An investigator in a wonderful and furious world. The meaning of the title of Platonov's story “In a wonderful and violent world. Heroes and characters

The story is told on behalf of the assistant driver Konstantin.

Alexander Vasilyevich Maltsev is considered the best locomotive driver in the Tolumbeyevsky depot. No one knows steam locomotives better than him! There is nothing surprising in the fact that when the first powerful passenger steam locomotive of the IS series arrives at the depot, Maltsev is assigned to work for this machine. Maltsev's assistant, an elderly depot locksmith Fyodor Petrovich Drabanov, soon passes the exam for a driver and leaves for another car, and Konstantin is appointed to his place.

Konstantin is pleased with his appointment, Maltsev does not care who his assistants are. Alexander Vasilyevich oversees the work of his assistant, but after that he always personally checks the serviceability of all mechanisms.

Later, Konstantin understood the reason for his constant indifference to colleagues. Maltsev feels superior to them, because he understands the car more accurately than they do. He does not believe that someone else can learn to sense the car, the path and everything around at the same time.

Konstantin has been working for Maltsev as an assistant for about a year, and on the fifth of July it is time for Maltsev's last trip. They take the train on this flight with a delay of four hours. The dispatcher asks Maltsev to close this gap as much as possible. Trying to fulfill this request, Maltsev drives the car forward with all his might. On the way, they are caught by a thundercloud, and Maltsev, blinded by a flash of lightning, loses his sight, but continues to confidently lead the train to its destination. Konstantin notices that Maltsev's line-up is much worse.

Another train appears on the way of the express train. Maltsev hands the control over to the narrator, and confesses his blindness:

The accident is avoided thanks to Constantine. Here Maltsev admits that he sees nothing. The next day, vision returns to him.

Alexander Vasilyevich is put on trial, the investigation begins. It is almost impossible to prove the innocence of the old driver. Maltsev is sent to prison, and his assistant continues to work.

In winter, in the regional city, Konstantin visits his brother, a student living in a university dormitory. His brother tells him that in the physics laboratory of the university there is a Tesla installation for producing artificial lightning. Some consideration comes to Konstantin's mind.

Returning home, he ponders his guess about the Tesla installation and writes a letter to the investigator, who was in charge of the Maltsev case at one time, with a request to test the prisoner Maltsev by creating an artificial lightning. If the susceptibility of Maltsev's psyche or visual organs to the action of sudden and close electrical discharges is proven, then his case must be reconsidered. Konstantin explains to the investigator where Tesla's installation is located, and how to perform an experiment on a person. For a long time there was no answer, but then the investigator reports that the regional prosecutor agreed to conduct the proposed examination in the university physics laboratory.

The experiment is carried out, Maltsev's innocence is proved, and he himself is released. But as a result of the experience, the old driver loses his sight, and this time it is not restored.

Konstantin tries to cheer up the blind old man, but he fails. Then he tells Maltsev that he will take him on the flight.

During this trip, sight returns to the blind, and the narrator allows him to independently drive the locomotive to Tolumbeyev:

- Drive the car to the end, Alexander Vasilievich: now you see the whole world!

After work Konstantin, together with the old machinist, go to Maltsev's apartment, where they sit all night.

Constantine is afraid to leave him alone, like his own son, without protection against the action of the sudden and hostile forces of our beautiful and furious world.

Summary "In a wonderful and furious world"

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Platonov is a Soviet writer. His stories are interesting, they captivate in that they very often describe life events. They are autobiographical, telling us about the fate of the writer himself. In his works, the author tries to understand a person, to find his place in this simultaneously beautiful and furious world. Such a story by Platonov is the story of the same name In a wonderful and furious world. For this work, we have to do.

Platonov wrote his story in 1937, in it he used a lot of information taken from life, because in the story the author describes the events that happened on the railway with the train driver. The writer knew this profession well, since he himself was on a steam locomotive and worked as an assistant.

So, Platonov, in his story In a Beautiful and Furious World, tells about Maltsev, a machinist from God, since he did not just drive the train, he felt him and was the best. Maltsev was completely devoted to his work, he always drove confidently and aroused admiration for this. He studied all the railway tracks so well that even during the incident he did not stop. This happened during a thunderstorm shower. Lightning blinded Maltsev, and he continued to drive, never realizing that he did not see, because all the pictures of the world around him appeared in his head. But they were only in his head, so he did not see the warning lights. This almost led to an accident, but the assistant was able to react in time, saving hundreds of people.

Alexander Maltsev was convicted and arrested, but Kostya managed to achieve an experiment that proved Alexander's innocence. But during the experiment, the hero of the work completely fades. This was a tragedy for him, because for him work was the meaning of life. And only a year later, when the assistant passed the exams and began to lead the train himself, he managed to bring Maltsev back to life. Kostya invites Maltsev to go together and even promises to give the blind Alexander the driver's seat. And at the very moment when Maltsev was in the same place, his vision returned to him.

After the flight, Kostya volunteered to take the former train driver home, wanting to protect the hero of the story from the hostile forces of such an unpredictable, furious and such a beautiful world.

The main characters of the work

Getting acquainted with the work of Platonov In a beautiful and furious world, one can single out such heroes as Alexander Maltsev and his assistant Kostya.

Alexander Maltsev is a master of his craft, a talented train driver who knew these machines better than anyone else. This is a person who was not afraid to trust different trains, including a new steam locomotive, because Maltsev, like no one else, could cope with everything and even with such a powerful machine of a new type. Alexander doesn't just drive, he can feel her heartbeat. Maltsev is devoted to his work, sees his own meaning in it and is so immersed in it that he does not see the surrounding reality. As for me, this should not be so. Although a person must love work, work fully and be responsible at work, he must also be able to see other angles. In addition to work, we must see the beauty of the world, be able to take the best from fate and get carried away with something else, so that in case of unforeseen circumstances we can switch to something else, because life goes on. Maltsev did not manage to switch, with the loss of his job he grew old, life became not sweet.

Another hero is Kostya, who was at first an assistant, and then became a machinist. He also loved work, tried to fulfill all the functions assigned to him, but at the same time he is responsive, kind and notices other people. Moreover, he also comes to their aid, as in the case of Maltsev. It was Kostya who achieved a review of the case, after which Alexander was rehabilitated. Later, he will return to life a person for whom work has become the meaning of life. He will take Maltsev on a flight, during which his sight will return. And even after that, Kostya does not leave his acquaintance and leads him to the door of the house.

Year of publication of the book: 1941

The story "In a Beautiful and Furious World" was first published in 1941 in one of the periodicals. The first title of the work was "Machinist Maltsev". In the story, the writer describes his experience of working on the railway. Based on the work of Platonov "In a wonderful and furious world" in 1987, a feature film of the same name was shot.

The story "In a beautiful and furious world" summary

The book "In a Beautiful and Furious World" tells about Alexander Vasilyevich Maltsev - the best locomotive driver at the local depot. All employees of the Tolubeevsky depot note that no one knows the machines as well as Maltsev does. He seems to feel the soul of a steam locomotive and can feel the way. For several years, Alexander Vasilyevich worked with an elderly locksmith named Fyodor Drabanov. However, he passed the exam for a driver and was transferred to another steam locomotive, as a result of which the young man Konstantin becomes the driver's assistant. They will work on a brand new steam locomotive of the IS series.

The new employee was initially very happy with his position. However, over time, he noticed that Maltsev treated him with distrust. This was noticeable at least by the fact that Alexander Vasilyevich constantly checked everything for his new assistant. In the story "In a Beautiful and Furious World," a summary describes that a little time passes, and Konstantin understands why Maltsev behaves this way. The fact is that the old driver knows how to rely only on his own experience and considers himself to be better than all other employees. Despite the fact that the new assistant was periodically angry with Alexander Vasilyevich, he still admired his experience and confidence in driving a steam locomotive.

In the story "In a Beautiful and Furious World" we can read that a year later Maltsev and Konstantin set off on a trip that would be fatal for an experienced driver. Alexander Vasilyevich was asked to take the squad, which was four hours late. The dispatcher asked the driver to do everything possible to reduce the time gap as much as possible. Maltsev does not dare to disobey the order. He drives the line-up at full strength. However, already in the middle of the journey, the drivers notice a huge thundercloud. Lightning suddenly flashes, and Maltsev completely loses his sight. Despite this, he pretends that nothing happened and continues to operate the locomotive.

Meanwhile, Konstantin notices that Alexander Vasilyevich is gradually losing control. After a while, a different composition appears on their way. It was then that Maltsev decided to confess everything to his assistant and gave Konstantin control of the machine. In the story "In a beautiful and furious world" Platonov can read that he, in turn, did everything possible to avoid an accident.

The next morning, Maltsev's eyesight is gradually returning, but because of the situation that has happened, the driver is arrested and, as in the beginning of criminal proceedings. It is almost impossible to prove that Alexander Vasilyevich is innocent of a barely failed accident. Konstantin continues to work, but often thinks about his mentor.

