Bazhov malachite box to read page by page. Pavel Petrovich Bazhov - malachite box

This story is a continuation of the events described by P.P. Bazhov in the tale "The Mistress of the Copper Mountain".

After Stephen's death Malachite Box, which was presented by the Mistress of the Copper Mountain, remained with Nastasya. She's not used to luxury jewelry because she was an orphan. But when they lived with Stepan, she put on a gift. But she couldn't wear it. It would seem that everything fits her. But the ear lobes pulled back so much that they swelled up. From the ring, the finger turned blue, as if chained. Beads once only and tried on. Neck as if covered with ice.

After the death of her husband, Nastasya showed the box to a knowledgeable person, and he said that these things big money stand. Stepan provided for the family well, so Nastasya did not sell the box, she left it for a rainy day. And there were many who wanted to buy that box. Yes, everyone wanted to deceive, they did not give the real price. Who offers a hundred, who offers two hundred rubles. Yes, Nastasya remembered the words of a knowledgeable person. She refused everyone.

She had another reason not to sell the box. Stepan and Nastasya had three children. The two eldest sons are ordinary children, and the youngest daughter Tanya did not look like either her mother or her father. It's like someone changed it. The daughter of her father cried very much after his death. Her mother gave her a box to play with. She got carried away. Since then, in order to keep her daughter occupied or distracted, Nastasya often let her play with her "aunt's reminder." Very Tanya asked not to sell the box. She was going to work, if only to save the memory of her father.

Since then, Tanya often played with the box. She will do everything around the house, get jewelry and try on herself. Moreover, he speaks as if warmth emanates from every thing. Once, when Nastasya and her sons were not at home, a thief made his way to them. Tanya, as always, tidied up the house, took out a box, put on jewelry. Then the thief entered the room, holding an ax in his hands. Tanya turned to him. And he suddenly clutched his eyes and screamed that he was blind. To the neighbors, whom the girl, having jumped out the window, called for help, the man explained that he wanted to ask for alms, but something happened to his eyes, as if they were burned by the sun.

Upon learning of this incident, Nastasya decided to hide the box. She went down to the cellar and there in a corner of it and buried it. Tanya somehow decided to play with decorations, but she did not find them in the chest. Was upset. Suddenly she smelled of warmth, she sees light pouring from under the floor. So she found the box. She did not take it out of the cellar. There she played with her. And Nastasya thinks that she hid Stepanov's memo well. Nobody can find.

Relatives all pestered her to sell the box. Life was not easy for them. It is difficult for one woman to raise a household. But Nastasya held on. When the sons grew up, it became easier. Yes, and Tanya helped the family very well with her needlework. She learned to sew with silk and beads. There was no more talk of selling at all.

And the girl accidentally learned her art. Once a stranger came into Nastasya's house. Asked to stay overnight. She showed her works, embroidered with silk and beads. Tanya really liked these things. Wanderer and offered to teach her his skills. At first, Nastasya refused, since the family did not have money for silk and beads. But the woman said that for the first time Tanya would provide everything. And there she will earn. The mother agreed.

And a strange thing - Tanya was unkind to her own people, as if she were a stranger, but she flirts with the wanderer. Nastasya was even offended. Once, when there was no one at home, Tanya told the woman about her father's gift. She asked me to show her the box. They went down to the cellar. Tanya got the box. And the wanderer asks to wear jewelry. The girl did just that. The woman corrected in some places, and then she says that Tanya should not look back at her, but look ahead and notice what will happen.

Tanya looks, and in front of her is a beautiful room, which she has never seen. There stands a beauty, as they say in a fairy tale: black hair, green eyes, all in jewels, green velvet dress. Next to the beauty is a man, very similar to a hare. Tanya is looking, and the jewelry on the girl is from her father's jewelry box. She told the stranger about this. And she smiles and says that Tanya didn’t see it. But then everything will be understood. And she said about the room that it was the royal palace, and the walls and ceiling in the room were decorated with malachite, which Tanya's father got.

On the same day, the wanderer got ready for the journey. She left a button for Tanya as a keepsake and ordered her to look at it if there were questions about work. There she will have an answer. Since then, Tanya has become a craftswoman. Her work has become widely known. Many orders were made to her. She earned more than any other man. But here the trouble happened. There was a fire at night. They just managed to jump out. But the box was taken out.

Nastasya had a hard time with the children. She decided to sell the box. Tanya looked at the button. And there the girl nods her head to agree. Buyers have flown in, but they give a low price. Nastasya asked for two thousand rubles. Nobody gives that kind of money. And a new clerk arrived in Polevaya, whom the people called Parotei. His wife was the beloved of the master, the owner of the mines. She married Parotya only because the old master gave her money as a dowry.

She heard about the box and bought it from Nastasya. But she couldn’t wear jewelry, because they, like Nastasya, didn’t fit her. She took them to the masters so that they would stretch the ring. But no one took it. Everyone recognized the masters of the Mistress of the Copper Mountain.

The old master soon died. And the young one decided to come to the mines to squeeze money. He squandered his father's inheritance in Petersburg. Yes, and he wanted to return his beloved. Parotya found out about this, began to drink heavily. Once he heard from the workers about Tanya and her skills. He came to her, as he saw, he was dumbfounded by her beauty. And Parotya ordered Tanya's portrait of her. But she said that she would not do her own. And she has in mind a woman who looks like her. And she looks into the button.

When the portrait was ready, Parotya was very surprised. After all, it was Tanya on it. In the spring a young gentleman came to Polevaya. A celebration was held in the master's house. Parotya drank heavily and told the master and his wife that as soon as they left, he would marry a beauty, what world had never seen. And showed a portrait of Tanya. As soon as the master saw the girl, he immediately began to ask who she was. He also learned about the box. Bought it from the clerk's wife.

Master Turchaninov invited Tanyushka and asked her to put on jewelry. He was struck by the beauty of the girl and offered to marry him. Tanya thought about it and agreed on the condition that he show her the queen in a room lined with malachite "daddy's prey." Turchaninov agreed to everything. He invited the girl to go with him to Petersburg immediately. But she refused, saying that she herself would come to the cover.

In St. Petersburg, a rumor spread very quickly about Turchaninov's jewelry from the casket and about his bride. He reached the queen. She ordered to show her the girl. Turchaninov immediately told Tanya the day of the meeting, appointed by the queen. Tanya ordered the master to meet her at the porch.

On this day, a lot of people gathered at the palace. Everyone wanted to see Turchaninov's bride. And Tanya, in her poor fur coat, walked to the palace on foot. The master saw her and was ashamed to meet her at the porch, hid in the crowd. The footmen at the door did not want to let Tanya in until she took off her fur coat. And under it is a rich dress, the queen does not have such. Turchaninov saw this and ran up to the girl. And she looked angrily at him and reproached him for deceiving her, for not meeting her at the porch.

We entered the palace, into the room where the queen had made an appointment. Tanya looks, but the room is not the one she saw in her vision. She became even more angry with the master and went herself to the malachite chamber. Everyone in the palace followed her. They were very curious to see what would happen. And they have never seen such beauty. The queen went into the room where she had appointed. And there is no one there. She learned that Turchaninov's fiancee had taken everyone away with her. The queen got angry, entered the malachite chamber and ordered to show her the self-willed one.

Tanya, as she heard such words, was completely angry with the master. She tells him that it was she who ordered to show her the queen, but he, on the contrary, showed her to the queen. She leaned against the malachite wall and melted away. Only the stones on the wall sparkle. Yes, the button is lying on the floor. Turchaninov grabbed that button, and there Tanya laughs and says that it’s not for him, the crazy hare, to take it.

Since then, nothing has been heard about Tanya. As soon as people began to notice that the Mistress of the Copper Mountain began to double: they saw two girls at once in identical dresses.

Nastasya grew up in an orphanage, was not used to some kind of wealth, and she was not a very lover of fashion. From the first years, as they lived with Stepan, put on, of course, from this box. Just not to her soul.

He puts on a ring ... Exactly just right, he doesn’t press, he doesn’t roll, but he goes to church or visits somewhere - he gets confused. Like a chained finger, at the end the nali will turn blue. Hang earrings - worse than that. The ears will be so pulled away that the lobes will swell. And to take it on hand - no harder than those that Nastasya always wore. Beads in six or seven rows only once and tried on. Like ice around the neck, they do not warm at all. She didn’t show those beads to people at all. It was embarrassing.

Look, they will say what kind of queen they found in Polevaya!

Stepan also did not force his wife to carry from this casket. Once he even said:

Nastasya put the box in the lowest chest, where canvases and papers are kept in reserve.

As Stepan died and the pebbles were in his dead hand, Nastasya felt like showing that box to strangers. And the one who knows about Stepanov's pebbles told Nastasya later, when the people subsided:

You, look, do not shake this box for nothing. It's worth thousands.

He, this man-from, was a scientist, also from the free. Earlier, he went around in dandies, but he was removed: he gives the people a weaken. Well, he did not disdain wine. The tavern plug was also good, don’t be remembered by that, the little head is calm. And so everything is correct. Write a request, wash off the test, look at the signs - he did everything according to his conscience, not like other others, anyhow to rip off half a damask. To someone, and everyone will bring a glass to him with a festive affair. So he lived in our factory until his death. He ate around the people.

Nastasya heard from her husband that this dandy was correct and smart in business, even though he was addicted to wine. Well, I listened to him.

Okay, - he says, - I'll save it for a rainy day. And she put the box back in its place.

They buried Stepan, the sorochins sent honor with honor. Nastasya is a woman in the juice and with prosperity, they began to woo her. And she is a smart woman, she says one thing to everyone:

Though the golden second, but all the robots are the patriarchs.

Well, we're behind the times.

Stepan left a good support for the family. The house is in order, a horse, a cow, a complete furnishing. Nastasya is a hard-working woman, little robins are word-for-word, they don’t live very well. They live a year, two live, three live. Well, they got poor anyway. Where is one woman with youngsters to manage the economy! Also, after all, you need to get a penny somewhere. At least for salt. Here are relatives and let Nastasya sing in your ears:

Sell the box! What is she to you? What a waste of good to lie. Everything is one and Tanya, as she grows up, will not wear it. There are things over there! Only bars and merchants fit to buy. You can't put on an eco seat with our belt. And people would give money. Breakups for you.

In a word, they talk. And the buyer, like a raven on a bone, flew. All of the merchants. Who gives a hundred rubles, who gives two hundred.

We pity yours, according to the position of a widow, we make a descent for you.

Well, they get along well to fool a woman, but they hit the wrong one.

Nastasya remembered well what the old dandy told her, he wouldn't sell for such a trifle. It's also a pity. After all, a groom's gift, husband's memory. And even more so, her youngest girl shed tears, asks:

Mommy, don't sell! Mommy, don't sell! I'd rather go among the people, but take care of the memo.

From Stepan, you see, there are three little children left. Two boys. The robyata are like robyata, and this one, as they say, is neither mother nor father. Even during Stepanova's life, as she was completely small, people marveled at this girl. Not only the girls-women, but also the men said to Stepan:

Not otherwise, this one fell out of your hands, Stepan. In whom it was just born! She herself is black and fable, and her eyes are green. It doesn't look like our girls at all.

