A two-kilogram brain, a female voice and a bad laugh. The owner of all this was Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev. Perhaps the only Russian prose writer who requires almost nothing from the reader. He is respectful and kind to him. When you read Turgenev, you get the feeling that you are at the reception of an unusually smart and pleasant psychotherapist who understands all your problems and experiences them himself. But are fifth-grade children suitable for appointments with such a psychologist? Let's see, because before us is the work "Mu-mu", which the guys pass in the 5th grade.
The real story of the work "Mu-mu" played out not far from the author's estate, so all the events described in it are far from fiction. Turgenev's neighbor, Sofya Gerasimovna, became the prototype of a despotic lady. This woman was distinguished by a nervous, even hysterical character, the “charms” of which she took out on the serfs. Among the souls belonging to the noblewoman, Gerasim Orlov stood out, who in life is not at all deaf, in one ear, and speaks perfectly, although not with everyone. And he was considered almost the most educated of the peasants, he wrote a lot. He was as strong as a literary double, lived in solitude, aroused respect, and sometimes fear. It is the pen of Gerasim, the one that really existed, that belongs to the work on the study of Turgenev's works, even the translation of "Mu-mu" into various languages.
But back to the estate, and in it the lady Sophia, in order to better manage her three hundred souls, got a huge dog, distinguished by ferocity, as a result of which she brought heavy injuries to the serfs. She did not bypass Gerasim either, biting him several times for a causal place. After that, Gerasim seemed to be speechless, and the only thing he could say was “Moo-mu”. The rest of the peasants also suffered from the bites of the dog. Some even went crazy. Then Gerasim decided to act, luring the dog into the boat, he tried to drown it, but in an unequal struggle he himself died in the water. Unlike cruel reality, in Turgenev's work, the relationship between the janitor and the dog is filled with tenderness, unaccountable devotion, which the hero expresses without words, it is visible in the look and actions of the man. Mu-mu answers him the same.
Why did Turgenev change Mumu's ending? He was very upset by the news of Gerasim's death. The work became a gratitude for all the help received from this simple hard-working man. The ending of the story was changed in order to emphasize both the physical strength and the strength of the spirit of the protagonist.
Why did Turgenev call the story "Mumu"? If we consider the story from the point of view of the goals and objectives of the author, then it is directed against serfdom. In those days, the serf peasantry, although it was a great force, but this force had no rights, it was silent, just as Gerasim was silent. It did not contradict orders and silently tolerated the cruel treatment. The hero has absorbed all the main features of an ordinary hard-working peasant, and this is his "Mumu" - the only contradiction and the only word that he is able to insert "across" the will of his mistress.
The writer draws a terrifying parallel between the position of man and dog: they are the same. The fate of the animal was decided by the owner, and the fate of Gerasim himself depended entirely on the master's will. Therefore, the title contains a hint that the main character is the same Mu-mu, only in human form, and this social injustice must be eradicated.
"Moo-mu" is a story. The proof is that the story is based on one storyline, only 4 heroes participate in the action: Gerasim, the lady, Tatyana and Kapiton. The volume of the work is small, which also corresponds to the genre.
Turgenev worked within the framework of the direction traditional for his time - classical realism. This confirms the fact that his story is taken from real life, all the characters had prototypes in reality.
What is Turgenev talking about? The plot is vaguely familiar to all of us. The dumb serf Gerasim liked the lady, who, during a visit to the village, decided to take him to Moscow to clean up the territory. The unfortunate peasant did not take root in the big city, everyone avoided him, fearing his formidable appearance. He also falls in love with the serf girl Tatyana, who is also shy of him, but still accepts courtship, although everyone else laughs at the clumsy couple. However, the landowner did not want to “marry the wretched”, therefore she marries the heroine to the drunkard Kapiton. Such is life in the lady's house.
Meanwhile, Gerasim rescued the puppy from the water. He went out of it, grew affectionate and beautiful dog. But the mistress of the house did not like her barking, and she gave the order to carry and sell the dog from her hands in secret from her patron. The smart animal found its way home, but its return did not stop the stubborn landowner. She gave the peasant an order to get rid of the dog. Then the man drowns her, but this is where his patience runs out. He goes back to the village on foot and lives his life alone.
What is Turgenev singing about? This, of course, is compassion. Gerasim knew how to show mercy and kindness, although he was always deprived of this. But, despite the cruelty of the landowner and the indifference of the servants, he did not forget how to empathize with someone else's grief: he felt sorry for Tatyana, saved the dog, etc. This is the main theme of the story. All others are described below:
The image of the protagonist contains the entire Russian people. He is portrayed with all his honesty, decency and pain. Gerasim knew how to love, and pity, and care. He worked tirelessly, even if he knew that his work would not be appreciated. His soul was pure and honest, even after milestones of humiliation and dirt, the only thing he did was close himself from everyone. Gerasim was a worthy man, it was precisely these qualities that Turgenev sang. That is, the main idea of the story is to convey to the ruling class (at that time only nobles were readers) the whole depth of the suffering of the people who feed the country, and receive only the cruel and unfair attitude of the "masters".
But there is another thought, which, as many believe, is the main one in the work. She answers the frequent question: why did Gerasim drown Mu-mu? But the fact is that Mumu is the only word that Gerasim can say. This is the best thing he has in life. All goodness, all happiness, the only being dear to him. So, if you do not kill your “Mu-mu”, you cannot become a free person. The first act of liberation is to kill everything that you love that holds you. If you killed, you are free. As long as Gerasim has Mumu, he cannot leave the mistress, but he is not able to stay either, because the dog is taken away from him. The mute janitor solves this dilemma in his own way: he gets rid of everything that is loved and important in order to risk his life (the lady could punish him for escaping as she pleases) and leave the house where he is tyrannized. Losing love, he gains independence. This is the most complicated Turgenev's idea, which you can't explain to any child at school, according to Turgenev, to kill a soul means to become free. And the best beloved Turgenev heroes are not free.
But independence is not synonymous with happiness. Of course, in the departure of Gerasim from Moscow to the village, we see the hero’s protest against the cruelty of the lady, but the finale of the work is not life-affirming, but quite the opposite:
And Gerasim still lives as a bean in his lonely hut; healthy and powerful as before, and works for four as before, and as before is important and sedate. But the neighbors noticed that since his return from Moscow he had completely stopped hanging out with women, did not even look at them, and did not keep a single dog with him.
Turgenev's work teaches that you should not use your power to harm people, we are not gods to control someone's destinies. The author shows how far a powerful person can go if he is not contradicted, as well as how indifferent we are sometimes to other people's lives and values. These vices - indifference and despotism - must be eradicated in oneself.
The work also teaches us that there are kind and bright people who, however, because of their kindness and devotion, lose the last. Thus, one must be strong when needed and be weak with those who need it.
The opinions of the reviewers were divided. Critics from the government magazine Severnaya Pchela were skeptical of Turgenev's story. They rested on the fact that he exaggerated and depicted only extremes.
More liberal newspapers and magazines rated the work highly, it brought fame and respect to the author. For example, noteworthy is the review of I. S. Aksakov, who praised the image of Gerasim:
It is the personification of the Russian people, its terrible strength and incomprehensible meekness, its withdrawal to itself and into itself, its silence on all requests ...
Some reviewers of Turgenev's work were alarmed, because he himself is a nobleman living at the expense of involuntary peasants, so it is strange to hear from him that serfdom is destructive for Russia.
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After Gerasim fails in his love for a woman, he becomes attached to a small dog. Gerasim is deaf and dumb, which is why the dog gets the nickname Mumu. They become real friends - a broad-shouldered strong janitor and a small defenseless dog. Everything would be fine, but Mumu prevents the cruel mistress from sleeping at night ...
In one of the remote streets of Moscow, in a gray house with white columns, a mezzanine and a crooked balcony, there once lived a mistress, a widow, surrounded by numerous servants. Her sons served in St. Petersburg, her daughters got married; she rarely went out and lived out the last years of her miserly and bored old age in solitude. Her day, joyless and rainy, has long passed; but even her evening was blacker than the night.
Of all her servants, the most remarkable person was the janitor Gerasim, a man of twelve inches tall, built by a hero and deaf-mute from birth. The lady took him from the village, where he lived alone, in a small hut, apart from his brothers, and was considered perhaps the most serviceable draft peasant. Gifted with extraordinary strength, he worked for four - the matter was arguing in his hands, and it was fun to look at him when he either plowed and, leaning his huge palms on the plow, it seemed, alone, without the help of a horse, cut up the elastic chest of the earth, or about Petrov the day acted so crushingly as a scythe that even if a young birch forest was brushed off its roots, or it thrashed agilely and non-stop with a three-foot flail, and like a lever, the oblong and hard muscles of his shoulders lowered and rose. The constant silence gave solemn importance to his indefatigable work. He was a nice man, and had it not been for his misfortune, any girl would have gladly married him ... But Gerasim was brought to Moscow, they bought him boots, sewed a caftan for the summer, a sheepskin coat for the winter, gave him a broom and a shovel in his hands and identified him janitor.
At first, he did not like his new life strongly. From childhood, he got used to field work, to village life. Alienated by his misfortune from the community of people, he grew up dumb and mighty, like a tree growing on fertile land ... Relocated to the city, he did not understand what was happening to him - he was bored and wondered how a young, healthy bull, who had just been taken, is perplexed from the field, where the lush grass grew up to his belly, they took it, put it on a railroad car - and now, dousing his fat body with either smoke with sparks, or undulating steam, they rush him now, rush with a knock and squeal, and where they rush - God news! Gerasim's employment in his new position seemed to him a joke after hard peasant work; in half an hour everything was ready for him, and he would again stop in the middle of the yard and stare, with his mouth open, at all the passers-by, as if wishing to obtain from them a solution to his enigmatic situation, then he would suddenly go off somewhere into a corner and, throwing his broom far away, would shovel, threw himself face down on the ground, and lay motionless on his chest for hours, like a captured animal. But a person gets used to everything, and Gerasim finally got used to city life. He had little to do; his whole duty was to keep the yard clean, to bring a barrel of water twice a day, to haul and chop firewood for the kitchen and the house, and to keep strangers out and guard at night. And it must be said that he diligently fulfilled his duty: in his yard there was never any wood chips or rubbish; if in a dirty time somewhere with a barrel a broken water-horse given under his command gets stuck, he will only move his shoulder - and not only the cart, the horse itself will push from its place; if he starts chopping wood, the ax will ring with him like glass, and splinters and logs will fly in all directions; and as for strangers, after one night, having caught two thieves, he banged their foreheads against each other, and banged them so hard that even if you don’t take them to the police later, everyone in the neighborhood began to respect him very much; even during the day, those passing by, no longer swindlers at all, but simply strangers, at the sight of the formidable janitor, waved and shouted at him, as if he could hear their cries. With the rest of the servants, Gerasim was not on friendly terms - they were afraid of him - but short ones: he considered them to be his own. They communicated with him by signs, and he understood them, carried out all orders exactly, but he also knew his rights, and no one dared to take his place in the capital. In general, Gerasim was of a strict and serious disposition, he liked order in everything; even the roosters did not dare to fight in his presence, otherwise it’s a disaster! he sees, he immediately grabs him by the legs, turns the wheel ten times in the air and throws him apart. There were also geese in the lady's yard; but the goose, as you know, is an important and reasonable bird; Gerasim felt respect for them, went after them and fed them; he himself looked like a sedate gander. He was given a closet above the kitchen; he arranged it for himself, according to his own taste: he built in it a bed of oak planks on four blocks, a truly heroic bed; one hundred pounds could be put on it - it would not bend; under the bed was a hefty chest; in the corner stood a table of the same strong quality, and next to the table was a chair with three legs, so strong and squat that Gerasim himself used to pick it up, drop it and grin. The closet was locked with a lock, reminiscent of its appearance kalach, only black; Gerasim always carried the key to this lock with him on his belt. He did not like to be visited.
So a year passed, at the end of which a small incident happened to Gerasim.
The old lady, with whom he lived as a janitors, followed the ancient customs in everything and kept numerous servants: in her house there were not only laundresses, seamstresses, carpenters, tailors and dressmakers, there was even one saddler, he was also considered a veterinarian and doctor for the people, there was a house doctor for the mistress, there was, finally, one shoemaker named Kapiton Klimov, a bitter drunkard. Klimov considered himself an offended and unappreciated creature, an educated and metropolitan man who could not live in Moscow, idle, in some backwater, and if he drank, as he himself put it with an arrangement and pounding his chest, then he drank already from grief. One day the lady and her chief butler, Gavrila, spoke about him, a man whom, judging by his yellow eyes and duck nose alone, fate itself seemed to have determined to be a commanding person. The lady regretted the corrupted morality of Kapiton, who had just been found somewhere on the street the day before.
And what, Gavrila, - she suddenly spoke up, - should we marry him, what do you think? Maybe he'll calm down.
Why not marry, sir! It's possible, sir," answered Gavrila, "and it will be very good, sir.
Yes; but who will go after him?
