Portartur. 1940

The soldiers saw that in the last three evenings the statute did not go out of the hands of the teachers, who were gathered in groups. Separated Ostapov fell silent. Lessons in literature were now without slaps and goose steps.

More and more often, the teachings on the question: “Who is our external enemy?” – the word slipped: Japan. For the first time in the barracks it was mentioned by Lieutenant Karamyshev. Testing the work of teachers, he asked young soldiers questions about “internal” and “external” enemies, and he himself replied that Japan was the external enemy in the Far East, which was preparing hard for war with Russia.

Chapter four

one

In the beginning of January, Modest Vladimirovich Inov with his family left Harbin for Dalny to work as an assistant director in the branch of the Russian-Chinese Bank. The small town, originally laid out on the beach, first liked Valais. Enveloped on one side by hills and bays on the other, it was not like the cold Irkutsk and dusty Harbin. It was a lot of exotic, and in the early days he fascinated the girl. Most of all she liked the beautiful harbor, filled with huge steamships. The long pier protected the inner pond from the swell. In the streets, among the original red-brick buildings, lively crowds often gathered from Russian, German, French, American and English sailors. There were also negros who stood out for their curly hair and tall stature. There were shouts and curses in different languages around Chinese shops and stores.

The Japanese kept themselves apart. Anger and envy were concentrated on their yellow faces.They viewed the harbor, ships, new buildings and merry Russian sailors frowningly.

A capacious theater was erected near the sea. The cathedral, hospital and city government were already built.

From the very first days of her stay in the Far, Valya noticed that in the town they live happily, even too merrily and carelessly.

Inova occupied a beautifully furnished apartment. The whole furnishings of the apartment belonged to the bank and were handed over to the newly arrived employees during their work in the city of Dalny.

Two weeks after arrival, Modest Vladimirovich gave a semi-official evening, to which representatives of the city, military units, as well as commercial dealers, the bank’s main customers, were invited.

Inov’s wife, Serafima Prokopyevna, was worried. She wanted the first to come family colleagues, but the servant introduced Lykov.

– Old friend. Very happy.

Lykov, shaking his head, wanted to say something, but a group of guests arrived, and the hostess rose to meet them. In the first days of the arrival, the Inovy Lykov often came to them. Valya did not go into the living room when Lykov was there.

One of the guests, a supplier of the forest, obese, with a drooping chin and small eyes, after adjusting his long mustache, asked:

– What’s new, gentlemen?

“The Japanese are moving,” said Lieutenant Gladyshev.

“And the fortress is poorly armed, including Kinzhou,” said the captain in gold glasses, and his voice seemed to everyone somewhat squeaky and irritated.

“It’s unthinkable to imagine a fortress appearing by magic,” the colonel of the engineering troops remarked with a grin.

“They spent twice as many millions on a toy town Dalny,” the captain shouted even louder. – Meanwhile, the place chosen absurd. Firstly – far from the fortress, secondly – the device of the harbor requires tremendous costs and, thirdly – once far from the fortress, it is necessary to put batteries here against the attack of the enemy from the sea. One attack of the destroyers – and all commercial ships captured in the commercial port, will fall to the bottom of the bay. We need a fortress as a safe haven for naval military vessels, and not a trinket like the city of Dalny.

– Nikolai Stepanovich, you are an impossible person. You look at the surroundings from your bell tower… The main task of the Russians is the commercial development of the region. We must show the British, the French, the Germans, and the Japanese, that we are engaged in peaceful affairs on the Kwantung Peninsula.

– Politics, politics… Measure, but do not get carried away, do not forget the danger – the captain did not let up. – A fist hangs over your head, and you have a decoration with the words “peaceful construction”.

– Do not exaggerate the danger.

Modest Vladimirovich entered. The owner was an elegant and pleasant-looking man. His broad face with a broad forehead enlivened large light brown eyes.

– Hello, master. It’s boring without you, – rising from the table, said Lykov.

– Sorry, today I unexpectedly stayed in the bank.

Almost after Modest Vladimirovich, the mother and daughter of Lastochkin entered. Tanya Lastochkina looked at the guests with surprised eyes.

Lykov, leaning over to his neighbor the lieutenant, whispered:

– Here you, Lieutenant, and the first swallow.

