Black chicken, or underground residents. Anthony Pogorelsky - Black Chicken, or Underground Residents Pogorel Black Chicken and Underground Residents

Years ago, in St. Petersburg on Vasilyevsky Island, in the first line, there was a kernel of a male boarding house, which was still probably, many remained in the fresh memory, although the house where the guesthouse was placed, for a long time Goted the place to another, not at all similar to the previous one. At that time, St. Petersburg was already famous for the whole of Europe, although it was not yet so, what now. Then there were no fun shady alley on the avenue of Vasilyevsky Island: the wooden layouts, often made of rotten boards, set out the place of the current beautiful sidewalks. St. Isaac's bridge, narrow at that time and uneven, completely different imagined the appearance than now; Yes, and the Square Isaacevskaya was not like that. Then the monument of Peter the Great from St. Isaac Square was separated by a la carte; Admiralty did not have been attached by trees, the Manege Connogvardeisky did not decorate the square with the perfect current facade, - in one word, Petersburg then did not have something that the present. The cities in front of people have, by the way, the advantage that they sometimes become more beautiful with the years ... However, it is not about that now. Another time and in a different case, I may have to talk to you much about the changes that happened in St. Petersburg during my century, now we will turn again to the guesthouse, which is the forty years ago on Vasilyevsky Island, in the first line.

The house you now - how you already told you - you will not find, it was about two floors, covered with Dutch tiles. The porch, which was included in it, was wooden and outlooked to the street. From Seine, a rather cool staircase led to the upper housing, which consisted of eight or nine rooms, in which, on the one hand, lived a guest house, and on the other hand were classes. Doodourtes, or sleeping rooms of children, were located in the lower floor, on the right side of Seine, and the left two old men lived on the left, of which each was more than a hundred years old and who were seen by Peter the Great and even talked with him. At this time, in whole Russia, you will meet a person who would see Peter the Great; The time will come when and our traces will erase the earthly face! Everything passes, everything disappears in our glossy world ... But it is not about that now.

Among the thirty or forty children who studied in that guest house were one boy, named Alesha, who was then no more than 9 or 10 years. His parents who lived far and far from St. Petersburg, for two years before they brought him to the capital, gave to the boarding room and returned home, paying the teacher with a conventional fee a few years ahead. Alyosha was a smart boy, nice, he studied well, and everyone loved and caressed. However, despite the fact that he was often bored in the guesthouse, and sometimes even sad. Oet, at first he could not learn to the thought that he was separated from his relatives. But then little, he began to get used to his position, and there were even a minute when, playing with his comrades, he thought that he was much more fun in the guest house than in the parent house. In general, the days of the exercise for him passed soon and pleasantly, but when Saturday was coming out and all the comrades hurried to go home to his relatives, then Alyosha bitterly felt her loneliness. On Sundays and holidays, he remained alone all day, and then the only consolation of him was reading books that the teacher allowed him to take from his small library. The teacher was a native German, at that time in German literature dominated the fashion of the knightly novels and on the magical stories, and this library was the part of the part of the books of this.

So, Alyosha, being still in the ten years, knew already by heart the acts of the norny knights, at least as they described were in novels. His favorite occupation in the long winter evenings, on Sundays and other holidays was mentally tolerated into the old, long-lasting century ... especially at a vacant time, such as Christmas or bright Sunday, - when he was separated for a long time With their comrades, when often the whole days stayed in solitude, the young imagination was wandering around the knightly castles, on terrible ruins or on dark, dense forests.

I forgot to tell you that this house belonged a fairly extensive courtyard, separated from the alley with a wooden fence from baroque boards. Gate and gate, Koi led in the alley, were always locked, and therefore Alyoshe never managed to visit this alley, who strongly excited his curiosity. Whenever they allowed him to play the courtyard at the clock, his first movement was to run up to the fence. Then he became on the chick and stared at the round holes that the fence was littered. Alyosha did not know that these holes took place from wooden nails, which Barki had previously grew, and it seemed to him that some kind of good magician was testing these holes for him. He all expected that someday this magician will appear in the alley and through the hole will give him a toy, or a mascot, or a letter from Papyk or Mama, from which he had not received any news for a long time. But, to the extreme regret, no one was not even like a wizard.

Another occupation of Alesh was to feed the chickens who lived near the fence in the purpose of them a built house and played the whole day and ran in the yard. Alesha was very briefly met with them, he knew all the fights, and Zabyak punished the fact that sometimes a few days did not give them anything from the crumbs, who were always after lunch and dinner from the tablecloth. Between the churars, he especially loved the black crested, called Chernushka. Chernushka was gentle by others; She even sometimes allowed himself to iron, and therefore Alyosha brought the best pieces to her. She was a quiet lava; It was rarely looked around with others and, it seemed, I loved Alyosha more than their girlfriends.

Once (it was during the wooks, between the New Year and the baptism, the day was a wonderful and unusually warm, no more than three or four degrees of frost) Alya allowed to play the courtyard. That day, the teacher and his wife in big were hassle. They gave lunch to the director of schools, and even on the day before, in the morning until late evening, everywhere in the house washed the floors, dust wiped out and soldered the red wood tables and dressers. The teacher himself went to buy provisions for the table: White Arkhangelian veal, huge ham and milytny shops Kiev jam. Alyosha also contributed to the preparations: it was made from white paper to cut a beautiful mesh on the ham and decorating the paper threadlessly purchased six wax candles. At the appointed day, the hairdresser appeared in the morning and showed his art above letters, stupid and long braid teacher. Then he began his wife, divertered and frightened her curls and Shignon and sparkled on her head a whole greenhouse of different colors, between which they shone the two diamond pans, once donated with her husband's parents. At the end of the head, she threw the old, worn out salop and went to bother on the housework, watching while strictly, so that somehow did not spoil the hairstyle; And in order he herself did not enter the kitchen, but gave orders to her cook, standing in the doorway. In the necessary cases sent her husband there, whose hairstyle was not so high.

In the continuation of all these concerns, our Alesha completely forgotten, and he took advantage of, to play the courtyard on the square. According to his own, he came up first to the boarding fence and looked at the hole for a long time; But on this day, no one almost passed along the alley, and he turned to the kind of her chicken. He did not have time to sit on a log and just began to bear them to himself, as suddenly saw her cook with a large knife. Aleche never liked this cook - angry and bunching chukhukhnka. But since he noticed that she was the reason that the number of his chiches had decreased from time to time, he even less began to love her. When he once became inappropriate, he saw in the kitchen of one pretty, very loved by them a cockerel hanging behind his feet with a cut throat, he sowed horror and disgust. Seeing her now with a knife, he immediately guessed what it means, and feeling with sorreast, that he could not help his friends, jumped up and ran far away.

Alyosha, Alyosha! Help me catch a chicken! - screamed the cook, but Alyosha began to run still in the forest, hid at the fence behind the chicken coop, and he did not notice himself, as a tear, one of his eyes got out of his eyes and dropped to the ground.

For a long time he stood in the chicken coop, and the heart in it was badly fed, meanwhile, as the kitchen ran in the yard - then the chicken was manila: "Zakch, Zakch, Zakch!" - I scored them in Chukhonski.

Suddenly, the heart of Alesh was clogged even more: he heard a voice of his beloved Chernushka! She caught the most desperate manner, and it seemed to him that she shouts:

Wheel, somewhere, kiduhu!

Alyosha, save Chernukha!

Socha, Souduch,

Chernukhu, Chernukha!

Alyosha could not share in his place. He, loudly sobbing, ran to the kitchen and rushed to her on her neck at that very moment, as she caught already Chernushka for the wing.

Caverny, cute trinushka! - he cried, pouring tears. - Please, do not touch my worn!

Alesha so unexpectedly rushed on her neck to the kitchener, that she missed the Chernushka from the hands, which, taking advantage of this, flew from the fear of the roof of the barn and continued to be caught. But Aleche now he could hear, as if she tease the cook and shouts:

Wheel, somewhere, kiduhu!

I did not catch the Chernukha!

Skudukha, Souduch!

Chernukhu, Chernukha!

Meanwhile, the kitchen was beside himself from annoyance.

Rummal Understand! she shouted. - That's, I'm Pad Cassayin and rubbed. Shorna Kuris Nada to deal with ... He is lazy ... He is not doing jacket, he is not sickly a bump.

She wanted to run to the teacher, but Alyosha did not let her. He clung to the floors of her dress and so mighty began to ask that she stopped.

Downturn, Tornushka! - he said. - You're so pretty, clean, kind ... please leave my Chernushka! Here see what I will give you if you are good!

Alyosha took out the imperial from his pocket, who made all his estate, which is his eyes the enemy, because it was a gift for his grandmother's grandmother. The cook looked at the gold coin, glanced at the eyes of the house to make sure that no one sees them, and stretched her hand for the imperial. Aleche is very, it was very sorry for the imperial, but he remembered Chernushka - and with the hardness gave a precious gift.

Thus, Chernushka was saved from cruel and imminent death.

Only the cook was removed into the house, Chernushka flew from the roof and ran to Alya. She seemed to know that he was her ridder: he circled around him, chlo the wings and kicked up a cheerful voice. All morning, she walked behind him in the yard, like a dog, and it seemed as if she wanted to tell him, but could not. At least he could not disassemble her cooling.

For two hours in front of dinner, guests began to gather. Alya was called up, they put a shirt with a round collar and batted cuffs with small folds, white jackets and a wide silk blue cuccus. Long blond hair hanging almost to the belt, thoroughly cleaned, divided into two smooth parts and shifted in advance - on both sides of the chest. So dressed the children then. Then they taught how he should scold a foot when the director goes into the room, and what should be responsible if he was made any questions. At other times, Alesha would be very happy to arrive the director, who had long wanted to see him, because the teacher and teacher responded to him, he imagined that it should be any famous knight in brilliant lats and in Helmet with big feathers. But this time the curiosity was given to the place of thought, exclusively then occupied: about black chicken. It all seemed to him how the kitchen was running with the knife and how Chernushka kakhatal had different voices. Moreover, he was very annoying that he could not disassemble that she wanted to tell him, and it was drawn to the chicken coop ... but there was nothing to do: it was necessary to wait until the lunch ended!

Finally came director. The arrival of him was announced by the teacher, who had long been sitting by the window, intently looking at the side where he was waiting. Everything came into motion: the teacher, string, rushed out of the door to meet him downstairs, at the porch; Guests got up from their places. And even Alyosha forgot forgot for a minute about his church and went to the window to see how the knight would be pursed from the robust horse. But he could not see him: the director had already managed to enter the house. At the porch instead of the robust horse stood ordinary extremary sleighs. Alyosha was very surprised. "If I were a knight, he thought," he would never then go to the cab, and always riding! "

Meanwhile, they opened all the doors; And the teacher began to squat in anticipation of such a venerable guest, which soon appeared. At first it was impossible to see him in a tusty teacher, standing in the most door; But when she, after graduating his long greeting, sat down below the ordinary, Alyosha, to the extreme surprise, because of her I saw ... I don't have a pennate helmet, but just a small bald head, scored a spreadsheet, the only decoration of which, as after noticed Alyosha, was Little beam! When he entered the living room, Alyosha was even more surprised, seeing that, despite the simple gray fracture, formerly by the director, instead of brilliant lats, everyone treated him unusually respectfully.

