Summary On the Mountains of Melnikov

PI Melnikov
On the mountains
From the mouth of the Oka to Saratov and further down the right side of the Volga “Mountains” is called. They are engaged here in the field of farming and in various trades.
Marco Danilovich Smolokurov in his youth was going to get married together with his elder brother in one day, but Mokey went ahead on an urgent matter to Astrakhan. It was in the spring, and it took him away with the other fishermen (they beat the seal) on an ice floe to the open sea. Since then he has not heard a word about it.
Waiting for the deadline, Marco Danilich celebrated the memorial service for his brother and married Olena Petrovna, and her friend, Darya Sergeyevna, the bride of the sinner who had not seen the wedding crown, was widowed.
Just four years lived Smolokurov with his beloved wife, they had a daughter Dunyushka, and during the second birth, and Olena Petrovna and the child died.
Before her death she asked Darya

Sergeevna to become Mark Danilich wife, and Duna the mother. She agreed to raise the girl, and refused to marry.
Deprived of family happiness, Marco Danilich completely surrendered to commercial affairs and achieved great success: in ten years he had more than a million behind him. However, he changed at the same time strongly – became domineering, stingy, unavailable for all the subordinates. The only one who did not fear and love him was the growing beauty of Dunya. She had not given up anything at Smolokurov’s, and a lot of the girl brought good things to the goodness of her soul. And Darya Sergeevna replaced Duna with her own mother and never used anything for herself, although evil tongues about her wove gossip.
It’s time to give Dunya in “real study”. They decided to send her away, as usual in good houses, in the monastery, in Manefin monastery, and Darya Sergeyevna volunteered to live with her, so that eventually, when the girl learned to adopt monasticism.
Seven years later, Dunia returned to her parents’ home. The company did not happen to Dunya, and she became addicted to the “divine” books to read.
The father starts to think about the suitors for his beloved daughter, but in his city he does not see the level for Dunya and decides to go with her to Makarya for the fair.
There they met a young merchant Pyotr Stepanich Samokvasov, and from the first words between him and Dunya mutual sympathy was established.
Samokvazov proposes to organize, together with a common acquaintance Doronin, who came to the fair with his wife and two daughters, an amusement ride on the Volga. Doronin among the business inquires from Smolokurov, what are the prices for seals fat today (he himself does not trade this commodity, but asks for a friend, a young Saratov merchant Nikita Fedorovich Merkulov, who has not yet arrived at the fair). Marko Danilich complains that now you will not get a profit for the seal. Doronin sincerely complains about this.
In the tavern, where all small and large transactions are being dealt with, Smolokurov meets with the first fisherman, Oroshin, and other prominent fishermen.
Marco Danilych complains here that he does not know what to do with seals fat, it’s just a waste price for him. Oroshin offers him everything to buy and gradually adds value. Smolokurov does not understand the meaning of his proposal, but then a young merchant, Mitenka Vedeneev, interferes with the conversation, having just received news from Peter that a large load of American cotton is waiting there, so that the fat used for dyeing fabrics will be in demand. Furious that his cunning came out, Oroshin, slamming the door, leaves an honest company.
Now Smolokurov goes to Doronin early in the morning and starts to ask questions: is he going to sell seal with a power of attorney for sale from Merkulov? Although Smolokurov guessed that his old friend was willing to extradite his daughter to Merkulov, he did not stop it. “Cleaner than Oroshin wanted me Friends we are friends with Zinovy ​​Alexeyitch, so what’s this? .. Swat matchmaker, brother brother, and money is not relatives…”
And to the very Smolokurov are the early guests – Vedeneev and Samokvazov. During tea Samokvazov recalls the grief that the mother of Manefa had suffered, from whose monastery Parasha Chapurin was married with Vasily Borisych, and even in the Great Russian church, recalls the planned walk along the Volga and undertakes to prepare everything “in due order”.
In the second half of the day, Smolokurov and Dunya, the family of Doronin and Samokvazov with Vedeneev, climbed out on a richly decorated boat to free water. Samokvazov, who took on the role of “captain”, treats all participants of the picnic “Volga kvass”, drinking from frozen champagne with juice of peaches, apricots and pineapples.
Dunya, receiving a glass from Pyotr Stepanich, all excited with fire. And Samokvasov himself feels that his heart is trembling, but still he notices that between Vedeneev and Doronin’s daughter Natasha, too, there is sympathy. Smolokurov once again starts talking about the sale of the seal, but Doronin agrees to issue the deal only after receiving consent from Merkulov, and this will take about two weeks. Smolokurov sees that his enterprise, perhaps, and can break, but change something is not in his power.