Winter is coming, and Konstantin goes to visit his brother. He was a student of the physics department and lived in a hostel. During the conversation, Konstantin finds out that a special Tesla device is located in the local laboratory, which is capable of causing artificial lightning. In Platonov's story "A Beautiful and Furious World", a summary describes that then the protagonist has a brilliant plan. Returning home, he once again carefully considered everything that came into his head.

After that, Konstantin wrote to the investigator who was handling the Maltsev case. In the letter, the young man asked for permission to experiment with the Tesla installation. Thus, it will be possible to check the defendant's visual organs and, possibly, acquit him. Some time passes, but no answer from the investigator is received. One day, Konstantin receives a letter stating that the prosecutor has given the go-ahead for such an experiment. He wants the examination to be carried out in a laboratory at the university.

After some time, the hero of the story "In a beautiful and furious world" Maltsev is brought to the laboratory and used the Tesla installation. He again loses his sight, which proves his innocence. The defendant is acquitted and released. However, the sight of Alexander Vasilyevich never returned the next day. Konstantin is trying with all his might to calm the driver and cheer him up a little. However, he does not even want to listen to his assistant. The young man offers Maltsev to go on a flight with him. Suddenly, on the way to the driver, sight returns completely. Constantine, overjoyed, allows him to lead the train to the final destination. After all, no one, except for Alexander Vasilyevich, can feel the car like that.

In the story “In a Beautiful and Furious World,” the heroes, after the arrival of the flight, go to visit Maltsev and talk about life for a long time. Konstantin manages to penetrate his mentor. He wants to take care of Alexander Vasilievich and try to protect him in this beautiful, but sometimes violent world.

The story "In a beautiful and furious world" on the site Top books

Andrey Platonov's story "In a Beautiful and Furious World" has become a household word for Russian literature. He got into ours, and given the presence in the school curriculum, he has every chance to get into ours more than once.

Platonov Andrey

In a beautiful and furious world

A. Platonov

IN A BEAUTIFUL AND FURIOUS WORLD

In the Tolubeevsky depot, Alexander Vasilyevich Maltsev was considered the best locomotive driver.

He was thirty years old, but he already had the qualification of a first-class driver and had driven fast trains for a long time. When the first powerful passenger steam locomotive of the IS series arrived at our depot, Maltsev was assigned to work on this machine, which was quite reasonable and correct. An elderly man from the depot locksmiths named Fyodor Petrovich Drabanov worked as an assistant for Maltsev, but he soon passed the exam for a driver and went to work for another machine, and instead of Drabanov I was assigned to work in Maltsev's brigade as an assistant; before that I also worked as an assistant mechanic, but only on an old, low-powered machine.

I was pleased with my appointment. The IS machine, which was the only one on our traction section at that time, evoked a feeling of inspiration in me by its very appearance: I could look at it for a long time, and a special moved joy awakened in me, just as beautiful as in childhood when I first read Pushkin's poems. In addition, I wanted to work in a brigade of a first-class mechanic in order to learn from him the art of driving heavy high-speed trains.

Alexander Vasilyevich accepted my appointment to his brigade calmly and indifferently: he apparently did not care who would be his assistants.

Before the trip, as usual, I checked all the components of the car, tested all its service and auxiliary mechanisms and calmed down, considering the car ready for the trip. Alexander Vasilyevich saw my work, he followed it, but after me he checked the condition of the car with his own hands, as if he did not trust me.

This was repeated afterwards, and I got used to the fact that Alexander Vasilyevich constantly interfered in my duties, although he was silently upset. But usually, as soon as we were in motion, I forgot about my grief. Distracting my attention from the devices monitoring the state of the running steam locomotive, from observing the operation of the left car and the track ahead, I looked at Maltsev. He led the cast with the courageous confidence of a great master, with the concentration of an inspired artist who absorbed the entire external world into his inner experience and therefore dominates it. Alexander Vasilyevich's eyes looked ahead, as if empty, abstractly, but I knew that he saw them all the way ahead and all nature rushing towards us - even a sparrow swept from the ballast slope by the wind piercing the space of the car, even this sparrow attracted Maltsev's gaze , and for a moment he turned his head after the sparrow: what will become of him after us, where did he fly?

It was our fault that we were never late; on the contrary, we were often detained at intermediate stations, which we must proceed on the move, because we were walking with a surge of time, and we, through delays, were brought back to the schedule.

