– Dez… I will not transfer its loss! Dez – my best friend… I am so lonely…
The citizen Shmeman wiped a lacy kerchief red weak-sighted eyes and a long nose.
– I assure you – it continued, having plaintively sobbed – that this work of professor Wagner. I saw more than once how it brought on a string of dogs into the apartment… What does it do with them? My God! I dread to think! Perhaps, my Dezi is dead… Take measures, I ask you!. If you do not make it, I will go to militia!. Dez, my poor baby!.
And madam Shmeman began to cry again… Her thin old cheeks became covered by red spots, the lower lip drooped.
Zhukov, the chairman of housing association, abruptly turned on a chair and clicked fingers. It lost patience.
– Calm down, the citizen! I assure you that we will take measures. And now, forgive… I am very busy…
Shmeman deeply sighed, bowed and left. Zhukov breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to the secretary of board Krotov:
– Faugh!. Exhausted! There are such annoying women!
– Yes … – Krotov thoughtfully responded. – Mischievous old woman! And case should be investigated. It is the fourth case of loss of dogs only on our yard. Neighbors complain too. What for a dog pestilence? I will not be surprised if really it turns out that dogs are stolen by professor Wagner. Only why the hell they are necessary to it? Does collars on a fur coat? Strange person! Suspicious person!
– Professor!
– That that professor? Perhaps, he clips the coin.
– From dogs?
– You do not laugh. There were cases! Dogs – special article. You pay attention: it has in the room all night long light. On a window curtain its shadow is often visible. Is unsteady about the room… Night-bird!
– Yes, strange person… The other day I go home by the tram. I look, professor Wagner opposite sits. According to the book holds in each hand and at once reads both. I in books glanced. One – the Russian, all figures different, and another – German. And here that surprisingly: each eye at it separately on lines runs: one eye reads one book, to others – another. The conductor approached it. «The ticket – says – take!» He on it raised one eye, and another in the book looks. She and gasped. And the public all stared at it. Look, mouths opened from surprise, and it though that…
– Perhaps, he went crazy?
– Everything is possible…
The door knocked. The room was entered by Fima, the old housekeeper of professor Wagner.
– Hello to you! My barin for the apartment sent money.
– There were bars and all left! – Zhukov told.
– Well, owner, perhaps, Wagner.
– And here she will tell us!.
– Tell us, Fima what your «barin» with dogs does.
Fima hopelessly waved a hand.
– It is a lot of dogs at it? Tell the truth!
– How many at it dogs, I cannot tell: it does not let me in the second room where they at it. And dogs are. It is heard as bark. At the night of times I spotted in a shchelochka. Well? The dog attached on a short collar sits. Cannot lay down. To sleep it, it is visible, death as there is a wish. The head and hangs. And he sits near yes it so tenderly under a neck tickles: does not allow to sleep. And he does not sleep. He never sleeps!
– How so does not sleep? The person cannot but sleep.
– I do not know as but only does not sleep at all. And long ago threw out a bed. «That it – says – and the rank was not! A bed – says – only to patients it is necessary».
Zhukov and Krotov bewildered looked at each other.
– There is a madman!
– Not otherwise, as the madman – Fima willingly agreed. – Only my habit: fifteen years live I at it, and that would leave him long ago… There was a person as the person, and already for about a year absolutely to himself is not similar. Just like not in.
– What it began at it with?
– Who knows it? Perhaps to a malefice?. He started it seems anew as to do gymnastics. You will come to it to the room, he as if dances: the right leg it seems as the Pole, and left – it seems as a waltz. And hands differently beats off. And then began to mow with eyes. Sits in front of the mirror and mows with eyes. Once I look at it, and at it one eye in a ceiling looks, and another – on a floor. I so also banged all ware on a floor – was stupefied.
– The doggie shmemansky is known by you? Dez klinut.
– White, kudlastenky such? How not to know!
– And so, whether your owner and this doggie dragged off?
– To see did not see, and everything can be. I was chattered, and there the iron will cool down… There is money!.
– What so it is not enough?
– The barin speaks, my owner that he in TsIKAPU is written down and has the right for the additional area.
– What such TsIKAPU? – asked Moles.
