Vladimir Voropaev: Gogol did not burn the second volume of Dead Souls. Why did Gogol burn "dead souls"? Why was Volume 2 of Dead Souls burned?

Gogol lived by his creativity, for the sake of it he doomed himself to poverty. All his possessions were limited to "the smallest suitcase."

The second volume dead souls», main work writer's life, the result of his religious quest, should have been completed soon. It was a work in which he put the whole truth about Russia, all his love for her. “My work is great, my feat is saving!” Gogol told his friends.

However, in the life of the writer came crucial moment…

It all started in January 1852, when E. Khomyakova, the wife of Gogol's friend, died. He considered her worthy woman. And after her death, he confessed to his confessor, Archpriest Matthew (Konstantinovsky): “The fear of death came upon me.” From that moment on, Nikolai Vasilievich constantly thought about death, complained of a breakdown.

All the same Father Matthew demanded that he leave literary works and, finally, think about your spiritual state, moderate your appetite and start fasting. Nikolai Vasilyevich, listening to the advice of his confessor, began to fast, although he did not lose his usual appetite, therefore he suffered from a lack of food, prayed at night, and slept little.

From the point of view of modern psychiatry, it can be assumed that Gogol had a psychoneurosis. Whether the death of Khomyakova had such a strong effect on him, or whether there was some other reason for the development of a neurosis in the writer, is unknown.

But it is known that in childhood Gogol had seizures, which were accompanied by melancholy and depression, so strong that he once said: “To hang myself or drown seemed to me like some kind of medicine and relief.”

And in 1845, in a letter to N. M. Yazykov, Gogol wrote: “My health has become rather poor ... Nervous anxiety and various signs of perfect ungluing all over my body frighten me myself.

It is possible that exactly the same “sticking up” prompted Nikolai Vasilyevich to commit the strangest act in his biography. On the night of February 11-12, 1852, he called Semyon to him and ordered to bring a briefcase in which notebooks with the continuation of Dead Souls were kept. Under the pleas of the servant not to destroy the manuscript, Gogol put the notebooks in the fireplace and set fire to them with a candle, and Semyon said: “None of your business! Pray!

In the morning, Gogol, apparently himself struck by his impulse, said to Count Tolstoy: “That's what I did! I wanted to burn some things that had been prepared for a long time, but I burned everything. How strong the evil one is - that's what he moved me to! And I understood and explained a lot of useful things there ... I thought about sending them to my friends as a keepsake from a notebook: let them do what they wanted. Now everything is gone."

February 24, 1852 Nikolay Gogol burned the almost finished second volume of Dead Souls, on which he had been working for more than 10 years. The story itself was originally conceived by Gogol as a trilogy. In the first volume, the adventurer Chichikov, traveling around Russia, encountered only human vices, in the second part, fate brought the protagonist together with some positive characters. In the never-written third volume, Chichikov had to go through exile in Siberia and finally embark on the path of moral purification.

AiF.ru tells why Gogol burned the second volume of "Dead Souls" and what adventures in the continuation of the story were to happen to Chichikov.

Most likely, Gogol burned the second volume of Dead Souls by accident. AT last years In his life, the writer felt constant weakness in his body, but instead of being treated, he continued to exhaust his body with strict observance of religious fasts and exhausting labor. In one of the letters to poet Nikolai Yazykov Gogol wrote: “My health has become rather poor ... Nervous anxious anxiety and various signs of perfect unsticking all over my body frighten me myself.” It is possible that this “sticking up” prompted the writer on the night of February 24 to throw the manuscripts into the fireplace and then set them on fire with his own hands. The servant witnessed this scene Semyon, who persuaded the master to spare the papers. But he only rudely replied: “None of your business! Pray!

In the morning next day Gogol, struck by his act, lamented his friendCount Alexander Tolstoy: "That's what I did! I wanted to burn some things that had long been prepared for that, but I burned everything. How strong the evil one is - that's what he moved me to! And I was there a lot of practical clarified and outlined ... I thought to send to friends as a keepsake from a notebook: let them do what they wanted. Now everything is gone."

Gogol claimed that he wanted to burn only drafts and unnecessary papers, and the second volume of Dead Souls was sent to the fireplace due to his oversight. Nine days after this fatal mistake, the writer died.

Gogol's letters and the remaining drafts allow us to restore the approximate content of some parts of the burnt manuscript. The second volume of "Dead Souls" begins with a description of the estate of Andrei Ivanovich Tentetnikov, whom the author calls "the smoker of the sky." An educated and fair person, due to laziness and lack of willpower, drags out a meaningless existence in the village. Tentetnikov's fiancee, Ulinka, is the daughter of a neighboring general, Betrishchev. It is she who becomes "a ray of light in dark kingdom story: “If a transparent picture suddenly flared up in a dark room, lit from behind by a lamp, it would not have struck like this figurine, shining with life, which appeared exactly to illuminate the room ... It was hard to say what land she was born in . Such a pure, noble outline of the face could not be found anywhere, except perhaps only on some ancient cameos, ”Gogol describes it this way. Tentetnikov, according to Gogol's plan, was to be convicted for participation in an anti-government organization, and his lover would follow him to hard labor. Then, in the third volume of the trilogy, these heroes had to go through exile in Siberia along with Chichikov.