Of course, sir. And yet, as you please, sir. Yet, so to speak, he may be needed for something; you can't throw him out of ten.
Does he seem to like Tatiana?
Gavrila was about to say something, but he pressed his lips together.
Yes! .. let him woo Tatyana, - the lady decided, sniffing tobacco with pleasure, - do you hear?
Listen, sir, - said Gavrila and left.
Returning to his room (it was in the wing and was almost completely cluttered with wrought-iron chests), Gavrila first sent his wife out, and then sat down by the window and thought. The unexpected order of the lady, apparently, puzzled him. Finally he got up and ordered Kapiton to be called. Kapiton appeared ... But before we convey to the readers their conversation, we consider it useful to tell in a few words who this Tatyana was, whom Kapiton had to marry, and why the command of the lady embarrassed the butler.
Tatyana, who, as we said above, was a laundress (however, as a skilled and learned laundress, she was entrusted with only thin linen), was a woman of about twenty-eight, small, thin, blond, with moles on her left cheek. Moles on the left cheek are revered in Rus' as a bad omen - a portent of an unhappy life ... Tatyana could not boast of her fate. From early youth she was kept in a black body; she worked for two, but she never saw any kindness; they dressed her badly, she received the smallest salary; she didn’t have any relatives: one old housekeeper, abandoned in the village for uselessness, was her uncle, and her other uncles were peasants - that’s all. Once she was known as a beauty, but beauty very soon jumped off her. She was of a very meek disposition, or, rather, frightened; she felt complete indifference to herself, she was mortally afraid of others; she thought only of how to finish the work on time, never spoke to anyone and trembled at the mere name of the mistress, although she hardly knew her in the face. When Gerasim was brought from the village, she almost died of horror at the sight of his huge figure, tried her best not to meet him, even squinted, it happened when she happened to run past him, hurrying from the house to the laundry - Gerasim at first did not pay special attention to her attention, then he began to chuckle when he came across her, then he began to look at her, and finally he did not take his eyes off her at all. She fell in love with him; whether by a meek expression on his face, or by timidity of movements - God knows! One day she was making her way around the yard, carefully picking up the lady's starched jacket on spread fingers ... someone suddenly grabbed her by the elbow; she turned around and screamed: Gerasim was standing behind her. Laughing stupidly and lowing affectionately, he held out to her a gingerbread cockerel with gold leaf on its tail and wings. She was about to refuse, but he forcibly shoved it right into her hand, shook his head, walked away and, turning around, mumbled something very friendly to her again. From that day on, he didn’t give her rest: wherever she used to go, he was already right there, going to meet her, smiling, lowing, waving his arms, he would suddenly pull out the tape from his bosom and hand it to her, with a broom in front of her, dust will clear. The poor girl simply did not know how to be and what to do. Soon the whole house learned about the tricks of the dumb janitor; ridicule, jokes, biting words rained down on Tatyana. However, not everyone dared to mock Gerasim: he did not like jokes; Yes, and she was left alone with him. The Rada is not happy, but the girl fell under his protection. Like all deaf-mutes, he was very quick-witted and understood very well when he or she was being laughed at. One day, at dinner, the housekeeper, Tatyana's boss, began, as they say, to shove her, and brought her to such a point that she, poor woman, did not know what to do with her eyes and almost wept with vexation. Gerasim suddenly got up, stretched out his huge hand, put it on the wardrobe-maid's head, and looked into her face with such sullen ferocity that she stooped down to the table. Everyone was silent. Gerasim took up the spoon again and continued to sip the cabbage soup. "Look, deaf devil, goblin!" - they all muttered in an undertone, and the wardrobe lady got up and went into the maid's room. And then another time, noticing that Kapiton, the same Kapiton that was just discussed, was somehow too kindly breaking up with Tatyana, Gerasim beckoned him with his finger, took him to the carriage house, yes, grabbing the end of what was standing in the corner drawbar, lightly but meaningfully threatened him with it. Since then, no one has spoken to Tatyana. And he got away with it all. True, as soon as she ran into the maid's room, the housekeeper immediately fainted and, in general, acted so skillfully that on the same day she brought to the attention of the mistress Gerasim's rude act; but the whimsical old woman only laughed, several times, to the extreme insult of the housekeeper, made her repeat how, they say, he bent you down with his heavy hand, and the next day sent Gerasim a ruble. She praised him as a faithful and strong watchman. Gerasim was quite afraid of her, but still he hoped for her mercy and was about to go to her with a request if she would not allow him to marry Tatyana. He was just waiting for a new caftan, promised to him by the butler, in order to appear in decent form before the mistress, when suddenly this very mistress came up with the idea of marrying Tatyana to Kapiton.
The reader will now easily understand the reason for the embarrassment that seized the butler Gavrila after a conversation with the mistress. “Mistress,” he thought, sitting at the window, “of course, favors Gerasim (Gavrila knew this well, and therefore he himself indulged him), but he is still a dumb creature; not to report to the lady that Gerasim, they say, is courting Tatiana. And finally, it is fair, what kind of husband is he? And on the other hand, it’s worth it, God forgive me, the goblin to find out that Tatyana is being given out for Kapiton, because he will break everything in the house, really. After all, you will not collide with him; after all, I sinned, a sinner, in no way can you persuade him ... right! .. ”
The appearance of Kapiton interrupted the thread of Gavrila's reflections. The frivolous shoemaker came in, threw his arms back, and, leaning casually against the protruding corner of the wall near the door, placed his right foot crosswise in front of his left, and shook his head. “Here I am. What do you need?
Gavrila looked at Kapiton and tapped his fingers on the window frame. Kapiton only screwed up his pewter eyes a little, but did not lower them, even smiled slightly and ran his hand through his whitish hair, which was ruffled in all directions. Well, yes, I, they say, I am. What are you looking at?
Good, - said Gavrila and was silent. - Okay, nothing to say!
Kapiton just shrugged his shoulders. "Are you any better?" he thought to himself.
Well, look at yourself, well, look," Gavrila continued reproachfully, "well, who do you look like?
The captain cast a calm glance over his worn and tattered frock coat, his patched trousers, with special attention he examined his holey boots, especially the one on the toe of which his right leg rested so dapperly, and again stared at the butler.
What? repeated Gavrila. - What? Still you say: what? You look like the devil, I have sinned, sinner, that's who you look like.
Capito blinked his eyes nimbly.
"Swear, say, swear, Gavrila Andreevich," he thought again to himself.
After all, you were drunk again, - began Gavrila, - again, right? A? well, answer it.
Due to the weakness of his health, he really was exposed to alcoholic beverages, Kapiton objected.
Due to poor health! .. You are not punished enough - that's what; and in St. Petersburg he was still a student ... You learned a lot in your studies. Just eat bread for nothing.
In this case, Gavrila Andreevich, there is only one judge for me: the Lord God himself - and no one else. He alone knows what kind of person I am in this world, and whether I eat bread for free. And as for the consideration before drunkenness, then in this case it is not I who is to blame, but more than one comrade; he himself lured me, and he politicized, he left, that is, and I ...
And you stayed, goose, on the street. Oh, you stupid man! Well, it's not about that, - continued the butler, - but that. The mistress ... - here he paused, - the mistress wants you to marry. Do you hear? They think you'll settle down by getting married. Understand?
How not to understand.
Well, yes. In my opinion, it would be better to take you well in hand. Well, it's their business. Well? Do you agree?
The captain grinned.
Marriage is a good thing for a man, Gavrila Andreevich; and I, for my part, with my very pleasant pleasure.
Well, yes, - objected Gavrila and thought to himself: "There is nothing to say, the man speaks neatly." “Only here’s the thing,” he continued aloud, “they’ve found a bride that’s not right for you.
Which one, may I inquire?
Tatyana.
Tatyana?
And Kapiton goggled his eyes and separated himself from the wall.
Well, why are you excited? .. Don't you like her?
What a dislike, Gavrila Andreevich! she’s nothing, a worker, a meek girl ... But you yourself know, Gavrila Andreevich, because that one, the goblin, is a kikimora of the steppe, because he is behind her ...
I know, brother, I know everything, - the butler interrupted him with annoyance, - but ...
Have mercy, Gavrila Andreevich! after all, he will kill me, by God he will kill me, like he will swat some fly; because he has a hand, because you, if you please, see for yourself what kind of hand he has; because he just has Minin and Pozharsky's hand. After all, he, deaf, beats and does not hear how he beats! As if in a dream he is waving his fists. And there is no way to appease him; Why? therefore, you know yourself, Gavrila Andreevich, he is deaf and, moreover, as stupid as a heel. After all, this is some kind of beast, an idol, Gavrila Andreevich - worse than an idol ... some kind of aspen: why should I suffer from him now? Of course, I don’t care at all now: a man has worn himself out, he has endured, he has oiled himself like a Kolomna pot - nevertheless, however, I am a man, and not some, in fact, an insignificant pot.
I know, I know, don't paint...
Oh my God! - the shoemaker continued with fervor, - when will the end? when, my God! I am a wretch, a wretch that is not original! Fate, my fate, you think! In my early years I was beaten by a German host; in the best joint of my life a bit from my own brother, finally, in my mature years, this is what I have risen to ...
Oh, you bast soul, - said Gavrila. - Why are you spreading, right!
Why, Gavrila Andreevich! I'm not afraid of beatings, Gavrila Andreevich. Punish me, lord in the walls, give me a greeting in front of people, and I am all among people, but here it comes from whom ...
Well, get out, - Gavrila interrupted him impatiently.
Kapiton turned away and trudged out.
And let's say he wouldn't exist, - the butler shouted after him, - do you yourself agree?
I declare, - objected Kapiton and left.
Eloquence did not leave him even in extreme cases.
The butler paced the room several times.
Well, call Tatyana now, ”he said at last.
A few moments later Tatiana came in barely audibly and stopped at the threshold.
What do you order, Gavrila Andreevich? she said in a low voice.
The butler looked at her intently.
Well, - he said, - Tanyusha, do you want to get married? The lady has found a groom for you.
Listen, Gavrila Andreevich. And who do they appoint me as a suitor? she added with indecision.
Captain, shoemaker.
I'm listening, sir.
He's a frivolous person, that's for sure. But in this case, the lady is counting on you.
I'm listening, sir.
There's only one problem... after all, this capercaillie, Garaska, he's looking after you. And how did you bewitch this bear to yourself? But he will kill you, perhaps, a kind of bear ..
He will kill you, Gavrila Andreevich, he will certainly kill you.
Kill ... Well, we'll see. How do you say: kill! Does he have the right to kill you, judge for yourself.
But I don't know, Gavrila Andreevich, whether he has it or not.
What! because you didn't promise him anything...
What do you want, sir?
The butler paused and thought:
"You unrequited soul!" “Well, all right,” he added, “we’ll talk to you again, and now go, Tanyusha; I can see that you are truly humble.
Tatiana turned, leaned lightly on the lintel, and left.
“Maybe the lady will forget about this wedding tomorrow,” thought the butler, “what made me upset? We will twist this mischievous one; if we let the police know something ... ”- Ustinya Fedorovna! - he shouted in a loud voice to his wife, - put on the samovar, my venerable ...
Tatiana didn't leave the laundry for most of that day. At first she wept, then she wiped away her tears and went on with her work. Kapiton sat until very late at night in an establishment with some kind of gloomy-looking friend and told him in detail how he lived in St. Petersburg with a gentleman who would take everyone, but he was observant of orders and, moreover, he was a little free with one mistake: he took a lot with hops, and as for the female sex, he simply reached all the qualities ... The gloomy comrade only agreed; but when Kapiton finally announced that, on one occasion, he must lay a hand on himself the next day, the gloomy comrade remarked that it was time for bed. And they parted rudely and silently.
Meanwhile, the butler's expectations did not come true. The lady was so occupied with the idea of Kapiton's wedding that even at night she only talked about it with one of her companions, who stayed in her house only in case of insomnia and, like a night cabman, slept during the day. When Gavrila came to her after tea with a report, her first question was: what about our wedding, is it going on? He, of course, answered that he was going as well as possible, and that Kapiton would come to her that very day with a bow. The lady was feeling unwell; she did not do business for long. The butler returned to his room and called a council. The matter certainly required a special discussion. Tatyana did not contradict, of course; but Kapiton announced publicly that he had one head, and not two or three ... Gerasim looked sternly and quickly at everyone, did not leave the girl's porch and seemed to guess that something unkind was being planned for him. The assembled (among them was an old barman, nicknamed Uncle Tail, to whom everyone reverently turned for advice, although they only heard from him that: that's how it is, yes: yes, yes, yes) began with the fact that, just in case, for safety, they locked Kapiton in a closet with a water-purifying machine and began to think a strong thought. Of course, it was easy to resort to force; but God save! noise will come out, the lady will be worried - trouble! How to be? They thought and thought and finally figured it out. It was repeatedly noted that Gerasim could not stand drunkards ... Sitting outside the gate, he always turned away indignantly when some loaded person passed by him with unsteady steps and with a peaked cap on his ear. They decided to teach Tatyana to pretend to be intoxicated and walk, staggering and swaying, past Gerasim. The poor girl did not agree for a long time, but she was persuaded; moreover, she herself saw that otherwise she would not get rid of her admirer. She went. Kapiton was let out of the closet: the matter concerned him after all. Gerasim was sitting on a bedside table by the gate, poking the ground with a shovel... People were looking at him from all corners, from under the curtains outside the windows...
