– 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.
– What you on it will tell? – he repeated the question.
– It is the devil’s work, some frozen human flesh – at last Gilbert apathetically answered and with a fastidious mine put a sigarette.
– Allow! Allow! – jumped, as on a spring, Carlson. – You, obviously, acquired to yourself my idea insufficiently?.
– I admit, I have no special desire and to acquire. It is nonsense or madness.
– Not madness, not nonsense, but the greatest invention which in skillful hands will bring to the person millions! And if you doubt, then allow you to remind history of this invention.
And Carlson began to chatter as though he answered the learned lesson:
– Anabiosis is incidentally opened by the Russian scientist Bakhmetyev. Studying temperature of insects, this scientist noticed that at gradual cooling the body temperature of an insect falls, then, reaching temperature minus nine and three tenth degrees Celsius, rise almost to zero at once, and then again falls already to ambient temperature, approximately by twenty two degrees below zero. And then the insect falls into a strange state – neither a dream, nor death: all vital processes stop, and the insect can lie, the okochenely and frozen, vaguely long time. But rather carefully and gradually to warm up an insect, and it comes to life and continues to live indifferently. From insects Bakhmetyev passed to fishes. It froze, for example, a crucian who lay in an okocheneniye, or anabiosis as Bakhmetyev called this state, several months. Warmed up, it returned to life and floated, as always.
The death of the scientist interrupted these interesting experiments, and forgot about them soon. And, as it often happens, Russians invent, and others use fruits of their inventions.
Remember Yablochkov, remember the inventor of radio telegraph Popov, remember, at last, Tsiolkovsky… So was and this time. German Shteyngauz for practical purposes used Bakhmetyev’s invention: transportations and storages of live fish. As you know, he acquired millions!
Gilbert became interested and listened to Carlson already with some attention.
– I thank you for a lecture – he told. – I receive to a table the fresh fish hooked in the remote seas. But, to admit, I was not interested in way of its freezing. This or that whether everything is equal? If only fish was absolutely fresh. And, you speak, Shteyngauz earned millions from this business?
– Tens, hundreds of millions! It now one of the richest people of Germany!
Gilbert thought.
– But it is only fishes – he told after a pause – and you offer absolutely improbable thing: to freeze people! Whether it is possible?
– Perhaps! Now it is possible! Bakhmetyev froze the animals who are exposed to hibernation, so-called cold blooded: groundhog, hedgehog, bat. As for warm-blooded animals, it did not manage to subject them to anabiosis. However the Russian scientist, professor Wagner famous for the victory over a dream invented a way to change composition of blood of warm-blooded animals, bringing closer them to blood of cold blooded animals. And it managed «to freeze» and recover a monkey already safely.
– But not the person?
– What difference?
Gilbert discontentedly shook the head, and Carlson smiled.
– I speak only from the point of view of biology and physiology. At monkeys composition of blood, absolutely identical with the person. Absolutely identical. And here to you extraordinary, but quite feasible prospects: mass freezing of people, in this case э… э … unemployed. Who does not know what whether the emergency is endured by the coal industry and one coal? Periodic crises and the unemployment accompanying them, unfortunately, constant disaster of our social order. On it any trouble-makers like communists predicting death of capitalism from the internal contradictions which are tearing apart it play. Let them do not hurry to bury capitalism! Capitalism will find a way out, and one of exits is the way offered by me!
Crisis will burst – and we will freeze the unemployed and we will fold them in special glaciers. And passes crisis, demand for working hands will appear, we will warm up them, and welcome to the mine.
Carlson was inspired and spoke, how on a tribune.
– Ha-ha-ha! – Gilbert did not keep. – Yes you joker, Mr.?.
– Carlson. And I speak absolutely seriously – Carlson took offense. This person began to occupy Gilbert.
– Yes – continuing to laugh, the coalman told – there are such nasty times when, apparently, and willingly would freeze itself about the best days! But will cost how many your mad project? It is necessary to build special buildings, to maintain special temperature in them!
Carlson raised a finger up, then put it to the prickly head of hear.
– Here everything is considered! My plan is simpler! To you as to the owner of mines, it has to be known that warmth increases approximately by one degree with each seventy feet in Earth depth. You also know that the richest deposits of the splendid coal are found in Greenland, behind the Polar circle, in Humboldt’s glaciers. As soon as the coal market gets stronger, you will be able to begin development there. You receive a number of mines of various depth with various temperature. And this temperature will remain invariable years there at all times. It is necessary only to enter small amendments to adapt mines for our purposes. I will not complicate you a statement of details now, but I can submit when you order, quite developed technical plan and the estimate.
«That for the funny person» – Gilbert thought and asked Carlson a question:
– Tell, please and you who: engineer, scientist, professor?
– I am a schemer! Scientists and professors are able to sit out fine eggs in the laboratories, but they are not always able to break them and to make fried eggs! It is necessary to be able from the immaterial ideas to take material pounds sterling.
Gilbert smiled and, having thought a little, stretched to Carlson a box with cigarettes.
«Victory» – Carlson exulted in soul, lighting a cigarette the electric lighter standing on a table. But Gilbert did not give up yet.
– Let’s say that all this is possible. However I expect a number of obstacles. The first: whether we will get permission of the government?
– And why and not to give to the government this permission if we prove full safety of application to people of anabiosis? Social value of this measure will perfectly consider our government.
– Yes, it so – Gilbert answered, turning over in the mind members of the conservative government whose most had personal large interests in the coal industry.
– But most important question: whether workers will go to it? Whether they will agree «to fade» periodically for the period of unemployment?
– Will agree! The need will force! – with conviction Carlson told. – People with hunger are hung up, burn, and here like rest! Of course, it was able to approach it is necessary. First of all it is necessary to find daredevils who would agree to subject themselves to anabiosis. This should promise the first the large amounts of remuneration. When they revive», they should use as advertizing. Then at first it will be necessary to promise monetary support to families. But of course, it is necessary to stop up a throat and to some of the working aristocracy consisting in leaders of so-called labor movement. And further you will see that further everything will go like clockwork. The unemployed will «be frozen» by the whole families. And the terrible evil – unemployment – will be destroyed. At you will be given a free hand. Extraordinary prospects will open for you! Millions, tens of millions will begin to flow in your safes and fireproof cases! Decide! Tell «yes», and I will submit you all estimates, plans and calculations tomorrow.
The common practical sense said to Gilbert that all this fantastic plan was a pure gamble. But Gilbert endured such financial position when the person before fear of inevitable crash rushes to the ventures. And Carlson drew such tempting prospects! The large businessman and the businessman was ashamed to admit to himself that it as he drowning, is ready to grasp this chimerical straw of «frozen human flesh».
– Your project is too unusual. I will think and I will give you the answer!.
– Think, think! – willingly Carlson agreed, rising from a chair. – I do not dare to detain you – and it left, smiling enough. – Pecks! – cheerfully he shouted, being dipped into the bubbling copper of traffic of City.
