After the end of the Viennese Council, the emperor Alexander Pavlovich decides “to go through Europe and see the wonders of different countries.” The Don Cossack Platov, who belongs to him, is not surprised by “outlandishness”, because he knows: in Russia “its not worse”.
In the latest kunstkammer, among the “nymphosoria” collected from around the world, the sovereign buys a flea, which although small, but knows how to “dance”. Soon Alexander “from military affairs is melancholy,” and he returns to his homeland, where he dies. Nikolai Pavlovich, who ascended to the throne, appreciates the flea, but, since he does not like to yield to foreigners, sends Platov along with the flea to the Tula masters. Platov “and with him all of Russia” are called to support the three Tula. They go to bow to the icon of St. Nicholas, and then lock themselves in the small house at the oblique Lefty, but even after
finishing their work, they refuse to give Platov a “secret”, and he has to take Lefty to Petersburg. Nikolai Pavlovich and his daughter, Alexander Timofeevna, discover that the “abdominal machine” does not work in a flea. Angry Platov executes and flouts Lefty, and the one who does not admit defect and advises to look at the flea in the strongest “melkoscope.” But the attempt turns out to be unsuccessful, and Levsha orders “just one foot in detail under the microscope to fail.” Having done this, the Emperor sees that the flea is “shod in the horseshoe”. A Lefty adds that with the best “melkoscope” you could see that on any horseshoe “master name” exhibited. And he forged cloves, which can not be seen at all. Platov asks Levsha for petitions. The left-hander is washed in the “Tulyanov’s baths”, cut and “shaped”, as if he has some “decorated rank”, and they are sent to take the flea as a present to the British. On the road Left-hander does not eat anything, “supporting” himself with one
wine, and sings Russian songs throughout Europe. To the questioning of the British, he confesses: “We have not gone into the sciences, and therefore the flea no longer dances, only true homage to its homeland.” Lefty refuses to remain in England, referring to his parents and the Russian faith, which is “the most correct.” Nothing his Englishmen can deceive, then offer marriage, which Left-hander rejects and disapprovingly responds to the clothes and thinness of the Englishwomen. At the English factories, Lefty notes that the workers are full, but most of all he takes, in what form are old guns. Soon Lefty begins to yearn and, despite the approaching storm, sits down on the ship and looks up to Russia without looking away. The ship leaves the “Hard Sea”, and Lefty concludes with a skipper who will drink whom. They drink before the “Dynamo Riga”, and, when the captain locks the wranglers, they already see devils in the sea. In St. Petersburg, the Englishman is sent to the ambassador’s house, and Lefty to the quarter, where he is required to have a document, they take away gifts, and then they are taken to the hospital in open sledges, where “the unknown class of all die to take.” The next day, the “aglic” half-shirt “kutta-percha” pill swallows and after a short search finds its Russian “comrade”. The left-hander wants to say two words to the emperor, and the Englishman goes to “the Count Kleinmichel,” but the half-spicer does not like his words about Levsha: “Although the coat is ovechkin, so is the soul of a man.” The Englishman is sent to the Cossack Platov, who “has simple feelings.” But Platov finished his service, received “full puplection” and sent him to “commandant Skobelev.” He sends a doctor from the spiritual title of Martyn-Solsky to Lefty, but Lefty already “ends,” asks to tell the emperor that the British do not clean the guns with a brick, or they can not fire, and “with this fidelity” crosses and dies. The doctor reports the last words of Lefty to Count Chernyshev, but he does not listen to Martyn-Solsky, because “there are generals in Russia”, and the guns continue to be cleaned with bricks. And if the Emperor had heard the words of the Left-hander, then the Crimean War would have ended but he does not listen to Martyn-Solsky, because “there are generals in Russia”, and the guns continue to be cleaned with bricks. And if the Emperor had heard the words of the Left-hander, then the Crimean War would have ended but he does not listen to Martyn-Solsky, because “there are generals in Russia”, and the guns continue to be cleaned with bricks. And if the Emperor had heard the words of the Left-hander, then the Crimean War would have ended
Now this is already “the business of the past days,” but tradition should not be forgotten, despite the “epic character” of the hero and the “fabulous warehouse” of the legend. Lefty’s name, like many other geniuses, is lost, but the folk myth about him accurately conveyed the spirit of the era. And although the machines do not condone the “aristocratic expulsion, the workers themselves recall the antiquity and their epic with the” human soul, “with pride and love.
