Chapter 3 three

three On the second day of Whitsun, Dymov bought some food and sweets after lunch, and set off to see his wife at the dacha.He hadn't seen her for two weeks and missed her terribly.He took a train ride, and then searched for his own villa in a large forest, which made him hungry and tired, and he was looking forward to resting later, having dinner with his wife, and sleeping soundly.He was glad to see the package, which contained caviar, cheese and salmon. ① Orthodox holiday, on the fiftieth day after Easter (March 22 in the Russian calendar). It was almost sunset when he finally found his own cottage and recognized it.An old maid told him: the wife is not at home, but they will be back soon.The villa looked very ugly, with low ceilings, covered with written paper, and uneven floors with many cracks.There are three rooms in total.In one room there was a bed, in another canvases, paintbrushes, dirty paper, men's coats and hats littered chairs and windowsills, and in a third Dymov saw three different A man I know.Two of them were dark-haired men with beards, and the third was a fat, clean-shaven actor who looked like an actor, and the samovar on the table creaked.

"What do you want?" asked the actor in a bass voice, looking coldly at Dymov. "Do you want Olga Ivanovna? ​​Please wait a moment, she will be back in a moment." Dymov sat down and waited.A dark-haired man looked at him sleepily and listlessly, poured himself a cup of tea, and asked: "Would you like a drink?" Dymov was thirsty and hungry, but he didn't want to spoil his appetite, so he didn't ask for tea.Soon footsteps and familiar laughter were heard.The door slammed, and Olga Ivanovna ran into the room, wearing a straw hat with a wide brim, and carrying a painting box.Immediately after, a cheerful, flushed Ryabovsky entered, carrying a large umbrella and a folding chair.

"Dymov!" cried Olga Ivanovna, flushing with joy, "Dymov!" she cried again, laying her head and hands on his chest, "this is You! Why haven't you come for so long? Why? Why?" "Where do I have time, dear? I'm always busy when I'm free, and the trains often don't run well." "I'm glad to see you though! I dream about you every night and every night! I'm so worried that you're sick. Geez, you never know how lovely you are, and you're just in time! You're my savior! Only You'll save me! There's going to be a very fancy wedding here tomorrow," she went on, smiling as she fastened her husband's tie. "Chikrydeyev, the telegraph operator at the station, is getting married tomorrow. A handsome young man, He's not stupid, you know, he has a strong, bear-like look on his face... You can use him as a model for a young Varangian. All of us who live in the villa respect him I am very interested, and I have promised him to attend his wedding... He has no money, is lonely, and is timid, so, needless to say, it is a sin not to sympathize with him. Think about it, after the prayer Just hold the wedding ceremony, and then come out of the church, and everyone walks to the bride's house... You know, the green groves, the birds chirping, the sun dappled on the grass, on this bright green background, We're all blobs of color—what a picture, it's French Impressionist. But, Dymov, what do you want me to wear to church?" said Olga Ivanovna, doing With a crying face, "I have nothing here, really nothing! No clothes, no flowers, no gloves... You must save me. Since you are here, then, that is to say, it is fate I entrusted you to rescue me. My dear, you take this bunch of keys, go home and get my pink dress from the closet. You know it, it hangs at the front... and then in the storage room On the floor to the right, you'll see two cardboard boxes. You open the top box, and it's full of lace, lace, lace, and all kinds of odds and ends, and underneath all those things are flowers. You take the flowers Be careful not to wrinkle it, my dear. Bring the flowers, and let me choose here... and get a pair of gloves."

①Ancient Russian name for the Normans in Northern Europe. "Very well," said Dymov, "I'll go back tomorrow and have it delivered." "How about tomorrow?" asked Olga Ivanovna, looking at him in amazement, "how can you make it in time tomorrow? Tomorrow the first train leaves at nine o'clock in the morning, and the wedding is at eleven o'clock. No, my dear, please." Go back today, you must go back today! If you can't come tomorrow, then find someone to deliver it. Well, let's go... There is a bus passing here later. Don't miss the train, dear."

"Ok." "Oh, I can't bear to let you go," said Olga Ivanovna, with tears welling up in her eyes. "Oh, I am a fool, why did I agree to that telegrapher?" Dymov hastily drank a cup of tea, took a bagel, smiled mildly, and went to the station. The two dark-haired men and the fat actor ate all the caviar, cheese, and salmon.