Month to year. Defense of Sevastopol. 1853—1855. Eastern War. Love and death do not know barriers

A new beginning

Michel lay on the bed, reading a French magazine. He was dressed not at all according to the charter, and the time was not official, in a white shirt, ratings and boots. Repnin was also on the next bed, reading the Sovremennik he was writing. Time was running out, the tea prepared by Prokhor was drunk, the rolls were eaten. Nikita could rest while Lopukhina needed to visit her father’s estate, and visits to her lover were temporarily postponed, as were sleepless nights.

– Your nobility, – came Yakim’s voice.

Repnin even postponed the magazine, seeing how sharply Zalepsky jumped out of bed.

– Give me the letter, hurry.

– And in words asked to convey..

– Speak up.

– She said that let him come when he could,” the batman said loudly and displeased.

– Thank you, Yakim.

Michelle slowly sat down at the table, and cut the envelope with a penknife. The letter fluttered out of his captivity like a pink butterfly.

Michelle!

We seem to have agreed to refer to each other as “you.” So I hate when you address me like we’re strangers and strangers. I learned a long time ago about the death of Maria Petrovna. I grieve with you over your loss, I am very glad that you have a son, and of course you will be a good father to him. I understand that he is now in the care of your parents, so that is good. Here, completely strangers would follow and take care of him. Most of the people in our circle grew up when their fathers were on endless campaigns and wars. When you finally calm down, come, always glad to see you. Next Thursday there will be very few guests, I will wait for you. If not, I will be glad to meet in Peterhof when in June your regiment comes to the Summer Apartments.

With sincere hope, Olga

Zalepsky read the letter and hid it in a box, which he closed with a key. Repnin looked with understanding at the manipulations of a friend, and modestly suggested:

– Guilt?

Michel nodded with a chuckle. A good chilled Hungarian turned out to be by the way, like the shoulder of an old friend in a difficult moment.

“Don’t blame yourself, Michelle. Olga is not to blame for anything?

– I come out, some kind of villain… Only there was a funeral for his wife…

– Wait a little… Our military business – and he drank another glass – who knows what our fate is… And to refuse it is to anger her. You don’t want Happiness to turn away from you?

– No… – and a slightly overwhelmed Michel shook his head.

– So it is sinful to reject Fortuna’s gifts…

Peterhof

The long-awaited summer has come, non-combatants collected furshtat carts, stuffing them with the property of the regiment. The patients were left in the city infirmary. Early withdrawal gave way to an early rise. the bugler started collecting, and the soldiers, dressed, received weapons from the captenarmus, and marched in the stable of the regiment. There was a regimental orketer on the parade ground, but they did not play music, not wanting to disturb the townsfolk.

The illustrious banner was held by a proud standard junker. A cloth of red color with a white cross, swayed in the wind, and next to it stood the regiment commander with his retinue. Junkers were built outside the squadron ranks, but in the third division of the regiment. The time was six o’clock in the morning according to tradition, and the best riders of the empire began to leave through the gates. Three in a row cuirassiers occupied the entire Zakharyevskaya street, followed by rival friends of the Horse Guards. Squadron commanders drove up to Brevern, reporting readiness. Finally, de la Gardie himself reported to the brigade commander, the former commander of the Cavalier Guards, Major General Bezobrazov Sergei Dmitrievich.

Finally, at the signal of the commander, exactly at five o’clock, the cavalry guards moved down the street. The regiment, seeing off friends and relatives, was followed by carriages and crews of St. Petersburg ladies. The most beautiful thousandth horses, thousands of carriages, phaetons, the most charming girls from the best families of St. Petersburg followed the Gardey cuirassier brigade. A kind of escort lined up behind two shelves, but he kept at some distance.

Michel also looked with a smile at such an honorable accompaniment, although out of habit it was still inconvenient to wear a copper helmet with an eagle attached to it. He did not have a cuirass yet, and Yakim on the brick followed with a wagon train. Each officer had with him a small crew for things, and a personal horse was tied to him. On the campaign, of course, they followed on the drill. His Gunpowder was in great shape, cheerful and cheerful, he also had a suitcase and alters on him, but both were empty. Outside the city limits, for about eight hours, a regimental orchestra burst out. Zalepsky kept pulling his head, trying to see the carriages of the imperial family.

– Michelle, what do you want to see? – asked the cheerful Nikita, – really lost something? Or someone?

– Yes, it is not clear…

“The imperial motorcade?” – Repnin guessed, – no, they are already in Peterhof, they are accompanied by the Convoy of his Imperial Majesty, Cossacks.

– I see,” Zalepsky said.

– And Ksenia is probably already there… Great places. Did you get your duggerotype camera?