Some time later, the mother of Taif from the Komarovsky monastery comes to Smolokurov with news of the imminent ruin of the hermitages. At the same time she tells about the “shame”, which brought the marriage of Parasha and Vasily Borisych to the monastery. Glanced at the time to Smolokurov, Samokvass at the sight of the nuns worried: did they see Komarov about his participation in this wedding? But Komar’s mothers, thank God, do not know anything.
And on the female half of Smolokurov’s guests – Agrafena Petrovna with the children came to see Dunya. A girl with tears admits to her eldest friend that love has awakened in her heart, dear to her, Pyotr Stepanich.
And Mark Danilich has one concern, as if Doronin is surrounded by a finger.
Merkulov, unaware of anything, sails on the ship to Makar, waits for him to wait for the meeting with the bride and nothing to do to watch the passengers. Draws attention to his middle-aged woman, dressed in a neat black dress, on all the signs “not of simple.” He realized that it was the landowner Marya Ivanovna Alymova.
They say about her that she is from “farmazonov.” “And what their faith consists in, no one knows for sure, because they have everything in secret…”
In the city of Merkulov meets Vedeneev, finally pleasing the owner of the seal at a good price. He also tells about the failed Smolokurov cunning, and both young entrepreneurs decide not to do so themselves. At the same time he asks Vedeneev Merkulov to help him get Natasha out.
Samokvassov arrives in Komarov and asks about the acquaintances of the Skvennits about Flenushka, who at the same time conducts a difficult conversation with Manefa. It is recognized Manefa that Flenushka her daughter. To frankness the same answers Flenushka abbess, speaks of his love for Samokvasov and, confident that she parted with him forever, makes the final decision to become a nun.
It is unfortunate that the last meeting between Flenushka and Pyotr Stepanich, she rejects his love, although she punishes herself, advises her to marry Duna Smolokurova and… then, in the forest, she gives herself to her lover. They parted, according to Flenushka, for three days – for this period she appoints their wedding care. When Peter Stepanich, tired of waiting at the appointed time, appears in the cell, meets his stately, strict mother Filagriya (this name was adopted by Flenushka with tonsure) in a black wreath and in a mantle. With desperation Pyotr Stepanich starts off into the wild, as if he were throwing himself into a whirlpool.
The news reached of Samokvasov’s connection with Flenushka and Dunya. She had no interest in acquaintances, or in entertainment, and Dunya answered all questions of her father with quiet tears.
The case reduces the family of Smolokurov to the very Marya Ivanovna, who met the ship Merkulov. Mark Danilich flaunted the attention of a noble person, she liked and Dunya. Gradually begins Marya Ivanovna to open the girl a veil over the mystical secrets of the “true” faith. From the words of her new mentor, Dunya once comes into ecstasy and almost faints. It only makes Marya Ivanovna happy.
In the village Fatyanke, owned by Alymova, there are some strange gatherings. Men and women in long white shirts skip and spin, songs like worldly sing. Marya Ivanovna has a special house here. In him, as in the fortress, not everyone can succeed. Having lived in Fatyanka for a short while, Marya Ivanovna goes to Ryazan, to visit her relatives, the cousins ​​of the Lupovitskys, and on the way to Smolokurov also peeps in.
Dunya is incredibly pleased with her visit. She asks Marya Ivanovna to explain the mysterious places in the mystical old books, that on the occasion her father bargained for the adherents of the Khlystovs, Alymov about those books says: “God sent them to you… I see the finger of God…”
At this very moment, Marco Danilich receives a tsidulka from his trusted clerk, from which it appears that Merkulov and Vedeneyev, as soon as they were related to Doronin, united all three of the capital and organized the partnership on shares. Soon they will be able to clean up all the fishing business on the Volga, and they already drove Oroshin into the corner, he vomits and throws, but they can not crush them. Only is it good? Merkulov and Vedeneyev organize everything in a new way, it will be more difficult for them to deal with than with Oroshin.
Only Smolokurov had time to finish the letter, as the clerk himself had granted and demanded a conversation with the owner alone. With the clerk, another man arrived and reported that his brother, Mokey Danilych, who had long been remembered for his rest, had appeared. The old fisherman was delighted, and then a gloomy thought came: “Half the prosperity will have to be given! .. Dunyushka disastrous! ..”
It turned out that Mokey did not die on the ice-floe, but escaped and after many adventures he got to the Khiva khan in full. The Khan is now tight with money, so you can redeem a thousand prisoners of prisoners. Marco Danilych decided not to tell anyone about anything yet.