– TsEKUBU! – Zhukov guessed.
– Let the certificate will present for now still has to pay. And report.
– All right! – And, outdoing edge of an apron, red-cheeked Fima ran out from the room.
– It is necessary to report to militia. This madman still will set fire to the house or will bump off whom!
Case on charge of professor Wagner of theft of dogs collected a packed house of public. Acquaintances, meeting each other, asked:
– You too on «dog business»?. According to the agenda?
– No, out of curiosity!. Professor – and suddenly steals dogs!. What he, eats them?.
– And I according to the agenda. Witness. And my Jolly-boat was gone! Good dog. I think to make the civil suit…
– I ask to get up!.
Judges enter the hall.
– Case on charge of the citizen Ivan Stepanovich Wagner of theft is heard…
Professor Wagner approached a table. By sight it could give no more than forty years.
In his nutbrown hair, in a broad fair-haired beard and the hung moustaches it was possible to notice only a few silvery hairs. Fresh complexion, rosy cheeks and shining eyes breathed by force and health.
«And about this person said that he does not sleep at all!» – the judge thought, bewildered inspecting the defendant. He expected to meet the emaciated old man. And already with a keen interest the judge began to ask formal questions.
– Your name, middle name, surname?
– Ivan Stepanovich Wagner.
– Age?
– Fifty three years…
In public with astonishment exchanged glances.
– Occupation?
– Professor of the Moscow university.
– In labor union you consist?
– I consist. Workers of education.
– Party?
– Non-party. Under trial did not consist.
– Citizen of the USSR?
– Yes.
– He is married?
– Widower.
– You plead guilty?
Professor Wagner vaguely shrugged shoulders.
– No, I do not recognize.
– But you abducted dogs?
– Allow to offer an explanation after interrogation of witnesses.
– Well. Write down – the judge addressed the secretary. – «The defendant did not plead guilty». Call the witness, the militiaman in the beat Sitnikov! What can you show on business?
– Applications from citizens of Bondarny Lane about loss of dogs came to our police station. At the citizen Polyakov very expensive setter, at Yushkevich – a pug, and at Deryuginykh – even the Persian cat was gone. Dogs disappeared completely. Their corpses were not found. Obviously, someone stole dogs.
– You made search?
– The dog – business not big was gone. To admit, we had no time in each case search to do. But when complaints of the citizen Shmeman to the citizen Wagner and the statement of board of housing association arrived, we began to inquire. Almost all victims pointed to professor Wagner. It in general strange some. They say, at night does not sleep. Or works at home, or on streets is unsteady. The janitor of their house saw several times as Wagner came back home with a doggie on a lasso at night. In the room of his dog bark, squeal. Proofs were serious.
Therefore, owing to the arrived statements, we decided to execute a search and dredging of its papers at professor Wagner. A search was executed by me in the presence of the chairman of the board of housing association, the janitor and the citizen Shmeman.
Nothing reprehensible was found in the first room of the defendant, except various tools and cars of an unknown origin. In the second room we found six dogs of various breed, gender and age. All of them were tied to a wall on short thongs. At some of them the heads hanged down, as if died or were tired very much. And on a table the white doggie, lokhmatenky, with the hole punched in a skull so brains were visible lay. The citizen Shmeman identified the doggie in a corpse, cried and fainted…
In the courtroom reserved sobbings Shmeman were heard.
– Dez, Dezi!. – she whispered, sobbing.
– The taken-away papers are brought by me into court – the militiaman finished.
– Undersign. Witness Zhukov!
Zhukov, the chairman of the board of housing association, confirmed testimonies of the militiaman.
– To execute a search – he added – we were forced still by that circumstance that professor Wagner is very unclear resident. Residents think that they it the mad, and are even afraid to let out children. In order to avoid panic and disorganization of the population I would ask to subject Wagner to psychiatric examination.
Perhaps, it is dangerous – having for some reason been confused, Zhukov added – and he should be moved.
Professor Wagner smiled.
– What is it dangerous by? – the judge asked.
– As in general abnormal! And neighbors complain: something hisses at it in the room, buzzes, and that explosions suddenly… Still the house will blow up!. And dogs howl the whole night… Inconvenient resident, in a word.