– Carlson, you ruined me! – with a sour mine Gilbert spoke. – I spent enormous funds for the equipment underground телохранилищ. I throw money for advertizing and our announcements. And nevertheless for all month of a newspaper campaign any person wishing to subject himself to the first public experience of freezing despite the good remuneration offered by us was not. Obviously, life of workers is not so bad, Carlson as socialists shout of it! And eventually, if anabiosis such safe piece why to you, Carlson not to subject itself to the first experience?
– Me?
– Well, you!
– Me? – once again Carlson asked and tousled the shchetinisty hair. – I am ready! Yes, yes! I am ready! But what will become with all business? It will fall asleep together with me! No, lulling others, somebody should be awake! I am a schemer! Without such as I, the whole world would plunge into anabiosis hibernation!
Their altercations were stopped by knock of an entrance door. The office included extraordinary lean person with the scarf which is reeled up around a long neck. By the light of a strong lamp big round points of the visitor sparkled as automobile headlights. He cleared the throat and stretched issue of the newspaper.
– I according to the announcement. Hello! May I introduce myself. Eduard Lesley, astronomer.
Carlson was driven by a sphere to the visitor.
– Are very glad to get acquainted with you! I ask to sit down! You wish to subject yourself to experience? Our conditions are known to you? We will pay you the considerable sum and we will provide a family with lifelong pension in a case… um… But of course, this case will not occur!.
– It is not necessary! Khe-khe… Remuneration is not necessary. My name, apparently, says enough that I do not need money. – Lesley frowned. – At me another… to a khe-kha, damned cough…
– From the scientific purposes, so to speak?
– Yes, scientific, but only not of what you, probably, think. I am an astronomer as told you. I wrote big work about group Leonid which fell in November from the Leo constellation…
Lesley has again a fit of coughing, having grasped with a hand a breast. Having cleared the throat, he quickened and suddenly with great feeling started talking:
– This group was observed by Humboldt in South America in one thousand seven hundred ninety ninth. It perfectly described this wonderful heavenly phenomenon. Then Leonida approached Earth in the one thousand eight hundred thirty third or one thousand eight hundred sixty sixth. Waited for them through the usual period of time in thirty three – thirty four years, in one thousand eight hundred ninety ninth. But here to them there was misfortune… Da-with, misfortune! They too close approached the planet Jupiter which attraction rejected them from a usual orbit, and now they pass the way at distance of two million kilometers from Earth so they are almost invisible to us…
Lesley made a pause again to clear the throat.
Carlson for a long time expressing impatience tried to use this pause.
– Allow, dear professor, but what relation the falling Leonida’s stars, the Leo constellation and Jupiter have to our enterprise?
Lesley pulled a long neck and with some irritation tutorially noticed:
– Have patience to listen to the end, the young man! – And it, having defiantly turned on a chair, addressed Gilbert: – I am busy with difficult calculations about which I will not speak in detail. These calculations are connected with destiny of group Leonid. Accuracy of my calculations is challenged by my respectable colleague Zauyer…
Gilbert exchanged glances with Carlson. Whether they deal with the maniac?
This eye was caught by Lesley, and, with irritation having pulled a neck, it ended the speech, having sent the round points to a ceiling as if calibrating the thoughts to the sky:
– I am sick… the last stage of tuberculosis.
– But you at the wrong door addressed, dear professor! – Carlson told.
– To the address! All right – with to listen to the end. I am sick and I will die soon. And the next emergence Leonid in the field of our sight can be expected only in one thousand nine hundred thirty third. I will not live up to this time. Meanwhile I can prove the case to the scientific world only as a result of additional observations. And here I ask you to subject me to anabiosis and to return to life in one thousand nine hundred thirty third, then to ship in anabiosis again, awakening in one thousand nine hundred sixty fifth, then in one thousand nine hundred ninety eighth and, at last, in two thousand twenty first. It is clear? – And Lesley filled the eyepieces on interlocutors.
– Absolutely it is clear! – Gilbert answered. – But, dear professor, by then your scientific opponent can die and you will have nobody to prove your case!
– We, astronomers, live in eternity! – with pride Lesley answered.
– All this is very entertaining – Carlson told. – I see that anabiosis – very good thing for astronomers. You, for example, can ask to wake you when the Sun goes out to check fidelity of your calculations. But we – not astronomers – are interested closer future. Now we need only experience as proof of the fact that anabiosis is absolutely harmless and safe for life. Therefore we stipulate that stay in anabiosis did not last more than a month. Second condition: processes of immersion in anabiosis and returns to life have to happen publicly.
– I agree to it. But month does not suit me at all! – And the upset Lesley began to tie a scarf around the long neck.
– Allow – Gilbert stopped it. – We could make so: we «awaken» you in a month, and then we immerse you in anabiosis on any to you time again!
– Perfectly! – the pleased Lesley exclaimed. – I am ready!
– You have to sign a number of obligations and statements that you of own will subject yourself to anabiosis and you have no claims to us in case of a failure. It only for formality, but nevertheless…
– He agrees, agrees to everything! Here to you my hand! Report when I am necessary to you! – And the pleased Lesley quickly left office…
– Well? Pecked? – Carlson repeated the favourite expression when Lesley left, and tapped of Gilbert on the shoulder. Gilbert frowned from this familiarity.
– Not absolutely the fact that it is necessary for us. Here if to steam of workers who would trumpet then in mines.
– There will be also workers! Patience, my young friend as this astronomer speaks!
– It is possible to enter? – At a door of office the shaggy head was pushed.
– Please, I ask you!
The office included the young man in a yellow checkered suit. Having made theatrical gesture a wide-brimmed hat, the stranger was introduced:
– Мерэ. Frenchman. Poet.
And, without expecting a reciprocal greeting, it drawlingly began:
Was tired of torment of expectation,
Was tired to chase a dream,
Was tired of happiness and suffering,
I was tired to be oneself.
To fall asleep and sleep, without wakening,
That to forget about itself
And, the last sinking into a sleep,
Not to know, not to feel, not to live.
Freeze! Gotov.
Let hot I get down
My corpse cold will recover!
– You give money now or after awakening?
– Later!
– He does not agree! The devil only knows, whether you revive me. Money for a barrel. To Kutn last time, and there do that want!
Gilbert was interested in this funny shaggy poet.
– I can give you in the advance payment five pounds sterling. It will suit you?
At the poet of an eye sparkled hungry gloss. Five pounds! Пяггь good English pounds! To the person who ate sonnets and triolets!
– Of course! Sold soul to the devil and it is ready to sign with blood the contract!
When the poet left, Carlson snatched on Gilbert:
– You reproach me that I ruin you, and throw money down the drain. Why you gave advance payment? You do not see what the bird is? I bet for five pounds that it will not return!
– I accept! Let’s look! However today happy day! Look, still someone!
The office included gracefully dressed young man.
– May I introduce myself: Lesley!
– One more Lesley! Really all Lesley take liking to anabiosis? – Carlson exclaimed. Lesley smiled.
– I was not mistaken. Means, the uncle already was. I am Arthur Lesley. Mine the uncle, Eduard Lesley, professor of astronomy, told me a regrettable message about what wants to subject itself to experience of anabiosis…
– And I believed that you wish to be influenced by this useful experience! Think, you will become one of the most fashionable people in London! – Carlson fished around.
