My memoirs. Volume second. Chapter 9-11.

Kobrin → Outstanding persons

Chapter 9
As there lived before eshuvnik. – Lyubovicheva's prophecies. – Pang Dobrozhinsky. – Jokes about sir Dobrozhinsky. - Its alcoholism. – Horse. – General Kislavsky. – His original behavior. – Passion to music. – Yosl Lider. – The man of iron, but without heart. – Its tricks. – Yosl Lider and governor. – Ruven, run!
In my time eshuvnik and lesotorgovets lived in grand style. City dwellers nearly lived at the expense of eshuvnik, dealers in grain and a tree bought everything from Jews. Tenants lived as landowners. Their children felt as children of landowners. Parents took them the best melamed. Living near big cities, sent children to gymnasiums. In those days for Jews all educational institutions opened. Besides, sons-in-law of eshuvnik, and ikhus as it is told were the biggest erudites, moved from the city to the village.
And when ran to the cities into Rosh - ha - Shana eshuvnik, on streets smart britskas with a smart harness, and smart Jews in smart clothes appeared. Brought with themselves table silver with high silver candlesticks, and everyone tried to be allocated before another the manners, wide life, purchase of the most important calls to the Torah, the most expensive foods, and from them the fashion undertook to be treated with pies. Did not feel sorry also for sweet vodka and wines.
As for me, Lyubovicheva already found a lot of things what to speak about and what to criticize. Why it - she considered - I am lazy, I do not seek to earn why I read books, etc., etc.
"Will never be at it not a stiver!" - she said and to my wife. Each penny should be postponed, hidden. Take care of the pence, the pounds will take care of themselves. The ruble to ruble – will be two, and hundred, and more. And at me everything flows away between fingers. I do not appreciate money, I do not want to work, it is clear that I am a hopeless case.
Tavern as I already spoke, I well put. I had different good wines, vodka and cognacs, expensive beer, and to me the shlyakhta and peasants with all the district was flown down. On Sundays and on all non Jewish holidays at me in tavern it was full to the people. I had peasants in the big room, and a shlyakhta – in other rooms. In the afternoon I too, of course, hard worked – but not as Lyubovicheva spoke, though held two people on distribution, and in everything observed a big order.
In usual, weekdays of visitors there was a little, and I had nothing to do. And I just brought order and brought tavern to a model state on what former Jews never turned attention. I had time for everything, and the landowner simply was angry that the person has time …
She continued to criticize me. Said that would approach to become me the rabbi better or – be remembered not by a row - the priest in the big city. The rabbi and – be remembered not by a row – the priest, there were for it people incapable to work.
"He can only philosophize. And he is after all Jew and, besides, the poor. Why he does not aspire to something practical? No, he will never become a person, will never achieve any money – and what you cost without money? …"
Usually she discussed it with my wife. It she repeated a mistake which was made by the father, considering that the wife will make the Hasid of me, it is only worth influencing her. The landowner considered too that the wife will make me avaricious, fiddleheaded, heavy working and rolled up, she needs to din it well. And I then would go to a barn and would get a rake straw as Rozemblyum.
Lyubovicheva influenced my wife strongly, but nothing good from this left. The wife only with a great effort worked that it was necessary for nobody.
But I thought differently: for what it is necessary to be overworked, become exhausted if it is possible to live quite well and without such inhuman, hard work?
Why to turn into the rough man, to spoil to itself life? … And as it appeared, I was right. But about it further.
The landowner Dobrozhinsky who leased the manor to Lyubovicheva lived at her in the estate, ate there and drank. At it still was on what to drink. He still owned the big wood in Borki's estate, the Volkovysky County. It gave to peasants from Makarovtsev, the former serf, the reference in the Borkovsky wood to the forester with the permission to take out several carts of firewood. For it they bought to it vodka and drank together with it at me in tavern. It is clear, that sir Dobrozhinsky was regularly unsteady drunk. Drinking, he kissed peasants and peasants. He liked to have a snack on cheese. And so it oprostitsya absolutely.
In soul he, however, was very noble person, with good character and an aristocratic origin. His grandfather was a leader of the nobility of the Vilensky district. This grandfather climbed up in Byale-Koz [?] the high mountain once, standing on top of which it is possible to see surrounding fields and villages, and told that everything that an eye sees him, has to belong to it.
And occurred. At such state and in those days it was not difficult to be carried out …
Three children whom the grandfather had were all profligates and revellers. While the grandfather was young, he still held them in hand and did not allow to sharlatanstvovat. But in old age could not constrain any more, and they contracted big debts. And even forged the fatherly signature, and many manors were sold by auction. The grandfather from a grief and shame got sick and died … To Troy brothers and the sister possession and cash - in total divided one million two hundred thousand rubles. Six manors fell to the share of the father Dobrozhinsky: rub near Makarovtsev, three – in the Volkovysky County, with the big wood, and three hundred rubles of cash.
