Today I am ten years old... Mommy wants me to start writing from this very day what she calls a journal, that is, she wants me to write down everything that happens to me every day... I confess that I am very glad about this. It means… that I'm already a big girl!.. Besides how fun it will be to read your journal in a few time, to remember all the games, all the friends, all the acquaintances… However, I must admit, this is quite difficult. Until now, I took a pen in my hands only to either write off the copybook, or write a small letter to my grandmother ... Yes, it’s not at all easy! However, we will see ... Well, what did I do today? When I woke up, I found on the table, near the bed, my mother's gifts. My mother gave me a beautiful morocco-bound book for my magazine; papa gave me a very pretty inkwell with a bell. How glad I am! I'll put all this on my table - and my table will be exactly like daddy's ... How glad I am!
I was having lunch... Mommy sent me to rest.
Today I showed my mother my yesterday's magazine. The mother was unhappy with them. “Why,” she asked, “I don’t see a word in your journal about what you did in the morning and after dinner?” I didn’t know what to answer to this, and it would be tricky to answer ... because yesterday I behaved very badly: both the journal that my mother told me to keep, and the inkwell that my father gave me, somehow mixed all this with me thoughts in my head, and when brother Vasya came to me in the morning to call me to play with him, I showed him my morocco book and answered that I could no longer play with him, that I was already big. The brother got angry, burst into tears, grabbed my book and threw it under the table. This also made me angry; I turned him towards the door and pushed him in spite of the nanny. Vasya stumbled, fell and hurt himself, and when the nanny began to reprimand me, instead of running to Vasya and comforting him, I said in my heart that he was worth it. At that time, my mother came, but I didn’t listen to her words, like Nanny’s, for which my mother ordered me not to leave my room ... Only by the evening I made peace with Vasya. - All this I did not have the spirit to write down in a journal yesterday, and today I asked my mother: do I really have to write down in it even everything that I do bad during the day? “Without a doubt,” answered mother, “without that, what use will your journal be? It is written so that it contains everything that a person does during the day, so that later, when reading what was written, he would not forget about his bad deeds and would try to improve. This is called, - added mother, - to be aware of your life.
Oh, I confess that it is very difficult!.. Up to now, you used to be capricious, then ask your mother for forgiveness - and everything is forgotten; the next day you don’t even think ... And now, no matter what you do badly, nothing will be forgotten: mother will forgive, and my journal will keep talking tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, and in a week. And how embarrassing it is when the next day you remember your yesterday's prank! Like today: I was so ashamed to describe my yesterday's stubbornness.
What can I do so that I am not ashamed, so that the magazine does not tell how I was naughty, how I was capricious? .. I clearly see one way ... not to be naughty, not to be capricious and obey my mother ... However, this is very difficult.
Today all the teachers were very pleased with me. After dinner, I spent the whole evening playing with Vasya a game that I don’t like at all: soldiers. Mamma praised me very much for that, and Vasya flung himself on my neck and kissed me. This made me so happy...
Today we had a guest - a beautiful lady! She had on a lovely hat with feathers, I will certainly make the same for my doll. After dinner I went to the living room. Papa and mama were talking to the lady. I did not understand many of their words; I only noticed one thing: this lady was very surprised why we had so few servants in the house, and yet everything was in such order. “You are right,” she said to her mother, “you are very happy in choosing people.” - "No," answered my mother, "but I do the housework myself." - “How can this be? - the lady objected, - I can’t do it like that. - "Who looks after your house?" - asked papa. "My husband," replied the lady. “Well, now it’s not surprising,” dad objected, “that you have servants twice as many as ours, and yet everything is not done in the house, as it should be. Your husband is busy with the service, he is not at home all morning, he returns and works all evening, when is he to do housework? And that's why no one cares about them." “It is almost true,” answered the lady, “but what can be done? How to help this? “I dare to think,” said papa, “that doing housework is a woman’s business; her job is to go into all the details, to settle scores, to oversee order. “It’s impossible for me,” the lady answered, “I wasn’t brought up like that: until my marriage I had no idea about what is called housekeeping, I only knew how to play with dolls, dress myself and dance. Now I would like to think about the economy, but I don’t know how to start. Whatever order I give, it will be nonsense, and in despair I have already decided to leave everything to my husband, or, better, to no one. Then papa told her for a long time what she should do in order to learn what she had not been taught in childhood, but I could not understand much from his words. They were still talking when a man from home jumped up to her and said that her little child had become very ill after eating. The lady screamed, she was frightened, and she herself became so ill all of a sudden that mother did not dare to let her go alone, but went to her together with her.
Mom returned very late yesterday and said that the child had fallen ill from some untinned saucepan, the doctors think that he will not live to see the morning. Mama could not help but shed tears as she told how the poor boy suffered, and I began to cry. I could never understand how a child could get sick from an untinned saucepan; but when papa said: “This is what can happen when the mother of the family does not take care of the household herself!” - "How? - I asked, - is the child really dying from the fact that his mother is not doing housework? “Yes, my dear,” answered papa, “if his mother had been taught from childhood to do housework more than dancing, then there would not have been such a misfortune with her.” - "Oh my god! I cried, throwing myself on my mother’s neck, “teach me housekeeping!” - “If you please, my dear,” answered mother, “but this cannot be done all of a sudden; you need to get used to it little by little, but will you have enough patience? - "Oh, I assure you that it will get it!" “Very well,” said mother, “we will make an experiment. Did you see your underwear in the chest of drawers in your room?” - "I saw it, mother." - “Have you noticed that when the washerwoman Avdotya brings linen to your nanny, then the nanny takes it on a bill?” - "I noticed, mother." - "Now, instead of a nanny, you will accept linen from Avdotya." - “But how, mother, I will remember how much of what kind of linen? I noticed that the nanny often makes mistakes and argues with Avdotya. “I won’t be surprised at this,” said mother, “because your nanny does not know how to read and write, but for you it will be a great help that you can read and write. You write down on a piece of paper all your underwear and note how much, which one. When Avdotya brings it to you, then, looking at the piece of paper, believe that Avdotya brought everything that you gave her. - “Oh, mother, it is very easy! It's good that I can read and write! “You see, my dear,” mamma remarked, “remember how you missed when you were forced to read a book or write off prescriptions, then you didn’t want to believe me, how necessary it is.” - “Oh, mother! I cried, “now I will believe you in everything, but tell me, does linen belong to the household?” - “Yes, my dear, this is part of the household, you will learn the rest in time, now notice, once and for all, that without order there cannot be a household, and order must be in linen, and in the maintenance of servants, and in purchases , and in his own dress, in a word, in everything, and if you do not observe order in any one thing, then the servants will not observe it in another, and that is why everything in the house will go upside down, from this such misfortunes occur what happened to this lady's child."
Today they came to tell us that the poor child is dead; what a misfortune! The poor mother, they say, is in despair. I see that it is necessary to obey mother's words. - Today I accepted the linen from the nanny according to the register, made a special note for black linen and gave it to Avdotya: she must return it in four days. I ask my mother how to find out how much soap is needed in order to wash the clothes. Mamma praised me for this question and said that for every pood of linen one needs a pound of soap. I ordered the linen given by me to Avdotya to be weighed, and it came out half a pood; from this I concluded that half a pound of soap would go into it.
Today, large bundles were brought to papa, he unfolded them on the table, and I saw some strange pictures. I couldn't figure out what it was. Papa told me that these are geographical maps. - "What do they serve?" I asked him. "They represent the land we live on," he said. “The land we live on? So, Petersburg can be found here too?” “Of course, my dear.” - "Where is he? I asked papa, “I don’t see him, there are no houses, no streets, no Summer Garden.” - "Exactly so, my dear, here you can not see any houses, or streets, or the Summer Garden, but this is why: listen and understand me well." Then he took a sheet of paper and said: “Look, I will draw this room in which we are sitting, it is quadrangular, and I am drawing a quadrangle: here is a window, here is another, here is a third, here is one door, here is another, here is a sofa, a piano , a chair, here is a cabinet with books. - "I see," I said, "I would immediately know that this is our room." - “Now imagine that I would like to draw a plan - this kind of drawing is called a plan - the plan of the house in which we live; but I cannot place it on the same sheet of paper, and for this I, having reduced it somewhat in size, will transfer my room to another sheet. Look here: here is our living room, here is the study, here is the bedroom, your nursery. Would you know from this plan that this is our home?” - "Oh, without a doubt!" “Now imagine that I would like to draw a plan of our street on the same sheet. See how this should diminish the plan of our house. Now imagine that I would like to draw a plan of the whole of St. Petersburg on the same sheet. Here our house should already turn almost into a point in order to be able to fit all the streets of St. Petersburg on this sheet; but besides Petersburg there are other cities, some of which are far, very far away. The collection of all these cities is called our fatherland, Russia. Imagine, then, that I would like to draw a plan of the whole of Russia on this same sheet, just as I drew the plan of St. Petersburg, the plan of our street, our house, our living room; but already in terms of Russia, Petersburg itself will turn into a point. This map, which now lies before us, is a map or plan of Russia. Here is Petersburg on it, here is the Neva; but you can’t see in it either the Summer Garden, or our street, or our house, because Petersburg itself is noticed by one small dot, or, rather, by this house with a cross on top, which you see here. “Oh, how curious! I said to papa. “Is there anything else besides Russia?” - "Well, my dear, there are other lands, and there are special cards for them." - "Ah, papa, how I would like to know all these lands!" - "You will know this, my dear, but for this you need to study history." - "What is history?" - “It takes a long time to answer this question; remind me of it later."