Further, according to the plot of the second volume, Chichikov meets the bored landowner Platonov and, having incited him to travel together in Russia, goes to the master Kostanzhoglo, who is married to Platonov's sister. He talks about the ways of managing, by which he increased the income from the estate tenfold, which Chichikov is terribly inspired by. Shortly thereafter, Chichikov, having borrowed money from Platonov and Kostanjoglo, is trying to buy the estate from the ruined landowner Khlobuev.

On the "border line" between good and evil in the second volume of the story, the financier Afanasy Murazov suddenly appears. He wants to spend 40 million rubles earned by him not in the most honest way on “saving Russia”, but his ideas are more reminiscent of sectarian ones.

In the surviving drafts of the end of the manuscript, Chichikov is found in the city at a fair, where he buys fabric of a lingonberry color so dear to him with a spark. He runs into Khlobuev, whom, apparently, he “gave up”, either by depriving, or almost depriving him of his estate by forgery. Murazov saves Chichikov from continuing an unpleasant conversation, who convinces the ruined landowner of the need to work and determines him to raise funds for the church. Meanwhile, denunciations are being found against Chichikov both about forgery and about dead souls. However, the help of the corrupt official Samosvistov and the intercession of Murazov allow the hero to avoid prison.

Brother ... - it seems it was male voice. Hoarse from something, perhaps from pain, perhaps moral. But hoarseness does not spoil anything, on the contrary, it gives an unprecedented subtlety to it, embodying the desire to destroy. Exactly. The owner of this timbre can be seen in pain, so much so that anger is transmitted only in the voice. Because he can't do it any other way. For injustice will be done differently.

However, does it matter? It must be so, if deep in the soul, in the case of its presence, it hurts so strongly and at the same time so quietly. Loki wouldn't call it pain, it's... it's more of a different feeling. He didn't want to admit it, but he didn't love his brother. However, he confessed. To yourself. That's right, but that feeling is still raging. What is the feeling? It's not pain. It can't be pain. Because pain feeds on love. And Loki never loved, neither his brother, nor anyone else, in this he is honest with himself. He probably cannot love because of his nature. He accepted God's judgment and lived. Lived until he died. And when he dies, he will live with humility.

Loki did not want to open his eyes, to illuminate Hel with his gaze. Hel, this is a haven eternal torment, waited too long for him, and now it burns to make up for every minute of the plans of fate with its calm. He diligently avoided this writing of God. He avoided, but still ended up where he was destined to be a thousand years ago. And from Hel got out. But this time, he's here forever. Loki will not open his eyes, thereby angering fate, and fate will add to the list of fools. He achieves this. Although… who is he kidding? Why does he keep lying? He is afraid of. Loki is just scared like the most a common person or jotun, he is ready to convulse. He does not know what will happen if he stays and does not run away. And this ignorance is scary.

And Loki is doubly afraid. It's amazing. He was always afraid of one thing. It doesn't matter which one, but only one. In his soul there is no place for two all-consuming feelings. He was either afraid of falling into the eyes of his family, or he was afraid of death. When Loki was afraid of the first, he defeated the second with a stimulus. And when his family fell in his eyes, the second destroyed almost all feelings, be it happiness, anger, misunderstanding. But he did die. It turns out the fear of death is no longer dangerous. But the fear of Hel... And the fear of fear.

Loki used to hold tight to his feelings. Having confessed the absence of love, he did not confess fear. His soul harbored fear, but he did not. Now yes. Loki is afraid of the very thought that he is afraid.

Eyelashes twitched, eyelids strongly dug into eyeballs, cheeks and forehead furrowed. This is called closing your eyes. Close your cute eyes, from which a trickle of blood flowed. Because of Thanos? Yes...but it's partly my own fault. I would have saved my skin, as always, I would have said something crazy and left. No. Loki is an idiot. Loki, you idiot! What was it? An attack of heroism? What for? Whose hero did you want to be? Loki would answer these questions if he knew the answer. So he closes his eyes.

Where I am? Who are you? - an unfamiliar voice is heard.

But Loki also looks into the darkness.

If you're lost in Hel, then it's definitely Hel, boy," he replied. He has nothing more to say.

But I have to save... The world from Volan... - he is interrupted. And it is his interlocutor who lies in white that does it.

Wanted to save? Did not work out? Come on, if this is how it has become, then the will of fate, - the young man could hear despair. This revived another fear in Loki. True, insignificant. However, it is enough for him to open his eyes.

The boy, indeed, the boy looked sadly at his surroundings. He was simple, swarthy, with tousled dark hair, curls of which spread unruly wherever possible. And eyes, bottomless green covered with iron shackles. Planted vision, seen.
Most unusual about him is a lightning-shaped scar. Lightning... sad memories that it would be better not to remember.

But... I have to. I can't just die like that. It's just not possible. I... don't believe that... I have come all this way... - he was ready to pour out his soul, burst into tears. And in which case turn Loki into a vest.

I wouldn't believe it either man. All my life I've been lying, I've been lied to, I ended up dying trying not to lie to myself. But could not. This is definitely Hel, and it is impossible to get out of here. And the fact that you died is just possible, - Loki sowed pathos. There was meaning in his words. Not the pain, not the joy from the fact that life is torn here. In fact, he is alive, but he is alive in Hel.

