Аннотация: A Media crime and a media punishment. A detective-fantastic story
A media-crime and a media-punishment. A detective-fantastic story.
Maxim Gorky came to Europe after the revolution of 1905.
Newspapers were filled with articles about the revolution, about the great Russian writer.
Looking at this media effect, one of the European journalists decided to become a great writer.
"Several goals are achieved immediately: fame, money, an acquaintances in the theater." 'Actress Andreeva is a very beautiful woman!'
How to become a great writer?
Take Alexandre Dumas as an example. How did he write "The Count of Monte Cristo"?
The basis of his novel was a materials from the archives of the French police.
The European journalist went to the police archive and began to get acquainted with archival materials.
Some stories are too complex, others are too elementary.
A European journalist is looking for, is looking for...
His glance fell on a thin file. One French citizen found scraps of text in a hotel abroad. He is reading and feeling an alert. A joint burglary and a amorality through sex with a prostitute. What to do with these scraps? In the meantime, he need to go to France. He got on the train and drove off. When he arrived, he put the scraps in an envelope and sent to the police - just in case. The police sent the scraps to the archive ...
At this moment, a courier from the newspaper's editorial office arrives - it's necessary to go, urgently, to a meeting with Maxim Gorky. A collective meeting of the great writer with cultural figures and journalists.
The journalist put the archive file in own pocket (there was a note on it - 'Short shelf life. Has no value for the archive') and went to Maxim Gorky.
The European journalist did not find Gorky. Gorky left further - in the USA.
But, the time was spent. The journalist went to look at the hotel room in which Gorky lived.
In the hotel room are a fragments of some texts. The journalist takes one of the snippets and, just in case, compares with snippets from the archive file.
A handwriting coincided!
A sensational version immediately lined up in the mind! The great writer is a thief, cracker and client of prostitutes! First he wrote a confession, then he changed his mind about to admit his guilt !!! ...A material for a sensational book!
Scraps of texts were presented in the editorial office and made an impression!
The journalist was issued a business trip to the United States.
Arriving in the United States, the journalist immediately went to the press conference of Gorky.
The journalist is entering... The press conference has already begun. The hall is full.
A journalist is an experienced person. He looks around the hall and sees a girl wiping her tears. Maybe she was impressed by the story of the Bloody Sunday? Or maybe her life lacks happiness? Or maybe she is a writer? - Looks at Gorky and envies his fame?
No time to figure it out.
The journalist takes a place closer a crying girl. He takes the bull by the horns:
- Mr. Gorky, I have a written evidence that you participated in a group burglary and found solace in the arms of a prostitute! You wanted to admit this crime, but did not dare. However, your confession of a crime is in my disposal! You are a villain and an immoral person!
Everyone is looking at the journalist and the crying girl sitting next to him.
Gorky is asking:
'Is that the girl in whose arms I found solace?'
No one accepts the tonality of this question. An indignant hum rises in the hall.
The reaction of the audience begins to bother Maxim Gorky:
- What kind of text? Read a couple of lines!
- 'I can't say now whether at that moment I remembered the criminal code, a morality, a right of property and other things that, in the opinion of knowledgeable people, should be remembered at all times ...', - the journalist began to read. - "- ... It's better to break the lock ...
Good ideas rarely go to the heads of women; but, as you can see, they still visit them ... I always appreciated good ideas and always tried to use them whenever possible.
Having found the lock, I pulled it and ripped it out with the rings ... " She is "the girl from a "company" of a "walking" women, who ... " " And a prostitute warmed me with her body ... "
The journalist paused. And he stared straight at Gorky.
Gorky thought for a second:
- This is my story "One autumn day" ["Однажды осенью"]. First time, this story was published in Samara Newspaper ['Самарская газета'], 1895, the issue 154, July 20, and the issue 156, July 22. Apparently, you got a draft of my story ...
The hall perplexedly looks at the journalist and at Gorky.
The journalist feels himself at a loss.
Gorky looks at the journalist and understands that the sensation of the journalist failed.
Gorky glances at his watch and stops the press conference.
He thinks with frustration about the European media investigator, - that it's better not to go to Russia after these ridiculous questions. And he 's heading to Italy, Capri Island.
At Capri, he writes a story about city of New York - "The City of the Yellow Devil" ['Город Жёлтого Дьявола'].
After writing a story about New York, Gorky takes ten lira from Andreeva and goes on a walk. He is returning by cab. He gives the cabman ten lire. Instead of giving seven liras, the cabman whipped the horse and galloped, flicking the whip, looking back at Gorky and laughing loudly. Gorky rotated his eyes with delight, raised his eyebrows, laughed, clapped himself on the sides, and was unspeakably happy until the evening.
Vladislav Felitsianovich Khodasevich was a little surprised by this reaction:
- What are you happy about, Alexei Maximovich !?
- I am glad for my popularity. A hundred years will pass. They will write that "On Capri they say that Gorky did not miss a single maid in the hotels."
Meanwhile, the European journalist - media investigator returned to Europe and continued his efforts to become a great writer.
November 22, 2019 14:38
Translation from Russian into English: November 22, 2019 19:15.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский 'Медиа-преступление и медиа-наказание. Детективно-фантастический рассказ'.