How many, however, it seemed to all of this strange Alya, how many times he would be delighted with the extraordinary decoration of the table, but on this day he did not pay much attention. He was in his head all walked the morning incident with Chernushko. Dessert served: all sorts of jam, apples, bergamot, dates, wine berries and walnuts; But here he did not stop thinking about his chicken for an instant. And just got up because of the table, as he, with her fear and hope, came to the teacher and asked if it was possible to play in the yard.

FIRST, - the teacher answered, - just not long there, it will be dark soon.

Alyosha hurriedly put his red bekem on the squirrel fur and a green velvet hat with Sable Shave and ran to the fence. When he arrived there, the chickens had already begun to gather for the night and, sleepy, were not very pleased with the crumbs brought. One Chernushka, it seemed, did not feel hunting to sleep: she rushed to him having fun, shook the wings and began to get caught again. Alyosha played with her long; Finally, when it became dark and it was time to go home, he himself had a chicken coop, making sure that the kind of chicken was sat down on the pole. When he came out of the chicken coop, it seemed to him that the eyes of Chernushka were glowing in the dark, like asterisks, and that she sneaks him quietly:

Alyosha, Alyosha! Stay with me! Alyosha returned to the house and sat all the evening in classrooms, while at the other half of the hour before the eleventh, guests stayed and played in Vista on several tables. Before they left, Alyosha went to the lower floor, in the bedroom, undressed, lay down in bed and extended fire. For a long time he could not fall asleep. Finally, his sleep overcame, and he had just managed to talk in a dream to talk with Chernushko, as unfortunately, awakened the noise of the guests of the guests. A little time, the teacher, who defended the director with the candle, entered him into the room, looked, was everything in order, and came out, closed the door with the key.

The night was a monthly, and through the shutters, pretending to be loosely, dropped into the room the pale ray of the moon. Alyosha lay with her eyes open and listened for a long time, as in the upper housing, over his head, went through the rooms and put in order chairs and tables.

Finally everything subsided. He glanced on his bed, a little illuminated with a monthly shine, and noticed that the white sheet, hanging almost to the floor, easily moved. He became more closely peering: he was heard, as if something under the bed was scratched, and a little time it seemed that someone was a quiet voice calling him:

Alyosha, Alyosha!

Alyosha frightened! He was one in the room, and he immediately came to the idea that under the bed should be a thief. But then, judging that the thief would not call him by name, he was somewhat encouraged, although his heart trembled. He raised a little in bed and saw more clearly that the sheet was moving, he heard a long time that someone says:

Alyosha, Alyosha! Suddenly the white sheet raised, and from under her came ... Black chicken!

Oh! It's you, Chernushka! - unwittingly cried Alyosha. - How did you go here?

Chernushka snapped the wings, took off to him on the bed and told the human voice:

This is me, Alyosha! You are not afraid of me, isn't it?

Why will I be afraid of you? - he answered. - I love you; Only for me is strange that you say so well: I did not know how you knew how to talk!

If you are not afraid of me, "the chicken continued," so beyond me: I'll show you something pretty. " Dress Rather!

What are you, Chernushka, funny! - said Alyosha. - How can I get dressed in the dark? I am not a dresses of your dresses now, I also see you nasil!

I will try to help this, "said the chicken. Here she was bored with a strange voice, and suddenly, little candles in Silver Shandhah came from somewhere, no more like a little finger with Aleshin. Shandahi these found themselves on the floor, on the chairs, on the windows, even in the clothes man, and the room was so light, so light, as if during the day. Alyosha began to dress, and the chicken squeezed him, and so he was completely dressed soon.

When Alyosha was ready, Chernushka scored again, and all candles disappeared.

Go for me! She told him.

And he boldly followed her. It was out of her eyes as if the rays that illuminated everything around them, although not so bright as small candles. They went through the front.

The door is locked with the key, "said Alyosha; But the chickey did not answer him: she slammed the wings, and the door herself opened himself.

Then, passed through the sense, they turned to the rooms where the centenary of old women lived. Alyosha never happened to them, but he heard that the rooms were removed in an old one that one of them had a big gray parrot, and another gray cat was very smart who knows how to jump through the hoop and serve his paw. He had long wanted to see all this, and therefore he was very happy when the chicken slammed the wings again, and the door to the old women gladly opened. Alesha in the first room saw all kinds of vintage furniture:

carved chairs, armchairs, tables and dressers. Great Lena was from the Dutch tiles, which were drawn by a blue anthow people and beasts. Alesha wanted to stop to consider furniture, and there was no conception of a layer on the bed, but Chernushka did not allow him. They entered the second room, and. Then Alyosha was delighted! A large gray parrot with a red tail was sitting in a beautiful golden cage. Alyosha immediately wanted to run up to him. Chernushka again did not allow him.

Do not touch anything here, she said. - Behold wake up the old women!

Here only Alyosha noticed that the parrot stood a bed with white ribbed curtains, through which he could distinguish the old woman lying with his eyes closed; She seemed to him as if wax. In another corner there was the same accurate bed, where the other old woman slept, and then her gray cat sat and washed her front paws. Passing by her, Alyosha could not lose, so as not to ask her the paws ... Suddenly she jumped up loudly, the parrot was shuffled and began to shout loudly: "Durar! Durar! " At that time, it was visible through the kinet curtains that the old women raised in bed. Chernushka hurriedly retired, and Alyosha ran to her, the door after them slammed himself ... and it was still heard for a long time, as a parrot shouted: "Durar! Durar! "

Aren `t you ashamed! - said Chernushka when they retired from the rooms of the old women. - You, right, woke the knights ...

What knights? Asked Alyosha.

You will see, - answered the chicken. - Do not be afraid, however, nothing, go beyond me.

They descended down the stairs, as if in the cellar, and for a long time they walked along different transitions and corridors, which Alyosha never had before. Sometimes these corridors were so low and narrow that Alyosha was forced to bend. Suddenly they entered the hall, illuminated by three large crystal chandeliers. The hall was without the windows, and on both sides hung on the walls of the knights in brilliant lats, with large feathers on helmets, with spears and shields in the iron hand. Chernushka went ahead on tiptoe and Aleche ordered to follow quietly quietly ... At the end of the hall there was a large door of light yellow copper. Only they approached her, as two knights jumped off the walls, hit the shields with spears and rushed to the black chicken. Chernushka raised Khokhol, dismissed the wings and suddenly became big-big, above the knights, and began to fight with them! The knights fell on her, and she was protected by wings and nose. Alese was scared, the heart in it strongly fluttered, and he fainted.

When he came again in his senses, the sun through the shutters covered the room and he lay in his bed. There was no Chernushka nor Knights. Alyosha could not come to his senses for a long time. He did not understand that he was at night: did he see everything in a dream or did it really happen? He dressed and went upstairs, but he did not come out of his head seen in the past night. He was looking forward to the minute, when you can go to play the courtyard, but the whole day, as purposefully, it was a heavy snow, and it was impossible to think to get out of the house.

At lunch, the teacher between other conversations declared her husband that the black chicken was not clear where he was hidden.

However, she added, "the trouble is small if she had disappeared: she had long been appointed to the kitchen. Imagine yourself, donating, that since we have in our house, she did not demolish a single egg.

Alyosha almost sharpened, although he came to the thought that it was better to find it anywhere, rather than so that she would get into the kitchen.

After dinner, Alyosha remained alone in the classrooms. He indifferently thought about what happened in the past night, and could not comfort himself in the loss of the kind in shovel. Sometimes it seemed to him that he would certainly have to see it on the next night, despite the fact that she disappeared from the chicken coop. But then it seemed to him that this is uncomfortable, and he was immersed again in sadness.

It is time to go to bed, and Alyosha is looking forward to and lay down in bed. He did not have time to take a look at the next bed, again lit by the quiet lunar radiance, as the white sheets stirred, exactly as the day before ... Again his voice, his calling: "Alyosha, Alyosha!" - And a bit of the weather came out from under the bed Chernushka and took off to him on the bed.

Ah, hello, Chernushka! - he cried out of himself from joy. - I was afraid that I would never see you. Are you healthy?

Healthy, "said the chicken," but a little bit did not take on your mercy.

How is it, Chernushka? - asked Alyosha, frightened.

You are a good boy, "the chicken continued," but when you are windy and never listen from the first word, and it is not good! Yesterday I told you so that you did not touch anything in the old women, - despite the fact that you could not lose to not ask the cat with a paw. The cat woke a parrot, parrot of the old women, the old woman of the knights - and I sled to nasil with them!

It's guilty, kindty Chernushka, I will not! Please, be laundered today again; You will see that I will be obedient.

Well, - said the chicken, - see! The chicken was bored as the day before, and the same small candles appeared in the same silver shandlahs. Alyosha again dressed and went for the smoke. Again they entered into the chambers of the old women, but this time he did not touch anything. When they passed through the first room, it seemed to him that people and animals were drawn on the bed, make different funny grimaces and mounted him to themselves; But he turned away from them. In the second room, the old Dutch, as well as the day before, lay in beds, as if wax;

the parrot looked at Alya and clapped her eyes, the gray cat again washed his paws. On the restroom, two porcelain Chinese dolls, which he did not notice in front of the Mirror Alesha saw. They nodded to him, but he remembered the order of Chernushki and passed without stopping, but could not lose, so that they would not bow to them. The dolls immediately jumped off the table and ran after him, all nodding her head. I didn't stop a little bit - they seemed like fun to him, but Chernushka looked at him with an angry view, and he came to his senses. The dolls spent them to the doors and, seeing that Alyosha does not look at them, they returned to their places,

Again, they descended from the stairs, went on transitions and corridors and came to the same room, lit by three crystal chandeliers. The same knights hung on the walls, and again, when they approached the door from the yellow copper, two knights came off the wall and outped them the road. It seemed, however, that they were not so angry, as the day before; They barely dragged their feet like autumn flies, and it was seen that they kept their spears through strength ... Chernushka became big and laughed; But just hit them with wings, as they crumbled into parts, - and Alyosha saw that there were empty lats! The copper door herself opened himself, and they went further. Some weather entered into another hall, the most extensive, but low, so Alyosha could get his hand to the ceiling. This hall was covered by the same small candles, which he saw in her room, but Shandala were not silver, but gold.

The Chernushka left Alya.

Stay here a bit, "she said to him," I will come back soon. " Today you were a smart, although carelessly arrived, worshiping a porcelain doll. If you had not bowed to them, then the knights would remain on the wall. However, today you did not wake up the old women, and because the knights had no power. - After this, Chernushka came out of the hall.

Overcoming, Alyosha began to consider the hall, which was very richly removed. It seemed to him that the walls were made from Labrador, which he saw in the mineral office, existing in the boarding house; Panels and doors were made of pure gold. At the end of the hall, under the green canopy, on an exalted place, stood chairs from gold. Alyosha was very admired by this decoration, but strange it seemed to him that everything was in his smallest form, as if for small dolls.