Brothers of the father dissipated all the manors and money. But the father was a little more reserved - quality which his son, sir Dobrozhinsky, did not inherit: he wasted fatherly property, sold manors, there were only Makarovtsa and Borki's estates with the wood, gold and silver utensils and jewelry which he sold then too.
He was a clever person. Hated borrowing money, only sold in a row everything that had. Will sell, will receive money and will dissipate! …
"I began to incur debts too, - the former landowner told, - the father expected that as soon as he dies, I will start up on wind that the little that remained … Business was the field of my marriage in two years. Mother died that year too. I got in inheritance two manors and twenty thousand rubles of cash. Here I began to live really! I loved music, employed an orchestra from forty Czechs that played to me during the lunchtime and in the evening. I lived in Borkakh. I also loved horses, I had thirty horses for departure; musicians and footmen - people sixty. And still I regularly walked, organized balls, inviting to myself all neighboring landowners, drank and danced …
Though to borrow money I avoided, but if it was necessary – I was not considered. At first felt confidence … Did not feel sorry for any percent, and got how many wanted, money on credit, and so boozed years three. But later creditors intended to sell my estates by auction. I got the decent sum at Lyubovicheva and agreed with the strongest of my creditors for forty percent. But much I did not pay …
My wife saw that my affairs are bad that I was gone and I will never be chosen, and left me with two children. Lodged in the manor which the father, and now, Dora the brother gave it in a dowry, I roll, drunk" …
Yes, it had still a thirty-ruble loshadyonka, small, poor which he sometimes rode.
So he told me one winter evening and for the story asked the fee: vodka bottle … I gave it, and it right there emptied it. He got drunk, and in a state of intoxication he kissed with anyone: peasants, peasants – with everyone. He at this moment told me that he awfully loves me, and got to kiss, but, being very healthy, he me nearly strangled so I could not neither sigh, nor escape from it though too was not a weak guy. It so nestled lips for several minutes on my heart that became me badly.
Fortunately, the watchman David came. He saw at once that I absolutely flat-out also tore off me from it in an unconsciousness. Lifted shout, people came running and helped out me. The watchman for a couple of minutes would be late, I precisely would die of Dobrozhinsky's love. Here he saw that he did. He sobered up already a little. Fell on knees, began to kiss to me legs, to cry drunk tears and to assure that all this is from big love to me.
So Dobrozhinsky lived at me the whole year. Continued to drink vodka, and it depends follows got drunk, sat down on a little thirty-ruble horse and left. He was very good goer and could keep on a horse drunk. Nevertheless once fell down. But the rider – big so legs almost reached him the earth hurt not strongly as the horse was small, and.
So it went to Krinki. The purpose of its trip were Krinki. On Sunday he traveled over the town, shops, and behind it – all peasants and Jews, but nobody did it the harm, did anything bad because all, actually, loved it.
On Sunday it pleased with the emergence a market. Sometimes stopped by with the horse directly in the house to an asessor, having pressed the head to a neck of a horse. Having squeezed with a horse into the house, laughed, grabbing a stomach - proved the daring. Then suddenly disappeared, and I still do not know where I disappeared. Died, probably, somewhere all alone.
Thanks to Rozenblyum I also got acquainted with all surrounding landowners. To tell the truth, I could do with them things, but I did not think of it at all. Only - about philosophical books, books and disputes with several kind friends. There is a lot of earnings what is not enough?
I remember, there was one general – Kislavsky who lived in Usnazhe, in four versts from Makarovtsev. Imenye Libavich together with even big folvarok he bought right after the Polish revolt for 700 rubles. Imenye leased to the Jew for three thousand rubles a year, and itself lived in Usnazhe. He was a general son-in-law; his father-in-law was from imperial suite, fell in love with Grodno in very beautiful Jewish girl and married it. They had a daughter, they married her to Kislavsky, the young cavalryman and the handsome.
The father-in-law general so led business that Kislavsky in three years grew up in ranks and received the general's title though he was by nature very lazy and hated work.
Then the father-in-law bought it above-mentioned manors, and it, having left military service, became the landowner. The father-in-law died, and the mother-in-law, the Jewish daughter, lodged at the son-in-law. There were they in good relations with Rozenblyum and Lyubovicheva and visited them. Kislavsky was very original person, with strange, unclear whims and views. He invited the peasant coming to him to work to the hall and explained that the wife very well plays it on a piano … Right there called the wife and asked to play. And it played. Kislavsky very much was interested in what impression is made by game on the peasant. He stared at him, trying to catch impression of game in the opinion of the peasant. … And if it was pleasant to that, Kislavsky was happy.
At it character was such.
We were neighborly well familiar. Coming back from Rozenblyum, he almost always stopped at my tavern and came to see. His look, the movements, the speech – everything was strange, and it seemed that in this person there is something incomprehensible.