– Yes, of course. And two guns, revolvers, and so, on trifles.

– I’m not sure about hunting…

After three and a half hours, the regiment reached the village of Ulyanka, the legendary Sheremetyevo house.

– What’s here?” not understanding, Michelle asked Nikita.

– Traditions, a great thing… The commander has already sent a letter with news to the count that the regiment will arrive at the post. Sheremetev, as a cordial owner, has already put out a treat for soldiers and officers.

– Count man rich… Zalepski agreed thoughtfully.

– Everything is paid under the contract, but traditions are traditions…

The command came to dismount, the horse breeders arranged horses, and the regiment on foot, proceeded to the tables. Sheremetev himself stood at the officers’ desks, waiting for the guests. Zalepsky looked at the beautiful house by the pond, at all these wonderful places.

– Let’s go, – von Rosen intervened in the idyll, – the dinner is getting cold, gentlemen of the cadet.

Indeed, lunch was not bad, with excellent wine. Further, the regiment expected a march to the Red Village. where non-combat regiments were already preparing tents for soldiers, and apartments were prepared for officers in Pavlovskaya Sloboda.

The march continued until the evening, and the regiment went the prescribed forty miles. The regiment was located near the Cavalry Camp, and next to the Horse Guards Regiment.

***

The weather was excellent, although it was not easy in the colet, it was hot. The soldiers’ tents and officers’ apartments were not so close to the palace buildings. Maids of honor, so vividly interested in Repnin, were placed in Cavalier houses, not far from the palace.

It is easier for soldiers, they were allowed to swim, but where they could not get into the eyes of the august surname. It was a dam of the League River, or Duderhof Lakes. It happened every Saturday or after strenuous activities. Horses were allowed to graze freely and fed only with grass, and did not bother too much. But, combat training was. In the distance from the palace, before the eyes of the emperor, regimental exercises were carried out.

The entire regiment, in a squadron, turned into three battle lines, occupying almost half a mile of the field. Unfurled banner, headquarters officers on the right flank, and they trotted. Michel looked around enthusiastically, seeing the perfect formation. He only held the horse’s occasion with his left hand, with the crags on. But dressage Gunpowder was just perfect, the horse was used to being in the ranks. No one pulled ahead and did not break the formation, although the regiment shining with copper cuirasses and helmets went on a trot. The roar of hooves, right, was heard a mile away. Finally, the command sounded:

– Broadsword out!

And the huge riders clanked their main weapon. The first rows of squadrons, with peaks, kept the shafts in their hands. Staff captain Tulev gave his horse, and it turned out to be n

near Zalepsky.

“You will go with the flankers of the squadron.

“That’s right, your nobility,” Michel replied.

The march continued. And Colonel Esipov commanded:

“To the flankers!

And sixteen horsemen, eight from each flank, scattered into the field, and Zalepsky galloped with them, holding on to Unter Gorelov. The arrows repeated the evolution of the regiment, keeping at a distance from the front of two hundred fathoms.

Finally, at the signal raised to the flag, the regiment began to rebuild into a marching column. Their seventh squadron was the last, left-flank. but Zalepsky saw a small retinue of Nikolai Pavlovich. The emperor himself was in a horse guard uniform. on a huge horse, drove around the formation, accompanied by Colonel Brevern. The emperor was also the chief of the guard. Nikolai Pavlovich stopped, and his thunderous voice sounded:

– Hello, well done!

– We wish you good health, Your Majesty! ‘the voice of the regimental privates rang out.

The regimental orchestra began to play again, and the junker heard the muffled conversations of the soldiers:

– The sovereign is satisfied, it means that today an extra pound of beef is waiting…

– Exactly… Maybe there will be beer.

Zalepsky chuckled. and now felt how hot he was. It is still easier for him, Yakim is waiting for him with a fresh shirt and a jug of cold water to wash himself.

Junkers did not enter the regimental officer artel, and ate in the dining room. Moreover, the king gave dinner in honor of the officers of the regiment. Guards were posted at the location, and the wahmister soldier led to the river to swim. Zalepsky, Golitsyn and Repnin looked at each other, and dressed in fresh linen, went to another, not well-known place for swimming. They took Nikita’s brick, where they put simple food, Yakim and Prokhor sat on the goats. Denshchik Golitsyn Fedor remained, he did not find a place.

– Nikita, you are the head… – Serge said happily, – and the place is quiet, and far from the soldiers. And, none of the palace is visible.

– No matter how embarrassment happens, – Michelle was concerned, – otherwise you never know the ladies, and we are negligee…

– So, in the best shape for them, – Repnin laughed, – There is a soap house and a bathhouse next to the stream. And a bathhouse.

