Then, Nikolai Fokich got tea, and Marya Vasilievna herself gave herself a drink. Artemizov slowly, and at first carefully began to taste Kuzminichna’s cooking. No, for sure, she knew some secret or she gave birth there, but the pies were amazingly good, which is directly impossible for even a well-fed person to come off. Everyone ate with pleasure. Annushka even defeated as many as three pies, then drank tea decorously. It is clear that the girl read about different diets there, she took care of the figure. Well, Artemizov himself ate about a dozen, and decided to stop, for now, at least. Marya Vasilievna did not eat a lot, she put everything on her spouse. But now, the meal was over, Anna kissed her mother and father and went to her place.

– Well, I have to go… – said Nikolai Fokich, – service. We also need to go to the fishermen, and to Andronovka, we should look at the Old Believer.

– You would have taken Timothy and Peter with you. Everything is calmer, – said the woman, – there is nothing for everyone to drag around distant places.

– Nothing, I’m not old yet…

And Artemizov went to the stable. The officer habitually saddled his stallion, Cowry Chestnut, led under the bridle into the yard. Here the wife saw off, skillfully put the pack with the edible to the saddle. The captain, as it seemed to him, famously sat down on horseback, kissed Marya Vasilievna, and sent a stallion with a step. There was no hurry yet. And on the outskirts, drove a leisurely trot, since it was about Andronovka for five miles, or a little more.

CHAPTER 5 Strange fisherman and revolver with bent barrel

The horse walked along the forest road well, dexterously. Well, Artemizov himself was a noble horse, accustomed to long trips. And what is there for him these five miles, so, a short walk. I didn’t go with a simple one, I had to look at this Mikhail, at the late guest of the telegraph operator Trofimov. There seemed to be no suspicion, only the inner voice was so nasty that it would not be bad to talk to such a person. Everything was strange, incomprehensible. Well, if Mikhaila disappeared in Andronovka, then I followed to talk about this man with the headman of this village.

Soon he was on the outskirts of this village. Yes, he looked rich and well-groomed. The houses were all big and good, two floors, of huge logs. Whimsically decorated with carved boards and pillars, and the wickets and gates are just a sight for sight, the eyes could not be torn off. The children played by the road, and the captain drove up to them.

– good afternoon. Do not lead to the headman? To Harlampiy Lukic?

– And what, badly needed? asked the gloomy guy, frowning whitish eyebrows, – without him in any way?

An ordinary-looking country boy, in simple gray ports and the same shirt. Barefoot, but with kartuz, the former is obviously a source of his pride.

– What’s your name, man?

– Andrey Petrovich…

– And me Nikolay Fokich. Service, this is the case. It is very necessary for state needs.

– So let’s try, of course, – the boy said decorously.

True, Artemizov noticed how one of the mischievous people rushed, flashing his heels, to houses outside the outskirts. Well, yes, this was not a curiosity to the captain. The messenger ran to warn the headman that they say, a stranger, an unkind person showed up in their places.

The Old Believers of the gendarmes did not hurt. And the police. And in general, representatives of the authorities, every single one. Well, in Russia, in general, the authorities did not favor, but in Siberia so especially, and Artemizov has long been accustomed to this. Actually, people from the authorities did not see anything good, and never counted. Therefore, they did not want to know her, and tried not to have any business with her, if possible, of course.

So the gendarme captain went further to those houses where the boy ran. Artemiov was not too worried, he knew that all one would deal with this matter. Two Old Believers passed by, with water from the well. The girls are prominent, only gloomy and unsmiling, hiding their faces from someone else’s person. Well, soon, the long-awaited headman came out to meet with two strong-looking fellows. Here, out of politeness, Artemizov left the saddle, led the horse about.

– Ah, your nobility! – deliberately greeted the headman cordially.

– And I am glad to you, Harlampy Lukich,” the gendarme replied.

He was actually honestly glad to see this man. He knew how to do everything decently, so that conflicts would not arise between Old Believers and immigrants.

A lot of workers came from Perm here to work, and, of course, anything happened.

– What led to us?” Maybe you want honey? We are amazingly good!

– No, the headman… I can’t have a lot of sweets, doctors don’t tell me. Are you all trading? We bought a lot of things, I know… And why do you, Harlampy, a set of chemical glassware made of heat-resistant glass? Surely moonshine in the usual does not work? Or does it taste bad?

