Читать книгу Classics fantasy – 7. Stories-2 - A. Belyaev - Страница 3

One river in Kazakhstan ran away. It is necessary to tell you that these Asian rivers crazy. Directly, one may say, mentally ill people. Where yesterday there was a bank, on that place a whirlpool today. The river flowed to the right, look – turned to the left. In one day of meters twenty otgryzt coast together with kishlaks. Shalit, in a word. There are also such rivers: goodness knows where from begins and not particularly where vanishes. Not dries, not in sand buries, from the sun hides – and flows to itself under sand, known to nobody. And people on sands go and are parched with thirst. No cards will keep up with these rivers. On the card – one, and in practice absolutely another. Though every day redraw the card.

There are also absolutely funny stories. The river flows to itself, irrigates edge, gives to drink to people and animals and herbs steppe, and then suddenly as will break loose: towards it threw. The river dug the new course and to other river connected, and that flows into the lake. And the river was gone. Ran away. And the edge perishes from a drought. Here we should have caught such run-away river – to return it to the old course. Interesting it is piece, but only now the conversation will be not about the run-away river. About how we caught it, I somehow another time will tell.

And I began about the river because it brought together me with the old acquaintance Mishka Sinitsyn. It is necessary to tell you that Sinitsyn was an inventor. But person unstable. Threw it here and there as the Central Asian river. Terminated a semiletka in Moscow, arrived on knitting factory the carrier of wool. Then got to All-Union electrotechnical institute and there invented something like that. Simplified an attachment of neon lamps to a socle, so, it seems. Then threw it on speedboats. I received the letter from it from Nizhny Novgorod – participated in a glisserny run. Assured, as brought some improvement in a speedboat. And then and absolutely I for a while lost it. And here was brought to meet in Kazakhstan, near Balkhash, on copper mines of Kounrad. It is necessary to tell that near Kounrad and there was this incident to the river. And waters of this river just supplied the mine. Up to One Balkhash farther. On camels of water you will not be brought in. The whole company the river – all young people of hydraulic engineering, and I went to catch us including. We drive up on cars to Kounrad in the evening. For us the sun sits down. Before us already the mine is seen. Also we see, on a hillock something shines is dazzling as a beacon. What could it be? Began to guess. One speaks: aero beacon. But why to it to shine when still the sun did not set? Yes at the sun beacon light will also not be such bright. Another speaks: this sun from something is reflected. As if from a mirror. Perhaps, the solar station was established? Them a little in Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan was under construction. Perhaps, and so.

We approach closer, we see that “mirror” has the rhombus form. On a brilliant background some black point. As if moves. “Solar spot!” – someone from our company jokes. “A mirage in the desert!” – picks up another. Truly, a mirage in the desert!

– Yes the person on a roof climbs! – my neighbor Trofimov told. – And the roof burns as Isaakiya’s dome on sunset.

– Oh, you look. Departed! Fell! From a roof fell…

And really, “the solar spot” slid off down and crashed down on the earth. And house two-storeyed. Below people began to move, noise, laughter, voices, shouts are heard. We approach.

– What at you happened here? – I ask. – Whether long ago gold roofs on houses began to do?

– The correspondence engineer from a roof fell!

– Roof not gold, but copper! – I hear in reply.

What else such correspondence engineer? I look at the person who sits on the earth and the knee rubs. Near it the bucket and a brush roll. Young man, snub-nosed such. Screws up the face and smiles. Yes it is Mishka!

– Bear! – I shout. – Hey, Sinitsyn! Hi!

And he answers:

– I should become attached a rope. Hi, Kolya!

Rose, greeted. Turned back to young companions that stood near it, and speaks:

– Well, children, for today representation is ended. It is necessary to welcome the guest.

And again to me:

– We go, Kolya. At me you will stop.

Limping, he started wandering forward, and I with the small suitcase behind it. He lived in the same house “with a gold roof”, only the entrance was on the other hand.

We entered its small room. All it was filled up with stuff: on tables wire hanks, fittings of an electrical wiring, tisochka, screw-drivers, keys, hammers – the tool different. Ware is chemical, papers with drawings, on a wall – regiments with books. At once it is visible that the inventor. Over a small desk – a radio loud-hailer. On a table – a commonplace book and a pencil. Until we were washed and Mishka lit a kerosene stove that after the journey to treat me with tea, already the sun set. Darkened. From under a table the lamp without lamp shade appeared.

– Here, admire – Mishka told, lighting a lamp. – It is necessary to use kerosene lighting. It is a shame in our century of electrification!

– Unless at the mine there is no power plant?

– Are going to build – Mishka answered – yes hard this business. From where here to take energy? There is no local fuel, and the river? There was nearby one and that ran away. And if did not run away, I pound from it a little. What bias of falling of water in it, you know?