But this time fish did not peck.
– I do not need so extravagant ways of popularity – with modest pride the young man spoke.
– In that case you are afraid for the uncle? Absolutely in vain! His life is not exposed the slightest danger!
– Really? – with great interest Arthur Lesley inquired.
– You can be quiet!
– Any danger! – quietly Lesley spoke, and to Carlson was heard that even more quietly Lesley added: It «is a pity». – And whether it is impossible to dissuade the uncle from this experience? He tubercular, and at weakness of his health hardly he is fit for experience. You risk and can only compromise your business.
– We are so sure of success that we do not see any risk.
– Listen! I will pay you. I will well pay if you refuse the uncle as object of your experience!
– We do not go for bribery – Gilbert put in a ward. – But if you tell the reason, then, maybe, we also will meet requirements of you.
– To Prichin? E-e… it so ticklish property…
– We are able to be silent!
– As it is unpleasant, but I have to be frank… You see my uncle is rich, scary rich. And I… his only heir. The uncle is hopelessly sick. Doctors say that his days are numbered. Perhaps, only a few months separate me from wealth. It as is impossible more by the way; I have the bride. And at this moment your announcement comes across to it, and it decides to subject itself (himself) to anabiosis and to fall asleep nearly for hundred years, wakening from time to time only to look at some falling stars! Understand my position. Cannot approve court me in the rights of inheritance until the uncle is in anabiosis!
– Of course, no!
– Here you see! But then farewell inheritance! It will be received by my prapraprapravnuk!
– We can «freeze» also you together with your uncle. And you will lie a mummy before receiving inheritance.
– I thank you! So you will risk to lie to a world skonchaniye. So, you refuse to deal with the uncle?
– It would be strange to refuse from our party after ourselves published the announcement of the hunter’s call.
– Your last word?
– Last word!
– That it is worse for you! – And, having slammed the door, Arthur Lesley left.
The first experiment of anabiosis of the person is decided to be conducted in London, in specially employed room, publicly. Broad advertizing attracted to the huge white hall of the numerous audience. In spite of the fact that the hall was crowded, artificially maintained temperature in it below zero. Not to make an unpleasant impression on public, operation of injection in blood of the person of special structure by it decided to make for giving of property of blood of cold blooded animals in the special room where only the family and friends of the persons which were exposed to experience could have access.
Eduard Lesley was as usual with an astronomical accuracy, on the dot, exactly at twelve o’clock in the afternoon. Carlson was frightened, увидав of him – before the astronomer grew thin. The feverish flush covered his cheeks. At each breath the Adam’s apple convulsively moved on a thin neck, and on a scarf which professor brought to a mouth during fits of coughing, Carlson noticed blood drops.
«The bad beginning» – Carlson thought, conducting the astronomer under a hand to the certain room.
After Eduard Lesley there was a nephew with a face of the heart-broken relative who is seeing off the beloved uncle at the cemetery.
The crowd greedy examined the astronomer. Cameras of reporters of newspapers clicked.
The office door was closed behind Lesley. And the public in impatient expectation began to examine «scaffolds» as called someone standing highly in the middle of the hall of device for anabiosis.
These «scaffolds» reminded enormous aquariums with double glass walls. It were two glass boxes enclosed one in another. The box, smaller by the sizes, served for the room of the person, and between walls of both boxes there was a device for fall of temperature.
One «scaffold» intended for Lesley, another – for Mere which with poetic inaccuracy was late.
While doctors prepared in an office for operation and listened to pulse and heart at Lesley, Carlson several times in impatience ran in the hall to cope whether Mere came.
– Here you see! – Carlson shouted, for the third time running in an office and addressing Gilbert. – I was right. Мерэ was not.
Gilbert shrugged shoulders.
But at this moment the office door with noise revealed, and on a threshold the poet appeared. His face and clothes bore obvious traces of violently spent night. The wandering eyes, a silly smile and staggering gait said that night waste still far did not evaporate from his head.
Carlson with anger snatched to Mere:
– Listen, to this disgrace! You are drunk!
Мерэ grinned, rocking extensively.
– At us in France – he answered – there is a custom: to execute the last will doomed to death and to treat him before an execution dishes and wines what only he will wish. And many, going to death, to death also get drunk. You want «to freeze» me. It neither life, nor death. Therefore I also drank from the middle on a half: neither it is drunk, nor is sober.
This conversation was interrupted with unexpected shout of the surgeon:
– Wait! Give fresh solution! Pour in it in the new sterilized mug!
Carlson looked back. Half-naked Eduard Lesley sat on a white chair, panting a hollow breast. The surgeon clamped tweezers already opened vein.
– You see – the surgeon was nervous, addressing the sister of mercy helping him who highly held a glass mug with chemical solution – liquid dimmed! Give other solution. Liquid has to be absolutely pure.
Quickly brought to the sister a large bottle with solution and a new mug. Injection was made.
– How do you feel?
– I thank you – the astronomer answered – it is tolerant.
After Lesley Mere underwent operation of injection.
In the light clothes made of matter which is freely passing heat them entered into the hall.
The uneasy crowd became silent. On the put ladder of Lesley and Mere ascended to «scaffolds» and laid down in the glass coffins. And here, already lying on a white sheet, Mere suddenly recited a hoarse voice an epitaph to Scipio of the Roman poet Enniya:
That is buried here to whom
Neither citizens, nor strangers
Were unable to render
Abuse, worthy him.
And after this unexpectedly he snored a tired dream of the become tipsy person.
Eduard Lesley lay as the dead person. Its features were pointed. He often breathed short sighs.
The surgeon, watching the thermometer, began to cool air between glass walls.
In process of fall of temperature snore of Mere began to cease. Lesley’s breath was hardly noticeable. Мерэ time or two moved with a hand and calmed down. Eyes remained half-open with Lesley. At last breath stopped at both, and at Lesley eyes grew dim. At the same moment glass covers were pulled over «coffins». Access of air was stopped.
– Twenty one degrees Celsius. Anabiosis occurred – the surgeon’s voice among complete silence was heard.
The public slowly left the hall.
Gilbert, Carlson and the surgeon passed in an office. The surgeon sat down for some chemical analysis now. Gilbert frowned.
– Eventually, all this makes the depressing impression. I was right, insisting on giving to public only an awakening show. This funeral will discourage at anything to subject themselves to anabiosis. It is good still that this idler Mere brought a comic note in this funeral chorus.
– You are right and are not right, Gilbert – Carlson answered. – The picture turned out gloomy, it is right. But the crowd has to see everything from beginning to end, otherwise she will not believe! At our «pokoynichok» control watch is established. They are open for a review day and night at any time. And if we lost at a funeral, then twice we will win on revival. I am occupied by another: operation of injection is quite unpleasant and difficult. For mass freezing of people it is unusable. But wrote me that professor Wagner found more simplified way of the necessary change of blood by inhalation of special vapors.
– Devil take it! I suspected it! – suddenly the surgeon exclaimed, lifting a test tube with some liquid.
– In what business, the doctor?