He knew that the Old Believers did not drink, but screwed up such a barb of genre, could not restrain himself. But, it was strange that these residents bought in the village. If there were guns, or what gear, or at least gramophones. No, gramophones bought of course, as many as five. And a piano, which simply amazed his imagination. Bicycles, however, were also bought. And I did not notice that at least one of the locals would ride them.

– You’re joking, Nikolay Fokich. We take something of course, so artfully, for ourselves. Kids to school, for lessons.

– Children, of course, God’s work… And are you going to spend the phone in the village? Even in Perm, the wire was bought, four Ericsson devices.

– why? Did I break the law? So we are not terrorists with revolvers, we don’t run around stations, we don’t blow up bombs, “the headman began to get angry.

– Yes, I wanted to talk about something else, do not be angry with me, Kharlampiy. I heard about one fisherman, Mikhaila. Nodo would talk to him. He is some kind of strange… And he is not local. Did you hear, not far from him?

Artemizov prudently conducted this conversation, in which every word was important. He deliberately provoked the headman, wanted to probe the reaction of the interlocutor. It was necessary to move the Old Believer in the right direction. This, like a heavy barrel to roll, is difficult and difficult only to put on the edge, and then, it goes easily, read, it rolls itself… I saw that the headman was a little flushed, he began to get angry, out, put his pood fists in front of him, ready to rush into battle, but take care…

– It is not worth it, your nobility, to disturb a good person. He is not violent, but has been living here for a very long time. Sensible and kind person. All I can say.

“Where can I find him, Harlampy?”

The headman squinted his eyes, as if he wanted to refuse, but scratched his beard, smiled, and said calmly.

“So by the river, if he’s fishing. Himself comes to us if he needs. You, your nobility, would not go there… After all, this is the case… It is better when Mikhailo comes to us himself, then you can talk. He does not like guests…

– Well, I’ll drive… And you, Harlampy, did not see a tall woman with him, sweet, under forty years old? And then people say, not one he walks here?

The headman was barely on the log lying next to him, his foot was missing. It can be seen that he did not even regret new boots. And then, upset, annoyed, apparently, Kharlampiy. And Artemizov was glad for himself, and for reading Mr. Koshko’s explanatory book on interrogations and their psychological component. And then, the gentlemen of the British say correctly:" Knowledge is Power.”

***

“No, of course, the forests here are beautiful, the meadows there and so on,” Nikolai Fokich thought to himself, “but only mosquitoes, downright ill-mannered,” he sighed and began to swing the twig even more, “as it were, it would be very good, without the vileness of this nasty. And the horse, too, is angry.”

So indeed, his Chestnut began to wave his tail much more energetically, and Artemizov got a couple of times quite decently on the back from the horse.

– Er, do not spoil! – Nikolay Fokich barked, otherwise I will lead you alive!

The horse seemed to understand what they were saying, mowed his eye on the saddle, and walked along the path in the forest more quickly. Not a trot, of course, but with a quick step – that’s for sure. Here Artemizov noticed a hut, perfectly hidden among large pines. At first glance, you will not notice this, and from the second too. It was just that the captain expected to find cover for the fisherman, and was very attentive to the little things.

Artemisov dismounted, and tied the occasion of Chestnut to a large branch, so conveniently hanging from a tree. The forest was not particularly dense, but quite so impressive and solid, and this pine, to which he put his horse, stood out even among these giant trees. He kept his hand in the pocket of his breeches, without releasing the handle of the revolver. The fire burned barely, but was not extinguished, which means that the owner was very close. And, what a miracle, there were two folding Swiss bicycles, just indicated in the delivery list found at the station. That is, Kharlampiy bought everything for Mikhail? These people can pay, but they do not want to receive the goods themselves, and need an intermediary… An interesting combination loomed, the gendarme was seriously intrigued.

– Hey, Michael! – suddenly shouted the captain, come out, – we need to talk!

Artemizov decided that it was the smartest thing to do, to show that he had come without hiding. Without those wacky hide-and-seek games. I took a couple of steps to the hut, and suddenly I heard an unfamiliar voice behind my back.

“Well, here I am. So are you captain Artemizov or something?