Meanwhile, he considered everything with curiosity, opened the side door, before they were not seen, and many small people entered, not more than from Paul Arsshri, in elegant multicolored dresses. The kind of them was important: other robes seemed to be military, others - civilian officials. At all there were round hats with feathers like Spanish. They did not notice Alyosha, they were gone grayly around the rooms, and they said loudly among themselves, but he could not understand what they said. For a long time he was silent on them and just wanted to approach one of them with a question, as the big door opened at the end of the hall ... All silenced, steel to the walls in two rows and removed hats. In an instant, the room was still lighter, all small candles were still brighter, - and Alyosha saw twenty little knights in golden lats, with Punchy on the helmets feathers who were in pairs of quiet march. Then in deep silence they became on both sides of the chairs. Some weather entered the hall a man with Majestient Osanko, on his head with a crown, brilliant precious stones. It was a light-green mantle, brought by mouse fur, with a long loop, which carried twenty small groups in Punza dresses. Alyosha immediately guessed that it should be the king. He left him low. The king responded to a bow to his very gentle and sat down in golden chairs. Then something ordered one of the Knights standing closely, who approached Aleche, announced him to approach the chairs. Alyosha obeyed.

I was known for a long time, "said the king, - that you are a good boy; But the third day you had a great service to my people and deserve a reward for that. My chief minister brought me to me that you saved him from the inevitable and cruel death.

When? - asked Alyaha with surprise.

Third-day in the yard, - answered the king. - That is the one who owes you to life.

Alyosha looked at the one who pointed out the king, and then he only noticed that there was a small man between the courtes, dressed in black. On his head, he had a special kind of raspberry hat, upstairs with a tooth, reliably a little side, and on the neck of a white handkerchief, very starchy, why he seemed a little bluish. He smiled poorly, looking at Alya, who his face seemed familiar, although he could not remember where he saw him.

How much for Alesh was lagging, which was attributed to him such a noble act, but he loved the truth and therefore, making a low bow, said:

Mr. King! I can't accept what I never did. The third day I had happiness to get rid of your death of yours, and the black chicken, who did not love the cook for not demolished by any eggs ...

What are you saying! - interrupted him with anger king. - My minister is not a chicken, but a deserved official!

The minister approached the minister closer, and Alyosha saw that in fact it was his kind inkushka. He was very happy and asked the king apologies, although he could not understand what it means.

Tell me what you want? - continued the king. - If I am in the forces, I will certainly fulfill your requirement.

Speak boldly, Alyosha! He whispered to his ear minister.

Alyosha wondered and did not know what to wish. If I gave him more time, then he may be, and would come up with something pretty; But since he seemed unacceptable to make the king wait, he hurried with the answer.

I would want, "he said," so that, without leaving, I always knew my lesson my own, what I was asked.

I did not think that you were such a sludge, "the king answered, shaking his head. "But there is nothing to do, I have to fulfill my promise."

He waved his hand, and Page raised the Golden Dish, on which one cannal seed was lying.

Take it seed, "said the king. - While it will be with you, you always know your lesson your own, whatever you asked, however, the condition that you do not have any words that you have seen anyone about what you saw here or will see. The slightest indispensability will deprive you forever of our mercies, and we make a lot of trouble and trouble.

Alyosha took heaven grain, wrapped in a piece of paper and put in his pocket, promising to be silent and modest. The king after he stood out of his chairs and the same order came out of the hall, ordered the first to treat Alyosha as much as possible.

Only only the king retired, as all the courtiers surrounded Alyosha and began to caress him in every way, reveaning their appreciation for the fact that he got rid of the minister. They all offered him their services: Some asked if he would not want to walk in the garden or see the royal nurse, others were invited to hunt. Alyosha did not know what to decide; Finally, the minister announced that he himself would show an underground rarity to an expensive guest.

At first he led him to the garden, arranged in the English taste. The paths were littered with large multicolored pebbles, reflecting the light from countless little lamps, which were taken by trees. This shine was extremely like Alya.

These stones, - said the minister, - you are called precious. These are all diamonds, yachons, emeralds and amethysts.

Oh, when we were tired of this, there were tracks! - cried Alyosha.

Then you would also have low-value, as here, "the minister answered.

The trees also seemed to be abolished beautiful, although it was very strange. They were different colors: red, green, brown, white, blue and purple. When he looked at them with attention, he saw that it was nothing but a different kind of moss, only above and thicker than ordinary. The minister told him that this moss was discharged by the king for big money from distant countries and from the very depths of the globe.

They went from the garden to the Wisther. There shown Alese wild animals that were tied to gold chains. Peering attentively, he, to his surprise, saw that the wild these animals were nothing but large rats, moles, ferrets and the beasts similar to them, living in the ground and under the floors. It really seemed funny to him, but he did not say a word from courtiness.

Returning to the room after a walk, Alyosha in a large hall found a covering table on which there were various kinds of candy, pies, pies and fruit. Everybody was made of pure gold, and bottles and glasses are sharpened from one-piece diagram, yahonts and emeralds.

Eat anything, "said the minister," nothing is allowed to take anything.

Alyosha on that day was very well dinner, and therefore he did not want to eat at all.

You promised to take me with your hunt, "he said.

Very good, - the minister answered. - I think the horses are already saddled.

Here he whistled, and he entered the glasses leading in the reasons of the sticks, whose Nabeldads had carved work and represented horsepads. The minister with a big dexterity jumped on his horse. Alese led the stick much more others.

Beware, - said the minister - so that the horse did not drop you: she is not from the most humble.

Alyosha internally laughed by this, but when he took a stick between the legs, he saw that the Council of Minister was unfinished. The stick began to feel comfortable under it and make a real horse, and he could rest over.

Meanwhile, they soared into the horns, and the hunters were set to ride in all chasing in different transitions and corridors. For a long time they were so jumping, and Alyosha did not lag behind them, although he could hardly restrain his mad stick ... Suddenly, several rats jumped out of one side corridor, such big, what Alyosha never died; They wanted to run by; But when the minister ordered them to surround them, they stopped and began to defend the brave. Despite, however, that they were defeated by the courage and the art of hunters. Eight rats lay down on the spot, three turned into flight, and one, quite seriously wounded, the minister ordered to cure and hide into the belt. At the end of Hunt Alyosha, so tired that his eyes involuntarily closed. With all that, he wanted to talk about a lot with Chernushka, and he asked for the permission to return to the hall, from which they left for hunting. The minister agreed to They drove the big trot back and on arrival in the hall gave horses around the horses, crushed with court and hunters and sat down against each other for his chairs brought.

Tell me, please, - began Alyosha, - Why did you kill the poor rats that you do not worry and live so far from your home?

If we did not exterminate them, "said the minister," they would soon be kicked out of our rooms and would destroy all our edible suppres. In addition, mouses and groats are fur at a high price due to their ease and softness. One noble individuals are allowed to use them.

Yes, tell me, please, who are you? - continued Alyosha.

Have you ever heard that our people live under the earth? - answered the minister. - True, not many manage to see us, however, there were examples, especially in the old days that we went to the world and showed people. Now it rarely happens, because people have become very immodest. And we have a law that if the one who seemed to do not save it in secret, then we are forced to immediately leave the location of our and go far away to other countries. You can easily imagine that the king of our unfortunate would be to leave all the local institutions and with the whole people to move to unknown land. And so convincingly please be as modest as possible; For otherwise you will make us all unhappy, but me. From thanks I threatened the king to call you here; But he will never forgive me if we are forced to leave this edge ...

I give you a honest word that I will never talk about you with anyone, "Alyosha interrupted. - I now remembered that I read in one book about the gnomes who live under the earth. It is written that in some city one shoemaker is very rich in the same time, so no one understood where his wealth was taken from. Finally somehow learned that he sewed boots and shoes for the gnomes who flew to him very expensive.

It may be true, the minister answered.

But, "Alesha told him," I explain to me, kinds of Chernushka, why are you, being a minister, are the light in the form of a chicken and what communication do you have with the old women-Dutch?

Chernushka, wanting to satisfy his curiosity, began to tell him in detail about many things, but at the very beginning of her story the eyes of Aleshina closed, and he fell asleep firmly. Waking up at another morning, he lay in his bed. For a long time he could not come to his senses and did not know what to do ...

Chernushka and the Minister, King and Knights, Dutch and Rats - All this was mixed with his head, and he nasil mentally led everything to the last night. Remembering that the king gave him a hemp grain, he hurriedly rushed to his dress and really found a piece of paper in his pocket, in which hemp seed was wrapped. "We will see," he thought, "King will keep his word! Tomorrow classes will begin, and I have not had time to learn all my lessons. "

The historical lesson bothered him especially: he was asked to learn a few pages from Shrek World History, and he still did not know a single word!

Monday came, the boarders gathered, and classes began. From ten o'clock to the twelve taught the history of the guest house itself. Alyosha had a lot of heart ... while there was a turn before him, he spoiled a piece of a piece of canoned grains in his pocket several times ... finally called it. With a thrill, he approached the teacher, opened his mouth, he himself is not yet knowing what to say, and - unmistakably, without stopping, said the predetermined one. The teacher very much praised him; However, Alyosha did not take his praise with the pleasure that he had previously felt in such cases. The inner voice said to him that he did not deserve this praise, because this lesson should not be difficult for him.

In continuation of a few weeks, teachers could not grasp Alya. All lessons, without exception, he knew perfectly, all translations from one language on the other were without mistakes, so they could not put as extreme success. Alyosha was internally ashamed of these praise: he was conscientious that they supplied him as an example to comrades, whereas he did not deserve himself.

During this time, the Chernushka was not to him, despite the fact that Alyosha, especially in the first week after receiving a hemp grain, did not miss almost a single day without not calling it when she went to bed. At first he was very sad, but then she calmed down the thoughts that she was probably engaged in important things in his rank. Subsequently, the praise, with which everyone tremended him, was taken by him that he was quite rarely recalled.

Meanwhile, the rumor about the extraordinary abilities swayed soon on the whole St. Petersburg. The director of school himself came to the guesthouse several times and admired Alya. The teacher wore him in his arms, for through him the board entered the glory. From all over the city, parents came out and picked up to him, so that he would take them to them to them, in the hope that they would be the same scientists like Alyosha. Soon the guesthouse was so filled out that there was no place for new boarders, and the teacher with the teacher began to think about hiring the house, the much beautiful thing in which they lived.

Alyosha, as I said already above, first I was ashamed praise, feeling that they didn't deserve them at all, but he had become having little to get used to them, and finally his pride came to what he took, not blushing, praise . He began to think about himself about himself, it was important to other boys and imagined that he was much better and smarter than all of them. The temple of Aleshi from this completely spoiled: from a good, cute and modest boy, he was proud and naughty. The conscience often blamed him, and the inner voice said to him: "Alyosha, do not be proud! Do not assign yourself to yourself that you do not belong to you; Thank you for the fact that she delivered you to the benefits against other children, but do not think that you are better than them. If you do not correct, no one will love you, and then you, with all our scholarship, you will be the most unfortunate child! "

Sometimes he took an intention to correct, but, unfortunately, a pride so in him was strongly that the voice of the conscience was drowning, and he became worse from the day day, and the day of his comrades was less loved.