– Citizen Shmeman!
– Mister judge! – she began with the shivering voice, wiping a tear scarf, and immediately recovered: – Citizen judge!. He is a murderer! – She pointed a finger at Wagner with two wedding rings. – I am a widow… I have nobody… It killed my best friend… My Dezi!. – And Shmeman began to cry again.
– You make the civil suit?
– What claim? For what?
– For a doggie… You about it ask in your application…
– Nothing will reward me for loss!. – tragicly she said. – I do not know what there is written…
Other witnesses did not bring something new. The janitor in detail told how dogs on their yard vanished as also the «ostatny» doggie of Dezi was gone as he saw Wagner bringing into the house of dogs…
One of witnesses identified the dog among «victims» of professor Wagner. The dog was live, but she looked extraordinary tired and, brought home, overslept three days deeply.
– Among papers – the judge when interrogation of witnesses was finished told – from professor Wagner magazines with various records, obviously, about the experiments conducted by it over animals were taken in search time. I will announce some of them.
Here – there began the judge – records of professor Wagner about experiences:
«Skilled animal: Diana, a setter, a female, weight is twenty two kilograms. Viscosity of blood during wakefulness – two whole eighty nine 100-th. Viscosity of blood in the period of exhaustion sleeplessness – one and forty six 100-th».
There is also a number of such tables:
«Krioskopichesky point: the normal state – fifty nine 100-th degrees; a condition of imperative requirement of a dream – fifty eight 100-th degrees.
Density: the normal state – one and sixty four thousand; a condition of imperative requirement of a dream – one and fifty seven thousand.
Viscosity: the normal state – two whole seven hundred eleven thousand; a condition of imperative requirement of a dream – two».
Defendant professor Wagner! Testimony and the announced documents, I believe, your guilt is quite established. Why you do not plead guilty? Explain to us…
– Judge’s citizens! I do not deny the fact of kidnapping of dogs, but did not plead guilty, and that is why. Any theft assumes the mercenary purpose. I had no such purpose. You announced documents from which the court could be convinced that I pursued exclusively scientific aims. I conduct the experiences having enormous value for all mankind. That advantage which these experiences have to bring is incommensurable to insignificant harm which I did.
– What it is experiences?
After some fluctuation professor Wagner told:
– I work on a problem of fatigue and a dream. To win against fatigue and to destroy requirement of a dream – here what task I set to myself.
– And you successfully resolved it? Whether the truth that you already do without dream?
– Yes, truth. I do not sleep any more and I can work without exhaustion twenty four hours a day.
In public there was a movement. The surprised exclamations and a whispering were heard.
– Why you did not publish your achievements?
– I continue to improve the methods.
– But whether you why you considered it necessary to resort to such strange and illegal ways of getting of dogs for your experiences explain? If experiences are of value, the government would provide you to all necessary for work!
Professor Wagner hesitated.
– These experiences are too courageous. They could seem even fantastic. I believed in success, but on the way inevitable failures lay. They could ruin both business and my reputation before I would achieve positive results. And I decided to make them in calm of the office, at own risk. But I had few personal funds for acquisition of dogs for experiences. To refuse them when the task was half resolved, I could not. And I was forced…
– To steal dogs? – with a smile the judge added. Professor Wagner became straight and answered with tone of deep belief in the correctness:
– A dog century – some twenty years. The cost of a dog – rubles, is a lot of – tens of rubles. Having destroyed several dogs, I will extend mankind life three times, at the same time I will treble also the value of human productivity. If for it I deserve punishment, judge me! I have nothing to add more.
Judges left to confer. The public rustled as an alarmed beehive. In all corners small groups arguing on the forthcoming sentence were formed. Separate shouts were heard:
– Theft remains theft!
– But its experiences can do much good for mankind!.
– Not to sleep at all?. – some smiling fat man spoke. – The servant is obedient! Allow to refuse this blessing! Still Turgenev told that all our life – a dream and the best in life – besides a dream!.
– Perhaps, he lies?
– Who? Turgenev?
– Well, Wagner as if he does not sleep at all. The person cannot do without dream!.
– Court all right!.
