My body shook a little, and if it hadn't been for Bukov's timely support from behind, I would have fallen headlong into the pile of dirt that had just been dug up next to me. After Bukov held me up, he asked with concern: "Comrade commander, what's wrong with you?" ”

I stood firm, smiled and waved at him, and said in disguise: "Comrade Major, maybe I just climbed the hill and walked too fast, and the sun in the sky is too hot, so I guess I have a little bit of heat stroke." ”

As soon as I finished speaking, a kettle was handed over to me. I turned my head to see General Tavart Kiradze, and when he saw that I had noticed him, he handed the kettle in front of me again, and at the same time said with concern: "Comrade commander, let's drink some water first, and then we will find another place to rest." ”

I glanced at him gratefully, took the kettle, unscrewed the lid and took two sips. When handing the kettle back to Tavartkiradze, I also asked, "Is there any place to rest nearby?" ”

Tavart Kiradze took the kettle and handed it to an officer beside him, then he turned his head sideways and asked Girkin: "Comrade Major, where is the temporary command post you have set up here?" ”

Girkin pointed to a simple wooden shed a few dozen meters away and said to Tavart Kiradze: "Comrade division commander, my command post is located there, and you and the commander can go there to rest for a while. ”

Tawartkiradze did not make an assertion, but asked me: "Comrade commander, if you don't mind, we can go there and rest first, and wait until your body has recovered, and then continue the inspection." ”

I glanced at young Vasilyev at a rapid glance and saw that he was looking down at his feet again, and seemed even more nervous than I was. I breathed a sigh of relief. He nodded at Tawart Kiradze. "Okay," he said approvingly. Comrade General, let's go and sit there first. ”

At this time, I heard Jirkin next to me shouting at the soldiers: "All right, comrades soldiers, you are almost rested, go back to work." ”

Hearing his order, several warriors picked up their tools and turned around and walked towards the trenches. I saw Vasilyev also turn around to leave. The thought of talking to him suddenly surged in my heart, after all, Leda is also a character created by his pen. Perhaps it was with this consideration that I quickly stopped him: "Comrade Vasilyev, please wait a minute. ”

When the young Red Army soldier heard me call him, he quickly turned back and stood straight facing me, his eyes showing confusion, and he was probably guessing in his heart why the commander of the group army told him to stay.

I first turned to Girkin and said, "Comrade Major, please lead me and General Tavart Kiradze in the way. Seeing him nod in agreement. I pointed at Vasilyev again and said in a commanding tone: "You come with me." ”

Although Girkin is the same as Vasilyev. I don't understand why I asked Vasilyev to go to the command post with me, but he didn't ask much and consciously acted as a guide in front of us.

The wooden shed that served as the battalion command post was very rudimentary because it had not yet been built. Except for a few thick wooden brackets with bowl mouths and wooden planks for the ceiling, it is bare on all sides.

After a few of us sat down on the bench, I turned my head and asked Vasilyev, who was sitting next to me: "Comrade fighters, I would like to ask, what story were you telling to those fighters just now?" ”

Hearing my question, Vasilyev quickly stood up and replied: "Report Comrade Commander,......"

Before he could finish speaking, I raised my right hand and pressed it down, and at the same time said, "Okay, comrade soldier, don't be so polite, just sit down and say anything." ”

"Yes!" Vasilyev agreed, sat down again with a red face, and continued: "In between battles, I tried to write novels. When my comrades-in-arms saw it, they pestered me to tell them the novel I hadn't finished yet......"

As Vasilyev was talking, I heard Girkin next to me whispering to Tavart Kiradze: "Comrade division commander, this Vasilyev is a clerk in the battalion, and he usually likes to dance and write......"

After waiting for Vasilyev to finish, I asked curiously: "Can you tell me what is the name of the novel you wrote?" ”

"It's called 'They May Go Scouting with Me)," Vasilyev continued, after introducing the title of the book, "it's the story of a few scouts who went deep behind enemy lines on reconnaissance missions. After completing the reconnaissance mission and preparing to return, he was discovered by the Germans and surrounded by them. While fighting the enemy bravely, the scouts used the radio in their hands to send the information they had detected back to the headquarters. In the end, after a fierce battle, all the scouts died heroically. ”

I had never heard of the title of the book that Vasilyev was talking about. When you think about it, except for "The Dawn Is Quiet Here", the rest of his works are not famous at all, so it is not surprising that I don't know. When I waited for him to finish, I asked curiously, "Have you written any other books besides this one?" ”

"No, Comrade Commander." Vasilyev, whose face was flushed, shook his head like a rattle, and after a long time, he said embarrassedly: "I also just started to learn to write novels, and so far I haven't finished a single book." But the novels I write are based on real things. ”

"Comrade warrior, since your novel is based on real things," I said with some hesitation, "then I will provide you with a little material, I wonder if you can write a book?" ”

When Vasilyev heard me say this, he immediately took out a small notebook and a pencil an inch long from his jacket pocket. After getting ready, he said respectfully: "Comrade commander, I'm ready, you can tell the story." ”

I turned my head to look at Tavart Kiradze and Girkin, and when I saw that they were also listening to my story, I smiled and then introduced the so-called "material" to Vasilyev: "In a real incident last year, one of our sergeants led five soldiers to fight against a German paratrooper detachment that tried to enter the shores of Lake Wolby, and all of them died heroically after a stubborn battle. gave his young life. You can take their heroic deeds. Write it as a novel? ”

After Vasilyev listened to me. Holding the pen and paper in his hand, he fell into deep thought. I was afraid of interrupting his train of thought, so I didn't speak, just watched him silently.