– And the matter is that all our experience and life of professor Lesley hung by a thread. As you remember, at injection of chemical solution I paid attention that liquid became muddy. It should not have been at all. I personally made liquid in the conditions of absolute sterility. Now I wanted to establish the liquid turbidity reasons.
– And what you found? – Gilbert asked.
– Presence of hydrocianic acid.
– Poison!
– One of the strongest. Kills instantly, and from it there is no rescue.
– But how it got there?
– In it all question!
– This is Arthur Lesley. Inconsolable nephew of the astronomer. You remember, Gilbert, his request and then threat? What villain! And watch what sincere regret played!
– When he was able to do it? It seems, it did not approach close devices…
– Yes – the surgeon thoughtfully spoke – it is possible that here others are involved. Perhaps, sister of mercy?.
– It is necessary to let know polices! This crime! – the indignant Gilbert exclaimed.
– By no means! – Carlson objected. – It will only damage to us, especially among workers on whom we finally count. And eventually, what the police can make? Whom can we accuse? Arthur Lesley, interested person? But we have no proofs that he is involved in a crime.
– Perhaps, you are right – Gilbert thoughtfully spoke. – But, in any case, we should be very careful.
There passed month. Day of «resurrection of the dead» came. The public worried. There were disputes whether it will be possible to return to life shipped in anabiosis.
At night on the eve of revival the surgeon in the presence of Gilbert and Carlson examined Lesley and Mere. They lay as the corpses, cold, lifeless.
The surgeon knocked with the doctor’s hammer on the frozen lips of the poet, and blows were accurately carried on the empty hall as though the hammer struck a piece of a tree. Eyelashes became covered with hoarfrost from heat which left a body.
At survey of a body of the astronomer the trained eye of the surgeon noticed on a naked hand a small hillock under skin. At top of a hillock hardly noticeable speck as though from a prick, and below – the frozen drop of some liquid was seen.
The surgeon disapprovingly shook the head. Having scratched out a lancet the frozen drop, the surgeon carefully carried this piece of ice in an office and there subjected it to the chemical analysis. Carlson and Gilbert watched closely work of the surgeon.
– Well?
– The same! Again hydrocianic acid! Despite all our precautions, Arthur Lesley, apparently, managed to inject in some way under skin of the adored uncle several drops of lethal poison!
Gilbert and Carlson were depressed.
– Everything died! – in despair Gilbert spoke. – Eduard Lesley will not wake up more. Our business is hopelessly compromised.
Carlson raged.
– Under its court, the villain! Now and I see that this criminal should be transferred to justice hands, at least scandal also damaged to us!
The surgeon, having propped up the head a hand, thought of something.
– Wait, maybe, still it is lost nothing! – at last he started talking. – Do not forget that poison was injected under skin of absolutely frozen body in which all vital processes are suspended. Absorption could not be. In the absence of blood circulation poison could not be carried and by birth. If poisonous liquid was heated, then it could get in a small amount under skin which under the influence of heat became more elastic. But further liquid could not get. You can judge by the drop which acted in the place of a prick that the criminal did not manage to enter a significant amount.
– But and one drop it is enough to poison the person?
– Quite right. However we can remove this drop very quietly, having cut out it with a meat piece.
– Really you think that the person can remain live after poison was in his body, perhaps, two-three weeks?
– And why is also not present? It is only necessary to cut out more deeply that there is no drop left in a body! To warm a body, at least partially, risky. It is necessary to make original «cold» operation.
And, having taken the hammer and the tool reminding a chisel the surgeon went to a corpse and began to cut down a hillock, working as the sculptor over a marble statue. Skin and muscles small frozen splinters of drop on a box bottom. Soon in a hand small deepening was formed.
– Well, apparently, it is enough!
Splinters carefully swept away. Deepening was greased with iodine which immediately froze.
Behind a window traffic began. The house had already a turn of expecting.
Doors opened, and the hall was filled with public.
Exactly at twelve in the afternoon removed glass covers of boxes, and the surgeon began to increase slowly temperature, looking at the thermometer.
– Eighteen… ten… five it is below zero. Zero!. One… two… five… is above zero!. – Pause. Hoarfrost on eyelashes of Mere melted and as teardrops, filled corners of eyes.
The first moved Mere. Tension in the hall reached the highest degree. And among the come silence of Mere suddenly loudly sneezed. It discharged crowd tension, and it hooted as a beehive. Мерэ rose, took seat in the glass box, yawned and looked at crowd with osolovely eyes.
– Good morning! – someone playfully welcomed it from crowd.
– I thank you! But I fatally want to sleep! – And he pecked the head.
In public laughter was heard.
– In a month did not sleep!
– Yes it is drunk! – voices were heard.
– At the time of immersion in anabiosis – the surgeon loudly explained – Mr. Mere was in state of intoxication. In such state overtook its anabiosis which stopped all processes of an organism. Now, at return to life, naturally, Mere appeared under the influence of hop. And as he, obviously, did not sleep at night before anabiosis, he feels requirement of a dream. Anabiosis not a dream, and something between a dream and life.
– Blood! Blood! – someone’s scared female voice was heard. The surgeon looked around. Eyes of crowd were turned on Lesley’s body. On a sleeve of his dressing gown the bloody spot acted.
– Calm down! – the surgeon exclaimed. – There is nothing terrible. During anabiosis professor Lesley had to perform the small operation which does not have relations to his freezing. As soon as blood got warm and blood circulation was resumed, from a wound blood acted. That’s all. We will make bandaging now. – And, having broken off a sleeve of a dressing gown of Lesley, the surgeon quickly bandaged his hand. During Lesley’s bandaging recovered.
– How do you feel?
– I thank you, well. It seems, it is easier for me to breathe.
Really, Lesley breathed exactly, without convulsive movements of a breast.
– You saw – the surgeon addressed crowd – that experience of anabiosis was successful. Now undergone anabiosis will be examined by specialists doctors.
Crowd it is noisy dispersed, and Mere and Lesley passed in an office.
At careful medical examination of Eduard Lesley unexpected consequences of anabiosis became clear. It turned out that under the influence of low temperature all tubercular sticks which are in sore lungs of Lesley were killed and Eduard Lesley, thus, absolutely recovered from tuberculosis.
However, even at Bakhmetyev’s experiences such opportunity was theoretically assumed. But now it was the incontestable fact which brilliantly resolved a question of fight against tuberculosis, this terrible enemy of mankind.
Carlson was not mistaken. Eduard Lesley and Mere became the most fashionable people in London and around the world. They were interviewed, removed, invited for public statements. The astronomer, though felt absolutely healthy now, was weighed upon this unusual noise. He insisted on that it was subjected to anabiosis till 1933 again.
– I should preserve myself for science – he said.
And his desire was granted. It was transported to Greenland. And he the first went down to the deep Konservatoriuma mines as this underground storage for mass freezing of people was called.
But Mere directly bathed in popularity waves. It was not satisfied with public statements. He wrote the poetic poem «On That Coast of Styx». He wrote about how his soul, having exempted from fetters of the stiffened body, rushed a whirlwind in blue air of World space. She swam on the shining rings of Saturn. Visited planets of the remote stars, «where the lilac flower people singing an eternal song of happiness grow». It soared in spaces of the fourth measurement where objects are measured in width, length, depth.
