KHARKOV

I would be run far off to horizon, 
But to evening glow to not have be in time.

Was grey, cloudy day. Tamara sat on cab with the husband and looked with melancholy and with any vague alarm at crude walls of brick houses. Kharkov for her has not liked. She at once has begun to miss on dark blue mountains, on a taiga. And here all houses and houses, on which were not intelligible signboards.

- Mark, what it "perukarnia", whether bakery (pekarnia on russian), yes?

- No, it is a hairdressing saloon, - was laughing he explained to her.

- And it - "laznia"?

It is bania, we shall arrive and we shall go to be washed. And this is our house. It were private houses in a lane. They were whitewashed, it too has surprised Tamara. In Aldan were wooden houses without whitewashing. The mother of Mark did not wait them. In city there was any depressing silence. When they have come in a room, the mother on knock of a door has asked.

- Pavka, it you?

- No, it are we, -  Mark has answered.

- Mine god, it you, Mara, - have exclaimed the mother, having come off from sewing on the machine.

- I, and my wife.

- O! She is beauty! Come in, undress, and I now though to tea shall boil. But to treat you I have nothing. You see. The famine in city. You so is unexpected, bread is not present. I sew, with difficulty we are living, and lodger sometimes gets bread.

- Mum, I...- Was suddenly by heard the boys voice. In a room the boy has flown and in confusion has stayed, looking on the Mark and Tamara.

- Well, hallo, Pavlusha ...

- Hallo, - hesitating has whispered Pavlusha. It was slim, swarthy twelve year age the boy, - mum, take the bread.

- How you could? - is pleased has asked the mother.

- And the militiaman has helped to me.

- You, mum, do not worry, we have money, on while on food, and then I shall go on work, and Tamara will get bread. Will live some-how.

It was a thirty the third year. From famine swelled the people, and quite often it was possible to see the deadmen directly in the street.

Tamara it was necessary to spend the night near the bread shop to take the one bread. Any more did not give. Queues were huge, and bread brought  one box on the horse. For back of queues did not suffice. About doors of shop there was a struggle, who more forces repelled weak. Without militia did not manage.

Was arranged a chain to keep crowd. Tried to take part in this chain. With the help of militiaman on one from a chain passed in shop first of all. Tamara tried to have part in a chain too. From undereating, from these night standbies she began to weaken. At her from an odor of hot bread the head was turned and she dropped at a counter. About all it she has written to the mother in Aldan.

But on fields a bread has ripened. The crop was high. But in villages to remove it there was nobody, all have rushed in city for bread. The people which have arrived from villages, were collected by militia and sent back.

For a harvest of bread was sent the people from factories. Have gone and Mark with Tamara. Both they did not know how to knit sheaves. Mark though a water was carried, but Tamara nothing did, but then removed an onions. By him cooked galushkas (kind of food as boiled dough), children at them yet was not also family survive could, though underate.

THE LETTER 

In the light-blue rim
Light has lighted up.
Darkness deep was not 
And is not present now.

- Kesha, has come from Tamara the letter.

- That writes?

- Yes it is bad there, famine, she absolutely weak, is necessary to help.

- How we can help?

They longly thought, the mother has got exhausted, could not fall asleep at the night. All thoughts it were there, where the daughter. Were drawn of a terrible  pictures, that the daughter can from famine die.

- Know Kesha, I for a long time would like to visit in Edet, to the mother. I for a long time did not see it. Old she already, and daddy old too. And it would be necessary to visit to your mother.  For the present not coldly to go with children. 

- Yes what you offer?

- Let's sell the house, settle up from collective farm and shall go in Edet, and therefrom we shall visit for Tamara.

The stepfather has arrived for Tamara to middle of harvest and has taken away her. Mark has begun to miss in earnest.

- What you go as dropped in water, or she was drank of you  by something? - spoke with disappointment the mother. - how many girls, than for you Tania not such, you with her were friends even before departure in Aldan.

- The mum, Tamara silent, humble, she never nothing requires. She the taiga, modest girl, not spoilt. But local, same Tania, yes they by whims will exhaust.

- Has leaved, and you have remained, who can tempts her.

- Not, the mum, she it will not to do, and whom there, in village to tempt, and I will earn of money and too shall go there.

- And why the stepfather has not taken  you there?

- Yes he has told, that at him already of money remained a little, even them to a two has sufficed. The way is distant, and there from station Tiajien it is necessary hundred kilometers to go by a horses.

