* * *
She took Ignatius with pictures to Varya safely, the next day Ignatius left to study in the Lavra, they will no longer see each other. Joanna with her head again plunge into the bustle, scenic and family affairs.
Only at night she dreamt about Luzhino, red sunset trunks of pine trees. Redhead spirit of Alma wet with dew feet, and she and Ignatius wandered hand in hand, talking quietly, without a word.
She dreamt of the spring again asked for his uncle Evgene in the attic, and gathered to him all the best-selling detectives, but in February, the grandfather was suddenly taken to hospital with stroke.
Varya is his dedication nursed him without leaving his bed, and seemed to deliver on its feet, but on March 8 unconscious patients got alcohol and arranged womanly holiday.
The result was a second stroke.
Joanna could not go to the funeral. She was fortieth day obit, where she learned that uncle Eugene left the unexpected will, determining half the dacha in Luzhino to his nephew Gleb.
That numerous direct relatives are in a rage and say weak-minded grandfather was cheated by 'a cursed sect' and threatened with court.
Father Cyprian did not bless to sue, and commanded the inheritance refuse, which was done to the great chagrin of Joanna. Although it is in my heart, and admired the obedience of the law over Hleb, not allowing to sue.
The heirs, apparently not very firm belief in Gleb's intentions, and not reluctant to spend feeding each summer in a joint scandals and bickering, they decided to sell the dacha and divide the money.
The spring and the summer passed.
Amendments, artistic council, photography, shopping, fights with Philip getting out of hand of and mother-in-law who in her old age became completely wild. Then in September for three weeks with Denis in Pitsunda in the house of Cinematographers.
Denis saw that something happening to her, but he preferred nothing to ask and let sleeping dogs lie.
It was a progressive loss of interest in life. By new movies, books, conversations, old friendships and connections. She seemed to be regularly played long boring role, resigned indifference, waiting for the same sound, and her last remark can be to leave the scene.
After Luzhino's library Joanna completely lost interest in the so-called 'secular culture'. Once Denis saw that she was reading at the beach copier 'The Ladder' by Reverend Father Joann. He read at random:
'Often the worm, reaching the perfect age, gets wings and is carried away in height, so vanity, reaching its fullness, gives birth to pride, that very boss and maker all evil'.
'Well, my wife is going to a monastery, and this one is an untalented writer
'An untalented writer' was Kravchenko, vacationing in Pitsunda with his wife Nina and twin sons, masters of the sport of swimming.
The sons all day storming sea, Nina studied the foreign scientific journals, and settled down, the dieter Kravchenko (he recently began to grow stout) swallowed instead of eating some American powders and avidly wrote nursery rhymes in the life of insects, fish and mammals.
All were in business, but Dennis is terribly annoying, he considered it 'kooky', preventing from doing the cause.
Their common cause.
'Worm gets its wings and is carried away by high ... Wow! Vanity engenders pride, this very boss and maker of all evil...
Is pride really evil?
Joanna said that in the pride of Satan was cast out of heaven, imagines himself to second god. Disabling the disembodied world, and then people from the only source of life and plunging into the darkness of the universe, disaster and death.
She said that what we have gifts from God, and proud of it is madness.
'Does it not do depend on us?
Joanna referred to the Gospel parable of the talents given to leave the house master multiple slaves. You can multiply the talent and win the praise of the Lord, you can bury in the ground and just save, but what is the use of this save?
Is it possible, even worse, and an enemy to serve God-given talents. Here we have freedom of choice.
Then Dennis asked who is in her enlightened opinion, are they?
Joanna had got used to the rejection of society calls on religious themes, sometimes straight smile. They were regarded as something obscene, like talking about death.
At first it hurt, angered, amazed. Like any neophyte it seemed that we need only to talk about what suddenly became clearer and clearer important for herself, will be around to listen, her mouth open, and will run if not in the church, on the reading and second-hand in search of such hard-to-time spiritual literature.
But the seed is rarely caught on fertile ground people often brushed aside, the conversation to another topic.
The most enlightened usual joke, some annoyed. Or openly hinted that she was 'a bit of that'.
Sometimes, however, listened with his mouth open, read in one gulp, gasp, admired and ... continued to live quietly, as they lived.