Today I received the underwear and everything was fine. Nanny was surprised at this and, it seems, a little angry, because the matter went off without any arguments and in the shortest possible time. Sometimes, nanny, as a rule, on any such occasion, argued a lot and for a long time, and no wonder: she herself forgot, and Avdotya relied on the fact that nanny would forget; but now that I had everything written down, Avdotya was probably cautious. I now see from experience what truth my mother told me, that learning is useful in everything, even in the smallest cases. My mother was so pleased with my service that she promised to take me to the children's ball the day after tomorrow with Countess Vorotynskaya. There, they say, there will be music, dancing and an abyss of people. Oh what fun it will be!
Remembering my father's promise, I went to him with my magazine and said: "You promised to tell me what history is." “History, my dear,” he answered, “is what you now hold in your hands.” - "This is my magazine." - "Yes, my dear, I repeat that you hold your story in your hands." - "How is it, daddy?" “Describing incidents, no matter who happens to them, is called history, and that is why I told you that you write your own history by describing everything that happens to you. Now imagine that me and your mother, we also write magazines, and Vasya, when he grows up, will do the same. If we could combine all these magazines, then the history of our family would be made up of them. "I understand, papa." - "Now imagine that my dad, and your grandfather also wrote his story, in the same way his dad, and my grandfather, whom you see a portrait of, wrote his story." I looked at the portrait and said: "Oh, papa, how glad I would be if your grandfather really wrote his story." - "What is it for, my dear?" - "So that I could then find out why he is not dressed like you." - “This question is very appropriate, my dear; at the time when grandfather lived, everyone dressed the way you see him, and the difference was not only in the dress, but then they spoke differently, thought differently. Exactly the same thing I must tell you about my grandfather's grandfather, you know the old man with the beard, whose portrait hangs in the dining room. Then there was even more difference with us both in dress and in everything; he not only wore a beard, walked in a long embroidered caftan, girded with a sash, but in his house there were no armchairs, no sofa, no piano. Instead, he had oak benches all around the room; he did not travel in a carriage, but almost always on horseback; his wife went under a veil, never showed herself to men; she did not go to the theater, because he was not there, nor to balls, because it was considered indecent; they were both illiterate. You see what a difference it is with us in everything.” “Ah, papa, how curious! And all this can be learned from history? - “Yes, my dear, but note that as my grandfather's grandfather lived, so did everyone who lived at the same time as him. They also had fathers and grandfathers, these also, more, more ... The history of all these people, or, as they say, the people, with a description of everything that they were like or not like us, is what we call history Russia, our fatherland. There are similar stories about other lands and peoples.” - "What kind of peoples are these, daddy?" “Oh, there were a lot of them! And if I told you all of them, it would not give you any idea about them; you will gradually get to know them. This time I will only remark to you that they are all as little like each other as we are like our great-grandfather. They all had different names, many of which are now lost. So, you will meet in history such peoples who, instead of our tailcoat, wore only veils. Here, for example, is a bust that represents a man without a hat on his head, with one cloak thrown over his shoulder - this was a man who was called Socrates, he lived in the land that is called Greece, almost two thousand years before us; I'll let you read his story in time. Now, in order to get some idea about history in general, and at the same time about the entire globe.
Today my mother gave me a small kitchen appliance. This is so, she said, that I know everything that is needed for the kitchen: what is the name of the dishes and what they are used for, because the hostess needs to know this. I am beside myself with admiration! .. I went through all my kitchen appliances, asked the nanny several times what the thing was called ... It occupied me so much that I was even annoyed when the nanny came to tell me that it was time to get dressed and go to the ball …
Yesterday I was so tired that I could not take up my pen, and therefore I decided to describe today everything that happened to me yesterday. I don’t know where to start: I saw so much new, beautiful things… When we arrived at Countess Vorotynskaya’s, the music was already playing. An abyss of ladies, gentlemen, they are all so smart: the rooms are so light, everything glitters! .. Waiting for the end of the dance, I sat down beside a little young lady who was sitting in a corner, dressed very simply, in a white muslin dress; she was wearing worn gloves. She treated me very kindly... I confess that I was a little annoyed, because the dancing had only just begun and I had to sit in one place for a long time; but my friend Tanya, as she was called, was so sweet that I soon forgot about this trouble. She told me how to cut out pictures and stick them on wood or glass, paste them inside crystal bowls; how to transfer fresh flowers onto paper, how to draw pictures; I don’t know what this girl doesn’t know!.. In a word, the time with her passed unnoticed by me, if it weren’t for her, I would have been dying of boredom for half an hour. - Meanwhile, the dance ended, and all my little friends rushed to hug me, but I noticed that many of them did not say a word to Tanya and very impolitely turned their backs to her. This was very unpleasant for me, and I, for my part, began to incessantly turn to Tanya and start talking to her. Suddenly, the little mistress of the house, Countess Mimi, grabbed my hand and, saying that she wanted to show me other rooms, took me away from Tanya. When we had gone a few steps, Countess Mimi said to me: “What are you talking about with this girl? Please don't befriend her!" - “Yes, why not? I asked, "she's very nice." “Oh, shame on you! said Countess Mimi. - We don't talk to her; I don't know why my mother let her come to us. She is our teacher's daughter. See what black gloves she has on, how badly her shoes fit; they say that she goes to her daddy’s kitchen!” I was very sorry for poor Tanya and I wanted to intercede for her, but all my little friends laughed so much, repeating: “He goes to the kitchen, cook, cook,” that I did not have the courage to utter a word. Then the dancing began: my heart sank, listening to how my friends laughed at Tanya and said: look how the cook dances! It got to the point that one of my little friends went up to Tanya and, looking at her mockingly, said: “Oh, how the kitchen smells from you!” - “I am surprised at this,” Tanya answered very simply, “because I left the dress in which I go to the kitchen at home, and this is different for me.” - "So you go to the kitchen?" they all shouted with laughter. “Yes,” Tanya answered, “but don’t you go? My daddy says that every girl needs to get used to the housework. - “Why, we and you are completely different,” said one of the young ladies. - "What is the difference between us?" Tanya asked. “Oh, very big one,” answered the proud young lady, “your father is a teacher, and mine is a general; look: in large epaulettes, with a star, your father is hired, and mine is hired; do you understand it?" And with these words she turned her back to Tanya. Tanya almost cried, but, despite the fact, everyone left her alone and - I, along with everyone. I involuntarily blushed for myself. I saw that everyone despised Tanya for exactly what my mother demanded of me and that I myself loved, but did not have the strength to subject myself to general ridicule. And Tanya stood alone, abandoned by everyone; no one approached her, no one spoke to her. Oh, I was very guilty! She alone caressed me when no one paid attention to me, when I was bored! .. But it seems that Countess Mimi's mother noticed her unjust contempt for Tanya; I think this is why. The Countess, after talking to the other mothers, called several of us into another room. “How good it is,” she said, “that you are all together now, you are all so sweet, beautiful, I would like to have your portraits; this can be done very easily and soon: each of you will make a silhouette of the other in the shadow, and thus, in one minute, we will make up a whole collection of portraits, and, in remembrance of this evening, I will hang them in this room. At this suggestion, everyone became thoughtful, they began to take up pencils and paper, but, unfortunately, some kind of scrawl came out of everyone, and everyone threw down both pencils and paper in annoyance. Tanya alone immediately traced the silhouette of Countess Mimi over the shadow, took scissors, cut it around with a pencil, then again - and the silhouette became much smaller, then again - and Mimi's silhouette became so small, as worn in medallions, and so similar that everything cried out in surprise. I really wanted Tanya to make my silhouette too, but after my cold treatment of her, I did not even dare to think of asking her about it; imagine my surprise when Tanya herself volunteered to make my silhouette. I agreed: she made it extremely similar and gave it to the countess. Then, looking at me, this kind girl, apparently, read in my eyes that I would very much like to keep this silhouette with me; she immediately made another, similar to the first one, after the first silhouette, passed it several times over the candle so that it would smoke, and gave it to me. Here I could no longer resist, threw myself on her neck and, almost with tears, asked her forgiveness. Dear Tanya herself was touched. Countess Mimi did not know what to do with shame; but that didn't end there. It seems that this evening was deliberately prepared for Tanya's celebration. There was a piano in the room where tea was prepared for us. Countess Vorotynskaya invited many of us, including her daughter, to play the piano. Countess Mimi played, very badly, the beginning of Czerny's little sonata and was forced to stop because of incessant mistakes. Others could only play the scale and a few chords. When Tanya's turn came, she played Fildo's Rondo, but with such ease, with such skill, that everyone was taken aback. They began to ask me: I knew another Fildo's rondo and could play it no worse than Tanya, but I did not want to take away her triumphs, and, no matter how painful my pride was, I was content with playing Pleyel's little old sonata, which I taught when I was just beginning to learn the piano. Of course, I was praised, but not in the same way as Tanya. One mother understood my intention and, kissing me, said that she was always sure of my good heart. I asked my mother to let Tanya come to us, mother agreed, and Tanya will see if I will be able to love her and be grateful to her ...