Somehow in the summer I went by its estate. He just stood in a gateway. Naturally, he to himself invited me and right there wanted to treat with game of the wife...
Music he, apparently, tested soul of the person.
But I very much hurried and refused. Then it will show me the manor, and still. - from horses and cows. But instead he suddenly three times screamed, caught the chicken passing by and declared:
"Here chicken just laid egg … You understand? – Egg …"
And this beautiful, strange, unclear landowner with his incomprehensible, special whims, deeply reflected.
Also Yosl Lider, the Jew from Krinkov belongs to the same company of ancient types and persons, of course.
Yosl kept a box in Krinkakh, and at one this the word the body scolds a shiver. And Yosl from such was the worst, the most terrible. If to apply to it what is told in national songs where the holder of a box is shown by such freak - for it it will be too weak.
It was accepted that the eshuvnik cut a cow or a bull, or several eshuvnik together cut infections couple of bulls and salted the whole barrel of meat. If there was a little for a barrel, bought in addition still, usually by sharing the cost, and again salted. And all winter in the village eat meat as wolves. The pound of meat cost, maybe, a penny. Once also earned from meat. Sold to peasants skin, back part. Cut usually absolutely thin cows milking a little or absolutely young. For payment of box collecting agreed with a korobochnik for five-ten rubles a year, and - are free for the whole year. Cut how many want.
But many eshuvnik did not wish to give to a korobochnik any money. He was cheated and when it came with desyatsky to villages for audit and looked for zazhulenny meat – it was hidden in the reliable place. But if the korobochnik took zazhulenny meat, then did with it something like that bad why in the city this salted meat was not eaten: broth from it was sharp as vinegar from barrel herring.
Poor people bought it for pennies. It is clear, that for a korobochnik it already was the same that annual collecting from an eshuvnik.
But with Yosele everything was in a different way. Being with audit about meat, he arrived worse, than the auditor of patents. Having taken at someone meat, took away from the house different things in the form of pledge, and it had to pay well: was not afraid of either an asessor, or the district police officer. He was not afraid, but all of them were afraid of him - for his spiteful speed and especially for its denunciations: it could inform on them where it is necessary. It could and inform on the governor as precisely knew – that as well as where to inform.
And Yosl Lider became literally a master. Was not afraid of any official. Decided to take away property and a barrel of vodka – and what to it you will make?
Eshuvnik already had to pay Yosla how many that will order. And then - it is even more, it is a lot of.
I too, clear, pinned up, as well as my neighbors but to salt as they, for several months or for half a year, I could not. I too, thank God, ate zasolyonny meat, but the most bigger – for a month. To pay in Yoslu – I did not pay and – yes he will forgive me – I swindled too … he requested too large sum.
I could not stand him mockeries and especially – this fear which it inspired! Having heard that Yosl goes on villages with audit, all died of fear.
It is clear, as I was afraid of it enough though I had a good protection: Rozenblyum. I kept the "zazhulenny" meat at Rozenblyum in the estate and did not pay Yoslu not a stiver.
Yosl also kept distillery and cheated an excise how many he wanted. The district police officer who not really loved Yosl looked for a case to deal shortly with him. But it was terrible to contact it. The informer – though the Jew, is force.
But once the district police officer just told the governor that the Leader strongly swindles with an excise at the plant as all aktsiznik are afraid of him as a big yabednik and the informer, and it is necessary to send, at last, several aktsiznik to it with audit.
The governor sent commission of six people who were day on plant and took thirty desyativedrovy barrels of alcohol hidden from an excise.
But the dexterous Leader grabbed the axe and at all in the eyes broke barrels. Alcohol poured out. Then he right there rushed to the harnessed cart and left in the direction of Sokolki and, having passed several versts, curtailed into the village located on the way, broke the same axe a wheel and in such look drove to the village. There was a Sunday. Peasants crowded on the square in front of tavern. Yosl squeezed to the broken wheel which is standing with and says to peasants by a plaintive voice that only it left Sokolka as the wheel broke, and asks to borrow it a wheel for the cart. It should go to plant where aktsiznik with audit have to be urgently. Without it – there will be troubles. Here he took out hours, looked and told, as if about himself, but is rather loud:
"Three hours!"
In an hour they will come, and he is afraid, as if not to be late.
"Three hours, three hours, three hours!" - it swung in confusion-headed, - give me a wheel, already three hours!"
Distances to it a wheel, and he went to plant. But by that moment there were four hours!
The commission made the protocol with a claim for twenty two thousand rubles and brought criminal case for breaking at them in the face of barrels.
Weeks through two the Leader was subpoenaed together with the whole village of the peasants called by him as witnesses, and all of them swore that exactly at three o'clock, on the road from Sokolka, they had Yosl in the village with the broken wheel. They out of pity gave it a wheel. I … Yosl was exempted from court.