– One ten-thousand – I answered.

– There now you see. On kilometer ten centimeters. You will not construct hydroelectric power station. To put power plant on coal – it is expensive energy will manage. Try to deliver here. Unless oil will be found.

– Where here oil? – with doubt I told.

– Well, do not tell. At the desert, the brother you mine, are a lot of riddles which to solve for our century will last. Recently I had to hear. Cattle-farmers sent a caravan to Khiva on the main caravan road Ashgabat – Khiva. On this road hundreds of years moved caravans. Each piece is studied. And wells – and could not be spoken. Here behind a water drop tens of kilometers not a hook. And here found the well thrown and semi-brought by sand in bush thickets. Began to dig – water black. All dressing gowns in dark oil splashes. Whether oil? Lit a bunch of a dry grass, threw into a well – as will fall a cropper. Hardly sand threw. Oil! Why well? Why oil? Filtered, perhaps. Myurrek Telkiyev is a brother of the chairman of an aulsovet – itself in a caravan was, “the fiery well” saw and can show a way to it. You never know such finds and nearby it can appear? But only time presses…

– Wait, children, give only term. Will be to you and the doll, will be also a whistle – Mishka recited, pumping up a kerosene stove. – Here at least and a kerosene stove to take. Again game. Primitive, one may say, tool. Rustles, hoots and cuts the cheese. What a difference electric kettle… You speak, solar installations. I read that abroad thought up absolutely new principle. Imagine at the foot of the mountain something like a big hotbed. The sun heats air in a hotbed. And from a hotbed on the mountain the pipe is laid. Hot air goes up where more cold. Put above the turbine which would rotate from this stream of hot air. Here to you and ready solar wind-driven electric generator. For such piece I know the suitable town: northern and northwest borders of Mirzacho’l. Steppe this plateau. It rolls down from the North a wall, sixty-meter, crimson from an exit of granite breeds. Here where to arrange such car. I already was there, nasmotret the town and I think to be engaged in this business as soon as I finish the copper roof here.

– What the roof is?

The bear rubbed the hurt knee.

– Great расшибся – he told – only showed no sign. Swelled up. It will be necessary to make a compress. And you have tea. I still will be in time.

And, having been engaged in the leg, it continued:

– At me too if you want, solar installation. Only other. Direct transformation of solar energy into electric. Photo cell. Heard?

– Own invention? – I asked.

The bear shrugged shoulders and modestly answered:

– Not my idea. I on radio heard the speech of companion Ioffe. Academician. About the new plan of electrification. Sixty million kilowatts. This is not a bug of a mosquito caught! That such to the settlement to collect, it is necessary from everywhere where it is only possible, energy to scoop. He spoke and about photo cells. And still said that the youth, Komsomol members first of all, has to put pressure that such task to execute. Here I also solved: what do I am not youth? Than not the Komsomol member? Why not to undertake this business without postponing? Photo so photo. Element so element. Began to get acquainted with literature, to do experiences. You know, I the inventor a bit.

– As, I know. Forgive, Mishka and why you when you fell, called the correspondence engineer?

– So, joke. In the questionnaire I somehow wrote that I have the highest self-education. Made a fun of me. I say that there is nothing ridiculous here, as most it is possible to overcome the highest sciences and the equipment to study. I supposedly on radio took the whole course of electrophysics. Correspondence course. Well, someone also let: “Correspondence engineer!” Only they so laugh, without sting. Children love me and helped me. You only listen that here with a copper roof was.

I was engaged, so in experiences over photo cells… Yes you, maybe, do not know what is photo cells? You see conductivity of some metals in connection with other chemicals increases from effect of light. Take an iron leaf and cover it with selenium. Take out it on a sunlight – here to you and a ready element. There will be current. Scientists knew it long ago, only current turned out very weak – in some thousand shares of percent from Energy of the sun, light. Well, and now this business quickly uphill went. And now photo cells rotate small motors. I thought to arrange such element. Only with selenium things look bad. It is got in a small amount on Hawaiian, the Lipari Islands. There you will not jump. Not Soviet they still meanwhile. After I learned that selenium can be extracted from a deposit in lead chambers when receiving sulfuric acid. But on radio about it I was not told in time. Also I stopped on another – on a copper photo cell. The leaf has to be from copper and is covered with a copper oxide. All this near at hand.

– And what force of such element?

– Wait, there will be a speech and about it. I began to do small photo cells. Long nothing at me left. But, as they say, constant dropping will wear away a stone. Several children became interested in my invention. Came to me, together worked. And what you think? Eventually the small bulb of a pocket lamp lit up from my element. You also cannot present yourself what joy at us was. As if we the first invented electric lighting. Burned down this bulb, did not fuse yet. And another was not. Also it is impossible to get soon. So. Well, after all it’s done. On ointment, it is possible to tell.