Today, after dinner, papa called me and the brothers to the table. "Let's play, kids," he said. We went up to the table, and I was very surprised that there was a geographical map on the table, which I had seen with papa; with the only difference that it was pasted on the board, but there were small holes in the places where the names of the cities were. "How are we going to play?" I asked. "That's how". - Then papa gave us several buttons each, on which the names of different cities of Russia were written, pointed needles were attached to these buttons. “Last year, you went to Moscow,” Papa told us, “and do you remember all the cities that we passed?” - "How, we remember, we remember!" we all cried. “So listen: imagine that we are again setting off for Moscow, but that the coachmen do not know the way and are constantly asking through which city we need to go? Instead of showing us the way to the coachmen, we will insert our buttons into these holes, and whoever has at least one button left and does not know where to put it, he will have to pay each of us a silver patch - and this will be fair, because if our guide really did not know how to show it on the road, then we would be forced to stop on the spot or turn back and, consequently, spend money in vain. - "ABOUT! - I said. - It's very easy: here on the map all the cities are written. You see, - I said to the brothers, - here is Petersburg, and there is a ruler from it, and on this ruler there is Novgorod, here is Torzhok, here is Tver. And almost in one minute we put our buttons in place: Petersburg - on Petersburg, Novgorod - on Novgorod, Krestsy - on Kresttsy and so on; It was a little difficult for Vasya alone, but I helped him. "Wonderful! - said papa, - I am very pleased with you, and you need to be paid for your work; here's a nickel for each of you. Now let's see if you really remember this road so well? With these words, papa put another card on the table. "What it is?" I asked. “This is the same map of Russia,” answered papa, “with the only difference that there are no inscriptions here and you will have to guess the cities by their location. Such cards are called silent cards. For the first time, I will help you and show you the place of St. Petersburg, here it is! Now I humbly ask you to find my way to Moscow. Whoever makes a mistake will pay me a nickel for false news. “Oh, papa, it’s very easy,” I said, and seeing that on this map there was also a ruler from Petersburg, my brothers and I soon began to put one button after another, and soon our buttons were put in place. “Okay,” said daddy, “let's see where you brought me somewhere!” With these words, he took out the old card and, pointing to it, said: “Good! Novgorod put in place; and now ... ge! ge! Instead of Kresttsy, you brought me to Porkhov, then to Velikiye Luki. Torzhok flew into Velizh, Tver in Porechye, and you took Smolensk for Moscow. I humbly thank you: I ask you to pay for my vain journey. And our patches went back to daddy. “But you must admit,” I said, giving him the money, “that it was very easy to make a mistake here; look: both roads go down, and Smolensk is almost at the same distance as Moscow. - “Of course, your mistake was excusable,” answered papa, “although, nevertheless, by the lines that circled each province, one could guess that you had stopped in the wrong place. However, there is a surest means of recognizing on the map the place that you are looking for, namely: along the lines that, like a lattice, cover the map and are called meridians; but we will talk about this later, and now I will give you only one advice on how not to make mistakes in the future. Take a map: look carefully at the figure of those places that you need to notice, close your eyes and try to imagine in your mind what you saw on the map; then try to draw the place you noticed on paper and believe what you drew with the map ... "
Yesterday, when I entered my mother's room, I saw a large leather bag on her table; I wanted to lift it, but it almost fell out of my hands - it was so heavy.
What it is? I asked my mother.
Money, she replied.
How! Is it all money? How much money is there?
Five hundred rubles, - answered mother.
And is it all yours? Why, mother, do you often say that you are not rich?
The mother smiled.
Tell me, what do you think it means to be rich?
To be rich?.. It means to have a lot of money, to have a hundred, two hundred, five hundred rubles.
What do you think money is?
Money?.. That is, rubles, fifty dollars, quarters, two hryvnias, hryvnias, nickels...
Well, what else?
Imperials, semi-imperials.
Do you want, Masha, - continued mother, - for dinner, I will pour you some rubles on a plate?
You are laughing at me, mother, is it possible to eat rubles?
And what do you eat every day?
You know that, mother, - soup, bread, roast ...
And where does the soup, and bread, and roast come from?
The baker brings bread every day, Ivan goes to the market for other provisions.
Do you think Ivan takes provisions for nothing?
Oh no, mother, I know that you give him money for provisions.
So you told a lie that you don't eat money; you eat them every day at lunch.
Yes it's true.
Now you will understand if I tell you that you are dressed with money, that you are sleeping, sitting on money, because your dress, chair, bed, watch, everything that you see in the room, everything was bought with money.
It's true, mother, but it seems so ridiculous to think that I'm sitting and sleeping on money.
Tell me now, what is money?
ABOUT! Now I know: money is a dress, bread, furniture - in a word, everything that we use.
You can add an apartment to this, because every year I pay the owner money for it.
It's true, mother, but it still seems to me that five hundred rubles is a lot, a lot of money.
You say this because you don't know the value of things.
What does it mean, mother, the price of things?
For example, how many times do you think you can have lunch for five hundred rubles?
I don't know, mother.
Go get my account book and we'll take a look.
I brought the account book, and my mother said to me:
Look, what's the cost of today's dinner?
Five rubles forty kopecks.
What about yesterday?
Four rubles sixty kopecks.
And the third day?
Two rubles ninety kopecks.
And the fourth day?
Seven rubles twenty kopecks. I don't know how to count, mother; Every day is a different expense.
I will help you. Count how much we spent during the week; how much will?
I counted thirty-five rubles seventy kopecks.
This makes with a little five rubles a day; you see that five hundred rubles will not be enough for a hundred dinners, that is, with a little for three months, not counting neither a dress, nor an apartment, nor other expenses.
I confess that this unexpected score surprised and even frightened me.
Imagine, - continued mother, - that there are people who do not have five hundred rubles for a whole year.
But how do they live? I asked.
They eat only bread and cabbage soup, sometimes porridge, and these are still hardworking, sufficient people; There are others who don't even have that.
Tell me, mother, what would you do if we were poor; how would we live?
Like others: we would work for money and especially not spend more than our income. However, rich people should do the same; without this, even the rich will be in need, like the poor.
Can the rich be in need?
It is very easy: if he spends all his money on unnecessary things, on whims, then he will not have enough for the necessary things, or he will be forced to go into debt. This is the state I call - to be in need, to be poor.
Tell me, mother, how do you get into debt?
In two ways: either they do not pay the artisans who work different things for us, or they borrow from those who have more money than ours. The first way is the greatest injustice; there is nothing more immoral than withholding the money of people who have worked for us. And the second way equates us with beggars, making us seem to beg for alms. Both can be avoided only by good management.
You and papa promised to teach me housekeeping; tell me, do me a favor, what is a good household?
A good economy consists in spending no more, no less, as much as necessary and when necessary. I would really like to teach you this secret, because it gives you the opportunity to be rich with little money.
Who taught you, mother?
