Аннотация: Вопросы о нижегородском цеховом Questions about the Nizhny Novgorod Craftsman
Questions about the Nizhny Novgorod Craftsman
Writers were discussing the tasks facing them, and the challenges facing the country.
- Your's, Alexei Maksimovich, the close acquaintance with the All-Russian exhibition of 1896, the exhibition, initiated by Sergei Yulyevich Witte, probably, has allowed you to understand possibilities of the Russian economy, of the Russian business? - the one of young prose writers has asked.
- With the All-Russian industrial and art exhibition in Nizhny Novgorod?.. - Gorky started to "be switching onto the theme".
- Had you a desire to go on the way of the businessman? - the young a writer has continued a theme. - Taking into account that this kind of activity could give a money, a social status, an opportunities?..
- Do you think that I had no a social status? - Gorky has specified. - Do you think, in the huge Empire (with different social estates) I didn't have a small, but quite worthy, my own place? Piter I in 1722 has founded a shop organizations of handicraftsmen (the Unions of artisans)? Is it not owing of my grandfather Vasily Vasilyevich Kashirin - the Shop foreman (the Head) of the Dye Shop - I became a "craftsman" (a member of the Union of artisans)?
Writers in surprise have looked at Gorky.
- Probably, you read in my autobiography of 1899 that I with honor and spotlessly bore a rank of a craftsman - the member of the Dye Shop? The concept of "craftsman" is not located nearby the notion "businessman"? - Gorky has noticed. - How the words "Dye Shop", "craftsman", "artisan" are sounding for you? Do you not feel the romantic Middle Ages in these words?.. Imagining the Medieval Europe, we distinguish in the historical fog the figures of the Titans of the Renaissance?
- Therefore, it is possible to call you the successful businessman? - the young a prose writer tried to understand.
- The literary images of my creativity are sending "signals" about what? Images of my grandfather Vasily Vasilyevich Kashirin, of the owner of a little bakery Semyonov, of the organizer of a small rural shop Romas', of the millionaire - the Old Believer philanthropist Bugrov, of the romantic businessman Garin-Mikhailovsky, of the large industrialist Savva Morozov?
Who of them can be considered at the same time both a successful businessman, and a person with a happy life?
Only Bugrov? Only the one? From six listed?
- Bugrov - a millionaire, a wholesale merchant bread, the owner of steam mills, of a dozen steamships, of a flotilla of barges, of huge forests? Who had no any formal bookkeeping? Who in his own head kept the accounts department ? - the poet-songwriter became interested.
- Why my grandfather, Vasily Vasilyevich Kashirin, about all large merchants of Nizhny Novgorod spoke as about counterfeiters, robbers and murderers? Why my grandfather told me that Bugrov's father "has acquired capital" by a fabrication of a money, by a producing of a counterfeit banknotes? - Gorky has remembered. - Why to these opinions of the grandfather I felt unconscious mistrust? The grandfather mistrustfully treated the prospects of a honest business and therefore "was making up a horror worlds"? Or destinies of "craftsmen", members of the Unions of artisans, were - a hard honest labor, - without a special material success, but - with a social scepticism?
However Alexei Maksimovich has returned to his reflections:
- How they finished their lives? Vasily Vasilyevich Kashirin? "Owner" - the baker Semyonov? "Shopkeeper" - the oppositionist Romas'? How have come to the end the rural cultural and enterprise project of Nikolai Garin-Mikhailovsky? Also - generally - the Garin-Mikhailovsky's life? How has Savva Morozov "summed up the result"?
- In relation to a business - as a variant of an occupation - the life forced you to be a skeptical? - the young a prose writer has continued questions. - But whether you weren't the chief of the newspaper, the head of the publishing house? Before 1917? And weren't your enterprises economically successful?
- Someone heard about the creditors deceived by me? - Gorky has accepted "a pitch of the ball". - Someone is familiar with any creditors' public applications and accusings in my address? I have the moral right to remember my enterprise projects without a shame? I have managed to finish them adequately and in due time?
How many writers have entered a literature through publishing association (publishing company) "Znaniye" ("Knowledge")? How many writers, having received unusually big royalties in "Znaniye", could solve the material problems? "To become independents"? To visit abroad, to broaden horizons?
And it not my popularity - as a writer - in the years, preceding the first Russian Revolution (1905-1907 years), was an engine, which was pulling out the circulations of the "Znaniye" to unusually high values for that time?
- That is you - one of the few successful businessmen of pre-revolutionary Russia? Are you happy with your life? - the young prose writer could not come to a clarity.
- Whether it is worth creating out of me an exaggerated, a hyperbolized image? - Gorky has prompted. - Perhaps, to assess positively a good facts? For example, the my ability "to enter" into the project in a right moment and in time "to leave" him? Negatively - the bad acts?
When I have come back from abroad to Russia in 1913: how did gendarmes wrote in the report? About the arrival of the world famous writer or about the emergence in St. Petersburg "Nizhny Novgorod craftsman (member of the Union of artisans)"?
"Rules of a game"?
Isn't it a paradox? At time of Tsar in 1913 I have arrived. And in conditions of the power of my "friend" Lenin in 1921 I have left Russia?