There are I to our plant manager – just arrived, the person new – and I speak to him: “Companion director, I wish to electrify our new house. To carry out electric lighting”. I look, at the director of an eyebrow on a forehead got. Wanted to hide a smile, it was not possible: there are no moustaches, shaven. There is nothing to do, smiled in all face and speaks:

“Very well, companion Sinitsyn. But only it seems to me that for electric lighting electric current is necessary. The power plant is necessary”.

“I know well it, companion director. The station will be, and current will be. I will suit all this”. I see, the director on me and just as looks at the madman.

“How it you will arrange?” – asks.

“Photo cell, companion director. We instead of power plant will have a roof”.

“Fotoeleme-e-ent! – the director stretched and looks at me already only as on half-mad. – What power will be developed by your photo cell?”

And I have a ready calculation. I say how according to the book I read:

“On one square meter the photoenergy kilowatt falls. My photo cell can use only one percent of photoenergy. It is a little, but quite for us it is enough. We, so will have one kilowatt from hundred square meters. It is the area of our roof. And one kilowatt of energy can give light for two thousand candles. For lighting of the room in twenty square meters one bulb in hundred candles suffices. For five rooms – five hundred candles. And we have two thousand. On twenty rooms. One thousand candles on the floor. All two-storeyed house will be lit”.

The director thought. Does not know what now a label to paste to me. Again up threw up eyebrows and speaks:

“Well, well, business good. Light!”

“Companion director. You know that for a photo cell material is necessary. Copper. Copper oxide. Here I also came to ask you, not – whether you allow me to release copper for production of brass plates on a covering them roofs. Then only I also disturbed you”.

“Ah, here it that? – The director drummed fingers on a table. – Companion Sinitsyn. We have to encourage working invention…”

“Yes it not my invention, here a matter of course” – I kill it, seeing where he drives.

“Well, not invention, so mastering equipment. We have to encourage in every possible way. And I would not have anything against to release copper on your experiences if the question went well… about some kilogram. But to do copper roofs when we have two percent of underfulfilment of the plan when each gram of copper on the account when our factories and the plants… so need it” – both went, and went. And resolution, by itself: “to refuse”. “I also – say – the person accountable. What will think of me?.”

I tried to argue with it, I see – to anything. The person rested, is afraid.

“Now – says – the obezlichka is destroyed. Personal responsibility on me. I one answer. I cannot. I am glad and I cannot!.”

There were I from the director, and at a porch already companions wait for me.

“Well?.”

Waved a hand: “Refusal!”

“How so refusal? On such business!.”

Shout, noise. Among my companions there are several Turkmens, Uzbeks was. Hot children. Wanted directly to the director all company to bring down.

“We it is better to a predzavkom we will go, to companion Okizov, the guy, we will agree to it rather!” – someone offered.

“And to predzavky we will go, and to the secretary of a cell. We will lift up all, and we will not give up on the”.

Went to Okizov. That in photo cells understands nothing, but listened to us attentively. Also does not smile, though is where to hide a smile: moustaches are dense, only a beard shaves. “Cross-country” as Turkmens speak – “a bald beard”, beardless.

“Something sophisticated was started by you, companions – says – whether there will be a sense?”

“Will leave! Will leave! – we shout. – We already did. At us already small bulb burned”.

“And you will not light it before me?” – asks.

“Would light and fused”.

“And why fused? Perhaps, and all bulbs will fuse?”

Explained to him. Twists the head.

“If I saw”.

“Yes understand, there is no bulb another!”

“And you get, write out. With own eyes I will see – I will help your business”.

Here we go again! It is good still if in Ashgabat or Tashkent you get. And if from Moscow to write out, you will once receive? It could not wait for us. And there is nothing to do. Distributed letters to acquaintances, the order to Moscow. And we should wait long if not a case.

There arrived the prospecting party of Geolkom. I got acquainted with one Leningrad resident and in the day off went with it to sands. Spent the night in a tent. And he, the friend my new, scorpions, of tarantulas is afraid. Grumbles, turns on a koshma and suddenly as will shout. Someone bit it. Jumped, rummaged around in the dark, and suddenly, I see, light flashed. The small lamp is pocket! I snatched on a small lamp as the basmatch on sheep, the poor creature and a lamp dropped, more scorpion was frightened of me. I somehow explained to him, calmed him. I ask to present or sell a bulb – not at any price! Is afraid to remain in the dark with scorpions. “Last bulb!” – says. Well you will do? Not to suffocate the person because of a bulb, not to steal it. I began it to try to persuade this way and that. And than convinced eventually? The fact that to switch on light even more dangerously that all desert evil spirits climb on light even more. On experience, on the fact proved to it: lit a small lamp, and really spread, zakishet, ran – all to light. Presented!

