Hunt for Wunderwaffe. Immortal
She simply looked enchanted at the even lines of the royal order, unable to say anything, then nodded and lost consciousness. And she would have fallen to the floor if Orlov had not hastily picked up the young lady and put her on the sofa.
“Send your messenger to the Palace Telegraph immediately. My car is at your disposal, Orlov. And at the same time telephone the Minister of Justice and the Commandant that the telegrams have been sent and that they must take appropriate action. And, cameras – invite the maid of honor, you need to take care of the girl.
“I’ll do it now, sir!
The general hastily left the duty room, and on watch, telephoned His Majesty’s garage, and then called the messenger.
Orlov remembered that back in 1906 another event was important for the history of the Russian Palace Department: His Imperial Majesty’s own garage was created. 30 drivers, 30 soapers, 30 mechanics served in the imperial garage. During the trips of Nicholas II to rest in Yalta, the management of the garage accompanied him with his families.
– Here, Gregory, you will go to the Palace Telegraph now, you will personally see that the telegraph operator would beat off the message, but you will take the answer from him that the telegrams have been received. Did you understand?
– And how not to understand, Your Excellency! I know where the telephone exchange is located, St. Petersburg Avenue, house 46, Truveller’s house!
“Well done! So, you telephone the addressees and duplicate the telegram. That’s it, go!
Vestova famously trumped the boss, and went down the stairs of the entrance. And after a couple of minutes the car drove up. Orlov took a silver cigarette case out of his pocket and armed himself with a cigarette. You could calmly smoke, and take a walk in the park, enjoy the cool night.
Vestovoy returned a couple of minutes later, the general took the execution paper, and went into the king’s chambers. The sovereign calmly awaited the arrival of his adjutant wing.
– So, Orlov?
– Everything is fulfilled, Your Majesty! – and held out the paper.
– You see how well you did that you listened to Votre Inspiration. You made two people happy, – said Nikolai, – now, we can rest. Do not hesitate, the Lord will repay us for our leniency to those who ask for leniency.
***
The adjutant wing again returned to the emperor’s chambers. He was very uncomfortable again to tear off the valet from sleep, and the general decided to wait. It was already going on by eight o’clock. True, it was possible to turn to the general on duty, but then the valet came out, as if listening to his thoughts.
– Your Excellency, – this devoted employee of the Palace addressed him, – the Sovereign does not sleep. You can tell if something important happened.
– Urgent telegram received. He must hand it over personally, into his own hands. Please excuse the concern!
– Come on in.
The general returned to the room in which he had already been tonight. He was slightly embarrassed, and smiled with difficulty.
– Yes Orlov, the night turned out to be restless… – Nikolai himself hid a slight grin in his thick mustache and carefully groomed beard.
The ivory penknife instantly cut the gray paper of the message, the twine burst at once, and cardboard with a telegram pasted on it appeared on the table. Nikolai grinned a little, seeing the sender’s address.
– But… ‘he muttered, immersed in the reading.
Count Orlov stood opposite the sovereign, expecting him to let him go. A couple of minutes later, Nikolai extended a message to his wing-adjutant.
– Read and you, Orlov… It is not clear who sent this, and it looks more like a joke. Sit down, there’s the chair next to it.
The adjutant wing sat at the table, moved the telegram to itself. He began to read:
“Wagran Station, 12.10am. Telegraph operator Timofeev. On June 17, 1908, an explosion of 20 million tons of trinitrotolluol will occur over the underground Tunguska. This will be proof of our power, and readiness to use such weapons again, but for our protection. We demand not to visit some areas of Novaya Zemlya Island… sowing. latitude… east longitude and the Ural range… sowing. latitude and… east. longitude. This is just a warning.”
– Very strange, indeed, reminiscent of a strange joke, sovereign. But, there is nothing easier than checking. Give instructions to the gendarmes of the Perm province to check this Timofeev, and who was on the telegraph key at that time.
– undoubtedly. Quite a smart proposal. But, while no one should know about it, Orlov! You remember that this is the second dispatch of this content. The first was sent, if I’m not mistaken, on the second of May?