«On the earth there is no proper expression» – wrote Mere and confusedly explained living conditions in the world of the fourth measurement, «where there is no time» where there are no concepts «out of» and «inside» – where all objects pronitsat each other, without mixing the forms. He wrote about extraordinary meetings on the Milky Way which is taking away out of limits of the star sky known to us.
Its poem, certainly, did not maintain the slightest scientific criticism: in a condition of anabiosis he could not even have dreams the frozen brain. But the public greedy to sensations, inclined to mysticism, was fond of these fantastic pictures. There were fans of strong feelings who wished to be influenced by feeling of «flight in boundless spaces», plunging into anabiosis. They, of course, felt nothing how they the frozen hulk, but, «wakening», supported a lie of Mere.
Over any expectation anabiosis brought to Gilbert enormous profits. Besides thrill-seekers, to Gilbert TB patients were flown down from all over the world. Greenland «sanatorium» worked perfectly. Patients received full treatment. And soon still new clients increased. The English government recognized more «humane» and, the main thing, cheap to subject «incorrigible» criminals to anabiosis instead of life imprisonment and the death penalty.
At last, anabiosis was applied to transportation of the cattle. Instead of the tasteless, frozen in the usual way meat received from Australia to England began to deliver animals in a condition of anabiosis. They did not need to be fed on the way, and after a supply to the place of them warmed, recovered; and British received the freshest and cheap meat to a table.
Carlson rubbed hands. On its share a considerable part of the huge income which was brought in by anabiosis fell.
– Well? – he fatly spoke to Gilbert. – Now you understand that the schemer means? Your money and my projects brought you millions. Without me you would be ruined with your coal mines long ago!
– Coal mines give me a loss also now – Gilbert answered. – There is no sale, workers are pig-headed, the government refuses subsidies. Yes, Carlson, life – difficult piece! You the good schemer, but life carries out the projects contrary to our desire. We assumed to freeze the unemployed together with their families, and instead turned our refrigerators into sanatoria and prisons!
– Patience! Also workers will come! Now you have spare capitals. Promise good contents to families of workers in case the head of their family wants to subject himself to anabiosis. Believe, they will go to this rod! And when they will get gradually used to anabiosis, it will be possible to reduce the price. Eventually they will ask that they were frozen together with families, if only not to starve! They will come! The need will tire out! Believe me, they will come!
And they came…
Cold autumn wind knocked down. The young miner-coalminer working in the Cardiff mines, having bent the head, slowly approached the small cottage which was seen through naked branches of a garden.
Bendzhemin Johnson stood at a door, deeply sighed before opening it, and, at last, timidly entered the house.
His wife, Frederica Johnson, washed the dishes at a big fireplace. The two-year-old son Samuel already slept.
Frederica interrogatively looked at the husband.
Johnson, without undressing, fell by a chair and quietly spoke:
– Did not get…
The plate slipped out Frederica’s hands and with a ring fell in a wash-tub. She with fear looked back to the child, but he did not wake up.
– The strike committee has no more means… In a bench do not trust for…
Frederica ceased to wash the dishes, wiped a hand about an apron and silently sat down to a table, looking in a corner to hide the nervousness from the husband.
Johnson slowly took out from a lung pocket not on a coat season the crumpled issue of the newspaper and put on a table before the wife.
– On here, read.
And Frederica, brushing away a tear which dimmed it eyes, read the large announcement:
«Five pounds a week receive families of the workers who agreed to oversleep till spring…» There was an explanation Further what is anabiosis. Frederica already heard about it. Gilbert’s agents conducted promotion of anabiosis among workers for a long time.
– You will not make it! – firmly she told – We are not the cattle that we were frozen!
– City gentlemen do not disdain anabiosis!
– With fat your gentlemen rage! They to us not the decree!
– Listen, Frederica, but, eventually, in it there is nothing neither terrible, nor shameful. Dangers to me any. I not shtreykbrekherstvy, do not infringe on anybody’s interests.
– And mine, and your own interests? Same almost death, though for a while! We have to fight for the right for life, but not rest in bed the frozen hulks until then, dock misters owners will not deign to revive us!
She got excited and spoke too loudly.
Little Samuel woke up, began to cry and began to ask to eat. Frederica took it on hands, began to rock to sleep. Johnson with melancholy looked at a fair-haired head of the son. He so turned pale lately! Poblednela and Frederik…
The child fell asleep, and Frederica fell at a table, having hidden the face in hands. It could not constrain tears more.
Bendzhemin stroke-oared rough her fluffy hair, same light as at the son, and it is tender as child, persuaded:
– I grieve about you! Understand! Tomorrow Samuel will have big circles of the smoking milk and white loaf, and you on a table will have a good piece of beef, potatoes, oil, coffee… It is difficult to be separated, but it only till spring! Apple-trees in our garden will blossom, and I will be with you again. I will meet you, cheerful, healthy, blossoming as our apple-trees!.
Frederica once again sobbed and stopped.
– It is time to sleep, Ben…
It is more they about anything did not speak.
But Bendzhemin knew that it agrees. And the next day, having said goodbye to the wife and the child, it already flew on the passenger airplane to Greenland.
The gray-green veil of the Atlantic Ocean was replaced by polar pictures of the North. The ice desert with the mountain tops scattered on it here and there… From time to time the airplane flew by low above the ground, and then owners of these desert places – polar bears were visible. At the sight of the airplane they in horror rose by racks, stretching paws up, as if asking mercy, then started running away with an unexpected speed.
Johnson involuntarily smiled to them, envied severe, but their free life.
In the distance constructions and airfield seemed.
– Arrived!
Further events went extraordinary quickly.
Johnson was invited in Konservatoriuma office where wrote down his surname, the address and supplied with number which was attached to a hand in the form of a bracelet.
Then he went down to underground rooms.
The underground car flew with terrific speed down, crossing a number of horizontal mines. Temperature gradually increased. In the top mines it was much below zero whereas about ten degrees below rose.
The car unexpectedly stopped.
Johnson entered brightly lit room in the middle of which there was a platform with four metal ropes going to a wide opening in a ceiling. On the platform there was a low bed made by a white sheet. Changed clothes of Johnson for a light dressing gown and suggested to lay down in a bed. Put on a mask the person, forcing it to breathe some couples.
– It is possible? – he heard a voice of the doctor. And the same minute the platform with its bed began to rise up. He felt everything the amplifying cold soon. At last cold became intolerable. He tried to shout, descend from the platform, but all members of his body as if hardened… His consciousness began to be stirred up. And suddenly he felt how pleasant warmth spreads on his body. But it was delusion which is experienced by all freezing: in the last effort the organism lifts body temperature before giving all to warmly cold space. In this short time of a thought of Johnson earned with extraordinary speed and clarity. Or rather, it were not thoughts, but bright images. He saw the garden in gold beams of the sun, the apple-trees covered in fluffy white colors, a yellow path on which his little Samuel runs to it towards and after it there is a smiling, young, red-cheeked, blond Frederica…
Then everything began to grow dim, and he finally fainted. In some moment it returned to it, and it opened eyes. Before it, having bent, the young man sat.