The trick worked perfectly. Seeing Tatyana, at first, as usual, he nodded his head with an affectionate lowing; then he peered, dropped the shovel, jumped up, went up to her, moved his face to her very face ... She staggered even more from fear and closed her eyes ... He grabbed her by the arm, rushed across the whole courtyard and, entering with her into the room where he sat advice, pushed her straight to Kapiton. Tatyana just died ... Gerasim stood a moment, looked at her, waved his hand, grinned and went, stepping heavily, to his closet ... He did not leave there for a whole day. Postilion Antipka later said that he saw through the crack how Gerasim, sitting on the bed, with his hand to his cheek, quietly, measuredly and only occasionally lowing, sang, that is, swayed, closed his eyes and shook his head like coachmen or barge haulers when they sing their mournful songs. Antipka became terrified, and he moved away from the gap. When Gerasim left the closet the next day, no particular change could be noticed in him. He only seemed to become more gloomy, and did not pay the slightest attention to Tatyana and Kapiton. That same evening they both went to the mistress's with geese under their arms, and a week later they were married. On the very day of the wedding, Gerasim did not change his behavior in anything; only he came from the river without water: he once broke a barrel on the road; and at night, in the stable, he cleaned and rubbed his horse so diligently that it swayed like a blade of grass in the wind and waddled from foot to foot under his iron fists.
All this happened in the spring. Another year passed, during which Kapiton completely drank himself with the circle and, as a person who was decidedly useless, was sent with a wagon train to a distant village, along with his wife. On the day of departure, at first he was very brave and assured that wherever they went to him, even where the women wash their shirts and put rolls on the sky, he will not be lost; but then he lost heart, began to complain that he was being taken to uneducated people, and finally became so weak that he could not even put on his own hat; some compassionate soul pushed it over his forehead, straightened the visor, and slammed it down on top. When everything was ready and the peasants were already holding the reins in their hands and were only waiting for the word: “God bless you!”, Gerasim left his closet, approached Tatyana and presented her with a red paper handkerchief, which he had bought for her a year ago. . Tatyana, who up to that moment had endured with great indifference all the vicissitudes of her life, here, however, could not bear it, shed a tear, and, getting into the cart, kissed Gerasim three times in a Christian manner. He wanted to escort her to the outpost and at first went along with her cart, but suddenly stopped at the Crimean ford, waved his hand and set off along the river.
It was in the evening. He walked quietly and looked at the water. Suddenly it seemed to him that something was floundering in the mud near the shore. He bent down and saw a small puppy, white with black spots, which, despite all his efforts, could not get out of the water, struggled, slithered and trembled with all his wet and thin body. Gerasim looked at the unfortunate little dog, picked it up with one hand, thrust it into his bosom, and set off home with long strides. He went into his closet, laid the saved puppy on the bed, covered him with his heavy coat, ran first to the stable for straw, then to the kitchen for a cup of milk. Carefully throwing back the coat and spreading the straw, he put the milk on the bed. The poor little dog was only three weeks old, and her eyes had recently opened; one eye even seemed a little larger than the other; she still did not know how to drink from a cup and only trembled and screwed up her eyes. Gerasim took her head lightly with two fingers and bent her muzzle to the milk. The dog suddenly began to drink greedily, snorting, shaking and choking. Gerasim looked, looked, and suddenly laughed ... All night he fiddled with her, laid her down, wiped her, and finally fell asleep himself next to her in some kind of joyful and quiet sleep.
No mother takes care of her child the way Gerasim took care of his pet. (The dog turned out to be a bitch.) At first she was very weak, frail and ugly in appearance, but little by little she managed and evened out, and after eight months, thanks to the vigilant care of her savior, she turned into a very fine dog of the Spanish breed, with long ears, a fluffy tail in trumpet-shaped and with large expressive eyes. She became passionately attached to Gerasim and did not leave him a single step, she kept walking behind him, wagging her tail. He gave her a nickname - the dumb know that their lowing attracts the attention of others - he called her Mumu. All the people in the house fell in love with her and also called Mumunei. She was extremely intelligent, fond of everyone, but she loved only Gerasim. Gerasim himself loved her without memory ... and it was unpleasant for him when others stroked her: he was afraid, perhaps, for her, was he jealous of her - God knows! She woke him up in the morning, pulling him by the floor, brought to him by the rein an old water cart, with whom she lived in great friendship, with dignity on her face went with him to the river, guarded his brooms and shovels, did not let anyone near his closet. He deliberately cut a hole in his door for her, and she seemed to feel that only in Gerasimov's closet she was a complete hostess, and therefore, entering it, she immediately jumped on the bed with a satisfied look. At night she didn’t sleep at all, but she didn’t bark indiscriminately, like that other stupid mongrel who, sitting on her hind legs and lifting her muzzle and closing her eyes, barks simply out of boredom, just like that, at the stars, and usually three times in a row - no! Mumu's thin voice was never heard in vain: either a stranger came close to the fence, or a suspicious noise or rustle rose somewhere ... In a word, she guarded perfectly. True, there was also, besides her, in the yard an old dog of yellow color, with brown speckles, named Volchok, but he was never, even at night, let loose from the chain, and he himself, due to his decrepitude, did not at all demand freedom - he lay to himself, curled up in his kennel, and only occasionally uttered a hoarse, almost soundless bark, which immediately stopped, as if he himself felt all its uselessness. Mumu did not go to the master's house, and when Gerasim carried firewood into the rooms, she always remained behind and waited impatiently for him at the porch, pricking up her ears and turning her head first to the right, then suddenly to the left, at the slightest knock at the door ...
So another year passed. Gerasim continued his yard work and was very pleased with his fate, when suddenly one unexpected circumstance occurred ... namely:
One fine summer day, the lady with her hangers-on was pacing around the living room. She was in good spirits, laughing and joking; the hangers-on laughed and joked too, but they did not feel any special joy: they did not really like it in the house when a merry hour found a mistress, because, firstly, she then demanded immediate and complete sympathy from everyone and became angry if anyone Somehow her face did not shine with pleasure, and secondly, these outbursts did not last long in her and were usually replaced by a gloomy and sour mood. That day she got up somehow happily; on the cards she got four jacks: the fulfillment of desires (she always guessed in the morning), - and the tea seemed especially tasty to her, for which the maid received praise in words and ten kopecks in money. With a sweet smile on her wrinkled lips, the lady walked around the drawing room and went up to the window. There was a front garden in front of the window, and in the very middle flower bed, under a rose bush, lay Mumu, carefully gnawing at a bone. The lady saw her.
My God! she suddenly exclaimed, “what kind of dog is this?
The friend, to whom the mistress turned, rushed about, poor thing, with that dreary anxiety that usually takes possession of a subject person when he does not yet know well how to understand the exclamation of the boss.
N…n…I don’t know, sir,” she muttered, “mute, it seems.
My God! - interrupted the lady, - yes, she is a pretty little dog! Tell her to bring. How long has she been with him? How can I not see her until now?.. Tell her to bring.
The hanger immediately fluttered into the anteroom.
Man, man! she shouted, "bring Mumu as soon as possible!" She's in the front garden.
And her name is Mumu, - said the lady, - a very good name.
Oh, very much! - objected the host. - Hurry, Stepan!
Stepan, a burly lad who had been a footman, rushed headlong into the front garden and was about to seize Mumu, but she deftly wriggled out from under his fingers and, raising her tail, launched herself at full speed towards Gerasim, who at that time was knocking out and shook out the barrel, turning it over in his hands like a child's drum. Stepan ran after her, began to catch her at the very feet of her master; but the nimble dog did not fall into the hands of a stranger, jumped and dodged. Gerasim looked with a grin at all this fuss; Finally, Stepan got up in annoyance and hastily explained to him by signs that the mistress, they say, wanted your dog to come to her. Gerasim was a little surprised, but he called Mumu, picked her up from the ground and handed her over to Stepan. Stepan brought it into the living room and put it on the parquet. The lady began to call her to her in an affectionate voice. Mumu, who had not yet been in such magnificent chambers, was very frightened and rushed to the door, but, pushed away by the obliging Stepan, she trembled and pressed herself against the wall.
Mumu, Mumu, come to me, come to the mistress, - said the lady, - come, silly ... do not be afraid ...
Come, come, Mumu, to the mistress, - the hangers-on kept repeating, - come.
But Mumu looked around melancholy and did not budge.
Bring her something to eat, said the lady. - How stupid she is! does not go to the lady. What is he afraid of?
They are not used to it yet, - one of the hangers-on said in a timid and touching voice.
Stepan brought a saucer of milk and placed it in front of Mumu, but Mumu didn't even sniff the milk, and kept trembling and looking around as before.
Ah, what are you! - said the lady, going up to her, bent down and wanted to stroke her, but Mumu convulsively turned her head and bared her teeth. The lady deftly withdrew her hand ...
There was an instant silence. Mumu squealed weakly, as if complaining and apologizing... The mistress moved away and frowned. The sudden movement of the dog frightened her.
Oh! - shouted all the hangers-on at once, - did she bite you, God forbid! (Mumu has never bitten anyone in her life.) Ah, ah!
Take her out,” the old woman said in a changed voice. - Bad dog! how evil she is!
And, slowly turning around, she went to her office. The hangers-on looked at each other timidly and started to follow her, but she stopped, looked at them coldly, and said: “Why is this? because I don’t call you, ”and she left. The hangers-on frantically waved their hands at Stepan; he grabbed Mumu and quickly threw her out the door, right at the feet of Gerasim, - and in half an hour a deep silence reigned in the house and the old lady sat on her sofa more gloomy than a thundercloud.
What trifles, you think, can sometimes upset a person!
Until evening the lady was in a bad mood, did not talk to anyone, did not play cards, and spent the night badly. She thought that the eau de cologne she was given was not the one that was usually served, that her pillow smelled of soap, and forced the clerk to sniff all the linen - in a word, she was worried and "excited" very much. The next morning she ordered Gavrila to be called an hour earlier than usual.
Tell me, please, - she began, as soon as he, not without some inner babbling, crossed the threshold of her office, - what kind of dog was barking in our yard all night? didn't let me sleep!
A dog, sir… what a… maybe a mute dog, sir,” he said in a voice that was not entirely firm.
I don’t know if it was a mute or someone else, but she didn’t let me sleep. Yes, I wonder why such an abyss of dogs! I wish to know. Do we have a yard dog?
How, sir, there is, sir. Volchok-s.
Well, what else, what else do we need a dog for? Just start a riot. The elder is not in the house - that's what. And why a dumb dog? Who allowed him to keep dogs in my yard? Yesterday I went to the window, and she lies in the front garden, dragged some kind of abomination, nibbles - and I have roses planted there ...
The lady was silent.
So that she wouldn’t be here today ... do you hear?
I'm listening, sir.
Today. Now get up. I'll call you to report later.
Gavrila left.
Passing through the living room, the butler rearranged the bell from one table to another for order, quietly blew his duck nose in the hall and went out into the hall. Stepan was sleeping in the antechamber on a horse, in the position of a slain warrior in a battle scene, convulsively stretching his bare legs out from under his frock coat, which served him instead of a blanket. The butler pushed him aside and in an undertone told him some order, to which Stepan answered with a half-yawn, half-laughter. The butler left, and Stepan jumped up, pulled on his caftan and boots, went out and stopped at the porch. Five minutes had not passed when Gerasim appeared with a huge bundle of firewood on his back, accompanied by the inseparable Mumu. (The lady ordered her bedroom and study to be heated even in summer.) Gerasim stood sideways in front of the door, pushed it with his shoulder and tumbled into the house with his burden. Mumu, as usual, remained to wait for him. Then Stepan, seizing a convenient moment, suddenly rushed at her, like a kite at a chicken, crushed her to the ground with his chest, scooped her up in an armful and, without even putting on a cap, ran out into the yard with her, got into the first cab he came across and galloped to Okhotny Ryad. There he soon found a buyer, to whom he sold her for fifty kopecks, only that he would keep her tied for at least a week, and immediately returned; but, before reaching the house, he got off the cab and, going around the yard, from the back lane, jumped over the fence into the yard; he was afraid to go through the gate, lest he meet Gerasim.
However, his anxiety was in vain: Gerasim was no longer in the yard. Leaving the house, he immediately missed Mumu; he still did not remember that she would never wait for his return, began to run everywhere, look for her, call in his own way ... rushed to his closet, to the hayloft, jumped out into the street - back and forth ... Disappeared! He turned to the people, with the most desperate signs asked about her, pointing at half a arshin from the ground, drew her with his hands ... Some did not know exactly where Mumu had gone, and only shook their heads, others knew and chuckled at him in response, and the butler accepted an extremely important sight and began to yell at the coachmen. Then Gerasim ran out of the yard.
