Аннотация: The Joking Tale about the conversation of writers in Gorky's cafe-library
The Joking Tale about the conversation of writers in Gorky's cafe-library
In hot summer day Alexandre Dumas (father), Guy de Maupassant, Stanislaw Lem and Maxim Gorky sat at one of little tables of cafe library.
- I, as the successor of the book series "The Life of Remarkable People", read your biography, - Maxim Gorky addressed to Stanislaw Lem. - Your happy childhood was in Lviv, in the pre-war Polish Republic (the second Rzeczpospolita). There were historical events, and the day came when you saw the Soviet soldiers. Your biography contains several anecdotes about them.
However your biographers give such fact: "In the apartment of Lem family (in addition) was lodged the employee of People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs by the name of Smirnov. Sabine [mother of future writer] have tried to expel him out, but Samuel [the father of future writer] of it hasn't allowed. Fortunately, Smirnov was the person rather good-natured, not angry, inclined to occupations, so to say, very uncharacteristic for his service. In 1941 when the Soviet units hastily left Lviv, in the room of "lodger" thick notebooks remained which were filled ... by verses. The officer of People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs - a poetic personality? And why not to present? It hasn't surprised Lem. Verses didn't prevent Smirnov to carry out the duties".
I don't say of the subsequent historical events: periods of war and post-war. In the field of development of science and technology the USSR have showed itself not bad in the 1940th - the 1960th years.
I only compare mentions of numerous anecdotes and the fact that the employee of People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs wrote verses. I don't know as far as he personally was a humane or not humane person. You and your family, it seems, didn't complain of him. But nevertheless the All-Russian cultural company directed to involvement of the population to different types of creativity brought the results!
Stanislaw Lem has shaken the head:
- I will write the fantastic novel in which scientific expeditions will explore the reasonable planet, but won't be able to understand it.
- However, this planet will create phantoms for the scientists exploring it ... Scientists should communicate with phantoms, - Maxim Gorky has smiled.
All somehow have involuntarily looked at Alexandre Dumas. He has skeptically looked at other writers:
- You, mister Gorky, have written your well-known play "The Lower Depths" ('At the bottom'; "На дне") . And wherein the play went with the greatest success? In Russia and in Germany! And I preferred to write about musketeers! First, it is necessary to write so much that one person for all the life couldn't read up. Secondly, the literary plot has to have - ideally - optimistic continuation! Musketeers! Twenty years later! Two hundred fifty years later! Five hundred years later!
The idea was pleasant to both writers, and the readers, who have gradually surrounded a table at which writers sat.
Having felt a positive spirit, Alexandre Dumas has got up and has figuratively represented the fencing musketeer.
Someone from readers has taken out a soccer ball from a sports bag and by easy blows of a leg held it in air several seconds, without allowing a ball to fall on a floor.
- If I have read the play by Maxim Gorky "The Lower Depths" in time, - Guy de Maupassant has spoken, - that, perhaps, the second half of my life would develop by another way.
- And about chocolate about which skeptically written in your biography, - Alexandre Dumas has added, addressing Stanislaw Lem, - you have supposedly understood that chocolate to you in the future isn't, - then you ought to read John Steinbeck. He didn't report about lack of chocolate during his visits of the USSR.
- But I would like to notice, - Guy de Maupassant insisted, - that my short story "Bombard" was widely known. And Alain Bombard has alone crossed the Atlantic Ocean on the inflatable boat approximately seventy years later!
Alexandre Dumas jokingly put his hand to own face, as if depicting a Navigator looking into the distance, obscuring the eyes from the Sun, and answered Guy de Maupassant:
- Acquaint highly respected Stanislaw Lem with his fellow countryman - the first Polish yachtsman, who made the solo circumnavigation. Perhaps, in the future a fantasy novel will be more optimism?
- More optimism, - dear writers and readers! - Gorky jokingly spoken. - I hope to meet you here in 500 years. You can ask dear Alexander Dumas or about a getting a job at his literary factory, or about the publishing of the next book by him about a foreign travel.
- Le chocolat! - with slightly demonstrative French pronunciation Alexandre Dumas has exclaimed. He has got up and has represented the goalkeeper standing in a football goal and ready to catch a ball.
Applause were sounded.
- More optimism, gentlemen!- Maxim Gorky has summed up the result of a conversation. - Read about musketeers more!
Having finished the exchange of opinions, writers have hurried to the desks for writing of a next works.
August 10, 2018 19:56
Translation from Russian into English: August 12, 2018 20:52.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский "Шуточная сказка о беседе писателей в кафе-библиотеке Горького".