– How do you feel, Johnson? – he asked, smiling.
– I thank you, small weakness in a body, and it is generally quite good – Johnson answered, looking around. It lay in the white, brightly lit room.
– Be supported with a glass of wine and broth, and then to the road!
– Allow, the doctor, and how with anabiosis? He was not successful or in mines workers urgently were required?
The young man smiled.
– I am not a doctor. We will be familiar. My surname Kruks. – And he gave to Johnson a hand. – Anabiosis was successful, but we still will manage to talk about it. We are waited by the airplane!
Johnson, being surprised that anabiosis so it is finished soon, quickly put on and rose with Kruks to the surface.
«And Frederica cried probably all night long» – he thought, smiling to a fast meeting.
The entrance to a vault had a big passenger airplane. Around the eternal ice desert was spread. There was a night.
The polar lights polosovat the sky sheaves of beams of the gentle changing coloring.
Johnson, already in a warm fur coat, with pleasure inhaled clean frosty air.
– I will bring you to the house! – told Kruks, helping Johnson to walk upstairs in a cabin.
The airplane quickly rose in air.
Johnson saw the same cross-country terrain, the same frozen craters appearing from time to time for ways as steppe barrows, and the same bears to whom he so envied recently. Here and ancient gray-haired waves of the Atlantic Ocean. It is a little more time, and coast of England heaved in sight in gray fog.
Cardiff… mines… cozy cottages… Here also its white cottage which is buried in dense verdure of a garden is seen. At Johnson heart was strongly clogged. Now he will see Frederica, will take on little Samuel’s hands and will begin to throw up.
«Still, still!» – the kid as usual will murmur.
The airplane was made by an abrupt bend and went down on a lawn at Johnson’s lodge.
Johnson in impatience left a cabin.
Air was warm. Having thrown off a fur coat, Johnson ran to a lodge. Крукс hardly kept up with it.
There was a fine autumn evening. The setting sun brightly lit large red apples on garden apple-trees.
– However – with surprise Johnson said – really I overslept till fall?
He ran up to a fencing of a garden and saw the son and the wife. Little Samuel sat among autumn flowers and with laughter threw mother’s apples. Frederica’s face was not visible behind apple-tree branches.
– Samuel! Frederica! – joyfully Johnson cried and, having jumped through a low fencing, ran through beds towards to the wife and the son.
But the kid instead of rushing towards to the father, began to cry, having taken away the approaching Johnson, and in a fright rushed to mother.
Johnson stopped and suddenly uvidat the mistake: it were not Samuel and Frederica though the boy very much resembled his son. Young mother left because of a tree. It was one years with Frederica, same light and ruddy. But hair were more dark. Of course, it is not Frederica! And as soon as he could be mistaken! Possibly, it is one of neighbors or Frederica’s girlfriends.
Johnson slowly approached and bowed. The young woman expectantly looked at it.
– Forgive, I, apparently, frightened your son – he told, getting accustomed to the child and being surprised to similarity with Itself – ale. – Frederica of the house?
– What Frederica? – the woman asked.
– Frederica Johnson, my wife!
– Whether you were mistaken the address? – the woman answered. – Frederica is not here…
– Pretty business! That I was mistaken in the address of own house!
– Your house?.
– And whose? – This confused woman began to irritate Johnson.
On a threshold of a lodge the young man of years of thirty three attracted obviously, seemed noise of voices.
– In what business, Elaine? – he asked, without descending from a step of a porch and popykhivy a short tube.
– Business is in that – Johnson answered that during my absence here, obviously, there were some changes the question turned not to it – … Others lodged in my house…
– In your house? – derisively the young man standing on a porch asked.
– Yes, in my house! – Johnson answered, having waved a hand on the cottage.
– With whom I have honor to speak? – the young man asked.
– I am Bendzhemin Johnson!
– Bendzhemin Johnson? – the young man asked again and burst out laughing. You hear, Elaine? – he addressed the woman. – One more Bendzhemin Johnson and owner of this cottage!
– Allow to assure you – suitable Kruks suddenly put in a ward – that before you really Bendzhemin Johnson. – And he pointed to Johnson by a hand.
– It becomes entertaining. And with itself dragged the witness! Allow also you to tell that your joke is unsuccessful. Thirty three years I was Bendzhemin Johnson who was born in this house and its owner, and now you want to convince me that the owner of the house, Bendzhemin Johnson, this young man!
– I not only want, but also I hope to convince you of it if you allow to come into the house and to explain you some circumstances, obviously to unknown to you.
Крукс said so convincingly that the young man, having thought a little, invited him and Johnson to the house.
With nervousness Johnson entered the house which left so recently. He still hoped to meet on the usual place, at a fireplace, Frederica and the son playing at her legs on a floor. But they were not there…
With greedy curiosity Johnson threw the room in which carried out so many joyful and bitter minutes.
All furniture was unfamiliar, alien to it.
Only over a fireplace still painted plates Elizabethan times – a family jewelry Dzhonsonov hung.
And at a fireplace in a deep chair the gray-haired, decrepit old man with the legs wrapped in a plaid, despite warm day sat. The old man took entered an unfriendly view.
– The father – addressed the young man the old man – these people claim that one of them Bendzhemin Johnson and the owner of the house. Whether you wish to catch one more sonny?
– Bendzhemin Johnson – the old man proshamkat, examining Kruks – so called my father… but he died in Greenland long ago, in this damned glacier where froze people!.
– Allow me to tell how there was a business – Kruks answered. – First of all, Johnson not I, and here it. I Kruks. Scientist, historian.
And, addressing the old man, it began the story:
– To you was if I am not mistaken, about two years, when your father, Bendzhemin Johnson, fell into a trap the coalman Gilbert and decided to subject himself to «freezing» to save you and your mother from starvation during unemployment. Also many other suffered much and desperate family workers followed Johnson’s example soon. Being empty Konservatorium on the northwest coast of Greenland quickly was filled with bodies of the frozen workers. But Carlson and Gilbert were mistaken in the calculations.
Freezing of workers did not solve the crisis which endured the English capitalism. Even on the contrary: it only aggravated the inflamed passions of class fight. The most firm workers were revolted with «the frozen human flesh» as they called application of anabiosis to «conservation» of the unemployed, and used freezing as propaganda means. Revolution broke out. Group of the armed workers, having captured airplanes, went to Greenland with the purpose to recover the brothers who were dead asleep and to put them in ranks of fighting.
Then Carlson and Gilbert, wishing to anticipate events, gave on radio the order to the servants in Greenland to blow up Konservatorium, hoping to explain this crime with accident.
The radiotelegram was intercepted, both Carlson and Gilbert incurred deserved punishment. However radio waves fly quicker than any airplane. And when pilots went down at the purpose of the flight, they found the abysses only gaping, smoking, fragments of constructions and pieces of frozen human meat. It was succeeded to dig out several untouched accident of bodies, but also these died from too bystry temperature increase or maybe from suffocation. Works were at a loss the fact that plans underground телохранилищ disappeared. It was necessary only to put a monument over this sad place. There passed seventy three years…
Johnson involuntarily screamed.