'My sheep know my voice'...
And she is going to call? Is lead a Christian life? It's still lukewarm, between heaven and earth. She was exhausted from all over this like a normal, like everyone else, life, and hated myself again.
Particularly badly felt during the so-called 'holiday', when, freed from the hustle and work, she found herself alone with her scourging thoughts.
'Well, who do we serve, Jeanne?'
This question of Denis about their co-creation, it has repeatedly asked himself, and, strangely enough, then her conscience was silent.
They exposed the flaws in people lighting up a dark, sinful side. Taught courage, honesty, goodness, justice, love of country, protecting the weak... Formally distant from religion, their films were Christian in nature.
Almost all of the so-called culture of socialist realism has in fact adopted the Christian ethic.
And Kolchugin is not James Bond, Superman, though. Bond protects an entirely different civilization, mentality, way of life.
The Lord said, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice'...
That is, I do not need your gifts, people. Give to save you, have mercy...
So Joanna answered to Dennis, and he liked it.
Hardly arrived, in mid-October, she will call Ware and at the same time with information about Ghana, who served as the summer 'on demand' in the suburban church, also know that shoppers in Luzhino's cottage is already there, waiting for just the documents on inheritance and will execute the sale...
Like fifty thousand, but the buyer, even though the money, a dental technician, leaned that more than forty-five will not. On and decided to do.
Even with Gleb promised them five thousand detach that very handy - repairs in the apartment started, now all gone up...
Prior to this conversation, she drove the thought of selling Luzhino, as the inevitable death in some vaguely distant future, the abstract. And suddenly this dental technician, forty-five thousand...
The amount of time seemed huge and ridiculous.
But is it possible to evaluate Luzhino? Luzhino was sacred.
And to think that in Ignatius studio, her attic for his wife's uncle's table and in the corners of the garden of heavenly groomed instead of Turgenev's skinny creatures with long skirts and headscarves, bending over the beds with Jesus or Mother of God with prayers, bearded men with their tricky spiritual conversations, their such ordinary and extraordinary kids, fasting and walking to confession; all this, let the alien, but only possible in the house of the world; will house a dental technician to forty-five thousand...
Specializes in 'bridge' and the gold crowns.
His many fat patients and patients with gold teeth, because low-fat treated at the district clinics - which would be drinking vodka, trample down grass, eat at fast chops false teeth and fuck her in the attic...
At this thought she felt an almost physical pain. And the knowledge that the profession of dental technician there is nothing wrong with that and can be quite intelligent, non-drinker, a good family man and even a believer, did not bring relief.
The desire to see Luzhino last time the same, undefiled, made her the next day to rush back, putting all the cases.
But she'd better not go.
The house was boarded up, the beds trampled. Of the numerous holes in the fence to seep from every neighbor voracious animals digging in the flower garden ravaged hens. At a distance goats something smartly pick, darted here and there a dog...
Joanna itself has penetrated through some hole, like a thief, and other thieves are not afraid of her, but still with obvious reluctance and indignation left the territory.
Joanna was left alone, she wanted to cry.
A house without the owner; the former is no longer the masters, new not yet...
Them with Luzhino Ignatius, which she saw in a dream at night, a sip of water in the desert, it seemed dead.
Even the red spirit of Alma left him, again, probably went to her childhood in a two-storey house with primeval doors, from which was born.
Only raw November wind flapped a broken window.
Yet the miracle was in the person of Father Tikhon, to which she had wrapped on the way back, not hoping that the temple is open, the day was a weekday and time, about eleven.
But the priest read the burial service the dead man, was standing near the church bus. She can say lucky.
'And God created them everlasting memory...'
'Holy Immortal, have mercy on us...'
The bus drove off.
'Father, do you recognize me?'
'O Joanna.'
Good with faded blue eyes, from rare white strands and dry hot hands, leaning over which Joanna, smells like incense.
'Well, dear, happened?'
From his 'dove' in her eyes immediately fill with tears, and she begins to lay out everything.
What's new sins, evil thoughts, and still vain silly life. It seems to be normal, like everyone else, and the sick and bored, with every day worse than.
And then there's summer residence is sold, where they lived before last summer...
'They are now on Paveletskaya removed,' said the priest. 'Father Cyprian get more comfortable, so that the glory of God...'
