The way to the Wunderland and Heartland. Immortals. The abode of Immortals

Love is able to forgive low, and turn vices into valor

William Shakespeare

Chapter 1 Geographical lecture

The audience filled with listeners quickly. Students of Moscow University, seated in places, preparing writing supplies. It is clear that it was always difficult to record a lecture for a professor, and only pencils were suitable, there was ink out of place here. The whole notebook could be dirty, gag with blots, then you won’t understand anything.

– Senka, give me a pencil, my lead has broken! – shouted a student sitting at the aisle, with a whirlwind forelock.

– What am I? Gregory, you yourself broke, you yourself and point! – and handed him a wooden sharpener with a blade inside.

– Well, you are Semyon! – his comrade hissed displeased, quickly working as a sharpener, and hiding the garbage in a piece of newspaper – now the lecture of Arseniy Arkadyevich will begin, and then the discussion! Eh, you!

Indeed, Semyon Dmitrievich Tsybin and Grigory Ilyich Tsyplakov, these were the full names of the students, and looked more ordinary than usual, they did not grow beards or glasses on their nose, they were fond of cycling and boxing. It would seem that such not close types of physical activities, but, on the other hand, allowed them to express their attitude towards each other from time to time, so to speak, in a contact form.

We arrived in Moscow studying, Tsybin from Ryazan, and Tsyplakov from the Kursk province, both were the sons of officials. And prompted them to study in the department of geography passion for books by Jules Verne. True, one was carried away by the Arctic, and the other by the Northern Urals, which was the subject of frequent controversy. However, they even argued where to gather for parties – in the Cyclist cafe, in Petrovskrm Park, or in the Russian Tavern on Mokhovaya, the usual refuge of students of Moscow University

Oddly enough, anyway, they were bosom comrades, both studied at the Faculty of Philosophy, the geographical department, and even rented rooms in one three-story building, one apartment, right there, on Mokhovaya. It was not possible to get state rooms for living, due to the wealth of their parents.

– Calm down! – hissed the head of the course, Fedor Feofanov, their best student. – Tsybin, Tsyplakov! I urge you to order!

Fedor Ivanovich Feofanov was an undoubted model of a student for the rector and dean of the faculty. An absolutely positive person, in every sense of the word, who lived in the student dormitory of the trustee. It just happened and he was more fortunate than others, as he personally believed.

Semyon and Gregory looked at each other, sat down, and took on a completely gymnasium appearance, straightening their backs, and putting their left hand on their right. Their other fellow students watched with curiosity, hoping for a continuation of this play. Actually, their expectations were not deceived.

– Gentlemen, – Fedor continued his escapade, who decided to consolidate his success, – why turn order into a comedy? Why behave so picturesquely?

– You, Mr. Feofanov, should recall the circular of Mr. Pobedonostsev, number 15—20 bis. The students have the right position during the lecture, – said Tsyplakov.

The reaction of the unfortunate head of the course was simply incredible. He grabbed a thick book with instructions, and curiously began to look for, that, 15—20 bis.

– No such! said the headman.

– Better look,” was Gregory’s brief reply.

Feofanov rushed at his opponent with all his ardor. No, undoubtedly, he defended only the instructions, the routine of times and n always prescribed by the unforgettable Mr. Pobedonostsev! And only this, and not at all personal resentment, became the reason that now the headman was trying to knock student Tsyplakov to the floor. And, both did not notice how the desks clapped. Listeners stood up, greeting their beloved professor.

– If I’m not mistaken, Fedor Ivanovich, the head of the course?, – Arseniy Arkadyevich Lvov spoke, – And, not otherwise, like Grigory Ilyich Tsyplakov? Well, get up, get up gentlemen immediately! Right word, cold, April month, catch a cold! I look like that, did your argument continue in a physical sense? I hope it was just about science?

– Yes, Arseniy Arkadyevich! – Tsyplakov was responsible for both.

Feofanov hung his head in despair, anticipating his overthrow from the administrative Olympus. The dean, Yevgeny Andrianovich, will not tolerate such a scandal, especially if he learns about it from Professor Lvov.

Arseniy Arkadyevich Lvov, meanwhile, sat down on a chair, and curiously surveyed two zabiyak. It was impossible to say that he was angry, rather, he became just fun. And judging by the way he trampled on his pince-nez, the professor generally came in a great mood. Yes, by the way, the professor was not a prince, but only a monophomile of Prince Lvov, and simply did not tolerate being mistakenly called “your ladyship.” Actually Arseniy Arkadyevich, doctor of geographical sciences, had a difficult character, but was famous for his excellent outlook and knowledge. He was a student of Semenov Tyan-Shansky himself, and accompanied this great scientist on famous expeditions in Central Asia. Mr. Lvov looked quite friendly, but he was hot-tempered and often even unbearable if he believed that they treated him badly, or the science he loved so much. He was married, living in a state-owned apartment on Arbat. A small academic beard, a strict three-piece suit, invariably gray, complemented the appearance of this geographer. And although he looked somewhat subtilized, due to his average height and habit, he slouched, but loved cycling and fishing.

– So, gentlemen, – Lviv quickly began to say, gesturing with his hands, – in the history of science, such discussions ending in a fight were far from rare! Yes, very frequent! – and he hit the table with his very strong fist – And so, in 1355, February, and a whole massacre took place, and in the city of Oxford. The tragedy occurred on the day of St. Scholastica, and began in a drinking establishment, the Swindlestock Tavern. Then students at Oxford Town Hall started a fight with the townspeople, in which 65 students and 30 townspeople died. So, the police suppression of student unrest has a deep history, gentlemen… the professor uttered his escapade and fell silent.

The wooditorium also died down, and Arseniy Arkadyevich gladly watched his pince-nez on his thoughtful students. Finally, he smiled, took out a notebook and began to read:

“Such sought-after knowledge is worth more than any other treasure, it helps the poor to rise from the dust, it makes the noble noble, rewards him with a brilliant reputation, allowing the noble to surpass the low-born, to belong to the chosen ones.” These are the words of the great Grammar Mino da Colet, a French scientist of the fifteenth century. Even then, reasonable people understood the full benefits of the Enlightenment and science. And you, Tsyplakov and Feofanov, sit in your places and write down. Do not worry, I will not report anything to the dean’s office.

He got up, armed himself with a pointer, like Ivan Tsarevich with a sword-follower, and approached the map. In front of it is the Ural Range with the Urals. The area was depicted in full detail. Nearby there was also a map of the areas adjacent to the White Sea.

– So, gentlemen, I consider it important to acquaint you with the opus of an Oxford University professor about Heartland, Hearts of the Earth. This is not some self-taught person without a degree, an understudied pseudogeny, but John Halford Mackinder himself. And Mackinder calls the territory of Russia from the Arkhangelsk province to Taimyr, including the Northern Urals, the Heart of the Earth. This event took place on January 2, 1904, shortly before the memorable Japanese War, and does not look random at all…