Stepan jokes, it used to be:

It's not a miracle that the black one. Father, after all, from an early age hid in the ground. And that the eyes are green - also not surprising. You never know, I stuffed malachite to master Turchaninov. Here's a reminder for me.

So he called this girl Memo. “Come on, my memo!” And when she happened to buy something, she would always bring blue or green.

So that girl grew up in the minds of people. Exactly and in fact, the garusinka fell out of the festive belt - it can be seen far away. And although she was not very fond of strangers, but everyone was Tanya and Tanya. The most envious grandmothers, and they admired. Well, what a beauty! Everyone is nice. One mother sighed:

Beauty is beauty, but not ours. Exactly who replaced the girl for me.

According to Stepan, this girl was killed very quickly. Purely roared all over, lost weight from her face, only her eyes remained. Mother came up with the idea of giving Tanya that malachite box - let him have some fun. Though small, but a girl, from an early age it is flattering for them to put themselves on something. Tanyushka began to disassemble these things. And here's a miracle - which she tries on, she follows her. The mother didn’t know why, but this one knows everything. Yes, he also says:

Mommy, what a good gift you give! It is warm from him, as if you are sitting on a heating pad, and someone is stroking you softly.

Nastasya did the sewing herself, she remembers how her fingers were numb, her ears ached, her neck could not get warm. So he thinks: “It’s not for nothing. Oh, for good reason! - Yes, hurry up the box, then again in the chest. Only Tanya from that time no-no and asks:

Mommy, let me play with my aunt's gift!

When Nastasya stricts, well, a motherly heart, she will regret it, she will get the box, she will only punish:

Don't break anything!

Then, when Tanya grew up, she herself began to get the box. The mother will leave with the older boys for mowing or somewhere else, Tanya will remain at home. At first, of course, he will manage that the mother punished. Well, wash the cups and spoons, shake off the tablecloth, wave a broom in the huts, give food to the chickens, look in the stove. He will do everything as soon as possible, and for the box. By that time, one of the upper chests remained, and even that one became light. Tanya will move it to a stool, take out a box and sort through the pebbles, admire it, try it on.

Once a hitman climbed up to her. Either he buried himself in the fence early in the morning, or then he slipped in imperceptibly somewhere, only no one from the neighbors saw him walking along the street. An unknown person, but you can see in the case - someone brought him in, told the whole order.

As Nastasya left, Tanya ran a lot around the house and climbed into the hut to play with her father's pebbles. She put on a headband, hung earrings. At this time, this hitnik puffed into the hut. Tanya looked around - an unfamiliar man with an ax was on the threshold. And their axe. He stood in the senki, in the corner. Tanyushka had just rearranged it, as if it were chalk in the Senks. Tanya was frightened, she sits as if she froze, and the peasant clucked, dropped the ax and grabbed his eyes with both hands, as it burned them. Moaning-shouting:

- Oh, father, I'm blind! Oh, blind! - and he rubs his eyes.

Tanya sees that something is wrong with the person, she began to ask:

How did you, uncle, come to us, why did you take an ax?

And he knows he groans and rubs his eyes. Tanya took pity on him - she scooped up a ladle of water, wanted to give it, and the peasant shied away with his back to the door.

Oh, don't come! - So he sat in the senki and filled up the doors so that Tanya would not inadvertently jump out. Yes, she found a way - she ran out through the window and to her neighbors. Well, they've come. They began to ask what kind of person, in what case? He blinked a little, explains - the passing one, he wanted to ask for mercy, but something was tricked with his eyes.

How the sun hit. I thought I was going completely blind. From the heat, right?

Tanya did not tell her neighbors about the ax and pebbles. They think:

“It's a waste of time. Maybe she herself forgot to lock the gate, so the passer-by came in, and then something happened to him. Doesn't happen much."

All the same, they did not let the passer-by go before Nastasya. When she and her sons arrived, this man told her what he had told his neighbors. Nastasya sees - everything is safe, she did not knit. That man is gone, and so are the neighbors.

Then Tanya told her mother how it was. Then Nastasya realized that she had come for the box, but it was obviously not easy to take it. And she thinks:

“You still need to protect her more strongly.”

I took it quietly from Tanya and other timid ones and buried that box in a golbets.

All the families left again. Tanya missed the box, but it happened to be. It seemed bitter to Tanya, and then suddenly she was enveloped in warmth. What's the thing? Where? I looked around, and there was light from under the floor. Tanya was scared - is it a fire? I looked into the golbets, there was light in one corner. She grabbed a bucket, wanted to splash - only there was no fire and no smell of smoke. Rummaged in that place, sees - a casket. I opened it, and the stones became even more beautiful. So they burn with different lights, and it is light from them, as in the sun. Tanya didn’t even drag the box into the hut. Here in golbts and played enough.

And so it has been since then. The mother thinks: “She hid it well, no one knows,” and the daughter, how to do housekeeping, will snatch an hour to play with her father’s expensive gift. Nastasya didn't let her relatives talk about the sale.

It will fit in the world - then I will sell it.

Though cool she had, - but strengthened. So for a few more years they overcame, then it went on the right. The older children began to earn little, and Tanya did not sit idly by. She, you hear, learned to sew with silk and beads. And so she learned that the best master craftswomen clapped their hands - where does she get patterns from, where does she get silk?

And it also happened. A woman comes to them. She was small in stature, dark-haired, in Nastasya's years, but sharp-eyed and, by all appearances, sniffed such that just hold on. On the back is a canvas bag, in her hand is a bird-cherry bag, sort of like a wanderer. Asks Nastasya:

Couldn't you, hostess, have a day or two to rest? They don’t carry legs, and it’s not close to go.

At first Nastasya wondered if she had been sent again for the casket, but then she let her go anyway.

Place is not a pity. You won’t lie down, go, and you won’t take it with you. Only here is a piece of our orphan. In the morning - an onion with kvass, in the evening kvass with an onion, all and change. You are not afraid to grow thin, so you are welcome, live as long as necessary.

And the wanderer has already put her badozhok, put the knapsack on the stove and takes off her shoes. Nastasya did not like this, but kept silent.

"Look, you're not clean! They didn’t have time to greet her, but she took off her shoes and untied her knapsack.

The woman truly unbuttoned her little kitty and beckoned Tanya towards her with her finger:

Come, child, look at my needlework. If he takes a look, and I will teach you ... Looks like a tenacious eye, from it will be!

Tanya came up, and the woman gave her a small fly, the ends sewn with silk. And such and such, hey, a hot pattern on that fly that even in the hut became lighter and warmer.

Tanya glared at her with her eyes, and the woman chuckled.

Looked, know, daughter, my needlewoman? Do you want me to learn?

I want, he says.

Nastasya got so excited:

And forget to think! There is nothing to buy salt, and you came up with the idea of sewing with silk! Supplies, gosh, they cost money.

Don't worry about that, hostess, - says the wanderer. - If my daughter has a concept - there will be supplies. For your bread and salt I will leave it to her - it will last for a long time. And then you will see for yourself. For our skill, money is paid. We don't give away work. We have a piece.

Here Nastasya had to yield.

If you give supplies, then there is nothing to learn. Let him learn how much the concept is enough. Thank you I'll tell you.

This woman began to teach Tanya. Soon Tanyushka took over everything, as if she knew something before. Yes, here's something else. Tanya was not only unkind to strangers, to her own, but she clings to this woman, and clings to this woman. Nastasya Skosa glanced:

“I found myself a new home. She won’t fit her mother, but she stuck to a tramp!”

And she still teases evenly, all the time she calls Tanya a child and a daughter, but she never mentioned her baptized name. Tanya sees that her mother is offended, but cannot restrain herself. Before, listen, I entrusted myself to this woman, that I told her about the casket!

There is, - he says, - we have an expensive memo - a malachite box. That's where the stones are! Century would have looked at them.

Will you show me, baby? the woman asks.

Tanya did not even think that this was wrong.

I'll show you, - he says, - when none of the family will be at home.

As such an hour turned out, Tanya called that woman to golbets. Tanya took out the box, showed it, and the woman looked a little, and said:

Put it on yourself - it will be more visible.

Well, Tanya, - not that word, - she began to put it on, and she knows she praises.

Okay, baby, okay! Just need to fix a bit.

She came closer, and let's poke a finger at the pebbles. Which touches - that will light up in a different way. Tanya sees something else, but not something else. After that, the woman says:

Get up, little girl, straight up.

Tanya got up, and the woman and let's slowly stroke her hair, on her back. She stroked everything, and she herself instructs:

I'll make you turn around, so you, look, don't look back at me. Look ahead, notice what will happen, but don't say anything. Well, turn around!

Tanya turned around - in front of her was a room that she had never seen before. Not the church, not that. The ceilings are high on pillars of pure malachite. The walls are also lined with malachite to the height of a man, and a malachite pattern has passed along the upper cornice. Directly in front of Tanya, as if in a mirror, stands a beauty, about which they only talk about in fairy tales. Hair like night and green eyes. And she is all decorated with expensive stones, and her dress is made of green velvet with overflow. And so this dress is sewn, like the queens in the pictures. What does it rest on. With shame, our factory workers would burn out in public to put on such a thing, but this green-eyed one stands calmly, as if it were necessary. The place is full of people. Lordly dressed, and all in gold and merit. Some are hung in front, some are sewn on the back, and some are sewn on all sides. You see, the highest authorities. And their women are right there. Also bare-handed, holo-chested, hung with stones. Only where are they up to the green-eyed! None of them fit the bill.

In a row with the green-eyed one, some white-haired one. The eyes are sideways, the ears are stumps, like a hare. And the clothes on him are gloom to the mind. It didn’t seem enough to this gold, so he, hear, planted stones on both. Yes, they are so strong that maybe in ten years they will find one of them. You can see right away that this is the breeder. That green-eyed hare babbles, and she at least raised an eyebrow, as if he didn’t exist at all.

Tanya looks at this lady, marvels at her, and only then does she notice:

After all, the stones on it are tarts! - soykala Tanya, and nothing happened.

And the woman laughs:

Didn't see it, baby! Don't worry, you'll see in time.

Tanya, of course, asks - where is this room?

And this, he says, is the royal palace. The same chamber, which is decorated with local malachite. Your late father mined it.

And who is this in tyatina clothes and what kind of hare is this with her?

Well, I won't say that, you'll soon find out for yourself.

On the same day that Nastasya came home, this woman began to get ready for the journey. She bowed low to the hostess, gave Tanya a bundle of silks and beads, then took out a tiny button. Either it is made of glass, or it is trimmed with a simple facet from a dope. He gives it to Tanya, and says:

Take, daughter, a memo from me. Whenever you forget something at work or a difficult case comes up, look at this button. Here you will have an answer.

She said so and left. They only saw her.

From that time on, Tanyushka became a craftswoman, and she began to enter into years, she looks like a bride at all. The factory guys about Nastasya's windows got blistered eyes, and they are afraid to approach Tanya. You see, she is unkind, sad, and where the free will go for a serf. Who wants to put on a noose?

In the manor house they also found out about Tanya because of her skill. They started sending her. The footman, younger and smarter, will be dressed like a gentleman, they will give a watch with a tenacious one and send it to Tanya, as if for some business. They think that the girl will not turn on some fellow. Then it can be reversed. It still didn't work out. Tanyushka will say that on business, and other conversations of that footman without attention. Tired, so even mockery will adjust:

Go, my dear, go! They're waiting. They are afraid, go, lest your watch then run out and the tenacity does not slow down. You see, without a habit, how do you call them.