Moreover, Alyosha became a terrible chaloon. Without having the needs to firm the lessons that he was asked, he was at a time when other children were preparing for classes, engaged in cereals, and this idleness more spoiled his temper. Finally, he was so tired of all his bad temper, that the teacher seriously began to think about the means to correct such a bad boy and asked him the lessons twice and three times, rather than others; But it did not help anything. Alyosha did not study at all, but still knew a lesson from beginning to end, without the slightest mistake.

One day, a teacher, not knowing what to do with him, asked him to learn by heart the pages twenty-to another morning and hoped that he was more comfortable on this day.

Where to! Our Alyosha did not think about the lesson! On this day, he was deliberately Shalil more ordinary, and the teacher in vain threw him a punishment if he would not know the lesson on the other morning. Alesha internally laughed by these threats, being sure that hemp seed would certainly help him.

The next day, at the appointed hour, the teacher took a book from which Alyoshe lesson was asked, called him to himself and ordered to speak the predetermined. All children with curiosity drew attention to Alya, and the teacher himself did not know what to think when Alyosha, despite the fact that at all the lesson did not told the on the eve, boldly got up from the bench and approached him. Alyosha Nimalo did not doubt that this time he will be able to show his extraordinary ability;

he revealed his mouth ... and could not say a word!

Why are you silent? - Teacher told him. - Speak lesson.

Alesha blushed, then turned pale, turned red again, began to mive his hands, he had tears from his fear in front of his eyes ... everything is in vain! He could not say a single word, because, hoping for hemp grain, he did not even look into the book.

What does it mean, Alyosha? - shouted the teacher. - Why don't you want to talk?

Alyosha himself did not know what to attribute such a strangeness, suggested his hand in his pocket, to feel seed ... But how to describe his despair, when he did not find him! The tears of the hail was thrown out of his eyes ... He cried bitterly and nevertheless could not say a word.

Meanwhile, the teacher losing patience. Getting used to the fact that Alyosha has always answered unmistakably and not stamped, he considered it impossible, so that Alyosha did not know at least the beginning of the lesson, and therefore he attributed to his stubbornness.

Go to the bedroom, "he said," and stay there until you know the lesson.

Alesha was taken to the lower floor, gave him a book and locked the door to the key.

Only he stayed alone, as he began to look for a hemp grain everywhere. He smoked for a long time in his pockets, crawled on the floor, looked under the bed, moved the blanket, pillow, sheets - everything is in vain! There was no traces of courtesy grain! He tried to remember where he could lose him, and finally assured that he dropped him somehow on the day before, playing in the yard. But how to find it? He was locked in the room, and if it were allowed to enter the courtyard, and it probably didn't give anything to anything, for he knew that the chicken was hushed on cannabis and his grains, right, which of them managed to bite ! Desperate to find him, he decided to call for his help Chernushka. Oscases.ru - Site

Cute Chernushka! - he said. - kind minister! Please come me and give another seed! I, right, will continue to be careful.

But no one answered his requests, and he finally sat on the chair and began to cry bitterly.

Meanwhile, it is time to dinner; The door opened, and the teacher entered.

Do you know now a lesson? He asked Alyosha.

Alyosha, loudly sobbing, forced to say that he did not know.

Well, stay here until you learn! Said the teacher, ordered a glass of water and a piece of rye bread and left him again.

Alyosha began to striking by heart, but nothing came into his head. He has long been due to classes, and how to harden twenty printed pages! How much he worked, how much did not live his memory, but when it came, he did not know more than two or three pages, and it is bad. When it was time for other children to go to bed, all comrades were granted him in the room, and the teacher came with them.

Alyosha, do you know a lesson? - he asked. And the poor Alesha answered through the tears:

I know only two pages.

So, it can be seen, and tomorrow will have to see you here on bread and on the water, "said the teacher, wished to other children of a quiet sleep and retired.

Alyosha stayed with comrades. Then, when he was a good and modest child, everyone loved him, and if he happened, he was subjected to punishment, he spoiled everything about him, and it served him as a consolation. But now no one has paid attention to him: everyone watched him with contempt for him and not told him a word. He decided to start a conversation with one boy, with whom he was very friendly very friendly, but he was not answering him from him. Alyosha turned to another, but he did not want to talk to him and even pushed him away from him when he spoke again with him. Here the unfortunate Alyosha felt that he deserves such a crossing of comrades with him. Pouring tears, he lay down in his bed, but could not fall asleep.

He lay for a long time, so he remembered the past happy days. All the children have already enjoyed sweet sleep, one only he could sleep. "And the Chernushka left me," thought Alyosha and tears again fired from his eyes.

Suddenly ... the sheet near the neighboring bed stagned like on the first that day, when a black chicken appeared to him. The heart in it began to fight stronger ... He wished, so that the Chernushka came out again from under the bed, but did not bother to hope that the desire would be fulfilled.

Chernushka, Chernushka! - He finally said in a low voice.

The beddown raised, and a black chicken flew to him to bed.

Ah, Chernushka! - said Alyosha off his joy. - I did not bother to hope that I will see you with you, you did not forget me?

No, she answered, "I can't forget the service provided to you, although that Alyosha, who saved me from death, is not at all about which I see in front of him. You then had a kind boy, modest and courteous, and everyone loved you, and now ... I do not recognize you!

Alesha bitterly cried, and Chernushka continued to give him instructions. For a long time she talked to him and walked him with tears. Finally, when daylight was already started to show, the chicken said to him:

Now I have to leave you, Alyosha! Here is a hemp grain that you dropped in the yard. In vain, you thought that I lost it irrevocably. Our king is too generous to deprive you of you for your negligence. Remember, however, that you gave an honest word to keep all that you know about us ... Alyosha, to the present thin, your properties do not add more worse - ingratitude!

Alesha with admiration took a kind of seed from the paws of chicken and promised to use their own strength to correct!

You will see, cute Chernushka, "he said," that I will be completely different today. "

Do not believe, - answered Chernushka, - that it is so easy to correct from the vices, when they have already taken over us. Pokologists usually enter the door, but go into a crack, and therefore if you want to fix it, it should be indifferent and strictly looking at him. But forgive, it's time for us to part!

Alyosha, remaining alone, began to consider his grains and could not see them. Now, he was completely calm about the lesson, and yesterday's grief did not leave any traces in it. He gladly thought about how everyone would be surprised when he would relieve twenty-pages unmistakably, "and the thought that he again takes the top of his comrades who did not want to talk to him, caressed his pride. He although he did not forget himself, but thought it could not be so hard, as Chernushka said. "As if it does not depends on me! He thought. - We just want to want, and everyone will love me again ... "

Alas, the poor Alyosha did not know that to correct itself, it is necessary to start himself with how to throw off the pride and excessive arrogance.

When the children gathered in the classes in the morning, Alesha called up. He went with a cheerful and triumphant species.

Do you know your lesson? - asked the teacher, looking at him strictly.

I know, "answered Alyosha boldly.

He began to talk and spoke all twenty pages without the slightest error and stop. The teacher was out of his surprise, and Alyosha proudly looked at his comrades!

From the teacher's eyes, the proud look of Aleshin was not hidden.

You know your lesson, "he said to him, is true, but why didn't you want to say it yesterday?

Yesterday I did not know him, "answered Alyosha.

It can not be! - interrupted his teacher. - Yesterday, I didn't check me that you know only two pages, and it's bad, and now all twenty spent without mistake! When did you learn it?

I learned it today in the morning! But here suddenly all the children, distressed with his arrogance, shouted into one voice:

He really says, he and books in his hands did not take in the morning today!

Alyosha flinched, having filled his eyes to the ground and did not say a word.

Answer! - continued the teacher. - When did you learn lesson?

But Alyosha was not interrupted by silence: he was so amazed by Slim an unexpected question and unfriendly, which all his comrades rendered him that he could not come to his senses.

Meanwhile, the teacher, believing that he did not want to tell the lesson from stubbornness on the eve, found it for the necessary strictly punish it.

The more from nature you have abilities and giving, "he said Alya, the more modest and obedient you should be. Not for that God gave you the mind, so that you used it in evil. You deserve penalties for yesterday's stubbornness, and today you have even increased your guilt what lied. Lord! - Personal teacher, turning to the boarders. "I recruit you to talk to Alya as long as it is completely correct." And since, it is likely that it is a small punishment for him, then you make rings.

Brought roses ... Alyosha was in despair! At the first one again, since there was a guesthouse, he was punished by rods, and whom - Alyosha, who thought so much about himself, who considered himself better and smarter than everyone! What shame! ..

He, sobbing, rushed to the teacher and promised to absolutely correct ...

It was necessary to think about it before, - was the answer to him.

Tears and repentance of Alyosha touched his comrades, and they began to ask for him. And Alyosha, feeling that he did not deserve their compassion, he was still minced.

Finally, the teacher was given in pity.

Okay! - he said. - I will forgive you for the request of your comrades, but so that you admit to everyone in your fault and announced when you learned the specified lesson.

Alyosha completely lost his head: he forgot the promise given to the dungeon king and his minister, and began to talk about black chicken, about knights, about small people ...

The teacher did not give him to finish.

How! He cried with anger. "Instead of repenting in your bad behavior, you still thought me to fool, telling a fairy tale about the black chicken? .. This is too much." No, children, you see yourself that it is impossible not to punish!

And the poor Alesha carved!

With a downgrade head, with a confused heart of Alyosha went to the lower floor, in bedrooms. He was like a killed ... Shame and repentance filled his soul! When after a few hours he calmed down a little and put his hand in his pocket ... There was no hemp grain! Alyosha Gorky sharpened, feeling that he lost it irrevocably!

Immediately, when other children came to bed, he also lay down in bed, but could not fall asleep! How he repented in his bad behavior! He resolutely accepted the intention to correct, although he felt that hemp-free grains could not be returned!

Around the midnight moved again a sheet with a neighboring bed ... Alyosha, who was happy about this, now closed his eyes ... He was afraid to see Chernushka! The conscience tormented him. He remembered that yesterday, herser said so accidentally told Chernushka, which would certainly be corrected, - and instead ... What will he say now?

He lay a few times with his eyes closed. He was heard a rustling from the rising sheet ... Someone came up to his bed - and a voice, a familiar voice, called him named:

Alyosha, Alyosha!

But he was ashamed to open his eyes, and meanwhile tears from them rolled and flowed on his cheeks ...

Suddenly someone jerked for a blanket. Alesha involuntarily swung: in front of him there was Chernushka - not in the form of chicken, but in a black dress, in a raspberry hat with cloth and in a white starchy cerhing handkerchief, just as he saw her in the underground hall.

Alesha! Said the Minister. - I see that you are not sleeping ... Goodbye! I came to you to say goodbye, we will not see you more!

Alyosha buried loudly.

Goodbye! - he exclaimed. - Goodbye! And if you can, forgive me! I know that you are to blame for you; But I cruelly punished!