'Yes I know, I thought to myself...'
'And if to himself, and buy a dacha.'
'Me,' she was stunned. That did not occur to her.
'You are complaining about yourself that life in the world is inconvenienced. So I bless you... At the retreat, to work on the ground.
And in the church will often walk, then I do for you undertake. And then, I suppose, wash every day in the bath and forfeit any attention to the poor. And then one wonders what the soul cries...
Is the soul more precious than the body?
Buy Luzhino... It seemed to her less and less crazy.
'But ... Already there is a buyer! Forty-five thousand! He is a dental technician.'
'And you give fifty. What are you looking at? Sinning priest? So I have this sin upon himself and take it. I know them - will be sold to someone who would maybe more.'
To buy Luzhino! Now it seems to swing skyrocketed, breathtaking.
Darling, a terrific father, Tikhon! Is that possible?
And why not? Fifteen thousand it is something you can sell something to give Dennis-in-law, familiar in debt...
You can gather; it caught fire more and more.
'And not enough I will add,' father unexpectedly mischievous, in a young smile, 'Here is the deal. People at the temple to sacrifice, and spend money we do not - the state must give almost all. And where is the guarantee that they will go to charity? That lie, like the mutual aid fund, distributing a little needy.
'Thank you, father!'
'You will say thank you be when you become a hostess.'
And not me, but Lord, if it be His holy will.
And by giving the necessary instructions concerning Joanna her spiritual life, Father Tikhon let to the world. Although the peace of mind was not - the idea of buying Luzhino already possessed by the crown, as always happened to her desires.
At first, she ran to call Varya, barely find her at work. Cooking reacted to everything suddenly quiet.
'Well, it was used well. Father Tikhon is sagacious father, not bad advice. Be of good cheer.'
And gave the phone Uncle Eugene's heirs.
Those were pleasantly surprised, as predicted by the priest, find their way around, and broke down a little (it is not good of us, we have given the word) requested fifty-five.
They agreed on fifty-two, execution at its expense.
Then for a long time the game was played on the nerves; a dental technician also agreed to raise the price, then telling a fantastic story that's supposedly some friends for fifty thousand bought a barn, even without electricity, while others are over forty, and at all the unfinished frame, so even near was the radioactive dump...
Then he called himself a dental technician, and said that giving in Luzhino was rotten, rotten floors and hosts are rubbish. And he, an ardent admirer of the series, found a charming place in the region of Istria.
They sold the house and the village is very cheap, can be obtained at the village council, if the chairman a thousand or two and they promise to open a library or a dental clinic...
And would be nice to them with Joanna wave there in a wheelbarrow in the near future, to find a couple of houses and send Luzhino's grabber-hosts away.
As allies of the dental technician unexpectedly recruited by Dennis himself, who actually saw the intention of the wife as the next whim. But if a whim, the lowest price.
Pushkin felt nice to write in the village!
And Joanna was frantically collecting money.
And when the crafty dental technician also agreed at the fifty-two, announced that it gives fifty-five with his artwork.
And furthermore, agrees to pay immediately on receipt thirty thousandth deposit; money urgently needed for the purchase of a wedding co-op apartment for Gleb's nephew.
Joanna brought the money, which were immediately paid the rent.
And in her purse in Joanna's receipt was decisive: the payment for the purchase of villas, notarized.
'For the purchase of the dacha...' For Luzhino...
While still could happen, she crossed the receipt, then kissed and never knew what would it be done and where to put.
And then, shaking and could not find a place to March, while made out of the right to inheritance and had to be the same again to raise money by taking the remaining amount from his father Tikhon.
She did not go to the dacha because the road to the house was covered with snow. One could go on foot, but Joanna was in a hurry to Moscow.
Only a sweet heart sank at the sight of a familiar mezzanine.
With two bottles of champagne for the last ten she came home.
'I won, won! Luzhino is mine!' She wanted to scream to the world.
Philip, as always, was fiddling with his equipment.
'With money, ma, you can be a killjoy living in the Seaside,' Philip shook his head.
But champagne is still drunk.
The landowner Sinegina... It sounds!
'I hate dachas,' mother-in-law sighed, beating with a mixer cream, 'since childhood.'