Well, to a lackey or another lord's servant, these words are like boiling water to a dog. Runs like a scalded man, snorts to himself:

Is this a girl? Stone statues, green-eyed! Can we find one!

He snorts like that, but he himself is overwhelmed. Who will be sent, Tanya's beauty cannot be forgotten. Like a bewitched one, he is drawn to that place - at least to pass by, to look out the window. On holidays, almost all the factory bachelor business is on that street. The road was paved right at the windows, but Tanya did not even look.

Neighbors already began to reproach Nastasya:

What is it with you that Tatyana behaved very highly? She has no girlfriends, does not want to look at the guys. The prince-prince is waiting for al in the bride of Christ, is it going well?

Nastasya only sighs at these submissions:

Oh baby, I don't even know myself. And so I had a tricky girl, and this passing sorceress completely exhausted her. You start talking to her, and she stares at her witch's button - and is silent. She would have thrown away that damned button, but in the case it is to her advantage. How to change silk or something, so it looks into a button. She told me too, but apparently my eyes have become dull, I can’t see. I would have thrashed a girl, yes, you see, she is a prospector with us. Read, we only live by her work. I think, I think so, and I will cry. Well, then she will say: “Mommy, I know that my fate is not here. I don’t welcome anyone and I don’t go to games. What in vain to drive people into melancholy? And that I am sitting under the window, so my work requires it. Why are you coming to me? What wrong have I done?" So answer her!

Well, life is still fine. Tanyushkino needlework went into fashion. Not only in the al factory in our city, they found out about him in other places, orders are sent and a lot of money is paid. A good man can earn so much. Only then did trouble catch them - a fire broke out. And it was at night. Driving, importation, a horse, a cow, all kinds of tackle - everything burned down. With that only they remained, in which they jumped out. The casket, however, Nastasya snatched out, she managed to do it. The next day he says:

It can be seen that the edge has come - you have to sell the box.

Sell, mommy. Don't just go cheap.

Tanya stealthily glanced at the button, and there the green-eyed looms - let them sell it. Tanya felt bitter, but what can you do? All the same, this green-eyed father's memo will go away. She sighed and said:

To sell is to sell. - And I didn’t even look at those stones at parting. And then to say - they sheltered at the neighbors, where to lay out here.

They came up with this - to sell something, and the merchants are already right there. Someone, perhaps, set the fire himself, in order to take possession of the box. Also, after all, the people are a nail, it will scratch! They see - the robots have grown up - they give more. Five hundred there, seven hundred, one reached a thousand. There is a lot of money in the plant, you can get them. Well, Nastasya still asked for two thousand. They go, so they dress up for her. They throw it on little by little, but they themselves hide from each other, they cannot come to an agreement among themselves. You see, a piece of such a thing - no one is reluctant to give up. While they were walking like that, a new clerk arrived at Polevaya.

When, after all, they - clerks - sit for a long time, and in those years they had some kind of transfer. The stuffy goat that was under Stepan, the old gentleman on Krylatovsko set aside for the stench. Then there was Fried Ass. The workers put him on a blank. Severyan the Killer stepped in here. This again the Mistress of the Copper Mountain threw into the empty rock. There were two more, there were three, and then this one arrived.

He, they say, was from foreign lands, he seemed to speak all sorts of languages, but worse in Russian. Purely uttered one thing - to flog. Down like that, with a stretch - a couple. What a shortage they will talk about, one screams: steam! They called him Paroteus.

In fact, this Parotya was not very thin. At least he shouted, but he didn’t drive people to the fire department at all. The local okhlestysh did not matter at all. The people sighed a little at this Parota.

Here, you see, the thing is something. By that time, the old gentleman had become completely fragile, he could barely move his legs. It was he who came up with the idea of marrying his son to some kind of countess, or something. Well, this young gentleman had a mistress, and he had a great commitment to her. How's it going to be? Still, it's awkward. What will the new matchmakers say? Here the old gentleman began to conspire with that woman - his son's mistress - for a musician. This musician served with the master. Robyatishek taught music in such a foreign way, as is conducted according to their position.

What, - he says, - you should live in such a bad way, get married. I will dress you with a dowry, and I will send my husband as a clerk to Polevaya. There the matter is directed, let them only keep the people stricter. Enough, go, it's useless that even though he's a musician. And you and him will live better than the best in Polevaya. The first person, one might say, will be. Honor to you, respect from everyone. What's bad?

Butterfly turned out to be colloquial. Either she was in a quarrel with a young master, or she had a trick.

For a long time, - she says, - she had a dream about it, but she didn’t dare to say it.

Well, the musician, of course, first rested:

I don’t want to, - she’s very badly known about her, like a slut.

Only the master is a cunning old man. No wonder he amassed factories. Lively broke off this musician. He scared them with something, or flattered them, or made them drunk - their business, only soon the wedding was celebrated, and the young people went to Polevaya. So Parotya appeared in our factory. He only lived for a short time, and so - what to say in vain - a person is not harmful. Then, as one and a half Khari stepped in instead of him - from his factory, they even felt sorry for this Parotya.

Parotya and his wife arrived just at the time when the merchants were courting Nastasya. Parotina woman was also prominent. White and ruddy - in a word, mistress. Probably thin, the master would not have taken it. Also, I guess I chose! It was this Parotin's wife who heard - they were selling the box. “Give it to me,” he thinks, “I’ll see if it’s really worth it.” She quickly dressed up and rolled up to Nastasya. After all, the factory horses are always ready for them!

Well, - she says, - dear, show me, what kind of pebbles are you selling?

Nastasya took out the box and showed it. Parotina's woman's eyes were running wild. She, you hear, was brought up in Sam-Petersburg, she was in various foreign countries with a young gentleman, she was a good judge of these outfits. “What is this,” he thinks, “is this? The queen herself does not have such decorations, but here it is - in Polevaya, among the victims of the fire! No matter how the purchase fails.

How much, - asks, - are you asking?

Nastasia says:

Two thousand would be willing to take.

The lady dressed up for appearances, and she says:

Well honey, come on! Let's go to me with the box. You will get money there.

Nastasya, however, did not give in to this.

We, - he says, - do not have such a custom that bread goes by the belly. Bring the money - the box is yours.

The lady sees - what a woman - she quickly twisted around for money, and she herself punishes:

Don't sell the box, honey.

Nastasia says:

It's in hope. I won't go back on my word. Until the evening I will wait, and then my will.

Parotin's wife left, and the merchants ran all at once. They were watching. Ask:

I sold it, - Nastasya answers.

For how much?

Two, as ordered.

What are you, - they shout, - the mind decided or what? You give into the wrong hands, but you refuse your own! And let's raise the price.

Well, Nastasya did not fall for this bait.

This, - he says, - is habitual for you to spin in words, but I have not had a chance. Reassured the woman, and the conversation is over!

Parotina woman turned around abruptly. She brought the money, passed it from pen to pen, picked up the box and went home. Only on the threshold, and towards Tanya. She, you see, went somewhere, and all this sale was without her. He sees - some kind of lady with a casket. Tanyushka stared at her - they say, not the one she saw then. And Parotin's wife stared even more.

What kind of obsession? Whose is this? - asks.

People call their daughter, - Nastasya answers. - The most like there is an heiress of the box, which you bought. Would not sell, if not the edge came. I have loved to play with these pieces since I was a child. He plays and praises - it’s warm and good from them. Yes, what to say about it! What fell from the cart is gone!

In vain, dear, you think so, - says Parotin's woman. - I will find a place for these stones. - And he thinks to himself: “It's good that this green-eyed strength does not feel his own. If such a woman appeared in Sam-Petersburg, she would turn kings. It is necessary - my fool Turchaninov did not see her.

With that, they parted ways.

Parotin's wife, as she arrived home, boasted:

Now, my dear friend, I am not like you, and I am not forced by the Turchaninovs. A little bit goodbye! I will go to Sam-Petersburg or, even better, to a foreign country, I will sell the box and I will buy two dozen men like you, if the need arises.

I boasted, but I still want to show myself a new purchase. Well, what a woman! She ran to the mirror and first of all put the headband on. - Oh, oh, what is it! - There is no patience - he twists and pulls his hair. Barely excused herself. And it tingles. I put on earrings - I almost broke my earlobes. She put her finger in the ring - it was chained, she barely pulled it off with soap. Husband chuckles: not like this, apparently, to wear!

And she thinks, “What is this thing? We must go to the city, show the master. He will adjust it as it should, if only he does not change the stones.

No sooner said than done. The next day, she drove away in the morning. At the factory, the troika is not far away. I found out which is the most reliable master - and to him. The master is old, old, but in his business the dock. He looked at the box, asked from whom it was bought. The lady said what she knew. The master once again looked at the box, but did not even look at the stones.

I won’t take it, - he says, - let’s do whatever you want. This is not the work of local masters. It's hard for us to compete with them.

The lady, of course, did not understand what the squiggle was about, snorted and ran to the other masters. Only everyone agreed: they look at the box, admire it, but they don’t look at the stones and flatly refuse to work. The mistress then went to tricks, says that she brought this box from Sam-Petersburg. Everything was done there. Well, the master she wove it for only laughed.

I know, - he says, - in what place the box was made, and I have heard a lot about the master. Compete with him all of ours is not on the shoulder. For one whom that master drives, it will not work for another, whatever you want to do.

The lady did not understand everything here either, only that she understood - things were not right, they were afraid of someone master. She remembered that the old mistress said that her daughter loved to wear these dresses on herself.

“Was it not for this green-eyed one that they were chasing? That's the trouble!"

Then he translates again in his mind:

“Yes, something to me! I'll sell it to some rich fool. Let him toil, but I will have money! With this, she left for Polevaya.

She arrived, and there was news: they received the news - the old master ordered to live long. He arranged cunningly with Parotea, but death outwitted him - took it and hit him. He did not have time to marry his son, and now he has become a complete master. After a short time, Parotin's wife received a letter. So and so, my dear, I’ll come by spring water to show myself at the factories and take you away, and we’ll caulk your musician somewhere. Parotya somehow found out about it, raised a noise-shout. It's a shame, you see, he is in front of the people. After all, the clerk, and then there's something - the wife is taken away. He began to drink heavily. With employees, of course. They are happy to try for a gift. Here they were feasting. One of these drinkers and brag:

A beauty has grown up in our factory, you won’t find another like it soon.

Parotya and asks:

Whose is this? Where does he live?

Well, they told him and mentioned the box - in this de family your wife bought the box.

Parotya and says:

Would have a look.

And the drinkers and the backlog found:

At least now let's go - to testify whether they have put up a new hut. The family, even from the free, but live on the factory land. In which case, you can press.

Whether two or three went with this Parotei. They dragged the chain, let's take a measurement, whether Nastasya killed herself in someone else's estate, whether the tops go out between the pillars. Looking for, in a word. Then they go into the hut, and Tanya was just alone. Parotya looked at her and lost his words. Well, I have never seen such beauty in any land. She stands like a fool, and she sits - keeps quiet, as if her business does not concern. Then Parotya walked away a little, and began to ask:

What are you doing?