The district police officer, having heard that the Leader was released, received blow. At the obesity it just failed on the place. The governor did not want to be silent and ordered to the Leader to be. Yosl understood that that will surely arrest him that he will go to prison it is unknown on how many, and nobody will even peep. And still went to the governor.
The governor right there on him cried:
"You at me sgniyosh in prison! Swindler!"
Yosl got up and coolly objected:
"And I will report about you that you participated in theft of the Siberian gold. At the same time, who is already imprisoned four years for it … I know, I know everything! And your estates that you have in the Grodno County – you did not buy, and received as a bribe from landowners".
It was not really far from truth, and the governor for a minute became puzzled, mixed up, and Yosl moved to an exit …
Minutes through fifteen the governor, having recovered, lifted up all Grodno police in search of the Leader. But it disappeared, disappeared into thin air.
And the governor right there resigned.
When people asked then Yosl as he dared to tell it to the governor moreover in his own house, he quietly answered:
"The one who goes in dirty clothes - be it though the governor - should not look for spots on clothes of another".
And he remained the same extortionate korobochnik, as before.
And I remember one more istoriyka about the same Yosle.
In the city of Krinka there was a big criminal trial. I already badly remember how all this happened. It seems, someone was buried without the permission while opening was required. Only I know that twelve owners, from the major city figures and from the funeral company, led by Yosl Lider, had to go to Siberia.
To Krinki there arrived session of district court, all was proud standing. Everything boiled and raged. Were afraid of one witness – the grave-digger on whom, apparently, all charge kept.
What with it to do? He will surely make the city unfortunate. It was difficult to move away him earlier. The police detained him in advance and brought to court. Protected as an apple of the eye.
When the court began and the turn reached that grave-digger, all began to shiver. Now everything it will be bad. Yosl Lider terribly reddened and strained and suddenly cried by a terrible voice, grabbing teeth:
"Oh-oh-oh! Run, Ruven, run!"
The chairman asked why he so shouts, and Yosl began to be bent and coil, grabbing a cheek and shouting a wild animal:
"Oh, teeth, Ruven, run, I cannot think of anything, run, Ruven! Oh, I cannot live, teeth hurt, run, run! …"
At the sight of the person who was so suffering from a toothache all ran with the offer of different means, and Ruven-mogilshchik which sorted in these shouts the quote from Tory1 was right there washed away. Yosl, fixedly watching, in the middle of the most awful cries, Ruven, - having seen that the danger passed, took away a hand from a cheek and quietly declared:
"It is already best of all for me …"
And the court of all released. There was not enough main witness on whom all charge kept …

Chapter 10
Rozenblyum's wood. – I as the forester. – A lodge in the wood. – "It on the world will go!" – Lawyers. – Dobrozhinsky. – Clothes on the German harmony. – Letter of the father. – Trousers. – My letter. - New dispute with the father.
By then Rozenblyum cheap - for eight hundred rubles - bought the woodlands, versts in ten from us. It was the dense wood, more than a half-verst in length and about a quarter of verst width – the wood on firewood and the wood construction. Rozemblyum appointed me to sell the wood to neighboring peasants separate sites. Agreed that three days a week – on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday – I will sell the wood. I traveled in a market day over three neighboring cities – Krinki, Amdur and to Sokolk, with two desyatsky: one hit with the hammer into a copper plate, and another declared to the gathered peasants sale three times in a week of the local wood on firewood.
Peasants with carts and axes were already in the wood. I sold them trees, and they cut them. In the first day with me still there was Rozenblyum, then he left.
The wood as deal was pleasant to me. I saw that on this business it is possible to make good money. To employ sawyers, to cut trees and to cut a board for any constructions - from it it is possible to take a piece of gold. And I told it to Rozenblyum. He talked to Lyubovicheva. But they could not pay attention to this my occupation. They already had a lot of work. Therefore they decided that it is necessary to sell trees worse, and then to decide what to do farther.
I knew that she so considered it. She was afraid that I will win a contract for the pleasure here, I will idle - as she liked to be expressed about me. Gone case!
I went three times a week to the wood since early morning and the whole day marked the wood. Each peasant at first chose to himself a tree, then went to me that I sold it to it. On the sold tree I put a stamp: the strong, steel hammer "Rozenblyum" beat out a surname. And the peasant cut it. Peasants dragged me since one end of the wood to another all the time. One dragged on the East, another – on the West, and so endlessly.
Then there was a big heat. Having felt thirsty, and water was not. I took with myself a water bottle, but it became warm at once, and it could not be drunk. I ordered to dig a deep hole, put water there – nothing helped.
