- With whom would you been during December 14 in Petersburg? And how do you think what was the answer?
- With them… But, to stop them. Emperor had surprised: “Pushkin, your poems were found almost at every conspirator”. And you had reminded him about the poem “To Andre Chénier” and looking to his reaction you had understood, that incident was closed.
- Yes, I had to remind him about poem “To Andre Chénier”, because I was not sure that Vasiliy Andreevich had sent my letter on May 1826 to emperor, in which I wrote my view to the events of December 1825. And where could be the manuscript of “The Gabrieliad” with date?
- This could know only Vasiliy Andreevich Zhukovskiy. We think that there are many of your manuscripts, which are not known to the world.
- And who does need this?
- Well, you know what kind of battles were in your time between liberals and patriots. The tension has not decreased, and their degree even increased. And each branch tried and until now days tries use your literature heritage in their political purposes.
The Gray-headed man kept watching the guest. And the more he watched the more he convinced himself – in front of him is Pushkin.
- But if he is here and has come from there, from where nobody has come, then not for eating scrambled eggs and drink a cup of bad coffee? What must he say to us, to his descendants, that we could solve problems of our time? – thought Gray-headed man. And the guest seems has heart him.
- Well, young man, I don’t know how do you live with new things in new world, but I see that you have succeeded in learning of world in comparison with our generation, particularly regarding atheism. I understood that this problem even has intensified. I had thoughts about that. However, I was not successful to give explanation as it was done by you. And now this is all yours. Become by yourselves human and move all world to the humanity. Well, I am not worry for Russia. About governments - don’t worry for them, they will understand this at last moment.
The Gray-headed man looked at rounded electric clock on the wall behind the bar rack and noticed to himself, that it is about six hours pm.
- Well, we are talking about two hours? And this cafe is closing at 18:00?
At this moment appeared the waiter-woman.
- Well, boys, I will close after 10 minutes.
She come close to their table took empty plates, kitchen utensils and has hidden behind buffet rack.
- Alexander Sergeevich, maybe we shall walk? Let us go along embankment of Moyka, go out to Dvortcovaja street and continue conversation?
- Why not? It is curiously watch to Petersburg of the beginning XXI century. And what is this unknown smell, which is sensed by nose as I get out to the courtyard of my house?
- And what kind of smell was at your time in the streets and courtyards of Petersburg?
- The smell of manure. And this smell is very new for me and not familiar.
- This unknown smell is the smell of automobile exhaust gases. While in the cities they were not many, we did not notice this smell, like you may be, when you did not notice the smell of manure.
- Well, this is the smell of XXI century?
- Perhaps, in other things were not much changes. Mainly, instead horses and carriages today everywhere automobiles. They are the real scourge of modern city. Because of exhaust gases it is difficult to breath.
Thanking the waiter-woman, they went out to the courtyard with cobble stones and turned to the left directly to the grand gates. It was the middle of June – the very peak of white nights. The sun still shined bright. The last rare visitors, after them the employee of museum left comfortable courtyard of the Volkonskiy’s villa. Through soft soles of summer boots was acute felt of cobbled bridge. Gray-headed man looked at black boots of his companion and thought, that at his time the asphalt was absent and all bridges were such and may be more sensitive for pedestrians.
- Vasya, you today decided to go to the city without changing the clothes?
Gray-headed man turned back and met the view of unknown man. May be, he is one of employees of museum. And Vasya is a local animator. He waited the reaction of his companion, whom suddenly rapidly turned to the voice, stopped, thought for second, put his hand into the right pocket of frock coat, got from there enough big bronze key, covered by green patina and dreamily, without looking to anybody, silently said:
- As for me, perhaps, indeed, I need to change my clothes according the epoch, in which I have oddly appeared.
He inserted key into the keyhole. Turned it twice and a heavy oak door slowly as it itself opened. After that Pushkin turned to Gray-headed man and for some reason like conspirator said:
- Excuse me, I will just for one minute…
And disappeared himself behind the door. Gray-headed man for some time stood completely at a loss because of such final. Then he hesitantly pulls the grand door to himself, but it was closed.
- You in vain want to enter there. This door is always closed, - said to him that employee, whom minute ago called his companion.
- And what about Vasya? He just recently opened this door and went to change clothes.
- Vasya? An animator? But he keeps his props in the cloakroom of ground floor. Today the visitors were not many, and he has left almost two hours ago. He knows, that grand door is always closed and left like others through the back door. And who are you for him?
- I am? I am simply acquaintance, we made arrangements for dinner together after job.
- Do you go or you stay here? I must close the grand gates.
- Yes, yes, of course, I am going.
Gray-headed man with fast steps went out through the gates to the embankment of Moyka. At the powerful granite stabs of embankment were densely parked automobiles, where walked in hurry rare pedestrians. Pushkin was not among them…
Inner Predictor of USSR
10 July 2015