Red Moscow

"Stop, stop!" Sokov quickly stretched out his hand and made a pause gesture, and said to Yakov righteously: "Yasha, I don't understand, why do you want to save Vlasov's life? You know, After he became a prisoner, the choice he made has already determined his final fate, which no one can change."

"Misha, you may be wondering why I want to save Vlasov's life, right?"

What Yakov said was exactly what Sokov wanted to know. He nodded and asked back: "Yasha, can you tell me why?"

"When I first arrived in Moscow, I was very withdrawn. I didn't have any friends except you." Yakov looked at the top of the gazebo and said thoughtfully, "Vlasov was a frequent visitor to my house at that time. , every time he comes, he will bring me some food or toys, and he is very friendly to me..."

"Okay, Yasha." Sokov heard this, and interrupted Yakov again: "No matter how good Vlasov treats you, it can't change the fact that he is the biggest traitor in our army. I just I have already said that if he was unfortunately killed by the Germans in the battle to defend Prague, he would become a great hero in the hearts of the Czechoslovaks. What your father did to him was to turn a blind eye One-eyed attitude. But now he is not only not dead, but has become a prisoner of our army. Think about it, those generals who have been imprisoned in German prisoner-of-war camps for several years and have never surrendered to the enemy, after being rescued by us, What kind of treatment did they receive? Even if they are like this, Vlasov is a traitor, do you still want to receive preferential treatment?"

When Sokov slapped the stone table in front of him, he realized that he had lost his composure, and quickly apologized to Yakov: "I'm sorry, Yasha, I was a little too excited."

"Misha, I understand what you said." Yakov said with a wry smile, "but I just can't get over the hurdle in my heart. Think about it, he is also a person close to me. Seeing that he is bound to die, I There is always something to do.”

"Yasha." Sokov knew very well that for a traitor like Vlasov, no matter what remedial measures he had taken, there was only one word "death" waiting for his fate, so Yakov wanted himself to think Finding a way to rescue Vlasov is simply a daydream. He said euphemistically: "If you really want to do something for him, just go to see him off in person on the day he is on the road, which can be regarded as repaying his friendship."

After finishing speaking, Sokov stood up, because he saw Gurchenke, the person in charge of the nursing home, walking towards the gazebo where the two of them were, and asked with a smile: "Comrade Gurchenke, where are you?" Where are you going?"

"I'll go to the next building to find some soldiers and help us grow vegetables in the afternoon." After Gurchenko explained the reason for passing by, he tentatively asked Sokov: "General Sokov, what do you need?" I am of service, please feel free to speak, I will definitely find a way to meet your request."

"It's kind of boring here." Sukov asked Gurchenke tentatively, "I wonder if you can help me find some books to read?"

"General Sokov, you want to read, it's a simple matter." After understanding Sokov's request, Gurchenke pointed at the small building behind and said carelessly: "There is a reading room on the first floor." Although there are not many books in it, there are still hundreds of them. I think you can always find what you want to read."

"Great, this is really great." Sokov was overjoyed when he learned that there was a reading room in the small building, "Gulchenke, can you take me there?"

"Hey, I'm so sorry, General Sokov." Gurchenke said apologetically, "I still need to ask the soldiers of the guard platoon for help. If you want to read a book now, you can go in and find Anna. She is on duty today, and she I can take you to the reading room."

"Yasha," Sokov asked Yakov who was sitting next to him after Guerchenke left, "will you go to the reading room with me?"

"No, no." Yakov waved his hands and said listlessly: "I don't have the mind to read now, you can go by yourself."

Sokov knew very well in his heart that Yakov needed time to digest what he said, so it was better not to bother him. He waved at him, then turned and walked towards the small building.

Walking into the lobby on the first floor of the small building, I saw Anna sitting alone behind the bar.

Seeing Sokov walking in from the outside, Anna quickly stood up, bowed slightly, and said politely: "Hello, General Sokov, may I help you?"

"Anna!" Sokov walked to the bar, looked at Anna and said, "Just now, Gurchenko told me that there is a reading room in this building. I don't know where it is. Can you take me there?"

"Of course, Comrade General." Anna nodded and said, "Please follow me."

Seeing Anna coming out from behind the bar, Sokov asked casually, "Will it affect your work?"