Here the original plan came to my mind. I will be in the winter still in the wood and to come back home at night – almost impossible business: frost, wolves, melancholy. It is advisable to construct tavern, with a good well here, so I will be protected from in total from cold, hunger and thirst. To take building material from the wood, and peasants will work. Instead of a payment for work I will give them the wood. All this will not cost not a stiver, except as for bricks and a tile for an oven.
In tavern I will employ the Jew, and there will be my office and as I in the first year will not take from the Jew for rent of money, he properly for me will look. To me will put a samovar, to cook food, and I will enjoy life to spite of the landowner.
My plan was pleasant to Rozenblyum, and he agreed. And why it would be against? In the winter it, of course, is necessary. I got to work and month through three constructed tavern – well just a doll: the big two-room room with a separate desk for me, with a shed and a deep well where found good water.
When everything was ready, Rozenblyum was with the landowner to look at tavern. They were happy. They even thanked me, but in the opinion of the landowner I read that she is not excited about the pleasure which is coming me …
On the way back the landowner as I also expected, began to set on me Rozenblyum. She considered that I cannot be allowed to business. I will only scatter money, and all.
"To Korchmushk he to himself will construct … it suits for it", - she grumbled.
I told Rozenblyum again that here it is possible to make big business that it is possible to earn good money here.
But the landowner did not allow it. Ordered to sell me the wood very cheap that in a year to sell everything; I lowered hands. I spent long nights in the wood one with the horse and with a britska. With myself I had the whole tea service. I handed over a stern to the Jew in the first year free of charge.
All winter I sold the wood, but is so cheap that all over me laughed, and in the mornings came with carts on two hundred peasants and shlyakhtichy. Three times a week I worked very in large quantities, with is dark to is dark. The winter was very severe: the big frost, is a lot of snow, but buyers during big snow and in a zavirukha trudged in the wood.
I was filled up in office absolutely exhausted, but the samovar stood on call, and it recovered me. I drank and ate, read something and reflected on the affairs.
I had to celebrate to myself for the wood new clothes, for example, a short fur coat, a good, warm sheepskin coat, boots and valenoks with deep galoshes, a good, warm cap, mittens – everything that is necessary for winter. A salary I received sixty rubles a month.
But when I came on Thursday from the wood home to Makarovtsy and was in new, "forest" clothes in a manor to Rozemblyum, the landowner, at the sight of me exploded:
"It on the world will go that I so lived!" – it hissed as a snake.
And partially, it is necessary to recognize, Lyubovicheva, perhaps, was right …
It was pleasant in the beautiful winter evenings, on the good road, under the moon, to go by the sledge ten versts in Sokolka. There I had two companions – one by the name of Polyakevich, another - the son Baruch-Labe. The trip to ten versts occupied me less than half an hour. I flew rather, than went. Time overturned together with the sledge during snow - but it is not dangerous: again jumped in the sledge – and let's go further.
I led to Sokolke hour two, and to nine was in office already again. The samovar stood on call, and so I wintered.
I almost absolutely sold the wood, but is very cheap – on eighty, ninety rubles for ton. Rozenblyum earned from the wood a round sum in several thousands of rubles, and after Pesakh I told that I am not interested in this work any more.
The wood already became rare; I found the dealer who gave for the rest of the rare wood five hundred rubles and hundred fifty for tavern.
That Jew still earned one thousand rubles. I was not mistaken in anything - when Rozenblyum consulted to other Jew - skilled lesotorgovets - that told that it was possible to earn fifty thousand rubles from the wood. Here already Rozemblyum regretted that he did not follow my advice.
Creditors of sir Dobrozhinsky began to sue money out. They wanted to take away Makarovtsa's estate from Rozenblyum and to sell by auction.
Rozenblyum employed for court of three lawyers from Grodno among whom there was also Isroel-Haim Fridberg, the kamenetsky clerk familiar to my readers on the first volume. Business was sent to the Senate, it costed to Rozenblyum several thousands. It lasted three years, but he won.
I during this time got acquainted with lawyers who were taken by Rozenblyum. As Rozenblyum was busy, I went to them. I then still went in long-skirted clothes. And once, when I so appeared at the lawyer Knarizovsky at whom the Grodno intellectuals gathered at this time, he accepted me not really kindly. I, naturally, took offense and right there left home. To Rozenblyum I told that I did not tell him what concerned business and that I in general more to it will not go.
"He is a big arrogant man and badly accepted me".
Rozenblyum about it wrote to it. The lawyer apologized, having added what to be in a long cowl on a visit – not really beautifully …
Rozenblyum considered that the lawyer is right, and willy-nilly (no, it is rather a will), I put on in short, on the German harmony, a dress, with trousers over boots. Going in it, on the German harmony, a look to Grodno down the street, I met the kamenetsky Jew from among good acquaintances of the grandfather. He was delighted to me, and I, on custom, asked to say hello warm to the father, the grandfather and all family.
