– I understand you, gentlemen – only Vadim Alexandrovich replied dryly.
Then Vasily Nikolaevich looked at his watch and said:
– Excuse me, I think it’s time for us, we still need to prepare the work – I offered Vadim Alexandrovich to go.
They were returning to Vasily Nikolaevich’s house, but then suddenly the professor told the driver to turn off. When they turned around, they arrived in the forest…
Chapter four. Journey
It is not known where they were going and what the professor was up to, but when they turned, they were already passing through some forest that Vadim Alexandrovich had not been familiar with before. Suddenly the driver lost control and the car fell to the side of the road. To the horror of the scientists, the driver died on the spot, and they themselves were slightly injured. When they came out, the candidate of Sciences asked the professor:
– Professor, where were we going?
– We were going to the same university, I wanted to show you an old friend of mine, but apparently fate threw us not far. This is the same forest where my colleague died in an accident – said Vasily Nikolaevich holding on to a colleague. It was already evening and it was dark, they needed to get back into the city somehow.
– Vasily Nikolaevich, but how will we get home?
– There are no cars passing through here, because a longer, but safer way was built, I wanted to shorten it. Therefore, the only option is for us to walk, I think there should be an exit not far away, because we have not driven so deep.
– What about our phones?
– We won’t be able to give any signal, our phones won’t work.
After this brief dialogue, they continued their journey on foot. On the way Vadim Alexandrovich asked:
– And who was your colleague and why did you want to show me his place of work?
– I wanted to show you his work. He was a physicist and worked tirelessly. He was a candidate of sciences and worked on chemical compounds or, more precisely, on their atomic structures. He worked so hard and was able to reveal completely new data. Then the security services became interested in him, he began to appear less in public, and I had little opportunity to communicate with him after that. And then, I was able to meet him for the last time. And then, it became clear about his death. Surprisingly, at his request, his corpse is still here. I think we’ve come,» the professor whispered.
The professor’s phone had a built-in flashlight, and he didn’t turn it on to save the charge, which was almost gone, but now he couldn’t help but show it. He turned it on and directed it up. A body appeared before the eyes of Vadim Alexandrovich, this man was hanged on a tree branch. Frozen bottomless eyes exuded incomprehensible emotions. He was a middle-aged man, slightly younger than the professor. He was wearing a white lab coat and gloves. And a crazy smile froze on his face for ever…
Vadim Alexandrovich froze in place, and Vasily Nikolaevich spoke:
– That’s what excessive striving leads to! Do you think science will reciprocate your efforts? – no! They will suck all your blood and make you rot hanging on the gallows made by your hands! Yes, we are scientists, but we must also beware of this force. When we go too deep and learn, we become stronger, but our enthusiasm causes fear – they are afraid of us. They were afraid of him! He became so strong that people simply did not catch up to him and that’s what it led to! Therefore – he quickly looked at Vadim – stop Vadim Alexandrovich and stop your work! And start a simple job, otherwise the same fate awaits you!
The candidate of Sciences froze in place and simply could not move, could not say a word, he was torn apart from the inside, he was shod with fear, fear, where did his scientific courage go? Where had his fearlessness gone? Now they were gone and Vadim Alexandrovich realized how far he had come… Suddenly they heard the howl of a wolf and rushed forward, trying to escape as quickly as possible, but Vadim Alexandrovich fell and lost consciousness…
When the scientist woke up, he was already at Vasily Nikolaevich’s house. They were rescued by a forester who lived nearby and helped them get out. Now in Vadim’s eyes that fervor did not burn, that enthusiasm did not burn, and no, he did not lose interest – he was scared, he abandoned and buried his idea in a grave that is deeper than any hole on Earth, he buried it in his soul as far as possible so that he would never remember it again.
Finally, a solemn day has come, which Vadim used to think would be one of the happiest in his life. Before the speech, he met his friend Gleb Valentinovich, the one with whom they were waiting in line to defend their master’s thesis.
– Vadim Alexandrovich! How glad I am to meet you again! Are you trying to be a doctor?
– You guessed right, Gleb Valentinovich, but we haven’t seen you since the magistracy.
– Exactly. After all, I worked for a long time after that. Right now, only on the candidate.
– Are you worried?
– Why should I worry when everything is paid.
– I’m sorry, what do you mean?
– I will definitely be a candidate, even if I don’t say anything. I paid them to take me in. I trust you even with my innermost secrets, because we have not worked side by side for two years in vain, right?
– I’m sorry, but I’m a little surprised by your act.
«You don’t look it.» Excuse me, but why are you so sad, dear friend? Something happened? If you’re worried, it won’t be difficult for me…
– No, you don’t need to. And I’m sad because I buried my most grandiose idea.
– Well, this is also not a problem, you just need to pay and they will accept any of your whims, Vadim Alexandrovich. At least announce the number «pi» again!
– Thank you, but I’d rather kill myself along with my idea than act so meanly with my honor! And now, allow me to leave.
– Whatever you say, Mr. Honesty! Gleb grinned.
Vadim felt an unprecedented disgust for this man, after what he heard. Finally, he waited for his entrance and solemnly began his speech, which this time was by the very appearance of Vadim Alexandrovich much sadder than all the previous ones:
– Ladies and gentlemen… Today, I will present to your attention the work «Table of the narrative system», it is devoted to the definition of the style of narration. It is very simple and consists in… – he spoke his report without interest.
When the performance was over, few people asked questions. This topic was already trodden and was an easy way to pass, which really annoyed Vadim, who was a real scientist in his heart. So he received his degree and was proudly called Doctor of Philology, Professor of Tomsk State University Vadim Alexandrovich Vavilov.
So ten whole years have passed, Vadim has just turned forty-four years old, and the ticket for the liner has even risen in price, but at the same time he began to receive much more salary as a professor. Over time, he forgot about his pain and happily continued his work in his new position, giving lectures and sometimes conducting research. There was an era of cable television, DVD players, discs and cassettes were sold in stores, new stores were built or opened for them. Vadim himself already had his own TV, it was colored and showed old channels.
He looked at life as a trinket, a native of the pure Soviet principles of work and get, he tried to instill it in the yard boys who behaved like bandits in the area. Of course, he was bypassed, some laughed.
Vadim Alexandrovich continued to teach students,