Skeleton with a key on a neck.
Skeleton with a key on a neck.
ONLY after the automatic turn which have thundered at torpedohranilishcha,
Field investigators from special department of a squadron of submarines have become interested
Mysterious "newcomer" who frightened sentries in polnolunnye nights of the
Sudden occurrence in post borders. Under stories of eyewitnesses, it was
The high healthy fellow in the military form of the unknown sample, which silently
Approached on a post or passed by, and after a hail "Stand! Who goes?"
- Disappeared, as if being dissolved in a night haze.
Sailors guard roty, discussing this phenomenon in a smoking-room, even
Have thought up a nickname to the night visitor - "Planting". At next it
The phenomenon have not sustained nerves at the young guard. I read it
Explanatory note. Here it: "I, sailor Alim Hajbergenovich Hasanov, in
Night with 14 for January, 15th of this year has taken up post N 9. At 0 o'clock 20 minutes
Has noticed a post going in borders a figure of the person of the big growth. On a question
"Stand, who goes?" The unknown person has not responded and continued movement in mine
The party. I have sent in addition a cartridge in a cartridge chamber of the automatic machine and have warned: "Stand,
I will shoot! "But the unknown person went directly on me. I have made
Precautionary shot upwards. But it has not stopped it. Then with
Distances in thirty metres I have opened fire on defeat. When has come running
The chief of sentry, anybody any more was not ".
There were no also traces in snowdrifts, nametennyh at a wire entanglement,
Whence has appeared "Planting". Nevertheless osobisty took a phantom in
"Working out" also have soon found out, that hidden traces "Planting" conduct in
Children's sports school. The cleaner has confirmed: "Yes, here he lives, in
podsobke We there to be cleaned to go we are afraid! "It has spent the inspector in
Closet where old floor-mats were stored, "goats", boxing "pears" and has nodded on
Grey canvas cover from under a collapsible kayak. "There it, look!"
The officer has unlaced a bag and has sighed: a yellow skull over a heap of the human
Bones has strictly looked at it empty eye-sockets Here the principal has come
Evgenie Dobrovolsky - and all was explained.
- Whence bones?
- With Musta-Tunturi.
This name in transfer with loparskogo means "the Black ridge".
There there passed a first line of defence of peninsula Fishing. Till the autumn
1944 our marines held front against mountain huntsmen of the general
Ditla. Thousand soldiers poleglo in mosses and topjah mountain tundra. Germans of the
Victims collected and buried. We both have gone west, and have left
Hundreds and hundreds not buried fighters. Their skeletons and until now lay in the Valley
Death, along coast Western Litsy. Now every summer Evgenie
Dobrovolsky and its pupils go to backwoods Kola
Peninsulas to collect remains of the compatriots, to bury them in
Communal graves. What for searchers have brought these bones to a city?
- Because we wish to pass them to Finland. - Dobrovolsky has explained.
- Last year we have found at an input in podskalnyj a blindage a skeleton of the killed
The Finnish officer. It was huge growth. Boots obviously were well saved
45th size. Apparently, the Finn was lost in October of forty fourth, numbers
10 - 12th when we have broken through long-term defence and have sent on errands Germans
To Norway. Find it the death earlier, it pogrebli as it is necessary.
And so it laid with interrupted bertsovoj a bone at an input in a blindage. It is necessary
To believe, it at first has wounded in a foot, and he has died of blood loss. Fingers
The dead person compressed a clay tubule - it has smoked it, waiting death On
To neck the key which has been pressed out silver perstenkom hung. Someone has hung up to it this
Key from the house - mother or the wife? Has hung up fortunately supposedly necessarily
You will return, if the key is near to you. But the talisman has not worked
On internal obodke perstenka the heart, any is squeezed out
Index "813 N" and a tiny profile of an eagle I wish to contact Finnish
Consulate in Peter. Perhaps, its employees will help to find
Relatives of this officer? Though, of course, data on him, to put it mildly,
It is poorly.
Osobist has advised to Dobrovolsky to clean bones from school and to bury
Them somewhere in hills. But the director has transferred a cover with a skeleton to the
Garage. And we has soon taken place with it acquaintance. I peered at the colour
The photos made Evgenie Konstantinovichem, on places of former fights, and
styla blood in veins: in dark green mosses skulls in punched helmets laid,
The skeletons bleached by the Arctic sun compressed rusty rifles, and scarlet
Cowberry specks strikingly resembled drops of the non-drying soldier's
Blood...
I have told, that business trip in Helsinki is necessary to me and, can,
I will manage to learn there something about this Finnish officer from a ridge
Musta-Tunturi.
- Then take with itself this key! Perhaps it is useful
And here there is I in the middle of Helsinki with a key from another's apartment in a pocket.
Also is not present at me in this city of any familiar Finn and any acquaintance
Finns. And you will ask nobody - where this street, where this house, and in general
Whose is a key? And the lock, can, for a long time have replaced. And the house for half a century
Could take down. And then, why Dobrovolsky has decided, that the officer from
Helsinki? And if he lived in Turku or Hamine? Here only itself "Planting"
Can help. Here let is night the phantom and itself will direct me, where
It is necessary.
FROM SUCH thought even murashki on a back have run. Business by the evening,
I one in a hotel room, hotel in the old house Only ghosts to me
Did not suffice. Is not present, let he will better prompt the address any to others
In the way. We will tell, I at random open a telephone directory, and there a mark
Nail against the necessary address Too it is not necessary - too simply. But
The book has just in case opened. My God, how much addresses a close font!.
Yes I will not begin to search. It is impossible! Also what to me to this Finnish guy?