– And not so long ago, studying history of our revolution on archival materials, I found Gilbert’s statement with a request for permission in archive of one of the former ministries to it to construct Konservatorium for conservation of the unemployed. Gilbert in detail and eloquently wrote about what benefit can be derived from this means in «business an izzhitiya of periodic crises and related working disorders». The minister’s hand on this statement wrote the instructions: «Of course, it is better if they peacefully rest, than to revolt to resolve…»
But the most interesting was the fact that the plan of mines was enclosed to Gilbert’s application. And in this plan my attention was drawn by one mine going far aside from the general network. I do not know by what reasons builders of mines were guided, laying this gallery. I was interested in another: in this mine there could be bodies which are not injured by accident. I immediately reported about it to our government. The special expedition was equipped. Started excavation. After several weeks of unsuccessful searches we managed to open an entrance to this mine. It was almost not touched, and we went to its depth.
The terrible show was presented to our eyes. Along a long corridor in walls niches in three ranks were arranged, and in them bodies lay. Closer to an entrance, obviously, hot air got, at explosion it killed the people lying in anabiosis at once. Closer to the middle of mines temperature, probably, increased more slowly, and several workers recovered, but they probably died from suffocation, hunger or cold. Their distorted persons and convulsively brought together members spoke about agonal sufferings.
At last in depth of the mine, behind the covered turn, there was equal cold temperature. Here we found only three bodies, other niches were empty. With all precautions we tried to recover them. And we managed it.
The famous astronomer Eduard Lesley whose death was mourned by all scientific world, the second – the poet Mere and the third – Bendzhemin Johnson who is just brought by me here on the airplane was the first of them… If my words are not enough, in confirmation of them I can provide indisputable proofs. I terminated!
All sat silently, struck with the story. At last Johnson heaved a deep sigh and told:
– Means, I overslept seventy three years? Why you did not tell me about it at once? – he addressed reproachfully Kruks.
– My dear, I was afraid to subject you to too strong shock after your awakening.
– Seventy three years!. – in thought Johnson spoke. – What at us now year?
– August, one thousand nine hundred ninety eighth.
– Then I was twenty five years old, so now to me ninety eight…
– But biologically remained to you twenty five – Kruks answered – as all your vital processes were suspended while you lay in a condition of anabiosis.
– But Frederica, Frederik!. – with melancholy Johnson exclaimed.
– Alas, it is absent long ago! – told Kruks.
– My mother died thirty years ago – the old man creaked.
– Here so piece! – the young man exclaimed. And, addressing Johnson, he told: – Then that you my grandfather! You are younger than me, you have a seventy-five-year-old son!.
It seemed to Johnson that he raves. He carried out by a palm on the forehead.
– Yes… son! Samuel! My little Samuel is this old man! Frederica is absent… You – my grandson – addressed he the to the namesake to Bendzhemin – and that woman and the child?.
– My wife and son…
– Your son… Means, my great-grandson! It at the same age at what I left my little Samuel!
Johnson’s thought refused to perceive that this decrepit old man also is his son… The old man the son also could not recognize in young, blossoming, as the twenty-fifth anniversary to the young man of the father…
And they sat confused, in awkward silence looking at each other…
There passed nearly two months after Johnson returned to life.
In cold, windy September day it played in a garden with the great-grandson George.
This game consisted that the boy took seat in the small flying car – a computer-controlled aviette. Johnson adjusted management personnel, launched the motor, and the boy, loudly shouting from delight, flew around a garden at the height of three meters from the earth. After several circles the device smoothly fell by in advance defined place.
Johnson long could not get used to this new children’s entertainment unknown in his life. He was afraid that to the mechanism there can be something and the child will fall and rasshibtsya. However the aircraft operated perfectly.
«To put the child on the bicycle too it seemed to us once dangerous» – Johnson thought, watching the flying great-grandson.
Suddenly the sharp wind gust rejected an aviette aside. Mechanical control was regained immediately by the broken balance, but wind carried the device aside. An aviette, having changed the direction of flight, flew on an apple-tree and got stuck in tree branches.
The child in a fright cried. Johnson, in not a smaller fright, rushed to the aid of the great-grandson. He quickly scrambled on an apple-tree and began to remove little George.
– And how many times I spoke to you that you did not arrange your flights in a garden! – suddenly Johnson heard a voice of the son Samuel. The old man stood on a porch and in anger shook by a fist.
– There is, apparently, a platform for flights – no, by all means it is necessary in a garden! Not rumors! A trouble with these boys! Here you will break to me apple-trees, I you!.
Johnson was revolted by this old man egoism. The old man Samuel very much loved baked apples and worried for an integrity of apple-trees more, than for life of the grandson.
– Well you, be not forgotten! – Johnson exclaimed, addressing the old man to the son. – This garden was for the first time divorced by me when still you did not exist! Also shout at someone else. Do not forget that I am your father!
– Well, that father? – peevishly the old man answered. – On favor of destiny, my father was a boy! You to me almost in grandsons are fit! Seniors should obey! – tutorially it finished.
– Parents should obey! – Johnson was not appeased, lowering the great-grandson on the earth. – And besides, I also am more senior than you. I am ninety eight years old!
Little George ran to the house to mother.
The old man stood a little more, moving lips, then angrily waved a hand and too left.
Johnson brought an aviette to the big garden arbor replacing a hangar and there wearily fell by a bench among shovels and a rake.
He felt lonely.
With the old man the son he did not have relations at all. The twenty-five-year-old father and the seventy-five-year-old son is the ratio of years, not corresponding to anything, put a barrier between them. As Johnson strained the imagination, it refused to connect together two images: little two-year-old Samuel and this decrepit old man.
Most closer he met with the great-grandson – George. Youth is eternal. The spirit of modern times did not leave the mark on George. Child at the age of George rejoices to both a ray of sunlight, and a tender smile, and red apple the same as children of its age rejoiced thousands years ago. Besides and the person he reminded his son – Samuel child… George’s mother, Elaine, also resembled to Johnson Frederik, and he stopped on her a look of the grieving tenderness more than once. But in the opinion of Elaine, directed on it, he saw only the pity mixed with curiosity and fear as though he was a native of a grave.
And her husband, Johnson’s grandson bearing his name Bendzhemin Johnson, was far to it, as well as all people of this of generation new, alien to it.
Johnson for the first time felt the power of time, the power of a century. As it is difficult for inhabitant of valleys to breathe the rarefied mountain air, so it was difficult for Johnson living in the first quarter of the twentieth century to be applied to living conditions of the end of this century.
Externally everything changed not so strongly as it was possible to assume.
However, London expanded on many miles in width and rose in thousands of skyscrapers up.
Air traffics became almost exclusive way of movement.
And in the cities moving crews were replaced with mobile roads. In the cities it became more silent and purer. Pipes of factories and plants ceased to smoke. The equipment created new ways of getting of energy.
But in public life and in life there were many changes since its time.
Workers died on the steps of a public ladder as lowest group, groups, excellent from above standing and on a suit, and by training, and on habits.
Cars mail exempted workers from the hardest and dirty physical work.
