necessary to us. So – it finished – there is a most important: you ask god, mademoiselle Brike that rather some beauty who will borrow you after death the fine body died.
– Do not speak so, it is awful! The person has to die that I received a body… And, the doctor, I am afraid. This body of the dead person. And suddenly it will come and will demand to give it the body?
– Who is she?
– Dead.
– But it will have no legs to come – laughing, the Core answered. – And if comes, then you will tell it that you gave to her body the head, but not it to you a body, and she, of course, will be grateful for this gift. I go to be on duty to a morgue. Wish me good luck!
Success of experience in many respects depended on finding perhaps fresh corpse and therefore the Core gave up all affairs and almost moved in a morgue, waiting for a happy occurence.
With a cigar in a mouth it went on the long building so quietly as though walked on boulevards. Opaque light fell from a ceiling on long lines of marble tables. On each table the corpse which is already washed by a stream of water and undressed lay.
Having stuffed up hands in coat pockets and popykhivy a cigar, the Core bypassed long lines of tables, looked into faces and from time to time lifted leather covers to examine a body.
Together with it also relatives or friends of the died people went. The core showed to them ill-will, being afraid, as if they did not pull out at it a suitable corpse from under hands. It was not so simple to receive a corpse for the Core. Before the expiration of three-day term relatives could raise a claim to each corpse, after three days the semi-decayed corpse was not of any interest to the Core. It needed absolutely fresh, whenever possible even not cooled down corpse.
The core did not stint bribes to have an opportunity to receive a fresh corpse immediately. Number of a corpse could be replaced, and some unlucky person eventually would be registered as «missing».
«However it is hard to find Diana to Brike’s taste» – the Core thought, examining wide a foot and calloused hands of corpses. The majority lying here belonged not to those who go by cars. The core passed from the end in the end. During this time several corpses were identified and carried away, and already dragged new on their places. But also among beginners the Core could not find material, suitable for operation. There were brainless corpses, but either improper build, or the having body wounds or, at last, beginning to decay already. Day was on an outcome. The core felt attacks of hunger and with pleasure imagined chicken cutlets in the smoking peas.
«Unsuccessful day» – the Core thought, taking out hours. And it went to an exit among the crowd full of a despair, melancholy and horror moving at corpses. Towards to it employees bore a corpse of the brainless woman. The washed young body shone as white marble.
«Oh, it something suitable» – he thought and went after watchmen. When the corpse was put, the Core fluently examined it and was even more convinced that it found what is necessary. The core already wanted to whisper to employees that they carried away a corpse as suddenly badly dressed old man with long ago not shaven moustaches and a beard approached a corpse.
– Here it, Marta! – he exclaimed and wiped a hand from a forehead sweat.
«The devil brought it!» – the Core swore and, having approached the old man, told:
– You identified a corpse? It brainless.
The old man showed on a big left shoulder birthmark.
– Perceptible – he answered.
The core was surprised that the old man tells so quietly.
– Who is she was? Your wife or daughter?
– God is mercy – the garrulous old man answered. – The niece it to me was and nonnative. From my cousin their three remained – the cousin died, and me them on a neck. At me the four. Need. But what you will make, the sir? Not kittens, under a fence you will not throw. And lived. And there was misfortune. We live in the old house, long ago moved us from it, but where you will get to? And here lived. The roof fell off. Other children got off with bruises, and this absolutely cut off the head. I with the old woman of the house was not, we with her fried chestnuts trade. I came home, and Marta to a morgue was already brought. And why in a morgue? They say, for the company, in other apartments suppressed people too, and some of them lonely were, here all of them here. I home came, to fyuit, and it is impossible to enter as if an earthquake.
«Business suitable» – the Core thought and, having taken the old man aside, told it:
– What happened, will not correct that. You see I am a doctor, and I need a corpse. I will directly speak. You want to receive hundred francs – and you can go home.
– You will clean? – The old man disapprovingly shook the head and thought. – To it, of course, all the same to vanish… We are people the poor… And all not someone else’s blood…
– Two hundred.
– And the need is high, kids hungry… but after all it is a pity… The good girl was, very good, very kind, and the person as a rose tree not that this stuff … – the Old man scornfully waved on tables with corpses.
«Well and old man! He, apparently, begins to praise highly the goods» – the Core thought and decided to change tactics.
– However, as you want – he carelessly told. – There is a lot of corpses, also is your niece is not worse at all. – And the Core departed from the old man.
– Well as so, let think … – the old man tripped behind it, obviously inclining to the transaction.
The core already triumphed, but situation unexpectedly changed once again.
– You already here? – the uneasy aged voice was heard.
The core turned back and saw quickly approaching tolstenky old woman in a clean white cap. The old man at the sight of it involuntarily grunted.
– Found? – the old woman asked, wildly looking around and whispering prayers.
The old man silently showed a hand on a corpse.
– Pigeon you ours, martyr unfortunate! – the old woman began to wail, approaching the beheaded corpse.
The core saw that it will be difficult to cope with the old woman.
– Listen, madam – he told friendly, addressing the old woman. – I talked to your husband here and learned that you very much need.
– We need or not, we do not ask from others – the old woman cut off not without pride.
– Yes, but… you see I am a member of charitable funeral society. I can host a funeral of your niece into the account of society and I will undertake all efforts. If you want, you can charge it to me, and go to the affairs, you are waited by your children and orphans.
– You what here talked a lot of? – the old woman on the husband snatched. And, having turned back to the Core, she told: – I thank you, mister, but
