Magnificent warm sea. Day comes to the end. On a verandah of a country house sits bearded - already old - the person. The veranda extends into the sea, behind her - the sea space.
The sun gradually leaves for the horizon.
The bearded person postpones the book.
He suddenly realizes that he is not alone on the veranda.
Someone - it seems to be familiar - stands with his back to him, his eyes fixed on the sea. The palms of his hands on the railing of the veranda.
Instinct pushed to call the security officers, but at the same moment the bearded man recognized the person standing a back. It was almost the brother. What "almost"? You could say it was a brother. Just did not see long ago. Nearly fifty years.
Sounded: "wait!". Probably, it was the order to the security service.
- "It's good here,", - the interlocutor said, without turning around.
The bearded person kept silent. Took a glass with orange juice and drank a drink.
They were silent long enough.
Dusked.
- "You have a great intuition, and you, probably, knew that everything so will turn out?" - the interlocutor, standing a back, asked the bearded man.
The bearded man kept silent again; his look was sent to a sea distance.
- "I do not cease to admire you," - the interlocutor continued, - "you lived life, not especially thinking of commandments [testaments]. And when your life came to an end, you met the priest publicly.
And not with an ordinary priest!.. Not with an urban or a rural one, with which most people deal with..."
The voice of speaking amplified.
- "And HE arrived to you! HE! Arrived!"
Again silence set in.
Then, the speaking person added:
- "You would know as it was heavy!" - the speaking man chuckled. - "Haven't I seen others in a similar position? As if the wave carries you, when you do not have time to think about nothing but the nearest goal? Even the poorest peasants of the poorest villages - whom I intended to "save" - are not deprived of what I was deprived of!
And here you are on the square - among the people - in plain clothes a suit! Also you listen to a sermon! You! Who on this square explained to the people what is correct and what is not correct!
When I remembered for journalists our swimming, when I mentioned the unpleasant details of our appearance connected with a sea rolling and a nausea, listeners thought that I am not delicate, is not polite, is not exalted.
And, probably, I not accidentally remembered it, not accidentally this detail remained in my memory. I once had to leave former life and enter other, cross the border. This the floating also was, probably, a kind of a border line. Crossed the border imperceptibly. Oh no! A noticeable! I noticed the crossing of this border! I remembered this detail!
I do not cease to admire your success!
You!. Became clean!. Became purified!"
The bearded person in reflection, it is hardly heard, tapped with fingers on a table. The thought flew: "Not clear intonation. Expresses distrustfulness? Asks? Nevertheless, claims."
The interlocutor did not turn around. Again silence.
- "First," - the bearded man broke the silence, - " you was young. But still, you was a grown man. The same young, adult and passionate. As was I.
Secondly, we are all connected with the past. My parents also did without a priest, at first. And later they addressed. The history repeated?"
At words about parents his look quickened, and the faint short smile appeared.
- "Thirdly, - although, in fact, is the most important thing, the main thing - maybe it was known... KNOWN!.. That I would come up to that day. To this square. And up to this sermon! And I lived, and I achieved this day!
You - left me, thinking that you kind of go on my way...
You - are surprised to the fact that I, being on the square - among the people, - listened to a sermon. In plain clothes suit..."
The interlocutor standing a back squeezed fingers a handrail.
The bearded person rose and approached the interlocutor. Became near him. His palm touched a palm of the interlocutor and a little covered her.
The verandah and the men standing on it were lit only by a stellar light.
- "I will ask, request about you," - the bearded man told.
They stood silently.
Splash of waves was heard.
- "When I will come," - the bearded man looked at a star.
- "I will take you by hand. I will not release. I will ask, I will request about you!" - the bearded man added.
His interlocutor turned the head and looked to him in eyes.
March 30, 2017.
Translation from Russian into English: June 3, 2019 14:04.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский "Сказка о вечернем разговоре".