The young man fell down.

I can't... no. I must return. Please help me! - the voice breaks.

Come on, you leave me alone. I need him. I never had it. Even after death, - the truth of the word. Loki had no rest at birth, after he got used to it.

Salty moisture gathered at the corners of the dark one's eyes, his glasses were fogged up, he himself was trembling.

If you are going to cry, then do it away - he will not be tolerant, - I do not yearn to see your unbecoming man look.

Suddenly, a scream reached their ears. Long and top. Female. The lady screamed, and they watched as she soon touched the ground. The young man was horrified, Loki is not.

Ah! - and the roar is worse than before.

The young man looked blankly at the girl in the top and short skirt. She doesn't exactly look like a suicide bomber. It did not read anxiety and shock from the experience. But they should be if she is so young. Very even beautiful. Red head of hair with an impressive length, blue eyes full of incomprehension. Blue eyes ... Loki found a similarity in them, yet the difference is huge in form, but if you look closely into the eye, you can recognize the drunk. No, no, the girl is not drunk, but the one whom Loki recognized in those eyes. Thor does not leave him in Hel either. Nicely.

BUT? Where am I? she asked the expected question.

In Hel, - - the young man narrowed his eyes, apparently knowing something interesting, - Ginny? ..

Ginny, is that you? So you, too? .. - he drooped. He stopped crying, but he sank so much that he would have been better off crying. Loki knew this, many around him become like that. It's like pain, like an animal scratching in the heart.

The girl shook her head negatively. While they had a dialogue, God, the only one here, stood up, shook off the invisible dust, which does not exist. Into a habit.
You can get out of here, but why? Why would Loki get out of here? To once again experience fear? Oh no. Thoughts run into the deepest gorges of escape plans, but Loki will not translate them into reality. Let, thinks, stay there, there is no more sense. How many times has he run away from here? Five? Ten? He's had enough. Returning back, fear again absorbs him with his head. Strange, the soul needs rest.

I am Bloom, dragon flame fairy, Domino princess. I remember how they killed me... Who are you? What kind of place is it? Her voice no longer trembled.

Fairy? Aren't they small? - asked the young man. Because Loki wouldn't care. Knowledge of the varieties of fairies is known to him.

This situation was strange. Definitely. The first experience after the death of two teenagers and most likely the last of God.

No no. These are small pixies. We are saving the world... I did not save him, - now she also drooped. But she quickly woke up, - You said it was Hel. What is Hel? World?

The place where you go after death, if you are not an Asgardian who fell in battle. This is so, a bonus to the rest, - Loki regained his confidence. - Did you know that after the revival, you can return virginity again?

The young man blushed thickly. He lowered his head and timidly issued:

I mean… can you be resurrected?

What is virginity? Bloom didn't understand.

Ser... - God was interrupted.

No, answer my question! How to get out of here?! he shouted.

Very heightened emotions. Loki's heart trembled, although from surprise. He won't say. He won't do good.

Yes, I'm just joking. You can't get out of here.

There was silence. Long. No one dared to spoil it. Due to the fact that it came for one reason for everyone. Loki's words hurt each of them, including himself. The words hit with a mace. Words touched hope, trampled and killed. Yes, Bloom and this one are doomed to feel guilty. Well, Loki, looking at the distortion of the faces of those two, understood the extent of the pain caused. His words, of course, hurt him, but not pain. Something different, delicate.

Hands up, I'm an android sent from Cyberlife!

The man flaunted. It is not he who is more attractive, but the gun in his hands. What is he going to do with it?

Are you going to kill us? Kill in Hel? Is this... Kill in the square? - asked the more or less adequate God, ostentatiously raising his hands. The other two followed suit.

Where are we and who are you? We answer in order.

I am Bloom, dragon flame fairy, Domino princess. If I'm not mistaken, this is the world after death, its name is ... Hel.

Loki, son of... Laufey. God of deceit and deceit. You seem to be dead, since you're here, - he swallowed it all. He is the son of Laufey. Not Odin.

I am Harry. Harry Potter.

The android threw the gun into oblivion, like everyone else here. However, unlike these, drooping, the man continued not to experience anything. The circle on his temple lit up red - these are all the changes.

In what way androids, they are artificial intelligence, fall into Hel? Are you a Stark creation? This awkward fairy gnome? Loki suggested.

Hel is not the sister of darkness, the bearer of darkness, the prototype of the mythological cave of devils. Hel is afterworld. Time is not subject to this abode of souls, therefore, torment is eternal, in the case of a sinful life. There are no walls separating the space, neither the ceiling nor the ground. The soul is supported by helian forces from falling, like an android's weapon. The soul does not need food, water, sleep. The soul forms a shell according to the memories of the latter, and the whole organism. The soul wanders through the colorless, boundless space. And that's it. The result of such a pastime is nothing but peace. And the soul that has found peace disappears.

Loki does not know them, does not know what they were like in life, what they did, who was honored, what sins they have, what good deeds. In all the times he's been here, Loki has met many. Tall, short, beautiful, freaks, sociable, silent, vampires, elves. He also got into the dark side of Hel, where reigns Eternal flame and the brave ones smolder. Much in this, not this, past, life before last, he went through. No more than Odin, he thought, but enough to start a career as a sage. The sage says: "peace, only peace is the vice of something."