Tanyushka says:

I sew by order, and showed my work.

To me, - says Parotya, - can I make an order?

Why not, if we agree on the price.

Can you, - Parotya asks again, - can I embroider a patret with silk from myself?

Tanya slowly looked at the button, and there the green-eyed woman gives her a sign - take the order! and points his finger at himself. Tanya and replies:

I won’t have my own patret, but I have in mind a woman alone in expensive stones, in a tsarina’s dress, I can embroider this one. Only such work will be expensive.

About this, - he says, - do not hesitate, I will pay at least a hundred, at least two hundred rubles, if only there is a resemblance to you.

In the face, - he answers, - there will be a resemblance, but the clothes are different.

We got dressed for a hundred rubles. Tanyushka also appointed a deadline - in a month. Only Parotya no, no, and will run in, as if to find out about the order, but he himself does not have something on his mind. It also frowned upon him, but Tanyushka evenly and completely does not notice. Say two or three words, and the whole conversation. The drinkers of Parotina began to laugh at him:

It won't break off here. You're shaking your boots in vain!

Well, here, Tanya embroidered that patret. Looks Parotya - fu you, my God! but it is she herself, adorned with clothes and stones! Of course, he gives three hundred-dollar tickets, only Tanya didn’t take two.

Not accustomed, - he says, - we accept gifts. We feed on labor.

Parotya came running home, admiring the patret, and keeping it from his wife in a sweat. I began to feast less, I began to delve into the factory business a little, a little.

In the spring, a young gentleman came to the factories. I rolled into Polevaya. The people were rounded up, a prayer service was served, and then in the master's house the bells went off. They also rolled out two barrels of wine to the people - to commemorate the old, to congratulate the new master. The seed, then, was done. All the Turchaninov masters were for this. As you fill the master's cup with a dozen of your own, and who knows what holiday will seem, but in reality it will come out - you washed the last penny and are completely useless. The next day, the people went to work, and in the master's house there was again feasting. Yes, that's how it went. Sleep how much yes again for a party. Well, there, they ride boats, they ride horses in the forest, they strum on music, but you never know. And Parotya is drunk all the time. On purpose, the master put the most daring roosters to him - pump him up to failure! Well, they are trying to serve the new master.

Parotya is even drunk, but he senses where things are heading. He is embarrassed in front of guests. He says at the table, in front of everyone:

It doesn’t matter to me that master Turchaninov wants to take my wife away from me. Let's get lucky! I don't need this. Here's who I have! - Yes, and pulls out of his pocket that silk patret. Everyone gasped, but Parotin's woman couldn't close her mouth. The master, too, has eaten his eyes. He became curious.

Who is this? - asks.

Parotya know laughing:

The table is full of gold, the embankment - and I won’t say that!

Well, how can you not say, if the factory immediately recognized Tanya. They try one before the other - they explain to the master. Parotina woman hands and feet:

What do you! What do you! You are building such a nonsense! Where did the factory girl get such a dress, and even expensive stones? And this husband brought a patret from abroad. He showed me before the wedding. Now, with drunken eyes, you never know what to gossip. He won't remember himself soon. Look all swollen!

Parotya sees that his wife is not very nice, and he and let's cheat:

Stramina you, stramina! Why are you weaving braids, throwing sand in the gentleman's eyes! What patch did I show you? Here it was sewn for me. The same girl they are talking about. As for the dress - I won't lie - I don't know. Whatever dress you can wear. But they had stones. Now you have it locked in a closet. She herself bought them for two thousand, but she could not wear them. It can be seen that the Cherkasy saddle does not fit the cow. The whole plant knows about the purchase!

The master, as soon as he heard about the stones, so now:

Come on, show me!

He, hey, he was a little smart, a motley one. In a word, heir. He had a strong passion for stones. He had nothing to flaunt - as they say, neither height nor voice - so at least stones. Wherever one hears about good stone, now buy is going well. And he knew a lot about stones, for nothing that he was not very smart.

Parotina sees the woman - there is nothing to do, - she brought the box. Barin looked and immediately:

How much?

She thumped completely unheard of. Barin dress up. They agreed on half, and the master signed the loan paper: there was, you see, no money with him. The master put the box on the table in front of him, and he says:

Call this girl you're talking about.

They ran after Tanya. She didn’t mind, she went right away, thinking how big the order was. She comes into the room, and there are a lot of people and in the middle is the same hare that she then saw. In front of this hare is a box - a gift from his father. Tanya immediately recognized the master and asked:

Why did you call?

Barin can't even say a word. Stared at her, that's all. Then I found a conversation:

your stones?

There were ours, now there are theirs, - and she pointed to Parotin's wife.

Mine now, - the master boasted.

This is your business.

How about I give it back?

There is nothing to give away.

Well, can you try them on yourself? I want to look at how these stones will fall on a person.

This, - Tanya answers, - is possible.

She took the casket, dismantled the clothes - a common thing, and quickly attached them to the place. The master looks and only gasps. Ah yes ah, no more speeches. Tanya stood in the dress and asked:

Have a look? Will? After all, it’s not for me to stand here from a simple time - there is work.

The barin is here in front of everyone and says:

Marry me. Agree?

Tanya just smiled.

It wouldn’t be right for a master to say such a thing. She took off her clothes and left. Only the barin is not far behind. The next day he came to get married. He asks and prays to Nastasya: give me your daughter.

Nastasia says:

I do not remove her will, as she wants, but in my opinion - as if it does not fit.

Tanya listened, listened, and she says:

That's what, not that ... I heard that in the royal palace there is a chamber, lined with malachite from the tats prey. Now, if you show me the queen in this chamber, then I will marry you.

Barin, of course, agrees to everything. Now he began to gather in Sam-Petersburg and invites Tanyushka with him - he says, I will provide you with horses. And Tanya replies:

According to our rite, the bride does not ride groom's horses to the crown, and we are still nobody. Then we'll talk about it, how you fulfill your promise.

When, - he asks, - will you be in Sam-Petersburg?

To the Intercession, - he says, - I will certainly be. Don't worry about it, but for now, get out of here.

The master left, Parotin's wife, of course, did not take, he does not even look at her. As soon as you arrived home in Sam-Petersburg-ot, let's praise all over the city about the stones and about your bride. He showed the box to many people. Well, the bride was very curious to see. By autumn, the master prepared Tanya’s apartment, brought all kinds of dresses, put on shoes, and she sent a message - here she is, living with such and such a widow on the very outskirts.

Barin, of course, go there right now:

What do you! Is it a good idea to live here? The quarter is ready, first class!

And Tanya replies:

I'm fine here.

The rumor about stones and Turchaninov's bride even reached the queen. She says:

Let Turchaninov show me his bride. There are a lot of lies about her.

The master to Tanya, - they say, you need to get ready. Such an outfit can be sewn so that you can wear stones from a malachite box to the palace. Tanya answers:

It’s not your sadness about the outfit, but I’ll take the stones for holding. Yes, look, do not try to send horses for me. I will be on mine. Just wait for me at the porch, in the palace.

The master thinks - where did she get the horses from? where is the palace dress? But he didn't dare to ask.

Here they began to gather in the palace. Everyone arrives on horseback, in silks and velvets. Turchaninov, the gentleman, is spinning at the porch early in the morning - he is waiting for his bride. Others are also curious to look at her, - they immediately stopped. And Tanya put on stones, tied herself with a handkerchief in the factory way, put on her fur coat and goes to herself quietly. Well, people - where is this from? - shaft for it brings down. Tanya came up to the palace, but the tsar's lackeys did not let him in - it was not allowed, they say, from the factory. Turchaninov, the gentleman, saw Tanya from afar, only he was ashamed in front of his own people that his bride was on foot, and even in such a fur coat, he took it and hid. Tanya immediately opened her fur coat, the lackeys look - a dress! The queen doesn't! - immediately released.

And when Tanya took off her handkerchief and fur coat, everyone around her withered:

Whose is this? What lands is the queen?

And master Turchaninov is right there.

My fiancee, she says.

Tanya looked at him sternly:

Let's look ahead! Why did you deceive me - did not wait at the porch?

The master back and forth, - de mistake came out. Excuse me please.

They went to the royal chambers, where they were ordered. Looks Tanya - not the right place. Turchaninov-master asked even more sternly:

What kind of deception is this? It was told to you that in that ward, which is lined with malachite of the work of the tats! - And went through the palace, as if at home. And senators, generals and protchi for her.

What, they say, is this? Apparently, it was ordered there.

There were a lot of people, and everyone was watching Tanya, but she stood up to the very malachite wall and was waiting. Turchaninov, of course, right there. She mumbles to her that something is wrong, the queen ordered not to wait in this room. And Tanya stands calmly, if only she raised an eyebrow, as if the master was not at all.

The queen went into the room where it was appointed. Looks - there is no one. The tsarina's earmuffs bring them up - Turchaninov's bride took everyone to the malachite chamber. The queen grumbled, of course, - what arbitrariness! She stomped her feet. Angry, so a little. The queen comes to Malachite's chamber. Everyone bows to her, but Tanya stands - does not move.

The queen screams:

Come on, show me this self-willed woman - Turchaninov's bride!

Tanya heard this, she knitted her eyebrows at all, she said to the master:

This is what I came up with! I told me to show the queen, and you arranged me to show her. Again deception! I don't want to see you anymore! Get your stones!

With that word, she leaned against the malachite wall and melted away. All that was left was that the stones sparkled on the wall, as they stuck to the places where the head, neck, hands were.

Everyone, of course, was frightened, and the queen blurted out on the floor in unconsciousness. They fussed, they began to raise. Then, when the turmoil subsided, the friends said to Turchaninov:

Pick some stones! Live plunder. Not some place - a palace! They know the price!

Turchaninov and let's grab those stones. Which one grabs, he will curl up into a droplet. One drop is clean, like a tear, another yellow, and then again, like blood, thick. So I didn't collect anything. He looks - a button is lying on the floor. From bottle glass, on a simple line. Completely empty. Out of grief, he grabbed her. He just took it in his hand, and in this button, as in a large mirror, a green-eyed beauty in a malachite dress, all adorned with expensive stones, laughs and bursts into laughter:

Oh, you crazy oblique hare? Should you take me! Are you a match for me?

After that, the gentleman lost his last little mind, but did not abandon the button. No, no, and he looks into her, and there everything is the same: the green-eyed woman is standing, laughing and saying offensive words. With grief, the master let's feast, he made debts, our factories almost went under the hammer under him.

And Parotya, as he was removed, went to the taverns. He drank to Remkov, and the patret is that silk coast. Where this patret then disappeared - no one knows.

Parotin's wife did not profit either; come on, get it on loan paper, if all the iron and copper are mortgaged!

Since that time, there has been no rumor or spirit about Tanya in our factory. As it was not.

Of course, Nastasya grieved, but also not from her strength. Tanya, you see, at least she was a guardian for the family, but Nastasya was like a stranger.

And then to say, Nastasya's guys had grown up by that time. Both got married. The grandchildren are gone. The people in the hut became denser. Know turn around - look after it, give it to another ... Is it boring here!

The bachelor - he did not forget for a longer time. All under Nastasya's windows stomped around. They waited to see if Tanya would appear at the window, but they did not wait.

Then, of course, they got married, but no, no, and they will remember:

Look what a girl we had in the factory! You won't see another like this in your life.