Nobody. I had to study on my own and therefore often fell into mistakes, from which I would like to warn you. I was not brought up like that: I was taught music, languages, sewing on canvas, and especially dances; but about the order in the house, about income, about expenses, about the economy in general, they did not give me any idea; in my time it was even considered indecent for a girl to interfere in the household. I saw that the linen was always ready for me, dinner also, and it never occurred to me to think: how is all this done? I only remember that they called me a good housewife, because I poured tea, and good-naturedly believed this. When I got married, then I saw how unfairly this name was given to me: I didn’t know what to do, everything in my house was not going well, and your dad was angry with me because I couldn’t reduce income with expenses . I spent on one thing, I lacked on another; so that I was then much poorer than I am now, although our incomes are still the same.
Why so?
I did not know the price of many things and often paid more for them than what they cost; and even more because I did not know what things I needed and what I could do without; however, I did not want your papa to be angry with me, and I was not calm until I had put our household in order.
How did you get it sorted out?
I began by becoming aware of my costs; reviewing the account book, I noticed in the distribution of our costs those things that we could do without or that could be cheaper. I noticed, for example, that we were paying too much for an apartment, and I reasoned that it was better to have it on the floor above than to deny myself in other respects. I did the same with other things.
Tell me, mother, what does the distribution of costs mean?
The distribution of costs, or, all the same, the distribution of income, is the most important thing in the good economy we are talking about. This is rather difficult to understand; but I suppose you have so much sense in you that I think, with some reflection, you will understand me. Do you remember, we said that money is the same things that we need: a dress, a table, an apartment; therefore, it is necessary to determine or assign a part of your income to each of these things. On this appointment or distribution depends a good economy, and with it the well-being of the family; but in this distribution we must consider what we owe to ourselves and the place we occupy in the world.
I didn't understand this at all.
Tell me, - I asked my mother, - what does the place we occupy in the world mean?
The amount of money that we have, - answered mother, - or, to put it better, the amount of things that can be obtained for money, is known to all our acquaintances, and therefore, when we say that such and such a person receives so much income, then, at the same time, an idea is born about the way of life that he should lead, or about those things that he should have.
Why should you, mother? Who forces a person to lead this or that way of life, to have this or that thing?
No one, if you like, who could be called by name, but in society there is a certain sense of justice, which is usually called general opinion, and to which it is impossible not to conform. I could, for example, not occupy such an apartment as now, live in a small room, sleep on felt, wear a calico bonnet, a lace dress, like a nanny, but I cannot do this.
Of course, mother: everyone who comes to us would laugh at us.
You see, therefore, that the place I occupy in the world forces me to make certain expenses, or, in other words, to have certain things in accordance with my condition. Note this word: consistent with my condition; so, for example, no one will reproach me for not wearing dresses of three hundred and four hundred rubles, which you sometimes see on our familiar princess. The world has the right to demand from us costs in accordance with our condition, because most of the money received by the rich goes back to the poor, who work for us. If the rich did not spend money, then money would do no one any good, and the poor would starve to death. So, for example, if all those who are able to support three or four servants would keep only one at a time, then the rest would not find a place for themselves. Now do you understand what it means to live decently in the place occupied in the world? But, when distributing costs, we must also think about what we owe to ourselves, that is, we must know how much our income allows us to spend. There are people who out of vanity want to appear richer than they really are. These people are very unintelligent; in order to shine before others, they deny themselves what is necessary; they are always restless and unhappy; they often spend several years in luxury, and the rest of their lives in perfect poverty; and all this only because they do not want to live according to the state. Do you remember, papa told about his secretary, who on his wedding day spent all his annual income, then sold the furniture so as not to starve to death for a year, and finally came to ask us for money for firewood.
Teach me, mother, how to live according to the state?
I repeat to you that I have assigned a special part of my income to each kind of expenses, and I never cross over the appointed one. It is also true that it is easier for others to establish such an order, because every month I always receive a certain amount. It is more difficult for those who receive money at different times, for different amounts. However, every state requires a special economy peculiar to it; everyone should try to adapt the order of his house to his circumstances. So, for example, if I had not three of you, but more or less, then I would have to distribute my income differently.
It's true, mother; everything must be divided equally.
Equally? I won't say it. The point is not to divide everything equally, but that everyone should get according to his needs. So, for example, I sometimes use more money for myself than for you, that is, I take more material for myself than for you, but meanwhile we receive equally, both get two dresses.
All this is very good, mother, but it is only difficult to remember.
It is not at all as difficult as you think, and I will give you an excellent means of remembering everything that I have told you so far.
With these words, mother took out a small book from the bureau, bound in red morocco, and said to me:
Here is a present for you: from today on, you yourself will manage the money that I assign for your maintenance, in a word, you will do for yourself what I do for the whole house. Every month you will receive from me the amount of money assigned to you, you will manage it yourself and write down the costs in this book. On the left side you will write in it the word: parish, you will set the year and month; on another page - the word: expense, and you will also set the year and month; on this page you will record your expenses by numbers. Do you understand?
Looks like mommy.
Notice one more thing: every month you cost me about twenty roubles; however, this sum, twenty rubles, is not spent every month. At the beginning of winter or summer, I prepare everything you need; in the months that follow, I set aside what remains of the petty monthly expenses. Now I have sixty-five rubles left for you by the first of May, and besides that, you should receive twenty rubles for this month, for a total of eighty-five rubles. Think carefully what you should use them for; tomorrow I will ask you about it.
Everything that mother has said up to now has been rather difficult for my understanding, so difficult that I did not dare to write down in a journal my daily conversations with her about it, and already after a week, having thoroughly understood everything that mother told me, I decided to write them down. I read to my mother everything I wrote down, and she praised me, saying that I completely understood her.
So, now I have eighty-five rubles! Whatever you say mama, I thought, but that's a lot of money. I remember when papa gave me a little blue piece of paper on my name day, I didn't know what to do with it; and now I have seventeen new little blue papers! ..
On the advice of my mother, I wrote on the first sheet on the left side: “Arrival, May 1, 85 rubles” and, having come to my mother, I told her:
Mommy! Now it's time to think about what I need for the summer: let's go to the shops.
Wait, - she answered, - you must first think about what exactly you need.
But how can I know if I haven't been to the shops before?
Nothing is easier, she said, you know that we should spend money only on those things that we really need. Think carefully about what you lack in your wardrobe, consider your money and decide in advance what exactly you need.
After thinking a little, I found that I needed two dresses, because although I have two white dresses, one is already old and has become narrow and short for me, the other can still be corrected. The pink dress can still be worn, but the blue one is no good. Thinking about it decently, I said to my mother:
I would like to have two dresses: one is better, but not very easily soiled, and the other is just white. Do you think I'm telling the truth?
Let's see, said the mother. - What else do you need?
My winter hat is already completely worn out; I think that now I need another, straw.
You need more shoes, gloves.
It's true, mamma, but it's all a trifle, and I still have enough money left.
All the better; should never spend all his income, one must also think about unforeseen cases; for them it is always necessary to leave something in reserve. You happen to lose handkerchiefs, you are careless and often soil your dresses, our shortcomings always cost us dearly; who does not want to get rid of them, he must save money for them, in reserve. Think again, do you need anything else?
Everything seems to be here, mama.
All right, but I keep thinking that you forgot something, and therefore I advise you to determine a not too large amount for your dresses, for example, no more than thirty rubles for both dresses, fifteen or twenty for a hat - this will already amount to fifty rubles.
But I have eighty-five rubles, mother.
This is true; remember, however, that you still have other expenses to spare, and that we have agreed to leave at least something for next month. Tomorrow we will go to the shops.
Today I woke up very early: I could hardly sleep from the thought that today I would go to the shops myself, I would choose my own dresses, I would pay for them myself. How fun it is!..
I returned home. How strange to live in this world, and how little experience I have! Entering the shop, I began to examine various materials; a beautiful tibe, white with stains, caught my eye.
May I buy this? I asked my mother.
Decide for yourself, she replied. - How much arshin? - continued mother, turning to the merchant.
Ten rubles an arshin is very cheap; this is real French stuff; no one else has it.
You need four arshins, ”mother remarked,“ this will amount to forty rubles, that is, more than what you assigned for two dresses.
But why, mother, am I obliged to spend only thirty rubles on my dress?
It is obliged because it is necessary to keep the word that we give ourselves. Tell me, what would be the use of it if, after much deliberation, we decide on something and then suddenly change our minds for no reason at all?
I felt the justice of my mother's words, but what a beautiful tibe? very seduced me.
Can't I, - I said, - instead of two dresses, make only one?
It’s very possible,” answered mother, “but think carefully: you yourself found that you need two dresses, and really you cannot do without two new dresses; you yourself thought so, until you were seduced by this Tibe?. That is why I advised you to get into the habit of setting your costs in advance and sticking to your word.