I beg your pardon, sir. Are you unable to repeat your roots? - a man with a square and a small mustache tore him from his thoughts.

The god of deceit arched his eyebrows.

Do not misunderstand me. I'm watching. Did you say "Lafie"?

Loki opened his mouth for some sarcastic answer, but closed his mouth again.

Uncle, we have a circle of revelations here. You can join," Bloom said sadly.

First, give us your name in life. I hope you know that you left that world? - Supported her young man, his name is Harry.

Nikolay. Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol. Join if allowed. However, I will be with you for only one reason - I want to send you to the pages, - he enlightened languidly.

Are we already in the circle of depressed idiots? Excellent! And when did we create it? Loki doesn't agree with such a drastic turn of the infamous fate.

I see no way out other than to talk.

Good. If this is a circle of revelations, perhaps I'll start - Harry conquered his feelings?

Bloom nodded, sitting comfortably in the lotus position. The android also sat down, looking like an innocent puppy. Did Loki have anything else to do? Their new acquaintance spread out his robe elegantly and settled down on it.

My name is Harry Potter. And... damn, it's hard! He covered his face with his hands.

I saw you cry. So, everything is fine. I don’t think that rumors will spread around Hel,” Loki reassured him. Who else? - Can you imagine the club of anonymous alcoholics.

Okay... I'm Harry Potter. I was seventeen years old, and I would have spent my whole life in a closet if I had not turned out to be a magician. My parents are wizards, died because of Voldemort. He is evil. I studied at Hogwarts - the school of wizards - and year after year, with the help of friends and relatives, I defeated him. In the last battle I fell. Now I'm here.

Loki started clapping his hands. Four pairs of eyes stared at him in disbelief.

We're in the Alcoholics Anonymous Club," he explains. "Okay, Harry, if I didn't misspell your name, you can tell me how you feel."

Pain. I failed. I was the hope of many. Perhaps ... - a tear rolled down his cheek, leaving a wet trail. - they are all dead ... I'm to blame. I could not. I turned out to be weak. Because of me, all this ... I'm to blame!

Yes, it's your fault, Harry. Blame for everything that happened. We are a figment of your imagination that will comfort you in Hel, - Loki seemed to be telling the truth.

Harry's eyes widened.

And in this way you put pressure on a person who has experienced death. Marvelous! - with these words, Nikolai continued to scratch on the sheet of paper. Ah, it was his handwriting.

During the entire conversation, the android was silent.

Harry, it's not your fault. If it wasn't for you, many would die before they were born, right? Bloom patted her shoulder, running her back in a soothing gesture.

The young man nodded, sniffing at the same time.

I have. somewhat similar situation. I screwed up the convergence at the right time, and everything faded. Tritannus ... - interrupted.

Thanos?! - Panic fought with all its might, preparing for the next.

No, Tritannus, cousin of Layla, my friend. He is a triton. In general, he was distraught by the fact that his brother, the youngest, deserved the crown with his prudence. Formally and monarchically, he was supposed to be king. And yes, I feel guilty. I could change it. I could! But no, these Trix...

Loki experienced deja vu. There was no more disgusting feeling in this world and in any other. When you see your mistakes in the actions of another, the soul is torn apart. And now it consists of one soul. He feels hatred for Bloom with his whole body, baseless, extravagant hatred. The lump inside shrinks. Loki is ready to go into convulsions. No, he rather restrains himself from doing so.

And, in that world, my loved ones remained ... - and again interrupted by God.

There is no love.

Yes, she frowned.

No, Loki has stood his ground for ten centuries now. What is there?

There is, - there was Harry.

This is a very strange feeling that I would like to feel, - the android gave a voice. I'm Connor, nice to meet you.

Shut up, Connor, - the enraged three said in unison, and Loki continued, - you will not feel this feeling, because it does not exist.

Note that the quarrel the best choice for you, my friends, if you are in these parts, - Nikolai advised.

Yes, you are right, Gogol. I won't find peace in eternity quarreling with you. And I realized something, all of them - Bloom, Harry ... okay, not all of them, but these two - want to return old time. I'll get you out of here.

So you lied to me! Harry exclaimed.

I agree, I have to go back, - Bloom quickly got up, approaching Loki.

I'm not sure I'll take you back to desired worlds, but at least I'll get it out of Hel. Do you agree?

The two nodded.

With your permission, I will stay here, - Nikolai smiled reassuringly.

Android, are you with us? Bloom asked.

Yes, brevity is the sister of talent.

Mystery classic

According to Bak, basically Gogol's legacy has been studied, and in this, the professor noted, a great contribution was made by scientists of the 19th century, for example, Nikolai Tikhonravov, who commented on all the main works of the writer. But, the interlocutor of the agency emphasized, there are still many secrets connected with the life and work of Gogol, for example, the secret of the second volume of Dead Souls.

“It is known that before his death, Gogol burned the manuscript of the second volume of Dead Souls, with the exception of a few initial chapters. But this work has such powerful energy, it is so clear what intention it carried in itself, that we can say - it exists, - said Buck. - This volume, unlike the first, should be devoted to the bright sides of life in Russia. It is possible that someday we will find other fragments of it that may lie in the archives."