- And again you will leave from us?

- But, mum, I love her, other it is not necessary, and to you we still shall arrive. Yes you and not one here. Veniamin, Jenia, Pavlik, but they do not leave.

In EDET

Drip small tears
From a roof behind the window.
Are crying all herbs.
Are crying, but what about?

Tamara could not eat enough of bread, kalachs, lepioshkas, shanejies and pancakes, that was cooked by the grandmother. The grandmother she has seen for the first time, it was high, blond , the sixty years old woman. Not yet gray-haired, vigorous. Was also grandfather. Curly-headed ,dark-haired, not yet old man. But he did not have one leg - was artificial wood leg. Still there was a mum brother and sister, same age as of Tamara, - Uliana.

The log hut was old, with low ceilings and windows small. Wooden bench near walls. Near them was  the table, that was uncovered and scraped. The yard was large. At river behind kitchen gardens was stood bania.

The housekeeping was small. One cow with heifer. Some rams, hens and geese. Itself village there was small, in one street, far from district centre. It was boring. One for  Tamara was entertainment. It small brother that was born by the mum recently. To him there were nine months. She took his from cradle, has pressed to itself, had swing on hands and kissed, kissed.

And still she wrote the letters for Mark, in which tenderly has named him, was write to him verses, was call to herself. He should go in army. But it for some reason have not called up. In the winter he has arrived to Tamara.

But strangely. Tamara did not feel, that was missing about him. When he has arrived, she was feeling some annoying and the soul was sick of something. They were going to a forest and looked on birds, which here was much. Mark regretted, that he does not have gun.

They have stayed here not for long. It was necessary to go in Aldan to earn money. And they have gone with string of carts, that was carried a bread to region centre. One cart went without bread. In it went Tamara, had been covered by sheepskin coat. Was frosty. Mark was going near, from time to time had sat on a sledge and was asked Tamara, whether has frozen.

- No, I has not frozen, whether soon there will be this Sharipov?

- Yes speak soon.

In Sharipov they go on the body of lorry. It went up to railway station Tiajin. Sitting in a body of the lorry, Tamara suddenly has screamed:

- Mara, wolf!

The wolf stood on edge of a road and looked at the lorry, he was large and red. As soon as lorry by him has passed, he, slowly, has crossed a road and was hid in a wood. Tamara never saw of the wolves and she feel fear. All have sighed with relief. It is good, that at this time nothing happened with the lorry.

AGAIN In ALDAN

Also I do not know, where to me to fly.
Would depart to the hot sun,
But I am afraid in flight to burn down.

From station Never now line already was builded and from Never carried the consignments on lorrys and the buses for the passengers were going. In the bus was cold. The windows have frozen. Through them nothing was visible. Some passengers carried with themselves an onions. Other passengers carried of the cats, pressing them to a breast, that they have not frozen. And Tamara recollected, as she was ten years' girl was going this seven hundreds kilometers way by her foots. Now through the rivers there were bridges.

- Tamara, you have not frozen? - has asked Mark, having torn her from memories.

- No, that you, in such sheepskin coat.

In Aldan the Mark again have directed in Serebrovsk by the electrician on draga. Have given an apartment - again room and kitchen. Have brought fire wood, water. Here already Tamara it became heavy to live. Mark became to take walk. Here Tamara for the first time became the mother. The girl was born. And such she was beauty. Dark brows, just hardly scheduled, by strings were lied above large eyes. The turned-up nose above beautiful lips.

And Mark has declared to her, that now Tamara from him will not get to anywhere, and he not enough was walking. And truth. The mum here was not. There was no place to go. The girl have named Lilian, under the offer of one American working on draga on the contract. And in another year one more girl - Zoia was born. Works became much. The day nursery and children gardens then was not.

« Dear daughter, yes you was rolling from a sofa. It is good, that I have laid sheepskin coat near a sofa. Not injured and is slept », - having entered, has thought Tamara. Having put a bag with food, she has approached to the daughter, has lifted her and has puted on a cushion. « It is necessary a pig to feed and supper to prepare. Soon Mark will come ».

In the winter they kept on kitchen of a pig, and in hen-house - hens. Mark did not help for Tamara on house-keeping. From work was come late. And if came earlier, doing his deals. Has purchased a gun « Zauer three rings », poured small shot, charged the cartridges, was preparing for hunting.

