How steel was tempered Chapter VI

Ostrovsky > How steel was tempered Chapter VI

There are two people standing in front of the hotel concert hall. One of the big men wore a pair of pince-nez and a red armband with the words "picket captain" on his arm.

"Is the Ukrainian delegation meeting here?" Rita asked.

The big man replied bureaucratically, "Yes! What can I do for you? "

"Please let me in."

The big man blocked half the door, looked at Rita and asked, "Where's your certificate? Only official representatives and representatives without voting rights can enter. "

Rita took out the bronze representative card from her bag. When the great man saw the words "member of the Central Committee" printed on it, his snub attitude suddenly disappeared. He became very polite and said, "Come in, there is a seat on the left."

Lida walked through the rows of chairs, saw an empty seat and sat down. The representative meeting is coming to an end. Rita listened carefully to the chairman's speech. This man's voice sounds familiar to her.

"Comrades, the delegates attending the meeting of the chief representatives of the delegations of the All-Russian Congress and the delegates attending the meeting of the delegations have been elected. The meeting will be separated for two hours. Please allow me to check the list of representatives who have already reported. "

Lida recognized this person as Achim, who was reading the list of delegates in a hurry.

Every time a name is called, there is a hand holding a red or white representative card.

Rita listened attentively.

A familiar name came into her ear: "pankratov."

Rita looked back at where she raised her hand. There were rows of delegates sitting there, but she couldn't see the familiar faces of the dockers. Reading the list quickly, she heard a familiar name-okunev, and then another one-Zarki.

Rita saw Zaki. He sat nearby, diagonally opposite her. Isn't that his silhouette? I hardly recognize it ... it's him, it's Ivan.

Rita hasn't seen him for years.

Read the list quickly. Suddenly, when she heard a name, she couldn't help shivering: "Kochakin."

Raise a hand at a distance. Then I put it down. Strange to say, Rita can't wait to meet the person with the same surname as her dead friend. She stared at the place where she raised her hand just now, but all the heads looked the same.

Rita stood up and walked along the aisle against the wall to the first row. At this time, Achim has finished reading the list, and immediately came the voice of moving chairs. The delegates spoke loudly and the young people gave a knowing laugh. So Achim tried his best to drown out the noise in the hall and shouted, "Don't be late! ..... Grand Theatre, 7 o'clock! ……"

The entrance to the hall is crowded.

Rita knows that she can't find the acquaintance she just read on the list in the crowded crowd. The only way is to keep an eye on Achim and find others through him.

She let the last group of delegates pass by and headed for Achim.

Suddenly, she heard someone behind her say, "What's the matter, Kochakin? Let's go too, brother. "

Then, a familiar and unforgettable voice replied, "Let's go."

Lida quickly turned around and saw a tall, dark young man standing in front of him, wearing grass-green military casual clothes and blue breeches, with a narrow Caucasian belt around his waist.

Lida opened her eyes and looked at him, until a pair of hands hugged her warmly, and her trembling voice gently called "Lida", and she realized that it was really Pavel Colta King.

"Are you still alive?"

This question says it all. It turned out that she never knew that the news of his death was misinformed.

All the people in the hall have left. The noise of Tver Street, the main traffic artery of the city, came from the open window. The clock struck six loudly, but they all thought they had only been there for a few minutes. The bell urged them to go to the Grand Theatre. When they walked along the broad stairs to the gate, she looked at Paul carefully again. He is half a head taller than her now, and he is still the same as before, only more heroic and calm.

"Look, I haven't asked you where you work."

"I am now the secretary of the Communist Youth League Committee, or, as Du Bawa said, I am the' organ master'." Paul smiled slightly.

"Have you seen him?"

"Yes, but the meeting left a very unpleasant impression."

They took to the streets. In the street, cars honked and sped by, and noisy pedestrians came and went. They walked all the way to the Grand Theatre, barely talking on the way, thinking the same thing. There were a sea of people around the theater, and fanatical and stubborn people flocked to the stone building of the theater again and again, bent on rushing into the entrance guarded by the Red Army soldiers. However, impartial guards only let delegates in. The delegates proudly held their papers and passed the cordon.

Everyone around the theater is a member of the Youth League. They didn't attend the card, but they all tried their best to attend the opening ceremony of the conference. Some young men are very clever, mixing among the delegates and pushing forward, holding red paper in their hands and pretending to be certificates. Sometimes, they mixed up at the entrance of the venue, and some even entered the gate, but they were immediately caught by the Central Committee members or the pickets on duty who guided the guests and delegates into the venue and were driven out of the door, which made those "undocumented delegates" who could not mix in very happy.