At breathless attention the sentence was listened. Admitting the theft fact established, the court awarded professor Wagner by a month of imprisonment without strict isolation. «Taking former non-conviction of the defendant and lack of the mercenary purposes, punishment to apply conditionally into account, having established the annual term of test…»
– Case on the claim of housing association is heard…
The public rushed from the hall, discussing a sentence which, probably, satisfied the majority: formally Wagner is punished, actually bailed.
Only some criticized a sentence.
– Means, it is possible to steal and kill with impunity? – defiantly loudly Shmeman asked, looking around at supports.
– If there is no self-interest, then there is no theft also! Wagner should submit the cassation! – told others.
Under cross views doctor Wagner made the way along the corridor vessels. But he did not pay to anybody attention. It was ozabochivat by a thought:
«From where I will take dogs, necessary for experience, now?.»
Trial had unexpected consequences for professor Wagner: to it popularity, perhaps, came earlier, than he wanted it. On court session incidentally there was a correspondent of one small Moscow newspaper. In several days in department of the judicial chronicle there was a note with the intriguing name «The Person Who Does Not Sleep». In a note trial of doctor Wagner was described and it was reported that professor «won against a dream»: he does not sleep at all and can work tirelessly twenty four hours a day.
Result of this note was the fact that in several days the housekeeper reported on Wagner on arrival of the correspondent of Izvestia. Wagner discontentedly frowned: he got used to preserve the mystery of the works. But, having thought a little, professor decided to use visit of the representative of the press: if it is impossible to catch more at night dogs, it is necessary to resort to government aid. To continue experiences secretly it was not represented possible any more and in it there was no big need also: with what it reached, it was already possible to act publicly. The correspondent was accepted.
Making the way via the heated-up machines and devices, the correspondent Gorev uvidat professor Wagner and in amazement stopped. Wagner stood at a high desk. From a nose of professor there were two rubber tubes coming through an opening of a window frame to light. These tubes as if integrally connected professor with the cars surrounding him as if also he half turned into the car. And one more struck Gorev: the left eye Wagner checked some book and did of it by the left hand of an extract, and the right eye it directed on the visitor and gave it the right hand.
– I ask to sit down! – kindly Wagner told, without stopping working the left hand.
Gorev, worldly-wise as any skilled correspondent, was so struck that forgot all usual approaches of the journalist and is silent, with full bewilderment looked at the left eye of professor running according to the book and the manuscript, at tubes in his nose.
Professor noticed this puzzled type of the visitor and smiled.
– You are surprised by these tubes? – kindly it began. – But it is so simple: I too value the time to walk. Meanwhile clean air is necessary for health of a body and lucidity of mind. And here I made small adaptation: I removed outside, over a roof, two tubes which ends with special adaptation are inserted into a nose. At inhalation of air one valve opens, at exhalation this valve is closed by pressure of air, and another which lets out the air fulfilled by lungs opens. This small adaptation gives me the chance all the time to breathe fresh air, and see what rosy cheeks at me! The trifling invention, but it can bring big benefit. Present patients who cannot be taken out from the room. And modern ventilation leaves to wish a lot of the best. By means of this device all patients can breathe clean air. I expect bigger: if still ancient Romans were able to carry out water for hundreds of kilometers, having created the monumental aqueducts, then why don’t we create «aeroduka»? It would be possible to deliver on pipes, for example, mountain or sea air. Eventually, it would be cheaper, than to send patients for the sake of air for hundreds and thousands of kilometers. The central pipes with the special supercharger will give air to our cities, and there it will be distributed. The mountain, sea, steppe or given to drink by needles air will be available to all…
Professor Wagner spoke quickly, without ceasing to write with the left hand. The right eye he continued to look at the visitor.
Gorev, at last, found gift for speaking.
– Tell how you can do it?. – And he looked at sloping eyes of professor and his left hand.
– To write with the left hand, to operate each eye separately, to work and to talk at the same time to you? The matter is that at me both brain hemispheres work absolutely independently and almost independently from each other.
