Classics of a fantasy
A. Belyaev
© A. Belyaev, 2019
ISBN 978-5-0050-0883-1
Created with Ridero smart publishing system
JUMP TO NOWHERE
PART ONE
JOINT-STOCK COMPANY OF RESCUERS
Chapter 1
THE BIG KNOWLEDGE CAN BE THE CAUSE OF THE BIG TROUBLES
Zander sharply removed the drawing, got up because of a table, walked on
to office. Took out a violin from a case and played. Long, slender fingers
easily and vozdushno danced on a signature stamp. But a melody which took
the violinist from the tool, was not cheerful at all.
“The chief is excited with something! – Vinkler thought, listening from next
rooms to improvisation. – From! How many bitterness! As the violin complains!.”
The complaint turned into indignation, in a violent protest. Sounds accrued,
got stronger and suddenly broke not resolved chord.
“Resolutely, to Zander there was something unusual!” – again thought
Vinkler, drawing a drawing pen a curve.
From an office the fast paces of Zander muffled by a carpet were heard.
– Vinkler, fall here!
Zander sat already at a desk when Vinkler entered.
– You sit down.
Vinkler took seat against Zander. Minute they silently looked the friend on
the friend, as if tried to read something new in the familiar for a long time person.
On the left cheek of Zander the slight scar – an old trace was designated
student’s rapier; a face of the engineer Zander, a face of the artist with big,
pensive eyes, it was more pale than usual.
– Vinkler, how many years we work together?
– Twelve years, mister Zander.
– Yes, twelve. Term is considerable… You were the good assistant,
Vinkler, my right hand, my friend…
– I did not die yet, mister Zander…
Zander frowned:
– We have to leave.
Vinkler hasty lowered a hand in a pocket, took out a tube, filled it
tobacco, lit.
– It why., so unexpectedly?
– I leave. For a long time I leave the homeland, perhaps forever.
– “Mohicans”? – shortly Vinkler asked.
– Yes, they… You believe that I am threatened by an imprisonment, Vinkler? Worse.
Much worse. They came not with a sword, and with gifts.
– “Be afraid of Greeks, the gifts bringing”, – Vinkler nodded. – And
what gifts are?
– They are ready to forget graciously about my dirty blood, – with bitterness
Zander told. – To return me department, it is good to pay my work.
– From means., military department?
– You guessed, Vinkler. They offered me – you understand what means,
when they offer? – to work in military department… Stratospheric
the bombing rockets operated on radio. You heard about them? In
many regions of the country constructions for firing are already built by such
rockets. From these points several minutes it is possible to destroy Paris,
Brussels, Prague, Warsaw hail of explosive and gas rockets. But to them it
it is not enough. They need the “shells without guns” flying for thousands of kilometers. Not
only London, Rome, Naples, Madrid, Moscow, Leningrad, but even
New York, Washington – targets for their new tools of destruction. Capitals,
the industrial cities, ports, airfields of neighboring states are destroyed in
several minutes together with all people. To smother children, to tear to parts
bodies of fathers and mothers – for the sake of what? – here what they offer me,
Vinkler. Whether my teacher Tsiolkovsky thought of it whether I dreamed of it,
having devoted the life to jet engines, rockets, a zvezdoplavaniye?.
For nervousness on a high forehead of Zander small drops of sweat acted.
– And what you answered them? Zander shrugged shoulders:
– If I told them “no”, it is easy to present consequences. If
I would tell “I will think”, at best I would appear now under
arrest…
– And you told “yes”?
– To have an opportunity to run immediately. Today I depart in
Switzerland. I ask you, Vinkler to collect my papers, drawings. Folder number
two – “Pikkolo Rocket”, number seven, number nine…
– And with it as? – Vinkler asked, having nodded on drawings of the rocket.
– Apparently, in any way, – Zander answered. – You know lord Blotton?
For it weeds in a stratosphere on the rocket – only the next hobby
athlete. And it already begins to cool down to this business. Several days to that
back he cabled that he will arrive today, and, as you can see, him
no. And monetary affairs of sir Henry are, apparently, not in brilliant
state. By the way, they to me already put by sight mine “strange communication” with
foreigner.
Vinkler puffed a tube.
– And what you will do in Switzerland?
– To play a violin and to fall in a reverie, – gloomily smiled
Zander. – I have abroad small savings.
– And when you will live them? To play a violin, collecting alms on
to the yards? “Give to professor Zander, the engineer with a world name, one
centime, kind citizens…” Picture, worthy our time.
Zander crackled slender fingers. His head was hung below and below under
weight of these words.
– Well to do, Vinkler? – quietly he asked.
– Something should be thought up, mister Zander. Whole world the day before
revolution, he prepares for war. Now everywhere look at rockets only
from the military point of view. – Vinkler released several puffs and
continued:
– In Switzerland there are many tourists. Tourists go by cars.
Cars demand repair. We will open repair shop.
– We?. Who?
– Yes we: you and I. A surname of Zander – not for a sign repair
workshop. I will open it on the name. “Vinkler and Co”. At me is on
you will accept one sensible fellow – Hans. You will continue the scientific
works, I – to help you and Hans. And we will perfectly live. “Repair
cars, bicycles and kerosene kitchens” is, of course, not so
poetically, as your star sonatas, but is more practical.
– Vinkler, – Zander with emotion told, rising and stretching
hand, – friends are learned in misfortune. Your loving kindness…
Vinkler strong shook hands Zander and, smiling, interrupted his outpourings:
– Heart and other internals is perfect at anything here,
mister Zander. Me only calculation, though not personal directs
character. I believe, this explanation is enough that you in any
degrees did not consider themselves obliged?
In a lobby the call was distributed.
Vinkler left, and in a minute on a threshold of an office high appeared
the slender person of years of thirty in a gray road suit.
– It is possible to enter?
– Sir Henry! – Zander exclaimed. – I am glad to see you.
– Hello, dear Zander. Forgive for a late visit. Affairs
detained. And all affairs eventually come down to money. – It
laughed:
– Money! Fuel of all engines of the world, without excluding also warm. Without
money and to stars not to rise, isn’t that so, dear Zander?
Gestures and Blotton’s movements were easy and free. He conveniently took seat in
chair, crossed the legs, took out tortoise from a side pocket
cigarette case with the platinum monogram and a crown, with dexterity of the conjurer
threw it from a hand in a hand, took out a thin Egyptian cigarette and
lit. Spicy tobacco smoke mixed up with aroma of the strong French
spirits. Blotton brought with himself the atmosphere of carelessness of the spoiled child.
– Exult, Zander. I brought to you a good portion of fuel. I and not
knew that the way to stars lies through an altar.
– What altar? Blotton laughed again, but did not answer a question.
– I think, we will have now means to finish the first stratospheric
rocket.
Zander’s face turned pink.
– I am very glad. But we will build it not here. Today at dawn I
I depart to Switzerland.
– Did not get on with “Mohicans”? – Zander nodded. – Switzerland?.
It, perhaps, better. There to you will work more quietly. I will give you the check
on the Lyons credit. Report the address. At five in the morning I depart to London.
And how your work moved?
Zander developed the drawing and began to explain. Blotton absent-mindedly listened
several minutes, pretending what understands, thanked Zander, left
the check, told several latest sports news and left. Zander
called Vinkler and showed him the check.
– Obviously, lord Blotton managed to receive money under the bride, —
told, smiling, Vinkler.
– How it “under the bride”?
– Recently in Taymsa it was printed about lord Blotton’s engagement with
Ellen Hinton. Ms. Ellen is the niece and the only heir
millionaire lady Hinton. Probably, to Blotton allotted the wide credit.
– And so why he said that the way to stars lies through
altar! – Zander remembered.
– Well, so far we can do without repair shop. It
will replace to us sports vanity of Blotton. It is better for those. Leave, mister
Zander. Now at us work will begin to boil. If only…
– What?
– If only you managed to get out safely. At you the plan is ready
departure? Is not present? It is necessary to help you.
And they were inclined over the map of the country which was once their homeland.
Chapter 2
THE READER GETS ACQUAINTED WITH VENERABLE SOCIETY OF THE LADY HINTON, AND ALSO IS CONVINCED THAT THE CLEVER PERSON AND ON COAST OF THE THAMES CAN FIND THE PLACER
– Whether everything is given? A benedictine for the bishop? Sherribrendi for sir Henry?
White wine? Cheese? Cake? And honey? His Eminence loves honey – food
hermits. There is no honey? – Lady Hinton called.
The girl, the red-cheeked Scotswoman in a gray dress, with white entered
starched apron and in a white lacy headdress, from under which
locks of a thick nutbrown hair were beaten out. In Mary’s hand was crystal
vase with honey.
– You forgot to put honey again, Mary? Mary silently put a vase
and silently came to a table. Hinton carried out it by eyes and translated a look
on a pale face of the niece.
– Why you cut hair, Ellen?
The girl touched slender white fingers with long bright pink
nails the ashy hair falling to cheeks equal waves
waves, and silently told:
– Sir Henry…
– Certainly! – with displeasure the old lady said. – Give me
“air” also take the book.
Lady Hinton embroidered five months with silk and gold flowers and
cherubs on “air” for an altar of church in which prior was
the bishop Iov Weller is a confessor the lady, her old friend and the adviser.
– What time is it now?
– Five minutes to five.
– Read, Ellen.