Once again I felt that my mother was telling the truth, but I involuntarily sighed and thought how difficult it was to manage money myself. It seems that the merchant noticed my grief, that he immediately said to me:
We have a very similar cambric.
In fact, he showed me a kisei, which from a distance looked very much like a chiba?; I asked about the price; three rubles arshins. This price was also more than the amount that I had assigned for the dress.
No, it's expensive, - I said to my mother.
The mother smiled.
Wait, she said, maybe another dress will be cheaper and we'll make ends meet.
And for sure: I found a very pretty canvas for a ruble of fifty kopecks arshins. Thus, these two dresses together were only three rubles more than the amount I had assigned for them.
Don't forget, - said mother, - that we must spend these three rubles on other expenses.
We asked the merchant to postpone our purchase, saying that we would send for it, and went to another store. There, on mother's advice, we bought a straw hat, lined with pink gros de napple, with the same ribbon and bow. They asked for twenty rubles for her, but when mamma bargained, they gave her for seventeen rubles. Then we went to the shoe-maker; I ordered boots made of wild morocco for four roubles. From there we went to the glove box and bought two pairs of gloves.
I foresaw, - said mother, - that we would forget something; because we need to take the lining of the muslin to your dresses.
And we returned to the first store. Entering it, I saw a lady who, sitting near the counter, sorted out many different materials that the merchant showed her. “Here is a woolen muslin, foulards,” the merchant said, “here is the tibe? shawls, silk muslin, French cashmeres. The lady looked at everything with indifferent contempt, but she bought everything. This was good for her in the morning toilet, then for the evening, then to carry around at home; and she bought everything.
I looked at this lady with surprise and even, I'm afraid to say, with a kind of envy. How rich she must be, I thought. Meanwhile, mother took the lining muslin and said to me: "Let's go, Masha." Mother's voice made the lady turn around; she immediately got up and went over to her mother.
Oh! It's you, Katya, - she cried, - you are nowhere to be seen, you completely forgot me, but you remember how we learned to dance together.
Mother answered her that household chores take away all her time, and besides, she added, you will never be found at home.
Oh, it's just an epigram for me! - answered the lady, - on the contrary, I'm going home now. Let's go with me, I'll show you a new painting that my husband bought. He assures her that she is wonderful; you are a great painter and tell me your opinion about her. How glad I would be if my husband were wrong! Perhaps this would wean him from his passion for paintings: he is completely ruined by them.
After some resistance, mother agreed; we got into the carriage of a rich lady and went to her.
I couldn't resist and said:
Oh! What fun it is to ride in a carriage.
Yes, - said the lady, - I do not know how you can do without a carriage.
However, - said mother, - there are people who do without it.
Imagine, Katya, - answered the lady, - that my husband wanted to do without a carriage and always ride in a cabriolet, but I proved to him that it was impossible to do without a carriage.
But when the content of the carriage exceeds our fortune, then what is to be done?
Whatever it is, - answered the lady, - but the carriage is a necessary thing; it is necessary sometimes to make a sacrifice to the place that we occupy in the light.
Mom looked at me - I understood her. We arrived.
Mother went with the lady into the room where the picture was, and I remained in the living room. Here, on the carpet, the mistress's little daughter played; no one did it; she was wearing a velvet dress, but already quite old; the girdle was stabbed with a pin because the buckle was broken; the cape was crumpled and torn; worn out shoes.
When we left this lady, I asked my mother if she noticed the child's strange toilet.
How not to notice, - she answered, - this lady is much richer than me, but her daughter wears worn-out shoes, while yours are new; this is because my friend has been thinking only about her own whims for a century; never considers his income with his expenses; whatever she sees, she wants everything; she buys everything she likes, and the thought that she can completely go bankrupt, leave her daughter without a piece of bread, never occurs to her. She sees nothing beyond the present moment. I expect that she will soon be completely ruined and will pay with bitter poverty for her present luxury.
This struck me.
Oh, mother, - I said, - I swear to you that I will never give free rein to whims.
Promise me at least to try about it, - said mama. - From the first time it is difficult to learn to win yourself.
Here we entered the store, where I chose the belts, because my mother wanted to buy everything I needed at one time, saying that there was no need to waste time. While we were sorting out the belts, I saw a beautiful neckerchief, and I really wanted it; it cost only five rubles.
Masha, - my mother told me, - after all, this is a whim.
But, mother, - I objected, - I really need a silk handkerchief, because I don’t have one; I still have enough money left, why shouldn't I buy this handkerchief?
How much money do you have left?
Twenty rubles ... my income for the whole month.
Remember that you have to pay at least another ten rubles for sewing dresses and also leave something in reserve, because before the end of the month you may still need money.
But, mother, if I buy this handkerchief, I still have five rubles left.
You really wanted this handkerchief, it is quite expensive, but you can do without it. Do you know, Masha, that for these five rubles you can buy ten arshins of sacking, and ten arshins will make two dresses for the daughters of that poor woman who comes to us and who has been ill for so long and could not work.
These words brought me almost to tears.
No, mother, - I said, - I don't want a handkerchief, buy five rubles worth of whipping for the poor little ones.
Mommy kissed me.
I am very glad, - she said, - that you want to use the money for a real need, and not for a whim. Today you took a big step towards an important science - the science of living. When you are twelve years old, then you will help me with the household chores.
Oh, how fun it will be, dear mother! Only I won't know how to go about it," I said after a moment's thought.
Won't you be able to accept? You will take care of the whole household just as you took care of your own. Now write down in your book everything that you spent, this should always be done immediately. In order not to forget everything that we have been saying throughout this week, write on the first sheet the words of the Apostle Paul: "He is rich who is content with what he has."
Write down also, - added mother, - the words of Franklin, the great man, whose story I will tell you one day: "If you buy what you do not need, then soon you will sell what you need."
V. F. Odoevsky
Pre-lesson preparation
The teacher gave this work for reading for the summer. In the diary of what was read, which was recommended for students to keep, everyone made a note: what impression was left of each book they read. Before the lesson, the students re-read and refreshed their memory and made bookmarks in the text, which describes: 1. Why Masha keeps a diary. 2. How a mother teaches her daughter to run a household, save. 3. How dad conducts his lessons 4. What happened at the ball. 5. How Tanya, Masha, the princess behaved.
Goals:
1) to acquaint students with the works of V.F. Odoevsky, to give an idea of the genre of the diary, to reveal its features; characterize the heroes of the work, the main character - Masha;
2) develop the ability to analyze the text, characterize the heroes of a literary work, read aloud with expression, quickly and competently answer questions;
3) to cultivate love for Russian prose, to support the desire of students to express their creativity.
Equipment: portrait of V.F. Odoevsky, textbook, V.F. Odoevsky’s work “Excerpts from Masha’s Journal”.
Lesson type: a lesson in the formation and improvement of knowledge.
Type of lesson: study lesson.
During the classes
I. Recall what we read
Teacher: In the summer you read "Excerpts from Masha's Journal" by Vladimir Fyodorovich Odoevsky. Let's share our impressions of this work.
Students take turns reading their notes from the diary of what they have read, sharing with the teacher their emotions about the work.
II. Work on new material
Teacher: The genre that we got acquainted with through this work is new for us, what do you think, what are its features?
Student: Ten-year-old girl Masha describes her life in her diary: all the events that happened during the day, her thoughts and impressions, what she considers important. We see everything through her eyes. In the diary, entries are arranged day by day, indicating the exact date. Masha lives in the 19th century, and we are interested in what the children used to think about, how they lived, what they were fond of.
Teacher: Next to Masha there is an excellent example of a hostess - this is her mother, who at one time had to learn all this. What does the mother teach the girl?
Student: she teaches the girl not only to be economical and live in accordance with her position in society, but also to refuse unnecessary purchases in favor of poor people: “You really wanted this scarf, it is quite expensive, but you can do without it. Do you know, Masha, that for these five rubles you can buy ten arshins of sacking, and ten arshins will make two dresses for the daughters of that poor woman who comes to us and who has been ill for so long and could not work.
These words brought me almost to tears.
No, mother, - I said, - I don't want a handkerchief, buy five rubles worth of whipping for the poor little ones.
Mommy kissed me.
I'm very happy, she said. - that you want to use the money for a real need, and not for a whim. Today you have taken a big step towards an important science - the science of living. When you are twelve years old, then you will help me in the household of the whole house.
Teacher: How does Masha's father seem to you?