We usually worked in silence; only occasionally did Alexander Vasilyevich, without turning in my direction, bang the key on the boiler, wanting me to turn my attention to some disorder in the operating mode of the machine, or preparing me for a sharp change in this mode, so that I was vigilant. I always understood the silent instructions of my senior comrade and worked with full zeal, but the mechanic still treated me, as well as the grease fireman, aloof and constantly checking grease nipples at parking lots, tightening the bolts in the drawbar assemblies, tested the axle boxes on the leading axles and so on. If I had just inspected and oiled any working rubbing part, then Maltsev followed me again inspecting and oiled, as if he did not consider my work to be valid.

I, Alexander Vasilyevich, have already checked this crosshead, - I told him once, when he began to check this detail after me.

And I myself want to, - smiling, replied Maltsev, and in his smile there was sadness that struck me.

Later I understood the meaning of his sadness and the reason for his constant indifference to us. He felt his superiority in front of us, because he understood the machine more accurately than we did, and he did not believe that I or anyone else could learn the secret of his talent, the secret of seeing both the passing sparrow and the signal ahead, feeling the path at the same moment, composition weight and machine force. Maltsev understood, of course, that in diligence, in diligence, we could even overcome him, but he could not imagine that we loved the steam locomotive better and drove trains better than him - he thought it was impossible. And Maltsev was therefore sad with us; he was bored of his talent, as of loneliness, not knowing how to express it so that we could understand.

And we, however, could not understand his skills. I once asked to allow me to lead the train myself: Alexander Vasilyevich allowed me to drive forty kilometers and sat down in the assistant's place. I drove the train - and after twenty kilometers I already had four minutes of delay, and overcame exits from long ascents at a speed of no more than thirty kilometers per hour. Maltsev drove the car after me; he took ascents at a speed of fifty kilometers, and on curves he did not throw the car, like mine, and he soon caught up with the time I had lost.

In the Tolubeevsky depot, Alexander Vasilyevich Maltsev was considered the best locomotive driver.

He was thirty years old, but he already had the qualification of a first-class driver and had driven fast trains for a long time. When the first powerful passenger steam locomotive of the IS series arrived at our depot, Maltsev was assigned to work on this machine, which was quite reasonable and correct. An elderly man from the depot locksmiths named Fyodor Petrovich Drabanov worked as an assistant for Maltsev, but he soon passed the exam for a driver and went to work for another machine, and I, instead of Drabanov, was assigned to work in Maltsev's brigade as an assistant; before that I also worked as an assistant mechanic, but only on an old, low-powered machine.

I was pleased with my appointment. The IS machine, which was the only one on our traction section at that time, evoked a feeling of inspiration in me by its very appearance; I could look at her for a long time, and a special moved joy awakened in me - just as beautiful as in childhood when I first read Pushkin's poems. In addition, I wanted to work in a brigade of a first-class mechanic in order to learn from him the art of driving heavy high-speed trains.

Alexander Vasilyevich accepted my appointment to his brigade calmly and indifferently; he apparently did not care who his assistants would be.

Before the trip, as usual, I checked all the components of the car, tested all its service and auxiliary mechanisms and calmed down, considering the car ready for the trip. Alexander Vasilyevich saw my work, he followed it, but after me he checked the condition of the car with his own hands, as if he did not trust me.

This was repeated afterwards, and I got used to the fact that Alexander Vasilyevich constantly interfered in my duties, although he was silently upset. But usually, as soon as we were in motion, I forgot about my grief. Distracting attention from the devices that monitor the condition

A running steam locomotive, from observing the work of the left car and the path ahead, I looked at Maltsev. He led the cast with the courageous confidence of a great master, with the concentration of an inspired artist who absorbed the entire external world into his inner experience and therefore dominates it. Alexander Vasilyevich's eyes looked ahead abstractly, as if empty, but I knew that he saw them all the way ahead and all nature rushing towards us - even a sparrow swept from the ballast slope by the wind piercing into the space of the car, even this sparrow attracted Maltsev's gaze, and for a moment he turned his head after the sparrow: what will become of him after us, where he flew.

It was our fault that we were never late; on the contrary, we were often detained at intermediate stations, which we must proceed on the move, because we were walking with a surge of time and we were put back into the schedule by means of delays.