Alesha! - Minister said through tears. - I forgive you; I can not forget that you saved my life, and everyone loves you, although you made me unhappy, maybe forever! .. Goodbye! I am allowed to see you with you for the same time. Even during the current night, the king with the whole people should move far and far from the local places! All in despair, all shed tears. We lived here a few centuries here so happily, so deceased!

Alyosha rushed to kiss small handles of the minister. Grabbing his hand, he saw something brilliant on her, and at the same time some extraordinary sound struck his rumor.

What it is? He asked with amazement. The minister raised both hands up, and Alyosha saw that they were shaved by a gold chain. He was horrified! ..

Your indiscretion causes that I was convicted of carrying these chains, "said the Minister with a deep sigh, - but not cry, Alyosha! Your tears can help me. One can only console me in my misfortunes: try to correct and be again the same good boy as before. Farewell for the last time!

The minister shook Alese his hand and disappeared under the next bed.

Chernushka, Chernushka! - shouted to him after Alyosha, but Chernushka did not answer.

All night he could not close the eye for a minute. In an hour before dawning he was heard that under the floor something noise. He got out of bed, put an ear to the floor and heard a knock of small wheels and noise, as if many little people took place. There was also crying women and children and the voice of Minister Chernushki, who shouted to him:

Farewell, Alyosha! Farewell forever!

The next day the children, waking up, saw Alyosha lying on the floor without memory. He was raised, put in bed and sent for a doctor who announced that he had a strong habit.

Weeks after six Alyosha, with the help of God, recovered, and all that happened to him before the disease seemed to him a heavy sleep. Neither the teacher nor comrades reminded him not a word about the black chicken, nor about the punishment he was subjected to. Alesha himself was ashamed of this to talk about it and tried to be obedient, kind, modest and diligent. Everyone fell in love again and began to caress, and he became an example for his comrades, although he could not learn by heart twenty-printed pages suddenly, whom, however, did not ask him.

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Anthony Pogorelsky

Black chicken, or underground residents

Years ago, in St. Petersburg on Vasilyevsky Island, in the first line, there was a kelp of a male boarding house, which is still probably, many remained in the fresh memory, although the house where the guesthouse was placed, for a long time Goted the place to another, not at all similar to the previous one. At that time, St. Petersburg was already famous for the whole Europe, although it was not yet so, what now. Then on the avenue of Vasilyevsky Island there was no funny shady alley: wooden layouts, often made of rotten boards, they settled the place of the current beautiful sidewalks. St. Isaac's bridge, narrow at that time and uneven, completely different imagined the appearance than now; Yes, and the Square Isaacevskaya was not like that. Then the monument of Peter the Great from St. Isaac Square was separated by a la carte; Admiralty did not have been attached by trees, the Manege Connogvardeisky did not decorate the square with the perfect current facade, - in one word, Petersburg then did not have something that the present. The cities in front of people have, by the way, the advantage that they sometimes become more beautiful with the years ... However, there is no business now. Another time and in a different case, I may have to talk to you much about the changes that happened in St. Petersburg during my century, now we will turn again to the guesthouse, which is the forty years ago on Vasilyevsky Island, in the first line.

The house you now - how you already told you - you will not find about two floors, covered with Dutch tiles. The porch, which was included in it, was wooden and outlooked to the street. From Seine, a rather steep staircase led to the upper housing, which consisted of eight or nine rooms, in which on the one hand lived a guest house, and on the other hand were classes. Doodourtes, or sleeping rooms of children, were located in the lower floor, on the right side of Seine, and the left two old men lived on the left, of which each was more than a hundred years old and who were seen by Peter the Great and even talked with him. At this time, in whole Russia, you will meet a person who would see Peter the Great; The time will come when and our traces will erase the earthly face! Everything passes, everything disappears in the gloss world of our ... But there is no business now.

In the number of thirty or forty children who studied in that guesthouse were one boy, named Alesh, who was then no more than 9 or 10 years. His parents who lived far, far from St. Petersburg, were brought to the capital of the years, they gave him to the board and returned home, paying the teacher with a conventional fee for several years ahead. Alyosha was the boy clever, nice, he studied well, and everyone loved him and caressed. However, despite the fact that he was often bored in the guesthouse, and sometimes even sad. Otherwise, at first he could not learn to the thought that he was brief with his relatives. But then little, he began to get used to his position, and there were even a minute when, playing with his comrades, he thought that he was much more fun in the guest house than in the parent house. In general, the days of the exercise for him were held soon and pleasantly, but when Saturday was coming and all the comrades hurried home to his relatives, then Alyosha Gorky felt her loneliness. On Sundays and holidays, he remained alone all day, and then the only consolation of him was reading books that the teacher allowed him to take from his small library. The teacher was a native German, at that time in German literature dominated the fashion of the knightly novels and on the magical stories, and this library was the part of the part of the books of this.

So, Alyosha, being in the ten years old, knew already by heart the acts of the norny knights, at least as they described were in novels. His favorite occupation in the long winter evenings, on Sundays and other holidays was mentally tolerated into the old, long past century ... especially at a vacant time, such as, for example, Christmas or bright Sunday Christ, - when he was delighted for a long time with his comrades When often the whole days was sitting in solitude, the young imagination was wandering around the knightly castles, on terrible ruins or on dark, dormant forests.

I forgot to tell you that this house belonged a fairly extensive yard, separated from the alley with a wooden fence from baroque boards. Gate and gate, Koi led in the alley, were always locked, and therefore Alyosh never managed to visit this alley, which strongly excited his curiosity. Whenever they allowed him to play the courtyard at the clock, his first movement was to run up to the fence. Then he became on the chick and stared at the round holes that the fence was littered. Alyosha did not know that these holes were taken from wooden nails, which Barki had before grew, and it seemed to him that some kind of good magician was testing these holes for him. He all expected that someday this wizard will appear in the alley and through the hole will give him a toy, or a mascot, or a letter from Papyk or Mama, from which he did not receive any news for a long time. But, to the extreme regret, no one was not even like a wizard.

Another occupation of Aleoshi was to feed the chickens who lived near the fence in the purpose of them a built house and played and ran in the yard all day. Alyosha met very briefly with them, everyone knew by name, he was dismissing them, and Zabyak punished the fact that sometimes a few days did not give them anything from the crumbs, which he always had after dinner and dinner. Between the churars, he especially loved the Black Crested, called the Chernushka. Chernushka was gentle by others; She even sometimes allowed himself to iron, and therefore Alyosha brought the best pieces to her. She was a quiet lava; It was rarely looked around with others and seemed to love Alyosha more than their girlfriends.

Once (it was during the vakats, between the New Year and the baptism, the day was a wonderful and unusually warm, no more than three or four degrees of frost) Alyosh allowed to play the courtyard. That day, the teacher and his wife in big were hassle. They gave lunch to the director of schools, and even on the day before, from morning to late evening, everywhere in the house washed the floors, dust wiped out and soldered the red wood tables and dressers. The teacher himself went to buy provisions for the table: White Arkhangelian veal, huge ham and milytny shops Kiev jam. Alyosha also contributed to the preparations: it was made from white paper to cut a beautiful mesh on the ham and decorating a paper threadlessly purchased six wax candles. At the appointed day, the hairdresser appeared in the morning and showed his art over the letters, stupid and long oblique teacher. Then she began his wife, diverted and frightened him and Shignon and poured on her head a whole greenhouse of different colors, between which he shone his two diamond perrshots, once donated with her husband's parents. At the end of the head Upora, she threw the old, worn out salo on themselves and went to bother on the housework, watching while strictly, so that somehow did not deteriorate hairstyle; And in order he herself did not enter the kitchen, but gave orders to her cook, standing in the doorway. In the necessary cases, she sent her husband there, whose hairstyle was not so high.

In continuation of all these worries, Allyus, our Alyusha completely forgotten, and he took advantage of it, to play the courtyard on the square. According to his own, he came first to the boarding fence and looked at the hole for a long time; But on this day, no one almost passed along the alley, and he turned to the kind of her chicken. He did not have time to sit on a log and just began to bear them to himself, as suddenly saw her cook with a large knife. Alyosh never liked this cook - angry and baffling chukhukhnka. But since he noticed that she was the reason that the number of his chickens had decreased from time to time, he even less began to love her. When he once became inappropriate, he saw in the kitchen of one pretty, very loved by them a cockerel hanging behind his feet with a cut throat, he sowed horror and disgust. Seeing it now with a knife, he immediately guessed what it means, and, feeling with sorreast, that he could not help his friends, jumped up and ran away away.

Alyosha, Alyosha! Help me catch a chicken! - screamed the cook, but Alyosha began to run still in the forest, hid at the fence behind the chicken coop, and he did not notice himself, like a whisk one after another they turned out from his eye and dropped to the ground.

For a long time he stood in the chicken coop, and the heart was bad in it, meanwhile, as the cook running around the courtyard - then the chicken manila: "Zakch, Zakch, Zakch!" - I scored them in Chukhonski.

Years ago in St. Petersburg, on Vasilyevsky Island, in the first line, there was a kelp of a male boarding house, which was still probably, many remained in a fresh memory, although the house where the guesthouse was placed, for a long time Already gave way to another, not at all similar to the previous one. At that time, St. Petersburg was already famous for the whole Europe, although it was not yet so, what now. Then there were no fun shady alley on the avenue of Vasilyevsky Island: the wooden layouts, often made of rotten boards, set out the place of the current beautiful sidewalks. St. Isaac's bridge, narrow at that time and uneven, completely different imagined the appearance than now; Yes, and the Square Isaacevskaya was not like that. Then the monument of Peter the Great from St. Isaac Church was separated by a la carte; Admiralty did not have been attached by trees; Manege Connogvardeisky did not adorganize the square with an excellent current facade - in one word, Peterburg then did not have that present. The cities in front of people have, by the way, the advantage that they sometimes become more beautiful with the years ... However, it is not about that now. Another time and in a different case, I may have to talk to you much about the changes that happened in St. Petersburg during my century, now we will turn to the guest house again, which is the forty years ago on Vasilyevsky Island, in the first line.

The house, which is now - how I already told you - you will not find, I was about two floors, covered with Dutch tiles. The porch, according to which it was included in it was wooden and was outlooked outside ... From Seine, a rather cool staircase led to the upper housing, which consisted of eight or nine rooms, in which there lived a subsidiary of the guesthouse, and on the other hand were classes. Doodourtes, or sleeping rooms of children, were in the lower floor, on the right side of Seine, and the left two old women lived, the Dutch, from which each was more than a hundred years and, who were seen by Peter the Great and even talked with him ...

In the number of thirty or forty children who studied in that guesthouse, there was one boy, named Alesha, who was then no more than nine or ten years. His parents who lived far and far from St. Petersburg, for two years before they brought him to the capital, gave to the boarding room and returned home, paying the teacher with a conventional fee a few years ahead. Alyosha was a smart boy, nice, he studied well, and everyone loved and caressed. However, despite the fact that he was often bored in the guesthouse, and sometimes even sad. Oet, at first he could not learn to the thought that he was separated from his relatives. But then little, he began to get used to his position, and there were even a minute when, playing with his comrades, he thought that he was much more fun in the guest house than in the parent house.