I do not remember whether I was in time to it and to tell thanks. Directly so at night also rushed off back in Kounrad, woke the children, and those to Okizov. It from a bed was lifted. And I could do nothing with them.

“Children – I say – yes to anything at night! For my photo cell light is necessary, the element is not loaded yet”.

Okizov annoys on the fact that he was woken in the middle of the night. He heard my conversation with children and speaks to me:

“So, so now you cannot light a bulb? It is necessary to wait for the sun? And on what to me your bulb at the sun, when already light-? Your bad invention, correspondence engineer! I will not give copper!” And again on a bed it was filled up.

Well here and I flew into a rage. I shake it for shoulders: “Wait, Okizov to fall asleep! Give though I will explain to you!”

And he whether really, whether purposely – snored on all room, and will do nothing with him.

In the morning I meet him and I speak:

“Slept, Okizov?”

“Slept”.

“And a dream gained strength?”

“And gained strength”.

“So understand you, as my photo cell here also works. Only it in the afternoon, at the sun, gains strength, and works at night. The sun will load my bulbs with force in the afternoon, and at night they will burn”.

Well as differently you will explain to him? Understood the main thing, however.

Among my companions – young people the Turkmen – already many to the electrician knew also physics, and to it it was not necessary to study at the Soviet school still. Well nothing, I think, we will ground him about electrification too soon.

I that day loaded with light the photo cells, and in the evening Okizov clapped from pleasure, looking at the small burning bulb, and in spite of the fact that already rather late was, itself ran to the director. And we remained to wait.

Okizov absolutely in other mood returned. It was visible that the director a good tub of water poured over it.

“And you did not deceive me, the correspondence engineer?” – Okizov asks.

“How it deceived? In what?”

“And that, maybe, you are this most… элементик from a pocket lamp hid somewhere, from it and current took. Such cases, speak, were. Some inventor assured that from the earth it is possible to extract electricity too. Also got, and then it turned out that at it in the earth elements were dug”.

Here it that! I did not restrain. “Children – I say – the director suspects us of deception! Let’s go to it!”

“Bass!” – one Turkmen Komsomol member shouts. “Bass” means “press”. From this word and “basmatches” are called. Well, we also pressured the director. Forced it to go with us and most to look.

He attentively examined everything, sees – there is no falseness.

Sat down at me at a table, here, where you sit now – in this room all and occurred – lit a cigarette and speaks:

“You forgive me, companions, let’s talk peacefully. Everyone protects himself. Do not think; that I am some wrecker and against your invention. The invention is good. Excellent invention. If it is possible, you will make big business. But become you on my place. And if it is not possible? How you think, will pat me on the back for copper? And not in one copper business. You will be need thin brass plates. At us not to make them. It is necessary to order at the plant. How to issue such order? On whose means?”

“You to us only release copper, and all of us will suit the rest!” – I answer.

“And with copper so the situation is. I, at the own risk, will not give, and do not ask. But let’s try to get permission of trust. I in return promise to support your petition and to confirm that in vitro you achieved success though… um… of course, a lot of things that worked well in laboratory, were not performed in practice… But we will not speak about it now. So on hands?”

All of us are silent.

“You, companion Okizov, will not undertake personal responsibility?”

I see: and Okizov presses close. To it it is pardonable. From where to it know what from our invention will turn out?

“So on it we will also finish – the director says. – Tomorrow we write to trust!”

It left, Okizov left, and we sit who on a table who on a stool and who and directly on a floor, on cards. Time after midnight, and to nobody a dream goes to the head. We think: how to be? And here one speaks:

“The director not against us. The director does not want to be only against himself. He is afraid to release copper because there will not be enough copper for factories and the plants. And we still, our mine, did not execute a promfinplan. Ran into debt to the country. What it is necessary to make that the director gave copper? We will go to it tomorrow and we will tell: all of us register in drummers. We undertake to liquidate break. We will be ahead of schedule. And we will extract copper which is necessary to us for a roof in overtime, free of charge. If from our photo cell nothing turns out, we return to the mine all copper”.

And as it did not come to our mind earlier!

Next morning we stated our plan to the director. The person blossomed. Still! Now not it to us, but we presented such gift to it.

Promfinplan we exceeded. Copper was received. The rest everything was arranged. And, as you see, the house is already covered with brass plates. Today I began to paint them a copper oxide. In several days I hope to end.

The next day I had to leave for work – to catch the river.

It happened so that on the way back I did not manage to come to Sinitsyn though our cars passed late at night absolutely near the copper mine. Windows of the two-storeyed house standing on a hillock were brightly lit with electricity. The correspondence engineer and his companions achieved the objective. The sun of Turkestan began to shine not only in the afternoon, but also at night.