It was already getting dark when he returned. From his exhausted appearance, from his unsteady gait, from his dusty clothes, it could be assumed that he managed to run around half of Moscow. He stopped in front of the master's windows, looked around the porch, on which seven courtyards were crowded, turned away and mumbled again: "Mumu!" Mumu didn't answer. He walked away. Everyone looked after him, but no one smiled, no one said a word ... and the curious postilion Antipka told the next morning in the kitchen that the mute had been groaning all night.
The whole next day, Gerasim did not show up, so instead of him the coachman Potap had to go for water, which the coachman Potap was very dissatisfied with. The lady asked Gavrila if her order had been carried out. Gavrila replied that it was done. The next morning Gerasim left his closet for work. By dinnertime he came, ate, and left again without bowing to anyone. His face, already lifeless, like all deaf-mutes, now seemed to be petrified. After dinner, he again left the yard, but not for long, returned and immediately went to the hayloft. The night came, moonlit, clear. Sighing heavily and constantly turning, Gerasim lay and suddenly felt as if he were being pulled by the floor; he trembled all over, but did not raise his head, even closed his eyes; but here they pulled him again, stronger than before; he jumped up ... in front of him, with a piece of paper around her neck, Mumu was spinning. A long cry of joy burst from his silent chest; he grabbed Mumu, squeezed her in his arms; she licked his nose, eyes, mustache and beard in an instant ... He stood, thought, carefully climbed down from the hay, looked around and, making sure that no one would see him, he safely made his way to his closet - Gerasim had already guessed that the dog had not disappeared. it goes without saying that she must have been brought down by order of the mistress; people explained to him with signs how his Mumu had snapped at her, and he decided to take his own measures. First he fed Mumu with bread, caressed her, put her to bed, then he began to think, and all night long he thought about how best to hide her. Finally, he came up with the idea of leaving her in the closet all day and only occasionally visiting her, and taking her out at night. He plugged the hole in the door tightly with his old coat, and almost light was already in the yard, as if nothing had happened, even retaining (innocent cunning!) the former despondency on his face. It could not have occurred to the poor deaf man that Mumu would give himself away with his screeching: indeed, everyone in the house soon learned that the dumb dog had returned and was locked up in his house, but, out of pity for him and her, and partly, perhaps, out of fear of him, they did not let him know that they had found out his secret. The butler alone scratched his head and waved his hand. “Well, they say, God bless him! Perhaps it won’t reach the lady! ” On the other hand, the mute had never been as zealous as on that day: he cleaned and scraped the whole yard, weeded out every single herb, pulled out all the pegs in the fence of the front garden with his own hands to make sure they were strong enough, and then he himself hammered them in - in a word, he fiddled and busied himself so that even the lady drew attention to his zeal. During the day, Gerasim went stealthily to his recluse a couple of times; when night came, he went to bed with her in the closet, and not in the hayloft, and only at two o'clock did he go out for a walk with her in the fresh air. After walking around the yard with her for quite some time, he was about to return, when suddenly behind the fence, from the side of the alley, there was a rustle. Mumu pricked up her ears, growled, went up to the fence, sniffed and burst into a loud and shrill bark. Some drunken man took it into his head to nest there for the night. At this very time, the lady was just falling asleep after a long "nervous excitement": these excitements always happened to her after a too hearty dinner. A sudden bark woke her up; her heart skipped a beat and sank. "Girls, girls! she moaned. - Girls! Frightened girls jumped into her bedroom. "Oh, oh, I'm dying! she said, throwing up her hands sadly. - Again, again this dog! .. Oh, send for the doctor. They want to kill me... Dog, dog again! Oh!" - and she threw her head back, which was supposed to mean fainting. They rushed for the doctor, that is, for the house doctor Khariton. This doctor, whose only skill was that he wore boots with soft soles, knew how to delicately take the pulse, slept fourteen hours a day, and the rest of the time he sighed and incessantly regaled the mistress with laurel-cherry drops - this doctor immediately ran in, smoked burnt feathers, and when the mistress opened her eyes, he immediately brought her a glass with the treasured drops on a silver tray. The mistress accepted them, but at once, in a tearful voice, she again began to complain about the dog, about Gavrila, about her fate, that everyone had abandoned her, a poor old woman, that no one was sorry for her, that everyone wanted her dead. Meanwhile, the unfortunate Mumu continued to bark, and Gerasim tried in vain to call her away from the fence. “Here ... here ... again ...” - the lady murmured and again rolled her eyes under her forehead. The doctor whispered to the girl, she rushed into the hall, pushed Stepan aside, he ran to wake Gavrila, Gavrila rashly ordered to raise the whole house.
Gerasim turned around, saw lights and shadows flickering in the windows, and, sensing trouble in his heart, grabbed Mumu under the arm, ran into the closet and locked himself. A few moments later, five people were pounding on his door, but, feeling the resistance of the bolt, they stopped. Gavrila ran in a terrible puff, ordered them all to stay here until morning and watch, and then he himself rushed into the maid's room and through his senior companion Lyubov Lyubimovna, with whom he stole and accounted for tea, sugar and other groceries, ordered to report to the mistress that the dog, to unfortunately, she again ran from somewhere, but that tomorrow she would not be alive and that the lady would do a favor, not get angry and calm down. The lady probably would not have calmed down so soon, but the doctor in a hurry instead of twelve drops poured as many as forty: the power of laurel cherries worked - in a quarter of an hour the lady was already resting soundly and peacefully; and Gerasim lay, all pale, on his bed - and tightly squeezed Mumu's mouth.
The next morning the lady woke up rather late. Gavrila was waiting for her awakening in order to give the order for a decisive attack on Gerasim's shelter, while he himself was preparing to withstand a strong thunderstorm. But the storm didn't happen. Lying in bed, the lady ordered to call the older host to her.
Lyubov Lyubimovna,” she began in a quiet and weak voice; she sometimes liked to pretend to be a downtrodden and orphan sufferer; needless to say, that all the people in the house then became very embarrassed - Lyubov Lyubimovna, you see what my position is: go, my soul, to Gavrila Andreevich, talk to him: is any little dog really dearer to him than peace, life itself his ladies? I would not want to believe it,” she added with an expression of deep feeling, “come, my soul, be so kind as to go to Gavrila Andreevich.
Lyubov Lyubimovna went to Gavrilin's room. It is not known what they were talking about; but after a while a whole crowd of people moved across the yard in the direction of Gerasim's closet: Gavrila stepped forward, holding his cap in his hand, although there was no wind; footmen and cooks walked around him; Uncle Khvost looked out of the window and gave orders, that is, only spreading his arms like that; behind everyone jumped and grimaced the boys, of which half ran into strangers. On the narrow stairs leading to the closet, one guard was sitting; at the door stood two others, with sticks. They began to climb the stairs, took it to its full length. Gavrila went up to the door, knocked on it with his fist, shouted:
There was a strangled bark; but there was no answer.
They say open up! he repeated.
Yes, Gavrila Andreevich, - Stepan noticed from below, - after all, he is deaf - he does not hear.
Everyone laughed.
How to be? Gavrila retorted from above.
And he has a hole in the door there, - answered Stepan, - so you move a stick.
Gavrila bent down.
He plugged it with some kind of coat, a hole.
And you shove the coat inside.
Here again there was a dull barking.
You see, you see, it affects itself, - they noticed in the crowd and again laughed.
Gavrila scratched behind his ear.
No, brother,” he continued at last, “shove the coat yourself, if you want.
Well, please!
And Stepan climbed up, took a stick, put the coat inside and began to swing the stick in the hole, saying: “Come out, come out!” He was still dangling with a stick, when suddenly the door of the closet flung open quickly - all the servants immediately rolled head over heels down the stairs, Gavrila first of all. Uncle Tail locked the window.
Well, well, well, well, - Gavrila shouted from the yard, - look at me, look!
Gerasim stood motionless on the threshold. The crowd had gathered at the foot of the stairs. Gerasim looked at all these people in German coats from above, with his hands slightly at his sides; in his red peasant shirt, he looked like some kind of giant in front of them, Gavrila took a step forward.
Look, brother, - he said, - don't be naughty with me.
And he began to explain to him with signs that the lady, they say, would certainly demand your dog: give her, they say, now, otherwise you will be in trouble.
Gerasim looked at him, pointed to the dog, made a sign with his hand at his neck, as if tightening a noose, and looked at the butler with an inquiring face.
Yes, yes, - he objected, nodding his head, - yes, absolutely.
Gerasim lowered his eyes, then suddenly shook himself, again pointed to Mumu, who had been standing beside him all the time, innocently wagging her tail and moving her ears curiously, repeated the sign of strangulation over his neck and struck himself significantly in the chest, as if announcing that he himself was taking destroy Mumu on yourself.
Yes, you will deceive, - Gavrila waved him back.
Gerasim looked at him, smiled contemptuously, struck his chest again, and slammed the door.
Everyone looked at each other silently.
What does this mean? Gabriel began. - Is he locked up?
Leave him, Gavrila Andreevich," said Stepan, "he will do what he promised. He's so... Well, if he promises, it's probably. He is not like our brother. What's true is true. Yes.
Yes, they all repeated and shook their heads. - This is true. Yes.
Uncle Wormtail opened the window and also said, "Yes."
Well, perhaps we'll see, - Gavrila objected, - but still don't remove the guard. Hey you, Eroshka! he added, turning to a pale man in a yellow nanke Cossack, who was considered a gardener, “what are you to do? Take a stick and sit here, and just about anything, immediately run to me!
Eroshka took a stick and sat down on the last rung of the stairs. The crowd dispersed, except for a few curious and boys, and Gavrila returned home and, through Lyubov Lyubimovna, ordered to report to the mistress that everything was done, and, just in case, he sent a postillion to the guard. The mistress tied a knot in her handkerchief, poured cologne on it, sniffed it, rubbed her temples, drank some tea, and, still under the influence of cherry-laurel drops, fell asleep again.
An hour later, after all this anxiety, the door of the closet opened, and Gerasim appeared. He was wearing a festive caftan; he led Mumu on a string. Eroshka stood aside and let him pass. Gerasim went to the gate. The boys and all who were in the yard followed him with their eyes, silently. He did not even turn around: he put on his hat only in the street. Gavrila sent the same Eroshka after him as an observer. Eroshka saw from a distance that he had entered the tavern with the dog, and began to wait for him to come out.
In the tavern they knew Gerasim and understood his signs. He asked for cabbage soup with meat and sat down, leaning his hands on the table. Mumu stood beside his chair, calmly looking at him with her intelligent eyes. The wool on it was so shiny: it was clear that it had recently been combed out. They brought Gerasim cabbage soup. He crumbled some bread into it, finely chopped the meat and put the plate on the floor. Mumu began to eat with her usual politeness, barely touching the food with her muzzle. Gerasim looked at her for a long time; two heavy tears suddenly rolled out of his eyes: one fell on the dog's steep forehead, the other into the cabbage soup. He covered his face with his hand. Mumu ate half a plate and walked away, licking her lips. Gerasim got up, paid for the cabbage soup, and went out, accompanied by a somewhat perplexed look from the officer. Eroshka, seeing Gerasim, ran around the corner and, letting him pass, again went after him.
Gerasim walked slowly and did not let Mumu off the rope. Having reached the corner of the street, he stopped, as if in thought, and suddenly, with quick steps, went straight to the Crimean ford. On the way, he went into the yard of the house, to which the outhouse was attached, and carried out two bricks from there under his arm. From the Crimean ford, he turned along the shore, reached a place where there were two boats with oars tied to pegs (he had already noticed them before), and jumped into one of them together with Mumu. A lame old man came out from behind a hut set up in the corner of the garden and shouted at him. But Gerasim only nodded his head and began to row so hard, although against the current of the river, that in an instant he sped off a hundred fathoms. The old man stood for a moment, scratched his back, first with his left hand, then with his right hand, and limped back to the hut.
And Gerasim kept rowing and rowing. Now Moscow is left behind. Meadows, vegetable gardens, fields, groves have already stretched along the banks, huts have appeared. The village blew. He dropped the oars, leaned his head against Mumu, who was sitting in front of him on a dry crossbeam - the bottom was flooded with water - and remained motionless, his mighty arms folded on her back, while the boat was gradually being carried back to the city by the wave. Finally, Gerasim straightened up, hurriedly, with some kind of painful anger on his face, wrapped the bricks he had taken with a rope, attached a noose, put it on Mumu’s neck, lifted her over the river, looked at her for the last time ... She looked at him trustingly and without fear and wagged her tail a little. He turned away, screwed up his eyes, and unclenched his hands... Gerasim heard nothing, neither the quick screech of falling Mumu, nor the heavy splash of water; for him the noisiest day was silent and silent, as no quietest night is silent for us, and when he opened his eyes again, small waves were still hurrying along the river, as if chasing each other, small waves, they were still splashing on the sides of the boat, and only far back towards the shore did some kind of wide circles run up.
Eroshka, as soon as Gerasim disappeared from his sight, returned home and reported everything he saw.