It is not enough at us the unknown soldiers?
At night involuntarily listened to each scratch, to the slightest rustle
Tried to imagine it: well tall, under two metres. Should
To be, very self-confident. Did not believe neither in the God, nor in line: a key from the house
And a neck carried - a pier, all the same I will return, to all death to spite! Also has not returned
I will tell fairly: Helsinki not that city in which pulls to reflect
On subjects beyond the grave. Here it is too much temptations and entertainments. Next morning I
Has forgotten and about a key, and bones in a bag from under a kayak.
There was last day April, and helsinktsy were going to mark
Ancient pagan festival - Walpurgis night. In the Middle Ages and
Germans, and Finns believed, that on the night of May, first of a witch and demons are going to
On main shabash on a grief Broken near a city of Graz. And sacred
Valpurgija self-denyingly exhausted evil spirit. Therefore have named this
Night its cleaning name... More shortly, in Helsinki began absolutely
Especial carnival. At night Vapuu as say here a name sacred, police
Does not notice any wild behaviour - it is possible though on hands on the Esplanade
To go, it is possible to water with champagne a bronze figure of nude beauty Amanty,
That costs in the middle of a fountain, it is possible, upivshis in an insole, to sleep on most
Accurate lawns in the world...
To cafe of my hotel too there was an impetuous fun. Red-cheeked
The girl in monastic vestments represented Valpurgiju and offered visitors
To guess their thoughts, desire and in general everything, that will come in a head. It has approached
To my little table. I have got a copper key from a pocket and have asked in English
- Where that door which it unlocks?
- About, of course, in my heart! - with a laughter cheerful "conventual" has responded.
Laughter laughter, but eventually, having got tired from performance, it has sat down for
My little table with the girlfriend. We have met, and I have told Ajne so called
rjazhenuju Valpurgiju, sad history of a key. Fun in the opinion of mine
slushatelnits slightly pougaslo. Ajna has told, that it the daughter of the owner of hotel and
That, if I do not mind, she will ask council the father how to search for the address
The lost officer. Then dashing valpurgieva night has again gone the
Turn...
NEXT DAY during a breakfast the waiter has passed me visiting
Card of the owner of hotel of mister Pakkanena and the request to glance to it in
Office. Father Ajny very high young-looking blonde spoke Russian with
Typically Finnish devocalization of sonorous consonants:
- SHto still you snaete about upitogo ofisera?
I have recollected, that Dobrovolsky showed a skull to the city
To the medicolegal expert and that has found in area of nose bridge a trace purely
Boxing trauma. Probably, the lost officer was engaged in boxing. Small, but
Nevertheless zatsepka, and it has rather pleased my interlocutor.
- I will try something usnat! You could not leave to me for a while
Photo and key?
Certainly, I have left both that, and another. On that ambassador of the ritual
Cups of coffee we also have said goodbye. So, the certain hidden button has been pressed,
And search has gone already behind my back, as though in an automatic mode. I
Was engaged in the affairs, almost not believing in success of hopeless business. Unless
It is possible to find for the person, knowing about him only that at it the big size
Footwear and what was engaged once in boxing?
In day of departure to me has called excited Ajna:
- We have found!.
- Relatives of the officer?
- No, a door which unlocks this key! We now will call in on you!
And it has fetched me on the car of the friend. Has told,
That the father has passed a picture and a key to the familiar correspondent of the Helsinki
TV. That has informed on Dobrovolsky's find in the program of news.
The woman who knows secret of this completely not gold has there and then responded
Key.
- Here now we to it also go! - joyfully declared Ajna. - It
Lives in suburb. These are half an hour of driving from the centre.
Without special work we have found cosy kottedzhik under the tile
Roof in the northeast from capital. Us has met and has spent in the house
The elderly woman in garden overalls. Long and with emotion explained
Something Ajne, and that, at last, has translated me a story essence. It appears, mother
Mistresses of the house spent the groom on front, having handed over to it fortunately a key
From the apartment. The Old woman-Swede knowing magic of the ancient Scandinavian
Fleeces, has started talking it in a special way. The groom nevertheless from war not
Has returned.
- But mum waited its all life to the death. - the mistress exclaimed
At home. - she believed, that once it will come and will open a door the key.
Therefore never changed the lock, even when from it have been lost all
Keys. Several years ago in our Helsinki apartment it was necessary to us
To do the big repair. Have replaced an entrance door. But old, in memory of mum
And its correct love, we have brought for a city and have put here in a shed.
- How called its groom?
- I do not know. She always named it by name - Arvi.
- Perhaps, there were his letters?
- Can be... But we store all old papers in a city. Yes them
It is not enough. And here a door can look. In it still that
The lock.
And we have passed in depth of a garden. There there was the small small house which has been cut down
From a bar - something like a workshop and storehouse of garden stock. On
It svezhepokrashennoj doors it was saved even bronze nomerok the city
Apartments - "17". The daughter of the former bride ill-fated Arvi has inserted a key in
The lock, and it has easily opened.
We looked at it as on a small miracle. It was sad because,
That here callous things - the key and the lock, - have found each other through so much
Years. And liking hearts and could not make it. A door unlocked
The started talking key, nevertheless has swung open. But it has opened in emptiness
Dark shed. It is visible, something was confused by the old woman-Swede in fleeces,
Here also left nestykovka times.
We have left. At anybody the hand has not risen to pull out a key from the lock...
Moscow - Polar - Helsinki.
Nikolay TCHERKASHIN.
//* an information Source: the Russian newspaper, 21.08.98
//* Reg. Nom. - 1080800195.06-------------------------------------------
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