Classics fantasy – 8

DEFECT AND VIRTUE

– What is the matter? something happened To the heads? – asked the Core, raising the head from papers.

– Is not present… but I wanted to talk to you, mister professor.

The core leaned back on a chair back.

– I listen to you, mademoiselle Loran.

– Tell, you seriously assume to give to Brike’s head a body or only console it?

– Absolutely seriously.

– And you hope for success of this operation?

– Quite. You saw a dog?

– And you do not assume… to put Thomas on legs? – from far away began Laurent.

– Why would be not present? He already asked me about it. Not all at once.

– And Douel … – Laurent suddenly exorcized quickly and with emotion: – Of course, everyone has the right for life, for normal human life, both Thomas, and Brike. But you, certainly, understand that the value of the head of professor Douel is much higher, than your other heads… And if you want to return to Thomas and Brike’s normal existence, then, it is how more important to return the head of professor Douel to the same normal life.

The core frowned. All expression of his face became alerted and rigid.

– Professor Douel, is more faithful – his professorial head, found the beautiful defender in your person – he told, ironically smiling. – But in such defender, perhaps, there is no need also, and you in vain get excited and worry. Certainly, I thought also of revival of the head of Douel.

– But why you will not begin experience with it?

– Yes just because Douel’s head is more expensive thousands of other human heads. I began with a dog before allocating with a body Brike’s head. Brike’s head is so more expensive than the head of a dog as far as Douel’s head is more expensive than Brike’s head.

– Human life and dogs is incomparable, professor…

– As well as Douel and Brike’s heads. You have no anything else to tell?

– Nothing, mister professor – Laurent answered, going to a door.

– In that case, mademoiselle, I have to you some questions. Wait, mademoiselle.

Laurent stopped at a door, interrogatively looking on the Core.

– I ask you, approach a table, sit down.

Laurent with vague alarm fell to a deep chair. The person Kerna did not promise anything good. Kern leaned back on a back of a chair and long Laurent searchingly looked in the face until it lowered them. Then he quickly rose in all the high growth, strong rested fists against a table, inclined the head to Laurent and asked quietly and impressively:

– Tell, you did not launch the air crane of the head of Douel in action? You did not talk to him?

Laurent felt that her finger-tips grew cold. Thoughts a whirlwind began to spin in her head. The anger which excited in it the Core bubbled and was ready to break outside.

«To tell or not to tell it the truth?» – fluctuated Laurent. Oh, what pleasure to say directly to this person the word «murderer», but such open attack could spoil everything.

Laurent did not believe that the Core will give to Douel’s head a new body. She already knew too much to trust such opportunity. And she dreamed only of one: to discredit the Core which appropriated Douel fruits of labor in the opinion of society and to solve its crime. She knew that the Core will not stop before anything, and, declaring itself his open enemy, she endangered the life. But not the instinct of self-preservation stopped it. She did not want to die before the crime of the Core is not solved. And for this purpose it was necessary to lie. But conscience, all her education did not allow to lie to it. Never before in life she lied and now endured awful nervousness.

The core kept the eyes glued from her face.

– Do not lie – he told derisively – do not burden the conscience a lie sin. You talked to the head, do not open, I know it. John overheard everything…

Laurent, having inclined the head, was silent.

– It is only interesting to me to know about what you talked to the head?

Laurent felt how the rushed-back blood flowed to cheeks. She raised the head and looked fool in the face the Core.

– About everything.

– So – told the Core, without removing hands from a table. – So I also thought. About everything.

There came the pause. Laurent looked down down again and sat with a type of the person waiting for a sentence now.

The core suddenly quickly went to a door and locked it. Walked several times on a soft carpet of an office, having stuffed up hands for a back. Then silently approached Laurent and asked:

– And what you think to undertake, the lovely girl? To prosecute a blood-thirsty monster – the Core? To defame his name? To expose its crime? Douel, probably, asked you about it?

– No, no – having forgotten all the fear, hotly started talking Laurent – I assure you that the head of professor Douel is absolutely deprived of feeling of revenge. Oh, it is noble soul! He even… dissuaded me. This is not what you, it is impossible to judge by himself! – already with a call it finished, having sparkled eyes.

The core grinned and again walked on an office.

