– The last will of the dead has to be executed – with irony Ginzburg repeated Azores’s words.
– Yes, if the died not enemy – quietly parried Azores. – Our ethics consist in guarding interests of the class. So? In a word, I go to search for Hurges. You agree with me, companions?
– We cannot resolve such issue – the captain carefully told.
– Certainly – Azores confirmed. – I will be in Moscow and I will agree. But whether not too we are melochna?. Hurges, throwing a bottle into the sea, knew that she can be brought by the Gulf Stream Current and to northern coast of France, and to west banks of England, and to coast of Norway, even to New Earth and Franz Josef Land where Gulf Stream, by the way, leaves deeply. Hurges, if he is not a fool (and he, apparently, was not the fool), knew that his bottle can appear also in the capitalist country, and in the Soviet Union. He knew, of course, that will be interested in its code. However he was sure, it is obvious that without key its code will not be deciphered. Therefore asked to transfer as a last resort on a bilda. At last, the bottle could get lost in the ocean. Mere chance that we found it, but not Norwegians or Germans. It could fall into hands of fascists…
– Eventually, whether not too the great value is attached by us to all this? – Ginzburg asked. – What makes huge importance for Hurgesov – for us and for all others, perhaps, does not cost the eaten-away egg…
The correspondent accurately curtailed the letter and hid it in a pocket.
– In any case, having come back from Argentina, and maybe earlier, I will notify you on the progress. We still will manage to photograph the letter.
Strongly swung the trawler, wind rose. The captain passed into the cabin and accepted team.
BLIND OLD WOMAN
Azores looked for the street on which Hurges lived. Gloomy people suspiciously examined well dressed Azores and silently showed the direction – each time more and more in depth of slums of working quarter. Azores was a little alarmed. What would it mean? The one who threw a bottle traveled on “Leviathan” – by steamship of rich men. What affairs the wealthy businessman who tragicly died in the ocean could have with people of this suburb?
With great difficulties of Azoresu at last it was succeeded to find the street which he looked for. The gloomy place – near the cemetery of the poor and the new building of prison. “That, the authorities were provident, having arranged the cemetery and prison in this part of the city. Care of the working population of the quarter: to bring closer ‘public’ places with which it most often deals” – Azores thought.
Here and the house No. 344 if it is possible to call only these ruins the house… To call? There is no call. The door is half-open. Knocked… Nobody answers. Azores knocked stronger and, without expecting the answer, entered the room. The old shaggy dog hoarsely began a bark on Azores and with the last bit of strength rose on forepaws. Back were paralyzed.
– Who here? – Azores heard a rough aged voice and turned.
In a dark corner the old woman in tatters sat. She looked in emptiness unseeing eyes.
“Well and situation!” – Azores thought.
– Whether tell, be so kind as, there lives Don Hurges? – Azores asked, approaching the old woman.
The smile stretched her toothless mouth. The long hooked nose almost touched the sharp, raised up chin.
– Don – scoffing, it imitated. – Unless Dona live in such peasant houses?
– You after all did not answer my question.
– No Hurges exists here – the old woman angrily proshamkat.
Azores became gloomy.
– But, perhaps, he lived here? You live in this house long ago?
– Seventy six years – the old woman answered.
– And never heard about Hurges?
– Perhaps also heard. In seventy six years about whom you will not hear. Yes you who such and what it is necessary for you? – she asked suspiciously, and her nostrils began to move as if sense of smell could replace with it sight.
– I have a letter to Zhuan Hurges. Obviously, from his brother who died during the crash of “Leviathan”. The letter was revealed in a bottle and thanks to a happy occurence it appeared in my hands.
The old woman with interest listened. Azores monitored expression of her face. Obviously, she after all knows Hurges.
– Approach me, I will feel you – she unexpectedly told after minute silence.
Azores satisfied this strange request. The old woman diligently felt a sleeve of his jacket, forced to bend and quickly ran a dry wrinkled hand over the person from a forehead to a chin.
Survey, obviously, satisfied it. Having thought, she said:
– Yes, you Spaniard. And you here arrived recently…
Azores could not comprehend from what she drew such conclusion, however did not venture to ask about it.
– I assure you that I do not deceive and came to you as the friend – Azores hotly told. Seeing that the old woman begins to give up, he risked to open the card which could solve a game in its advantage. – I am a correspondent of the communistic newspaper “Barselonsky Proletary”.
The effect exceeded its expectations. The old woman became straight and severely asked:
– You tell the truth?
The communist Azores hotly and sincerely said an ancient Spanish oath, and it made a due impression. The old woman turned the face to a sound of its voice and said:
– I trust you.
Azores breathed a sigh of relief:
– Give me your hand.
Azores strongly shook hands the old woman.
– We should be careful, very careful – it continued, shaking the head – especially to such blind woman as I. Around spies and traitors. If I cut off to myself language in time, Zhuan Hurges, perhaps, would not be where it now.
The old woman mournfully inclined the head. Obviously, she blabbed out already once and it ruined Hurges.
– Where it? – Azores asked.
– There, where to you not to reach – the old woman answered. She pointed to a window through which the roof of new prison was visible. – To me once here also came and asked: “Companion Hurges at you lives?” And I, the old hen, was caught on the word “companion”.
Azores was confused. The situation becomes complicated… The one whom he looked for sits at thick walls of prison…
– Tell,