Пришло время, и мы стали получать хорошие, очень хорошие доходы. Мы легко относились к деньгам. Легко тратили. Нас как писателей узнали во всем мире. В определенные моменты мы стали самыми известными писателями.
It is time, and we began to gain a good, very good income. We treated money easily. We were investing them easily. We were recognized as writers all over the world. At certain moments we became the most famous writers.
Ты - в России (Лев Толстой стоит особняком). Я - в Америке. Одна из общих тем наших произведений - судьбы бродяг, любителей путешествий. Были и другие сходные темы литературного творчества...
You - in Russia (Leo Tolstoy is an independent cultural phenomenon). I'm in America. One of the common themes of our works - the fate of vagrants, travel lovers. There were other similar, nearby, common themes of literary creativity...
Можно прийти к выводу, Алексей, что мы с тобой - духовно, культурно, ментально, в сопоставлении наших биографий - напоминаем творческих братьев. И если не близнецов, если не двоюродных, то - троюродных. Волею обстоятельств родившихся на разных континентах.
It is possible to come to a conclusion, Alexei, that you and I - spiritually, culturally, mentally, taking in comparison of our biographies - remind creative brothers. And if not twins, if not cousins, then - second cousins. By the will of circumstances born at different continents.
Джек Лондон улыбнулся и шутливо добавил:
Jack London smiled and jokingly added:
- Может быть, своевременно побеседовав с тобой, братом-"псалтырником", о жизни, о законах писательского успеха я бы дожил не до 1916-го, а до 1946-го года?
- Perhaps, having in due time a talk with you, the brother - "psaltyrnik", about life, about laws of literary success I would live not up to the 1916th, but till 1946th year?
В 1906 году, когда ты приехал в США, такая беседа у нас вряд ли бы получилась, хотя и была бы для меня очень нужной, своевременной.
In 1906, when you came to the United States, we would hardly could to carry such a conversation, although such a talk would have been a very necessary and timely for me.
- Ты знаешь, Джек, что я слегка сентиментален. Мои биографы пишут, что я частенько пускал слезу. Когда я выдаю книги читателям, и когда они у меня просят произведения Джека Лондона, я слегка умиляюсь. Полагаю, твои произведения трогают сердца читателей нашей библиотеки.
- You know, Jack, that I'm a sentimental a little. My biographers write, that I often shed a tear. When I hand out books to readers of the library and when they ask works by Jack London, my heart begins to work quicker. I suppose, your books touch hearts of readers of our library.
- Понял, Алексей. Считай меня читателем твоей библиотеки. И прошу приготовить к моему следующему визиту рассказ "Мой спутник".
- I have understood, Alexei. Consider me the reader of your library. Also I ask to prepare the story "My Satellite" for my next visit.
Писатели поднялись и дружески пожали друг другу руки. Попрощавшись, Джек Лондон направился к выходу.
Writers have risen and have shaken hands each other with friendly mood. Having said goodbye, Jack London has gone to an exit.
Алексей Максимович возвратился к обязанностям библиотекаря. Выдав книгу одному из читателей, спросил у него:
Alexei Maksimovich has come back to the librarian's duties. Having transferring the book to one of readers, he have interested:
- Сколько Вы сегодня страниц прочитали? Четыреста? Не плохо, не плохо...
- How many pages you have read today? Four hundred? Not badly, not badly...
Сделал отметку в своем журнале.
He have made a mark in the log.
8 мая 2017 года - 10 мая 2017 года.
May 8, 2017 - on May 10, 2017.
Translation from Russian into English: May 1, 2018 17:44. ("Russian and English" version of the presentation). Владимир Владимирович Залесский "Сказка о беседе Максима Горького и Джека Лондона".
3. The tale about not-sent letter. Of Maxim Gorky to Ivan Bunin
M. Gorky decided to re-read the text of the letter. Here what in it was written:
"Dear Ivan Alekseyevich!
Often I think of You. About us.
Yesterday, I had a conversation with Jack London at my Cafй-Library.
Today I write You the letter. About what?
Yes not so it and is important.
Smiling and joking, I will tell: "About everything!"
There was a desire to talk with You, albeit in absentia. Do You remember our acquaintance in 1899, cooperation in publishing company "Znanie"?
I hope, I did not do any harm to You.
I hope, that You can not reproach in anything "Znanie" - headed by me. It was a good time!
But by adhering to epistolary discipline, I'll clarify.
This my letter - about literary creativity, about creative cooperation, about literary success, about a theme: "to write and work or refrain from action and from writing".
Remember, dear Ivan Alekseyevich, one of episodes of training of Nikolai Gogol in the Nizhyn Lyceum. Nikolai Vasilievich at one of lessons submitted to the teacher Nikolsky the poem by Pushkin "Prophet". Nikolsky was from the clergy. Was writer. He knew works by many poets, writers, but he treated Pushkin's creativity mistrustfully, did not read the works by Pushkin. Nikolsky read...Then he frowned and began to make the change in the text.
Having returned verses to the imaginary author, Gogol, Nikolsky reproached him for insufficient diligence. Here Nikolai Vasilievich confessed that the author of this work - Pushkin and that he, Nikolai, decided to play a trick on Partheni Ivanovich, to whom you will not please in any way.
Professor was the teacher of the highest pedagogical qualification. He kindly exclaimed: "Well what you understand! Yes unless Pushkin with gross mistakes cannot write? Here to you explicit proof... Recognize, by whom better is written...".
Young Nikolai Gogol gets a lesson of problem-based learning. Perhaps one of the most important literary creative lessons in the Nizhyn gymnasium.
But you will agree, dear Ivan Alekseyevich, that the situation, favorably resolved due to the pedagogical genius of the teacher Nikolsky and the luck of Nikolai Gogol, was very ambiguous. There were words about dishonesty, disrespect, plagiarism could be mentioned. Of course, if these words sounded, they would be pronounced without special aggressiveness, with exhortation. But still it would be unpleasant if they were uttered.