“That’s right, Your Majesty. Yes, it looked incomprehensible. So they did not attach importance to the incident.
– Now we need to figure it out. And, I was informed that the French are going to send an expedition to Novaya Zemlya. The ship has already left. What do they want to find there? Do not find it all too… suspicious?
– Sovereign…
Nikolai Alexandrovich quickly wrote an order, and an order for General Gerasimov. General Alexander Vasilievich Gerasimov, headed, and very successfully, since 1905, the St. Petersburg security department, and in his power it was quickly to establish the truth in this matter.
CHAPTER 3 Wagran Station
On the clean, recently washed glass of the window, two mosquitoes fussed in vain, poking their long noses into the thick glass. But they don’t understand that, the creatures are stupid, that the window is clean, recently washed, and his wife, Efrosinya Ivanovna, worked on it herself. Just sighed a man sitting opposite, at his desk, in a strict uniform, and did not beat the villains with an already folded old newspaper. Not that I regretted the good living creatures, but I thought about the window cleanliness.
And everything would be fine, but at the same time the ungrateful creatures buzzed disgustingly, acting on his exhausted nerves. And Fedor had a terrible headache since the night. He was in the service, here at Wagran station post office. And then, despite the early time, in business. They did not give a rest here. An hour ago, a telegram came from St. Petersburg, and not easy, but encrypted. You can’t read this one. He sealed it, as it should be, but sent it with the boy as a peddler, Petka Ivanov, and now, nevertheless, he went to the drunken samovar, and gladly poured boiling water into a glass with a cup holder. Then the brews from a small teapot, and there, from the bedside table, as if by itself, a crumpet appeared. It was necessary to correct the strength! So, I ate, immediately and easier… I put a statement in front of me, you never know what, but he, in business… And then, the front door slammed, and again, from a loud sound, my head ached mercilessly.
– And, Fedor Ivanovich, only you and remembered! said the gentleman who came in.
Here Trofimov jumped up from his chair and adjusted his cap. And then, not a simple person came, but a gendarme captain, a great power in their area. Artemizov himself Nikolai Fokich, in his own person, deigned to come here early.
– Your nobility, what do you owe? We do not violate everything as it should! When serving, day and night!
– Yeah… – Artemizov dissected thoughtfully and sat down opposite the pillar telegraph operator, – here, Mr. Trofimov, an order came from the capital to deal with your jokes. You, mischievous, sent – and he looked into the paper – a telegram to the Highest Name at midnight, consider today. And who advised you, or decided it himself?
– Yes I.. Your nobility… Yes, I could not decide on this… I’m only for business needs!
– Come on, answer faster. And then instantly they will fire you from service, you will collect cones in the forest! – and slapped his palm on the table – maybe he was drunk? – and already looked compassionately at the employee of the post office, – it happens with everything. And the bosses are kind, they will forgive you for the first time.
Trofimov feverishly recalled this night and last day. No, and what things I did with the housework, so I chopped wood, but there was no vodka, for sure… He sweated all over, began to frantically wipe his forehead with a handkerchief, dropped it a couple of times, but, as if not understanding, only shrugged.
– Yes, I did not drink… Exactly, not half a glass…
– Okay, – the captain looked at once, – or maybe who else was? Or your sons, mischievous?
– No, they don’t know how. Exactly, no one could, your nobility.
– Well, Trofimov, so you sent. Who else, think for yourself? Or did other people sit on your key?
The poor telegraph operator did not know what to answer. So true because his nobility says, no one could send a telegram except him…
– So I… What to do, let them fire, expel a person if they have no conscience…
– You’re good, stupid head… Here, write… I was drunk, it happened by chance. I vouch to you, everything will cost…
I thought for a minute Trofimov, but understood that it was impossible to arrange everything better. You have to lie. Or even really, they will be fired after all, but you won’t find another service here for a hundred miles…
– Exactly, Nikolay Fokich, so everything was… Not from evil…
The captain simply beamed at such words, moved a piece of paper and a steel pen to the telegraph operator.
Trofimov immediately repulsed the telegram, and Artemizov left the post office.