There are so many people who want to attend the opening ceremony that the theater can't even hold one twentieth.

Rita and Paul had a hard time getting to the door of the meeting. The delegates came to the meeting by tram and bus. The door was crowded with people. The Red Army soldiers who are also members of the Youth League are losing patience. They were squeezed tightly against the wall and shouted in front of the door, "Squeeze! Boys from Bowman College, squeeze! "

"Come on, man, we will win!"

"Chaplin and Sasha Kosarev [Chaplin (1902- 1938) and Kosarev (1903- 1939) successively served as general secretaries of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League at that time. -call, they will let us in! "

"Add-oil-ah!"

A young man wearing an international youth badge, as flexible as a loach, followed Paul and Rita into the gate. He dodged the picket leader, ran into the lounge at full speed, and then disappeared into the delegates.

"Let's sit here." After they entered the main hall, Lida pointed to the seat in the back row and said.

They sat down in the corner. Rita looked at her watch.

"Discrete will have forty minutes. Tell me about Dubawa and Anna. " Lida said. Paul stared at her, and she was a little embarrassed.

"I recently went to attend the all-Ukrainian representative meeting and dropped in to see them. I've met Anna several times, and I've only met Dubawa once. It's best not to see her this time. "

"Why?"

Paul kept silent. The brow of his right eye trembled slightly. Rita knows why there is this action, which is a signal of his excitement.

"Tell me, I don't know anything."

"Rita, I didn't want to talk about it now, but you insisted, so I had to obey. Their relationship broke down completely in front of me. In my opinion, Anna has no choice. They have accumulated too many contradictions, and a complete break is the only way out. The root of the emotional breakdown is their differences on inner-party issues. Dubawa has always been in opposition. I heard people talking about his speech in Kiev in Kharkov. He went to Kiev with Shumski. "

"What, is Shumski a trotskyite?"

"Yes, he used to be, and now he has left them. I had a long talk with Zaki. Now he's on our side. For Dubawa, this can't be said anyway. Dubawa is getting deeper and deeper. Let's go back to Anna first. She told me everything. Dubawa engaged in anti-party activities, but he plunged into it and couldn't get out. Anna is not angry with him at all. For example, he ridiculed her:' You are the little grey horse of the party, and the master points to the east, and the master points to the west. There's something worse. They became strangers after several conflicts. Anna broke up, and Dubawa obviously didn't want to lose her. He promised that there would be no more friction between them in the future and asked her not to leave him and help him tide over the difficulties. Anna agreed. For a while, she thought everything would be fine. She didn't hear his unkind words again. She reasoned with him, but he didn't say anything or refute it. Anna thinks that he is seriously reviewing his past position.

"She heard Zardari say that Du Bawa is no longer making trouble at the producer university of * * *, and her personal relationship with Zardari can be harmonious. Not long ago, Anna felt uncomfortable at work (she was pregnant), went home to rest, closed the door and lay down. She lives in a suite with Dubawa, and the two rooms are connected by a door, but they agreed to nail the door.

"In a short time, Du Bawa brought a large group of comrades home. As a result, Anna inadvertently became a witness of an organized Trotsky group meeting. She heard many things that she never dreamed of. Moreover, in order to welcome the all-Ukrainian youth league representative meeting, they also printed a declaration and other things, prepared to hide them under skirts and secretly distributed them to the delegates. Anna suddenly realized that Dubawa was playing tricks.

"After everyone left, Anna called Du Bawa to her room and asked him to explain what had just happened.

"I just arrived in Kharkov to attend the representative meeting that day and met the representative of Kiev in the Central Committee.

"Talia gave me Anna's address. She lives very close. I decided to visit her before lunch because we couldn't find her in the the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China Women's Department where she worked. She works as a lecturer there.

"Talia and several other comrades also promised to see her. You see, it's neither early nor late. I arrived just in time for this hurdle. "

Paul gave a wry smile.

Rita listened, frowning slightly and leaning her arms against the velvet handle of the seat. Paul didn't make any noise. He looked at Rita and recalled her former appearance in Kiev. Compared with her in front of him, he realized once again that she had grown into a handsome and charming young woman. Her perennial uniform disappeared and was replaced by a simple but exquisite blue dress. Her fingers seized his hand and gently pulled it, asking him to continue.

"I'm listening, Paul."

Paul went on to say that he also grabbed her finger and wouldn't let go.

"Anna couldn't hide her joy when she saw me. Dubawa is very cold. It turned out that he already knew about my struggle with the opposition.

