A. Belyaev - Classics fantasy – 5

My first care was to dress it. I could not bring it into civilized society naked, only with an animal skin on a back. With great difficulty I found for a white flannel suit on its growth. It was just wide shirt and trousers. He somehow put on a shirt, but with trousers could not reconcile in any way. They constrained and made laugh him. It continually clapped itself (himself) on thighs, sniffed and hilariously twisted legs.

In Calcutta on the crowded street he suddenly… took off trousers and threw them. In Calcutta people got used to see nakedness, and it did not make too big scandal. But what if it does such piece in Paris?

For the first time I gave a good telling-off him and as it was pathetic in the consciousness of the guilt! He tried to lick to me hands again though I also forbid it to do it.

When we were already onboard the steamship, a story happened to it again.

Before the withdrawal the siren began to roar. Adam fell to the deck in panic horror, then jumped and one jump rushed through a board to the sea. It was necessary to catch it from there and to conclude in a cabin.

Many cares were delivered by it to me and with feeding. There could not be also a speech going with it to a table d’hote. Brought it a lunch in a cabin. But he refused – he could not eat our dishes. Came to an end in the fact that I had to give it, as well as in mountains, crude meat and water. Besides he suffered from a heat and therefore often howled, than caused complaints of passengers. It was very difficult to come with it to the deck. It always gathered around itself (himself) crowd of gapers. All this very much constrained me.

Difficult and long to describe all events of this travel. Adam passed for fear to surprise all the time. Trains, cars frightened him. Our clothes, at home, electric lighting was struck literally to tetanus. Some trifle to which we do not pay the slightest attention – the spinning illuminated signs, sounds of brass band or pack of the making a din kids newsdealers – so absorbed it that I needed to pull several times it a hand to get moving forward.

But anyway, my tortures came to an end. Adam in Paris.

December 14. Adam makes progress. He does not lick to me hands any more. Got used to wear a suit, very much loves bright ties, learned to eat our dishes with a knife and a fork. Knows several everyday French words. But I do not decide to be shown with it on the street yet. And it was necessary to air it. Adam began to miss – because probably that sits in the room all the time, though at an open window, despite severe winter. At night, in particular when in a window the moon shines, he sits at a window and howls. I forbid it to howl, but he after all howls, quietly, hushfully, plaintively… In the middle of the night this howl the person very much irritates, but, I see, he not in forces not to howl.

To entertain him, I bring him books with color pictures. To my astonishment, he very well understands them and rejoices as the child. But especially my last gift pleased him: puppy mongrel. Adam does not leave him for a minute, even sleeps together with Dzhipsi – he says «Zhips» – and the dog pays it in reciprocal love, understands it on one gesture. Not therefore whether what their psychology is close?

December 26. However Adam «was not absolutely civilized» yet. Today to me the old companion came and friendly tapped of me on the shoulder. Adam, possibly thinking that I am beaten, with growl rushed on the guest, and after it and Dzhipsi, and me not without effort was succeeded to calm all three. My old friend, the nervous and irritable person, was very scared and angry this trick.

– I on your place would keep it in a cage – he told, leaving».

* * *

Further in the diary there was a description of events already known to Clothilda: Adam’s adventures on streets of Paris. But she read everything up to the end.

– It is solved, I have to be engaged in his education! – she exclaimed, having thrown the manuscript on a table, and immediately sent to professor the telegram, inviting Likorn to come to it together with Adam.

With some nervousness professor Likorn approached a familiar entrance of the house of de Troyes under a hand with Adam.

Adam with an unseparable doggie, in a black hat and a fashionable coat looked absolutely decently. Likorn called.

– Look, Adam, be a clear head. Behave decently. Do not shout, do not jump…

– Yes…

The door opened, and they entered a lobby.

The door-keeper, having recognized Likorn, respectfully passed him. The footman ran up to take off a coat.

Suddenly Adam with a wild roar rushed on the bear effigy standing in a corner with open paws squeezed a bear for a throat and was pushed with it to the floor. Dzhips began a bark. The amazed footman dropped a coat on a floor and stood with an open mouth.

– Adam, back! – Likorn shouted.

But Adam himself also understood the mistake when his iron fingers broke through a skin of a bear and took tow shreds from there.

– Poor Adam, you were mistaken. Bear not real.

– A bird not real, at-at not real… In total not real – Adam perplexed muttered, rising from a floor.

– We go, Adam.

Adam trudged for the master, heaving from consciousness of the fault a deep sigh.

– I will be … – he grievously spoke.

In Adam’s language it meant «I will not be». Likorn involuntarily smiled.

The servant brought them into Clotilda de Troyes room.

When Likorn with Adam appeared in the doorway, Clothilda, hospitably smiling, met requirements of them, giving to Adam a hand. But her hand remained to be groundless.