We usually worked in silence; only occasionally did Alexander Vasilyevich, without turning in my direction, bang the key on the boiler, wanting me to turn my attention to some disorder in the operating mode of the machine, or preparing me for a sharp change in this mode, so that I was vigilant. I always understood the silent instructions of my senior comrade and worked with full zeal, but the mechanic still treated me, as well as the grease fireman, aloof and constantly checking grease nipples at parking lots, tightening the bolts in the drawbar assemblies, tested the axle boxes on the leading axles and so on. If I had just inspected and oiled any working rubbing part, then Maltsev followed me again inspecting and oiling it, as if he did not consider my work to be valid.

I, Alexander Vasilyevich, have already checked this crosshead, - I told him once, when he began to check this detail after me.

And I myself want to, - smiling, replied Maltsev, and in his smile there was sadness that struck me.

Later I understood the meaning of his sadness and the reason for his constant indifference to us. He felt his superiority in front of us, because he understood the machine more accurately than we did, and he did not believe that I or anyone else could learn the secret of his talent, the secret of seeing both the passing sparrow and the signal ahead, feeling the path at the same moment, composition weight and machine force. Maltsev understood, of course, that in diligence, in diligence, we could even overcome him, but he could not imagine that we loved the steam locomotive better and drove trains better than him - he thought it was impossible. And Maltsev was therefore sad with us; he was bored of his talent, as of loneliness, not knowing how to express it so that we could understand.

And we, however, could not understand his skills. I once asked for permission to lead me the composition myself; Alexander Vasilyevich allowed me to travel forty kilometers and sat down in the assistant's place. I drove the train, and after twenty kilometers I already had four minutes late, and overcame exits from long ascents at a speed of no more than thirty kilometers per hour. Maltsev drove the car after me; he took ascents at a speed of fifty kilometers, and on curves he did not throw the car, like mine, and he soon caught up with the time I had lost.

For about a year I worked as an assistant to Maltsev, from August to July, and on July 5, Maltsev made his last trip as a driver of a courier train ...

We took a train of eighty passenger axles, which was four hours late on the way. The dispatcher went to the locomotive and specifically asked Alexander Vasilyevich to reduce the delay of the train as much as possible, to reduce this delay to at least three hours, otherwise it would be difficult for him to issue an empty load to the next road. Maltsev promised him to catch up with time, and we moved forward.

It was eight o'clock in the afternoon, but the summer day was still going on, and the sun was shining with solemn morning strength. Alexander Vasilievich demanded from me to keep the steam pressure in the boiler only to the floor all the time - the atmosphere is below the limit.

Half an hour later we went out into the steppe, on a calm soft profile. Maltsev brought the speed to ninety kilometers and did not give up below, on the contrary - on the horizontal and small slopes he brought the speed to one hundred kilometers. On the ascents, I forced the firebox to its maximum capacity and forced the stoker to manually load the shurovka, to help the stockker machine, because my steam sat down.

Maltsev drove the car forward, moving the regulator to the full arc and turning the reverse (1) to full cutoff. We were now walking towards a powerful cloud that appeared over the horizon. From our side, the cloud was illuminated by the sun, and from within it, fierce, irritated lightning tore, and we saw how the lightning swords pierced vertically into the silent distant land, and we rushed madly towards that distant land, as if in a hurry to protect it. Alexander Vasilyevich, apparently, was carried away by this sight: he leaned far out of the window, looking ahead, and his eyes, accustomed to smoke, to fire and space, were now sparkling with enthusiasm. He understood that the work and power of our machine could be compared with the work of a thunderstorm, and maybe he was proud of this idea.

Soon we noticed a dusty whirlwind rushing across the steppe towards us. This means that the storm cloud was carried head-on by the storm. The light has darkened around us; dry earth and steppe sand whistled and grated on the iron body of the locomotive; there was no visibility, and I turned on the turbo dynamo for lighting and turned on the frontal searchlight in front of the locomotive. It was now difficult for us to breathe from the hot dusty whirlwind that was hammered into the cabin and doubled in its strength by the oncoming traffic of the car, from the flue gases and the early dusk that surrounded us. The locomotive with a howl made its way forward, into the dim, stifling darkness - into the gap of light created by the head-on searchlight. The speed dropped to sixty kilometers; we worked and looked ahead as in a dream.

Suddenly a large drop hit the windshield - and immediately dried up, soaked by the hot wind. Then an instant blue light flashed at my eyelashes and penetrated me to my very shuddering heart; I grabbed the injector valve (2), but the pain in my heart had already left me, and I immediately looked towards Maltsev - he looked ahead and drove the car without changing his face.

What was it? I asked the stoker.

Lightning, ”he said. - She wanted to hit us, but she missed a little.

Maltsev heard our words.