Whether it is possible to perceive as the "good", "proper" businessman of that (that is, me) who in the fall of 1917 in the 'Novaya Zhizn' newspaper, - in 1918 the closed by the Soviet power, - has published an article against the preparing October revolution? Who called the October revolution "adventure"? Who has received the sharp criticism and threats from the super influential, aggressive politicians, which already actually seized the power?
Have I not repeated in some form the fate of my grandfather Kashirin? The fates of other "craftsmen"? Of the other entrepreneurs?
Gorky has quoted on memory:
- The article in the "Pravda" was finished by the following lyrical question:
"When at a light [full of sun rays] holiday of the people in a one brotherly rush the former involuntary enemies will merge, whether Gorky will be a welcome gueston at this feast of the peace? Gorky, who has so hasty left [went out of] ranks of the genuine revolutionary democracy?"
Gorky has smiled - for some reason by a pleased smile.
Then, he have for some reason added one more quote "from Gorky":
- "They" are plundering?...- amazingly?... With an high art of actors?
- Whether it is possible to rob you, the person capable to play at the same time on several boards? - the poet-song writer stated.
- Nevertheless not accidentally images of hobo were popular in the Russian society? What for the sake you will to working? For to be a victim of an artistic robbery? What if consciously not to create illusions? And to live with the orientation to a "free" life? - Gorky has prompted, has suggested. - Again about the topic, which was already discussed: whether were a much examples of successful businessmen?
Only in what volume the Empire it is possible to be reproached in an "intricacy", "complexity" of the fates of businessmen?
- "Unconscious socialism" of a people masses? The peasants were dreaming about a receipt of land plots - without any payments (free of charge), a workers - of transfer to them of all the capitals and profits of the manufacturers? And further their desires didn't going? Well-known "Note" ('letter', "Memorandum") of Pyotr Nikolayevich Durnovo? - the poet-song writer began to participate in the discussion. He have heaved a deep sigh. - Businessmen felt themselves not very happy between a hammer of "an artistic robbery" and an anvil of "an unconscious socialism"? It were the problems not so much (not only) of the imperial mode, how many of the social environment?
- "In case of success they will destroy me, having finally been frightened of my progress, and in case of failure they will be glad to attack to me"? - Gorky has sighed, remembering the one of the statements by Sergei Witte. - What could the talented person expect? The perspective that "they" will "be tightened" to his level? Or - an attempts "to reduce' him down to the ordinary level? A positivness of a respectful attitude? Or a jealousy - a spiteful, a concealed, a pressed in?
- "To enter" in correct time (during a rise or before its beginning), in time "to leave" (in a moment of a maximum)? - the young a prose writer has specified. - But not always it turns out "to leave" in a right, in a necessary moment?
Gorky didn't hurry with the answer.
- After all it isn't clear, Alexei Maximovich, it is possible to consider you the successful businessman? Or not? - the writer (woman) has joined in a conversation.
- 1917, my newspaper closed by the Soviet power, persistent councils of Lenin to me to go abroad "for a treatment", the my departure in 1921 - these events can be considered the symbolical finishing line drawn under and after the periods of the my entry into the Union of artisans and of my business activity? - Gorky said thoughtfully. - Perhaps, the my knowledge of the history of my family - both of grandfathers, and of parents - gave me the correct reference points?
- Why not to remember the your religious education, your knowledge of the Bible? Your diligence? - the poet-song writer has reminded. - And the bishop Chrysanthus, probably, has written down your name in the notebook not accidentally? The bishop prayed for you? Bishop blessed you - and the entire school class - "on a good achievements"! The grandfather's upbringing hasn't let to go away in a vagabonds' burrows? Were fighting - not were fighting, doubted - didn't doubt, and - they honestly worked? They lived with the dignity of the labor person? The dignity of craftsman (also the bishop's blessings and prayers) in vital events created the correct orientation for you?
- The Witte's axiom? "It was necessary to be the fool not to understand that the car without fuel won't go"? - the writer (woman) has tried to generalize. Also she have added:
- Did they try to fulfill the attempt of moving, jumping into a future? And what to consider a fuel? Not to consider as a fuel a primitiveness and an ignorance?
- The beginning of new vital projects has followed? - the young a prose writer has guessed.
- The Nizhny Novgorod craftsman had the moral right to admire creations of Titans of the Renaissance? - Gorky has smiled. - And then to be involved to titanic transformations, achievements?
- It was necessary to go along the historical way "created" by the Peter the Great? - the poet-songwriter has guessed.
The young a prose writer has whispered a kind of a clarification: "Witte acted as the supporter of the state capitalism?"
Gorky has slightly sighed. He have nodded, expressing consent.
And he have joked:
- With a honor and spotlessly to bear a rank of the craftsman, - of the member of the Dye Shop, - such is a way of success?
Looking back in the past: whether I don't see Alexei who has lived the life with the episcopal blessing, but without a real estate in property, spending a considerable part of the forces and the abilities for the help to other people?
June 21, 2017 - June 29, 2017.
Translation from Russian into English: April 28, 2018 16:09. The translation adjustment: April 23, 2020, 22:21.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский 'Вопросы о нижегородском цеховом'.