But main secret Gogol, not even the burnt manuscript of the second volume. The most significant thing, according to Buck, is that the writer's works are inexhaustible, they are "multi-interpreted", therefore each new generation reads them in its own way, discovering unexpected meanings.

For example, for obvious reasons, in Soviet time insufficient attention was paid to the religiosity of Gogol himself and the doctrinal problems in his work. And there is still a lot of work to be done, - said Buck.

He also said that, in addition to the writer's gift, Gogol had the talent of a comic actor, and was famous for his acting. And he also created a special work on church services - "Reflection on the Divine Liturgy."

Gogol always looked very intently into the world. "He strove for a thorough knowledge of everything that was mentioned in his books, whether it was the events of the historical past or the Little Russian folk legends. In letters to his relatives, he always asked them to inform him folk omens, songs, details of everyday life," the professor added.

According to Bak, the accuracy and concreteness of details in Gogol's works is simply amazing. "Everything is important for him - what is the name of the grass growing at the threshold, the names of clothes, utensils, and so on. A small dictionary is attached to "Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka", where Gogol explains some Little Russian concepts," the professor emphasized.

Appearance of Christ

Dmitry Bak emphasized a little-known, but important detail: on the famous painting Alexandra Ivanova "The Appearance of the Messiah" (or "The Appearance of Christ to the People") - Gogol is depicted in the guise of one of the characters. "Among those who hopefully fixed their eyes on the approaching Christ, there is a man standing half-turned to the Messiah, in a scarlet robe, he stands out from the crowd with his prophetic burning gaze. The portrait resemblance to Gogol is obvious," the professor noted.

According to him, Gogol met Alexander Ivanov in Italy, where the writer lived long years. The artist subtly felt and depicted in the picture Gogol's "chosenness", which the writer himself was keenly worried about.

“Contemporaries often reproached Gogol for pride, especially after the publication of the book “Selected passages from correspondence with friends” in 1847. The writer was convinced that all of Russia should hear his voice and be transformed from his books. He saw the point in this of his life and work, perceived his writing as a kind of messianism," said Buck.

In fact, Gogol bequeathed to bury him only after there were clear signs of decay, since he sometimes fell into a lethargic state. But all the talk about whether Gogol turned over in his grave, or not, is just idle gossip of the townsfolk.

"The writer went through a terrible emotional tragedy which led him to his death. Contrary to their own call for moral preaching, for the depiction of eternal values, bright sides life, he could not satirical image Russia in the first volume of his great poem move to the positive image. The second volume of "Dead Souls" was burned, and with it the life of Pushkin's great heir was burned," Bak added.

On May 21, 1842, the first volume of Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol was published. The mystery of the second part of the great work, destroyed by the writer, still worries the minds of literary critics and ordinary readers. Why did Gogol burn the manuscript? And did she exist at all? TV channel "Moscow Trust" prepared a special report.

That night he again could not sleep, he again and again paced his office in a cozy outbuilding of an old city estate on Nikitsky Boulevard. He tried to pray, lay down again, but could not close his eyes for a second. A dank February dawn was already dawning outside the windows, when he took a battered briefcase out of the closet, pulled out a plump manuscript tied with twine, held it in his hands for a few seconds, and then resolutely threw the papers into the fireplace.

What happened on the night of February 11-12, 1852 in the mansion of Count Alexander Tolstoy? Why did Gogol, who gained fame as a great writer during his lifetime, decide to destroy, perhaps, the main work of his life? And how is this tragic event in Russian literature connected with the death that doctors will record 10 days later here, next to the fireplace, the flame of which consumed the second volume of the poem "Dead Souls"?

Count Alexander Tolstoy acquired this mansion after the death of its former owner, Major General Alexander Talyzin, a veteran of the war against Napoleon. Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol ended up here in 1847, when he returned to Russia from long-distance wanderings. "He was a traveler: stations, changing horses, he thought over many of his stories on the road. And always, as a creative person, he is looking for communication, in particular with his friends. And regularly one of his friends invited him to his place, to live in Moscow invited Tolstoy, with whom he had been in correspondence until that time, "- says the director of the House N.V. Gogol Vera Vikulova.

The second volume of Dead Souls may have been nearly completed by this point, with only the last few chapters to be edited.

House number 7 on Suvorovsky (Nikitsky) Boulevard, where the great Russian writer N.V. Gogol lived and died. Photo: ITAR-TASS

From the windows of the estate, Nikolai Vasilievich watched his beloved Moscow. Since then, of course, Moscow has changed a lot. The city was completely rural. There was a crane-well in the courtyard of the house, frogs croaked under the windows.

In the estate, the writer was a welcome and honored guest, he was given a whole wing, the main room of which was the office.

As the chief custodian of the House N.V. Gogol, here he lived on everything ready: tea was served to him at any moment, fresh linen, lunch, dinner - there were no worries, all conditions were created for him to work here on the second volume of Dead Souls.

So what happened at dawn on February 12, 1852? What secret does this office keep in house number 7A on Nikitsky Boulevard? Researchers to this day put forward the most different versions: from Gogol's madness to the crisis he is experiencing.

Gogol treated everyday life and comfort without much interest, as well as everything material. A small couch, a mirror, a bed behind a screen, a desk where he worked. Gogol always wrote standing up, worked carefully over each phrase and sometimes painfully long. Of course, this sacrament required a fair amount of paper. It can be seen from the manuscripts that Gogol was very demanding of himself and said that "my business is not literature, my business is the soul."