In general, the days of the exercise for him were sent soon and pleasant; But when Saturday came and all comrades hurried to go home to his relatives, then Alyosha bitterly felt her loneliness.

On Sundays and holidays, he remained alone all day, and then the only consolation of him was reading books that the teacher allowed him to take from his small library. The teacher was a native German, and at that time in German literature, the fashion was dominated by knightly novels and magical stories, - and the library, who was used by our Alyosha, was the bigger part of the books of this kind.

So, Alyosha, being still in the ten years, knew already by heart the acts of the norny knights, at least as they described were in novels. His beloved occupation in the long winter evenings, on Sundays and other holidays, it was mentally tolerated into the old, long past century ... especially at a vacant time when he was separated for a long time with his comrades, when often the whole days was sitting in solitude, the young imagination of his I wandered along knightly castles, on terrible ruins or on dark, dense forests.

I forgot to tell you that a pretty spare yard was owned to the house, separated from the alley with a wooden fence from baroque boards. Gate and gate, Koi led in the alley, were always locked, and therefore Aleche never managed to visit this alley, which strongly excited his curiosity. Whenever they allowed him to play the courtyard at the clock, his first movement was to run up to the fence. Then he became on the tiptoe and stared in the round holes that Usiyan was a fence. Alyosha did not know that these holes were taken from wooden nails, which Barki had previously chocked, and it seemed to him that some kind of good magician was testing these holes for him. He all expected that someday this magician will appear in the alley and through the hole will give him a toy, or a mascot, or a letter from Papyk or Mama, from which he had not received any news for a long time. But, to the extreme regret, no one was not even like a wizard.

Another occupation of Alesh was to feed the chickens who lived near the fence in the purpose of them a built house and played the whole day and ran in the yard. Alesha was very briefly met with them, he knew all the fights, and Zabyak punished the fact that sometimes a few days did not give them anything from the crumbs, who were always after lunch and dinner from the tablecloth. Between the churars, he especially loved one black crested, called Chernushka. Chernushka was gentle by others; She even sometimes allowed himself to stroke, and therefore Alyosha brought the best pieces to her. She was a quiet lava; It was rarely looked around with others and, it seemed, I loved Alyosha more than their girlfriends.

Once (it was during the winter vacations - the day was a wonderful and unusually warm, no more than three or four degrees of frost) Alya allowed to play the courtyard. That day, the teacher and his wife in big were hassle. They gave lunch to the director of schools, and even on the day before, in the morning until late evening, everywhere in the house washed the floors, dust wiped out and soldered the red wood tables and dressers. The teacher himself went to purchase provisions for the table: White Arkhangelsk veal, huge ham and Kiev jam. Alyosha also contributed to the preparations: it was made from white paper to cut a beautiful mesh on the ham and decorating the paper threadlessly purchased six wax candles. On the appointed day, the hairdresser was early in the morning and showed his art above the letters, stupid and long braid teacher. Then he began his wife, diverted and frightened his curls and Shignon and poured on her head a whole greenhouse of different colors, between which they shone the two diamond pans, once donated by her husband's parents. At the end of the head Upora, she threw the old, worn out salo on themselves and went to bother on the housework, observing strictly, so that somehow did not spoil the hairstyle; And in order he herself did not enter the kitchen, but gave orders to her cook, standing in the doorway. In the necessary cases sent her husband there, whose hairstyle was not so high.

In the continuation of all these concerns, our Alesha was completely forgotten, and he took advantage of, to play the courtyard on the square. According to his own, he came up first to the boarding fence and looked at the hole for a long time; But on this day, no one almost passed along the alley, and he turned to the kind of her chicken. He did not have time to sit on a log and just started making them to himself, when suddenly saw her cook with a big knife. Aleche never liked this cook - angry and baffling. But since he noted that she was the reason that the number of his chickens had been reduced from time to time, he even less to love her. When he once became inappropriate, he saw in the kitchen of one pretty, very loved by them a cockerel hanging behind his feet with a cut throat, he sowed horror and disgust. Seeing her now with a knife, he immediately guessed that? It means, and, feeling with sorreigne, that he is unable to help his friends, jumped up and ran far away.

- Alyosha, Alyosha, help me catch a chicken! - screamed cook.

But Alyosha began to flee still in the forest, hid at the fence behind the chicken coop, and he himself did not notice how the tears had been rolled out from his eye from his eyes and dropped to Earth.

For a long time he stood in the chicken coop, and the heart in it blew himself, meanwhile, as the kitchen rushed across the yard, then Manila's chickens: "Zakch, chicken, chicken!", Then he scored them.

Suddenly, the heart of Alesh was clogged even more: he heard a voice of his beloved Chernushka! She caught the most desperate manner, and it seemed to him that she shouts:

Where? X, where? X, Kudo? Hu!
Alyosha, save Churnuha!
Kudo? Hu, Kudo? Hu,
Chernukhu, Chernukha!

Alyosha could not share in his place. He, loudly sobbing, ran to the kitchen and rushed to her on her neck at that very moment, as she caught already Chernushka for the wing.

- kind, cute trinushka! - he cried, pouring tears. - Please, do not touch my worn!

Alesha so unexpectedly rushed on her neck to the kitchener, that she missed the Chernushka from the hands, which, taking advantage of this, flew from the fear of the roof of the barn and continued to be caught.

But Aleche now he could hear, as if she tease the cook and shouts:

Where? X, where? X, Kudo? Hu!
I did not catch the Chernukha!
Kudo? Hu, Kudo? Hu,
Chernukhu, Chernukha!

Meanwhile, the kitchen was outside his annoyance and wanted to run to the teacher, but Alyosha did not allow her. He clung to the floors of her dress and so mighty began to ask that she stopped.

- Drain, Tornushka! - he said. - You're so pretty, clean, kind ... please leave my Chernushka! Here see what I will give you if you are good.

Alyosha took out the imperial from his pocket, who made his entire estate, which he shores his eyes the eye, because it was a gift of his grandmother's good grandmother ... The kitchen looked at the gold coin, wounded the eyes at home to make sure that no one sees them, and stretched her hand for the imperial. Aleche is very, very sorry was the imperial, but he remembered the Chernushka and gave a precious gift with hardness.

Thus, the Chernushka was saved from cruel and imminent death. Only the cook was removed into the house, Chernushka flew from the roof and ran to Alya. She seemed to know that he was her ridder: he circled around him, chlo the wings and kicked up a cheerful voice. All morning, she walked behind him in the yard, like a dog, and it seemed as if she wanted to tell him something, but could not. At the very least, he could not disassemble her clucking.

For two hours in front of dinner, guests began to gather. Alya was called up, they put a shirt with a round collar and batted cuffs with small folds, white jackets and a wide silk blue cuccus. Long blond hair hanging almost to the belt, thoroughly cleaned, divided into two smooth parts and shifted on both sides of the chest.

So dressed the children then. Then they taught how he should scold foot when the director goes into the room, and what should answer if any questions be made to him.

At other times, Alesha would be very happy to arrive the director, who had long wanted to see him, because the teacher and teacher responded to him, he imagined that it should be any famous knight in brilliant lats and in Helmet with big feathers. But this time the curiosity was given to the scene, solely then he encountered: about black chicken. It all seemed to him how the kitchen was running with the knife and how Chernushka kakhatal had different voices. Moreover, he was very annoying that he could not disassemble that she wanted to tell him, and it was drawn to the chicken coop ... but there was nothing to do: it was necessary to wait until the lunch ended!

Finally came director. The arrival of him was announced by the teacher, who had long been sitting by the window, intently looking at the side where he was waiting.

Everything came into motion: the teacher, however, rushed out of the door to meet him down, at the porch; Guests got up from their places, and even Alyosha forgot for a minute about his chicken and went to the window to see how the knight would be pursed from the robust horse. But he could not see him, for he managed to enter the house. At the porch instead of the robust horse stood ordinary extremary sleighs. Alyosha was very surprised! "If I were a knight, he thought," he would never go to the cab, and always riding! "

Meanwhile, they opened the lass all the doors, and the teacher began to squat in anticipation of such a venerable guest, which soon appeared. At first it was impossible to see him in a tusty teacher, standing in the most door; But when she, after graduating his long greeting, sat down below the ordinary, Alyosha, to the extreme surprise, because of her I saw ... I don't have a pennant helmet, but just a small bald head, brought a spreadsheet, the only decoration of which, as after noticed Alyosha, was a little bunch! When he entered the living room, Alyosha was even more surprised, seeing that, despite the simple gray fracture, formerly by the director, instead of brilliant lats, everyone treated him unusually respectfully.

How many, however, it seemed to all of this strange Alya, how many times he would be delighted with the extraordinary decoration of the table, but on this day he did not pay much attention. He was in his head all walked the morning incident with Chernushko. Dessert served: all sorts of jam, apples, bergamot, dates, wine berries and walnuts; But here he did not stop thinking about his chicken for an instant. And just got up because of the table, as he, with her fear and hope, came to the teacher and asked if it was possible to play the courtyard.

- FIRST, - the teacher answered, - just not long there: soon it will be dark.

Alyosha hurriedly put his red bekem on the squirrel fur and a green velvet hat with Sable Shave and ran to the fence. When he arrived there, the chicken began to be gathered for the night and, sleepy, were not very pleased with the brought crumbs. One Chernushka, it seemed, did not feel hunting to sleep: she rushed to him having fun, shook the wings and began to get caught again. Alyosha played with her long; Finally, when it became dark and it was time to go home, he himself had a chicken coop, making sure that the kind of chicken was sat down on the pole. When he came out of the chicken coop, it seemed to him that the eyes of Chernushka were glowing in the dark, like asterisks, and that she sneaks him quietly:

- Alyosha, Alyosha! Stay with me!

Alyosha returned to the house and sat all the evening in classrooms, while at the other half of the hour, guests stayed to the eleventh. Before, rather than they left, Alyosha went to the lower floor, to the bedroom, undressed, lay down in bed and extended the fire. For a long time he could not fall asleep. Finally, his sleep overcame, and he had just managed to talk in a dream to talk with Chernushka, as unfortunately, awakened the noise of the guests converging.

A little time, the teacher who defended the director with the candle went to him into the room, looked, whether everything was fine, and came out, closed the door with the key.

The night was a monthly, and through the shutters, pretending to be loosely, dropped into the room the pale ray of the moon. Alyosha lay with her eyes open and listened for a long time, as in the upper housing, over his head, went through the rooms and put in order chairs and tables.

Finally, everything calmed down ... He glanced on the bed standing closely, a little lit by monthly radiance, and noticed that the white sheet, hanging almost to the floor, was easily moved. He began to peering more closely ... He was heard, as if something under the bed was scratching, - and some weather seemed to be that someone calling him a quiet voice:

- Alyosha, Alyosha!

Alyosha was frightened ... He was one in the room, and he immediately came to the idea that the thief should be under the bed. But then, judging that the thief would not call him by name, he was somewhat encouraged, although his heart trembled.

He slightly raised into bed and saw more clearly that the sheet was moving ... I heard even more successful that someone says:

- Alyosha, Alyosha!

