Текст песни А.П. Чехов - Крыжовник

GOOSEBERRY

Early in the morning rain clouds surrounded the whole sky; it was quiet, not hot and boring, as happens on gray cloudy days, when clouds are hanging over the field a long time ago, waiting for rain, but it is not there. The veterinarian Ivan Ivanovich and the gymnasium teacher Burkin were already tired of walking, and the field seemed endless to them. Far ahead, windmills of the village of Mironositsky were barely visible, to the right stretched and then disappeared far beyond the village a number of hills, and both of them knew that it was the river bank, there were meadows, green willows, homesteads, and if you stand on one of the hills, you can see from there the same huge field, telegraph and train, which from a distance looks like a creeping caterpillar, and in clear weather even the city can be seen from there. Now, in calm weather, when all nature seemed gentle and thoughtful, Ivan Ivanovich and Burkin were imbued with love for this field and both thought about how great, how beautiful this country is.
“The last time we were in the barn by the headman Prokofy,” said Burkin, “you were going to tell a story.”
- Yes, I wanted to tell you about my brother then.
Ivan Ivanovitch sighed loudly and lit a pipe to start telling, but just at that time it started to rain. And in about five minutes it was already pouring rain, heavy, and it was difficult to foresee when it would end. Ivan Ivanovich and Burkin stopped in thought; the dogs, already wet, stood with tails between their legs and looked at them with tenderness.
“We need to go somewhere,” said Burkin. - Let's go to Alekhin. It's close here.
- Come on.
They turned aside and walked all over the sloping field, now straight, then taking to the right until they came out onto the road. Soon the poplars, the garden, then the red roofs of the barns appeared; the river gleamed, and a view of a wide stretch with a mill and a white bath-house opened. This was Sofyino, where Alekhine lived.
The mill worked, drowning out the sound of rain; the dam was trembling. There were wet horses around the carts, their heads bowed, and people were walking around, covered with bags. It was damp, dirty, uncomfortable, and the view of the reach was cold and angry. Ivan Ivanovich and Burkin were already feeling sputum, sewage, inconvenience all over their legs, their legs were heavy with mud, and when, after passing the dam, they rose to the barns, they were silent, as if they were angry with each other.
In one of the barns there was a tumbler; the door was open and dust was falling out of it. On the threshold stood Alekhin himself, a man of about forty, tall, full, with long hair, looking more like a professor or artist than a landowner. He was wearing a white, unwashed shirt with a rope belt for a long time, instead of pants his pants, and mud and straw also stuck on his boots. The nose and eyes were black with dust. He recognized Ivan Ivanich and Burkina and, apparently, was very happy.
“Welcome, gentlemen, to the house,” he said, smiling. - I am now, this minute.
The house was large, two-story. Alekhine lived below, in two rooms with arches and with small windows, where the clerks once lived; there was a simple setting, and it smelled of rye bread, cheap vodka and harness. Upstairs, in the front rooms, he was rarely, only when guests came. Ivana Ivanich and Burkina met a maid in the house, a young woman so beautiful that they both stopped at once and looked at each other.
“You cannot imagine how glad I am to see you, gentlemen,” said Alekhine, entering behind them in the anteroom. - That did not expect! Pelagia, ”he said to the maid,“ let the guests change into something. ” By the way, I'll change. Only you must first go to wash, but then I, it seems, has not washed since spring. Would you, gentlemen, want to go to the bathhouse, and then they will cook it.
Beautiful Pelagia, so delicate and seemingly so soft, brought sheets and soap, and Alekhine and the guests went to the bathhouse.
“Yes, I haven’t washed for a long time,” he said, undressing. “As you see, I have a good bath, my father still built, but somehow there is no time to wash.
He sat down on the step and lavished his long hair and neck, and the water around him turned brown.
“Yes, I confess ...” said Ivan Ivanovitch significantly, looking at his head.
“I haven’t been washed for a long time ...” repeated Alekhine, embarrassedly, and again soaped, and the water around him turned dark blue, like ink.
Ivan Ivanovitch went outside, rushed into the water with a noise and swam in the rain, widely waving his hands, and from him came waves, and white lilies swayed on the waves; he swam right up to the middle of the reach and dived, and a minute later appeared in another place and swam farther, and everything dived, trying to reach the bottom. “Oh, my God ...” he repeated, enjoying. “Oh, my God ...” He swam to the mill, talked with the peasants about something and turned back, and in the middle of the reach he lay down, exposing his face to the rain. Burkin and Alekhin have already dressed and gathered to leave, but he still swam and dived.
“Oh dear ...” he said. - Oh, Lord, have mercy.
- Will you! - Burkin shouted to him.
Returned to the house. And only when the lamp was lit in the big living room upstairs, both Burkin and Ivan Ivanovich, dressed in silk robes and warm shoes, sat in armchairs, and Alekhine himself, washed, brushed, in a new frock coat, walked around the living room, apparently enjoying the warmth , clean, dry dress, easy