Gogol was a merciless critic, and he made the highest, uncompromising demands, first of all, on himself. “Up to seven times he rewrote each chapter, he filigree cleaned up the text so that it would fit well on the ear and at the same time his idea would be interesting to the reader,” says the art manager of the House N.V. Gogol Larisa Kosareva.

The final edition of the second volume of Dead Souls is by no means Gogol's first work to die in a fire. The first he burned while still in the gymnasium. Arriving in St. Petersburg because of criticism of the poem " Ganz Küchelgarten", he buys and burns all copies. He also burns the second volume of Dead Souls, for the first time back in 1845.

Reproduction of the painting "N.V. Gogol listening to a folk musician-kobza player near his house", 1949

This is the first version - perfectionism. Gogol also destroyed the next edition of the second volume of Dead Souls, because he simply did not like it.

Writer Vladislav Otroshenko believes that one can get closer to unraveling the mystery of the fireplace in the mansion on Nikitsky Boulevard only by thoroughly studying the features of the character of the great writer, including those that even contemporaries were at least perplexed, especially in the last years of Gogol's life. In the middle of a conversation, he could suddenly say: "Okay, that's it, we'll talk later," lie down on the sofa and turn to the wall. The manner of his communication irritated many of his friends and relatives.

One of Gogol's most inexplicable habits is his penchant for hoaxes. Even in the most innocent situations, he often did not finish speaking, misled the interlocutor, or even lied at all. Vladislav Otroshenko wrote: “Gogol said: “You must never tell the truth. If you're going to Rome, say you're going to Kaluga, if you're going to Kaluga, say you're going to Rome." This nature of Gogol's deceit remains incomprehensible both for literary critics and for those who study Gogol's biography."

Nikolai Vasilyevich also had a special relationship with his own passport: every time he crossed the border of a state, he categorically refused to show the document to the border service. For example, they stopped a stagecoach, they said: "You must show your passport." Gogol turns away and pretends not to understand what he is being told. And friends are at a loss, they say: "They won't let us through." Then, in the end, he starts rummaging, as if looking for a passport, but everyone knows who is traveling with him, that the passport is in his pocket.

"He wrote letters, for example, to his mother, who is now in Trieste, sees beautiful waves mediterranean sea, enjoys the views, describes Trieste in detail to her. He not only wrote her a letter signed "Trieste" (written, in fact, in the estate of his friend, historian Mikhail Pogodin, in Moscow on the Maiden's Field), he also drew a stamp of Trieste on the letter. He carefully deduced it in such a way that it was impossible to distinguish it," says Vladislav Otroshenko, who has been writing a book about Gogol for five years.

So, version two: the burning of the second volume of "Dead Souls" was another eccentric trick of a genius who did so much for Russian literature that he could afford almost everything. He knew very well that he was popular among his contemporaries and that he was the No. 1 writer.

Etching "Gogol reads The Government Inspector" to the writers and artists of the Maly Theatre, 1959. Photo: ITAR-TASS

It is also surprising that even before the advent of the era of photography, Gogol was known by sight. An ordinary walk along your favorite Moscow boulevards turned almost into a spy detective. The students of Moscow University, knowing that Gogol likes to walk along Nikitsky and Tverskoy boulevards in the afternoon, left the lectures with the words: "We are going to look at Gogol." According to the memoirs, the writer was not tall, about 1.65 meters, he often wrapped himself in an overcoat, maybe from the cold, or maybe to be less recognized.

Gogol had a great many admirers, they not only took for granted any oddities of their idol, but were also ready to indulge him in everything. Bread balls, which the writer had a habit of rolling, thinking about something, became the object of desire for collectors, fans constantly followed Gogol and picked up balls, kept them as relics.

Director Kirill Serebrennikov has his own view of Gogol's work. He is ready to pose the question even more radically: did the second volume of "Dead Souls" exist at all? Maybe the brilliant hoaxer tricked everyone here?

Specialists who thoroughly study the life and work of Gogol partly agree with the version of the radical director. great writer was ready to mystify anything.

Once, when Gogol was visiting Sergei Aksakov, he was visited by close friend, actor Mikhail Shchepkin. The writer enthusiastically told the guest that he had finished the second volume of Dead Souls. One can only guess how delighted Shchepkin was: he was the first to be lucky enough to find out that the grandiose plan was completed. Final of this strange story did not take long to wait: the orderly Moscow company, which usually gathered at Aksakov's, had just sat down at the dinner table. Shchepkin gets up with a glass of wine and says: “Gentlemen, congratulate Nikolai Vasilyevich, he finished the second volume of Dead Souls.” And then Gogol jumps up and says: “Who did you hear this from?” Shchepkin replies: “Yes, from you, today in the morning you told me. " To which Gogol reacted: "You overate henbane, or you dreamed." The guests laughed: indeed, Shchepkin came up with something there.

Acting attracted Gogol with an almost irresistible force: before writing down something, Gogol played it out in their faces. And surprisingly, there were no guests, Gogol was alone, but they sounded perfectly different voices, male, female, Gogol was a brilliant actor.