– So, so, perfectly. Means, you after all had exposing intentions and if not the head of Douel, then professor Kern would already be imprisoned. If virtue cannot triumph, then, at least, defect has to be punished. So all virtuous novels which you read, isn’t that so, the lovely girl terminated?

– And defect will be punished! – she exclaimed, already almost losing will over the feelings.

– Oh yes of course, there, in heaven. – The core looked at the ceiling revetted with large checkers from a black oak. – But here, on the earth and to you it will be known, naive creation, triumphs defect, and only defect! And virtue… Virtue costs with a cap in hand, begging for pennies at defect, or sticks out there – the Core specified towards the room where there was Douel’s head – as the carrion crows frightened, reflecting on caducity of all terrestrial.

And, having approached Laurent closely, it, having lowered a voice, told:

– You know, as you, and I can burn Douel’s head in a literal sense to ashes, and any soul does not learn about it.

– I know that you are ready for anything…

– Crime? And it is very good that you know it. – The core walked about the room again and by already usual voice continued to speak, as if arguing aloud: – However what you will order to do with you, the beautiful avenger? You, unfortunately, from that breed of people who do not stop before anything and for the sake of the truth are ready to accept a crown of martyrdom. You fragile, nervous, impressionable, but will not intimidate you. To kill you? Today, now? I will manage to cover up murder tracks, but nevertheless it is necessary to tinker with it. And my time is expensive. To bribe you? It is more difficult, than to intimidate you… Well, you say what to do to me with you?

– Leave everything as was… I did not inform on you still.

– Also you will not inform?

Laurent slowed down with the answer, then answered quietly, but is firm:

– I will inform.

The core stamped a leg.

– U-at, the stubborn little girl! And so what I will tell you. You sit down to my desk now… Be not afraid, I am not going neither to smother yet, nor to poison you. Well, you sit down.

Laurent bewildered looked at it, thought and changed a chair at a desk.

– Eventually, you are necessary to me. If I kill you now, I should employ the assistant or the deputy. I am not guaranteed that on your place there will be no blackmailer who, having revealed a secret of the head of Douel, will not begin to exhaust from me money as a result nevertheless to inform on me. I, at least, know you… So, write. «Dear mummy – or how you call the mother there? – the condition of patients whom I look after demands my permanent presence in the house of professor Kern…»

– You want to imprison me? To detain in your house? – indignantly asked Laurent, without beginning to write.

– That’s it, my virtuous assistant.

– I will not begin to write such letter – resolutely declared Laurent.

– There is enough! – suddenly the Core so shouted that in hours the spring hooted. – Understand that I have no other exit. Be not, at last, silly.

– I will not remain with you and I will not write this letter!

– Ah, so! Well. You can go wherever one wishes. But, before you will leave from here, you will be a witness to how I will take away life from Douel’s head and I will dissolve this head in chemical solution. Go and shout then worldwide that you saw at me Douel’s head. Nobody will believe you. Will laugh at you. But take care! I will not leave your denunciation without punishment. Idemte!

Core Laurent grabbed by a hand and entailed to a door. It was too weak physically to show resistance to this rough impact.

The core unlocked a door, quickly passed through Thomas and Brike’s room and entered the room where there was a head of professor Douel.

Douel’s head bewildered looked at this unexpected visit. And the Core, without paying attention to the head, quickly approached devices and sharply turned the crane from the cylinder giving blood.

Head eyes not knowingly, but quietly turned towards the crane, then the head looked on the Core and confused Laurent. The air crane was not open, and the head could not speak. She only moved lips, and Laurent, got used to a head mimicry, understood: it was the mute question: «End?»

Then the head eyes directed on Laurent began as though to grow dull, and at the same time eyelids widely revealed, eyeballs were made buldge out, and the person began to twitch convulsively. The head endured suffocation torments.

Laurent hysterical shouted. Then, being unsteady, approached the Core, caught his hand and, almost fainting, started talking by the voice which is interrupted, squeezed spazmy:

– Open, open the crane rather… I agree to everything!

With hardly noticeable smile the Core opened the crane. The vivifying stream began to flow on a tube in Douel’s head. Convulsive twitchings of the person stopped, eyes accepted normal expression, the look brightened up. The dying-away life returned to Douel’s head. Also consciousness because Douel looked on Laurent with expression of bewilderment and as though even at disappointments again returned. Laurent was unsteady for nervousness.