But I have to explain you, so to speak, my starting point. As you know, officially I am professor of biology. Not less to you, I hope, also the fact that modern scientific disciplines extremely quickly break up to independent parts is known. Before our eyes the biological chemistry grows. Each new scientific branch, like the atomic theory, quickly grows in independent scientific discipline. Years are necessary to comprehend each of these certain scientific areas.
And meanwhile, to go forward, it is necessary to know also interdisciplinary sciences: the biology and physiology, chemistry and electricity, even geology and astronomy – all of them intertwine, mutually influence at each other. Some comprehensive mind is necessary to capture all this mass of knowledge. And life human is so short! To me for fifty. Ten more – another years, and the end. Before me enormous tasks which I want to resolve. Means, the first that I had to make for the purpose, it anyway to extend life. At first I thought of experiences of rejuvenation. What is already reached helped me: I look much younger. Perhaps, I will also return to these experiences. But so far I stopped that to me he was more familiar on the works on a brain.
The first that to me came to a thought, it to develop ability to work separately with each brain hemisphere. Unfortunately, I cannot stop in detail at these works: it would take too much time. I will tell only that here the major role is played by a training. You, maybe, had to see rhythmic gymnastics of Dalkroz? Kids quickly seize ability to operate the asymmetric movements: the right hand they can beat three time, left – two, besides at various rates, at the same time making various movements and legs. Something similar was made also by me, by the way, to full bewilderment of my housekeeper.
More difficult it appeared to seize the device of eyes. At us each eye has an independent control system, but owing to what we better see, fixing both eyes on one point, we developed a habit to coordinate the movements of eyes. Heredity of these skills complicated fight for «autonomy» in the movement of eyes. However such independence of the movement of each eye is quite possible. The chameleon can be an example of it. I was engaged in exercises. You see results. To learn to write and work the left hand did not represent work. It was necessary to pass to the last: to learn to perform at the same time two mental work, for example, to write with both hands two scientific research on different subjects at once. On it several years left at me. I achieved the. Thus I doubled the brain production.
But and it it seemed to me a little. Eight hours of a dream! We lose a third of human life on that helpless, half-dead state. Here what revolted me. To exempt mankind from a sleepy duty. What extraordinary prospects, what opportunities!. How many great works still great thinkers would give us if to present to them all nights for creativity! How many unfinished great works would be finished! As progress would move! The worker, having fulfilled the put hours at the machine, would spend night behind the book or public work. At us would not be illiterate. It is more than that, all would have an opportunity to become quite educated people. What with great strides progress would move! Here of what I thought…
Professor Wagner was animated. His right eye burned with enthusiasm. Apparently, nervousness was transferred also to other half of a brain: the left eye also flashed and the left hand began to write falteringly.
But Wagner noticed it, and the left eye as though went out, having gone deep into work, the left hand methodically zastrochit while the right eye continued to burn with enthusiasm and the right hand led round wide circles.
– And now it is possible! – professor told. – A dream – not the so normal phenomenon, but the disease which is result of gipnotoksinama poisoning: these are special poisons which are excreted by a brain during the work. Poisoned with these poisons, the person falls asleep, that is gets sick.
When the person sleeps, the brain does not produce new toxins; for the same time the organism destroys the toxins which collected for the working day.
Thus, having had a sleep, the person recovers, but – alas! – again to ache by the evening, and it is forced to go to bed again. Unless it is not awful?!
If you want, the dream is infectious. I did such experience: forced a dog not to sleep.
When its organism was poisoned with gipnotoksina, I took them and injected to well slept and just woken up dog. She immediately fell asleep.
All task was in finding «antidote» – antigipnotoksina. And I managed to resolve a task more widely, than I assumed: found me антигипнотоксин kills not only toxins of a dream, but also others. Therefore, it improves all organism. There were many obstacles, but they are won. I overcame a dream. I threw out a bed – this symbol of hospital. I do not sleep any more and I work almost day and night. Antigipnotoksin I accept together with food. On meal leaves at me one or two hours a day.
All this was so extraordinary that Gorev continued to sit silently, listening carefully to professor.
– But how you felt at first? – at last he asked.
– Yes, I had to tinker with a habit to sleep a little. There was no wish to sleep to me at all. But this continuous, infinite working day – with the sun behind a window, with a dark veil of night – worked somehow strange. I, however, got used to it soon. But as it is well worked in calm of night! I will not cut out one selfish thought: I am afraid that when all people begin to lead a sleepless life, it will not be so silent at night.