Yes, even after this incident, a note came out. They said that the Mistress of the Copper Mountain began to double: people saw two girls in malachite dresses at once.

Pavel Petrovich Bazhov

MALACHITE BOX

Pavel Petrovich Bazhov

1879–1950

At the old mine

from five factories b. The Sysert mountain district of Polevskoy was the only place where I did not have to live and even visit until the age of eleven.

However, I heard about this plant, which in our family was usually called the old one, quite often.

My father was from this plant and according to his passport was listed as a peasant from the plant in Polevskoy volost. There he, as a community member in the field, had the right to a mowing allotment, but he was never tempted by this. He always had a negative attitude towards life in the Polevskiy plant, even with a sneer:

They are deaf. We live here in Sysert near the main road. Alien people are passing by. Still more fun, as you can see. And who have them to go? There is no good road to the city. How to go and guess: either through Kurganovka, or through Makarovka, or something else.

And their building is in disarray. Not like ours - the streets are lined up, and whoever decides where, lined up here. On Bolshaya Street, even they could not bring order: sometimes it is narrower, sometimes wider. In one place, and completely mockery done. You go, you go - you will run into houses ... You will go along these houses and you will return close to the place where you started from. This place is called pants. Pants are.

There is no need to talk about the factory there and the copper smelter. We have junk, and they are completely dilapidated.

Grandmother was of “indigenous Sisert birth”, but in her youth she was “among the exchange girls who were sent to the old factory to adopt a law with the local guys.”

Grandmother did not talk about this “case” of her life very willingly:

I don't know what to use something like this. Apparently, there were not enough field girls. You see, they were dressed up as Gumyoshki from childhood, and then they were shoved into distant mines and gold mines. On Kungurka, too, the order was pondered. Just in those years, this village started. Our girls, therefore, were taken to their place. When there are five carts, when there are more. It wasn't just one year. As the Dormition passes, so will this virgin recruitment to the old factory appear. Orphans, of course, were caught in the first place. Well, fathers hurt. The guards will still be sent with wagons, so that she does not run away. And who will run away, if everyone is roaring crazy. Tearful path in that direction! Tearful ... All girlish tears watered.

That, apparently, never dries out at Big Elani, - my father once joked. And the grandmother, usually always calm and good-natured, even got excited:

I would be ashamed to say such a word in front of a child! Not jokingly, come on, it’s even a girl’s tear!

The father frankly confessed:

So this is me ... the wrong word flew out.

And you keep them! The words are yours. The matter, of course, is the past, but everything is no good for joking. Well, - here I was lucky, according to the old man I lived. So it's rare. And how many people died because of this joke! Haven't heard?

Come on, mother ... I know ... I say - an empty word flew out, - the embarrassed father justified himself.

Brought to the Polevskoy plant in such a wild way, the grandmother "adopted the law there, with whom they indicated", lived for over twenty years, raised children, but still, apparently, "did not get used to it." It is unlikely that the grandmother was not the main culprit of the fact that the grandfather, as soon as serfdom fell, moved from copper smelters to blast furnace workers and moved to Sysert.

However, about Polevsky, grandmother spoke much softer than her father:

Factory as a factory. The same people live. Only in the pit against ours came. They have a copper mountain - these Gumyoshki are a fearful place, but nothing like that. The forest is all around, and there are many berries. In addition to the local ones, cloudberries still grow there. The yellow berry is strong. And in the forest they have not all pines and birches, but there is a spruce forest and fir. The spirit is good from fir. They bring it on purpose for big holidays. You scatter it around the undergrowth - oh, it smells good! Well, there is a lot of garlic in those places. Like a garden butunu, only it will be harder. In the spring, when he is young, they drag him in whole bags and salt him. In petrovka, you see, pies are baked from this salted garlic. Slavnetsk pies come out, only choking later, when they are full of some kind of place. Do not go straight into the hut if you yourself have not eaten. For this, the Poleviks are teased as garlic growers. And it is for the benefit of man, garlic is from this one. The disease seems to drive everything away. They don't hear any animalistic cases at all. And everything, they say, because of the garlic. Well, of course, you can’t sip milk in the spring either. It's bitter.

I was most interested in Copper Mountain, but this point was the least clear.

The father vaguely explained:

Yes, this is a mine. Malachite was previously mined there. Only they worked not overburden, as here on Grigoryevsky or on Kamennaya Gorka, but in mines, as on Skvarts. Did you see it? Now these mines are flooded. There is a mine in the cast, but they say that there is still a lot of malachite left.

Grandmother on the question of copper mountain answered:

This is the most cursed place. How many people it ate! What a folk!

At my sister-in-law, the mountain crushed the mountain at all in imperfect years. And her little girl, her sister-in-law, burned down on the same mountain. She lost herself completely, as if she had become crazy. Runs and screams, and it is impossible to understand. My old man's big brother was also chewed up by the mountain. Orphaned the family. Left five. Kum Matvey, what a healthy man was, and the mountain made him a freak: his shoulder was crushed ...

After a long list of crushed, chewed, crippled grandmother invariably added:

It's hard to remember this. As they lived there, they did not even look in that direction, where this very Copper Mountain was.

According to these stories, in my early childhood I had the wildest idea of the Polevskoy plant, as a huge pit in which houses were stuffed at random. Around the pit there is some unprecedented forest with a good smell. Instead of grass, garlic grows in it and a strong yellow berry, which, apparently, must be cracked like a nut. Away from the factory pit there is a large mountain with a dull shine, like that of a long-uncleaned samovar. The shape of the mountain is similar to that of a lying bear, like that brass figurine that one used to see on the windowsill of the guard's house. A barefoot girl in rags rushes about the mountain and screams wildly, as if burned. Below is a man without a shoulder, and in front of him is malachite. That beautiful stone, which I knew then from the cuttings of two festive forks.

Over the years, this idea has changed, but still the "old" plant continued to seem somehow unusual, and the Copper Mountain was even scary.

For the first time I had to go to the Polevskoy plant when I was eleven years old.

Nevertheless, it is pleasant to read the fairy tale "The Malachite Box" by P. P. Bazhov, even for adults, childhood is immediately remembered, and again, like a little one, you empathize with the heroes and rejoice with them. All descriptions environment created and presented with a feeling of deepest love and appreciation for the object of presentation and creation. Of course, the idea of the superiority of good over evil is not new, of course, many books have been written about it, but every time it is still pleasant to be convinced of this. All images are simple, ordinary and do not cause youthful misunderstanding, because we encounter them daily in our everyday life. It is amazing that with sympathy, compassion, strong friendship and unshakable will, the hero always manages to resolve all troubles and misfortunes. Probably due to the inviolability of human qualities in time, all morality, morality and issues remain relevant at all times and epochs. A small amount of details of the surrounding world makes the depicted world more saturated and believable. The fairy tale "Malachite Box" Bazhov P. P. read for free online is certainly useful, it will bring up only good and good things in your child useful qualities and concepts.