Well, yes, - Stepan noticed, - he will drown her. You can be calm. When he promised...
During the day no one saw Gerasim. He didn't have lunch at home. Evening has come; everyone gathered for supper except him.
What a wonderful this Gerasim! - squeaked a fat laundress, - is it possible to get laid because of a dog! .. Really!
Yes, Gerasim was here, - Stepan suddenly exclaimed, raking in a spoonful of porridge.
How? When?
Yes, two hours ago. How. I met him at the gate; he was walking from here again, coming out of the yard. I was about to ask him about the dog, but he was obviously not in a good mood. Well, and pushed me; he must have just wanted to push me away: they say, don’t pester me, but he brought such an unusual bream to my camp vein, it’s important that oh-oh-oh! And Stepan shrugged his shoulders with an involuntary smile and rubbed the back of his head. “Yes,” he added, “he has a hand, a blessed hand, there is nothing to say.
Everyone laughed at Stepan and after dinner went to bed.
And meanwhile, at that very time, along T ... by the highway, some kind of giant was striding diligently and non-stop, with a bag over his shoulders and with a long stick in his hands. It was Gerasim. He hurried without looking back, hurried home, to his village, to his homeland. Having drowned poor Mumu, he ran to his closet, deftly packed some belongings into an old blanket, tied it in a knot, slung it over his shoulder, and that was it. He noticed the road well even when he was being taken to Moscow; the village from which the mistress had taken him lay only twenty-five versts from the highway. He walked along it with a kind of indestructible courage, with a desperate and at the same time joyful determination. He was walking; his chest opened wide; eyes greedily and directly rushed forward. He was in a hurry, as if his old mother was waiting for him at home, as if she was calling him to her after a long wandering on a strange side, in strange people ... The summer night that had just come on was quiet and warm; on the one hand, where the sun had set, the edge of the sky was still white and faintly flushed with the last reflection of the vanishing day; on the other hand, a blue, gray twilight was already rising. The night went on from there. Hundreds of quail rattled around, corncrakes called to one another ... Gerasim could not hear them; how the wind that flew towards him - the wind from the homeland - gently struck his face, played in his hair and beard; I saw a whitening road in front of me - the road home, straight as an arrow; I saw countless stars in the sky that illuminated his path, and like a lion stepped out strongly and cheerfully, so that when the rising sun illuminated with its moist red rays the young man who had just diverged, already thirty-five miles lay between Moscow and him ...
Two days later he was already at home, in his hut, to the great amazement of the soldier who was settled there. After praying before the icons, he immediately went to the elder. The headman was surprised at first; but the haymaking was just beginning: Gerasim, as an excellent worker, was immediately given a scythe in his hands - and he went to mow in the old way, to mow in such a way that the peasants only made their way, looking at his scope and rakes ...
And in Moscow, the day after Gerasim's escape, they missed him. We went to his closet, ransacked it, told Gavrila. He came, looked, shrugged his shoulders and decided that the dumb man had either fled or drowned with his stupid dog. They let the police know, they reported to the mistress. The lady was angry, burst into tears, ordered to find him at all costs, assured that she had never ordered the destruction of the dog, and, finally, gave Gavrila such a scolding that he only shook his head all day and said: “Well!” - until Uncle Tail reasoned with him, telling him: "Well!" Finally, news came from the village about the arrival of Gerasim there. The lady calmed down somewhat; at first she gave the order to immediately demand him back to Moscow, then, however, she announced that she did not need such an ungrateful person at all. However, she herself soon died after that; and her heirs had no time for Gerasim: they dismissed the rest of my mother's people according to dues.
And Gerasim still lives as a bean in his lonely hut; healthy and powerful as before, and works for four as before, and as before is important and sedate. But the neighbors noticed that since his return from Moscow he had completely stopped hanging out with women, did not even look at them, and did not keep a single dog with him. “However,” the peasants interpret, “it’s his happiness that he doesn’t need a woman; and the dog - what does he need a dog for? You can’t drag a thief into his yard with a donkey!” Such is the rumor about the heroic strength of the mute.
... perhaps the most serviceable draft man. - Tax - serf service, which the landlords imposed on their peasants. A conditional family (two adult workers, a man and a woman, sometimes with the addition of a half-worker - a teenager) was taken as a unit of taxation with corvée or dues. Turgenev emphasizes that Gerasim was a full-fledged worker who carried all the peasant duties.
... because he just has Minin and Pozharsky's hand. - On the monument to Minin and Pozharsky, erected in Moscow on Red Square in 1826 (author - sculptor I.P. Martos), Minin is depicted with a mighty hand stretched forward.
... you can’t drag a thief into his yard with a donkey! - Donkey - a loop from a rope, a lasso (from overpowering, coping, catching).
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A lady lives in one of the Moscow houses, surrounded by numerous servants. Among her servants, the janitor Gerasim stands out - a tall man (about 195 cm) and a heroic build, but deaf and mute from birth. Being brought from the village, he longed for his native places for a long time, but gradually got used to city life. He is a hard worker and his yard is always in order.
From a certain moment, the inhabitants of the house begin to notice that Gerasim has a special sympathy for the quiet, uncomplaining 28-year-old washerwoman Tatyana. His courtship is touching and the matter goes to marriage; Gerasim is only waiting for a new caftan to be sewn for him in order to appear in a decent form in front of the mistress and ask for permission to marry. However, the lady, having observed the behavior of the ever-drunk shoemaker Kapiton, suddenly decides that only marriage can fix him, and appoints Tatyana as his wife. Butler Gavrila, having learned about this, is frightened: he understands that Gerasim's response may turn out to be unpredictable. At an urgently convened council, a way out was found: knowing about Gerasim's dislike for drunkards, Tatyana is offered to pretend to be intoxicated and in this form to pass by the janitor. The trick worked; Gerasim, having spent almost a day in his closet, is experiencing the collapse of love and therefore does not interfere with someone else's wedding.
A year later, Tatiana and drunken Kapiton, at the insistence of the mistress, leave for the village. Gerasim, having said goodbye to them at the Crimean Ford, on the way home, pulls out a small puppy that has fallen into the water. Gerasim brings the puppy home, feeds it and gives it a nickname - Mumu (one of the few words he can say). Over time, Mumu turns into a cute dog who treats everyone in the yard with trust, but loves only Gerasim. The lady is the last to know about her existence. Attempts to establish relations with the dog lead to nothing; an unsuccessful acquaintance ended with the lady's demand to do so, "so that she would not be here today." Gavrila, to whom this order was addressed, tried to fulfill it: at first, Mumu was secretly taken to Okhotny Ryad and sold, but a day later she returned to Gerasim with a piece of rope around her neck. Then the servant explains to the janitor as accessible as possible that the lady is unhappy with his dog. Gerasim in response makes it clear that he will solve this problem.
An hour later, Gerasim, together with Mumu, left the closet. The janitor took the dog to a tavern and ordered cabbage soup with meat for it. Then they went to the Crimean Ford and got into the boat. When Moscow was left far behind, Gerasim carried out the order given by the mistress: Mumu was swallowed up by the waters of the river. And her master returned; but not to the Moscow house of the lady, but to the village.
In 1852, Turgenev, contrary to the prohibitions of censorship, published an obituary on the death of Gogol, after which, by order of the authorities, he was kept under arrest for a month, and then was exiled to Spasskoye-Lutovinovo. In a letter to Pauline Viardot, the writer said that he was ordered to live in the village "until a new order."
The story "Mumu" was written in April - May at the St. Petersburg "congress", where Turgenev was under the supervision of a private bailiff. Later, already during his stay in Spassky, the writer informed the publisher Ivan Aksakov about his readiness to send "a small thing written under arrest." The Aksakov family received Mumu in the autumn of the same 1852 and responded enthusiastically to the story; the publisher promised to publish it in The Moscow Collection. These plans failed to come true: the second volume of the Moscow Collection, already prepared for publication, was closed by censorship in March 1853.
The story was printed only after eleven months - it appeared in the third issue of the Sovremennik magazine for 1854. The first response to "Muma" was a special report by the official of the main department of censorship and the official reviewer of "Sovremennik" Nikolai Rodzianko. In a document sent to the Minister of Public Education, Rodzianko said that he considered the story "inappropriate in print" because readers might "be filled with compassion" for the protagonist. The report was set in motion: the case of the publication of "Mumu" was considered at a meeting of the collegium, as a result of which a circular prepared by the head of the ministry, Avraam Norov, was released. The content of the story was deemed "delicious", and the censor V. N. Beketov, who allowed it to be published, received a warning.
The story, according to researchers, is based on a real story that happened in the house of Varvara Petrovna Turgeneva, the writer's mother. The prototype of Gerasim was the serf Andrew, nicknamed the Mute. He, who was born and raised in the village, was distinguished by his tall stature, stature and catchy appearance. During one of his trips to his estates, Varvara Petrovna noticed him. The headman, to whom the landowner turned with questions, characterized Andrei the Mute as a sober and efficient worker. The hero was transported to the Moscow house of Turgeneva and identified as a janitor. The half-sister of the writer, Varvara Zhitova, noted in her memoirs that the janitor wore red red shirts, was smiling and had extraordinary strength:
Andrei actually had a dog, Mumu, which he drowned after Varvara Petrovna's order. However, unlike the literary hero, the real Andrei did not leave the lady, but continued to serve her faithfully.
Gerasim is more complex than his prototype. He endured the "sinister game with his soul" twice - when he was separated from Tatyana and when they wanted to take Mumu away. Literary critic Viktor Chalmaev calls the hero’s decision to drown the dog an act “proud, full of painful sorrow and dignity”:
The prototype of Khariton - the lady's house doctor - was the serf of Varvara Petrovna Porfiry Timofeevich Kudryashov. The writer knew him well: during his trips abroad, Kudryashov was charged with the duty to play the role of "uncle" under Turgenev. With his help, Porfiry Timofeevich managed to get a medical education and began to prepare himself for work as a zemstvo doctor, but Varvara Petrovna did not want to part with her personal doctor.
The butler Gavrila in the image of Turgenev is a swindler and a swindler; bowing and fawning before the mistress, he secretly stole everything that was lying badly. The shoemaker Kapiton fancied himself an educated man and was not stupid in his own way; over the years, he lost his gloss, turning into a bitter drunkard and a pathological idler. The image of this character is revealed with the help of his "educated lackey speech".
The actions of the lady, accustomed to unceremoniously intervene in the fate of her servants, are characterized by researchers as arbitrariness. At the same time, she had no intentions of deliberately harming Gerasim or Tatyana: she appreciated the janitor as a good worker, she hardly knew the laundress:
During the first two years after the publication of Mumu, not a single print publication in Russia responded to the story. This "conspiracy of silence" was associated with a censorship circular forbidding "the mention of "Muma" in print as a work" .
However, in the private correspondence of writers and public figures, the story was both discussed and analyzed. So, Alexander Herzen responded to him with the words “A miracle, how good!”; in a letter to Turgenev, he noted that the author of "Mumu" "was not afraid to look into the stuffy closet of a serf servant, where he had only one consolation - vodka."
Ivan Sergeevich Aksakov, who read the story in handwritten form, especially noted the main character:
The image of Gerasim is revealed through his relationship to Tatyana and through attachment to Mumu:
In almost every key episode, the author pays attention to Gerasim's facial expression. It is a "mirror of the hero's spiritual experiences", in which one can read bewilderment, gloom, or quiet joy. One of the most poignant scenes of the story is an episode in a tavern, when the janitor, having finally decided to feed the dog doomed to death, looked at her for a long time. Nothing is said about Gerasim's feelings at this moment, however, his drama is revealed in the sentence about "two heavy tears" that rolled out of the hero's eyes.
The story has been adapted several times:
On March 25, 2004, a monument to Mumu was unveiled on Turgenev Square in St. Petersburg, timed to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the first publication of the story. The sculptural composition cast from iron represents a dog curled up near huge boots.
Ivan Turgenev wrote the story "Mumu", reflecting in it his experiences and concerns about the fate of Russia and the future of the country. And this is completely understandable, because in order to write a work, its author must be impressed and inspired by something, then these feelings can be clearly expressed on paper. It is known that Ivan Turgenev, as a true patriot, thought a lot about what awaits the country, and the events in Russia at that time were far from the most joyful for the people.
Making an analysis of Turgenev's "Mumu" and discussing the image of Gerasim, we will clearly see that the author built the plot around the problem of serfdom, which was very relevant in that era. We read about Turgenev's challenge to serfdom. Indeed, the action of the story "Mumu", an analysis of which must be done in order to better understand Turgenev's idea, takes place in a Russian village, but all this prompts deep reflection and draw important conclusions about the character of a Russian person and his soul.
Before the readers of the story "Mumu" appears the image of Gerasim. In this image, magnificent qualities are revealed. Turgenev shows kindness, strength, diligence and compassion. Gerasim possesses all these qualities, and his example shows how Turgenev would like to see a Russian person. For example, Gerasim has considerable physical strength, he wants and can work hard, the matter is argued in his hands.