Daria Sergeevna is also worried – not about herself, about Dunya. She changed, Darya Sergeyevna reported to her father, she did not become so zealous in prayer, and, most importantly, everything with this Marya Ivanovna is secluded,
But Marco Danilych waved his hand at warnings and even let Dunia and Marya Ivanovna go to her relatives’ house near Ryazan.
In the steppe wilderness, on the upper reaches of the quiet Don, the Lupovitsky estate is located. The inhabitants of the manor profess the Khlyst faith and have their yardman involved in it. Otherwise, do not keep secrets, and the mystery is necessary: ​​this god-forgiving faith is persecuted by the government.
Lupovitsky fondled Dunya. Particularly affable was her poor niece, Marya Ivanovna Varenka, a smart and smart girl. Varenka gradually “enlightens” Dunya, informs her that Marya Ivanovna is “enlightened”, the Spirit of God lives in her and she is allowed to broadcast “the verbs of the belly.” Dunya looks forward to the hour when she herself will join the mysteries of “God’s people.” It is discovered by Varenka Dunya and the fact that Nikolay Alexandrovich’s cousin Marya Ivanovna is the ship’s “boatman” of the Lupovitsky ship, who has long been guided not by his own but by the holy will of the Spirit.
Gradually Dunya enters all the subtleties of the Khlyst rituals, and they invisibly entice her immature mind and heart.
On the night from Saturday to Sunday a “ship” (Khlyst meeting) is appointed.
A strong impression on Dunya of the fierce sorrow of “God’s people”, she herself falls into ecstasy. But when the girl comes to her senses and begins to consider what she has seen, her soul is embarrassed.
However, a week later Dunya decided to take initiation into “God’s people”. Again, doubts began to take hold of her.
However, the ceremony of “baptism of the Holy Spirit” was successful, Dunya even danced in the women’s circle.
The next day Dunya receives a letter from his father. Notified Marko Danilych that on business he will not be able to return home earlier than a month. Among the news was mentioned in the letter about Parasha Chapurina, who is waiting for the child, and about her pious, to whom the father-in-law had so many hopes and turned out to be useless. And about Samokvasov, whose business is not going so well, his father mentioned.
Lupovitsky with the same mail, too, received a letter – from Yegor Sergeyevich Denisov. He informed me that he intends to visit the Lupovitsky in the near future, who had distant relatives of him.
Denisov enjoyed the greatest honor among the whips, despite his youth. He did not gain glory and power by prophecies and prophecies, but by the ability to persuade and his knowledge. This time Denisov’s Lupovitsky visits are waiting with special impatience, since he promised to explain to everyone a new mystery, unknown to the most enlightened members of the “ship” – the secret of “spiritual matrimony”.
All fishmen are amazed and annoyed by the new orders in the trade, which Merkulov and Vedeneev brought in. The prices are the cheapest, but only a third of the amount is bought on credit, the rest should be immediately spread out.
And then Smolokurov thinks up everything himself from Vedeneyev and Merkulov personally. Yes, that’s the trouble, money is not enough. He occupied almost every fishman, and all twenty thousand is missing. Somehow he scraped it from the moneylenders and this amount. Marco Danilich achieved his goal, and was most pleased with everything, that again Oroshin went around.
Smolokurov agreed with Baykh Subkhankulov about his brother’s ransom. In a word, everything was well-managed.
Only at home there is his disturbing news: Dunya has not returned yet. Marco Danilia is negotiating with Daria Sergeevna that she will immediately go to Fatyanka with the people.
On the way, Darya Sergeevna learns that Fatianka is a dull place, vague, the pharmacies live in it, and it is best not to have anything to do with them. In Fatyanke herself, Daria Sergeyevna found no one and returned with nothing.
From these news Marco Danilich missed. And immediately without a master’s eye in a well-adjusted economy, everything at random went off.
On the very day that trouble happened to Smolokurov, Chapurin was feasted over the birth of his first grandson. Now Patap Maksimych puts all hopes on him, he finally lost faith in his son-in-law.
Kolyshkin told about Alyoshka Lohmaty. This buhar now has five steamships and a salted factory, the first guild trades. And Marya Gavrilovna was completely dependent on her husband; Moreover, in the maids got to the husband’s sweetheart, who herself had her maid before.
Here the messenger from Darya Sergeyevna appeared with a letter. She asks Agrafena Petrovna to go for Dunya to Lupovitsy and help to restore order in the house, because the owner has paralyzed him. Chapurin decides that he needs the oldest friend “humanly” to help and orders Agrafena Petrovna to assemble on the road.
