Doctor Zhivago

9

These days the front has begun to move. Sudden changes took place there. South of the area, where Gordon went, one of our formations, with a successful attack of its individual units, broke through the enemy’s fortified positions. Developing your strike, the attacking group drove deeper into his location. She was followed by auxiliary units, expanding the breakthrough. Gradually falling behind, they broke away from the lead group. This led to her capture. In this situation, ensign Antipov was captured, forced to this by the surrender of his half-company.
There were false rumors about him. He was considered dead and buried in an explosion crater.. So it was reported from the words of his friend, lieutenant of the same regiment with him Galiullina, allegedly saw his death through binoculars from an observation post, when Antipov went on the attack with his soldiers.
Before Galiullin’s eyes was the familiar sight of an attacking unit. She had to walk quickly, almost running, the autumn field separating both armies, overgrown with dry wormwood swaying in the wind and a thorny bush sticking motionlessly upward. With the audacity of their courage, the attackers were supposed to lure them to their bayonets or throw grenades at them and destroy the Austrians holed up in the opposite trenches.. The field seemed endless running. The earth moved under their feet, like unsteady swamp soil. First in front, and then their ensign ran along with them, waving a revolver over his head and shouting at the top of his lungs, mouth torn to the ears "hurray", which neither he, neither the soldiers running around heard. At regular intervals the runners lay down on the ground, rose to their feet at once and ran on with renewed shouts. Every time with them, but completely different, than them, fell at full height, like tall trees when felling a forest, some were knocked out and never got up again.
— Flights. Phone to battery, - said the alarmed Galiullin to the artillery officer standing next to him. - Not really. They're doing the right thing, that they moved the fire deeper.
At this time, the attackers approached the enemy.
The fire stopped. In the ensuing silence, the hearts of those standing at the observation station began to beat clearly and frequently., as if they were in Antipov’s place and, How is he, leading people to the edge of the Austrian gap, in the next minute they had to show miracles of resourcefulness and courage. At that moment, two German sixteen-inch shells exploded in front one after another..
Black pillars of earth and smoke hid everything that followed.
"Oh god."! Done! The market has ended! - Galiullin whispered with pale lips, considering the ensign and soldiers dead.
The third shell landed very close to the observation point.. Crouching low to the ground, everyone hurried to get away from him.
Galiullin slept in the same dugout with Antipov. When the regiment came to terms with the idea, that he was killed and will not return again, Galiullinu, who knew Antipov well, instructed to take custody of his property for transfer in the future to his wife, photographic cards of which were found in abundance among Antipov’s belongings.
Recent ensign from the volunteer, Mechanic Galiullin, son of the janitor Gimazetdin from the Tiverzin yard and in the distant past - a mechanic's apprentice, who was beaten by Master Khudoleev, owed his rise to his former torturer.
Having become ensigns, Galiullin, unknown how and against his will, ended up in a warm and secluded place in one of the rear provincial garrisons. There he managed a team of semi-invalids, with whom the same decrepit veteran instructors went through the formation they had forgotten in the mornings.
Besides, Galiullin will check, Do they place guards at the quartermaster warehouses correctly?. It was a carefree life - nothing more was required of him. Suddenly, along with the replenishment, consisting of militias of the old terms and received from Moscow at his disposal, Pyotr Khudoleev, too well known to him, arrived.
- BUT, old friends! - said, smiling gloomily, Galiullin.
- That's right, your honor, — Khudoleev answered, stood in front and saluted.
It couldn't end that easily. At the first drill mistake, the ensign yelled at the lower rank, and when it seemed to him, that the soldier is not looking straight at him with all his eyes, but somehow vaguely to the side, punched him in the teeth and sent him to the guardhouse for two days on bread and water.
Now every movement of Galiullin smelled of revenge for the old. And settling scores in this way in conditions of subordination with a stick was a game too win-win and ignoble. What was to be done? It was no longer possible for both of them to stay in the same place.. But under what pretext and where could an officer move a soldier from his assigned unit?, except for sending him to disciplinary? On the other side, what reasons could Galiullin come up with for asking for his own transfer??
Making excuses for the boredom and uselessness of garrison service, Galiullin asked to go to the front. This gave him a good name, and when in the near future he showed his other qualities, it turned out, what an excellent officer, and he was quickly promoted from ensign to second lieutenant.
Galiullin knew Antipov since Tiverzin times. In nine hundred and five, when Pasha Antipov lived with the Tiverzins for six months, Yusupka visited him and played with him on holidays. Then he saw Lara with them once or twice. He hasn't heard anything from them since then.. When Pavel Pavlovich from Yuryatin joined their regiment, Galiullin was amazed at the change that had happened to his old friend.. From shy, looking like a girl and a funny clean-cut naughty guy came out nervous, knows everything in the world, contemptuous hypochondriac. He was smart, very brave, silent and mocking. Sometimes, looking at him, Galiullin was ready to swear, What does Antipov see in his heavy gaze?, like in the depths of a window, someone else, a thought firmly ingrained in him, or longing for your daughter, or his wife's face. Antipov seemed bewitched, like in a fairy tale. And then he was gone, and in the hands of Galiullin there remained papers and photographs of Antipov and the secret of his transformation.
Sooner or later, Larina’s requests had to reach Galiullin. He was about to answer her. But it was a hot time.
He was unable to truly answer.. And he wanted to prepare her for the blow that awaited her. So he kept putting off a long, detailed letter to her., I haven't found out yet, as if she herself was somewhere at the front, sister. And it was unknown, where should I address her letter now?.

All poetry (content alphabetically)