"How could it be, Comrade General." Anna smiled sweetly and said, "Now there are only three of you living in the nursing home, and we are dedicated to serving you. We will try our best to meet your needs. Besides, the nursing home There are sentries guarding the gate, and no one else can come in, so even if I'm not on duty, I don't have to worry about anything."

Anna took Sokov to the door of a room, took the key and unlocked the door, then pushed open the door and said to Sokov: "General Sokov, this is here, you see, if it suits your wishes ?”

Sokov stepped into the reading room, and saw that the three walls were covered with bookshelves, and the bookshelves were full of books. And near the window, there are two single sofas. There is a small tea table in the middle of the two sofas, with a pot of green plants on it; and in front of the sofa, there is a relatively large coffee table with objects such as tea cups and ashtrays on it.

Sokov walked quickly to the sofa and sat down. Feeling comfortable, he nodded with satisfaction, and said to Anna: "The environment here is good, and reading a book on the sofa by the window is simply a kind of enjoyment."

"Comrade General," Anna asked tentatively, "Do you need me to prepare some refreshments for you?"

Just when Sokov was about to reject the other party's kindness, Anna continued to say: "Comrade General, I know that you just came back from the front, and you must have a big appetite. You must not be able to eat the three meals a day provided by the nursing home." You are full. Have some tea so you won't feel hungry until lunch and dinner."

Sokov felt that what Anna said was very reasonable. The food in the nursing home tasted good, but the portion was too small. After eating it, he felt even hungrier. If he could have some refreshments while reading, it would be a good idea. Pad the stomach. So he nodded and said to Anna: "Then I will trouble you, Anna!"

"No trouble." Anna said with a smile, "This is my duty."

After Anna left the room, Sokov stood up and went to the bookshelf to pick out the books he was interested in.

The books on the bookshelves are basically the works of all Soviet writers. Among so many writers, except for Gorky and A. Tolstoy who wrote the trilogy "The Course of Suffering", Sokov has never heard of the rest of the writers, and naturally he has never read their books.

"The Course of Suffering" trilogy, the first "Two Sisters" was written in July 1919, when Tolstoy was living in Paris; the second "1918" was created in 1927. And the third "Dark Morning" was completed on June 22, 1941, which happened to be the day when Germany invaded the Soviet Union.

Sokov was pleasantly surprised to find that there was actually a book "Dark Morning" on the bookshelf, so he pulled it out from the bookshelf, returned to the sofa in front of the window, sat down, and opened the book to browse.

After reading a few pages, Anna came in from the outside with refreshments. Seeing that Sokov was already sitting by the window reading, she asked curiously, "Comrade General, whose book are you reading?"

"Tolstoy's." As soon as the words came out, Sokov felt that the other party might have misunderstood, and quickly explained: "It was not Leo Tolstoy who wrote "War and Peace", but "The Difficult Journey" A Tolstoy."

"Oh, it turned out to be him." Anna obviously knew the writer, and when she put the contents of the tray on the coffee table in front of Sokov, she said casually: "He is also a prolific writer, I have read "The Adventures of Nevzorov or Ibikus", "The Hyperbola of Engineer Galin", "The Blue City", "The Lame Lord" and "The Stranger" written by him. "

"Oh, Anna, you have read quite a few books." Sokov said with a smile, "I haven't read any other books except for his "The Course of Suffering" trilogy."

Anna nodded after hearing this, then sighed, and said regretfully: "Unfortunately, he passed away on the Army Day this year, and I will never see his new works again."

Hearing Anna mentioned Army Day, Sokov suddenly remembered that February 23 is the Army Day of the Soviet Army, and it is also a traditional Russian men's day. I really didn't expect that A. Tolstoy, such an excellent contemporary writer, died without seeing the end of the Great Patriotic War. If he had lived on, he might have written more wonderful novels about the Great Patriotic War, but with his death, everything became impossible.

"Comrade General," Anna and Sokov said a few words, before leaving, pointing to a rope hanging on the wall, said to Sokov: "If you have anything to call me, just pull This rope, I will come over immediately."

"Okay, Anna." Sokov nodded, "If there is anything, I will call you."

But when Anna left, Sokov remembered something, and quickly stopped her: "Anna, if my wife or General Yakov comes to see me, you can tell them that I am reading in the reading room, so that I will be able to read a book." They just come right over."

Anna nodded with a smile, walked out of the reading room with the tray, and closed the door behind her.