In several weeks I receive the letter from the father with mother. At night, already lying in a bed, I read the fatherly letter. He wrote something like that:
"My son, in Kamentsa said hello me Sholem-pekar from you. I asked what is done by my son, what does he look like? He told: "And, it already goes with trousers over boots". I just froze, felt blow in heart as from a bullet, I became puzzled. In life I did not feel such unfortunate as I at this moment, and from a grief did not eat three days. Arrived home to Sand and Hadas, the daughter-in-law of the rabbi met the guest, your sister-in-law, it by my look understood that I am strongly oppressed, and I had to tell it about greetings transferred with Sholem-the baker and crying rose, and your mother with Hadas long, long cried.
"I will tell you, my son that I would receive from you better hi, having learned that you go in fragmentary a cowl, than in trousers over boots, is shorter – if you do not write to me that you go with the trousers filled in boots – as your father and as our ancestors carried, - I to you carries not the father any more".
The letter irritated me. I all shivered, reading it. Taking into account an era of Haskala of that time and my nonsense of that time - the letter for me was "the embodiment of fanaticism and darkness" …
And that that he is a father, - I maliciously, - thought that to me from it? Not such he is a big expert - I know Hebrew language better it. I from it will not come into any fortune too. And he refuses to be to me a father?
I decided to write it to spite the big letter in which I will openly declare that I will not fill trousers in boots that I in general already go in short clothes – and all. I so want.
Mother wrote too how the real Jew. The letter was not the letter, but the real roll of grief, with crying and cries:
"Hatskele, you already walk in long trousers? Your father, your grandfathers do not walk in long trousers. I ask you, my darling, dear son that you did not walk in long trousers any more". At me even in eyes zaryabit from all these trousers.
I nevertheless did not write the letter to the father. I calmed myself the fact that I will not have with it any business. If it to me – not the father, then and I to it not the son.
So there passed two months. Gradually heart began to give a vote. I began to think of how the father worries. Such lovely Jew, such dear person, such warm-hearted father. Well, than this devout Jew of an old school is guilty what cannot see the person in short clothes? By the way, he is sure that the son it because of short clothes will forever lose rest in the next world. He knows that I – "educated" and sincerely believe that not for nothing I am able to write on - Hebrew letters with such lofty style …
While I went in long-skirted clothes – for it it was some sign that I still stick to the Jewish customs, but now when I and this sign rejected - he was afraid, very much was afraid for me: what with me will be?
What now to do?
To write to it and to promise that I will walk in the trousers filled in boots, I did not want - why to lie? Again I could not return to it for the sake of the father: the long-skirted clothes bothered me long ago, I was ashamed of it ….
After long reflections I decided to write to it that he for me did not worry - I not from those who live as others tell one to, and I will not become any apikoyres that I am an honest Jew, etc., etc.
I began the letter and God got knows where: - wrote to knowledge, belief, philosophy and research on eight sheets. The whole two months wrote.
The letter began with some kind of introduction with a fragment from our teacher Saadiya Gaona1, namely:
"What distinguishes belief without knowledge from belief with knowledge? The first - like the blind man holding other blind man, and that is for the third, etc. And all Saturday prostranstvo2 there pass blind people, holding the friend the friend, but the able to see person conducts them. Blind people know that the first, able to see, will bring them into the city where they go. But the last from blind people is not confident in the movement. All it seems to it that on the way it can encounter a tree or a stone. Other case - when belief is combined with knowledge - is similar to the blind man holding directly the sighted person. Besides - in hands at it a stick. That is already sure that it will reach the city where goes, and will not stumble".
So I proved to the father that I am not afraid "to stumble". My culture will only help me, but will not damage.
Sending to the father the letter, I did not expect at all that all my work will be for nothing. That the father, having seen a lot of the paper which is used up by "philosophical reasonings", will be afraid to read. And if undertakes to read - it will not interest him. And yes it happened: it burned it at once.
Since then he wrote me only non-registered letters, reporting about the health. And about health of others.

Chapter 11
Again Lyubovicheva. - Her arrangements of my wife. - I begin troubles. - I run behind recipes. - A sad story with a horse. - Doctors. - I gather at way again. - I go to Kamenets. - At the grandfather in Prusk. - Theft at an excise. - Denunciation. - Paper money. - My friend - Dark affairs.
Lyubovicheva the farther, the more influenced my wife. That day and night worked, almost without interruption, and to me it spoiled life.
The wife gave birth to the daughter. The landowner came the next day and told that she looks good and as it seems to it, will be able to get up for the third day. To it eight days as other Jewish women do not approach to lie after the delivery.
"You are such remarkable hostess, - she smiled, - so get up quicker".
The wife obeyed her, and - not on the third as Lyubovicheva wanted, and for the fifth day after the delivery got up and began to carry out all hard, rural work on economy: did of sour milk cheese, of sour cream - oil, milked cows and so forth. It is natural that from similar remarkable economic feats she began to cough and got heartaches. I brought the doctor who told, it is the beginning of tuberculosis.