– And it does not seem to you that not all can like prospect of life without dream?
– I am confident even in it. – And professor smiled. – I offered somehow in the winter, in the remote village, to one country guy who was surprised that I do not sleep to try on itself my means. He agreed. Next morning I ask it how he feels. «It be wrong! – the guy speaks. – From melancholy nearly died! All village sleeps. One dogs bark. Went, went – a toshchishcha! Climbed on the furnace – a dream as sober as a judge. Thought, night of this and the end will not be!»
Exempt people from habitual work – professor continued – they will start missing too. But all this only at the lowest steps of culture. This culture quickly rises at rational use of «sleepless nights».
– One more question. You say that you do not sleep almost all twenty four hours. But how you are not tired?
– Very simply. The fatigue is the painful phenomenon too. The working brain excretes gipnotoksina, the working muscles excrete kenotoksina – poisons which cause feeling of fatigue. I import antidote – ретардин, and the fatigue as did not happen. Mine ретардин also interrupts a course of disease, the called fatigue as interrupt returnable typhus now, having entered into an organism диоксидиаминоарсенобензолдихлоргидрат – a tongue twister Wagner spoke.
At Gorev took the breath away from this long word. He asked professor to repeat the exotic name on syllables and wrote down in a notebook. «Such words give to article scientific weight» – he thought.
– And now count – professor Wagner told. – Working with two halves of a brain, I double the production. Working as twenty four hours instead of eight, I triple working hours. Means, I work for six, besides without any harm for health. Therefore, in thirty years of working life of people she will be able to perform work of hundred eighty years. Still in other words, in an every half-century the mankind will move forward on the way of progress for three centuries at once.
How you believe, costs it heels of narrow-minded dogs?. – with a smile professor finished.
The capacious drawing room of the banker Goldzak who bought recently baronial title was trimmed with heavy magnificence. On the walls trimmed with the carved oak panel horns of deer and the coats of arms of the newly appeared baron flaunted. In a corner the knight in armor and with a sword of the 13th century – doubtful «ancestor» of the baron was located. At windows with narrow lattices color glasses represented the same baronial coat of arms: on a yellow board the hand bent in an elbow chained in armor squeezed an iron glove a sword. Over a hand – five dark blue stars.
In the middle of the room around a big round a black oak table on oak chairs with high carved backs members of the central committee of the German political organization «Diktator» sat. On a chair with higher back, with a carved German state eagle at its top the chairman of the meeting – the old general, one of «heroes» of imperialistic war, the Kaiser’s friend sat. A rough face of the general as if cut by the axe from a piece of a tree, densely compressed bays under the moustaches raised up spoke about big will power. From under the hung gray-haired eyebrows the inquisitive, seldom blinking eyes looked out. On its uniform frock coat only «the iron cross» flaunted.
On the right side from the chairman the host – the baron Goldzak, in a black dress coat, with absolutely bald head, shaven, with a monocle in an eye was located. Further in a strict order, on a rank, members of the committee were located. The general with a narrow forehead, deeply put eyes and an outstanding chin. Something cruel, animal was in this head. Still general… Officials of the ministries, deputies… Large manufacturers and bankers closed a circle.
The young-looking person in a dress coat, with the person and the diplomat’s manners – the secretary of committee – did the report. On a table about it issue of Izvestia with Gorev’s article «Victory over a dream and fatigue of professor Wagner» lay. Here a translation of article into German.
– We did not check up to the end reliability of the data provided in article yet, but, according to the data which are available already for us, apparently, she answers reality.
I should not speak about value of this discovery. If it is used by the Soviet Russia, the ratio of forces between it and other states of the world considerably will change. In some five years power of the Bolshevism will extraordinary grow.
Simultaneous work as both brain hemispheres, fortunately, demands time and a training and therefore it is not absolutely available to masses. But one victory over a dream and fatigue already triples physical and intellectual forces of our political opponents, at the same time and their material resources. Their scientific forces and skilled workers will work three times and even six times more. Production of the industry will increase. In several years they will have new shots of well trained staff in all areas of the equipment. In a word, their power will grow is unceasing. They will work when the whole world sleeps. They will work when we are forced to have a rest after day of work.