After some time, he came to his senses from his contemplation, looked at me and said, "Comrade Commander, I have an idea, and I don't know whether to say it or not. ”

"Say it." Anxious to know what he really thought, I urged him, "Whatever you think." Even if you say it, even if you say it wrong. Neither me, nor your division commander or battalion commander will blame you. You say, "Is that so?" "The latter sentence, I asked Tavart Kiradze and Girkin.

"That's right!" The two replied in unison.

Vasilyev's courage seemed to have grown a lot, and he mustered up his courage and said: "Comrade commander, I think that the sergeant led not male soldiers, but several female soldiers, fought to the death with these paratroopers in the forest, and finally all of them died heroically. I wonder how this idea is? ”

"Not bad, Comrade Vasilyev. That's a great idea. My voice became a little hoarse with excitement: "Changing the male soldier to a female soldier can enhance the tragedy and appeal of the novel." Because the mission of women is to procreate and prolong life, not war, let alone death.

You have to remember that in the novel, you should civilianize the heroic characters, because what you want to express is the war life of ordinary soldiers, and you want to create the image of civilian heroes. It is completely possible to set off the ruthlessness and cruelty of war through the encounters of several young, beautiful and kind female soldiers, and interpret this war that is just for us and evil for the fascist bandits from a new perspective.

All in all, I hope that in this novel, you can show the appointment through a poignant story the destruction of people, especially women, the disasters caused by war to a better life and human civilization, and express a strong anti-fascist and anti-aggression theme and a profound theme of human concern. ……”

Because Vasilyev, a great writer, was in front of me, my emotions couldn't help but get a little out of control, so much so that I said what I should say and what I shouldn't say. Vasilyev buried his head and vigorously recorded it in his notebook, while Tavart Kiradze and Girkin next to him nodded frequently.

When it was over, Tavart Kiradze, who was next to me, gave me a thumbs up and said with emotion: "Comrade commander, I think you have the talent to be a writer, even if you are not up to the level of such great Russian writers as Tolstoy, Turgenev, Chernyshevsky, and Gorky, you can still write a good work that will last for centuries." ”

In response to Tavartkiradze's compliment, I smiled and waved my hand, and said to Vasilyev, who had just finished recording and sat up again: "Comrade soldier, there is nothing important at the moment anyway, and I will tell you about the unit I was in at that time, I hope it will help you to complete this new novel." ”

Hearing me say this, Vasilyev's face showed an expression of surprise, and he said excitedly: "Comrade commander, this is really good, I think that after listening to the story you tell, I will definitely be able to write an excellent novel." ”

When I slowly cut down the story from the original book drastically, I told Vasilyev about it. At the end, I stood up and said to Vasilyev: "Comrade soldier, I have said everything I can tell you, and I hope that you will write an extraordinary work based on the material I have provided." After speaking, he stretched out his hand to him, "That's all for today, we'll have a meeting later." ”

Vasilyev put down the pen and paper, held my hand with both hands, and said gratefully: "Comrade commander, don't worry, I will definitely live up to your expectations." ”

As Tavart Kiradze and I left the command post and walked out, my mind was thinking about what to do with Vasilyev, even though I knew that he had survived the Great Patriotic War and was still alive and well even in 2010, before I crossed over. But when I think of the upcoming Battle of Kursk, my heart is not steady, I am deeply afraid that he will be killed by a stray bullet, then there will be one less famous book in the world that has accompanied the growth of several generations. For the sake of his safety, I must rearrange a relatively safe position for him.

Thinking of this, I stopped, turned my head to look behind me, and saw that it was already far from the wooden shed, and even if he said anything, Vasilyev could not have heard. So I said euphemistically to Tavart Kiradze: "Comrade General, after the conversation just now, you should know that this warrior Vasilyev is a promising young man, right? ”

"Yes, Comrade Commander." Tawart Kiradze was also a clever man, and when I said this, he immediately understood what I meant, and he asked me in an inquiring tone: "I intend to transfer him to the division guard battalion and become a member of the guard platoon that is responsible for the security of the division headquarters." I don't know what you think? ”

Naturally, I was very satisfied with this arrangement of Tawart Kiradze, but I could not say whether I was satisfied or not, so I had to say vaguely: "Comrade General, this is an internal affair of your division, and you can arrange it, so there is no need to ask me for instructions." (To be continued.) )