Golitsyn only nodded, and the first rushed into the cool water, moving quickly from the shore. He swam perfectly, and Zalepsky could not hit his face in the mud, and also ended up in the river. Immediately it felt better, and body fatigue seemed to have gone, washed off with healing moisture. Repnin swam nearby, not moving far.

– Is everything ready! – shouted Prokhor, – sit down to dine!

– Let’s go, Serge said.

Three comrades quickly got out, and stepping wet feet on the ground, avoided sharp branches. Exactly, bread, cheese, sausage were waiting for the future defenders of the fatherland, like a jug of inexpensive wine. Michel hooked himself into a bowl of food, poured wine into a mug. The day, for sure, was not bad. We ate, bathed and ate again. But the jug turned out to be small, and a spare went into business. Michel felt that he was overwhelmed, Serge was unusually cheerful, but still climbed into the water. He raised a whole fountain of spray. Zalepsky turned away for a second, noticing a piece of ham, and looking at the river, he did not see Golitsyn. Repnin, pleased and cheerful, slept on a blanket. the batman was engaged in a wagon.

– Golitsyn! Where are you? cried a frightened Michelle, the joke failed!

Yes, it is clear that it was not a joke, and Zalepsky ran to the river, almost broke his leg on a penny and dived. The hop seemed to have drowned itself, only a nasty tremor appeared in his hands. The young man swam with saplings to the place where he saw Serge, and plunged into the water. He did not swim in the sea, and not too much is visible in the river. On the third dive, I saw something dark, and to the touch, it seemed alive, and dragged it upstairs. Spitting from the water, he dragged Golitsyn’s body to the shore.

– Yakim! Prokhor! he shouted, over here!

While he pulled Serge ashore, and threw him on his side, on the grass. Fortunately, the drowned man coughed, and he vomited to the ground, well, even though Zalepsky managed to jump back.

– Damn it, Serge? What were you doing there? – Zalepsky tried to reduce everything to a joke.

– Drowned, – the diver answered, and spread his arms, – already met with mermaids, a little more, would be like Suvorov Jr. he said, poking his head, and fell asleep.

“However,” Michelle could only say, and drank wine, trying to calm down.

– Yakim, – and he quietly added, – you will dress them somehow, and we will go to the location, we must return. And not a word to anyone. And tell Prokhor not to chat what was here.

– How not to understand, the master, – answered the sweeping former soldier, – no one will know anything.

Together they dressed sleeping cornets, Prokhor removed the dishes and the remains of the food, Zalepsky extinguished the fire, and he climbed into the brick, trying to calm down. Repnin and Golitsyn slept nearby. and not particularly worried about what had happened. Yakim turned around with a goat, and only shrugged his shoulders, and adjusted his forage cap.

The batman helped to bring the sleeping and put them on the bed. There were two candles on the table, and Michel decided to read a little before bed. Half an hour passed quickly, and the young man extinguished the light, and lay down to rest. In the dark, all that remained was to burn the lamp in front of the icons.

***

Michel walked through the forest with a gun in his hand, past the bushes of hazel, raspberry. He walked silently, and now, a huge elk passed by him, pointed a gun, but could not shoot. I got a hare – I couldn’t shoot either, the fox ran – again a misfire.

The hunter did not understand what was the matter, turned the trigger device, and then an elephant appeared in front of him, seen only in the pictures. There was a noise, a crash, Zalepsky took aim, pulled the trigger, and – a shot!

Michel opened his eyes, climbed on his elbows, leaning on a straw mattress of a bed, and saw Golitsyn looking with surprise at the crashed water jug.

“Sorry,” Serge said quietly, “I’m thirsty…

– Fu, – exhaled Zalepsky, – I shot an elephant, – And lay down again.

Luckily it was a Sunday and the service gave way to rest. Repnin got up before anyone else, and Prokhor poured on his head, and Nikita laughed rather.

– More, more… Well, Michelle, we had a great rest yesterday…

– Not bad… Yakim, pour on wine wine wine…

– I’m half, – Golitsyn responded.

Serge looked at Zalepsky, frowned, took out his leather suitcase, rummaged there a little, and took out a cypress case.

– It’s for you, Michelle, he said, putting the gift on the bed.

– What is it?’ ‘he didn’t understand.

– Spyglass. Look into the distance

– You can’t do that…

– Michelle, – Golitsyn smiled charmingly, – I am a prince, and I can give. For the fact that I did not join the honorary list of drowned people, like Friedrich Barbarossa, and Suvorov Jr..

– What are you talking about? Nikita did not understand.

– Let’s go eat… And then I would look around… – Golitsyn said out of place.

The janitors brought horses, and the cadets on horseback moved to Peterhof, to Tsarskoye Selo.