'There's a hot in the heat cold in the cold; there are mosquitoes, flies, mice. But as they say, ' play keeps the baby from tears�
And she also sipped from her glass.
And then it almost fell through because the Luzhino attached to the neighboring towns, and to settle there were only permitted with the residence permit 'very deserved ones'.
That was Denis, winner of the party and all sorts of prizes. Joanna was listed as a co-writer.
It was decided to draw a house in Denis, who stocking references and characteristics, expressed, as always, remarkable business acumen.
Joanna could not stand the turmoil; fell ill with the flu for two days the temperature was kept under forty. Denis was wound between the shootings, suburban business, a pharmacy and a chair beside the aching Joan, whom he persistently stuffed with lime juice and tea.
By the 8th of March, he gave her a present: executed, and signed a contract to purchase Luzhino. House and he liked the place (Not a bad investment).
'But mind you, it's all yours, I'm there the next day to hang myself first came across pippin-saffron of boredom, you know...
Joanna knew it.
Denis could not stay more than a day at one point of the universe, and could not relax at all. We had him, poor fellow, and sustain 'the last decisive fight' with the heiress.
That with a notebook and a pencil held in his luzhinskim rooms and other objects, capturing all the furniture, clothes, light bulbs and shovels and placing an price:.Take or I'll make a sale.
I sold the dacha, and not the situation...
Denis spat and paid, while the amount passed over tidy.
'Move over, mother, well, except I did not deserve.'
'Do not play the fool. Also want to get sick.'
The touch of his hand to cool red-hot body, it was nice.
My husband... The silver wedding is coming soon, for cine world obscenely long alliance. Only a creative-business?
Can we call them good, in general, free marriage?
The total work, home, bed, son, property, and now giving There was a period of internal struggle, tug of war, from which it seems both were freed.
My husband... They suffered from passions, rivalries, gradually becoming close friends, companions ... Suitable partners for each other on the required times, as a traditional Sunday dinner, sex.
They are then pulled together this harness under the name of life, hand in hand climbing on some regular creative peak, then fled each in his own forest, then re-encountered.
They are attracted to each other, and connected for a moment to re-disperse. Perhaps, in these times, they were still good couple.
But once, when a priest during confession suggested that she get married, Joanna fell into a panic, and flatly refused.
She was one betrothed to God and it was Ignatius.
And there, in another life, Ignatius and that eternally young Joanna with his paintings, the rest being on the other side, will meet again.
And the Lord will reunite all of their hands, heart and body.
And 'Yes, two will be united'.
And will there ever Sunset mall Luzhino's pine and red spirit of Alma, and the fire front, which does not overcome anything dark.
And if it is destined to be burned to ashes in this fire, even if one the original Joanna stays with Ignatius forever...
But the priest, she did not dare to say this, simply referred to the husband and the unbaptized believer.
Although the issues of faith Denis treated with respect and mystical caution, (unlike her mother-in-law, a militant atheist, i.e. I believe that God does not exist).
And Philip, who for all her mother's belated remorse, that his son was christened, and persuasion to be baptized, despite the strict ban Father Tikhon 'not to press'. replied:
'I'm not worthy.
Denis is at once solemn and fear the if they started talking 'about it'. He tried to steer the conversation to another topic or go away.
Or, he stated bluntly:
'Would we would keep silent?'
And Joanna, in his heart agreed with him; everyone has a hidden path to God and 'This is a great mystery.
Only once Denis expressed himself perfectly for no reason, no reason at all:
'You know, God, of course, exists. I just do not believe in Him.'
Surprised Joanna silently waited.
She could remember that story of the Simkin's death and yours on this subject opus?
No wonder she did not remember! Even now, the old dull pain heart sank.
'You wrote that I was with Simkin, not guns.
And I increasingly feel that it really had me...'
Shut up, do not interrupt. But God made sure I was the gun. God saved me, otherwise all would have collapsed, you know? The whole life...
Of course, this is incredible, impossible, I do not believe it, but...
Why did I know that was there when I was gone? I know. Why in the end I did this so often I think, you never know anything can happen.
But when I was sinning, I hear:
'Do you remember the time I saved you? After all, it was you, not Pushko. And only we both know it.
I, God.
And you.