Marco Danilych was touched by the arrival of Chapurin, although he could not utter a word. He shows his eyes on the chest in which he has money and securities hidden, but Chapurin refuses to open it until Duni arrives, so that no one could have any doubts.
Quickly induces Patap Maksimych order and in the house, and on the fields, he counts all the workers on conscience. Agrafena Petrovna arrives in Lupovitsy and finds out from Prokhor’s father that Duni is not in the village, she… disappeared without a trace.
And with Dunya Smolokurovoy here’s what happened. Looking at the frenzied rituals, she began to think harder than before, to realize that this faith is wrong.
Lupovitsky, on the other hand, does not want to let go of Dunya, and not so much herself, as capital, that sooner or later it will pass to her.
Marya Ivanovna somehow manages to persuade the girl to wait for the arrival of Yegor Denisov, who will be able to eliminate all of Dunya’s doubts. Dunya was overcome by curiosity, and she decided to visit the “last ship” for the last time, but on the condition that she would not participate in the rituals.
Came to the Assumption at Lupovitsky for peasants “dozhinki” celebrated. Invited to the party and the father of Prokhor, with whom the gentlemen, so that the suspicion of heresy did not fall on them, outwardly they maintained good relations. The priest took a moment and Dunya warned about mysticism, adding that the youngest inexperienced young woman should be more afraid of Denisov, who had killed more than one girl’s soul. She believed Dunya “niconian” ass and agreed with him that in case of danger he would turn to him for help.
Finally appears the long-awaited Denisov. Everyone after him vied with each other, every word he caught. One Dunya with him is reluctant, does not bow, like the other, “great teacher.”
Denisov tends to tame Dunya quietly, pursuing a mercenary goal (“Joke to say – a million! Do not let it go, it is necessary that she will or willfully stayed with us”). On the next “ship” Denisov promises to open to Dunya the secret secret of “spiritual matrimony”.
It all turned out that Denisov was trying to rape Dunya, but she managed to escape and escape, hiding from Prokhor’s father. The priest understands that the girl will be sought, instructs to deliver Dunya under the parental shelter to reliable people and returns home just in time for the arrival of Agrafena Petrovna.
Having made sure that she is a close friend for Dunya, the priest explains to Agrafena Petrovna that her pupil is in the provincial town of his acquaintances.
It was difficult to see Duni with his father. Patap Maksimych does not conceal from her that the days of Smolokurov are running out, and announces the urgent need to dispose of all the articles of the large Smolokurov farm to the heir. Dunya relies on Chapurin in everything.
Agrafena Petrovna in her own way, like a woman, Dunin’s fate is taken to ease. She reminds the girl about Samokvasova, says that he curses his behavior and cries, remembering Dunya. And Dunya remembers him with tenderness.
The next day Marco Danilovich reposed. Chapurin finds an honest steward for the heir and opens a trunk with the papers of the deceased witnesses. There, in addition to cash, bills and various bonds, there is also a receipt issued by Subkhankulov that he undertakes to return Mokey Danilych from the Khiva mine. Darya Sergeevna, after seeing this document, fainted.
Agrafena Petrovna arranges a meeting with Dunya with Samokvasov, and soon young people are engaged, and then they are crowned in church and joyfully enter a new period of life. Nor does the letter from Prokhor’s father tell him that Lopovitsky was almost all arrested, and Marya Ivanovna was imprisoned in some remote monastery.
At Patap Maksimych home circumstances are not so well. Praskovya Patapovna, after catching a cold after the bath, fell ill and did not rise. Widowed Vasily Borisych Chapurin lets go, making sure that he only grinds his tongue, and he does not have any diligence for any business. It remains Chapurin in his old age one.
And his sister, the mother of Manefa, was very decrepit and put the mother of Philagia in her place. It was impossible to recognize the former mischievous Flenushka in the imperturbable majestic nun.
Soon, from the Asian lands and Mokey, Danilych returned, and Dunya singled out his capital without dispute to him. Daria Sergeyevna was glad to see her old friend, but she refused to marry him, declaring that she intended to pass her time in a far-off skete.
Once the case brings Chapurin on the steamer with his former steward Alexei Lokhmaty, and he hears how Alexei tells fellow travelers about Nastya, boasts of his victory.
Waiting when Shaggy one is left alone, Chapurin appears before him and threateningly asks: “Who promised not to mention this to anyone?” In fear Alexei retreats from him, and they both fall into the water.
Patap Maksimych pulled out, and Alex, whose last thought was “from this man your destruction,” went to the bottom.
And the sketes, standing in the Kerzhen forests for about two hundred years, were soon completely closed. The Kerzhenets and the Chernora-less have emptied… The Keljesnitsy kept secret their activities in the city.