible for him as the black snake among flowers, crawled a dangerous thought…

«The bullet passed on only one finger over the prime minister’s head… She got to a show-window of shop and made a round hole in glass. Any crack… The prime minister leaned back on a back of the car and, having turned pale, looked at the fat secretary… Someone’s hands seized me by shoulders…»

Sell suddenly grew cold with horror when noticed this black snake of forbidden memoirs. He wanted to lull a song attention of the enemy, but lulled own into a false sense of security. For the first time for all life he noticed that in a brain several whole trains of ideas can proceed at the same time. One of them as the ships lit with the sun floating on a smooth surface of the sea proceed in the light of our consciousness. And others, like deep-water fishes, slide imperceptibly in depth and a gloom of subconscious life. Instead of one enemy, there was several their one whole train of ideas – thousands of chains of thoughts which it is impossible to follow … «That if everything them can be overheard this devilish device?.»

Sell grew cold. He gritted the teeth and could not constrain groan. Its nervous tension was ready to pass into a fit of hysteria. He already wanted to shout: «It is enough! I am guilty!» – it is to stop this torture rather.

And, as soon as he thought of it, hum of the induction coil suddenly stopped.

– Well, well, it is enough! – he heard the voice of Berichi which became suddenly dry and official.

– Unfortunately, you were not so innocent… During this time, as I listened to your thoughts, you more than once, not two and not three gave yourself, though tried to distract the thoughts from dangerous reminiscence… Desire to sign the application that you plead guilty to attempt!

Sell, wandering eyes, made the signature the shivering hand and, being unsteady, left an office.

IV

Minetg rushed to Berichi and embraced it.

– Ingeniously! Amazingly! You rendered me and justice extraordinary service. I am infinitely grateful to you though, of course, my gratitude is insignificant in comparison with the fact that it expects you… I admit, I very much doubted, but now…

Did not allow it to finish speaking Berich. All its humour and cheerfulness returned to the inventor of «idiophone». With dexterity of a monkey he slipped out embraces of Minetgi and, having squinted cunning left eye, asked:

– And now you trust in my invention?

And again, without having allowed to finish speaking to the investigator, he began to chatter:

– And it is vain! Absolutely in vain! My secret is invented not by me. It is invented very long time ago by that which the first shouted: «On the villain the cap burns!» Unless this proverb, in different options, does not exist at all people hundreds of years?. And so, I, on fashion of the twentieth century, embellished a cap which on the villain burns only electric finishing!

Minetti was struck and disappointed.

– Means, there is no invention?

– Well, not absolutely so. We nevertheless managed to achieve consciousness by means of this «invention». But it is only a game on psychology! Try to become in a corner not to think of a leopard. You will not manage it. Well, and for the Sell such «leopard» is his crime. He could not but think of him. Sure that all his thoughts are recognized, the criminal considered themselves caught what he undersigned for. Simply?.

V

Despite all severity of the prison mode, a message about the recognition of the Sell got by means of some device it became known to all for the prisoner soon.

And when brought four arrested on the case of attempt at the prime minister into an office of the investigator to declare it that they are free one of them approached the investigator and firmly told:

– I do not belong to those simpletons who confess, at least of their wine and was not still proved. But I not from those which because of the skin allow to suffer for myself innocent. A sell he is absolutely innocent. He confessed only because you drove it crazy your foolish device. I shot at the prime minister and I will shoot once again if the case is presented. And only I one have to bear the answer.

Berich which was present at the same time involuntarily reddened.

But Minetgi only with a good-natured sneer looked at him. Yes, «invention» of Berichi is not absolutely ideal. The cap was capable to burn on the head not only the villain and nearly ruined the innocent. But unless the court can exist without miscarriages of justice?. The main thing was made: responsible is found, and Minetgi waited for increase.

And what way it was reached – whether everything is equal?. If only this way brought it into Rome!.

NEITHER LIFE, NOR DEATH

I. MR. CARLSON OFFERS THE PLAN

– What you on it will tell? – Mr. Carlson asked, having ended a statement of the project.

The large coalman Gilbert answered nothing. It was in the nastiest mood. Before the arrival of Carlson the executive director told him that the situation on coal mines is worse than ever. Export falls. The Soviet oil more and more forces out competitors on Asian and even on European the markets. Banks refuse the credit. The government finds impossible further subsidizing of the large-scale coal industry. Workers worry, defiantly impose impracticable requirements, threaten to flood mines. It is necessary to find – which exit.

And at this moment as though derisively, the destiny sends some Carlson with his mad project.

Gilbert frowned the red eyebrows and rumpled long yellowish teeth an aromatic sigarette. On his shaved worried look expression of boredom stiffened. He was silent.

But Carlson not from those who are discouraged by silence. An uncertain profession and an unknown origin, the little, fussy man with the Irish accent, a short nose, black hair standing as at a hedgehog, Carlson stuck the sharp eyes into the tired, faded Gilbert’s eyes and drilled them the persistent uneasy thought.