Healthy, simply, but well dressed, cheerful, independent workers were the only class holding all threads of public life in hand. All of them got an education. And Johnson studying as copper money nearly hundred years ago felt awkwardly in their environment, despite all their affability.
They spent all free time more on air, flying on the easy aviettes, than on the earth. They had absolutely other interests, inquiries, entertainments.
Even their short, compressed language, with many new words expressing new concepts was in many respects unclear to Johnson.
They spoke about societies, institutions, new types of property and sport, new to Johnson…
Continually, at each phrase he had to ask:
– And what is it?
It needed to overtake for what proceeded without it throughout seventy three years, and he felt that not in forces to make it. Difficulty was not only in extensiveness of new knowledge, but also that his mind was not so cultivated to apprehend and acquire everything saved up by mankind for three quarters of the century. He could be only the detached, alien onlooker and a subject of observation for others. It also constrained it. He felt the views of the hidden curiosity which are constantly directed to it. It was something like the recovered mummy, an archeological find of an entertaining subject of old times. Between it and society the insuperable side of time lay.
«Agasfer!. – he thought, having remembered the legend read to them in youth. – Agasfer, the eternal wanderer punished by immortality alien to all and all… Fortunately, I am not punished by immortality! I can die… and I want to die! Around the world there is no person of my time, except for, maybe, several old men forgotten by death… But also they will not understand me because all of them time lived, and in my life a failure! There is nobody!.»
Suddenly at it in mind the unexpected thought moved:
«And those two who recovered together with me there, in Greenland?»
It in nervousness rose. Uncontrollably pulled it to these unknown people who suddenly became so dear to it. They lived in at one time with Frederica and small Itself – ale. Some threads are stretched between them… But how to find them? Крукс!. He has to know!
Крукс did not leave Johnson, using him as «a live historical source» for the work on revolution history.
Johnson hurried to Kruks and stated him the request, expecting the answer with such nervousness as though the appointment to the wife and the little son was necessary to it.
Крукс something thought.
– Now end of September… And November, one thousand nine hundred ninety eighth… Well, of course, Eduard Lesley has to be already in Pulkovo Observatory, sit at the telescope in search of disappearing Leonid. In Pulkovo Observatory the best refractor in the world. Lesley, of course, there. In the same place you will find also the poet Mere… He wrote me recently that he goes to professor Lesley. – And, having smiled, Kruks added: – Obviously, all of you, «old men», feel inclination to each other.
Johnson hastily said goodbye and went to a way with the first passenger airship which was flying away to Leningrad.
He did not imagine what forthcoming appointment will be, but felt that all this that else can interest it in life.
The shivering hand Johnson opened hall doors of Pulkovo Observatory.
The huge round hall sank in a gloom.
When eyes got used to darkness a little, Johnson saw the huge telescope standing among the hall reminding the long-range gun which sent the muzzle to one of openings in a dome. The pipe was strengthened on a massive support along which there was a ladder to fifty steps. Ladders conducted also to the platform for observation at the height of three meters. From this platform, from above, someone’s voice was heard:
– … The deviation from a form of the stretched ellipse and approach to a form of a parabola occurs depending on special action of mass of certain planets to which comets and asteroids are exposed at the movement towards the Sun. The greatest impact in this regard is just exerted by Jupiter which force of an attraction makes almost thousand share of an attraction of the Sun…
When Johnson heard this voice which was accurately distributed in emptiness of the hall when he heard these unclear words it was attacked by shyness.
Why it came here?
What will tell professor Lesley? Unless these parabolas and ellipses are not also unclear to it, as well as new words of new people? But to recede was late, and he coughed.
– Who there?
– It is possible to see professor Lesley?
Someone’s steps quickly taped on iron steps of a ladder.
– I am professor Lesley. What can I serve as?
– And I am Bendzhemin Johnson who… which lay with you in Greenland, shipped in anabiosis. I wanted to talk to you…
And Johnson confusedly began to explain the purpose of the arrival. He said about the loneliness, about the lostness in this the world, new, unclear for it, even that he wanted to die…
Likely, these, new, would not understand it. But professor Lesley understood that easier that many experiences of Johnson were experienced by him.
– Do not mourn, Johnson, not you one suffer from this rupture of time. Something similar was tested also by me, as well as my friend Mere, allow to present him to you.
Johnson shook hands with gone-down Mere, on the old habit long ago left «new» people who restored beautiful and hygienic custom of ancient Romans to raise a hand as a sign of a greeting.
– You too from workers? – Johnson Mere asked though that resembled the worker very little.
– No. I am a poet.
– Why you froze yourself?
– Out of curiosity… And perhaps, and from need…
– And you lay as much time, as well as I?
– No, it is slightly less. I lay at first only two months, was «revived», and then decided to plunge into anabiosis again. I wanted… to keep youth as long as possible! – And Mere laughed.
Despite a difference in development and in former situation, these three people were pulled together by the general strange destiny and an era in which they lived. To Johnson’s surprise, the conversation accepted brisk character. Everyone could tell a lot of things to others.
– Yes, my friend – addressed Lesley Johnson – not one you test isolation from this new world. I was mistaken in many calculations.
I decided to subject myself to anabiosis to have an opportunity to observe the heavenly phenomena which occur in several decades. I wanted to resolve the scientific task most difficult for those times. And what? Now all these tasks are resolved long ago. The science made enormous discoveries, revealed during this time such secrets of the sky about which we did not dare and to dream!
I lagged behind… I infinitely lagged behind – with grief he added after a pause and sighed. – But nevertheless I, seem to me, is happier than you! There – and he pointed to a dome – time is estimated in millions of years. That our centuries mean to stars… You never, Johnson, observed the star sky in the telescope?
– Not before was – Johnson waved a hand.
– See the Moon on our eternal satellite! – And Lesley spent Johnson to the telescope.
Johnson looked in the telescope and involuntarily screamed from surprise. Lesley laughed and told with pleasure of the expert:
– Yes, such tools did not know our time!.
Johnson saw the Moon as though it was from it at distance of several kilometers.
Huge craters lifted the tops, the black, gaping cracks plowed deserts.
Light, bright to pain, and deep shadows gave to a picture extraordinary relief look. It seemed, it is possible to give a hand and to take one of moonstones.
– You see, Johnson, to Long such what it was and thousands years ago. On it nothing changed… For eternity seventy five years – are less, than one moment. Let’s live for eternity if the destiny tore off us of the present! Let’s plunge into anabiosis, into this dream without dreams that, wakening once a century to observe what is created on Earth and in the sky.
In two hundred-three hundred years we, perhaps, will observe life of animals, plants and people on planets… Through thousands of years we will get into the mysteries of the most remote times. And we will see the new people less similar on present, than monkeys on people…
Perhaps, Johnson, future inhabitants of our planet will reduce us on degree of the lowest beings, will shun relationship with us and even to deny this relationship? Let so. We are not sensitive. But we will see such things of which the people who are becoming obsolete the term put by it life do not dare to dream… Unless for the sake of it you should not live, Johnson?
At our request me and Mere is subjected to anabiosis again. You want to join us?
– Again? – with horror Johnson exclaimed. But after long silence he deafly said, having hung the head:
– All the same…