What kind of lightning? he asked loudly.

Now she was, - said the fireman.

I did not see, - said Maltsev and again turned his face outward.

Did not see! - the fireman was surprised. - I thought - the boiler exploded, as it was lit, but he did not see.

I also doubted that it was lightning.

Where's the thunder? I asked.

We drove through the thunder, - explained the fireman. - Thunder always hits after. While he hit, while the air swayed, while back and forth, we already flew away from him. The passengers may have heard - they are behind.

It got dark altogether, and a quiet night came. We smelled the scent of damp earth, the scent of grasses and breads saturated with rain and thunderstorms, and rushed forward, catching up with time.

I noticed that Maltsev began to drive worse - on curves we were thrown, the speed reached more than a hundred kilometers, then dropped to forty. I decided that Alexander Vasilyevich was probably very worn out, and therefore did not say anything to him, although it was very difficult for me to keep the furnace and boiler in the best mode with such behavior of the mechanic. However, in half an hour we have to stop to get water, and there, at the stop, Alexander Vasilyevich will eat and rest a little. We have already caught up with forty minutes, and we will catch up to the end of our traction section for at least another hour.

Nevertheless, I was worried about Maltsev's fatigue and began to myself carefully look ahead - at the path and at the signals. On my side, above the left car, an electric lamp burned in the air, illuminating the waving drawbar mechanism. I clearly saw the intense, confident work of the left-hand car, but then the lamp above it went out and began to burn poorly, like one candle. I turned into the cockpit. There, too, all the lamps were now burning at a quarter of the incandescence, barely illuminating the devices. It is strange that Alexander Vasilyevich did not knock on my key at this moment to point out such a disorder. It was clear that the turbo dynamo did not give the design speed and the voltage dropped. I began to regulate the turbodynamo through the steam line and fiddled with this device for a long time, but the voltage did not rise.

At this time, a hazy cloud of red light passed over the dials of the instruments and the ceiling of the cockpit. I looked out.

Ahead, in the darkness, near or far - it was impossible to establish, a red streak of light, oscillated across our path. I didn't understand what it was, but I understood what to do.

Alexander Vasilievich! - I shouted and gave three beeps to stop.

There were explosions of firecrackers (3) under the tires (4) of our wheels. I rushed to Maltsev; he turned his face to me and looked at me with empty, dead eyes. The arrow on the tachometer dial showed a speed of sixty kilometers.

Maltsev! I shouted. - We are crushing firecrackers! -and held out his hands to control.

Away! - exclaimed Maltsev, and his eyes shone, reflecting the light of a dim lamp above the tachometer.

He instantly gave emergency braking and reversed reverse.

I was pressed against the boiler, I heard the howling of the wheel rims, stripping the rails.

Maltsev! - I said. - We need to open the cylinder taps, we will break the car.

Do not! We will not break! - answered Maltsev. We stopped. I pumped water into the boiler with an injector and looked out. Ahead of us, about ten meters away, a steam locomotive stood on our line, with a tender (5) in our direction. There was a man on the tender; in his hands was a long poker, red-hot at the end; and he waved it, wanting to stop the express train. This locomotive was the pusher of a freight train that stopped on the stretch.

So, while I was adjusting the turbodynamo and not looking ahead, we passed the yellow traffic light, and then the red one and, probably, more than one warning signal of the trackmen. But why did Maltsev not notice these signals?

Kostya! - Alexander Vasilievich called me. I went up to him.

Kostya! What's ahead of us? I explained to him.

The next day I brought the return train to my station and handed over the locomotive to the depot, because the tires on two slopes on it had slightly shifted. Having reported the incident to the head of the depot, I took Maltsev by the arm to his place of residence; Maltsev himself was deeply depressed and did not go to the head of the depot.

We had not yet reached that house on a grassy street in which Maltsev lived, when he asked me to leave him alone.

You can't, - I replied. - You, Alexander Vasilyevich, are a blind man.

He looked at me with clear, thinking eyes.

Now I see, go home ... I see everything - over there the wife came out to meet me.

At the gate of the house where Maltsev lived, a woman, the wife of Alexander Vasilyevich, was really standing waiting, and her open black hair glittered in the sun.

Is her head covered or without everything? I asked.

Without, - answered Maltsev. - Who is blind - you or me?

Well, if you see, then look, - I decided and walked away from Maltsev.

Maltsev was put on trial, and an investigation began. The investigator called me and asked what I thought about the incident with the express train. I replied that I thought - that Maltsev was not to blame.