Suddenly the white sheet raised, and from under her came ... Black chicken!

- Ah! It's you, Chernushka! - unwittingly cried Alyosha. - How did you go here?

Chernushka snapped the wings, took off to him on the bed and told the human voice:

- It's me, Alyosha! You are not afraid of me, isn't it?

- Why will I be afraid of you? - he answered. - I love you; Only for me is strange that you say so well: I did not know how you knew how to talk!

"If you are not afraid of me," the chicken continued, "so beyond me." Dress Rather!

- What are you, Chernushka, funny! Said Alyosha. - How can I get dressed in the dark? I am not a dresses of your dresses now, I also see you nasil!

"I will try to help this," said the chicken. Here she was bored with a strange voice, and suddenly, there was neither small candles in Silver Shandlah took, no more as a little finger with Aleshin. Shandahi these found themselves on the floor, on the chairs, on the windows, even in the clothes man, and the room was so light, so light, as if during the day. Alyosha began to dress, and the chicken squeezed him, and so he was completely dressed soon.

When Alyosha was ready, Chernushka scored again, and all candles disappeared.

- Go for me! She told him.

And he boldly followed her. It was out of her eyes as if the rays that illuminated everything around them, although not so bright as small candles. They went through the front.

"The door is locked with a key," said Alyosha.

But the chickey did not answer him: she slammed the wings, and the door herself opened himself. Then, passing through the sense, they turned to the rooms where the centenary of the old worm lived. Alyosha never happened to them, but he heard that the rooms were removed in an old one that one of them had a big gray parrot, and another gray cat was very smart who knows how to jump through the hoop and serve his paw. He had long wanted to see all this, because he was very happy when the church slammed the wings again and the door to the old women opened.

Alyosha in the first room saw all kinds of antique furniture: carved chairs, chairs, tables and dressers. Great Lena was from the Dutch tiles, on which people and animals were drawn were drawn. Alyosha wanted to stop to consider the furniture, and there was no indicately on Lena, but Chernushka did not allow him.

They entered the second room, and then Alyosha was delighted! A large gray parrot with a red tail was sitting in a beautiful golden cage. Alyosha immediately wanted to run up to him. Chernushka again did not allow him.

"Do not touch anything here," she said. - Behold wake up the old women!

Here only Alyosha noticed that the parrot stood a bed with white rim curtains, through which he could distinguish the old woman lying with his eyes closed: she seemed to him as if wax. In another corner there was the same accurate bed, where the other old woman slept, and then her gray cat sat and washed her front paws. Passing by her, Alyosha could not lose, so as not to ask her the legs ... Suddenly she jumped up loudly, the parrot was shred and began to shout loudly: "Durar! Durar! " At that time, it was visible through the kinet curtains that the old women raised in bed. Chernushka hurriedly retired, Alyosha ran after her, the door after them slammed himself ... and it was still heard for a long time, as a parrot shouted: "Durar! Durar! "

- Aren `t you ashamed! - said Chernushka when they retired from the rooms of the old women. - You, right, woke the knights ...

- What knights? Asked Alyosha.

"You will see," the chicken answered. - Do not be afraid, however, nothing, go beyond me.

They descended down the stairs, as if in the cellar, and for a long time they walked along different transitions and corridors, whom Alyosha never did not see. Sometimes these corridors were so low and narrow that Alyosha was forced to bend. Suddenly they entered the hall, illuminated by three large crystal chandeliers. The hall was without the windows, and on both sides hung on the walls of the knights in brilliant lats, with large feathers on helmets, with spears and shields in the iron hand.

Chernushka went ahead on tiptoe and Aleche ordered to follow her quietly quietly.

At the end of the hall there was a large door made of light yellow copper. Only they approached her, as two knights jumped off the walls, hit the shields with spears and rushed to the black chicken. Chernushka raised Khokhol, dismissed the wings ... suddenly it became big, big, above the knights, and began to fight with them! The knights fell on her, and she was protected by wings and nose. Alese was scared, the heart in it strongly fluttered, and he fainted.

When he came again in his senses, the sun through the shutters covered the room, and he lay in his bed. There was no Chernushka, nor Knights, Alyosha could not come to his senses for a long time. He did not understand that he was at night: did everyone see in a dream or did it really happen? He dressed and went upstairs, but he did not come out of his head seen in the past night. He was looking forward to the minute, when you can go to play the courtyard, but the whole day, as purposefully, it was a heavy snow, and it was impossible to think to get out of the house.

At lunch, the teacher between other conversations declared her husband that the black chicken was not clear where he was hidden.

"However, she added," the trouble is small if she had disappeared: she had long been appointed to the kitchen. Imagine yourself, donating, that since we have in our house, she did not demolish a single egg.

Look fairy tale "Black chicken or underground residents":

Short content fairy tales "Black chicken, or underground residents"

Short content fairy tales

Read in 5 minutes

Forty years ago, in St. Petersburg on Vasilyevsky Island, there was a dealer of the male guesthouse. Among the thirty or forty children who studied in that guest house were one boy, named Alesha, who was then no more than 9 or 10 years. His parents who lived far, far from St. Petersburg, were brought to the capital of the years, they gave him to the board and returned home, paying the teacher with a conventional fee for several years ahead. Alyosha was a smart boy, nice, he studied well, and everyone loved and caressed.

The days of the exercise for him passed soon and pleasantly, but when Saturday was coming and all the comrades hurried home to his relatives, then Alyosha bitterly felt her loneliness. Alyosha fed the chickens who lived near the fence in purpose for them built house and played and ran in the yard all day. Especially loved the Black Crested, called inkushku. Chernushka was gentle by others.

Once for the holiday, the kitchen caught the chicken, and Alyosha, rushing her on her neck, did not kill Chernushka. I gave the cook for this imperial - a gold coin, a gift of my grandmother.

After the holiday, Loe to sleep, almost fell asleep, but heard someone calling him. Chernushka came to him and told the human voice: Look for me, I'll show you something pretty. Dress Rather! And he boldly followed her. It was out of her eyes as if the rays that illuminated everything around them, although not so bright as small candles. They went through the front.

- the door is locked with the key, - said Alyosha; But the chickey did not answer him: she slammed the wings, and the door herself opened himself.

Then, passed through the sense, they turned to the rooms where the centenary of old women lived. Alyosha never had them. The chickey slammed the wings again, and the door to the old women was glad. Passed into the second room, and Alyosha saw a gray parrot in the Golden Cage. Chernushka said nothing to touch.

Passing by the cats, Alyosha asked her legs ... Suddenly she jumped up loudly, the parrot was shuffled and began to shout loudly: "Durar! Durar! " Chernushka hurriedly retired, and Alyosha ran after her, the door after them slammed the ...

Suddenly they entered the hall. On both sides hung on the walls of the knights in shiny lats. Chernushka walked ahead on tiptoe and Aleche ordered to follow quietly quietly ... At the end of the hall there was a big door. Just only they approached her, as two knights jumped from the walls and rushed into a black chicken. Chernushka raised Khokhol, dismissed the wings and suddenly became big-big, above the knights, and began to fight with them! The knights were strongly attacked, and she was protected by wings and nose. Alese was scared, the heart in it strongly fluttered, and he fainted.

At the next night, Chernushka came again. They went again, but this time Alyosha did not touch anything.

They entered another hall. Chernushka gone. There have been a lot of little people, an increase is not more than from Paul Arsshri, in elegant multicolored dresses. They did not notice Alyosha. Then the king was entered. For the fact that Alyosha saved his minister, Alyosha now knew lesson, does not teach. The king made he canow seed. And they requested anything about them not to tell.

The classes began, and Alyosha knew any lesson. Chernushka did not come. Alesha first was ashamed, and then used.

Moreover, Alyosha became a terrible chalown. One day, a teacher, not knowing what to do with him, asked him to learn by heart the pages twenty-to another morning and hoped that he was more comfortable on this day. But Alyosha on this day on purpose Shalil more ordinary. The next day, did not say a word, because there were no seeds. He was taken to the bedroom and said to learn lesson. But Alyosha still did not know the lesson. He was left there again. By night, Chernushka appeared and returned to him grain, but asked to correct.

The next day answered the lesson. The teacher asked when Alyosha learned a lesson. Alyosha was confused, ordered to bring rings. The teacher said that there would be no smoldering if Alyosha would say when he learned a lesson. And Alyosha told everything, forgetting about the promise given to the dungeon king and his minister. The teacher did not believe, and Alyos was carved.

Chernushka came to say goodbye. She was cloving chain. She said that people now have to move far. Asked Alya again to correct.

The minister shook Alese his hand and disappeared under the next bed. The next day, the in the morning, Alyosha had a warmth. Weeks after six Alyosha recovered and tried to be obedient, kind, modest and diligent. Everyone fell in love again and began to caress, and he became an example for his comrades, although he could not learn by heart twenty-printed pages suddenly, whom, however, did not ask him.

The book included two famous stories "Black chicken, or underground residents" and "Lafertovskaya Makovnitsa". For mid-school age.

From the series:School Library (Children's Literature)

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Company LITRES.

Black chicken, or underground residents

Forty years ago *, in St. Petersburg on Vasilyevsky Island, in the first line *, there was a keeper of a male boarding house *, which is still probably, many remained in the fresh memory, although the house where the guesthouse was placed , it has long been giving way to another, not at all similar to the previous one. At that time, St. Petersburg was already famous for the whole of Europe, although it was not yet so, what now.

Then there were no fun shady alley on the avenue of Vasilyevsky Island: the wooden layouts, often made of rotten boards, set out the place of the current beautiful sidewalks. Isaac's bridge *, narrow at that time and uneven, completely different imagined the appearance than now; Yes, and the Square Isaacevskaya was not like that. Then the monument of Peter the Great from Isaac Square * was separated by the latch; Admiralty * was not attached by trees, the Manege Connogvardeisky * did not decorate the square with the perfect current facade, - in one word, Petersburg then was not that the present. The cities in front of people have, by the way, the advantage that they sometimes become more beautiful with the years ... However, it is not about that now. Another time and in a different case, I may have to talk to you much about the changes that happened in St. Petersburg during my century, now we will turn again to the guesthouse, which is the forty years ago on Vasilyevsky Island, in the first line.

The house you now - how you already told you - you will not find, it was about two floors, covered with Dutch tiles. The porch, which was included in it, was wooden and outlooked to the street. From Seine, a rather cool staircase led to the upper housing, which consisted of eight or nine rooms, in which, on the one hand, lived a guest house, and on the other hand were classes. Doodourtes, or sleeping rooms of children, were in the lower floor, on the right side of Seine, and the left two old men lived on the left, of which each was more than a hundred years old and who were seen by Peter the Great and even talked with him. At this time, in whole Russia, you will meet a person who would see Peter the Great; The time will come when and our traces will erase the earthly face! Everything passes, everything disappears in our glossy world ... But it is not about that now.