I right there took care that it did not work, and went with it to Grodno to other doctor. Of course, it was seriously sick. And having got sick, saw all mistakes made by it. Except that she got sick from work, but harm was also that it took away servants from work. The servants regularly shirked work as the wife did everything. And now there was nobody to work: the servants had to it no desire. And at once everything came to nothing, and I only ran on doctors and behind recipes.
For the child it was necessary to take the wet nurse. The tavern and a dairy farm were thrown. Rozenblyum took from me a farm - he could not wait - trouble and only.
In tavern also did not get honey and wines. I had no time to watch it, and the next rich tenant drew to himself all my earnings.
The wife the farther, the more and more got sick, and I only also was busy by doctors and recipes. I remember, somehow at night we had a doctor. He registered the recipe and ordered to prepare medicine immediately. I took a horse from Rozenblyum and went astride to a drugstore in Krinki. Returned to one o'clock in the morning. Put a horse near the house, began to slip from a saddle, but got stuck a leg in a stirrup. The horse was very high, he ran on the yard, I fell to the ground with the leg which got stuck in a stirrup, and the horse dragged me in such look on the road. Apparently, too it was not pleasant to a horse that something, having hooked, dangles at him below, and he began to kick and hoof hind legs. And it was quite heavy too.
I loudly cried, grabbed at a fence a column and tried to release a leg, but could not. And so, trying to be released, I as the typical Jew, fainted on the place.
It was succeeded to get rid of a horse: the boot itself came off and remained in a stirrup. About half an hour I lay unconscious. Then recovered, began to shout, there was it near the house, I was lifted, brought round, wiped a body with alcohol and, having slept, I got up healthy.
Once, when I brought the famous doctor home, he surveyed my tavern and prostukat its walls. Walls were densely covered with dampness. The doctor told that an illness of the wife - from walls, from dampness and if not to take away it far away from tavern, she will not survive. I, frankly speaking, had then no concept about dampness and that it is dangerous. Who watches at dampness - too to me a thing! We had a dry room, I transferred the wife's bed there, and she gradually recovered until she recovered at all.
Rozenblyum returned me a dairy farm, but the tavern already was not that before. I could not return the lost guests any more. And I reflected about … travel again … Makarovtsa - for me not the place: Lyubovicheva will exhaust the wife reasonings on how it is necessary to overstrain at work and to save, save, save...
I wrote about everything to the grandfather. He answered, advising to arrive to Kamenets, and he to me will get the estate. And right after Sukkot I went to Kamenets. From our family there was an uncle Mordkhe-Labe with the only son. The grandfather, as I already wrote, lived in Prusk. And from Kaments I went to him. He then was busy with distillery.
At that time in the Grodno province all distilleries were in hands of Jews. At each plant there were hours showing how many leaves daily alcohol. And before opening of plant were excise and sealed state seals all tubs and barrels. At first there were few seals, but later bethought that steal too much alcohol, and seals appeared more. But not therefore there were less seals in the beginning that did not know where it is necessary to put them, and just because excise took big bribes and pretended that nothing is noticed. Gradually reached three hundred seals on all offices of plant.
But here the new type of theft began, and excise understood how to steal by means of hours how to seize alcohol - but before it passes in hours.
Excise rowing gold together with vodka manufacturers. For excise it just there was a pot of gold.
We had in Kamentsa a watchmaker M., - the real genius as regards false seals and signatures. He could make such neat job that it could not be found. He, in fact, could forge very well gold and silver money, but did not want to risk life. But here, at plants, he forged all excise signatures and seals, and excise knew about it.
It could become very rich, but only excise lost to the same in cards in which he was strongly not lucky. He was also very spoiled and in Brisk where often came for several days, lived the fair sum.
Excise he in large quantities lent. It was dragged on all Grodno province, on all plants, and he gave different advice - how to make to steal more than alcohol. But did all this with the consent of the highest excise ranks as wanted to live quietly, without being afraid of anybody.
At the grandfather in Prusk he arranged to such Kuntz: did a hole in the ten-pood copper pipe twirled like a snake. On a pipe hot alcohol arrived directly in hours. The hole was made very much dexterously. The tube was inserted into it, and the mass of alcohol was daily seized. So there passed month. The grandfather made quite good deal though he had also heavy expenses. At theft there are always heavy expenses. So, for example, it gave in a month fifty rubles to the inspector, seventy five - to the horse trainer, and three hundred - to the managing director with the assistant. Peasants who pulled alcohol received money too. But it proceeded not for long: informed to the province, the commission from an excise was. Was quietly and at once snatched on "snake" - and just at the moment when peasants pulled alcohol. Six buckets were extended, but peasants managed to get away.