"This meeting is a bit neither fish nor fowl. I seem to be playing a judge or something. Anna has been talking. Du Bawa walked around the room, smoking one cigarette after another. Obviously, he was depressed and angry.

"'You see, Paul Fu Lusha, he not only deceived me, but also deceived the party. He organized some underground organizations and still fanned the flames there, but told me he quit. He publicly acknowledged that the resolution of the representative meeting was correct at the University of Production Science. He claims to be a "decent man", but at the same time, he is also cheating and plotting. I'm going to write to report what happened today to the provincial supervisory Committee. "Anna said angrily.

"Du Bawa is not satisfied, muttered,"' what's the big deal? Let's report it. At this kind of party, even the wife is a spy, eavesdropping on her husband's conversation. Do you think I'm happy to be party member of this party? ""Of course, that's too much for Anna. She cried and told Dubawa to go away. After he went out, I said to Anna, let me talk to him. Anna said it was a waste of time. But I went anyway. I think he and I used to be good friends, and he is not hopeless.

"I went to his room. He lay in bed and immediately blocked my mouth and said, "Don't advise education, I've had enough." "But I still want to say.

"I remembered the past and said,"' From the mistakes we made before. You didn't learn anything. Du Bawa, do you remember how petty-bourgeois consciousness pushed us to the opposite path?' "Guess how he answered me? He said, "At that time, Paul, you and I were both workers. We had no worries about what we thought and said, but our thoughts were not wrong. This was a real revolution before the implementation of the new economic policy. Now, this is a semi-bourgeois revolution. People who have made a fortune under the new economic policy are full of fat, but there are countless unemployed people in China. Our government and the top of the party are also thriving because of the new economic policy. I also hooked up with those female capitalists, and the goal of the whole policy is to develop capitalism. When it comes to the dictatorship of the proletariat, you are shy, but you adopt an open-minded attitude towards the peasants and cultivate rich peasants. Soon, the rich peasants will become the masters of the country. You wait and see, in five or six years, the Soviet regime will be buried unconsciously, just like after the French coup. The nouveau riche of the new economic policy will become ministers of the new bourgeoisie, and people like you and me will lose their heads if they dare to talk too much. In short, if you continue like this, you will die. " "Look, Rita, Du Bawa can't think of anything new, or Trotskyite cliches. I talked with him for a long time.

"Finally understand, arguing with him is like casting pearls before swine. In my opinion, Dubawa can't be dragged back. I was late for the meeting in order to talk to him.

When he left, he probably wanted to "flatter" me and said, "Paul, I know you didn't become rigid and become a bureaucrat who voted for it because you were afraid of losing your official position. But you are the kind of person who can't see anything except the red flag. " "In the evening, representatives from Kiev came to Anna's house for a party. Among them are Zarki and Shumski. Anna has been to the provincial supervisory committee, and we all think she did the right thing. I spent eight days in Kharkov and met Anna several times in the Central Committee. She moved. I heard from Talia that Anna is going to have an abortion. Breaking up with Dubawa seems irreversible. Talia stayed in Kharkov for a few more days to help her.

"On the day we left for Moscow, Zarki heard people say that the party's three-person team gave Du Bawa a severe reprimand and warning. * * * The Party Committee of Production University also agreed to this decision. Only one step away from the maximum punishment. In this way, Dubawa was finally not expelled from the party. "

The venue is getting crowded, and the crowd is still pouring in, surrounded by conversation and laughter. There are few energetic people in the world in the huge theater. These young Bolsheviks are so enthusiastic, so optimistic and so brave, just like a torrent running down the mountain.

The noise is getting louder and louder Paul seems to think that Rita is not listening to him. As soon as he shut up, Rita said, "I think we should end our conversation about Dubawa today." Why spend the rest of your time on this! It's so bright here, life is so powerful ... "

Rita is a little closer to him. They are closer, so it is not convenient to talk. In order to lower her voice, she leaned over him.

"There is a question I want you to answer." Lida said. "Although things have passed, I think you will tell me: Why did you interrupt our study and our friendship?"

Although Paul expected that she would ask this question as soon as they met, he is still embarrassed. Their eyes met and Paul saw that she knew the reason.

"Rita, I think you are completely clear. That was three years ago, and now I can only blame Paul at that time. On the whole, Paul made many mistakes, big and small, in his life, and what you are asking now is one of them. "

Rita smiled.