Nastasya, Stepanova's widow, has left a casket of malachite. With every feminine device. Rings there, earrings and protcha according to the women's rite. The Mistress of the Copper Mountain herself gave Stepan this box, as he was going to get married.
Nastasya grew up in an orphanage, was not used to some kind of wealth, and she was not a big fan of fashion. From the first years, as they lived with Stepan, put on, of course, from this box. Just not to her soul. He puts on a ring ... Exactly just right, he doesn’t press, he doesn’t roll, but he goes to church or visits somewhere - he gets confused. Like a chained finger, at the end it will turn blue. Hang earrings - worse than that. The ears will be so pulled away that the lobes will swell. And to take it on hand - no harder than those that Nastasya always wore. Beads in six or seven rows only once and tried on. It's like ice around the neck, and they don't get warm at all. She didn’t show those beads to people at all. It was embarrassing.
“Look, they’ll say what kind of queen they found in Polevaya!”
Stepan also did not force his wife to carry from this casket. Once he even said:
- Get it out of harm's way.
Nastasya put the box in the lowest chest, where canvases and papers are kept in reserve.
As Stepan died and the pebbles were in his dead hand, Nastasya felt like showing that box to strangers. And the one who knows about Stepanov's pebbles told Nastasya later, when the people subsided:
“Look, don’t shake this box for nothing. It's worth thousands.
He, this man-from, was a scientist, also from the free. Earlier, he went in dandies, but he was removed; weakens de people gives. Well, he did not disdain wine. The tavern plug was also good, don’t be remembered by that, the little head is calm. And so everything is correct. Write a request, wash off the test, look at the signs - he did everything according to his conscience, not like other others, just to rip off half a damask. To someone, and everyone will bring a glass to him with a festive affair. So he lived in our factory until his death. He ate around the people.
Nastasya heard from her husband that this dandy was correct and smart in business, even though he was addicted to wine. Well, I listened to him.
“Okay,” he says, “I’ll save it for a rainy day.” And put the box back in its place.
They buried Stepan, the sorochins sent honor with honor. Nastasya is a woman in the juice, and with prosperity, they began to woo her. And she, a smart woman, tells everyone one thing:
- At least a golden second, but all the robots are patrimonial.
Well, we're behind the times.
Stepan left a good support for the family. The house is in order, the horse, the cow, the furnishing is complete. Nastasya is a hard-working woman, little robins are word-for-word, they don’t live very well. They live a year, two live, three live. Well, they got poor anyway. Where is one woman with youngsters to manage the economy! Also, after all, you need to get a penny somewhere. At least for salt. Here are relatives and let Nastasya sing in your ears:
- Sell the box! What is she to you? What a waste of good to lie! Everything is one and Tanya, as she grows up, will not wear it. There are things over there! Only bars and merchants fit to buy. You can't put on an eco seat with our belt. And people would give money. Breakups for you.
In a word, they talk. And the buyer, like a raven on a bone, flew. All of the merchants. Who gives a hundred rubles, who gives two hundred.
“We are sorry for yours, we are descending from the position of a widow.
Well, they get along well to fool a woman, but they hit the wrong one.
Nastasya remembered well what the old dandy told her, he wouldn't sell her for such a trifle. It's also a pity. After all, a groom's gift, husband's memory. And even more so, her youngest girl shed tears, asks:
- Mommy, don't sell! Mommy, don't sell! I'd rather go among the people, but take care of the memo.
From Stepan, you see, there are three little children left. Two boys. The robyata are like robyata, and this one, as they say, is neither mother nor father. Even during Stepanova's life, as she was completely small, people marveled at this girl. Not only the girls-women, but also the men said to Stepan:
- Not otherwise, this one fell out of your brushes, Stepan. In whom it was just born! She herself is black and fable, and her eyes are green. It doesn't look like our girls at all.
Stepan jokes, it used to be:
- It's not a miracle that the black one. Father, after all, from an early age hid in the ground. And that the eyes are green - also not surprising. You never know, I stuffed malachite to master Turchaninov. Here's a reminder for me.
So he called this girl Memo. - Come on, my memo! - And when she happened to buy something, she would always bring blue or green.
So that girl grew up in the minds of people. Exactly and in fact, the garusinka fell out of the festive belt - it can be seen far away. And although she was not very fond of strangers, but everyone was Tanya and Tanya. The most envious grandmothers admired them too. Well, what a beauty! Everyone is nice. One mother sighed:
- Beauty is beauty, but not ours. Exactly who replaced my girl
According to Stepan, this girl was killed very quickly. Purely roared all over, lost weight from her face, only her eyes remained. Mother came up with the idea of giving Tanya that malachite box - let him have some fun. Though small, but a girl, from an early age it is flattering for them to put something on themselves. Tanyushka began to disassemble these things. And here's a miracle - which she tries on, she follows her. The mother didn’t know why, but this one knows everything. Yes, he also says:
“Mommy, how good is the gift of a child!” It is warm from him, as if you are sitting on a heating pad, and someone is stroking you softly.
Nastasya did the sewing herself, she remembers how her fingers were numb, her ears ached, her neck could not get warm. So he thinks: "It's not without reason. Oh, it's not without reason!" Yes, hurry up the box, then again in the chest. Only Tanya from that time no-no and asks:
- Mommy, let me play with my aunt's gift!
When Nastasya stricts, well, a mother’s heart, she will regret it, she will get the box, she will only punish:
- Don't break anything!
Then, when Tanya grew up, she herself began to get the box. The mother will leave with the older boys for mowing or somewhere else, Tanya will remain at home. At first, of course, he will manage that the mother punished. Well, wash the cups and spoons, shake off the tablecloth, wave it with a broom in the huts, give food to the chickens, look in the stove. He will do everything as soon as possible, and for the box. By that time, one of the upper chests remained, and even that one became light. Tanya will move it to a stool, take out a box and sort through the pebbles, admire it, try it on.
Once a hitman climbed up to her. Either he buried himself in the fence early in the morning, or then he slipped through imperceptibly, only from the neighbors no one saw him walking along the street. An unknown person, but in the case you can see - someone pointed him in, explained the whole order.
As Nastasya left, Tanya ran a lot around the house and climbed into the hut to play with her father's pebbles. She put on a headband, hung earrings. At this time, this hitnik puffed into the hut. Tanya looked around - on the threshold an unfamiliar man, with an axe. And their axe. He stood in the senki, in the corner. Tanyushka had just rearranged it, as if it were chalk in the Senks. Tanya was frightened, she sits as if she froze, and the peasant clucked, dropped the ax and grabbed his eyes with both hands, as it burned them. Moaning-shouting:
- Oh, father, I'm blind! Oh, blind! - and he rubs his eyes.
Tanya sees that something is wrong with the person, she began to ask:
- How did you come to us, uncle, why did you take an ax?
And he, know, groans and rubs his eyes. Tanya took pity on him - she scooped up a ladle of water, wanted to give it, but the peasant shied away with his back to the door.
- Oh, don't come! - So he sat in the senki and filled up the doors so that Tanya would not inadvertently jump out. Yes, she found a way - ran out through the window and to the neighbors. Well, they've come. They began to ask what kind of person, in what case? He blinked a little, explains - the passing one, he wanted to ask for mercy, but something was tricked with his eyes.
How the sun hit. I thought I was completely blind. From the heat, right?
Tanya did not tell her neighbors about the ax and pebbles. They think:
"It's a trifling matter. Maybe she herself forgot to lock the gate, so the passer-by came in, and then something happened to him. You never know"
Still, they did not let the passer-by go until Nastasya. When she and her sons arrived, this man told her what he had told his neighbors. Nastasya sees that everything is safe, she did not knit. That man is gone, and so are the neighbors.
Then Tanya told her mother how it was. Then Nastasya realized that she had come for the box, but it was obviously not easy to take it.
And she thinks:
"You still need to protect her more strongly."
I took it quietly from Tanya and other timid ones and buried that box in a golbets.
All the families left again. Tanya missed the box, but it happened to be. It seemed bitter to Tanya, and then suddenly she was enveloped in warmth. What's the thing? Where? I looked around, and there was light from under the floor. Tanya was frightened - isn't it a fire? I looked into the golbets, there was light in one corner. She grabbed a bucket, wanted to splash - only after all there was no fire and no smell of smoke. Rummaged in that place, sees - a box. I opened it, and the stones became even more beautiful. So they burn with different lights, and it is light from them, as in the sun. Tanya didn’t even drag the box into the hut. Here in golbts and played enough.
And so it has been since then. The mother thinks: "Here she hid it well, no one knows," and the daughter, like housekeeping, will snatch an hour to play with her father's expensive gift. Nastasya didn't let her relatives talk about the sale.
- It will fit in the world - then I will sell it.
Though cool she had, but strengthened. So for a few more years they overcame, then it went on the right. The older children began to earn little, and Tanya did not sit idly by. She, you hear, learned to sew with silk and beads. And so she learned that the best master craftswomen clapped their hands - where does she get patterns, where does she get silk?
And it also happened. A woman comes to them. She was small in stature, dark-haired, in Nastasya's years, but sharp-eyed and, by all appearances, sniffed such that just hold on. On the back is a canvas bag, in her hand is a bird-cherry bag, sort of like a wanderer. Asks Nastasya:
“Couldn’t you, hostess, have a day or two to rest?” They don’t carry legs, and it’s not close to go.
At first Nastasya wondered if she had been sent again for the casket, but then she let her go anyway.
- I don't mind the place. You won’t lie down, go, and you won’t take it with you. Only here is a piece of something we have an orphan. In the morning - an onion with kvass, in the evening - kvass with an onion, all and change. You are not afraid to grow thin, so you are welcome, live as long as necessary.
And the wanderer has already put her badozhok, put the knapsack on the stove and takes off her shoes. Nastasya did not like this, but kept silent.
“Look, you’re not fair! I didn’t have time to greet her, but she took off her shoes and untied her knapsack.”
The woman, indeed, has unbuttoned her little knapsack and is beckoning Tanya towards her with her finger:
“Come, child, look at my needlework. If he takes a look, and I will teach you ... Looks like a tenacious eye, then it will be!
Tanya came up, and the woman gave her a small fly, the ends embroidered with silk. And such and such, hey, a hot pattern on that fly that even in the hut became lighter and warmer.
Tanya glared at her with her eyes, and the woman chuckled.
- Looked, you know, daughter, my needlewoman? Do you want me to learn?
“I want,” he says.
Nastasya got so excited:
And forget to think! There is nothing to buy salt, and you came up with the idea of sewing with silk! Supplies, gosh, they cost money.
“Don’t worry about that, hostess,” says the wanderer. - If my daughter has a concept, there will be supplies. For your bread and salt I will leave it to her - it will last for a long time. And then you will see for yourself. For our skill, money is paid. We don't give away work. We have a piece.
Here Nastasya had to yield.
- If you give supplies, then there is nothing to learn. Let him learn how much the concept is enough. Thank you I'll tell you.
This woman began to teach Tanya. Soon Tanyushka took over everything, as if she knew something before. Yes, here's something else. Tanya was not only unkind to strangers, to her own, but she clings to this woman, and clings to this woman. Nastasya Skosa glanced:
“I found myself a new relative. She won’t fit her mother, but stuck to a tramp!”
And she still teases evenly, all the time she calls Tanya a child and a daughter, but she never mentioned her baptized name. Tanya sees that her mother is offended, but cannot restrain herself. Before, listen, I entrusted myself to this woman, that I told her about the casket!
- There is, - he says, - we have an expensive memento of tyatina - a casket of malachite. That's where the stones are! Century would have looked at them.
Will you show me, baby? the woman asks.
Tanya did not even think that this was wrong.
“I’ll show you,” he says, “when none of the family is at home.”
As such an hour turned out, Tanya called that woman to golbets. Tanya took out the box, showed it, and the woman looked a little and said:
- Put it on yourself - it will be more visible.
Well, Tanya, - not that word, - began to put on, and she, you know, praises:
- All right, baby, all right! Just need to fix a bit.
She came closer and let's poke a finger at the pebbles. Which touches - that will light up in a different way. Tanya sees something else, but nothing else. After that, the woman says:
“Stand up, little girl, straight up.”
Tanya got up, and the woman and let's slowly stroke her hair, on her back. Veya stroked, and she instructs:
- I'll make you turn around, so you, look, don't look back at me. Look ahead, notice what will happen, but don't say anything. Well, turn around!