Gerasim is also neat and clean. He works as a janitor and approaches his duties with responsibility, because thanks to him the owner's yard is always clean and tidy. When analyzing Turgenev's "Mumu", it is impossible to ignore the image of Gerasim. The author shows his somewhat reclusive character, since Gerasim is unsociable, and even a lock always hangs on the doors of his closet. But this formidable appearance does not correspond to the kindness of his heart and generosity, because Gerasim is open-hearted and knows how to sympathize. Therefore, it is clear: it is impossible to judge the internal qualities of a person by appearance.
What else can be seen in the image of Gerasim when analyzing "Mumu"? He was respected by all the household, which was deserved - Gerasim worked hard, as if he carried out the orders of the hostess, while not losing his sense of self-respect. The main character of the story, Gerasim, did not become happy, because he is a simple village peasant, and city life is built in a completely different way and flows according to its own laws. The city does not feel unity with nature. So Gerasim, once in the city, understands that he is bypassed. Having fallen in love with Tatyana, he is deeply unhappy because she becomes the wife of another.
At a difficult moment in life, when the main character is especially sad and hurt at heart, a ray of light is suddenly visible. The image of Gerasim continues to be revealed to the reader, and the analysis of "Mumu" is supplemented by an important detail - here it is, the hope for happy moments, a cute little puppy. Gerasim saves the puppy and they become attached to each other. The puppy's name is Mumu, and the dog is always with his big friend. At night, Mumu guards, and wakes up the owner in the morning.
It seems that life is filled with meaning and becomes happier, but the lady becomes aware of the puppy. Deciding to subjugate Mumu, she experiences a strange disappointment - the puppy does not obey her, but the lady is not used to ordering twice. Can you command love? But that's another question.
The mistress, accustomed to seeing how her instructions are carried out at the same moment and meekly, cannot bear the disobedience of a small creature, and she orders the dog out of sight. Gerasim, whose image is well revealed here, decides that Mumu can be hidden in his closet, especially since no one goes to him, but the puppy reveals himself with his barking. Then Gerasim realizes that he has no choice but to resort to drastic measures, and he kills the puppy, who has become his only friend. We will answer the question "Why did Gerasim drown Mumu" in another article, but for now, in the analysis of Turgenev's Mumu, we emphasize that in the image of Gerasim the author showed an unfortunate serf. Serfs "dumb", they cannot claim their rights, they simply obey the regime, but in the soul of such a person there is hope that someday his oppression will end.
We strongly recommend that you read the full version of the work, or at least for informational purposes, a summary of the story. We hope you found this article useful, in which we showed an analysis of Turgenev's "Mumu" and the image of Gerasim.
Turgenev's stories
A lady lived in Moscow. Many servants worked in her yard, the most notable of which was the janitor Gersim from the village. He was deaf and mute from birth, but very strong physically. At first, Gerasim missed his village, but soon got used to the city. He coped with the work quickly, after rural work, his current duties seemed like a joke to him.
Gerasim was given a closet, on which he hung a lock, he did not like guests. Among the other workers of the mistress was the laundress Tatyana, who liked Gerasim and he began to look after her. But the lady decided to marry Tatyana to Kapiton, a drunkard shoemaker. Knowing the enormous strength of Gerasim, both Tatyana and Kapiton were afraid of the decision of the mistress. But they decided on a trick - Gerasim could not stand drunk people, Tatyana was persuaded to portray a drunk girl and the trick was a success. When Gerasim saw Tatyana staggering, he himself dragged her to Kapiton, thereby saying who her match was.
So Tatyana married Kapiton, Gerasim lamented for a long time about this. A year later, Kapiton completely drank himself and he and his wife were sent to the village. Gerasim sat in his closet that day for a long time, and only in the evening did he come out and go for a walk.
Walking along the river, Gerasim saw a small puppy who could not get out of the mud. Gerasim took it, put it in his bosom and carried it home. At home, he laid straw for the puppy, poured milk into a saucer and taught the dog to drink milk. He named her Mumu. The whole night Gerasim fussed with Mumu and only in the morning did he fall asleep with a contented sleep.
Eight months later, Mumu grew up and became an adult dog of the Spanish breed. Mumu became very attached to Gerasim, and he to her. Mumu guarded his closet and brooms, walked near him, but never entered the master's house.
One day the lady saw Mumu from the window and she liked the dog very much. The mistress ordered to bring her to her. The servant rushed to catch Mumu, but she did not fall into the hands of strangers and ran away to Gerasim. The servant explained to Gerasim that the lady wanted to see Mumu and Gerasim handed over the dog to the servant. When Mumu was brought to the mansion, she got frightened and pressed herself against the wall. A saucer of milk was placed in front of her, but she did not drink. The mistress called Mumu to her, but she did not go. And when the lady leaned over to stroke her, Mumu bared her teeth.
The lady did not like this very much. And she ordered to take Mumu out of the house. The next day, the lady gave the task of getting rid of the dog to her butler Gavrila. Gavrila handed over the task to Stepan, and he caught Mumu secretly from Gerasim. Then Stepan took Mumu to Okhotny Ryad, where he sold her for fifty dollars.
Gerasim was looking for Mumu all day and went around half of Moscow in search of her. But he returned home with nothing and was sad. However, at night he felt that someone was gently pushing him. It was Mumu with a piece of rope around her neck. Gerasim and Mumu were very happy with each other. The next day, Gerasim locked Mumu in his closet so that no one would see her. However, he was deaf and mute and did not know that those passing by his closets could hear Mumu's barking. What happened. But those who heard were in no hurry to report to the mistress that Gerasim was hiding Mumu in his closet.
At night, Gerasim took Mumu out for a walk. Suddenly she smelled a drunk and barked loudly. This woke the lady and she immediately ordered the butler to get rid of the dog. The butler, together with the crowd, ran to Gerasim's closet, but the castle held them back. In the morning they nevertheless got through to Gerasim and he went out onto the porch with Mumu. Gavrila conveyed to him the demands of the mistress, and Gerasim made it clear by signs that he himself would get rid of Mumu. The young boy was instructed to follow Gerasim so that he did not deceive.
An hour later, Gerasim in a festive caftan came out of the closet. On a rope he led Mumu. They went to a tavern, where Gerasim bought for Mumu the last plate of cabbage soup in her life and crumbled bread into it. Gerasim watched Mumu eating for a long time and tears welled up in his eyes. When Mumu had eaten, they left the tavern and went to the river. On the way, Gerasim took 2 bricks and they came to the boats. Putting Mumu in a boat, they sailed away from the shore and sailed away from Moscow. There Gerasim tied a rope to the bricks, made a loop at the other end and threw it around Mumu's neck. For the last time, he held her close to him and said goodbye to her. Then he raised the bricks and Mumu above the water, turned away and unclenched his hands. He did not hear Mumu's squeal or splash, he only saw circles running across the water. Then Gerasim returned to the shore.
He went to his closet, packed his things into a bundle, tied it to a stick and went to his village. The lady the next day was worried about his absence, but soon received news from his village that Gerasim had returned. He quickly plunged into work and again began to mow hay. And since then he lived alone. He did not associate with women and did not start dogs either.
Turgenev's story "Mumu" is included in.
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In one of the remote streets of Moscow, in a gray house with white columns, a mezzanine and a crooked balcony, there once lived a mistress, a widow, surrounded by numerous servants.
Of all her servants, the most remarkable person was the janitor Gerasim, a man of twelve inches tall, built by a hero and deaf-mute from birth.
At first, he did not like his new life strongly. From childhood, he got used to field work, to village life. Alienated by his misfortune from the community of people, he grew up dumb and powerful, like a tree growing on fertile land ...
With the rest of the servants, Gerasim was not on friendly terms - they were afraid of him - but short ones: he considered them to be his own. They communicated with him by signs, and he understood them, carried out all orders exactly, but he also knew his rights, and no one dared to take his place in the capital. In general, Gerasim was of a strict and serious disposition, he liked order in everything; even the roosters did not dare to fight in his presence, otherwise it’s a disaster! he sees, he immediately grabs him by the legs, turns the wheel ten times in the air and throws him apart. There were also geese in the lady's yard; but the goose, as you know, is an important and reasonable bird; Gerasim felt respect for them, went after them and fed them; he himself looked like a sedate gander. He was given a closet above the kitchen; he arranged it for himself, according to his own taste: he built in it a bed of oak planks on four blocks, a truly heroic bed; one hundred pounds could be put on it - it would not bend; under the bed was a hefty chest; in the corner stood a table of the same strong quality, and next to the table was a chair with three legs, so strong and squat that Gerasim himself used to pick it up, drop it and grin. The closet was locked with a lock, reminiscent of its appearance kalach, only black; Gerasim always carried the key to this lock with him on his belt. He did not like to be visited.
So a year passed, at the end of which a small incident happened to Gerasim.
The old lady, with whom he lived as a janitors, followed the ancient customs in everything and kept numerous servants: in her house there were not only laundresses, seamstresses, carpenters, tailors and dressmakers, there was even one saddler, he was also considered a veterinarian and doctor for the people, there was a house doctor for the mistress, there was, finally, one shoemaker named Kapiton Klimov, a bitter drunkard. Klimov considered himself an offended and unappreciated creature, an educated and metropolitan man, who could not live in Moscow, idle, in some kind of backwater, and if he drank, as he himself put it with an arrangement and pounding his chest, then he drank already right out of grief. One day the lady and her chief butler, Gavrila, spoke about him, a man whom, judging by his yellow eyes and duck nose alone, fate itself seemed to have determined to be a commanding person. The mistress regretted the corrupted morality of Kapiton, who had just been found somewhere on the street the day before.
And what, Gavrila, - she suddenly spoke up, - should we marry him, what do you think? Maybe he'll calm down.
Why not marry, sir! It's possible, sir," answered Gavrila, "and it will be very good, sir.
Yes; but who will go after him?
Of course, sir. And yet, as you please, sir. Yet, so to speak, he may be needed for something; you can't throw him out of ten.
Does he seem to like Tatiana?
Gavrila was about to say something, but he pressed his lips together.
Yes! .. let him woo Tatyana, - the lady decided, sniffing tobacco with pleasure, - do you hear?
Listen, sir, - said Gavrila and left. Returning to his room (it was in the wing and was almost completely cluttered with wrought-iron chests), Gavrila first sent his wife out, and then sat down by the window and thought. The unexpected order of the lady, apparently, puzzled him. Finally he got up and ordered Kapiton to be called. Kapiton appeared ... But before we convey to the readers their conversation, we consider it useful to tell in a few words who this Tatyana was, whom Kapiton had to marry, and why the command of the lady embarrassed the butler.
Tatyana, who, as we said above, was a laundress (however, as a skilled and learned laundress, she was entrusted with only thin linen), was a woman of about twenty-eight, small, thin, blond, with moles on her left cheek. Moles on the left cheek are revered in Rus' as a bad omen - a portent of an unhappy life ... Tatyana could not boast of her fate. From early youth she was kept in a black body; she worked for two, but she never saw any kindness; they dressed her badly, she received the smallest salary; she didn’t have any relatives: one old housekeeper, abandoned in the village as unusable, was her uncle, and her other uncles were peasants - that’s all. Once upon a time, the ode was known as a beauty, but beauty very soon jumped off her. She was of a very meek disposition, or, rather, frightened; she felt complete indifference to herself, she was mortally afraid of others; she thought only of how to finish the work on time, never spoke to anyone and trembled at the mere name of the mistress, although she hardly knew her in the face. When Gerasim was brought from the village, she almost died of horror at the sight of his huge figure, tried her best not to meet him, even squinted, it happened when she happened to run past him, hurrying from the house to the laundry - Gerasim at first did not pay special attention to her attention, then he began to chuckle when he came across her, then he began to look at her, and finally he did not take his eyes off her at all. She fell in love with him; whether by a meek expression on his face, or by timidity of movements - God knows!
One day she was making her way around the yard, carefully lifting the lady's starched jacket on spread fingers ... someone suddenly grabbed her by the elbow; she turned around and screamed: Gerasim was standing behind her. Laughing stupidly and lowing affectionately, he held out to her a gingerbread cockerel with gold leaf on its tail and wings. She was about to refuse, but he forcibly shoved it right into her hand, shook his head, walked away and, turning around, mumbled something very friendly to her again. From that day on, he didn’t give her rest: wherever she used to go, he was right there, going to meet her, smiling, grumbling, waving his arms, suddenly pulling the ribbon out of his bosom and handing it to her, clearing the dust in front of her with a broom . The poor girl simply did not know how to be and what to do. Soon the whole house learned about the tricks of the dumb janitor; ridicule, jokes, biting words rained down on Tatyana. However, not everyone dared to mock Gerasim: he did not like jokes; Yes, and she was left alone with him. The Rada is not happy, but the girl fell under his protection. Like all deaf-mutes, he was very quick-witted and understood very well when he or she was being laughed at.