On a horse ride, the wind blows over the rider, and the day does not seem so hot, but the bright sun shone, so that its rays were strong, and the ladies walking along the road took refuge under white umbrellas. These were the ladies who came with the empress, and the court of his majesty.

The young ladies themselves looked at the prized cavalry guards with smiles, and the young men nodded to the beauties every second. Suddenly, Golitsyn looked ahead, and sent his stallion to Zalepsky’s horse.

– Listen, Michelle, then you have to look at the Peterhof fountains, you have not seen them… The most beautiful thing, I’ll tell you… And Samson… It is covered with gold leaf, and shines like all gold…

Zalepsky listened, but suddenly realized that Serge seemed to distract him.. He looked, and was just surprised… Olga Nikolaevna Pleshcheeva walked, holding an umbrella in her hand. And all would be fine, but by the arm she held an unfamiliar master in a dark frock coat, top hat and with a cane in her hand. Olga was followed by her maid, Praskovya. They saw Zalepsky, and her eyes were pretty rounded. Pleshcheeva calmly spoke to the stranger, not noticing anything around..

Golitsyn grabbed the reins of Zalepsky’s horse, and smiled strained.

– Michelle, let’s go to the fountains, he said firmly.

“Why?” We wanted to see Cavalier houses.

Then he finally noticed Praskovya, nodded to her, looked at the lady with some thoughtfulness, grinned wryly, and nodded to the prince.

– Let’s go, everyone has their own business here, as you can see.

And he sent his horse trotting, but however carefully, without interfering with the public flanking the path. Zalepsky did not pretend that he was hurt by the fact that Olga Pleshcheeva was not alone.

“She’s not my wife, she’s a lonely beauty and she’s also a widow. He goes with someone, and it’s good, Maybe it will be better,” the junker thought, without delving too much into the details.

***

Olga Pleshcheeva shook for a long time in the carriage, watching Paraskovya, the woman was often swayed on the road. You could only take a maid with you, and the groom Semyon, he was also a coachman. and sat on the crew’s goats. No more servants were allowed to take with them, the apartment allotted to her for the summer was small, and Semyon had to live in the stable. Life is not bad in Tsarskoye Selo, and a whole staff of cooks and laundresses served the courtiers and the august family. She took out a braided bottle of water with lemon, poured it into her mug, and drank with pleasure. It got hot, and again took up the fan.

Olga, looking up at the dormant maid, took out a hidden letter from Michel, and happily read it again and again. She cleaned it up, then looked at herself in the mirror, and calmed down.

“Nothing, he will succeed in military service, and I will look after him,” she said to herself, “everything will be fine. And here we will meet, talk. Today – tomorrow their regiment will come to Tsarskoye Selo. He is in good standing, the best shooter in the regiment, and I will talk to the Queen Mother, Alexandra Fedorovna will definitely contribute to Michel getting the officer rank and staying in the Cavalier Guards. But, it will be necessary to look after Lisa Obukhova, so as not to take my dear friend away..”

As soon as Olga remembered her friend, the woman’s fists shrank by themselves. Liza Obukhova was a famous heart breaker, it was believed that she also had a dozen guards officers in her sighers.

The maid sat in the carriage pretending to sleep. She had a good lady, unlucky and caring. Well, she loved to parrot that, they say, she screwed up – so even Semyon did not fight for vodka, and he deserved spanking more than once. And Mikhail Dmitrievich is a handsome and prominent young man, pleasant, so courteous to the young lady. Praskovya saw the passes with the letter of her lady, but this only helped her plans. Voinov’s mustache and whiskers pleased her gaze sometimes, and so, if everything is sweet with the masters, it would be incomparably more often.

Wozok stopped at a wooden house, but built in a classic style. The maid of honor came out, the approaching men unloaded the carriage, and brought things into the apartment. Olga gave the workers a hryvnia, and sat down on the bench. She always liked to live in the summer in Tsarskoye – and not in the estate, in the village, and not in St. Petersburg. Something similar to their estate in Moscow. And the garden is large, and breathes well.

The next day, she appeared at the service, and accompanied Maria Fedorovna, was with her. Now she was walking along the road with a court official, Grudnev Lev Evgenievich. The day was sunny, the woman was hiding behind an umbrella, slowly discussing the life of maids of honor. On the left, along the road, I heard the sound of hooves, not far from them were riding. Pleshcheeva tensed a little, it would be wrong to pay attention to the guards officers. She took an official under the elbow, Lev Evgenievich only smiled knowingly. The bad joke of the guardsmen was known, these forgiveness with a long history and were carried out with extraordinary invention by young aristocrats. True, she heard Praskovya gasping, and saw the backs of three cadets, cavalry guards, jumping to Tsarskoye Selo.