- Well and whether far you will go on hunting and with whom? - has asked Tamara.

- Yes you do not know he. He in Aldan the clock master. Will come for me.

- And for a long time you will leave me one.

- A days on two. Here not so far, now flight of the geese, his familiar went, have brought many geese. Have told to him where it. There lake.

In two days they have leaved with the one way Yakut on deers. Tamara waits. There are no them and in two days, and three days, and they are absent.

- Yes where this lake? - Mark worried. They go on loose snow three days. In May a snow heated by the sun turns in granuals and becomes quick, as the sugar. On it is very difficult to go. The going person are fails in it and slips on a slope together with snow. To be lifted on a slope it is very difficult. The step forward, two steps back is doing. The hunters were exhausted to end. At last they have reached up to anonymous small river. It has full water and is rather deep. On a coast stood hut.

- Hut! Somebody can there is, then we are rescued. We find out as us from here to be going out and we shall have a rest.

At them was added of forces. They have cheered up and have hurried more soon to be lowered on a slope of a mountain to a shore river. At hut there was nobody. All was silent. Come in the hut, they anybody there have not seen and there was nothing, that spoke that here someone lives. But they there have found an axe, saw and nails.

- Here geologists, probably, lived, - has told Mark.

- Well, though we shall have a rest and we shall sleep well, stove we shall heat, and the fire wood dry is. And tomorrow in morning we will be walking  on a coast, may be some thing we shall kill.

Have boiled the tea in the boiler, have had supper from home food and were gone to sleep. Were awake with sunrise.

- Know that, probably, there will be no we on hunting, and let's better make the raft and on it we shall be lowered downwards. Can we shall come to any settlment. And to lose time in vain of sense is not, and here is not anything, - has offered Mark.

- Well, - the comrade has agreed, - and of what we shall make?

- And we shall cut a wall from hut, - has offered the inventive Mark. So they also have made. Have lowered small raft on  the river inflated from thawed snows. Has loaded on him of a guns, bags, they jumped on raft, were repelled from shores and the water has suffered them.

- Mark! Look! Ahead tree across lies!

- I see! It is need to go to a coast!

But was already late. Them already has introduced to circulation. Up to shores was near and Mark was in time to throw out the gun on a shore. And the comrade not achieve and gun went on bottom. Raft has hit about a tree and was inverted. Mark with the comrade have appeared in water. They having in time to grasp a tree and by the help of it were reached a shore.

Wet, shivering from colds and fright, they in confusion did not know what to do. And the time already went to the evening. Having collected all forces, they were going to collect dry wood for a fire and branches for a tent and cover on snow. Having built a tent, have laid in a tent branches, were doing a fire (at the Mark the dry matches in the upper pocket to the jacket) and were lie to sleep. Among night Mark has experienced, that it something heated and in a tent is a caustic smoke.

- Ei, - he has pushed of the comrade, - seems, we burn! They were crept out of a tent. On them was smoking a wadded wear. Being rolled on snow, they somehow have extinguished decayed cotton wool.

At the Mark the trousers have burned down half. Swearing and damning all on light, hungry, they on dawn were going further on foot. Were going by raspadok of small spring. Were going some kilometers, they have seen herd of deers and with them the shepherd the Yakut. The hunters came to him. With joy have greeted with him. Answering on a greeting, the shepherd with surprise looked at them and rocked by a head.

Is..., burn!

- Yes. Have burnt slightly. You tell us, how  to go to a road.

- And this mountain, is necessary to proceed. There road.

And they with an effort have begun rise on sopka (small mountain). At last having lifted, they have seen a road. Having lowered, they with pleased were going on it. The road was familiar. It conducted in Aldan. The sun was going to sunset . Them was reached a cart

- Sit The grief-hunters, I shall bring up.

- And you where?

- In Aldan.

- I on a path, - was told comrade to Mark.

- But for me it is not, I to be lifted on this hill and I at home, - has told Mark.

- Well, then good-bye, bear the geese to the wife, - joked the comrade.

- And for you too, - has not remained in the debt Mark.

The comrade has gone on cart, and Mark begin the lifting. Though the hunting obviously has not managed, nevertheless though three sandpipers Mark home bore. But not so it was easy to be lifted on this mountain. Only, will only be lifted up, and again moves down back on loose snow. Only, only will see lights draga and home and slides back.