– Well, growth of the industry will happen not so soon – the manufacturer told. – Let’s put, all their plants and factories will work day and night. But further?. It will be not so easy to get the credits for construction of new factories and plants to them. You, the baron, will not grant them the loan? – with a smile he addressed Goldzak.
The baron answered with the same smile and started up a smoke ringlet.
– But there is other danger – the hoarse voice of the general was heard. – I speak about military power of Red army. What if only eight of sixteen «additional» hours a day it is used by them for military training of workers and peasants? It is equivalent to creation of multimillion army. Further, during war they will have fighters who do not need rest. They should not replace soldiers in entrenchments. They will be always sharp-sighted, vigilant, fresh while at us two thirds of soldiers temporarily fail for a dream and rest. Their pilots who are not knowing were tired, will be able to make distant flights… Their command structure, their headquarters will be able to direct operations, without producing threads of management for one minute for rest and a dream. It is possible that they use means of professor Wagner also over horses. Their wagon trains, their cavalry will not know fatigue. All this is too serious!.
The speech of the old general made a great impression on a meeting, in particular on military. Generals frowned, nervously drummed fingers, dragged on cigars more deeply…
– But the most dangerous – the secretary rose again – consists in political value of the fact. Already now the Bolshevism shakes the world, keeps the governments of all countries of the world in constant nervous tension. Wagner’s means triples, or perhaps even ushesteryat number of Bolsheviks. Here, in the circle, we can be frank. We do not know how to cope with one leader of Communistic International. What will be if this leader has an opportunity to work six times more? We will have six such leaders, the Komintern six times increased, millions of Russian Bolsheviks who are not knowing were tired, propagandizing and decomposing masses day and night, day and night, for twenty four hours a day!!
These arguments made a tremendous impression. Hands of the audience shivered, scarfs wiped cold sweat on foreheads and bald heads…
– It is awful!.
– Nightmare! – uneasy voices were heard.
There came terrible silence. It seemed, terrible ghosts got suddenly into this office and filled it with chilling breath of death.
At last the chairman of the meeting shook the head and knocked a hairy fist on a table.
– It cannot be allowed! – hoarsely he shouted. – By all means we have to eliminate the menacing danger! Before the invention of professor Wagner becomes property of Bolsheviks, we have to seize a secret of professor Wagner!
And, induced by fear and hatred, the meeting passed to discussion of a question of how to make it.
One baron Goldzak did not take part in a meeting. To it already grandiose plans were drawn. He thought of that how many it is possible to benefit by opening of professor Wagner if the secret of this opening appears in his hands.
After trial all schedule of occupations of professor Wagner was violated. To it correspondents of newspapers and magazines, professors, students and just curious public wishing to try «powder from a dream» were. Professor Wagner already got used to these visits and therefore was not surprised when he heard as behind a door someone with a German accent asked for permission to enter.
When the door opened, professor uvidat the young man with a chubby, pink face and the short curling fair hair. Big «fashionable» tortoise points somehow did not go to this young face. The perfect suit gave to the stranger the European look.
– May I introduce myself, dear sir professor!. Herman Taube, member of the Berlin society of fans of natural sciences. From this society I also came to you… Your opening extremely interested us. And society addresses to you with the most obedient request: you could not give in our circle several lectures about your works?
– Unfortunately, I have no time.
– Oh, it will not take a lot of time! – the young man began to fuss. Its female voice was raised to the highest notes, eyes looked prositelno through tortoise hoops of points. It even inclined the head on one side and squeezed hands. – If only you agreed!. If only agreed! For us it will be such holiday! I am the not scientific, but passionate fan of science. My father is rich… is very rich… If you wished, you would find at us all necessary for your works… We would equip to you fine laboratory… tens, hundreds of dogs would be at your disposal!.
Wagner smiled.
– You are very kind, but, unfortunately, I have to reject your offer. I am not going to leave Russia.