"This is a good opening remarks. But what I want to hear is the answer. "

Paul continued in a low voice: "This is not entirely my fault, but the gadfly and his revolutionary romanticism are also responsible. Some books have created vivid images of revolutionaries. They are brave and fearless, resolute and strong, and totally devoted to the revolutionary cause, which left an indelible impression on me. I am eager to be such a person. My feelings for you are just like "The Gadfly". I feel ridiculous now, but it is more of a pity. "

"You can say that. Now your evaluation of' gadfly' has changed? "

"No, Rita, basically no change! What I deny is only to test the tragic component of will with asceticism unnecessarily. As for the main aspects of The Gadfly, I'm sure. I agree with his courage and extraordinary perseverance. People of his type can endure great pain without showing it in front of anyone. I agree with this typical revolutionary. For him, compared with the collective cause, everything in the individual is insignificant. "

"Paul, this sentence should have been said three years ago, but it is a pity that it has not been said until now." Rita smiled and said thoughtfully.

"Rita, are you sorry because I can only be your comrade forever?"

"No, Paul, you can get closer."

"That's not too late to remedy."

"It's a little late, Comrade Gadfly."

Rita told the joke with a smile, and then she explained, "I have a little girl now." She has a father, who is my good friend. The three of us live a wonderful life, and now we are trinity and inseparable. "

She touched Paul's hand lightly with her finger to show her concern for him. But she immediately understood that this action was unnecessary. Yes, in the past three years, he has not only grown physically. Rita knew he was sad now-I could see it in his eyes, but he was honest and said without affectation, "Anyway, I got more, and what I lost just now can't compare with it."

Paul and Rita stood up. It's time to sit near the table.

They walked to the seat of the Ukrainian delegation. The band plays music. The huge banner slogan is as red as fire, and the flashing Chinese characters seem to shout: "The future belongs to us." Thousands of seats and boxes upstairs and downstairs are full of people. Thousands of people gathered together to form a powerful transformer-inexhaustible power. The magnificent theater received the essence of the great working-class youth guards. Thousands of pairs of eyes stared at the heavy curtain, and each pair of eyes sparkled, reflecting the flashing Chinese characters "The future belongs to us".

People are still pouring into the meeting place. In a few minutes, the heavy velvet curtain will slowly open, and Chaplin, secretary of the Central Committee of the All-Russian Youth League, will temporarily lose his cool at this extremely solemn moment. He will excitedly announce: "The Sixth Congress of the All-Russian Communist Youth League is now open."

Paul has never felt so truly and profoundly the greatness and strength of this revolution. He felt an indescribable pride and unprecedented joy. This was given to him by life, which sent him here as a soldier and builder to attend the victory meeting of Bolshevik Youth Guards.

The meeting runs from early morning to late night every day, occupying all the time of the participants. Only at the last meeting did Paul see Rita again. She is with a group of Ukrainian representatives. [There is also a scene in the author's manuscript that describes members of the Youth League having a party at Rita's brother's house. Lida said at the party: "Friends, I deeply believe that in a few years, the Youth League will produce several great writers from its own ranks, who will tell us about our heroic past and our equally brilliant present through artistic images. Who knows, maybe some people here will satirize us with sharp brushstrokes ... "-Editor]. Rita said to him, "I'll go back immediately after the meeting tomorrow." I wonder if we can talk again when we leave. So I found two diaries in the past today and wrote a short message, ready to leave it to you. Send me the diary after you read it. These things will tell you everything I haven't told you. "

Paul held her hand and stared at her for a while, as if to remember her face in his heart.

The next day, they met at the gate as promised. Rita gave him a bag and a letter. There are many people around, so they say goodbye very formally. Paul only saw deep warmth and faint sadness in her moist eyes.

A day later, the train took them to different directions.

Ukrainian representatives are sitting in several cars. Paul is on the Kiev team.

In the evening, everyone fell asleep, and okunev was snoring gently on the bunk beside him. Paul approached the light and opened the letter:

Paul Fu Lusha, honey.

I could have told you these words in person, but I'd better write them down. I only have one hope, that is, I talked to you on the opening day of the conference, and don't leave painful memories in your life. I know you are strong, so I believe what you say. My view of life is not too formal. Of course, in personal relationships, sometimes this is very rare. If it is really out of unusual deep feelings, there can be exceptions. You can get this exception, but I still gave up the idea of paying off our youth debt. I don't think that will bring us much happiness. Paul, don't be too hard on yourself. There are not only struggles in our lives, but also the joy brought by good feelings.

As for other aspects of your life, that is to say, I am completely at ease with the main content of your life. Hold your hand tightly.

Rita.

Paul mused, tore the letter to pieces, then put his hand out of the window and let the wind blow the paper away.