Once, already being quite famous writer, he even tried to get a job at the Alexandrinsky Theater. At the audition, Gogol received an offer only to call the audience and arrange chairs. Interestingly, a couple of months after this interview, the head of the troupe was instructed to prepare Gogol's "Inspector General".

Gogol's wanderlust has become one of the topics of the interactive tour, which takes place every day in the house-museum on Nikitsky Boulevard. Visitors are greeted by an old travel chest, the impression is enhanced by the sounds of the road coming from its depths.

As you know, Gogol was more often in Europe than in Russia. Actually, he wrote the first volume of "Dead Souls" in Italy, where he spent a total of 12 years and which he called his second homeland. It was from Rome that a letter once arrived that made Gogol's friends seriously alert. One gets the feeling that Gogol in his life begins to play out the story with the nose of Major Kovalev. As the nose separated from Major Kovalev and began to walk on its own, so it is here. Gogol wrote in his letters that it was necessary to find some other Gogol in St. Petersburg, that some fraudulent stories might happen, some works might be published under his name.

It was then that the idea crept in that Gogol's endless hoaxes were not just an eccentricity of a genius, but a symptom of a deeply mental illness.

One of the researchers at the House N.V. Gogol says: “I once led a tour of psychiatrists. I didn’t know that they were psychiatrists, so I told them my opinion. But they told me: “Yes, we have already diagnosed Gogol a long time ago. Well, even look at the handwriting, "- in the museum on the desk there are samples of Gogol's handwriting. They began to say directly what kind of disorder it was. But it seems to me that not every doctor would risk making a diagnosis in absentia, but here 200 years ago."

Maybe the burning of the second volume of "Dead Souls" was indeed an insane act in the clinical sense of the word? So, attempts to understand and explain it from the point of view of common sense is an empty and useless exercise?

But this version is by no means the last one. It is known that the author of the mystical "Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka" and the completely infernal "Viya" at the end of his life denied any devilry. At this time, Gogol was often seen in the church of Nicholas the Wonderworker (Gogol's spiritual patron) in Starovagankovsky Lane.

Drawing by Boris Lebedev "Meeting Gogol with Belinsky", 1948. Photo: ITAR-TASS

Some researchers believe that it was truly fatal (both for the second volume of Dead Souls and for their creator) to meet Archpriest Matvey Konstantinovsky, the spiritual mentor of Count Alexander Tolstoy. The priest, who was distinguished by extreme sharpness of judgment, eventually became Gogol's confessor. He showed his manuscript, on which he had been working for nine years, to Father Matvey, and received negative reviews. It is possible that these cruel words of the priest were the last straw. The guest of the house on Nikitsky Boulevard on the night of February 11-12, 1852, did what later artist Ilya Repin will call Gogol's self-immolation. It is believed that Gogol burned it in a state of passion and later regretted it immensely, but he was consoled by the owner of the house, Alexander Petrovich Tolstoy. He approached and said quietly: "But you have everything here, in your head, you can restore it."

But the restoration of the second volume was out of the question. The next day, Gogol announced that he was beginning to fast, and soon refused food altogether. He fasted with such zeal, with which, probably, no one of the believers fasted. And at some point, when it was clear that Gogol was already weakening, Count Tolstoy called for doctors, they did not find any illness in Gogol.
10 days later Gogol died of physical exhaustion. The death of the great writer shocked Moscow, in the church of the Holy Martyr Tatyana at Moscow University, it seemed, the whole city said goodbye to him. All adjacent streets were filled with people, farewell went on for a very long time.

It was decided to erect a monument to Gogol in Moscow 30 years later, in the early 80s 19th century. The collection of donations was delayed, the required amount was collected only by 1896. Several competitions were held, for which more than fifty projects were submitted. As a result, the monument was entrusted to the young sculptor Nikolai Andreev. He took up the task with his characteristic thoroughness. Andreev was always looking for nature for his works. He studied every possible portrait of Gogol that he could find. He painted, portrayed Gogol, using the services of his brother, who posed for him for sculpture.

The sculptor visited the writer's homeland, met with his younger sister. The result of it fundamental research became, without exaggeration, a revolutionary monument for that time. In 1909, the monument on Arbatskaya Square was opened in front of a crowd of thousands.

Even the laying of the monument was very solemn and celebrated in the restaurant "Prague". The organizers approached the gala dinner in a very original way, because they prepared all the dishes that somehow appeared in Gogol's works: this is "soup in a saucepan from Paris", and "shaneshki with salt" from Korobochka, and various pickles, jams from the bins of Pulcheria Ivanovna.

However sad, thoughtful, tragic Gogol not everyone liked it. They say that, in the end, the monument was moved from Arbat Square to the courtyard of the estate of Count Tolstoy on the orders of Stalin himself. And in 1952, at the beginning of Gogolevsky Boulevard, a poster appeared, full of health, Nikolai Vasilevich, equipped with a pathos inscription: “To Gogol from the Government Soviet Union". The new, retouched image gave rise to many ridicule: "Gogol's humor is dear to us, Gogol's tears are a hindrance. He made me sad while sitting, let this one stand for laughter."