– Pretty but impassable fool. I am familiar with her. Finger about the finger does not want to hit, and reads only the application to the magazine “Homeland”.

Tanya went to the room Vali. The captain was still arguing with the colonel. The lieutenant approached them.

Inov knew about the restless captain, whose judgments aptly hit the mark. He was disliked.

“I wish the currency would come and play,” the owner thought.

Serafima Prokopievna returned to the living room, accompanied by Tanya and Vali.

– Gentlemen, I ask for a glass of tea.

A Chinese servant appeared in soft shoes on high soles because of the drapery, followed by a fight with a dish filled with biscuits and sweets. None of the guests paid attention to the servant and the boy, dressed in silk national costumes. Everyone looked at Valya. Her large, oblong face was stern. She smiled with her eyes and that was enough: the guests saw before them a beautiful and calm girl. Valya matured. Thin wrinkles lay on her forehead near the bridge. Guests with a low bow shook the girl’s hand. The captain greeted the last. Holding her hand, he asked:

– Valentina Modestovna, play for us something. In this city, we so rarely heard good music.

Valya broke out. The words of the captain seemed to her the first technique of courtship. Without taking away her hands, she replied:

What do you? I’m just learning.

– Beg. The music is comforting, and I miss my family so much. I have a small, eyed daughter…

– Aaaa, – Valya gently stretched out and squeezed a hand to the captain. – We will choose together what to play.

The girl took a tray with sweets from the battlefield – he was waiting for her at the portiere – and went around all the guests.

The captain stood by the window.

“I would like to listen to Tchaikovsky,” he said when Valya approached him.

– I’ll play, Nikolay Stepanovich, but later. We do not know the guests… What do you say against the “Storm on the Volga?”

Nikolai Stepanovich nodded approvingly and thought: “What a clever girl, exactly like my Natasha.”

The musical play was listened to in complete silence, and when Valya finished, Lykov approached the piano.

– Divinely! Russian motives, our Volga…

How is your health, Valentina Modestovna?

The captain winced and stepped aside.

Valya looked at Lykov and smiled.

“Firewood and T-beams have been well studied, but I have not mastered the approach to people,” she thought.

“Play something else,” the lieutenant shouted. – Strauss waltz. While Valya was playing, more guests came up: the director of the bank and a trusted local large trading company Churin and Co. with their wives. Modest Vladimirovich announced that the dancing would begin now, and he sat down at the piano. The evening was lively. Valya danced with Lykov, the lieutenant and the captain, but talked exclusively with Nikolai Stepanovich. She asked him about his family, about his service, about the province.

“I do not know much about China, and even less about the Japanese… I turn red with shame…”

At the end of the dinner, men more and more began to be put to the glass. Lykov reddened and revived. The lieutenant purred the tune from the Merry Widow. The captain drank brandy, but with restraint. He stopped the lieutenant, who was headed to the living room.

– Let’s drink… I dug up the Martel cognac of the highest brand… A curious thing with a lemon… Let the girls play. From here it’s even better to listen.

Valya played a potpourri from Russian songs.

– Here it is, holy Russia! – exclaimed Lykov. – Let’s drink to the great Russian people, gentlemen! What are you pouring in there, captain? For the Russian people – and brandy? No, you need a glass of little white!

“Agreed,” said the captain. – Russian vodka is so Russian vodka…

They all drank and began to eat, and the captain stood with an outstretched hand.

– Well, you, Nikolai Stepanovich? – asked the lieutenant. Everyone turned toward the captain.

– And I will drink. But let me, dear Lykov, tell you, as a Russian man and a merchant, a few words … – The captain with an outstretched hand in which he held the glass, approached Lykov:

– Chase away the Japanese girl who lives with you.

– Allow me. This is my private affair.

– Not! This is a purely public matter! – cried out Nikolay Stepanovich. “In your house, not a beautiful Madame for your pleasure, but a Japanese agent.”

Lykov blushed deeply.

– It can not be! She accepted the Russian faith.

– I know. In Japan, Russian money contains a factory of Japanese spies. She is nicknamed the Russian Orthodox mission.

The lieutenant tried to pull out the captain.