Student: Masha's father is a very wise person to explain to his children what history, geography are, he holds interesting conversations and games with them.
Teacher: What other characters does the girl describe?
Student: Masha tells us about rich ladies who do not know how to run a household: one is fond of dancing more than taking care of the household, as a result, her son dies due to an oversight. The second, indulging in unjustified spending, dresses her child in cast-offs.
Teacher: And how do rich girls treat the teacher's daughter, Tanya, at the ball?
Student: Tanya is not accepted into the children's society because of her clothes, old gloves, and because she herself goes to the kitchen. Even Masha avoids her. But later it turns out that this poor girl plays the piano best of all and is a jack of all trades, knows a lot, and Masha becomes ashamed of her behavior and the words of other girls about Tanya. She even invites the teacher's daughter to visit.
Teacher: What has Masha learned?
Student: The girl learns not only to properly manage the household, to save money wisely, but also to value people not by beautiful clothes and wealth, but by their own merits and abilities.
III. Summarizing
In this lesson, we got acquainted with a new genre of literature - the diary genre. On the example of the work of V.F. Odoevsky, we traced how the girl Masha describes the daily events of her life, how these records reveal her character and the character of the people around the girl.
IV. Analysis and evaluation of the results of the work.
V. Homework
Try to start your own diary, write down how your day went, what you thought and felt. Maybe this will become one of the pages of your family history. Draw the girl Masha as you see her.
l��0����� X@� thinks that he has unlimited power over things. Sometimes the most unattractive little thing will rub into life, twist it and turn the whole fate in the wrong direction, where it should have gone.")
How can you comment on these words?
How do they relate to the content of the story?
What was Olechka Rozova like before the “meeting” with the collar? (She was a modest and frugal wife.)
Read the description of the collar. ("... A starched lady's collar with a yellow ribbon threaded through it.")
Why do you think she bought the collar?
What did the collar require in the first place? (New jacket.)
What did Olechka do when there was no more money left? (She pawned the silver and the bracelet.)
What did the collar demand after the new blouse? (Skirt, new shoes, hat, belt, gloves, striped sofa.)
How has Olechka changed, pleasing the collar? (She cut her hair, began to smoke and laugh at vulgar jokes.)
Did her husband understand the heroine when she opened up to him? (No, he thought she was joking.)
Why didn't Olechka throw away her collar? Express your opinion.
How does Taffy explain this? (“All psychiatrists know that for nervous and weak people some suffering, despite all their torment, becomes necessary. And they will not exchange this sweet flour for healthy peace of mind for anything in the world.”)
What happened at the party? (She cheated on her husband.)
Read what the collar said to her husband's questions about where Olechka was and where is the money?
Where did the collar go after the husband left? (Lost in the wash.)
What happened to Olechka then? (She has become modest again and works in a bank.)
Teacher: Now let's see what your story plan turned out to be.
Sample Plan
1. Olga is an honest wife.
2. Meeting with the fatal collar.
3. Collar shopping:
a) a blouse;
b) shoes;
c) hat, belt and gloves;
4. The power of the collar increases.
5. Olga and collar at the party.
6. Finding out the relationship with her husband.
7. Olga without a collar.
Express your opinion about this story Taffy. Did you like it?
Vladimir Fyodorovich Odoevsky
Excerpts from Masha's magazine
Today I am ten years old... Mommy wants me to start writing from this very day what she calls a journal, that is, she wants me to write down everything that happens to me every day... I confess that I am very glad about this. It means… that I'm already a big girl!.. Besides how fun it will be to read your journal in a few time, to remember all the games, all the friends, all the acquaintances… However, I must admit, this is quite difficult. Until now, I took a pen in my hands only to either write off the copybook, or write a small letter to my grandmother ... Yes, it’s not at all easy! However, we will see ... Well, what did I do today? When I woke up, I found on the table, near the bed, my mother's gifts. My mother gave me a beautiful morocco-bound book for my magazine; papa gave me a very pretty inkwell with a bell. How glad I am! I will put all this on my table - and my table will be exactly like papa's ... How glad I am!
I was having lunch... Mommy sent me to rest.
Today I showed my mother my yesterday's magazine. The mother was unhappy with them. “Why,” she asked, “I don’t see a word in your journal about what you did in the morning and after dinner?” I didn’t know what to answer to this, and it would be tricky to answer ... because yesterday I behaved very badly: both the journal that my mother told me to keep, and the inkwell that my father gave me, somehow mixed all this with me thoughts in my head, and when brother Vasya came to me in the morning to call me to play with him, I showed him my morocco book and answered that I could no longer play with him, that I was already big. The brother got angry, burst into tears, grabbed my book and threw it under the table. This also made me angry; I turned him towards the door and pushed him in spite of the nanny. Vasya stumbled, fell and hurt himself, and when the nanny began to reprimand me, instead of running to Vasya and comforting him, I said in my heart that he was worth it. At that time, my mother came, but I didn’t listen to her words, like Nanny’s, for which my mother ordered me not to leave my room ... Only by the evening I made peace with Vasya. - All this I did not have the spirit to write down in a journal yesterday, and today I asked my mother: do I really have to write down in it even everything that I do bad during the day? “Without a doubt,” answered mother, “without that, what use will your journal be? It is written so that it contains everything that a person does during the day, so that later, when reading what was written, he would not forget about his bad deeds and would try to improve. This is called, - added mother, - to be aware of your life.
Oh, I confess that it is very difficult!.. Up to now, you used to be naughty, then ask your mother for forgiveness - and everything is forgotten; the next day you don’t even think ... And now, no matter what you do badly, nothing will be forgotten: mother will forgive, and my journal will keep talking tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, and in a week. And how embarrassing it is when the next day you remember your yesterday's prank! Like today: I was so ashamed to describe my yesterday's stubbornness.
What can I do so that I am not ashamed, so that the magazine does not tell how I was naughty, how I was capricious? .. I clearly see one way ... not to be naughty, not to be capricious and obey my mother ... However, this is very difficult.
Today all the teachers were very pleased with me. After dinner, I spent the whole evening playing with Vasya a game that I don’t like at all: soldiers. Mamma praised me very much for that, and Vasya flung himself on my neck and kissed me. This made me so happy...
Today we had a guest - a beautiful lady! She had on a lovely hat with feathers, I will certainly make the same for my doll. After dinner I went to the living room. Papa and mama were talking to the lady. I did not understand many of their words; I only noticed one thing: this lady was very surprised why we had so few servants in the house, and yet everything was in such order. “You are right,” she said to her mother, “you are very happy in choosing people.” “No,” answered mother, “but I do the housework myself.” “How is that possible? - objected the lady, - I can’t do it like that. “Who looks after your house?” asked papa. "My husband," the lady replied. “Well, now it’s not surprising,” dad objected, “that you have servants twice as many as ours, and yet everything is not done in the house, as it should be. Your husband is busy with the service, he is not at home all morning, he returns and works all evening, when is he to do housework? And that's why no one cares about them." “That is almost true,” answered the lady, “but what can be done? How to help this? “I dare to think,” said papa, “that doing housework is a woman’s business; her job is to go into all the details, to settle scores, to oversee order. “It’s impossible for me,” the lady answered, “I wasn’t brought up like that: until my marriage I had no idea about what is called housekeeping, I only knew how to play with dolls, dress myself and dance. Now I would like to think about the economy, but I don’t know how to start. Whatever order I give, it will be nonsense, and in despair I have already decided to leave everything to my husband, or, better, to no one. Then papa told her for a long time what she should do in order to learn what she had not been taught in childhood, but I could not understand much from his words. They were still talking when a man from home jumped up to her and said that her little child had become very ill after eating. The lady screamed, she was frightened, and she herself became so ill all of a sudden that mother did not dare to let her go alone, but went to her together with her.
Today I am ten years old... Mommy wants me to start writing from this very day what she calls a journal, that is, she wants me to write down everything that happens to me every day... I confess that I am very glad about this. It means… that I'm already a big girl!.. Besides how fun it will be to read your journal in a few time, to remember all the games, all the friends, all the acquaintances… However, I must admit, this is quite difficult. Until now, I took a pen in my hands only to either write off the copybook, or write a small letter to my grandmother ... Yes, it’s not at all easy! However, we will see ... Well, what did I do today? When I woke up, I found on the table, near the bed, my mother's gifts. My mother gave me a beautiful morocco-bound book for my magazine; papa gave me a very pretty inkwell with a bell. How glad I am! I'll put all this on my table - and my table will be exactly like daddy's ... How glad I am!
I was having lunch... Mommy sent me to rest.