– What a pity!. Oh, what a pity! It seemed to me that here to work… what there to work… But you will not refuse to give at us several lectures! It will take only several days. We will go in the air way, on the passenger airplane of the new company of air traffics «Uenshetlikh унд Bekvemkheyt» – «Safety and convenience». Quite justifies the name… Successfully competes with Deruluft… I undertake all efforts on vising of passports. We will not speak about expenses and the fee… We, of course, undertake everything…
– I could spend for this business no more than three-four hours. I too value time. Do not forget that I have sixfold productivity. If I spend only two days, then for me they will be equal to loss of twelve. No, I cannot accept your offer!
– I am extremely upset. And the head of our laboratory professor Braude will be even more upset. It works in the same area, as you. But its method a bit different…
Professor Wagner quickened.
– Here is how! In what its method?
– He tries … – Taube was confused a little. His face expressed the thought tension as though he wanted to remember something. – It works on method which will give the chance to the organism to produce toxins against гип… гип…
But Wagner already guessed a thought.
– Just I work on it now! Our newspapers exaggerated my progress on this way a little…
– I not from newspapers! – broke at Taube. It reddened from disappointment on itself (himself). – Professor Braude works several years in this area. He so wanted to get acquainted with you and to share experience!. It is very a pity that now it is necessary to upset him…
– It changes business! I think that loss of time will be rewarded… Professor Braude?. I did not hear something about it.
– Young and extremely modest… does not love advertizing… But it is scary ingenious!.
– I agree!
Taube rushed to professor and began to shake his hands.
– Thousand thanks! And I will take care of departure. You will not waste minutes the precious time!
And, having fawned, it was behind a door.
«Strange young man. Dogs wanted to bribe me!» – professor Wagner thought after his leaving.
Early in the morning the passenger-and-mail airplane was removed from airfield and quickly began to gain height. In a cozy cabin on easy leather chairs took place: professor Wagner, Herman Taube, the diplomatic courier of the French Embassy in Moscow and the employee of the Soviet trade mission in Berlin.
If the hum of the motor which is not weakened by the advanced muffler yes smooth rocking, it was possible to think that you sit in a compartment of the car. Through mirror windows the panorama of Moscow with the coiling tape of the river below was seen. As toy, the Kremlin sparkling the domes seemed. And ahead the infinite carpet of fields and the woods which is cut up by yellowish lines of roads and blue windings of the rivers was already spread. Yellow squares allocated fields of the ripening rye. Here and there, as ants, moved on roads and people and animals pottered about on fields.
But professor Wagner not for long admired these bird’s-eye views. As the miser worries over each kopek, so Wagner valued every minute of time. He took out books, attached on a lap a folding lectern and turned to work. Reading the book, he at the same time continuously wrote something to notebooks with shorthand signs.
Having noticed an inquiring look of Taube, he explained:
– I write only shorthand. It is my own system. I reduce and I simplify work where it is possible. I created own system of mnemonic – this great assistant to whom, unfortunately, pay attention a little. By means of mnemonic I am able to store extraordinary large number of figures, formulas, names in memory. Business is facilitated by the fact that thanks to purity of my brain from which the toxins poisoning him are emitted it works with indefatigable clarity and force. All this increases productivity of my work even more. Without exaggeration, I work for ten…
And Wagner became silent, having gone deep into work.
Taube looked out of the window on a tableau vivant of the country, so unclear for it, such poor and at the same time powerful, peace in the developed pictures of work of peasants and the terrible that force which will organize millions of these strong hands…
Some river seemed in the distance. On high coastal hills the city was stretched. On the right coast the city was surrounded with ancient gear walls of the Kremlin with high towers. Over all city the huge five-domed cathedral reigned.
– Dnieper!. Smolensk!. Our first stop!.
The airplane flew by over the wood and smoothly fell by good airfield.
Have breakfast and started on a further journey. The sky tightened clouds. The gusty head wind shook the airplane as the ship on big ocean waves. The movement of flight was slowed down. Kovno nevertheless reached safely. It is the last stop in front of Konigsberg. Despite the increasing bad weather, the airplane went to a further way. Wind passed into a squall. Threw the airplane in the parties, abruptly lifted on counter air waves. Sometimes, as if having lost wings, the device promptly fell down.