– You forget, Lieutenant! I understand what I’m saying. With knowledge of the Russian language and with a prayer, it is much better to fool… No, this is a disgrace! The captain cried out again, responding to the puzzled looks of the guests. “We pay spies for our money, we warm them in our breasts… Laundresses, hairdressers, battles, tailors… All this horde of hundreds of eyes looks at what we are doing here and how many of us are on Kvantun. Try to hide from them and keep state secrets. All of them – rope loop, in which we stand with both feet. The time will come, they will pull at its end, and we will clatter… We will clash at full length.

Lykov lowered his head. Most of the guests thought, and the supplier of the forest said:

– It is necessary to pour on a glass and wash the eyes… The coppers and kept women were frightened. Eka, think, passion!

– You are a scoundrel! – screamed the captain. “Come out to the courtyard, I’ll rip you by the ears.” And here, you know, with ladies uncomfortable.

– What? What? – blinked eyes supplier of the forest.

“Let’s go for some fresh air,” said the bank director, frightened, and led the fat man to the porch.

– I’m sorry, gentlemen. But please carefully think about my words. Not today, then tomorrow is war, and we are hung up with helpful Japanese… Oh my God, when will everyone understand this danger!

The voice of the captain trembled. He wiped his glasses and made a general bow, he left.

– What an impossible person! – exclaimed the guests.

“You do not know Nikolai Stepanovich Rezanov,” said the colonel. – There is a lot of truth in his words. Japan is growing. Authoritative military experts do not deny serious danger. My colleague, engineer Colonel Velichko, who was sent here to draft the fortress, wrote in his report for 1899: “The more the port of Dalniy develops commercially and is more widely supplied with all port facilities – docks, marinas, coal, etc. he will be more suitable for the services of the enemy… And if the enemy seizes the port of Dalniy and will have to meet his concentration in Arthur, then the railway connecting the Dalniy with Port Arthur will bring him great benefit and allow him to concentrate under the fortress Yew significant siege means. “Undoubtedly, a trade port should have been built in Pigeon Bay and its adjacent gulfs. There was a project – to connect the channel of the western basin of Arthur with the Pigeon Bay. Then, of course, it would turn out very stable.

The noise in the dining room made Valya alert. She sat at the piano and waited for the captain, whom she promised to play one of his favorite pieces of music.

A lieutenant came swaying.

“I never expected it,” he laughed. – Lykov has a Japanese spy lives on. – The lieutenant, having learned about Lykov’s courting for Vale, was offended. – Merchant licentiousness! Naughty! Lykovschina!..

Valya got up and, turning, looked sternly at the lieutenant.

– Where is Nikolai Stepanovich? Gone home? And you, Igor Sergeyevich, know Lykov well? I am not inclined to praise him, and yet, I beg you, do not lose respect for yourself…

The lieutenant instantly otrezvetel and clutching his head, ran out of the living room.

– What tactlessness! Tikhon would not do that, “whispered Valya.

2

As soon as Lykov went to visit, Sasha-san sat down at her desk and began to carefully write down the numbers from the railway consignment notes and steamship bills of lading.

“Larch bars – 1,200 pieces, pine bars – 20,000 pieces, T-shaped beams – 6,000 pieces, cement – 1,500 barrels”.

– Sasha-san made such notes calmly and freely even in the presence of Lykov.

After the scandal at the Inovy Lykov before everyone went home. He felt sad and annoyed. He laughed internally at the captain’s conclusions, but the doubt crept in.

Sasha-san met her host with a joyful smile and wanted to go with him to the bedroom.

– . Wait, my dear. I need to read one letter. It lies on the desk.

They entered the office. Seeing a long sheet of fine Japanese paper written up, Lykov laughed:

– Again, a letter to dad and mom? You teach me to write in Japanese. Beautiful squiggles you go out.

Lykov put his hand on the letter and looked at him.

“Numbers. Why the numbers in the letter? “He thought, and the blood rushed to his face. He leaned on the table with his whole chest, as if searching for the paper he needed, he looked at the results of the consignment notes and bills of lading. The letter had the same numbers.

– I can not find. Did put in the safe? Did you finish writing? Stop it Let’s go to sleep. Go get the bed ready and I’ll lock the paper. You, my dear, tortured with translations of bills of lading.And I still walk. Sabbat! Seriously take up the Russian case.

The Japanese woman kissed Lykov and went into the bedroom, and he grabbed all the correspondence from the table.