Today I showed my mother my yesterday's magazine. The mother was unhappy with them. “Why,” she asked, “I don’t see a word in your journal about what you did in the morning and after dinner?” I didn’t know what to answer to this, and it would be tricky to answer ... because yesterday I behaved very badly: both the journal that my mother told me to keep, and the inkwell that my father gave me, somehow mixed all this with me thoughts in my head, and when brother Vasya came to me in the morning to call me to play with him, I showed him my morocco book and answered that I could no longer play with him, that I was already big. The brother got angry, burst into tears, grabbed my book and threw it under the table. This also made me angry; I turned him towards the door and pushed him in spite of the nanny. Vasya stumbled, fell and hurt himself, and when the nanny began to reprimand me, instead of running to Vasya and comforting him, I said in my heart that he was worth it. At that time, my mother came, but I didn’t listen to her words, like Nanny’s, for which my mother ordered me not to leave my room ... Only by the evening I made peace with Vasya. - All this I did not have the spirit to write down in a journal yesterday, and today I asked my mother: do I really have to write down in it even everything that I do bad during the day? “Without a doubt,” answered mother, “without that, what use will your journal be? It is written so that it contains everything that a person does during the day, so that later, when reading what was written, he would not forget about his bad deeds and would try to improve. This is called, - added mother, - to be aware of your life.
Oh, I confess that it is very difficult!.. Up to now, you used to be capricious, then ask your mother for forgiveness - and everything is forgotten; the next day you don’t even think ... And now, no matter what you do badly, nothing will be forgotten: mother will forgive, and my journal will keep talking tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, and in a week. And how embarrassing it is when the next day you remember your yesterday's prank! Like today: I was so ashamed to describe my yesterday's stubbornness.
What can I do so that I am not ashamed, so that the magazine does not tell how I was naughty, how I was capricious? .. I clearly see one way ... not to be naughty, not to be capricious and obey my mother ... However, this is very difficult.
Today all the teachers were very pleased with me. After dinner, I spent the whole evening playing with Vasya a game that I don’t like at all: soldiers. Mamma praised me very much for that, and Vasya flung himself on my neck and kissed me. This made me so happy...
Today we had a guest - a beautiful lady! She had on a lovely hat with feathers, I will certainly make the same for my doll. After dinner I went to the living room. Papa and mama were talking to the lady. I did not understand many of their words; I only noticed one thing: this lady was very surprised why we had so few servants in the house, and yet everything was in such order. “You are right,” she said to her mother, “you are very happy in choosing people.” - "No," answered my mother, "but I do the housework myself." - “How can this be? - the lady objected, - I can’t do it like that. - "Who looks after your house?" - asked papa. "My husband," replied the lady. “Well, now it’s not surprising,” dad objected, “that you have servants twice as many as ours, and yet everything is not done in the house, as it should be. Your husband is busy with the service, he is not at home all morning, he returns and works all evening, when is he to do housework? And that's why no one cares about them." “It is almost true,” answered the lady, “but what can be done? How to help this? “I dare to think,” said papa, “that doing housework is a woman’s business; her job is to go into all the details, to settle scores, to oversee order. “It’s impossible for me,” the lady answered, “I wasn’t brought up like that: until my marriage I had no idea about what is called housekeeping, I only knew how to play with dolls, dress myself and dance. Now I would like to think about the economy, but I don’t know how to start. Whatever order I give, it will be nonsense, and in despair I have already decided to leave everything to my husband, or, better, to no one. Then papa told her for a long time what she should do in order to learn what she had not been taught in childhood, but I could not understand much from his words. They were still talking when a man from home jumped up to her and said that her little child had become very ill after eating. The lady screamed, she was frightened, and she herself became so ill all of a sudden that mother did not dare to let her go alone, but went to her together with her.
Mom returned very late yesterday and said that the child had fallen ill from some untinned saucepan, the doctors think that he will not live to see the morning. Mama could not help but shed tears as she told how the poor boy suffered, and I began to cry. I could never understand how a child could get sick from an untinned saucepan; but when papa said: “This is what can happen when the mother of the family does not take care of the household herself!” - "How? - I asked, - is the child really dying from the fact that his mother is not doing housework? “Yes, my dear,” answered papa, “if his mother had been taught from childhood to do housework more than dancing, then there would not have been such a misfortune with her.” - "Oh my god! I cried, throwing myself on my mother’s neck, “teach me housekeeping!” - “If you please, my dear,” answered mother, “but this cannot be done all of a sudden; you need to get used to it little by little, but will you have enough patience? - "Oh, I assure you that it will get it!" “Very well,” said mother, “we will make an experiment. Did you see your underwear in the chest of drawers in your room?” - "I saw it, mother." - “Have you noticed that when the washerwoman Avdotya brings linen to your nanny, then the nanny takes it on a bill?” - "I noticed, mother." - "Now, instead of a nanny, you will accept linen from Avdotya." - “But how, mother, I will remember how much of what kind of linen? I noticed that the nanny often makes mistakes and argues with Avdotya. “I won’t be surprised at this,” said mother, “because your nanny does not know how to read and write, but for you it will be a great help that you can read and write. You write down on a piece of paper all your underwear and note how much, which one. When Avdotya brings it to you, then, looking at the piece of paper, believe that Avdotya brought everything that you gave her. - “Oh, mother, it is very easy! It's good that I can read and write! “You see, my dear,” mamma remarked, “remember how you missed when you were forced to read a book or write off prescriptions, then you didn’t want to believe me, how necessary it is.” - “Oh, mother! I cried, “now I will believe you in everything, but tell me, does linen belong to the household?” - “Yes, my dear, this is part of the household, you will learn the rest in time, now notice, once and for all, that without order there cannot be a household, and order must be in linen, and in the maintenance of servants, and in purchases , and in his own dress, in a word, in everything, and if you do not observe order in any one thing, then the servants will not observe it in another, and that is why everything in the house will go upside down, from this such misfortunes occur what happened to this lady's child."
Today they came to tell us that the poor child is dead; what a misfortune! The poor mother, they say, is in despair. I see that it is necessary to obey mother's words. - Today I accepted the linen from the nanny according to the register, made a special note for black linen and gave it to Avdotya: she must return it in four days. I ask my mother how to find out how much soap is needed in order to wash the clothes. Mamma praised me for this question and said that for every pood of linen one needs a pound of soap. I ordered the linen given by me to Avdotya to be weighed, and it came out half a pood; from this I concluded that half a pound of soap would go into it.
Today, large bundles were brought to papa, he unfolded them on the table, and I saw some strange pictures. I couldn't figure out what it was. Papa told me that these are geographical maps. - "What do they serve?" I asked him. "They represent the land we live on," he said. “The land we live on? So, Petersburg can be found here too?” “Of course, my dear.” - "Where is he? I asked papa, “I don’t see him, there are no houses, no streets, no Summer Garden.” - "Exactly so, my dear, here you can not see any houses, or streets, or the Summer Garden, but this is why: listen and understand me well." Then he took a sheet of paper and said: “Look, I will draw this room in which we are sitting, it is quadrangular, and I am drawing a quadrangle: here is a window, here is another, here is a third, here is one door, here is another, here is a sofa, a piano , a chair, here is a cabinet with books. - "I see," I said, "I would immediately know that this is our room." - “Now imagine that I would like to draw a plan - this kind of drawing is called a plan - the plan of the house in which we live; but I cannot place it on the same sheet of paper, and for this I, having reduced it somewhat in size, will transfer my room to another sheet. Look here: here is our living room, here is the study, here is the bedroom, your nursery. Would you know from this plan that this is our home?” - "Oh, without a doubt!" “Now imagine that I would like to draw a plan of our street on the same sheet. See how this should diminish the plan of our house. Now imagine that I would like to draw a plan of the whole of St. Petersburg on the same sheet. Here our house should already turn almost into a point in order to be able to fit all the streets of St. Petersburg on this sheet; but besides Petersburg there are other cities, some of which are far, very far away. The collection of all these cities is called our fatherland, Russia. Imagine, then, that I would like to draw a plan of the whole of Russia on this same sheet, just as I drew the plan of St. Petersburg, the plan of our street, our house, our living room; but already in terms of Russia, Petersburg itself will turn into a point. This map, which now lies before us, is a map or plan of Russia. Here is Petersburg on it, here is the Neva; but you can’t see in it either the Summer Garden, or our street, or our house, because Petersburg itself is noticed by one small dot, or, rather, by this house with a cross on top, which you see here. “Oh, how curious! I said to papa. “Is there anything else besides Russia?” - "Well, my dear, there are other lands, and there are special cards for them." - "Ah, papa, how I would like to know all these lands!" - "You will know this, my dear, but for this you need to study history." - "What is history?" - “It takes a long time to answer this question; remind me of it later."