Among the thirty or forty children who studied in that guest house were one boy, named Alesha, who was then no more than 9 or 10 years. His parents who lived far and far from St. Petersburg, for two years before they brought him to the capital, gave to the boarding room and returned home, paying the teacher with a conventional fee a few years ahead. Alyosha was a smart boy, nice, he studied well, and everyone loved and caressed. However, despite the fact that he was often bored in the guesthouse, and sometimes even sad. Octive * at first he could not agree to the thoughts that he was separated from his relatives. But then little, he began to get used to his position, and there were even a minute when, playing with his comrades, he thought that he was much more fun in the guest house than in the parent house. In general, the days of the exercise for him passed soon and pleasantly, but when Saturday was coming out and all the comrades hurried to go home to his relatives, then Alyosha bitterly felt her loneliness. On Sundays and holidays, he remained alone all day, and then the only consolation of him was reading books that the teacher allowed him to take from his small library. The teacher was a native German, at that time in German literature dominated the fashion of the knightly novels and on the magical stories, and this library was the part of the part of the books of this.

So, Alyosha, being still in the ten years, knew already by heart the acts of the norny knights, at least as they described were in novels. His favorite occupation in the long winter evenings, on Sundays and other holidays was mentally tolerated into the old, long-lasting century ... especially at vacant time *, such as Christmas or bright Sunday, - when he was separated for a long time with his Comrades, when often spent whole days in solitude, the young imagination was wandering around the knightly castles, on terrible ruins or on dark, dense forests.

I forgot to tell you that this house belonged to a pretty extensive yard, separated from the alley with a wooden fence from baroque boards *. Gate and gate, Koi led in the alley, were always locked, and therefore Alyoshe never managed to visit this alley, who strongly excited his curiosity. Whenever they allowed him to play the courtyard at the clock, his first movement was to run up to the fence. Then he became on the chick and stared at the round holes that the fence was littered. Alyosha did not know that these holes were taken from wooden nails, which Barki had previously chocked, and it seemed to him that some kind of good magician was testing these holes for him. He all expected that someday this magic will appear in the alley and through the hole will give him a toy, or a mascot *, or a letter from Papyk or Mama, from which he did not receive any news for a long time. But, to the extreme regret, no one was not even like a wizard.

Another occupation of Alesh was to feed the chickens who lived near the fence in the purpose of them a built house and played the whole day and ran in the yard. Alesha was very briefly met with them, he knew all the fights, and Zabyak punished the fact that sometimes a few days did not give them anything from the crumbs, who were always after lunch and dinner from the tablecloth. Between churars he especially loved black crested chocolate Chernushka. Chernushka was gentle by others; She even sometimes allowed himself to iron, and therefore Alyosha brought the best pieces to her. She was a quiet lava; It was rarely looked around with others and, it seemed, I loved Alyosha more than their girlfriends.

Once (it was during the wooks, between the New Year and the baptism, the day was a wonderful and unusually warm, no more than three or four degrees of frost) Alya allowed to play the courtyard. That day, the teacher and his wife in big were hassle. They gave lunch to the director of schools, and even on the day before, in the morning until late evening, everywhere in the house washed the floors, dust wiped out and soldered the red wood tables and dressers. The teacher himself traveled to buy provisions for the table: White Arkhangelsk veal, huge ham and milytny shops * Kiev jam. Alyosha also contributed to the preparations: it was made from white paper to cut a beautiful mesh on the ham and decorating the paper threadlessly purchased six wax candles. At the appointed day, the hairdresser appeared in the morning and showed his art above letters, stupid * and a long braid teacher. Then she began his spouse, diverted and twisted her curls and Shignon and picked up on her head a whole greenhouse of different colors *, between which they shone the two diamond pans, once donated with her husband's parents. At the end of the head, she threw the old, worn out salop * and went to bother on the housework, watching while strictly, so that somehow did not spoil the hairstyle; And in order he herself did not enter the kitchen, but gave orders to their cooking in the doorway. In the necessary cases sent her husband there, whose hairstyle was not so high.

In the continuation of all these concerns, our Alesha completely forgotten, and he took advantage of, to play the courtyard on the square. According to his own, he came up first to the boarding fence and looked at the hole for a long time; But on this day, no one almost passed along the alley, and he turned to the kind of her chicken. He did not have time to sit on a log and just began to bear them to himself, as suddenly saw her cook with a large knife. Aleche never liked this cook - angry and baffling chukhonka *. But since he noticed that she was the reason that the number of his chiches had decreased from time to time, he even less began to love her. When he once became inappropriate, he saw in the kitchen of one pretty, very loved by them a cockerel hanging behind his feet with a cut throat, he sowed horror and disgust. Seeing her now with a knife, he immediately guessed what it means, and feeling with sorreast, that he could not help his friends, jumped up and ran far away.

- Alyosha, Alyosha! Help me catch a chicken! - screamed the cook, but Alyosha began to run still in the forest, hid at the fence behind the chicken coop, and he did not notice himself, as a tear, one of his eyes got out of his eyes and dropped to the ground.

For a long time he stood in the chicken coop, and the heart in it was badly fed, meanwhile, as the kitchen ran in the yard - then the chicken was manila: "Zakch, Zakch, Zakch!" - I scored them in Chukhonski.

Suddenly, the heart of Alesh was clogged even more: he heard a voice of his beloved Chernushka! She caught the most desperate manner, and it seemed to him that she shouts:

Wheel, somewhere, kiduhu!

Alyosha, save Chernukha!

Socha, Souduch,

Chernukhu, Chernukha!

Alyosha could not share in his place. He, loudly sobbing, ran to the kitchen and rushed to her on her neck at that very moment, as she caught already Chernushka for the wing.

- kind, cute trinushka! - he cried, pouring tears. - Please, do not touch my worn!

Alesha so unexpectedly rushed on her neck to the kitchener, that she missed the Chernushka from the hands, which, taking advantage of this, flew from the fear of the roof of the barn and continued to be caught. But Aleche now he could hear, as if she tease the cook and shouts:

Wheel, somewhere, kiduhu!

I did not catch the Chernukha!

Skudukha, Souduch!

Chernukhu, Chernukha!

Meanwhile, the kitchen was beside himself from annoyance.

- Rummal Understand! * - she screamed. - That's, I'm Pad Cassayin and rubbed. Shorna Kuris Nada to deal with ... He is lazy ... He is not doing jacket, he is not sickly a bump.

She wanted to run to the teacher, but Alyosha did not let her. He clung to the floors of her dress and so mighty began to ask that she stopped.

- Drain, Tornushka! - he said. - You're so pretty, clean, kind ... please leave my Chernushka! Here see what I will give you if you are good!

Alyosha took out the imperial out of his pocket *, who made all his estate *, which is the enemy's east of his own, because it was a gift for his grandmother. The cook looked at the gold coin, glanced at the eyes of the house to make sure that no one sees them, and stretched her hand for the imperial. Aleche is very, it was very sorry for the imperial, but he remembered Chernushka - and with the hardness gave a precious gift.

Thus, Chernushka was saved from cruel and imminent death.

Only the cook was removed into the house, Chernushka flew from the roof and ran to Alya. She seemed as if he knew that he was her delight, he circled around him, chloiled with wings and caught a cheerful voice. All morning, she walked behind him in the yard, like a dog, and it seemed as if she wanted to tell him, but could not. At least he could not disassemble her cooling.

For two hours in front of dinner, guests began to gather. Alya was called up, they put a shirt with a round collar and batted cuffs with small folds, white jackets and a wide silk blue cuccus. Long blond hair hanging almost to the belt, thoroughly cleaned, divided into two smooth parts and shifted in advance - on both sides of the chest. So dressed the children then. Then they taught how he should scold a foot when the director goes into the room, and what should be responsible if he was made any questions. At other times, Alesha would be very happy to arrive the director, who had long wanted to see him, because the teacher and teacher responded to him, he imagined that it should be any famous knight in brilliant lats and in Helmet with big feathers. But this time the curiosity was gone to the scene, solely, then occupied him, - about black chicken. It all seemed to him how the kitchen was running with the knife and how Chernushka kakhatal had different voices. Moreover, he was very annoying that he could not disassemble that she wanted to tell him, and it was drawn to the chicken coop ... but there was nothing to do: it was necessary to wait until the lunch ended!

Finally came director. The arrival of him was announced by the teacher, who had long been sitting by the window, intently looking at the side where he was waiting. Everything came into motion: the teacher, string, rushed out of the door to meet him downstairs, at the porch; Guests got up from their places. And even Alyosha forgot forgot for a minute about his church and went to the window to see how the knight would be pursed from the robust horse. But he could not see him: the director had already managed to enter the house. At the porch instead of the robust horse stood ordinary extremary sleighs. Alyosha was very surprised. "If I were a knight, he thought," he would never then go to the cab, and always riding! "

Meanwhile, they opened all the doors; And the teacher began to nail * in anticipation of such a venerable guest, which soon appeared. At first it was impossible to see him in a tusty teacher, standing in the most door; But when she, having graduated his long greeting, sat down below the ordinary, Alyosha, to the extreme surprise, because of her I saw ... I don't have a pennate helmet, but just a small bald head, brought a spreadsheet, the only decoration of which, as after noticed Alyosha, was a small beam ! When he entered the living room, Alyosha was even more surprised, seeing that, despite the simple gray fracture *, formerly by the director, instead of brilliant lats, everyone treated him unusually respectfully.

How many, however, it seemed to all of this strange Alya, how many times he would be delighted with the extraordinary decoration of the table, but on this day he did not pay much attention. He was in his head all walked the morning incident with Chernushko. Dedicated dessert: all sorts of jam, apples, bergamot *, dates, wine berries * and walnuts; But here he did not stop thinking about his chicken for an instant. And just got up because of the table, as he, with her fear and hope, came to the teacher and asked if it was possible to play in the yard.

- FIRST, - the teacher answered, - just not long there: soon it will be dark.

Alesha hurriedly put on his red bekem on the squirrel Fur * and a green velvet hat with a sable shallow and ran to the fence. When he arrived there, the chickens had already begun to gather for the night and, sleepy, were not very pleased with the crumbs brought. One Chernushka, it seemed, did not feel hunting to sleep: she rushed to him having fun, shook the wings and began to get caught again. Alyosha played with her long; Finally, when it became dark and it was time to go home, he himself had a chicken coop, making sure that the kind of chicken was sat down on the pole. When he came out of the chicken coop, it seemed to him that the eyes of Chernushka were glowing in the dark, like asterisks, and that she sneaks him quietly:

- Alyosha, Alyosha! Stay with me!

Alyosha returned to the house and sat all the evening in classrooms, while at the other half of the hour before the eleventh, guests stayed and played in Vist * on several tables. Before they left, Alyosha went to the lower floor, in the bedroom, undressed, lay down in bed and extended fire. For a long time he could not fall asleep. Finally, his sleep overcame, and he had just managed to talk in a dream to talk with Chernushko, as unfortunately, awakened the noise of the guests of the guests. A little time, the teacher, who defended the director with the candle, entered him into the room, looked, was everything in order, and came out, closed the door with the key.

End of a familiarization fragment.

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Led Book Foreign Fragment Black Chicken, or Underground Residents (Collection) (Anthony Pogorelsky, 1825,1829) Granted by our book partner -