– Allow you to offer a hand – gallantly told the Core, and strange couple was removed.

When Laurent took seat at a table again, the Core indifferently told:

– So on what we stopped? Yes … «The condition of patients demands my constant – or not, write: permanent stay in the house of professor Kern. Professor Kern was so kind that provided in my order the beautiful room with a window in a garden. Besides, as my working day increased, professor Kern trebled my salary».

Laurent reproachfully looked on the Core.

– It is not a lie – he told. – Need forces me to imprison you, but I have to reward something you. I really increase to you a salary. Write further: «Leaving here fine and though there is a lot of work, but I feel perfectly. To me do not come: professor receives nobody. But do not miss, I will write you…» So. Well and from yourself add still some tendernesses which you usually write that the letter did not excite any suspicions.

And, already as though having forgotten about Laurent, the Core began to reflect aloud:

– Long so, of course, cannot proceed. But, I hope, I long also will not detain you. Our work comes to the end, and then… That is I wanted to tell that the head is short-lived. And when it will finish the existence… Well that there, you know everything. Easier to say, when we will terminate work with Douel, also existence of the head of Douel will terminate. From the head there will be no ashes left even, and then you will be able to return to the dear mother. You will not be dangerous to me any more. And once again: keep in mind if you take in head to stir, I have witnesses who in case of need will swear that mortal remains of professor Douel together with the head, legs and other professorial attributes are burned by me after anatomic opening in a crematorium. For these cases a crematorium – very convenient thing.

The core called. John entered.

– John, you will take away mademoiselle Loran to the white room fronting in a garden. Mademoiselle Loran moves to my house as now a lot of work is necessary. Ask at mademoiselle that it is necessary for it to settle more conveniently, and get all necessary. You can order from my name by phone in shops. I will pay bills. Do not forget to order a lunch for mademoiselle.

And, having taken the leave, the Core left.

John carried out Laurent to the room allocated to it.

The core did not lie: the room was really very good – light, spacious and comfortably arranged. The huge window left in a garden. But the most gloomy prison could not guide at Laurent bigger melancholy, than this cheerful, elegant room. As tyazhelobolny, reached Laurent a window and looked in a garden.

«The second floor… it is high… you will not escape from here…» – she thought. Yes if could escape, would not escape as its flight would be equivalent to a sentence for Douel’s head.

Laurent in exhaustion fell by a couch and was lost in heavy thought. It could not define, what is the time was in this state.

– To eat it is given – she as in the sleep heard John’s voice and raised tired eyelids.

– I thank you, I am not hungry, clear the table.

The well-trained servant implicitly executed an order and left.

And it was soaked into the thoughts again. When in a window of the opposite house fires flashed, she felt such loneliness that decided to visit immediately the heads. Especially she wanted to see Douel’s head.

Unexpected visit Laurent extremely pleased Brike’s head.

– At last! – she exclaimed. – Already? Brought?

– What?

– My body – Brike such tone as though the question went about a new dress told.

– No, did not bring yet – involuntarily smiling, Laurent answered. – But will bring soon, now to you not for long to expect.

– Ah, rather!.

– And me will also sew other body? – Thomas asked.

– Yes, certainly – calmed him Laurent. – And you will be same healthy, strong as were. You will collect money, will go to yourself to the village and marry your Mari.

Laurent already knew all concealed desires of the head.

Thomas gave smacking kiss lips.

– It is rather.

Laurent hurried to pass to the room of the head of Douel. As soon as the air crane was open, the head asked Laurent:

– What does all this mean?

Laurent told the head about a conversation with the Core and the conclusion.

– It is shocking! – the head told. – If I could only help you… And I, perhaps, will be able if only you help me…

In the opinion of the head there were an anger and determination.

– Everything is very simple. Close the crane from nutritious tubes, and I will die. Believe that I was even disappointed when the Core reopened the crane and recovered me. I will die, and the Core will allow to go home you.

– I will never come back home such price! – Laurent exclaimed.

– I would like to have all eloquence of Cicero to convince you to make it.

Laurent negatively shook the head.

– Even Cicero would not convince me. I will never decide to stop human life…

– Well, unless I am a person? – with a sad smile the head asked.

– You remember, you repeated Descartes’s words: «I think. Therefore, I exist» – Laurent answered.

– Let’s put, it so, but then here that. I will cease to instruct the Core. And already any tortures it will not force me to help it. And then he will finish off me.

– No, no, I beg you. – Laurent approached the head. – Listen to me. I thought of revenge earlier, now I think of other. If the Core manages to put a corpse body to Brike’s head and operation will take place successfully, that is hope and you to return to life… Not a Core, so another.

– Unfortunately, hope this very weak – Douel answered. – Hardly experience will work well even at the Core. He is an angry and criminal person, vain as one thousand Fame-thirsty persons. But he is a talented surgeon and, perhaps, the most capable of all assistants who I had. If he which took my advices to present day does not make it, then nobody will make. However I doubt that also he performed this unprecedented operation.

– But dogs…

– Dogs – business other. Both dogs, live and healthy, lay on one table before making operation of change of the heads. All this occurred very quickly. And that the Core, apparently, managed to return only one dog to life, otherwise it would bring both of them to me to brag. And the body of a corpse can be brought only in several hours when, perhaps, rotting processes began already. You can judge complexity of the operation as the physician. This is not what to sew the semi-cut-off finger. It is necessary to connect, carefully to sew all arteries, veins and, the main thing, nerves and a spinal cord, differently will turn out the cripple; then to resume blood circulation… No, it is infinitely difficult task, excessive for modern surgeons.

– Really you would not perform such operation?

– I considered everything, already did experiences with dogs and I believe that I would manage it…

The door unexpectedly opened. The Core was on the threshold.

– Meeting of conspirators? I will not disturb you. – And he slammed the door.

DEAD DIANA

It seemed to Brike’s head that the new body is as easy to pick up and sew to the head of the person how to try on and sew a new dress. The volume of a neck is removed, it is necessary only to pick up the same volume of a neck at a corpse.

However she was convinced soon that business is not so simple. In the morning in white dressing gowns to it professor Kern, Laurent and John were. Kern disposed that Brike’s head was carefully removed from a glass support and is put by the person up so that it was possible to see all cut of a neck. Head food the blood oxygenated did not stop. Kern went deep into studying and measurements.

– At all monotony of human anatomy – said the Core – each body of the person has the specific features. Sometimes difficult happens to distinguish whether the external or internal carotid predlezhit, for example. Also the artery thickness, windpipe width even at people is unequal to the identical volume of a neck. It is necessary to tinker also with nerves much.

– But how you will operate? – asked Laurent. – Having put a neck cut to a trunk cut, you thereby will close all surface of a cut at once.

– That’s just the point. We with Douel handled this issue. It is necessary to do a number of longitudinal sections – to go from the center to the periphery. It is very complex work. It is necessary to make fresh sections on a neck of the head and a corpse to reach not died off yet, active cages. But the main difficulty nevertheless not in it. The main thing – how to destroy products of the begun rotting or the place of infectious infection in a corpse body how to clear blood vessels of the turned blood, to fill them with fresh blood and to force to earn organism «motor» – heart… And spinal cord? The slightest touch to it causes the strongest reaction, often with the most serious consequences.

– And how you assume to overcome all these difficulties?

– Oh, it is my secret so far. When experience works well, I will publish all story of revival from the dead. Well, for today enough. Put the head into place. Start up an air stream. How do you feel, mademoiselle? – asked the Core, addressing Brike’s head.

– I thank you, well. But listen, mister professor, I am very concerned… You spoke about different unclear things here, but one I understood that you are going to cut to pieces my neck up and down. Same there will be a continuous disgrace. Where I will seem with such neck which will be similar to cutlet?

– I will try that hems were less noticeable. But, certainly, it will not be possible to hide absolutely operation traces. Do not do desperate eyes, mademoiselle, you can carry a velvet ribbon or even a necklace on a neck. Well, I will present it to you in day of your «birth». Yes, here still that. Now your head dried out a little. When you begin to live normal life, the head has to grow stout. To learn your normal volume of a neck, it is necessary «to fatten» you now, otherwise there can be troubles.

– But I cannot eat – the head plaintively answered.

– We will fatten you on a tubule. I prepared special structure – he addressed Laurent. – Besides, it is necessary to strengthen also supply of blood.

– You include fatty substances in nutritious liquid?

The core made uncertain gesture a hand.

– If the head also does not grow fat, then «will bulk up», and it and is necessary to us. So – it finished – there is a most important: you ask god, mademoiselle Brike that rather some beauty who will borrow you after death the fine body died.

– Do not speak so, it is awful! The person has to die that I received a body… And, the doctor, I am afraid. This body of the dead person. And suddenly it will come and will demand to give it the body?

– Who is she?

– Dead.

– But it will have no legs to come – laughing, the Core answered. – And if comes, then you will tell it that you gave to her body the head, but not it to you a body, and she, of course, will be grateful for this gift. I go to be on duty to a morgue. Wish me good luck!

Success of experience in many respects depended on finding perhaps fresh corpse and therefore the Core gave up all affairs and almost moved in a morgue, waiting for a happy occurence.

With a cigar in a mouth it went on the long building so quietly as though walked on boulevards. Opaque light fell from a ceiling on long lines of marble tables. On each table the corpse which is already washed by a stream of water and undressed lay.

Having stuffed up hands in coat pockets and popykhivy a cigar, the Core bypassed long lines of tables, looked into faces and from time to time lifted leather covers to examine a body.

Together with it also relatives or friends of the died people went. The core showed to them ill-will, being afraid, as if they did not pull out at it a suitable corpse from under hands. It was not so simple to receive a corpse for the Core. Before the expiration of three-day term relatives could raise a claim to each corpse, after three days the semi-decayed corpse was not of any interest to the Core. It needed absolutely fresh, whenever possible even not cooled down corpse.

The core did not stint bribes to have an opportunity to receive a fresh corpse immediately. Number of a corpse could be replaced, and some unlucky person eventually would be registered as «missing».

«However it is hard to find Diana to Brike’s taste» – the Core thought, examining wide a foot and calloused hands of corpses. The majority lying here belonged not to those who go by cars. The core passed from the end in the end. During this time several corpses were identified and carried away, and already dragged new on their places. But also among beginners the Core could not find material, suitable for operation. There were brainless corpses, but either improper build, or the having body wounds or, at last, beginning to decay already. Day was on an outcome. The core felt attacks of hunger and with pleasure imagined chicken cutlets in the smoking peas.

«Unsuccessful day» – the Core thought, taking out hours. And it went to an exit among the crowd full of a despair, melancholy and horror moving at corpses. Towards to it employees bore a corpse of the brainless woman. The washed young body shone as white marble.

«Oh, it something suitable» – he thought and went after watchmen. When the corpse was put, the Core fluently examined it and was even more convinced that it found what is necessary. The core already wanted to whisper to employees that they carried away a corpse as suddenly badly dressed old man with long ago not shaven moustaches and a beard approached a corpse.

– Here it, Marta! – he exclaimed and wiped a hand from a forehead sweat.

«The devil brought it!» – the Core swore and, having approached the old man, told:

– You identified a corpse? It brainless.

The old man showed on a big left shoulder birthmark.

– Perceptible – he answered.

The core was surprised that the old man tells so quietly.

– Who is she was? Your wife or daughter?

– God is mercy – the garrulous old man answered. – The niece it to me was and nonnative. From my cousin their three remained – the cousin died, and me them on a neck. At me the four. Need. But what you will make, the sir? Not kittens, under a fence you will not throw. And lived. And there was misfortune. We live in the old house, long ago moved us from it, but where you will get to? And here lived. The roof fell off. Other children got off with bruises, and this absolutely cut off the head. I with the old woman of the house was not, we with her fried chestnuts trade. I came home, and Marta to a morgue was already brought. And why in a morgue? They say, for the company, in other apartments suppressed people too, and some of them lonely were, here all of them here. I home came, to fyuit, and it is impossible to enter as if an earthquake.

«Business suitable» – the Core thought and, having taken the old man aside, told it:

– What happened, will not correct that. You see I am a doctor, and I need a corpse. I will directly speak. You want to receive hundred francs – and you can go home.

– You will clean? – The old man disapprovingly shook the head and thought. – To it, of course, all the same to vanish… We are people the poor… And all not someone else’s blood…

– Two hundred.

– And the need is high, kids hungry… but after all it is a pity… The good girl was, very good, very kind, and the person as a rose tree not that this stuff … – the Old man scornfully waved on tables with corpses.

«Well and old man! He, apparently, begins to praise highly the goods» – the Core thought and decided to change tactics.

– However, as you want – he carelessly told. – There is a lot of corpses, also is your niece is not worse at all. – And the Core departed from the old man.

– Well as so, let think … – the old man tripped behind it, obviously inclining to the transaction.

The core already triumphed, but situation unexpectedly changed once again.

– You already here? – the uneasy aged voice was heard.

The core turned back and saw quickly approaching tolstenky old woman in a clean white cap. The old man at the sight of it involuntarily grunted.

– Found? – the old woman asked, wildly looking around and whispering prayers.

The old man silently showed a hand on a corpse.

– Pigeon you ours, martyr unfortunate! – the old woman began to wail, approaching the beheaded corpse.

The core saw that it will be difficult to cope with the old woman.

– Listen, madam – he told friendly, addressing the old woman. – I talked to your husband here and learned that you very much need.

– We need or not, we do not ask from others – the old woman cut off not without pride.

– Yes, but… you see I am a member of charitable funeral society. I can host a funeral of your niece into the account of society and I will undertake all efforts. If you want, you can charge it to me, and go to the affairs, you are waited by your children and orphans.

– You what here talked a lot of? – the old woman on the husband snatched. And, having turned back to the Core, she told: – I thank you, mister, but I have to execute everything as it is necessary. Somehow we will cope also without your charitable society. What eyes you move? – it passed to usual tone in a conversation with the husband. – Take away the dead woman. Let’s go. I also brought a wheelbarrow.

All this was told by such resolute tone that the Core chilly bowed and departed.

«Annoyingly! No, resolutely today unsuccessful day».

He went to an exit and, having taken the gatekeeper aside, said to it in low tones:

– So you look if there is something suitable, immediately you call to me by telephone.

– About the sir, by all means – the gatekeeper who received a good jackpot from the Core began to nod the head.

The core has densely dinner at restaurant and returned to itself.

When it came into Brike’s room, she met him by a question usual recently:

– Found?

– It found and is unsuccessful, oh, damn! – he answered. – Suffer.

– But really really nothing suitable was? – Brike was not appeased.

– There were such bandy-legged cuttlefishes. If you want, then I…

– Ah not, better I will suffer. I do not want to be a cuttlefish.

The core decided to go to bed before ordinary a bit earlier to rise and again to go to a morgue. But he did not manage to fall asleep as phone at a bed cracked. The core swore and took the call.

– Hallo! I listen. Yes, professor Kern. What is? Train wreck at the station? Mass of corpses? Well, of course, immediately. I thank you.

The core began to put on quickly, Jonah caused and shouted:

– To Mashin!

In fifteen minutes it already rushed on night streets, hastily.

The gatekeeper did not deceive. This night death reaped a big crop. Corpses were dragged continuously. All tables were filled up. It was necessary to put them on a floor soon. The core was delighted. He blessed destiny for the fact that this accident did not happen in the afternoon. The message about it probably did not extend in the city yet. Strangers in a morgue were not yet. The core considered yet not undressed and not washed corpses. All of them were absolutely fresh. Exclusively successful case. One is bad, as this beneficial case not really reckoned with special requirements

Core. The majority of bodies was crushed or injured in many places. But the Core did not lose hope as corpses everything arrived.

– Show me this – he addressed the employee bearing the girl’s corpse in a gray suit. The skull was injured from a nape. Hair are blood-stained, a dress too. But the dress is not crumpled. «Probably, injuries of a body are not big… Goes. The constitution is quite plebeian – it is probable, any lady’s maid, but is better such body, than nothing» – the Core thought. – And it? – The core indicated other stretcher. – Yes it is the whole find! Treasure! Devil take it, annoyingly after all, that such woman died!

On a floor lowered a corpse of the young woman with extraordinary beautiful aristocratic face on which only one deep surprise stiffened. It broke a skull above the right ear. Obviously, death came instantly. On a white neck the pearl necklace was seen. The graceful black silk dress was only a little torn in the bottom of and from a collar to a shoulder. On the bared shoulder the birthmark was seen.