One day, at dinner, the housekeeper, Tatyana's boss, began, as they say, to shove her, and brought her to such a point that she, poor woman, did not know what to do with her eyes and almost wept with vexation. Gerasim suddenly got up, stretched out his huge hand, put it on the wardrobe-maid's head, and looked into her face with such sullen ferocity that she stooped down to the table. Everyone was silent. Gerasim took up the spoon again and continued to sip the cabbage soup. "Look, deaf devil, goblin!" - they all muttered in an undertone, and the wardrobe lady got up and went into the maid's room. And then another time, noticing that Kapiton, the same Kapiton that was just discussed, was somehow too kindly breaking up with Tatyana, Gerasim called him to him with his finger, took him to the carriage house, yes, grabbing the drawbar that was standing in the corner by the end , lightly but meaningfully threatened him with it. Since then, no one has spoken to Tatyana. And he got away with it all. True, as soon as she ran into the maid's room, the housekeeper immediately fainted and, in general, acted so skillfully that on the same day she brought to the attention of the mistress Gerasim's rude act; but the whimsical old woman only laughed, several times, to the extreme insult of the housekeeper, made her repeat how, they say, he bent you down with his heavy hand, and the next day sent Gerasim a ruble. She praised him as a faithful and strong watchman. Gerasim was quite afraid of her, but still he hoped for her mercy and was about to go to her with a request if she would not allow him to marry Tatyana. He was just waiting for a new caftan, promised to him by the butler, in order to appear in decent form before the mistress, when suddenly this very mistress came up with the idea of marrying Tatyana to Kapiton.
The reader will now easily understand the reason for the embarrassment that seized the butler Gavrila after a conversation with the mistress. “Mistress,” he thought, sitting by the window, “of course, favors Gerasim (Gavrila knew this well, and therefore he himself indulged him), but he is still a dumb creature; not to report to the lady that Gerasim, they say, is courting Tatiana. And finally, it is fair, what kind of husband is he? And on the other hand, it’s worth it, God forgive me, the goblin to find out that Tatyana is being given out for Kapiton, because he will break everything in the house, to her. After all, you will not collide with him; after all, I sinned, a sinner, in no way can you persuade him ... right! .. ”
The appearance of Kapiton interrupted the thread of Gavrila's reflections. The frivolous shoemaker came in, threw his arms back, and, leaning casually against the protruding corner of the wall near the door, placed his right foot crosswise in front of his left, and shook his head. “Here I am. What do you need?
Gavrila looked at Kapiton and tapped his fingers on the window frame. Kapiton only screwed up his pewter eyes a little, but did not lower them, even smiled slightly and ran his hand through his whitish hair, which was ruffled in all directions. Well, yes, I, they say, I am. What are you looking at?
Good, - said Gavrila and was silent. - Okay, nothing to say!
Kapiton just shrugged his shoulders. "Are you any better?" he thought to himself.
Well, look at yourself, well, look," Gavrila continued reproachfully, "well, who do you look like?
The captain cast a calm glance over his worn and tattered frock coat, his patched trousers, with special attention he examined his holey boots, especially the one on the toe of which his right leg rested so dapperly, and again stared at the butler.
What about?
What's with? repeated Gavrila. - What's with? Still you say: what with? You look like the devil, I have sinned, sinner, that's who you look like.
Capito blinked his eyes nimbly.
"Swear, say, swear, Gavrila Andreevich," he thought again to himself.
After all, you were drunk again, - began Gavrila, - again, right? A? well, answer it.
Due to the weakness of his health, he really was exposed to alcoholic beverages, Kapiton objected.
Due to poor health! and in St. Petersburg he was still a student ... You learned a lot in your studies. Just eat bread for nothing.
In this case, Gavrila Andreevich, there is only one judge for me: the Lord God himself - and no one else. He alone knows what kind of person I am in this world, and whether I eat bread for free. And as for the consideration before drunkenness, in this case it is not I who is to blame, but more than one comrade; he himself lured me, and he politicized, he left, that is, and I ...
And you stayed, goose, on the street. Oh, you stupid man! Well, it's not about that, - continued the butler, - but that. The mistress ... - here he paused, - the mistress wants you to marry. Do you hear? They think you'll settle down by getting married. Understand?
How not to understand.
Well, yes. In my opinion, it would be better to take you well in hand. Well, it's their business. Well? Do you agree?
The captain grinned.
Marriage is a good thing for a man, Gavrila Andreevich; and I, for my part, with my very pleasant pleasure.
Well, yes, - objected Gavrila and thought to himself: "There is nothing to say, the man speaks neatly." “Only here’s the thing,” he continued aloud, “they’ve found a bride that’s not right for you.
Which one, may I inquire?
Tatyana.
Tatyana?
And Kapiton goggled his eyes and separated himself from the wall.
Well, why are you excited? .. Don't you like her?
What a dislike, Gavrila Andreevich! she’s nothing, a worker, a meek girl ... But you yourself know, Gavrila Andrepch, because that one, the goblin, is a kikimora of the steppe, because he is behind her ...
I know, brother, I know everything, - the butler interrupted him with annoyance. - yes...
Have mercy, Gavrila Andreevich! after all, he will kill me, by God he will kill me, like he will swat some kind of fly; because he has a hand, because you, if you please, see for yourself what kind of hand he has; because he just has Minin and Pozharsky's hand. After all, he, deaf, beats and does not hear how he beats! As if in a dream he waves his fists. And there is no way to appease him; Why? therefore, you know yourself, Gavrila Andreevich, he is deaf and, moreover, as stupid as a heel. After all, this is some kind of beast, an idol, Gavrila Andreevich - worse than an idol ... some kind of aspen: why should I suffer from him now? Of course, I don’t care at all now: a man has worn himself out, he has endured, he has oiled himself like a Kolomna pot - nevertheless, however, I am a man, and not some, in fact, an insignificant pot.
I know, I know, don't paint...
Oh my God! - the shoemaker continued with fervor, - when will the end? when, my God! I am a wretch, a wretch that is not original! Fate is, fate is mine, you think! In my early years I was beaten through the German master, in the best joint of my life a beat from my own brother, finally, in my mature years, this is what I rose to ...
Oh, you bast soul, - said Gavrila. - Why are you spreading, right!
Why, Gavrila Andreevich! I'm not afraid of beatings, Gavrila Andreevich. Punish me, lord in the walls, and give me a greeting in front of people, and I am all among the people, but here it comes from whom ...
Well, get out, - Gavrila interrupted him impatiently. Kapiton turned away and trudged out.
And let's say he wouldn't exist, - the butler shouted after him, - do you agree yourself?
I declare, - objected Kapiton and left. Eloquence did not leave him even in extreme cases. The butler paced the room several times.
Well, call Tatyana now, ”he said at last. A few moments later Tatiana came in barely audibly and stopped at the threshold.
What do you order, Gavrila Andreevich? she said in a low voice.
The butler looked at her intently.
Well, - he said, - Tanyusha, do you want to get married? The lady has found a groom for you.
Listen, Gavrila Andreevich. And who do they appoint me as a suitor? she added with indecision.
Captain, shoemaker.
I'm listening, sir.
He's a frivolous person, that's for sure. But in this case, the lady is counting on you.
I'm listening, sir.
There's only one problem... after all, this capercaillie, Garaska, he's looking after you. And how did you bewitch this bear to yourself? But he will kill you, perhaps, a sort of bear.
He will kill you, Gavrila Andreevich, he will certainly kill you.
Kill ... Well, we'll see. How do you say: kill! Does he have the right to kill you, judge for yourself.
But I don't know, Gavrila Andreevich, whether he has it or not.
What! because you didn't promise him anything...
What would you like with?
The butler paused and thought:
"You unrequited soul!" “Well, all right,” he added, “we’ll talk to you again, and now go, Tanyusha; I can see that you are truly humble.
Tatiana turned, leaned lightly on the lintel, and left.
“Maybe the lady will forget about this wedding tomorrow,” thought the butler, “what made me upset? Mischievous, then we will twist this; If anything, let the police know…”
Ustinya Fyodorovna! - he shouted in a loud voice to his wife, - put on the samovar, my venerable ...
Tatiana didn't leave the laundry for most of that day. At first she wept, then she wiped away her tears and went back to her work. Kapiton sat in the establishment until very late at night with some kind of gloomy-looking friend and told him in detail how he lived in St. Petersburg with a certain gentleman who would take everyone, but he was observant of orders and, moreover, was a little free with one mistake: he took a lot of hops, and as for the female sex, he simply reached all the qualities ... The gloomy comrade only agreed; but when Kapiton finally announced that, on one occasion, he must lay a hand on himself the next day, the gloomy comrade remarked that it was time for bed. And they parted rudely and silently.
Meanwhile, the butler's expectations did not come true. The lady was so occupied with the idea of Kapiton's wedding that even at night she only talked about it with one of her companions, who stayed in her house only in case of insomnia and, like a night cabman, slept during the day. When Gavrila came to her after tea with a report, her first question was: what about our wedding, is it going on? He, of course, answered that he was going as well as possible, and that Kapiton would come to her that very day with a bow. The lady was unwell; she did not do business for long. The butler returned to his room and called a council. The matter certainly required a special discussion. Tatyana did not contradict, of course; but Kapiton announced publicly that he had one head, and not two or three ... Gerasim looked sternly and quickly at everyone, did not leave the girl's porch and seemed to guess that something unkind was being planned for him. The assembled (among them was an old barman, nicknamed Uncle Tail, to whom everyone reverently turned for advice, although they only heard from him that: that's how it is, yes: yes, yes, yes) began with the fact that, just in case, for safety, they locked Kapiton in a closet with a water-purifying machine and began to think a strong thought. Of course, it was easy to resort to force; but God save! noise will come out, the lady will be worried - trouble! How to be? They thought and thought and finally figured it out. It was repeatedly noted that Gerasim could not stand drunkards ...
Sitting outside the gate, every time he used to turn away indignantly, when some loaded person passed by him with unsteady steps and with a peaked cap on his ear. They decided to teach Tatyana to pretend to be intoxicated and walk, staggering and swaying, past Gerasim. The poor girl did not agree for a long time, but she was persuaded; moreover, she herself saw that otherwise she would not get rid of her admirer. She went. Kapiton was let out of the closet: all the same, the matter concerned him. Gerasim was sitting on a bedside table by the gate and poking the ground with a shovel... From all corners, from under the curtains behind the windows, they were looking at him...
The trick worked perfectly. Seeing Tatyana, at first, as usual, he nodded his head with an affectionate lowing; then he peered, dropped the shovel, jumped up, went up to her, moved his face to her very face ... She staggered even more from fear and closed her eyes ... He grabbed her by the arm, rushed across the whole courtyard and, entering with her into the room where he sat advice, pushed her straight to Kapiton. Tatyana just died ... Gerasim stood a moment, looked at her, waved his hand, grinned and went, stepping heavily, to his closet ... He did not leave there for a whole day. The postilion Antipka later said that he saw through the crack how Gerasim, sitting on the bed, with his hand to his cheek, quietly, measuredly and only occasionally mumbling, sang, that is, swayed, closed his eyes and shook his head like coachmen or barge haulers when they sing their mournful songs. Antipka became terrified, and he moved away from the gap. When Gerasim left the closet the next day, no particular change could be noticed in him. He only seemed to become more gloomy, and did not pay the slightest attention to Tatyana and Kapiton. That same evening they both went to the mistress's with geese under their arms, and a week later they were married. On the very day of the wedding, Gerasim did not change his behavior in anything; only from the river he came without water: he once broke a barrel on the road; and at night, in the stable, he cleaned and rubbed his horse so diligently that it swayed like a blade of grass in the wind and waddled from foot to foot under his iron fists.
All this happened in the spring. Another year passed, during which Kapiton completely drank himself with the circle and, as a person who was decidedly useless, was sent with a wagon train to a distant village, along with his wife. On the day of his departure, at first he was very brave and assured that wherever they went to him, even where the women wash their shirts and put rolls on the sky, he will not be lost; but then he lost heart, began to complain that he was being taken to uneducated people, and finally became so weak that he could not even put on his own hat; some compassionate soul pushed it over his forehead, straightened the visor, and slapped it on top. When everything was ready and the peasants were already holding the reins in their hands and were only waiting for the words: “God bless you!” Gerasim left his closet, approached Tatiana and presented her with a red paper handkerchief, which he had bought for her a year ago. . Tatyana, who up to that moment had endured all the vicissitudes of her life with great indifference, here, however, could not bear it, shed a tear, and, getting into the cart, kissed Gerasim three times like a Christian. He wanted to escort her to the outpost and at first went along with her cart, but suddenly stopped at the Crimean Ford, waved his hand and set off along the river.
It was in the evening. He walked quietly and looked at the water. Suddenly it seemed to him that something was floundering in the mud near the shore. He bent down and saw a small puppy, white with black spots, which, despite all his efforts, could not get out of the water, struggled, slithered and trembled with all his wet and thin body.
No mother takes care of her child the way Gerasim took care of his pet. (The dog turned out to be a bitch.) At first she was very weak, frail and ugly in appearance, but little by little she managed and evened out, and after eight months, thanks to the vigilant care of her savior, she turned into a very fine dog of the Spanish breed, with long ears, a fluffy tail in trumpet-shaped and with large expressive eyes.