Right there sealed up plant together with "snake" and made the protocol. But there came night and to properly understand how there is a theft, they were not in time. Put three desyatsky - to watch that did not break the press. The commission together with an asessor spent the night in the estate tomorrow to consider everything properly.
The grandfather right there brought the mechanic. Desyatsky gave how many it is necessary that pretended to be sleeping, took out to "dragon" and imposed something like a patch from within. The hole remained on the place, but any alcohol did not follow from there: the watchmaker already managed to perform operation quickly and as it is necessary.
Next morning after a breakfast, hours in 12, the commission was to find out, how exactly steal alcohol. But alcohol did not pour out at all - it passed all in hours. Again gave how many it is necessary, and hushed up all business. The commission left with the world, and the grandfather led the business with the world again. Quickly thought up new Kuntz - any more I do not remember what.
In the Brissky County there were two plants which were kept by landowners. They quickly grew rich - stole absolutely without pity.
If the speech about the ingenious swindler, the watchmaker, such typical for former times came, It is necessary to tell an istoriyka from his children's years. He was my friend. We together studied at Motya-melameda. In those days, because of shortage of small change, it was authorized to everyone to release the authorities own paper coins - small change is not more expensive than twenty five kopeks. Many owners let out paper coins in one, two, three, five, ten, fifteen, twenty and twenty five kopeks. That peasants understood money too, "the country alphabet" in the form of hyphens was used: how many hyphens, are so much kopeks. Only on coins from five to twenty five kopeks - it is more than the size of hyphen, the meaning tens. Also the name and a surname let out a coin were entered.
Kvitochki these were in use in the cities and villages of all Grodno province (it is clear that in other cities too). The real small coins - it is less, than on a half of ruble, in general came across seldom. Peasants took Kvitochki in exchange for the products brought by them for sale. Counted money on sticks that was for them difficult business - it is difficult for peasants even of a stick to consider. Having sold out all goods, they received goods in shops for kvitochka or got drunk and if remained - offered them on an exchange to Jews. Paper coins were inconvenient for peasants: first, they were difficult to be considered, secondly, small kvitochka which long lay too long - they often lost … And thirdly, on an exchange they lost, etc.
Of course, my grandfather was the first who began to do kvitochka, but then it bothered him. All owners made them.
For small little shops these kvitochka became rescue. Thanks to them they got along with "case", without feeling shortage in money. It was right there possible to fabricate "money" if did not get hundreds - two, and they were put right there into circulation. So two years until they were forbidden also on any Jewish denunciation proceeded … Kvitochki then cancelled, and many went bankrupt, but without scandals.
And here, I remember that in that time one ten-year-old boy about whom there is a speech made with Trinkovsky's kvitochka of such Kuntz: on a kvitochka in five kopeks added strips so that it turned out twenty five, and did so it seems that nobody could find fakes. Just remarkable there was a work. Receiving such, serving money receipt, Trinkovsky, naturally, did not pay in the beginning attention. But when them the decent quantity was gathered he noticed that somehow there is too much twenty-cheap receipts. It did not let out very much. Here he understood that there was a fake. By the way, this boy managed to puncture a piece of paper and when already began to watch in the middle of the receipt, it was found at the same time too.
This fake caused big nervousness in the town, and after careful clarifications and interrogations of the guilty person found. Rabi the Hank gave to future watchmaker twenty five rozog - a hint for twenty five false kopeks. During flogging all boys had to consider and with each blow to shout: "One kopek, two kopeks", etc.
Next morning after flogging it to us was:
"Hatskele, you know, I thought up one more Kuntz with receipts. This time it will be made purely …"
"Moyshe, - I say to him, - you swore that you will not do it any more!"
"And! - he laughed as the adult, - you, appear, a donkey too. All right - Rabi - a donkey, on that it and Rabi. I shouted that I will not do that Kuntz any more, but another it is possible!"
For it it really there was only Kuntz. He actually did not chase money. As to all artists, the plan was expensive to it. And he was able to draw perfectly.
The watchmaker could not remain at the kunets: in the end numerous denunciations followed, and excise hinted that he should run. And he went to America.

Chapter 9
1 In the original the taken bible form: "ve-yivra" - "also escaped …" (see, for example, Breshit - in the Russian tradition Life - 31,21), entered Yiddish as an imperative mood.

Chapter 10
1 According to D. Asaph the parable is taken not from Saadiya Gaon, and from the book "Duties of Hearts", page 26, section 2, compositions of the Jewish philosopher moralist Bahya bin Yosef Ibn Pakuda, (the 2nd a floor. 11 century, Spain)
2 I.e., the area of two thousand elbows in size around housing where it is possible to go on Saturday, without breaking Saturday rest.



My memoirs. Volume I



My memoirs. Volume II





Our partners