“Wait! I have another key to a fireproof cabinet. It probably does not fit here, “thought Lykov, locking the safe. He took the key out of his wallet. – Very similar to each other. Does not fit. Fine… It will be funny if thieves steal the keys …”

Sasha-san was lying in bed with her eyes closed. Lykov was not allowed to sleep by surging thoughts. Right or wrong captain? Having stretched his arms, Lykov pretended to snore. It took ten – twelve weary minutes. Sasha-san pulled her legs out of bed and put her hand under the pillow behind the keys. Rising, she stood to her full height and, pouring cold water into a glass, listened to Lykov’s snoring, then moved away from the bed and quietly moved toward the door.

Finding herself at the safe, she used the usual gesture to take the key and shoved it into the well. Excluded. Turned over. Again not included. Sasha-san’s forehead was covered with cold sweat.

“Any new keys? Why don’t I know anything about them? “She thought, and returned to the bedroom. Lykov was still snoring.

“Likhomanka shook. Are you worried? The key did not fit? So it’s a serious matter. Cleverly I thought up! Dad and Mom will not receive another letter.” Lykov could not resist and laughed.

– What’s the matter? – screamed the Japanese and threw back the blanket.

– I had a merry dream. Sleep Tomorrow I will tell.

The troubles of the night tired Sasha-san, and before dawn, lulled by the light snoring of her host, she fell soundly asleep. Lykov played the sleeper all night. It was not difficult – the annoyance of himself inflated his nerves.

At eight and a half hours he got up and, having chosen yesterday’s bypass from the safe, went to the bank.

– There, probably, there are translators. I’ll check, and tomorrow I’ll take action. Scandal!..

Returning to dinner, he did not find the Japanese. It soon became clear that she had disappeared along with Cherry-san.

3

And the second night Lykov was worried, but already alone. He did not regret the Japanese woman, but he was stifling anger: how was that? He, a Russian merchant, was suddenly held by the Japanese! Babu fooled! A captain is right a thousand times…

The next morning, Lykov went to Arthur, instructing a reliable person to watch the departing Japanese women on the pier.

Port Arthur lived the life of a large port city, and Far from it seemed an abandoned exhibition that played its role and was subject to destruction. The plans of the governor Alekseev were opposite to the plans of Count Witte. The deputy did not pay attention to the Far, and tried to build more commercial buildings in Port Arthur itself. Forty millions spent on a commercial port hung in the air long before the declaration of war. Port Arthur would look completely different if these millions were spent on it.

As soon as Lykov arrived in Port Arthur, he was stunned by all sorts of rumors. Tokyo still defends the demands made of St. Petersburg, and in every way intimidates our government; in turn, in Petersburg they talk ungraciously with the Japanese ambassador. The Japanese living in Arthur, liquidate their affairs and leave. Lykov was personally convinced of this: the Japanese barber shop of the “chief chief of the Kwantung Oblast” (as it was written on the sign) was closed. Lykov spent the whole day unshaven and often mentally exclaimed:

“All is fine with them.” They will come to shave, they talk, and the Japanese spy listens. There are no Russian hairdressing salons, but the Chinese are not very clean…

Particularly intriguing was the rumor about a treaty between the Chinese government, Japan, and the United States, according to which the Celestial Empire gave some of its ports to the designated states.

Lykov was surprised to see the fighting ships repainted gray. Many of them were urgently filmed with excessive rigging and inventory-disturbing equipment.

The soldiers marched in full ammunition, and decently dressed civilian Japanese walked around the harbor.

“There are plenty more Japanese,” thought Lykov, “but there really shouldn’t be any on Kvantuna at all.”

An alarming condition swept the inhabitants. And only the military looked calm and, it seemed to Lykov, even careless.

– However, what to worry? To be ready for everything is their direct duty, – decided Lykov.

four

It was the eve of the Chinese New Year. The streets were discharged merchants and coolies. Red stickers with various good wishes glittered on shops, carts, gates of dwellings, hauliers of peddlers and even on rocker arms of water carriers.

In the restaurant, Lykov met a familiar naval officer.

– How are you in the Far? – he asked.

We live as if in an abandoned village. Meanwhile, events seem to be brewing.

– Yes, the Japanese squash.

– Are we ready?

– Sure.

“I don’t like the external raid,” said Lykov. – It is difficult to keep track of the enemy destroyers.