So another year passed. Gerasim continued his yard work and was very pleased with his fate, when suddenly an unexpected circumstance occurred, namely: one fine summer day, the lady with her hangers-on was pacing around the living room. She was in good spirits, laughing and joking; the hangers-on laughed and joked too, but they did not feel any special joy: they did not really like it in the house when a merry hour found a mistress, because, firstly, she then demanded immediate and complete sympathy from everyone and was angry if someone had a face she did not shine with pleasure, and secondly, these outbursts did not last long in her and were usually replaced by a gloomy and sour mood. On that day, she somehow got up happily; on the cards she got four jacks: the fulfillment of desires (she always guessed in the morning), - and the tea seemed especially tasty to her, for which the maid received praise in words and ten kopecks in money. With a sweet smile on her wrinkled lips, the lady walked around the drawing room and went up to the window. There was a front garden in front of the window, and in the very middle flower bed, under a rose bush, lay Mumu, carefully gnawing at a bone. The lady saw her.
The friend, to whom the mistress turned, rushed about, poor thing, with that dreary anxiety that usually takes possession of a subject person when he does not yet know well how to understand the exclamation of the boss.
N…n…I don’t know, sir,” she muttered, “mute, it seems.
My God! - interrupted the lady, - yes, she is a pretty little dog! Tell her to bring. How long has she been with him? How can I not see her until now?.. Tell her to bring.
The hanger immediately fluttered into the anteroom.
Man, man! she shouted, "bring Mumu as soon as possible!" She's in the front garden.
And her name is Mumu, - said the lady, - a very good name.
Oh, very much! - objected the host. - Hurry, Stepan!
Stepan, a burly lad who worked as a footman, rushed headlong into the front garden and was about to grab Mumu, but she deftly wriggled out from under his fingers and, raising her tail, set off at full speed towards Gerasim, who at that time was knocking out and shaking out barrel, turning it over in his hands like a child's drum.
Mumu, Mumu, come to me, come to the mistress, - said the lady, - come, silly ... do not be afraid ...
Come, come, Mumu, to the mistress, - the hangers-on kept repeating, - come.
But Mumu looked around melancholy and did not budge.
Bring her something to eat, said the lady. - How stupid she is! does not go to the lady. What is he afraid of?
They are not used to it yet, - one of the hangers-on said in a timid and touching voice.
Stepan brought a saucer of milk and placed it in front of Mumu, but Mumu didn't even sniff the milk and kept trembling and looking around as before.
Ah, what are you! - said the lady, going up to her, bent down and wanted to stroke her, but Mumu convulsively turned her head and bared her teeth. The lady deftly withdrew her hand ...
There was an instant silence. Mumu squealed weakly, as if complaining and apologizing... The mistress moved away and frowned. The sudden movement of the dog frightened her.
Oh! - shouted all the hangers-on at once, - did she bite you, God forbid! (Mumu has never bitten anyone in her life.) Ah, ah!
Take her out,” the old woman said in a changed voice. - Bad dog! how evil she is!
And, slowly turning around, she went to her office. The hangers-on looked at each other timidly and started to follow her, but she stopped, looked at them coldly, and said: “Why is this? because I don’t call you, ”and she left. The hangers-on frantically waved their hands at Stepan; he grabbed Mumu and quickly threw her out the door, right at the feet of Gerasim, - and in half an hour a deep silence reigned in the house and the old lady sat on her sofa more gloomy than a thundercloud.
What trifles, you think, can sometimes upset a person!
Until evening the lady was in a bad mood, did not talk to anyone, did not play cards, and spent the night badly. She thought that the eau de cologne she was given was not the one that was usually served, that her pillow smelled of soap, and forced the wardrobe lady to smell all the linen - in a word, she was worried and "excited" very much. The next morning she ordered Gavrila to be called an hour earlier than usual.
Tell me, please, - she began, as soon as he, not without some inner babbling, crossed the threshold of her office, - what kind of dog was barking in our yard all night? didn't let me sleep!
A dog with… what a… maybe a mute dog, sir,” he said in a not quite firm voice.
I don’t know if it was a mute or someone else, but she didn’t let me sleep. Yes, I wonder why such an abyss of dogs! I wish to know. Do we have a yard dog?
How, sir, there is, sir. Volchok-s.
Well, what else, what else do we need a dog for? Just start a riot. The elder is not in the house - that's what. And why a dumb dog? Who allowed him to keep dogs in my yard? Yesterday I went to the window, and she lies in the front garden, dragged some kind of abomination, nibbles - and I have roses planted there ...
The lady was silent.
I'm listening, sir.
Today. Now get up. I'll call you to report later.
Gavrila left.
Passing through the living room, the butler rearranged the bell from one table to another for order, quietly blew his duck nose in the hall and went out into the hall. Stepan was sleeping in the antechamber on a horse, in the position of a slain warrior in a battle scene, convulsively stretching his bare legs out from under his frock coat, which served him instead of a blanket. The butler pushed him aside and in an undertone told him some kind of order, to which Stepan answered with a half-yawn, half-laughter. The butler left, and Stepan jumped up, pulled on his caftan and boots, went out and stopped at the porch. Five minutes had not passed when Gerasim appeared with a huge bundle of firewood on his back, accompanied by the inseparable Mumu. (The lady ordered her bedroom and study to be heated even in summer.) Gerasim stood sideways in front of the door, pushed it with his shoulder and tumbled into the house with his burden. Mumu, as usual, remained to wait for him. Then Stepan, seizing a convenient moment, suddenly rushed at her, like a kite at a chicken, crushed her to the ground with his chest, scooped her up in an armful.
However, his anxiety was in vain: Gerasim was no longer in the yard. Leaving the house, he immediately missed Mumu; he still did not remember that she would never wait for his return, began to run everywhere, look for her, call in his own way ... rushed to his closet, to the hayloft, jumped out into the street here and there ... Disappeared! He turned to the people, with the most desperate signs he asked about her, pointing at half a yard from the ground, drew her with his hands ... Some did not know exactly where Mumu had gone, and only shook their heads, others knew and laughed at him in response, and the butler accepted extremely an important look and began to shout at the coachmen. Then Gerasim ran out of the yard.
The whole next day, Gerasim did not show up, so instead of him the coachman Potap had to go for water, which the coachman Potap was very dissatisfied with. The lady asked Gavrila if her order had been carried out. Gavrila replied that it was done. The next morning Gerasim left his closet for work. By dinnertime he came, ate, and left again without bowing to anyone. His face, already lifeless, like all deaf-mutes, now seemed to be petrified. After dinner, he again left the yard, but not for long, returned and immediately went to the hayloft. The night came, moonlit, clear. Sighing heavily and constantly turning, Gerasim lay and suddenly felt as if he were being pulled by the floor; he trembled all over, but did not raise his head, even closed his eyes; but here they pulled him again, stronger than before; he jumped up ... in front of him, with a piece of paper around her neck, Mumu was spinning.
It could not have occurred to the poor deaf man that Mumu would give himself away with his screeching: indeed, everyone in the house soon learned that the dumb dog had returned and was locked up in his house, but, out of pity for him and her, and partly, perhaps, out of fear of him, they did not let him know that they had found out his secret. The butler alone scratched his head and waved his hand. “Well, they say, God bless him! Perhaps it won’t reach the lady! ” On the other hand, the mute had never been as zealous as on that day: he cleaned and scraped the whole yard, weeded out every single herb, pulled out all the pegs in the fence of the front garden with his own hands to make sure they were strong enough, and then he himself hammered them in - in a word, he fiddled and busied himself so that even the lady drew attention to his zeal. During the day, Gerasim went stealthily to his recluse a couple of times; when night came, he went to bed with her in the closet, and not in the hayloft, and only at two o'clock did he go out for a walk with her in the fresh air.
After walking around the yard with her for quite some time, he was about to return, when suddenly behind the fence, from the side of the alley, there was a rustle. Mumu pricked up her ears, growled, went up to the fence, sniffed and burst into a loud and shrill bark.
The mistress accepted them, but at once, in a tearful voice, she again began to complain about the dog, about Gavrila, about her fate, that everyone had abandoned her, a poor old woman, that no one was sorry for her, that everyone wanted her dead. Meanwhile, the unfortunate Mumu continued to bark, and Gerasim tried in vain to call her away from the fence. “Here ... here ... again ...” - the lady murmured and again rolled her eyes under her forehead. The doctor whispered to the girl, she rushed into the hall, pushed Stepan aside, he ran to wake Gavrila, Gavrila rashly ordered to raise the whole house.
Gerasim turned around, saw flashing lights and shadows in the windows.
The next morning the lady woke up rather late. Gavrila was waiting for her awakening in order to give the order for a decisive attack on Gerasimov's shelter, while he himself was preparing to withstand a strong thunderstorm. But the storm didn't happen. Lying in bed, the lady ordered to call the older host to her.
Lyubov Lyubimovna,” she began in a quiet and weak voice; she sometimes liked to pretend to be a downtrodden and orphan sufferer; needless to say, that all the people in the house then became very embarrassed - Lyubov Lyubimovna, you see what my position is: go, my soul, to Gavrila Andreevich, talk to him: is any little dog really dearer to him than peace, his very life ladies? I would not want to believe it,” she added with an expression of deep feeling, “come, my soul, be so kind as to go to Gavrila Andreevich.
Lyubov Lyubimovna poisoned herself in Gavrilin's room. It is not known what they were talking about; but after a while a whole crowd of people moved across the yard in the direction of Gerasim's closet: Gavrila stepped forward, holding his cap in his hand, although there was no wind; footmen and cooks walked around him; Uncle Khvost looked out of the window and gave orders, that is, only spreading his arms like that; behind everyone jumped and grimaced the boys, of which half ran into strangers.
Eroshka took a stick and sat down on the last rung of the stairs. The crowd dispersed, except for a few curious and boys, and Gavrila returned home and, through Lyubov Lyubimovna, ordered to report to the mistress that everything was done, and, just in case, he sent a postillion to the guard. The mistress tied a knot in her handkerchief, poured cologne on it, sniffed it, rubbed her temples, drank some tea, and, still under the influence of cherry-laurel drops, fell asleep again.
An hour later, after all this anxiety, the door of the closet opened, and Gerasim appeared. He was wearing a festive caftan; he led Mumu on a string.
In the tavern they knew Gerasim and understood his signs. He asked for cabbage soup with meat and sat down, leaning his hands on the table.
Gerasim walked slowly and did not let Mumu off the rope. Having reached the corner of the street, he stopped, as if in thought, and suddenly, with quick steps, went straight to the Crimean Ford. On the way, he went into the yard of the house, to which the outhouse was attached, and carried out two bricks from there under his arm.
And Gerasim kept rowing and rowing. Now Moscow is left behind.
Yes, two hours ago. How. I met him at the gate; he was walking from here again, coming out of the yard. I was about to ask him about the dog, but he was evidently not in a good mood. Well, and pushed me; He must have just wanted to push me away: they say, don’t pester me, but he brought such an unusual bream to my camp vein, it’s important that oh oh oh! And Stepan shrugged his shoulders with an involuntary smile and rubbed the back of his head. “Yes,” he added, “he has a hand, a blessed hand, there is nothing to say.
Everyone laughed at Stepan and after dinner went to bed.
And meanwhile, at that very time, along the T ... near the highway, some kind of giant was striding diligently and non-stop, with a bag over his shoulders and with a long stick in his hands.
Two days later he was already at home, in his hut, to the great amazement of the soldier who was settled there. After praying before the icons, he immediately went to the elder. The headman was surprised at first; but the haymaking had just begun: Gerasim, as an excellent worker, was immediately given a scythe in his hands - and he went to mow in the old fashioned way, to mow in such a way that the peasants only made their way, looking at his scope and rakes ...
And in Moscow, the day after Gerasim's escape, they missed him. We went to his closet, ransacked it, told Gavrila. He came, looked, shrugged his shoulders and decided that the dumb man had either fled or drowned with his stupid dog. They let the police know, they reported to the mistress. The lady was angry, burst into tears, ordered to find him at all costs, assured that she had never ordered the destruction of the dog, and, finally, gave Gavrila such a scolding that he only shook his head all day and said: “Well!” - until Uncle Tail reasoned with him, telling him: "Well!" Finally, news came from the village about the arrival of Gerasim there. The lady calmed down somewhat; at first she gave the order to immediately demand him back to Moscow, then, however, she announced that she did not need such an ungrateful person at all. However, she herself soon died after that; and her heirs had no time for Gerasim: they dismissed the rest of that mother’s people according to dues.
And Gerasim still lives as a bean in his lonely hut; healthy and powerful as before, and works for four as before, and as before important and sedate. But the neighbors noticed that since his return from Moscow he had completely stopped hanging out with women, did not even look at them, and did not keep a single dog with him. “However,” the peasants interpret, “it’s his happiness that he doesn’t need a woman; and the dog - what does he need a dog for? You can’t drag a thief into his yard with a village!” Such is the rumor about the heroic strength of the mute.