The gendarme officer was very pleased with himself, such a job done. And then, it was done, and now his fishing was waiting, for which he had already prepared in the morning. Indeed, their places are deaf, there are no theaters for you, but hunting and fishing for divo were good. So the captain thought, looking around the railway station. Well, how to say the station? Platform and a couple of buildings nearby, however, God’s sin to anger, trains came to them twice a day.
But another, worse thing came to mind. And what, as it was a slander against him. Say, Artemizov began to take bribes, he is not on duty as he should, he does not catch villains on the track, but robbs unfortunate townsfolk! Here the gendarme captain himself sweated. How did you not immediately guess? But he could, Trofimov… He could… After all, in winter, I remember, he punished him for the mess, and he could remember…
“Good evening, your nobility! ‘he heard suddenly the voice of a trading grandmother.
He walked, and behind his thoughts he did not notice Praskovya Kuzminichna, he even scolded himself. Mentally, of course, not out loud. She was a very important and necessary person here, replacing fillers, which, however, the gendarme captain did not have here. And my grandmother, she saw and heard everything, and loved to report on everything that happened at Vagran station. The most important, state, was, in general, a person!
– And hello to you, Kuzminichna! How, pies, disassemble? said the gendarme officer hastily.
– So the train will arrive in half an hour, and I expect it. So, good people will come up, they will want to have a snack from the road, and I have everything ready, and with berries, and now, with hares, and even with fish. I suppose people are all cultural, and not such that they would go around at night…
– What? – Artemizov just dumbfounded at once, – who was here last night? Speak, speak, Kuzminichna, – and the captain removed two silver fifty dollars from his pocket and put it in front of the woman.
People here were old school, and paper money did not hurt. Immediately tried to change credit tickets for much more tangible silver, or even gold coins. Therefore, the gendarme captain hoped more for the effect of silver coins. Indeed, I was not mistaken. Well, not exactly…
– On the ruble you, read, almost half of everything is due, – the merchant whispered anxiously, putting the goods in rolls of brown paper, – here, eat to your health! Good pies, fresh, just baked today!
– Thank you, Kuzminichna. We sing, and Marya Vasilyevna and I have enough for lunch. Your wife has been bowing to you for a long time!
– Oh, my God, Nikolay Fokich! I am very grateful! And then, what kind of people are angry, sometimes, of course… So at first I thought that it was not a local… And he, a lanky fisherman, Mishka, looks here. And he, at night at the post office and came, exactly! And what is surprising is not alone, but with a woman, seemingly not old, high and cool. I remember it firmly… I still looked through the window, what was being done there… So this woman, something to the telegraph operator, and he got down to business. Bear, as she snorts at me with her icy eyes, I’m already stunned! And Fedka, well, Fedor Ivanovich, worked everything, knocked on his apparatus. I ran away, of course. Although he asked to bring him a couple of pies, but I forgot, apparently, – the merchant said slightly confusedly, – as Mishka left with the woman, I waited a little, and I went in. And the telegraph operator looked at me, but asked who she was, and why she came, as if she did not know. Here it is…
– Don’t think bad. – answered the gendarme, – See, Fedor Ivanovich earned, tired a little… This is the case. Well, I’ll go. And thanks for the pies!
The captain simply beamed at such words, moved a piece of paper and a steel pen to the telegraph operator.
Trofimov immediately repulsed the telegram, and Artemizov left the post office.
The gendarme officer was very pleased with himself, such a job done. And then, it was done, and now his fishing was waiting, for which he had already prepared in the morning. Indeed, their places are deaf, there are no theaters for you, but hunting and fishing for divo were good. So the captain thought, looking around the railway station. Well, how to say the station? Platform and a couple of buildings nearby, however, God’s sin to anger, trains came to them twice a day.
But another, worse thing came to mind. And what, as it was a slander against him. Say, Artemizov began to take bribes, he is not on duty as he should, he does not catch villains on the track, but robbs unfortunate townsfolk! Here the gendarme captain himself sweated. How did you not immediately guess? But he could, Trofimov… He could… After all, in winter, I remember, he punished him for the mess, and he could remember…
– Good evening, your nobility! ‘he heard suddenly the voice of a trading grandmother.