The gendarme turned sharply in his heels after hearing this appeal. To say what was surprised is to say nothing. He did not hear how they approached him, and not a single dry twig on the ground rustled, creaked. And here, not one person, but two stood in front of him. A young tall guy, and a beautiful woman, about thirty years old, no more. They were usually dressed for those living in these places, and not really. The shoes were very striking. English boots for travelers were rare even in Perm, their price was considerable. Well, so, something is not important. I didn’t immediately understand such trifles. Well, little things? Gold necklaces, no less than a pound in three weights, adorned the necks of both. And made, as I managed to notice, an amazing master. Figures of people, deer, griffins. The work was not a simple village craftsman, not a crooked bush, but a perfectly executed plan of a true master.

“So he is. – answered the gendarme, – Nikolai Fokich Artemizov, captain of the Gendarme administration. Who will you be?

– So we are local people, we have lived here for a long time. They call me Mikloy, and my mother Digna.

The woman looked strangely at this tall guy, then smiled at his words.

– And what, dissimilar? she said, and looked up.

– The opposite, and very much so. Maybe we’ll sit at the light? I have pies with me. Treat tea?

– So a decoction of Ivan tea, Nikolai Fokich, only he. But, do not drive you from here? Let’s talk! If such a need, – answered the woman.

Then the captain was surprised. Folding aluminum seats brought from a hut appeared, a newfangled thing among wealthy tourists. Mugs of the same metal, bowls and spoons.. The fisherman laid out a cleverly made folding table too.

“I did it myself,” Mikla boasted, “according to a foreign magazine.

And the woman took out a steel thermos, and as if it were not for the first time, she busily poured coffee into mugs.

“I’m out of Ivan tea. Such a thing, – grinned Digna.

They ate the pies brought by Artemizov with them. People, so, looked a little unusual if you look too long. Among other things, the fisherman had a brand new Omega on his wrist. Such a family is quite poor here. The captain would not be surprised at such a split if there was a brand new Indian motorcycle in the distant bushes, instead of bicycles.

“No, kind man,” Digna said suddenly, “we don’t have a motorcycle. Bicycles only. True, Mikla wants to buy everything, but I do not allow it. Why? We have enough funds, we have the right…

Artemizov heard something about a family of industrialists who lived remotely from everyone. They say they live, people are not touched, but no one is allowed to visit them. And the letters of already Alexei Mikhailovich confirmed their possession, well, the gendarme did not really believe in this. You never know what people come up with.

– Yes, in another business. What are you yourself, do not order goods, do you burden Harlampia? Surely you yourself cannot receive cargo at the station?

– So busy very. We work, everything is in care, – answered Mikla, – and not close. Reluctance to go far.

“Why won’t your son marry?” And smart, and has the means. The groom is enviable.

– I haven’t looked after it yet… Won’t you refuse your daughter? – the woman said with care in her voice.

And Artemizov already grabbed the gates of his uniform, and the officer’s cap almost fell off his head. How, daughter for such a giant?

– Digna! Mikla said loudly and suddenly jumped up, – what are you! And Ilda?

– Who is Ilda? ‘the captain perked up.

“Yes, his bride. That’s all, it doesn’t work out. It doesn’t go well with them. But, the case is young…

– It is of course, – Artemizov agreed with relief.

“Here we are. Isn’t it time for you, your nobility? ‘the woman asked.

– Yes, I have a very important question… You went to the post office at night, to the telegraph operator. He sent a message there, I went to sort it out. And so, what a hobby, kind people, – and looked mockingly at new acquaintances, – Kuzminichna, the merchant saw you, and Trofimov himself, the telegraph operator, insists that there was no one. And his head hurts a lot. What happened there?

– Will pass, will not fall off! – and Mikla barely managed to remove his head, like Digna’s hard palm, instead of his head hitting the back.

– Here, do not bury yourself! Digna added, you never know what. – I already spoke with the gendarme, – We entered and entered. It was necessary. Mail, she, tea, works for everyone.

– So Trofimov then conveyed a message to St. Petersburg to the highest name. And very strange, I must say. It turns out that you ordered the telegraph operator to do this. You will go with me to Vagran to find out. I will make a confrontation with Trofimov, but with grandmother Kuzminichnaya. They will identify you, so you will go to prison. Pack up!

“We won’t go. It’s good for us here too, “the woman replied, showing with all her appearance that she was not going to obey.