Аннотация: MMMDCCXVIII. Gorchakov's gold clock. A story. - November 12, 2025.
Gorchakov's gold clock. A story.
Chancellor (and Minister) Gorchakov was walking through the Palace Square: from the Winter Palace to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Gorchakov made (in the Winter Palace) a report to the Emperor about the Diplomatic Dispatch (of October 19, 1870), and he was awarded (by the Emperor) a golden breguet (the pocket watch with music).
The Chancellor (and the Minister) heard the golden breguet begin to play. First, the watch (a gift from the Emperor) performed a Russian march, then an Austrian and a Prussian ones.
At that moment, Gorchakov heard the words: "Colleague, can I talk to you for a minute?"
Gorchakov turned his head in amazement.
Next to the Alexander Column, there was situated a kiosk with a sign: "Jeweler, watchmaker."
- 'What do you want, person?'
- 'Be more courtly. Not a person, but a colleague,' - the kiosk owner politely corrected Gorchakov. - 'Help me fix the watch, colleague.'
The kiosk owner was showing to Alexander Gorchakov a gold watch that looked very much like the gift from the Emperor.
The watch was on a large plate (on a platter). The watch case and the back cover were separated. Next to them, on this large plate, there were parts with tags.
Two tags were attached to two small screws: [1] "nuclear technologies, almost free construction of nuclear power plants", [2] "military alliance".
Two tags were attached to two springs: "gas and oil (trade) hub" and "Taiwan".
There are three crenellated wheels nearby: "Turkey", "China" and "India".
- 'Help me make this watch to work!' - the owner of the kiosk asked Gorchakov.
Gorchakov looked incredulously at the clock lying on the platter.
- 'Give me the screwdriver!'
The kiosk owner handed Gorchakov the screwdriver. Gorchakov screwed two small screws in.
Then he looked at two springs ("gas and oil (trade) hub" and "Taiwan")...
Leaving these two springs aside, Gorchakov placed three crenellated wheels in the watch case: "Turkey", "China" and "India".
Gorchakov turned the watch over in his hands.
- "What else do you have?" - Gorchakov asked the kiosk owner.
The kiosk owner took out another crenellated wheel from somewhere (the tag is "North Korea") and handed it to Gorchakov.
Gorchakov inserted a fourth crenellated wheel into the watch case.
The clock started to work.
- "And the springs? Two springs?" - the kiosk owner asked Gorchakov.
At this time, a breguet (a gift from the Emperor), which was in the Gorchakov's pocket, announced a lunch hour.
Gorchakov silently handed the large plate (with the watch working) to the kiosk owner and walked further along the Palace Square.
A pleasant lunch is ahead: with an appetite and in a good mood. How did Fyodor Tyutchev write?
"Yes, you kept your word.:
Without a movement of a cannon, as well of a single ruble,
It comes into its own rights again
The native Russian land."
Soon the lunch will be brought from the French restaurant 'Talon' (which is in the Chicherin's house).
"And the cake of Strasbourg is good (is incorruptible)..."... [lines from Alexander Pushkin]
"He entered: and a stopper (plug) towards the ceiling,
A spray of wine as if the tail of flying comet..."... [lines from Alexander Pushkin]
November 12, 2025, 18:54 (6:54 p.m.)
Translation from Russian into English: November 13, 2025, 10:24
Владимир Владимирович Залесский ' Золотые часы Горчакова. Рассказ. '
{3747. Золотые часы Горчакова. Рассказ. - 12 ноября 2025 г.
MMMDCCXVIII. Gorchakov's gold clock. A story. - November 12, 2025.
Vladimir Zalessky Internet-bibliotheca. Интернет-библиотека Владимира Залесского}