The niece opened at random Dickens’s volume:
– “Then they only feel in a happy state
the friendly association and mutual goodwill which is
source of the most true, pure pleasure…”
– In the Hyde park again, apparently, a meeting, – interrupted reading lady Hinton,
listening. Shook the head and heaved so a deep sigh that it
the breast which is stirred up under a lilac silk dress touched double
chin.
After this lady Hinton fiercely thrust a needle in an eye of the cherub and
deeply thought.
How many years it wages war, hopeless war over time!
At first against each new pound of weight of a fat body, against everyone
new wrinkle on a face – not without reason she endured three husbands and collected in
the strong hands three states, – and then against that new that
interfered in political, public and private life, up to these
“modern short-haired hair and indecent suits” Ellen.
Lady Hinton considered the Golden Age kind old England of times
the Queen Victoria to whom the lady was a little similar and which
tried to imitate.
The old mansion in West End, against the Hyde park, lady Hinton
turned into fortress – “my house – my fortress”, – in which wanted
to sit out from time pressure. The twentieth century had to come to an end on
threshold. Here everything, beginning from heavy furniture and finishing vital
way and etiquette, was antiquated and pradedovsky times.
Lady Hinton even did not open tightly the closed double glazing in the summer and
forced to lower heavy curtains on windows not to see crowd
the excited people passing in the Hyde park – the favourite place for
meetings. But voices and songs, rumble, and sometimes and dry crash of shots
got through thick walls. At its canneries – inheritance
the second husband – workers striked, and it had to conduct unpleasant
talk with the managing director. To its Fife-au-shreds a political talk was
are expelled as a sign of bad form. And nevertheless it is frequent behind these ceremonious
tea drinking political debates erupted.
Time has come, time conducted the correct siege of the mansion which took cover for
lattice, under old chestnuts and elms.
Time rushed a street rumble, the concerning talk, terrible
news. Neither old servants, nor thick walls, nor double glazing, nor curtains
did not save from time impact.
At lady Hinton the real mania of prosecution began. And
time was a persecutor, the enemy, the murderer…
– Read, Ellen.
But it was not necessary to continue reading. Hours slowly, deafly, as if blows
them reached from a far tower, punched five.
In the doorway silently the old footman in a gray livery with braids appeared.
Deaf aged voice respectfully reported:
– Doctor Mr. Teker.
Lady Hinton frowned. On Thursdays – put Fife-au-shred – house
the doctor had to be at four hours forty five minutes to end
evening visit before arrival of guests. Today the doctor was late for whole
fifteen minutes.
– Ask.
Because of a door the close-cut head with turning gray seemed
temples, then also all figure of the doctor – in black carefully promoted,
tightly the clasped frock coat. A frock coat instead of traditional evening
tuxedo! Lady Hinton forgave such violation of etiquette Tekera only
because he was “the person of other circle”, besides the foreigner, fine
doctor, “victim and refugee of time”. In the homeland he did not get on with “spirit
modern times” which was given for there “true spirit ancient”.
Teker’s face was confused and joyful and uneasy. About ostentatious
confidence it passed space from a door to a tronopodobny chair,
welcomed lady Hinton respectful bow and it is careful as fragile
jewelry, took a thick hand of the patient to probe pulse.
– Said to me that doctors differ in punctuality, and German in
features! – viscously lady Hinton told.
– . Sixty six., sixty seven… – the Ticker counted blows
pulse, looking at a second hand of the pocket watch – Pulse normal.
Forgive, the lady. House circumstances detained me. My wife.,
it was resolved from a burden. Boy. – And Teker’s eyes flashed joy.
– I congratulate, – lady Hinton silently told. – The doctor accepted? At
your wife, so there were two doctors. And at me the attack was nearly played
liver… Medical ethics, however, always for me were unclear.
The ticker shifted from one foot to the other. Internally he was enraged, but
constrained itself, having remembered the newborn: new duties of the father, new
responsibility…
Having set the patient several questions, Teker wanted to leave. But at the lady
Hinton already was on call women’s revenge.
– I hope, the doctor, you will not refuse to remain to Fife-au-shred?
My old friends will gather, – she told with a smile hospitable
hostesses.
The ticker shortly sighed, bowed and took seat on a chair with such look,
as if it was the hot brazier. There came silence.
To interrupt a burdensome pause, the captive of artful hospitality
started talking:
– I read in the newspaper: somehow at the London economic school acted
famous writer. He addressed listeners with such speech:
“Many of the young people sitting here will be killed, others are suffocated
gases, the third will die of hunger. World accident approaches.
The civilization perishes, and there is no exit. It is necessary unless to construct an ark
like Noyev…”
Lady Hinton omitted embroidery on knees. She turned pale, eyes
sparkled anger.
– Spare nerves of your patient, Mr. Teker! The servant entered:
– His Excellency baron Marshal de Terlonzh and his excellency