Tanya turned around - in front of her was a room that she had never seen before. Not the church, not that. The ceilings are high on pillars of pure malachite. The walls are also lined with malachite to the height of a man, and a malachite pattern has passed along the upper cornice. Directly in front of Tanya, as if in a mirror, stands a beauty, about which they only talk about in fairy tales. Hair like night and green eyes. And she is all decorated with expensive stones, and her dress is made of green velvet with overflow. And so this dress is sewn, like the queens in the pictures. What does it rest on. With shame, our factory workers would burn out in public to put on such a thing, but this green-eyed one stands calmly, as if it were necessary. The place is full of people. Lordly dressed, and all in gold and merit. Some have it hung in front, some have sewn on the back, and some have it on all sides. You see, the highest authorities. And their women are right there. Also bare-handed, holo-chested, hung with stones. Only where are they up to the green-eyed! None of them fit the bill.
In a row with the green-eyed one, some white-haired one. The eyes are sideways, the ears are stumps, like a hare. And the clothes on him - the mind is gloomy. It didn’t seem enough to this gold, so he, hear, planted stones on both. Yes, they are so strong that maybe in ten years they will find one of them. You can see right away that this is the breeder. That green-eyed hare babbles, and she at least raised an eyebrow, as if he didn’t exist at all.
Tanya looks at this lady, marvels at her, and only then does she notice:
“After all, the stones on it are tarts!” - soyed Tanya, and nothing happened.
And the woman laughs:
"I didn't see it, baby!" Don't worry, you'll see in time.
Tanya, of course, asks - where is this room?
“And this,” he says, “is the royal palace. The same tent, which is decorated with local malachite. Your late father mined it.
- And who is this in aunt's clothes and what kind of hare is this with her?
“Well, I won’t say that, you’ll soon find out for yourself.
On the same day that Nastasya came home, this woman began to get ready for the journey. She bowed low to the hostess, gave Tanya a bundle of silks and beads, then took out a little button. Either it is made of glass, or it is trimmed from a dope on a simple edge,
She gives it to Tanya and says:
- Take, daughter, a memo from me. Whenever you forget something at work or a difficult case comes up, look at this button. Here you will have an answer.
She said so and left. They only saw her.
From that time on, Tanya became a craftswoman, and she began to enter into years, she looks like a bride at all. The factory guys about Nastasya's windows got blistered eyes, and they are afraid to approach Tanya. You see, she is unkind, sad, and where the free will go for a serf. Who wants to put on a noose?
In the manor house they also found out about Tanya because of her skill. They started sending her. The footman, younger and smarter, will be dressed like a master, a watch with a chain will be given and sent to Tanya, as if for some business. They think that the girl will not turn on some fellow. Then it can be reversed. It still didn't work out. Tanyushka will say that on business, and other conversations of that footman without attention. Tired, so even mockery will adjust:
- Go, my dear, go! They're waiting. They are afraid, go, lest your watch then run out and the tenacity does not slow down. You see, without a habit, how do you call them.
Well, to a lackey or another lord's servant, these words are like boiling water to a dog. Runs like a scalded man, snorting to himself:
- Is it a girl? Stone statues, green-eyed! Can we find one!
He snorts like that, but he himself is overwhelmed. Who will be sent, Tanya's beauty cannot be forgotten. Like a bewitched one, he is drawn to that place - at least to pass by, to look out the window. On holidays, almost all the factory bachelor business is on that street. The road was paved right at the windows, but Tanya did not even look.
Neighbors already began to reproach Nastasya:
- What is it with you that Tatyana behaved very highly? She has no girlfriends, does not want to look at the guys. The prince-prince is waiting for al in the bride of Christ, is it going well?
Nastasya only sighs at these submissions:
“Oh, babes, I don’t know myself. And so I had a tricky girl, and this passing sorceress completely exhausted her. You start talking to her, and she stares at her witch's button and is silent. She would have thrown away that damned button, but in the case it is to her advantage. How to change silk or something, so it looks into a button. She told me too, but apparently my eyes have become dull, I can’t see. I would have thrashed a girl, yes, you see, she is a prospector with us. Read, we only live by her work. I think, I think, and I'm going to cry. Well, then she will say: “Mommy, I know that my fate is not here. I don’t greet anyone and don’t go to games. What’s the point of making people sad? What are you coming at me for? What harm have I done?" So answer her!
Well, life is still fine. Tanyushkino needlework went into fashion. Not only in the al factory in our city, they found out about him in other places, orders are sent and a lot of money is paid. A good man can earn so much. Only then did trouble catch them - a fire broke out. And it was at night. Driving, carrying, a horse, a cow, all kinds of tackle - everything burned down. With that only they remained, in which they jumped out. The casket, however, Nastasya snatched out, she managed to do it. The next day he says:
- Apparently, the edge has come - you have to sell the box.
Sons with one voice:
- Sell it, mommy. Don't just go cheap.
Tanyushka glanced furtively at the button, and there the green-eyed one loomed - let them sell it. Tanya felt bitter, but what can you do? All the same, this green-eyed father's memo will go away. She sighed and said:
- To sell is to sell. - And I didn’t even look at those stones in parting. And then to say - they sheltered at the neighbors, where to lay out here.
They came up with this - to sell something, and the merchants are already right there. Someone, perhaps, set the fire himself, in order to take possession of the box. Also, after all, the people are a nail, it will scratch! They see - the robots have grown up - they give more. Five hundred there, seven hundred, one reached a thousand. There is a lot of money in the plant, you can get them. Well, Nastasya asked for two thousand after all. They go, so they dress up for her. They throw it on little by little, but they themselves hide from each other, they cannot come to an agreement among themselves. You see, a piece of such - not a single one is reluctant to give up. While they were walking like that, a new clerk arrived at Polevaya.
When, after all, they - clerks - sit for a long time, and in those years they had some kind of transfer. The stuffy goat, which was under Stepan, the old gentleman on Krylatovsko set aside for the stench. Then there was Fried Ass. The workers put him on a blank. Severyan the Killer stepped in here. This again the Mistress of the Copper Mountain threw into the empty rock. There were two more, there were three, and then this one arrived.
He, they say, was from foreign lands, he seemed to speak all sorts of languages, but worse in Russian. Purely uttered one thing - to flog. Down like that, with a stretch - a couple. What a shortage they will talk about, one screams: steam! They called him Paroteus.
In fact, this Parotya was not very thin. At least he shouted, but he didn’t drive people to the fire department at all. The local okhlestysh did not matter at all. The people sighed a little at this Parota.
Here, you see, the thing is something. By that time, the old gentleman had become completely fragile, he could barely move his legs. It was he who came up with the idea of marrying his son to some kind of countess, or something. Well, this young gentleman had a mistress, and he had a great commitment to her. How's it going to be? Still, it's awkward. What will the new matchmakers say? Here the old gentleman began to conspire that woman - his son's mistress - for a musician. This musician served with the master. Robyatishek taught music in such a foreign way, as is conducted according to their position.
- What, - he says, - you should live on bad fame, get married. I will dress you with a dowry, and I will send my husband as a clerk to Polevaya. There the matter is directed, let them only keep the people stricter. Enough, go, it's useless that even though he's a musician. And you and him will live better than the best in Polevaya. The first person, one might say, will be. Honor to you, respect from everyone. What's bad?
Butterfly turned out to be colloquial. Either she was in a quarrel with a young master, or she had a trick.
- For a long time, - she says, - she had a dream about it, but to say - she did not dare.
Well, the musician, of course, first rested:
“I don’t want to,” she’s got a lot of bad fame about her, like a slut.
Only the master is a cunning old man. No wonder he amassed factories. Lively broke off this musician. He scared them with something, or flattered them, or made them drunk - their business, only soon the wedding was celebrated, and the young people went to Polevaya. So Parotya appeared in our factory. He only lived for a short time, and so - what to say in vain - a person is not harmful. Then, as one and a half Khari stepped in instead of him - from his factory, they even felt sorry for this Parotya.
Parotya and his wife arrived just at the time when the merchants were courting Nastasya. Parotina woman was also prominent. White and ruddy - in a word, mistress. Probably thin, the master would not have taken it. Also, I guess I chose! It was this Parotin's wife who heard that the box was being sold. "Let me," he thinks, "I'll see, maybe something really worthwhile." She quickly dressed up and rolled up to Nastasya. After all, the factory horses are always ready for them!
- Well, - she says, - dear, show me what kind of pebbles you sell?
Nastasya took out the box and showed it. Parotina's woman's eyes were running wild. She, you hear, was brought up in Sam-Petersburg, she was in various foreign countries with a young gentleman, she was a good judge of these outfits. “What is this,” he thinks, “is this? The queen herself does not have such decorations, but here nako - in Polevaya, among the victims of the fire! No matter how the purchase fails.”
“How much,” he asks, “are you asking?”
Nastasia says:
- Two thousand would be willing to take.
- Well, honey, get ready! Let's go to me with the box. You will get money there.
Nastasya, however, did not give in to this.
“We don’t have such a custom,” he says, “that bread goes by the belly.” Bring the money - the box is yours.
The mistress sees - what a woman she is - she quickly curled up behind the money, and she herself punishes:
“You, my dear, don’t sell the box.
Nastasia says:
- Be in hope. I won't go back on my word. Until the evening I will wait, and then my will.
Parotin's wife left, and the merchants ran all at once. They were watching. Ask:
- Well, how?
“I sold it,” Nastasya replies.
- For how long?
Two, as ordered.
- What are you, - they shout, - the mind has decided or what! You give into the wrong hands, but you refuse your own! And let's raise the price.
Well, Nastasya did not fall for this bait.
“This,” he says, “you are accustomed to spinning in words, but I have not had a chance. Reassured the woman, and the conversation is over!
Parotina woman turned around abruptly. She brought the money, passed it from pen to pen, picked up the box and went home. Only on the threshold, and towards Tanya. She, you see, went somewhere, and all this sale was without her. He sees - some kind of lady with a casket. Tanyushka stared at her - they say, not the one she saw then. And Parotin's wife stared even more.
— What kind of obsession? Whose is this? he asks.
“People call their daughter,” Nastasya answers. - The most like there is an heiress of the box, which you bought. Would not sell, if not the edge came. I have loved to play with these pieces since I was a child. He plays and praises - it’s warm and good from them. Yes, what to say about it! What fell from the cart is gone!
“In vain, dear, you think so,” says Parotin’s woman. I will find a place for these stones. - And he thinks to himself: "It's good that this green-eyed power does not feel her own. If she showed herself in Sam-Petersburg, she would turn tsars. It must be - my fool Turchaninov did not see her."
With that, they parted ways.
Parotin's wife, as she arrived home, boasted:
“Now, my dear friend, I’m not like you, and I’m not forced by the Turchaninovs. Just a little - goodbye! I will go to Sam-Petersburg or, even better, to a foreign country, I will sell the box and I will buy two dozen men like you, if the need arises.
I boasted, but I still want to show myself a new purchase. Well, what a woman! She ran to the mirror and first of all put the headband on. — Oh, oh, what is it! - There is no patience - he twists and pulls his hair. Barely excused herself. And it tingles. I put on earrings - I almost broke my earlobes. She put her finger in the ring - it was chained, she barely pulled it off with soap. Husband chuckles: not like this, apparently, to wear!
And she thinks: "What kind of thing? I need to go to the city, show the master. He will adjust it as it should, if only he does not change the stones"
No sooner said than done. The next day, she drove away in the morning. At the factory, the troika is not far away. I found out which is the most reliable master - and to him. The master is old, old, but in his business the dock. He looked at the box, asked from whom it was bought. The lady said what she knew. The master once again looked at the box, but did not look at the stones.
“I won’t take it,” he says, “whatever you like, let’s do it.” This is not the work of local masters. It's hard for us to compete with them.
The lady, of course, did not understand what the squiggle was about, snorted and ran to the other masters. Only everyone agreed: they look at the box, admire it, but they don’t look at the stones and flatly refuse to work. The mistress then went to tricks, says that she brought this box from Sam-Petersburg. Everything was done there. Well, the master she wove it for only laughed.
“I know,” he says, “in what place the box was made, and I have heard a lot about the master. Compete with him all of ours is not on the shoulder. For one whom that master drives, it will not work for another, whatever you want to do.
Even here the lady did not understand everything, only that she understood - things were not right, they were afraid of someone master. She remembered that the old mistress said that her daughter loved to wear these dresses on herself.
"Wasn't this the green-eyed one they were chasing? That's the trouble!"
Then he translates again in his mind:
"What's wrong with me! I'll sell it to some rich fool. Let him toil, but I'll have money!" With this, she left for Polevaya.
She arrived, and there was news: they received the news, the old master ordered to live long. He arranged cunningly with Parotea, but death outwitted him - took it and hit him. He did not have time to marry his son, and now he has become a complete master. After a short time, Parotin's wife received a letter. So and so, my dear, I’ll come by spring water to show myself at the factories and take you away, and we’ll caulk your musician somewhere. Parotya somehow found out about it, raised a noise-shout. It's a shame, you see, he is in front of the people. After all, the clerk, and here's what - the wife is taken away. He began to drink heavily. With employees, of course. They are happy to try for a gift. Here they were feasting. One of these drinkers and brag:
“A beauty has grown up in our factory, you won’t find another like it soon.
Parotya and asks:
— Whose is this? Where does he live?
Well, they told him and mentioned the casket - in this family your wife bought the casket. Parotya and says:
“I’d like to take a look,” but the zapivoh and the backlog were found.
- At least now let's go - to clarify whether they put up a new hut. The family is at least from the free, but they live on factory land. In which case, you can press.
Whether two or three went with this Parotei. They dragged the chain, let's take a measurement, whether Nastasya killed herself in someone else's estate, whether the tops go out between the pillars. Looking for, in a word. Then they go into the hut, and Tanya was just alone. Parotya looked at her and lost his words. Well, I have never seen such beauty in any land. She stands like a fool, and she sits - she keeps quiet, as if her business does not concern her. Then Parotya walked away a little, began to ask;
— What are you doing?
Tanyushka says:
“I sew by order,” and she showed her work.
- I, - says Parotya, - can I make an order?
- Why not, if we agree on the price.
- Can you, - Parotya asks again, - can I embroider a patret from myself with silks?
Tanya slowly looked at the button, and there the green-eyed woman gives her a sign - take the order! and points his finger at himself. Tanya and replies:
“I won’t have my own patret, but I have in mind a woman alone in expensive stones, in a tsarina’s dress, I can embroider this one. Only such work will be expensive.
“About this,” he says, “do not hesitate, I’ll pay at least a hundred, at least two hundred rubles, if only there is a resemblance to you.”
“In the face,” he answers, “there will be a resemblance, but the clothes are different.”
We got dressed for a hundred rubles. Tanyushka also appointed a deadline - in a month. Only Parotya no, no, and will run in, as if to find out about the order, but he himself does not have something on his mind. It also frowned upon him, but Tanyushka evenly and completely does not notice. Say two or three words, and the whole conversation. The drinkers of Parotina began to laugh at him:
- It won't break off here. You're shaking your boots in vain!
Well, Tanya embroidered that patret. Looks Parotya - fu you, my God! Why, she is the very one, adorned with clothes and stones. Of course, he gives three hundred-dollar tickets, only Tanya didn’t take two.
“We are not used to it,” he says, “we accept gifts. We feed on labor.
Parotya came running home, admiring the patret, and keeping it from his wife in a sweat. I began to feast less, I began to delve into the factory business a little, a little.
In the spring, a young gentleman came to the factories. I rolled into Polevaya. The people were rounded up, a prayer service was served, and then in the master's house the bells went off. They also rolled out two barrels of wine to the people - to commemorate the old, to congratulate the new master. The seed, then, was done. All the Turchaninov masters were for this. As you fill the master's glass with a dozen of your own, and who knows what kind of holiday will seem, but in fact it will come out - washed the last penny and is completely useless. The next day, the people went to work, and in the master's house there was again feasting. Yes, that's how it went. Sleep how much yes again for a party. Well, there, they ride boats, they ride horses in the forest, they strum on music, but you never know. And Parotya is drunk all the time. On purpose, the master put the most daring roosters to him - pump him up to failure! Well, they are trying to serve the new master.
Parotya is even drunk, but he senses where things are heading. He is embarrassed in front of guests. He says at the table, in front of everyone:
“It doesn’t matter to me that master Turchaninov wants to take my wife away from me. Let's get lucky! I don't need this. Here's who I have! “Yes, and he takes out that silk patret from his pocket. Everyone gasped, but Parotin's woman couldn't close her mouth. The master, too, has eaten his eyes. He became curious.
- Who is this? he asks.
Parotya know laughing:
- The table is full of gold, mound - and I won’t say that!
Well, how can you not say, if the factory immediately recognized Tanya. They try one before the other - they explain to the master. Parotina woman hands and feet:
- What do you! What do you! You are building such a nonsense! Where did the factory girl get such a dress, and even expensive stones? And this husband brought a patret from abroad. He showed me before the wedding. Now, with drunken eyes, you never know what to gossip. He won't remember himself soon. Look, it's all swollen!
Parotya sees that his wife is not very nice, and he and let's cheat:
- Stramina you, stramina! Why are you weaving braids, throwing sand in the gentleman's eyes! What patch did I show you? Here it was sewn for me. The same girl they are talking about. As for the dress - I won't lie - I don't know. Whatever dress you can wear. But they had stones. Now you have it locked in a closet. She herself bought them for two thousand, but she could not wear them. It can be seen that the Cherkasy saddle does not fit the cow. The whole plant knows about the purchase!
The master, as soon as he heard about the stones, so now:
- Come on, show me!
He, hey, he was little smart, motovaty. In a word, heir. He had a strong passion for stones. He had nothing to flaunt, as they say, neither height nor voice, so at least stones. Wherever one hears about a good stone, now it is going well to buy. And he knew a lot about stones, for nothing that he was not very smart.
The parotina woman sees - there is nothing to do, - she brought the box. Barin looked and immediately:
- How much?
She thumped completely unheard of. Barin dress up. They agreed on half, and the master signed the loan paper: there was, you see, no money with him. The master put the box on the table in front of him and said:
- Call this girl, about which the conversation.
They ran after Tanya. She didn’t mind, she went right away, thinking how big the order was. She comes into the room, and there are a lot of people and in the middle is the same hare that she then saw. In front of this hare is a box - a gift from his father. Tanya immediately recognized the master and asked:
- Why did you call?
Barin can't even say a word. Stared at her and everything. Then I found a conversation:
- Your stones?
“There were ours, now there are theirs,” and she pointed to Parotin’s wife.
“Mine now,” boasted the master.
- It's up to you.
- Do you want me to give it back?
- There is nothing to give away.
- Well, can you try them on yourself? I want to look at how these stones will fall on a person.
“That,” Tanya replies, “is possible.
She took the casket, took apart the clothes - a usual thing - and quickly attached them to the place. The master looks and only gasps. Ah yes ah, no more speeches. Tanya stood in the dress and asked:
- Have you looked? Will? It’s not for me to stand here from a simple time - there is work.
The barin is here in front of everyone and says:
- Marry me. Agree?
Tanya just smiled.
“It would not be right for a gentleman to say such a thing. She took off her clothes and left.
Only the barin is not far behind. The next day he came to get married. He asks and prays to Nastasya: give me your daughter.
Nastasia says:
- I do not remove her will, as she wants, but in my opinion - as if it does not fit.
Tanya listened, listened and said:
- That's what, not that ... I heard that in the royal palace there is a chamber, lined with malachite from the tats prey. Now, if you show me the queen in this chamber, then I will marry you.
Barin, of course, agrees to everything. Now he began to gather in Sam-Petersburg and invites Tanyushka with him - he says, I will provide you with horses. And Tanya replies:
“According to our ritual, the bride doesn’t ride groom’s horses to the crown, and we’re still nobody. Then we'll talk about it, how you fulfill your promise.
“When,” he asks, “will you be in Sam-Petersburg?”
- To the Intercession, - he says, - I will certainly be. Don't worry about it, but for now, get out of here.
The master left, Parotin's wife, of course, did not take, he does not even look at her. As soon as you arrived home in Sam-Petersburg-ot, let's praise all over the city about the stones and about your bride. He showed the box to many people. Well, the bride was very curious to see. By the fall, the gentleman had prepared Tanyushka's apartment, brought all kinds of dresses, put on shoes, and she sent a message - here she is, living with such and such a widow on the very outskirts. Barin, of course, go there right now:
- What do you! Is it a good idea to live here? The quarter is ready, first class!
And Tanya replies:
The rumor about stones and Turchaninov's bride even reached the queen. She says:
- Let Turchaninov show me his bride. There are a lot of lies about her.
The master to Tanya, - they say, you need to get ready. Such an outfit can be sewn so that you can wear stones from a malachite box to the palace. Tanya answers:
“It’s not your sadness about the outfit, but I’ll take the stones for holding. Yes, look, do not try to send horses for me. I will be on mine. Just wait for me at the porch, in the palace.
The master thinks - where does she get horses from? where is the palace dress? But he still didn't dare to ask.
Here they began to gather in the palace. Everyone arrives on horseback, in silks and velvets. Turchaninov, the gentleman is spinning at the porch early in the morning - he is waiting for his bride. The others were also curious to look at her, and they immediately stopped. And Tanya put on stones, tied herself with a handkerchief in the factory way, put on her fur coat and goes to herself quietly. Well, people - where is this from? - a shaft fells after her. Tanyushka came up to the palace, but the tsar's lackeys did not let him in - it was not allowed, they say, from the factory. Turchaninov’s gentleman saw Tanya from afar, only he was ashamed in front of his own people that his bride was on foot, and even in such a fur coat, he took it and hid. Tanya immediately opened her fur coat, the lackeys look - a dress! The queen doesn't! — immediately released. And when Tanya took off her handkerchief and fur coat, everyone around her withered:
— Whose is this? What lands is the queen?
And master Turchaninov is right there.
“My fiancee,” she says.
Tanya looked at him sternly:
- Let's look ahead! Why did you deceive me - you didn't wait at the porch?
The master back and forth, - de mistake came out. Excuse me please.
They went to the royal chambers, where they were ordered. Looks Tanya - not the right place. Gentleman Turchaninov asked even more sternly:
"What kind of deception is this?" It was told to you that in that ward, which is lined with malachite of the work of the tats! - And she went around the palace, as if at home. And senators, generals and protchi for her.
- What, they say, is this? Apparently, it was ordered there.
There were a lot of people, and everyone was watching Tanya, but she stood up to the very malachite wall and was waiting. Turchaninov, of course, right there. She mumbles to her that something is wrong, the queen ordered not to wait in this room. And Tanya stands calmly, if only she raised an eyebrow, as if the master was not at all.
The queen went into the room where it was appointed. Looks - there is no one. The tsarina's earmuffs bring them up - Turchaninov's bride took everyone to the malachite chamber. The queen grumbled, of course - what kind of arbitrariness! She stomped her feet. Angry, so a little. The queen comes to Malachite's chamber. Everyone bows to her, but Tanya stands - does not move.
The queen screams:
“Come on, show me this self-willed woman - Turchaninov’s bride!”
Tanya heard this, she knitted her eyebrows at all, she said to the master:
- This is something else I came up with! I told me to show the queen, and you arranged me to show her. Again deception! I don't want to see you anymore! Get your stones!
With that word, she leaned against the malachite wall and melted away. All that was left was that the stones sparkled on the wall, as they stuck to the places where the head, neck, hands were.
Everyone, of course, was frightened, and the queen blurted out on the floor in unconsciousness. They fussed, they began to raise. Then, when the turmoil subsided, the friends said to Turchaninov:
- Pick up at least some stones! Live plunder. Not some place - a palace! They know the price!
Turchaninov and let's grab those stones. Which one grabs, he will curl up into a droplet. One drop is clean, like a tear, another yellow, and then again, like blood, thick. So I didn't collect anything. He looks - a button is lying on the floor. From bottle glass, on a simple line. Completely empty. Out of grief, he grabbed her. He just took it in his hand, and in this button, as in a large mirror, a green-eyed beauty in a malachite dress, all adorned with expensive stones, laughs and bursts into laughter:
- Oh, you crazy oblique hare! Should you take me! Are you a match for me?
After that, the gentleman lost his last little mind, but did not abandon the button. No, no, and he looks into her, and there everything is the same: the green-eyed woman is standing, laughing and saying offensive words. With grief, the master let's feast, he made debts, our factories almost went under the hammer under him.
And Parotya, as he was removed, went to the taverns. He drank to Remkov, and the patret is that silk coast. Where this patret then went, no one knows.
Parotin's wife did not profit either: come on, get it on a loan paper, if all the iron and copper are mortgaged!
Since that time, there has been no rumor or spirit about Tanya in our factory. As it was not.
Of course, Nastasya grieved, but also not from her strength. Tanya, you see, at least she was a guardian for the family, but Nastasya was like a stranger.
And then to say, Nastasya's guys had grown up by that time. Both got married. The grandchildren are gone. The people in the hut became denser. Know turn around - look after it, give it to another ... Is it boring here!
The bachelor - he did not forget for a longer time. All under Nastasya's windows stomped around. They waited to see if Tanya would appear at the window, but they did not wait.
Then, of course, they got married, but no, no, and they will remember:
“That’s what a girl we had in the factory!” You won't see another like this in your life.
Yes, even after this incident, a note came out. They said that the Mistress of the Copper Mountain began to double: people saw two girls in malachite dresses at once.