Adam’s attention was suddenly attracted with a porcelain Chinese bobblehead with slanting eyes which stood on a marble fireplace and swung the head. Then he took a knickknack in hand, it crackled, and on a floor splinters fell down.

– Adam, sit down – professor strictly told, having taken him for a shoulder and seating in a chair. – Sidi. Do not move. You see that you did.

– I will be – it is deplorable Adam said, sorrowfully considering splinters on a floor.

– I warn you, madam – Likorn told, greeting at last the hostess – that this visit can deliver you and me many troubles. Adam is brought not so up to happen in society. And I would prefer to take away Adam, with your permission, now.

– I will be – Adam responded, having heard the name.

– Trifles – Clothilda answered. – Please, do not worry. It as the child that from it to ask…

By the end of an appointment between professor Likorn and Clotilda de Troyes the agreement that Adam will lodge from now on in her mansion took place and it will continue his «education» under control of the professor.

Adam moved and at once turned upside down de Troyes house. The host felt like the most unfortunate.

– You can imagine what means to live in one house with a tiger – Bernard de Troyes said to the partner on trade – I try to avoid this savage, but, judge whether it is possible to avoid meetings, living under the same roof. Who knows that at it on mind? He can kill, break a fireproof case, set fire to the house… I have not dinner now at home, I come back through the side course directly to an office, I close a door on two locks and I do not sleep all night long.

– But really it is impossible to get off this resident?

De Troyes hopelessly waved a hand:

– So far at the wife there will not pass this whim – in any way.

Adam was engaged with Clothilda in reading and the letter in the mornings, and in the evenings arrived on «training» to her brother Pierre.

Society of the young cheerful officer was pleasant to it more, than occupations with Clothilda. Adam willingly was engaged with Pierre and surprised the teacher with extraordinary bystry progress. For some month Adam was perfectly learned to driving the bicycle, driving, rowing, boxing, soccer.

However, its mad driving on the car came to an end in numerous penalties, but for Pierre it did not matter while «and the sister’s hands» as he spoke, «there was a key from Bernard de Troyes cash desk».

In boxing and soccer Adam crippled people the crushing blows much. The soccerball which is started up by his leg struck from legs as a bomb. However success it was recognized by the best athletes. It became a celebrity in a sport field.

On Adam’s misfortune, Pierre educated him not only in the field of sport.

Quite often in the evenings the young officer changed clothes in a civilian dress, took with himself Adam and went somewhere to Montmartre to be unsteady on vegetable marrows in search of adventures. Pierre excited quarrels, then натравлял Adam and enjoyed effect of «beating of babies». Adam excited by wine scattered the tavern fighters pressing it as a bear of puppies. Hop dumped from it thin varnishing of «civilization», primitive instincts broke outside, and it became really terrible these minutes.

Pierre was set aside by Clothilda, she began to be engaged with Adam one.

– Well-well, we will look what will be made by you yours «the improving women’s influence» – the offended Pierre said with irony.

However he had to admit soon that Adam considerably changed for the better.

Clothilda often walked with Adam on foot, and business did without any adventures. Adam behaved well.

What sometimes confused Clothilda, so it is Adam’s questions, absolutely simple, but which, however, she was difficult to answer.

That he asked whether to consider «neighbor» of a bear and whether it is necessary to substitute it if strikes, «other cheek». That, having seen on the street of the hungry beggar near the delivery boy of pies, Adam samochinno fed the beggar and started disputes about «others» and «own», obviously without perceiving «bases of the economy» and insisting that hungry it is more, than police officers.

Such talk awoke in Clothilda some disturbing feeling. And once, seeing that Adam goes, having bent the head, obviously reflecting over some new question, Clothilda solved: he should be entertained. With it it is already possible to go to theater fearlessly. It will be necessary to show it some good classical play.

Adam sat with Clotilda de Troyes in a bed of the first tier, near a scene.

When the curtain rose, Adam quietly screamed from surprise:

– The wall left…

– You sit quietly – Clothilda tutorially told – you do not rustle.

– I will be – as usual, Adam answered. There was Shakespeare’s tragedy «Othello».

Adam looked at the auditorium shipped in a gloom on bright festoon lightings, on the top boxes.

– You look there – Clothilda by a fan pointed to the stage.

Adam looked and «there», but it was visible that the theatrical performance does not take its attention. Clothilda overestimated Adam’s development. The poetic speech of the tragedy, with conditional arrangement of words, melodious diction of the French drama school complicated understanding. Adam perceived only outer side of a performance: paints and gestures…

Recovered only its collision of groups of Brabantio and Othello in the second stage a little. And in the third scene of the first act he already impatiently pottered on the place and sighed: to it bothered to sit in theater.

But there was Desdemona whose role was played by the actress with a world name. Her charming appearance, her suit and, the main thing, its concerning voice made a miracle: Adam suddenly addressed all in sight and hearing. He and stared hard at the stage, without taking eyes with Desdemona. When it left, Adam sighed and with alarm asked Clothilda: