Russian-English translation by Dana Bagirova

character, a small-town Italian with a unique gift of foresight, who will later join the protagonist on a joint adventure.

ENGLISH Laurus

translated by Dana Bagirova

Ambrogio Fleccia was born in a little place called Magnano, a two days’ ride from Milan, the city of St Ambrose. They named the boy in honour of Saint Ambrogio. That is what it sounded like in his parents’ tongue. Perhaps, it reminded them of ambrosia, the drink of the immortal. The boy’s parents were winemakers. The boy’s assistance to the family business came from an unexpected turn. Five days prior to a large harvest, Ambrogio announced that the grapes ought to be harvested immediately. He stated that in the morning, upon opening his eyes, half-awake, he had a vision of a storm. It was a terrible storm, and Ambrogio described it in detail. His account of it included a sudden, thick darkness, howling wind, and hailstones the size of a hen’s egg whizzing to the ground. The boy described ripe clusters of grapes being squashed against tree trunks, and round pieces of ice piercing the thrashing leaves before finishing off the fallen fruit on the ground. On top of everything, a tinkling blue frost descended from the heavens and the sight of the calamity was covered with a thin layer of snow.

Fleccia-senior had seen such a storm once in his life, though the boy had never. And yet, all the details of the description were completely in line with what the father had seen in his days. Not having much taste for mysticism, Fleccia-senior, with much hesitation, eventually listened to Ambrogio and began the grape picking. He mentioned nothing of it to the neighbours, fearing ridicule. Even so, after a great storm engulfed Magnano five days later, the Fleccia were the only family with harvest crops that year. The olive-skinned boy would be visited by further visions. They were related to all kinds of different spheres of life, though by now were quite removed from winemaking. Thus, Ambrogio predicted the war which began in 1494 on Piedmont territory, between the French kings and the Holy Roman Empire. The vintner’s son could clearly see the French front lines marching Eastwards from the West past Magnano.

Местное население французы почти не трогали, лишь отобрали для пополнения провианта мелкий скот да двадцать бочек пьемонтского вина, показавшегося им неплохим. Эта информация поступила к Флеккиа-старшему в 1457 году, то есть очень заранее, что, в сущности, и не позволило ему извлечь из нее возможную пользу. О предсказанных боевых действиях он забыл уже через неделю. Амброджо предсказал также открытие Христофором Колумбом Америки в 1492 году. Это событие тоже не привлекло внимания отца, поскольку на виноделие в Пьемонте существенного влияния не оказывало. Самого же мальчика видение привело в трепет, ибо сопровождалось зловещим свечением контуров всех трех Колумбовых каравелл. Нехорошим светом был тронут даже орлиный профиль первооткрывателя. Генуэзец Коломбо, перешедший в силу обстоятельств на испанскую службу, был, по сути, земляком Амброджо. Не хотелось думать, что 12 октября 1492 года такой человек занимался чем-то неподобающим, и оттого световые эффекты ребенок был склонен объяснять чрезмерной наэлектризованностью атлантической атмосферы. Когда Амброджо подрос, он выразил желание уехать во Флоренцию, чтобы учиться в тамошнем университете. Амброджо читал историков античных и средневековых. Читал анналы, хроники, хронографы, истории городов, земель и войн. Он узнавал, как создавались и рушились империи, происходили землетрясения, падали звезды и выходили из берегов реки. Особо отмечал исполнение пророчеств, а также появление и осуществление знамений. В таком преодолении времени ему виделось подтверждение неслучайности всего происходящего на земле. Люди сталкиваются друг с другом (думал Амброджо), они налетают друг на друга, как атомы. У них нет собственной траектории, и оттого их поступки случайны. Но в совокупности этих случайностей (думал Амброджо) есть своя закономерность, которая в каких-то частях может быть предвидима. Полностью же ее знает лишь Тот, Кто все создал.

Однажды во Флоренцию пришел купец из Пскова. Купца звали Ферапонтом. На фоне местного населения он выделялся длинной, о двух хвостах бородой и огромным оспяным носом. Помимо связок соболиных шкур Ферапонт привез известие, что в 1492 году на Руси ждут конца света. К этим сведениям во Флоренции отнеслись в целом спокойно. Из всех живших во Флоренции сообщение купца Ферапонта показалось по-настоящему важным только одному человеку – Амброджо.

The French barely bothered the locals, apart from grabbing some small livestock in order to top up their provisions and some twenty barrels of Piedmont wine, which they discovered to be quite nice. This information came to Fleccia-senior in 1457, so prematurely that it prevented him from benefiting from it in any way. He forgot all about the foretold military action just a week later. Similarly, Ambrogio predicted Columbus discovering America in the year 1492. This event also failed to get the father’s attention as it bore no real impact on winemaking in Piedmont. The boy himself, however, was thrilled about the vision – accompanied by an evil glow which outlined all three of Columbus’s caravels. Even the discoverer’s eagle-like profile was touched by the ill light. Colombo of Genoa, who was now in service of Spain due to force of circumstances, was in effect Ambrogio’s countryman. It was rather unpleasant to think that on October 12, 1492, a man of his character would be up to something unseemly, and so the boy wrote off the strange light effects as being caused by the excessive electrification of the Atlantic atmosphere. When Ambrogio got older, he expressed a desire to move to Florence, to attend university there. Ambrogio read both antique and medieval historians. He read annals, chronicles, chronographs, histories of cities, lands and wars. He learned about empires being created and destroyed, earthquakes, stars falling and rivers overflowing their banks. He paid particular attention to fulfilments of prophecies, as well as the emergence and materialization of omens. In these triumphs over time, he saw a confirmation that everything on Earth happens for a reason. People cross paths with each other (Ambrogio would think), they crash into one another, like atoms. They have no trajectories of their own, and therefore their actions are accidental. Yet in the aggregate of these accidents (Ambrogio would think) there is a pattern which, in some aspects, can be foreseen. As for the full picture, it is only known by He, who created all things.

One day, a merchant from Pskov arrived in Florence. The merchant’s name was Ferapont. Against the backdrop of the local population, he stood out with his long, two-tailed beard and a massive nose. Along with bundles of sable hide, Ferapont brought the news that over in Russia they were expecting the end of the world to come in 1492. The reaction in Florence was altogether quite calm. Of everyone living in Florence, there was only one person who found the message of Ferapont the merchant to be of significance – Ambrogio.

Юноша разыскал Ферапонта и спросил у него, на основании чего им было сделано заключение о конце света именно в 1492 году. Ферапонт отвечал, что это заключение делалось не им, но было услышано от компетентных людей в Пскове. Не будучи способен как-либо обосновать фатальную дату, Ферапонт в шутку предложил Амброджо отправиться за пояснениями в Псков. Амброджо не засмеялся. Он задумчиво кивнул, ибо такой возможности не исключал. К этому же времени относится знакомство Амброджо Флеккиа с будущим мореплавателем Америго Веспуччи. Амброджо обратил внимание Америго Веспуччи на странное сближенье предполагаемых событий 1492 года.

С одной стороны – открытие нового континента, с другой – ожидавшийся на Руси конец света. Насколько (недоумение Амброджо) эти события связаны, и если связаны, то – как? Не может ли (догадка Амброджо) открытие нового континента быть началом растянувшегося во времени конца света? И если это так (Амброджо берет Америго за плечи и смотрит ему в глаза), то стоит ли такому континенту давать свое имя?Настал день, когда Амброджо понял, что готов отправиться на Русь. Последним, что от него услышали флорентийцы, оказалось предсказание страшного наводнения, которому суждено было обрушиться на город 4 ноября 1966 года. Призывая горожан к бдительности, Амброджо указал, что река Арно выйдет из берегов и на улицы хлынет масса воды объемом 350 000 000 куб. м.

Впоследствии Флоренция забыла об этом предсказании, как забыла она и о самом предсказателе.

Амброджо отправился в Маньяно и сообщил о своих планах отцу.

Но ведь там предел обитаемого пространства, сказал Флеккиастарший. Зачем ты туда поедешь?

На пределе пространства, ответил Амброджо, я, может быть, узнаю нечто о пределе времени.

ENGLISH The youth sought Ferapont out and asked him what the conclusion was based on, that the end of the world would specifically take place in 1492. Ferapont replied that this conclusion was not made by him, but instead heard from competent people in Pskov. Being unable to somehow justify the fatal date, Ferapont jokingly suggested Ambrogio set out to Pskov for the explanation. But Amrogio did not laugh. He nodded, contemplating, for he was open to that option. To this timeframe also belongs the meeting of Ambrogio Fleccia and the future voyager Amerigo Vespucci. From his eyes, Ambrogio effortlessly determined where Vespucci’s course lay. It was obvious that in the year of 1490, Amerigo would head to Seville, where, while working in the trading house of Gianotto Berardi, he would take part in financing Columbus’s expeditions. Ambrogio drew Amerigo Vespucci’s attention to the strange convergence of the events expected in 1492.

On the one hand – discovery of a new continent, on the other – Russia's anticipated apocalypse. Just how related (Ambrogio’s wondered) are those events, and if they are, then in what way? Could (Ambrogio’s guess) the new continent’s discovery be the beginning of the end, stretched out over time? And if this was the case (Ambrogio takes Amerigo by his shoulders and looks him in the eyes), then is it worth naming such a continent after yourself?The day came when Ambrogio knew he was ready to set out to Russia. The last thing the Florentines heard from him was a prediction of a terrible flood, destined to descend upon the city on November 4, 1966. Calling for alertness amongst the civilians, Ambrogio indicated that the river Arno would overflow its banks and the streets would be flushed with a mass of water measuring 350,000,000 cubic metres in volume.

Subsequently, Florence forgot this prediction just as it forgot its predictor.

Ambrogio departed for Magnano and there informed his father of his plans.

But there lies the boundary of inhabited space, said Fleccia-senior. Why would you go there?

At the boundary of space, responded Ambrogio, I might learn something about the boundary of time.

ENGLISH It Can't Happen Here

by Sinclair Lewis

Sinclair Lewis’ clairvoyant 1935 novel It Can’t Happen Here portends the rise of fascism in America under tactless president Buzz Windrip.

"Well, I've been—I didn't vote for Windrip, personally, but I begin to see where I was wrong. I can see now that he has not only great personal magnetism, but real constructive power—real sure-enough statesmanship. Some say it's Lee Sarason's doing, but don't you believe it for a minute. Look at all Buzz did back in his home state, before he ever teamed up with Sarason! And some say Windrip is crude. Well, so were Lincoln and Jackson. Now what I think of Windrip—" "The only thing you ought to think of Windrip is that his gangsters murdered your fine brother-in-law! And plenty of other men just as good. Do you condone such murders?" "No! Certainly not! How can you suggest such a thing, Dad! No one abhors violence more than I do. Still, you can't make an omelet without breaking eggs—" "Hell and damnation!" "Why, Pater!" "Don't call me 'Pater'! If I ever hear that 'can't make an omelet' phrase again, I'll start doing a little murder myself! It's used to justify every atrocity under every despotism, Fascist or Nazi or Communist or American labor war. Omelet! Eggs! By God, sir, men's souls and blood are not eggshells for tyrants to break!" "Oh, sorry, sir. I guess maybe the phrase is a little shopworn! I just mean to say—I'm just trying to figure this situation out realistically!" "'Realistically'! That's another buttered bun to excuse murder!"