“Sorry, but this is a naive question.” Every night there are patrols of combat light vessels. But we, the sailors, do not assume that there will be military actions, although we want them. Japanese should have taught a lesson.

– Tell me, do you have our vessels in other nearby ports, for example in Korean ones? In my opinion, in such an alarming time, all vessels must be assembled so that they will not be shot one by one.

– You worry in vain.

– I will tell you in a friendly way, there is much carelessness among the military. They say that naval officers do not always spend the night on their ships.

– It happens. War is not declared.

“One shouldn’t lose sensitivity,” said Lykov, sighing, and blushed, remembering the Japanese woman.

– Are you worried. I am pleased to hear how Russian people care about our fleet… But Alexander Petrovich, you merchants often obscure your mind, and you, not you personally, of course, go to criminal deals, although they are to the detriment of the treasury.

– For example?

– We are released bad coal, poor quality provisions.

– Watch, check.

– You have to be everywhere and honest in everything. We, the sailors, can be blamed for drunkenness, but by no means cheating.

– Drinking is also a waste! – exclaimed Lykov. – You are wasting your health and time. Meanwhile, both should be used to study the environment and new advances in technology. Sorry, captain, I have been told many times: young naval officers are inert in their studies. Not many follow Admiral Makarov’s example.

– Quite you worry. Everything is good. Sleep well… But you, dear friend, are you a weak drinker?

– I quit drinking and smoking.

– What is it?

– I decided to marry. And the girl from such that does not love drinking and smoking.

– Spit and find another.

– You can not, sir, heart, sir! – smiling, answered Lykov.

Chapter five

one

January 26 evening, the Chinese began to celebrate their new year. Fireworks and firecrackers cracked everywhere. An unimaginable noise hit the strained nerves of the Russian inhabitants.

“Has it really begun?” – each of them thought. But, having learned what was the matter, the Porturtians calmed down.

…The night was dark, moonless, cold. A light fog enveloped the combat vessels that stood on the outer roadstead. Lighthouse lights blinked warmly. Rays of searchlights ran and then glided along the horizon. Port Arthur Harbor, not yet in-depth, did not have a permanent free passage for large vessels. At the entrance and exit, they used the clock tide.

The squadron stood on the outer roadstead in three lines: in the north – the battleships “Petropavlovsk”, “Poltava”, “Sevastopol”; in the south – the cruisers Angara, Diana, Pallada, Bayan and Askold; in the middle between the two groups are the handsome battleships Peresvet, Pobeda, Retvizan, and Tsesarevich.

The destroyers Thunderbolt and Fearless cruised along the line of long-distance protection. Cruiser “Novik” and “Boyar” stood near the shore.

A light southerly wind enveloped the ships with a warm mist. By ten o’clock at night there was silence, which was disturbed only by a slight splashing of the waves.

Around midnight there was an explosion of a mine at the port side of the Retvizan. A minute later, the Tsesarevich opened fire on the Japanese torpedoes rushing at him. Following this, volleys of rapid fire rang out from other ships.

Huge pillars of water soared near the “Tsarevich” and “Pallas.” The unfortunate vessels lurched and, choosing anchors, headed towards the harbor entrance. Enemy destroyers pursued the “Cesarevich”, but were met with amicable fire from ship guns. A few minutes later one of them sank. The rest turned back.

Wounded “Retvizan” first went to the Tiger Tail and buried his nose on the shore. At the “Tsesarevich” they did not become confused and filled the corresponding compartments with water in time, otherwise the battleship would turn over.

The inhabitants of Arthur took the first shots of the outbreak of war for practice shooting.

In the army rose turmoil. The commandant of the fortress Stessel arrived at the headquarters.

– All rotam immediately take shore batteries.

“Your Excellency, there is no disposition,” said the chief of staff.

Stoessel’s eyes widened, his mouth parted, his fat chin sagged.

– Ugliness! – Stoessel swore. – It was necessary to think about it before. Would develop and submit for review and approval… Call and send messengers so that each company takes the appropriate battery and guards the approaches to it.

“What company and what battery?” Which flank to strengthen?

– Children’s questions. The chief of staff and company commanders themselves must know their business. Do I have the right to rely on their ingenuity and quickness?

– They have nothing to do with it. Your Excellency should have all the threads in his hands and a plan developed with your participation.