However, over time, Muscovites fell in love with this image. In the late 70s of the last century, Moscow hippies began to gather around the monument on Gogolevsky Boulevard. The era of flower children is long gone, but every year on April 1, the aged Moscow "khipari", putting on their favorite bell-bottoms, gather again on the "gogols" to remember their cheerful youth. Hippies have their own answer to every question, their own truth and their own mythology. And Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol in their pantheon occupies a special, but undoubtedly a very honorable place. The artist Alexander Iosifov remarked: “Firstly, Gogol himself already has a hippie look. Secondly, he is to some extent mystically predisposed to the perception of life, to which those young people are also predisposed. It is precisely such an inadequate perception of life.”

And, of course, every hippie has his own version of what happened in the house on Nikitsky Boulevard: “He was disappointed in life. Plus, they say he was very sick, and according to legend, when the coffin was opened, his lid was scratched. Maybe He must have been buried alive."

The halo of mystery that surrounded Gogol during his lifetime only deepened after his death. Vladislav Otroshenko believes that this is natural: “Before Gogol, we never had a writer who would make literature his life. Here is Pushkin - yes, he had a lot of things in life: he had a family, a wife, children, duels, cards ", friends, court intrigues. Gogol had nothing in his life but literature. Here he was such a monk of literature."

Monk, ascetic, eccentric hermit, hypocrite and solitary traveler, writer who left greatest legacy and did not have even elementary signs of life during his lifetime. After the death of the writer, an inventory was compiled, mainly books were his property, 234 volumes - this is both in Russian and in foreign languages. The clothes listed in this inventory were in a deplorable state. Of all the valuable things, only a gold watch can be named. "The watch, however, disappeared. And what has been preserved has come down to us thanks to friends, relatives or simply admirers of writing talent. The main pride of the House of N.V. Gogol is a cup acquired from descendants on the line of sister Elizabeth, which Nikolai Vasilievich gave her for her wedding. Also in the museum there is a needle case made of bone, which passed to him from his mother. Nikolai Vasilyevich, it turns out, sewed and embroidered very well, he straightened his ties, scarves, and also sewed sisters dresses.

Admirers of Gogol's melodious style still come to this house on Nikitsky Boulevard today. Every year in March, the writer's memorial day is celebrated here, and every time "Prayer" is heard - the only poem by Gogol. In this house during the life of Gogol, Gogol's Ukrainian environments took place. Gogol was very fond of Ukrainian song, and although he himself did not possess such a pronounced ear for music, but he collected Ukrainian songs, recorded them and loved to sing along and even lightly stamp his foot.

Painting by Pyotr Geller "Gogol, Pushkin and Zhukovsky in the summer of 1831 in Tsarskoe Selo", 1952. Photo: ITAR-TASS

Everyone can come to the house on Nikitsky Boulevard, but not everyone can stay. Vera Nikulina (Director of the House of N.V. Gogol) says: "I had cases when people came, worked for three days, their temperature rose, did not fall, and they left. It is believed that the house accepts or does not accept a person." Some clarify: this is not a house, but Gogol himself tests people for strength, greets the faithful and resolutely brushes aside the casual ones. The following saying appeared in the Gogol House: "this is Gogol." How something happens - "it's Gogol's fault."

So what happened to Gogol on the night of February 11-12, 1852? The writer Vladislav Otroshenko is sure that these pages of a plump manuscript rapidly turning into ashes are only the last act of the tragedy that began ten years earlier, at the very moment when the first volume of the poem "Dead Souls" saw the light of day: "All Russia is waiting for him to souls "when the first volume makes a revolution in Russian literature and in the minds of readers. All of Russia looks at him, and he soars above the world. And suddenly a crash. He writes to the maid of honor of the court Alexandra Osipovna Smirnova, she was one of his close friends, in 1845 He writes to her: "God took away from me the ability to create."

This version does not deny all the previous ones, rather, it combines them together, and therefore seems to be the most probable. Vladislav Otroshenko: “Gogol died from literature, died from Dead Souls, because it was such a thing that it either is written and elevates the creator simply to heaven, or it kills him if it is not written. After all, Gogol intended to write a third volume , and there were only two ways to get out of this grandiose plan - either to commit it or to die.

Gogol for a century and a half remains one of the most mystery writers. Sometimes bright and ironic, more often - gloomy, half-mad, and always - magical and elusive. And therefore, everyone who opens his books every time finds something of their own in them.

Larisa Kosareva (art manager of the House of N.V. Gogol): "Mystery, mysticism, mystery, humor - what is missing in modern prose. Still, he is very ironic, and this joke, humor, fantasy is a blockbuster of the 19th century, Gogol.

One Byron (actor): "Very similar to our poet Edgar Allan Poe. Here is a common dark side, I think. Man with difficult fate, both of these poets had complex life plots. They both love the moment of the absurd. I love the absurd."

Vladislav Otroshenko (writer): "We always say that literature is, in general, the most important wealth that Russia had, wealth that does not dry out. Because the attitude that, by the way, was set by Gogol, the attitude to literature as to what something that swallows you whole."

Collected works of N.V. Gogol, 1975. Photo: ITAR-TASS

And therefore, probably, every thoughtful reader has his own version of what actually happened on a February night in a house on Nikitsky Boulevard.

Museum researcher Oleg Robinov believes that shortly before his death, Nikolai Vasilyevich came and buried the second volume of "Dead Souls" in his yard. Moreover, he made an embankment, a small mound, and told the peasants, bequeathed that if there is a lean year, you will dig it up, sell it, and you will be happy.