He walked, and behind his thoughts he did not notice Praskovya Kuzminichna, he even scolded himself. Mentally, of course, not out loud. She was a very important and necessary person here, replacing fillers, which, however, the gendarme captain did not have here.
CHAPTER 4 House of the Gendarme Captain
“This is how it turns out,” the gendarme officer thought to himself, “a night guest came to Trofimov, about whom he did not mention. And, for sure, he worked on the key, as Kuzminichna showed. That means it’s good, and I didn’t deceive the bosses. The telegraph operator sent a dispatch, that’s for sure. Everything turned out in time.”
While the point is, the captain got to his house. Well, not quite his own, but the official one given to him from the treasury. And all one thing, he liked this shelter. A cozy house, on a stone basement, two floors, cool and beautiful, upholstered in shingles for warmth and plastered. It looked like a real brick, it was painted in an elegant light green color, under the iron roof painted with meerik.
– Nikolay Fokich, good day! said the janitor.
Ermolai Panteleimonovich Fedorov served as his janitor, but rather not served him, but this house. I was at this estate for ten years.
– Great, Yermolai. Is everything all right?
– So thank God, your nobility! – and the court again began to take revenge.
And there was order, and it was pleasing. And then, after all, it became boring in the estate, only their youngest, daughter Annushka, remained with them. The eldest son, Leonid, studied at a mining school in Perm, the middle Ivan, too, entered there last year. And the eldest daughter, Elena, was recently married, to a railway employee, too, now lives in Perm. In general, everything was good with Nikolai Fokich, or no worse than others, as he sincerely believed.
Artemizov went into the house, where on the first floor, at the farm, Taisya Ilyinichna, their cook, ordered. Then Nikolai Fokich modestly coughed while a responsible and strict woman acted as a priest with a samovar. She turned, making a strict face, but noticing who it was, she immediately smiled.
– Ah, Nikolai Fokich! And I thought, again, Yermoshka worries.
And then, the cook was a woman of the old rules, and adored detailed men, and best of all, of course, the military. The captain noticed with what approval she looked at his uniform with shiny buttons.
– Here, Taisya Ilyinichna, tell Glafira what to serve pies for tea.
– So not otherwise from Kuzminichna took? – she shook her head condemningly, – yes, in our house flour is sieve…
– Nothing, people eat, and we will try.
– Well, in ten minutes the samovar will boil.
– Thank you, Taisya Ilyinichna.
And the owner of the house slowly climbed the stairs to the master’s part of the house. He went into the living room, sat down in a chair. Hearing the steps, Marya Vasilievna, his wife, also came here. Artemizov stood up, greeting his beloved woman, she smiled back. Marya Vasilievna in her forty-two years, as before, was pretty, sweet and friendly, and Artemizov did not regret his choice of wife.
– Now we will drink tea, with pies, – he said.
– So good, – the woman answered, sitting down nearby, – and Annushka will come.
“What is she?”
“Reads everything. It doesn’t hurt to embroider. Although, you, I made a shirt on a typewriter. But, this is so, in secret. He will give an angel for the day.
“The hostess is growing,” the captain smiled rather.
But then, interrupting their conversations, Glafira entered the room with a samovar, and then she accepted a wooden dish with pies. Then she arranged cups of simple service, ordinary white faience.
– Glafira, call your daughter, be kind. And, you can go.
– Now, Marya Vasilievna.
The maid left, and the mistress of the house personally began to pour tea into cups. It turned out all cute and pleasant, reassured Artemizov. No, of course, he heard about Chinese tea ceremonies, yes, as he believed, they, in the Urals, probably no worse, or even better. And tastier tea with pies.
– Daddy, mom, – said the daughter who ran into the living room.
Artemizov sighed condemningly. Why run? It was time for my daughter to walk slowly, like a decently young young lady. And then, braid to the waist, and all running. Although Annushka grew up pretty and caring, she pleased her father. And surprisingly she was wearing this simple brown dress, and a large bow of the same tone, adorning her braid.
– Oh, pies! And they smell delicious! ‘she chirped.
– Here, eat, – and Maria moved a full cup on a saucer to her daughter
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.