They spoke, but as though did not notice each other – so, to someone to the stranger addressed (can be, to the intermediary?) And conversation from it turned out crumpled, squeezed of, inconsistent. He marked time, awkward – «a valenok’ (a shy boy), not the person – did not know where to stick opened and from that enormous, taking it is too much places, umbrella; where it is better to push the removed boots; where, after everything to pass and sit down. His coward was transferred to her, she fussy ran on a room, cleaning superfluous things: any rags, rags of a matter, a pattern; simultaneously included an electric teapot in the socket which was occupied already with a refrigerator plug and which should be taken out for a while. Ringed ware in a niche of the wall adapted under buffet, drawn by a playful fabric with white florets. Such occurred regularly. Simply repeated and repeated, and anything it was impossible to do with it. Both of them needed time to come to the senses, feel unchained, as in ordinary life.
It seemed to him that today she a bit unusual, not such, as always, vivacity, has blossomed even, whether became more beautiful that. However such thought was blasphemous, change in her all the same has occurred, and to the best. To her so there was this black atlas with peas against a scarlet woolen jacket. And this flush got, obviously, for a week of stay on rural air.
He admired it, sitting on a chair in the ordinary pose – in Turkish. He has noticed on her finger also a gold ringlet with a pattern of which was not earlier when she has sat down by a table and has extended hands, smoothing a cloth.
He sat, as the idol, and did not know, with what to begin. «What an awkward situation! I don’t know what about to speak?» He thought. He has inspected, probably, in thousand time a room: old wall-paper, a book shelf with moving glass, small wardrobe, an armchair and the TV, a bedside table, a shaky ottoman – her bed, their bed…
She patiently waited, something concealed in itself, and he could not guess in any way: what? At last, something close to true has dawned upon it: she waited, she is dressed up, and it is all – for him. «Look at me, what a beautiful I am! – As though she constrained shout inside. – Hands in gold. How do you like that! Am I attractive, despite mourning? Estimate, notice my diligence. I so waited for this meeting so dreamt of it and is glad that we again together. You look at me and if you will tell nothing, not terribly, I have enough that you nearby, with me».
He has foolishly kept silent, and anything, as if on purpose, has not told about her appearance, about her dress. He has considered that it will look artificial; he preferred naturalness in the relations, a natural course of events. Instead he has told about the flowers standing on a table in cheap, with carved drawing to a vase: «Flowers fade».
Natural flowers constantly stood at it. She loved fresh flowers, bought them, when the old plants withered. He has presented to her flowers only once are there were roses with the thorns any very long and sharp. Since then has passed a lot of time, the whole eternity.
– Yes, begin, – she has sadly told. She sat and looked opposite to herself in a wall at the Siskin’s reproduction representing light spring wood with the tumbled down trunk.
– You where look? – He has asked. He often reminded of hers sudden derivations, deduced the remarks from contemplate silence, from wanderings far from the validity.
She believed that he becomes angry because of hers strangeness, and always she hastened to calm:
– No, no. Anywhere, I do not look anywhere.
– I have noticed, again about something have reflected.
– I do not think, – she has inclined on one side a head – hers usual movement which he has acquired on all life, as something having great value. – We will drink tea?
She began to set the table, rattling saucers, cups, has put small baskets with a crimson syrup, cut chunks a piece of white house cottage cheese. The teapot has begun to boil: the lid jumped up, from a nose brought down a smoke.
– Cottage cheese! – He was delighted and has laughed.
– Eat, and that will be late, – she has told, smiling.
That them so has amused, they knew only one. It was on one tea party, for any holiday (what? – Nobody remembered). He has refused cottage cheese – was full. He has told that will try then, and for the morning when has asked, there was all is eaten. He has forgotten absolutely about this case, and she, it is necessary, remembered.
– How, it is tasty?
– O-very.
After tea she has cleaned ware, has wiped filtered of a porcelain teapot a puddle, has shaken from a cloth. He has changed on an ottoman, therefrom watched hers again slow, uncertain movements, has extended feet to the heated reflector warming a room, more truly, that corner at an ottoman where stood.
There was already late autumn, and carnival processions more disturbed than nobody at night. The beach has become empty for a long time, there was now cold, the penetrating wind walked on deserted sand, waves the enraged shaft attacked coast and beat, tormented him indifferent to revelry of elements, fallen asleep in the middle of peals of thunder.
Они познакомились случайно, но встреча эта не была такой уж случайностью. Они искали, каждый в отдельности. Может быть, не будь его, она нашла бы другого, и наоборот он встретил бы другую, не будь ее. Очень может быть. Но случай свел именно их. А дальше каждый сделал со своей стороны все, чтобы знакомство переросло в привязанность. О чувстве они не говорили. Это было их молчаливое обоюдное соглашение.
В городе, где жила она, в курортном уголке земли, как в любом курорте в разгар лета царствовал карнавал – карнавал цветов, природных красок, света, нарядных людей, ничем не озабоченных и благодушествующих. Наряды всех цветов и оттенков, как положено на карнавале, пестрели на пляжах, которые протянулись бесконечной полосой белесого песка вдоль накатывающих шуршащих горок, шипящих на горячих камешках. А также на подступах к пляжам – в холмистых песчаных складках, усыпанных еловыми иглами, в колючих зарослях кустарников, в высоченном сосновом лесу.
Красные, зеленные, фиолетовые, желтые, белоснежные ткани. Синие, малиновые, сиреневые, золотые, комбинация цветов. Тапочки, шлепанцы, шляпки, кепки с козырьком. Соломенные штучки, бикини, махровые полотенца, пляжные сумочки. Рябь в глазах.
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