Chapter 7 Guy from Beijing

In the past few days, the village of Ushachi is re-electing the chairman of the village Soviet. The higher party branch of the village sent a comrade Vedelnikov from the city.Now he was standing on a pile of freshly sawn logs, talking to the group. "Citizens, the current international situation is very clear. So, sorry, there is no need to go any further. Let's turn now to today's topic - the election of the village chairman. Kostenlev, a class alien, is not worthy at all. In charge of the power of the country, so it must be replaced..." Boblov, chairman of the Poor Association, is a peasant.Next to his comrades from the city, he also stood on the pile of logs.He was quite worried that the people in the city would not be able to understand what the villagers said, so he volunteered and went up to explain to everyone: "The general meaning is that Kostenlyov, a class dissident -- let him die badly -- doesn't deserve to be in charge. Power, so, to replace him..."

The orator from the city went on to say: "That Kostenlyov I mentioned just now must be re-elected. It is recommended to choose another qualified person. We don't need such speculators." Bobrov explained again: "This dissident, drunkard, deserves his luck! Anyway, he has to step down and get a new one. Even if he is a relative of my wife, he has to be replaced." The people in the city said: "I suggest that you propose candidates." Boblov pulled off his hat in excitement and waved his arms vigorously, meaning: Please hurry up and nominate candidates. No one said a word at the meeting.

Someone said in a low voice: "Pekin, or Tieremya Ivanovich Shekin? Yes?" "Well, Bei Jin... I'll write it down." The city man said. "Write it down," Boblov added. The crowd, who had been silent just now, suddenly started chattering.Shouting out candidates, wishing they were in office right away. "Bekin! Sekin! Mikolaev! . . . " Vedelnikov wrote down these names in his notebook... Someone shouted: "Guys! Sekin! Mikolaev... how can I be a candidate? What kind of election is this? It's going to be an advanced one... a real advanced one... someone who has been in the city , someone who has some knowledge. We need this type of person... we need someone who knows everything..."

"That's right!" everyone responded, "Advanced elements are selected...that's how it is selected elsewhere." The city people said: "This view is correct, please nominate it." All of a sudden it was cold again. "Is Leoshka Konovalov okay?" someone whispered. "He's the only one from the city. He's from the capital." "Lyoshka!" they all yelled, "come up, Lyoshka, and say something to us all." Leoshka pushed his way through the crowd and came up to the pile of logs.He was a little flattered that everyone praised him so much.He put one hand on his chest, and bowed his body slightly as he saluted in the city.

"Lyoshka, speak!" someone shouted. Lyoshka was a little embarrassed, and said: "It's nothing, you can choose me. What are Sekin and Mikolaev, how can you choose them! This is the country, and they are all poor peasants. But I, I've been in the city for almost two years. I'm the right choice..." "Lyoshka, tell me! Tell us more!" the crowd shouted again. "Just say what you want. I don't dare to say anything. I know everything, such as laws, instructions, instructions, codes... I know all of them. I have been messing around for two years. At that time, I was in the I stayed in the No. 1 room, and people kept coming to me and saying, Lyoshka, explain to me what this decree and these regulations are all about."

"What room number," someone asked. "Oh, room number?" said Lyoshka, "it's number fourteen, and we're sitting in Krest..." "Good guy!" People were dumbfounded when they heard it. "Young man, why did you go to jail?" Lyoshka was taken by the army, panicked, glanced at the crowd, and said: "It's nothing." Lyoshka said vaguely. "A political prisoner, or something stolen?" "Political prisoners," said Lyoshka, "just stole a little..." Leoshka flung his arms, feeling ashamed, and slipped into the crowd.

Vedelnikov, who came from the city, said again, why it is fashionable to choose people from the city now, but there are deviations and so on.He then proposed a vote to elect Shekin. Boblov, chairman of the Poor Association, explained the meaning of these words to everyone.Xie Jin was elected unanimously, with only one abstention. It was Lyoshka who abstained—he didn't like these country poor bones! (1922)① Translated by Gu Yaling and Bai Chunren