But, at last, saddle-point is overcome. But on the other hand snows it is even more. To go on it became absolutely impossible. Rescueed only that was much stumpes. Mark, had standing on stump and from it jumped in a direction of the following one, is partial jumping, partially running, partially slipping with a stream of snow. And lights of a house all also far and night...

But at house Tamara sat near of the cradle of daughter and thought. Recently she went with Orochion and has met Aliocha. He went on a road on Orochion. Having seen it, he has stopped the car and has exit from it.

- Hallo Tamara.

- Hallo Aliocha.

- We also were saw.

- Yes late only.

- Well, as you live. Speak, what the husband offends you?

- Not so much.

- I too married, but to live with her I can not. Now with the child has sent her to the mother. I do not know, that will be farther. Such as you to me not find, and why you  was marriage that early?

- You, Aliucha, to this were not aimed, and it was necessary, - has sighed Tamara.

Also thought Tamara, that Aliocha would not throw her because of any hunting. Would help her with house-holding. You see it is heavy.

Someone has knocked by a door. Tamara has left a room and feel of the horror- in doors stood Mark. Burned, not shaved, stiffened and on a cartridge-belt were hung three heads of sandpipers. Mark absolutely about them forgot, and has not noticed when were torn off a bodies.

- Tamarochka, I thought that any more I shall not see you, - has told Mark by a shivering voice.

The short summer was terminated. The daughter was born at Tamara still. In Aldan there is no spring and autumns. Summer without spring, Winter without autumn. For Tamara all it becomes heavier and more hardly to manage with two small children and with a home deals. To help her there was nobody.

- Mara, I can not more so, - she has addressed to the husband, - you never are at house, all time you not have time. And I should heat an apartment, to put waters, to feed everything, to go in shop. And children could not be kept. Soon frosts, will be still more difficult, can we shall go in Kharkov? There though is warmer, and your mum with children will help.

- Well that, we shall go, only I will need at once to return to finish by agreement. Remained slightly.

And they in a train, on a road to Kharkov. To the husband is not sat on a place. He somewhere disappears, then occurs again. When the train approached on station Chani, he declares, that Tamara should be going, because they will leave from a train. Tamara has collected children and has put on itself.

What for they here , she did not know. Was then clarified, that someone it has advised him, because here rich hunting, continuous lakes, and Mark with a gun will live here very good, on markets all completely and cheaply. Correctly, on markets was all and all cheaply.

Mark has found small house on two halves. In one half the family lived, second was empty. In this half because of unfitness to winter nobody lived. In it there was a russian stove in an angle and iron stove in the middle. And Mark has decided to settle here family.

In this village it was difficult with fire wood. Because here of woods was a little, in a main birch. Mark acquire big enough stock of  a fire wood. Has purchased on market the whole carcass of pork and carcass of mutton. Was give for Tamara a few money, and has leaved.

They with Aldan have brought with themselves two suitcases of canvas, flannels and sewing machine to sew to children. But Tamara it is necessary to go for bread, milk. But to go considerably. The house this stood on an edge of village. Were necessary and potato and vegetables but  is impossible to keep children alone she also asked the neighbours girl was looking for children.

The suitcases were not locked, pantry too, and a neighbours woman used this: were steals of a meat, were steals of a material. The pantry was common. To a hut without Tamara woman come in and managed, as wanted. Stole also fire wood.

Tamara sees, that all at her comes to an extremity, and till spring still far. She has written to the husband, that he came. And, having completed all businesses in Aldan, he has arrived.

And here began. The visitors in the visitors. All wont to be in the friends, having nosed out, that at him are money. He began to drink. For Tamara, certainly, it was not pleasant. At once he prepared everything himself, to put on the table a drinks and food, not have attention on Tamara. She sat on a bed with children, and they have sat down to table and have begun feast together with Mark.

And here Tamara was riot. She has risen from a bed, has approached to table and has poured out all on a floor.

- Go all from here now? - she has shouted.

Certainly, the visitors stupefy looked at it, but then one behind other have begun to leave. Has left and Mark. By a morning he has come in with a teared wear and with separated sleeves.

Money, certainly, has left fast. Though everything was cheap, yes to purchase there is nothing. Mark tried to hunt, but not successfully. Has gone to collective farm to work, but the earnings there were bad.

And here at Tamara children were ill by measless. The older daughter was already near to death. In a hospital could not help to her. And Tamara somewhere was read as it is necessary to rescue from measless in that case, and it was possible to her. But at junior  daughter measless has passed safely.

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