The next morning, Paul finished reading two diaries and wrapped them up. At Kharkov, okunev, pankratov, Paul and other Ukrainian representatives got off. Okunev is going to catch Talia at Anna's house.

Pankratov was elected as a member of the Central Committee of the Ukrainian Youth Union, which is also relevant. Paul decided to stop by Zardari and Anna, and then go to Kiev with okunev and them. He went to the station post office to send Rita a diary and was delayed for a while. When he came out, all his friends had already left.

He took the tram to Anna and Dubawa's residence. Paul went to the second floor and knocked on the door on the left-Anna lives here. There is no answer inside. It is still early. Anna won't go to work so early. Paul thought, "She may not be awake yet."

At this time, the door next door opened, and Du Bawa, who was sleepy, came out and stood at the door. His face was gloomy, his eyes were blue, and he smelled the pungent smell of onions. Paul's keen sense of smell smelled the alcohol coming out of his mouth overnight. Through the half-open door, Paul saw a fat woman lying on the bed, or rather, her shoulders and a bare fat leg.

Dubawa noticed his eyes, kicked the door and closed it.

"What, are you looking for Comrade Anna Pocha?" He looked at the corner and asked in a hoarse voice. "She is no longer here. Don't you know? "

Paul looked at him carefully with a calm face.

"I don't know. Where did she move? "

Du Bawa suddenly lost his temper.

"I can't control this." He burped, suppressed his anger and said savagely, "Are you here to comfort her? Well, just in time. These seats are already empty. Let's act. You won't get in the way. She has told me several times that she likes you very much, or in another way of saying by a woman ... seize the opportunity, and then your spirit and body will be consistent. "

Paul felt a fever in his cheeks. He tried to restrain himself and whispered, "Dmitry, how did you get into this situation!" " I didn't expect you to become such a scoundrel. You used to be a good man. Why did you fall? "

Dubawa leaned against the wall. He seemed a little cold standing barefoot on the concrete floor, so he curled up. The door opened. A woman with sleepy eyes and swollen cheeks poked her head out and said, "My kitten, come in. What are you doing standing there? " ? ……"

Du Bawa didn't let her finish. She slammed the door and leaned against it.

"This is a good start ..." Paul said. "What people did you bring to the room! How to do this? "

Dubawa obviously doesn't want to talk any more. He shouted, "I don't even need you to tell me who I should sleep with?" I've heard enough of these sermons! Go back to where you came from! Tell everyone that I'm drinking and whoring with women now! "

Paul walked up to him and said excitedly, "Demetri, get rid of this woman." I want to talk to you for the last time ... "

Du Bawa's face fell, turned and walked into the room.

"Bah, this bad guy!" Paul scolded in a low voice and went downstairs slowly.

Two years have passed. Ruthless time goes by day by day, month by month, and life, a fast-paced and colorful life, always brings new content to these seemingly monotonous days, and every day is different from the previous day. For the first time in history, 160 million great people became the masters of their vast land and infinite wealth. They worked bravely and nervously to rebuild the economy destroyed by the war. The country is consolidating day by day and accumulating strength. Not long ago, many factories were abandoned, lifeless and desolate, but now all chimneys are smoking.

Paul feels that the past two years have passed so fast that he can hardly feel it.

He takes his time. He doesn't greet the dawn with a lazy yawn in the morning and doesn't go to bed at ten o'clock in the evening. He always lives in a hurry, not only himself, but also others.

He doesn't want to spend more time on sleep. Late at night, you can often see the lights on in his window, and several people in the room are immersed in reading. This is what they are studying. In two years, he finished the third volume of Das Kapital, and made clear the subtle structure of capitalist exploitation.

One day, Razwalikhin suddenly came to Paul's place of work. The provincial party Committee sent him, suggesting that he should be the secretary of the * * * League District Committee in a certain district. Paul is on a business trip. During Paul's absence, the Standing Committee sent Razwalikhin to a district. When Paul came back, he knew about it, but he said nothing.

A month has passed. Paul went to Razwalikhin to inspect the area. Although not many problems have been found, there are already some situations: Razwalikhin drank too much, wooed a group of sycophants and squeezed out good comrades. Paul mentioned these things to the Standing Committee for discussion. When everyone unanimously advocated giving Razwalikhin a severe reprimand, Paul unexpectedly said, "You should be expelled forever and you are not allowed to rejoin the League."

Everyone was surprised and thought the punishment was too heavy, but Paul insisted, "This bad guy must be fired. We gave this degenerate young student a chance to turn over a new leaf. He's just an alien who's mixed into the regiment. "