Today I received the underwear and everything was fine. Nanny was surprised at this and, it seems, a little angry, because the matter went off without any arguments and in the shortest possible time. Sometimes, nanny, as a rule, on any such occasion, argued a lot and for a long time, and no wonder: she herself forgot, and Avdotya relied on the fact that nanny would forget; but now that I had everything written down, Avdotya was probably cautious. I now see from experience what truth my mother told me, that learning is useful in everything, even in the smallest cases. My mother was so pleased with my service that she promised to take me to the children's ball the day after tomorrow with Countess Vorotynskaya. There, they say, there will be music, dancing and an abyss of people. Oh what fun it will be!
Remembering my father's promise, I went to him with my magazine and said: "You promised to tell me what history is." “History, my dear,” he answered, “is what you now hold in your hands.” - "This is my magazine." - "Yes, my dear, I repeat that you hold your story in your hands." - "How is it, daddy?" “Describing incidents, no matter who happens to them, is called history, and that is why I told you that you write your own history by describing everything that happens to you. Now imagine that me and your mother, we also write magazines, and Vasya, when he grows up, will do the same. If we could combine all these magazines, then the history of our family would be made up of them. "I understand, papa." - "Now imagine that my dad, and your grandfather also wrote his story, in the same way his dad, and my grandfather, whom you see a portrait of, wrote his story." I looked at the portrait and said: "Oh, papa, how glad I would be if your grandfather really wrote his story." - "What is it for, my dear?" - "So that I could then find out why he is not dressed like you." - “This question is very appropriate, my dear; at the time when grandfather lived, everyone dressed the way you see him, and the difference was not only in the dress, but then they spoke differently, thought differently. Exactly the same thing I must tell you about my grandfather's grandfather, you know the old man with the beard, whose portrait hangs in the dining room. Then there was even more difference with us both in dress and in everything; he not only wore a beard, walked in a long embroidered caftan, girded with a sash, but in his house there were no armchairs, no sofa, no piano. Instead, he had oak benches all around the room; he did not travel in a carriage, but almost always on horseback; his wife went under a veil, never showed herself to men; she did not go to the theater, because he was not there, nor to balls, because it was considered indecent; they were both illiterate. You see what a difference it is with us in everything.” “Ah, papa, how curious! And all this can be learned from history? - “Yes, my dear, but note that as my grandfather's grandfather lived, so did everyone who lived at the same time as him. They also had fathers and grandfathers, these also, more, more ... The history of all these people, or, as they say, the people, with a description of everything that they were like or not like us, is what we call history Russia, our fatherland. There are similar stories about other lands and peoples.” - "What kind of peoples are these, daddy?" “Oh, there were a lot of them! And if I told you all of them, it would not give you any idea about them; you will gradually get to know them. This time I will only remark to you that they are all as little like each other as we are like our great-grandfather. They all had different names, many of which are now lost. So, you will meet in history such peoples who, instead of our tailcoat, wore only veils. Here, for example, is a bust that represents a man without a hat on his head, with one cloak thrown over his shoulder - this was a man who was called Socrates, he lived in the land that is called Greece, almost two thousand years before us; I'll let you read his story in time. Now, in order to get some idea about history in general, and at the same time about the entire globe.
Today my mother gave me a small kitchen appliance. This is so, she said, that I know everything that is needed for the kitchen: what is the name of the dishes and what they are used for, because the hostess needs to know this. I am beside myself with admiration! .. I went through all my kitchen appliances, asked the nanny several times what the thing was called ... It occupied me so much that I was even annoyed when the nanny came to tell me that it was time to get dressed and go to the ball …
Yesterday I was so tired that I could not take up my pen, and therefore I decided to describe today everything that happened to me yesterday. I don’t know where to start: I saw so much new, beautiful things… When we arrived at Countess Vorotynskaya’s, the music was already playing. An abyss of ladies, gentlemen, they are all so smart: the rooms are so light, everything glitters! .. Waiting for the end of the dance, I sat down beside a little young lady who was sitting in a corner, dressed very simply, in a white muslin dress; she was wearing worn gloves. She treated me very kindly... I confess that I was a little annoyed, because the dancing had only just begun and I had to sit in one place for a long time; but my friend Tanya, as she was called, was so sweet that I soon forgot about this trouble. She told me how to cut out pictures and stick them on wood or glass, paste them inside crystal bowls; how to transfer fresh flowers onto paper, how to draw pictures; I don’t know what this girl doesn’t know!.. In a word, the time with her passed unnoticed by me, if it weren’t for her, I would have been dying of boredom for half an hour. - Meanwhile, the dance ended, and all my little friends rushed to hug me, but I noticed that many of them did not say a word to Tanya and very impolitely turned their backs to her. This was very unpleasant for me, and I, for my part, began to incessantly turn to Tanya and start talking to her. Suddenly, the little mistress of the house, Countess Mimi, grabbed my hand and, saying that she wanted to show me other rooms, took me away from Tanya. When we had gone a few steps, Countess Mimi said to me: “What are you talking about with this girl? Please don't befriend her!" - “Yes, why not? I asked, "she's very nice." “Oh, shame on you! said Countess Mimi. - We don't talk to her; I don't know why my mother let her come to us. She is our teacher's daughter. See what black gloves she has on, how badly her shoes fit; they say that she goes to her daddy’s kitchen!” I was very sorry for poor Tanya and I wanted to intercede for her, but all my little friends laughed so much, repeating: “He goes to the kitchen, cook, cook,” that I did not have the courage to utter a word. Then the dancing began: my heart sank, listening to how my friends laughed at Tanya and said: look how the cook dances! It got to the point that one of my little friends went up to Tanya and, looking at her mockingly, said: “Oh, how the kitchen smells from you!” - “I am surprised at this,” Tanya answered very simply, “because I left the dress in which I go to the kitchen at home, and this is different for me.” - "So you go to the kitchen?" they all shouted with laughter. “Yes,” Tanya answered, “but don’t you go? My daddy says that every girl needs to get used to the housework. - “Why, we and you are completely different,” said one of the young ladies. - "What is the difference between us?" Tanya asked. “Oh, very big one,” answered the proud young lady, “your father is a teacher, and mine is a general; look: in large epaulettes, with a star, your father is hired, and mine is hired; do you understand it?" And with these words she turned her back to Tanya. Tanya almost cried, but, despite the fact, everyone left her alone and - I, along with everyone. I involuntarily blushed for myself. I saw that everyone despised Tanya for exactly what my mother demanded of me and that I myself loved, but did not have the strength to subject myself to general ridicule. And Tanya stood alone, abandoned by everyone; no one approached her, no one spoke to her. Oh, I was very guilty! She alone caressed me when no one paid attention to me, when I was bored! .. But it seems that Countess Mimi's mother noticed her unjust contempt for Tanya; I think this is why. The Countess, after talking to the other mothers, called several of us into another room. “How good it is,” she said, “that you are all together now, you are all so sweet, beautiful, I would like to have your portraits; this can be done very easily and soon: each of you will make a silhouette of the other in the shadow, and thus, in one minute, we will make up a whole collection of portraits, and, in remembrance of this evening, I will hang them in this room. At this suggestion, everyone became thoughtful, they began to take up pencils and paper, but, unfortunately, some kind of scrawl came out of everyone, and everyone threw down both pencils and paper in annoyance. Tanya alone immediately traced the silhouette of Countess Mimi over the shadow, took scissors, cut it around with a pencil, then again - and the silhouette became much smaller, then again - and Mimi's silhouette became so small, as worn in medallions, and so similar that everything cried out in surprise. I really wanted Tanya to make my silhouette too, but after my cold treatment of her, I did not even dare to think of asking her about it; imagine my surprise when Tanya herself volunteered to make my silhouette. I agreed: she made it extremely similar and gave it to the countess. Then, looking at me, this kind girl, apparently, read in my eyes that I would very much like to keep this silhouette with me; she immediately made another, similar to the first one, after the first silhouette, passed it several times over the candle so that it would smoke, and gave it to me. Here I could no longer resist, threw myself on her neck and, almost with tears, asked her forgiveness. Dear Tanya herself was touched. Countess Mimi did not know what to do with shame; but that didn't end there. It seems that this evening was deliberately prepared for Tanya's celebration. There was a piano in the room where tea was prepared for us. Countess Vorotynskaya invited many of us, including her daughter, to play the piano. Countess Mimi played, very badly, the beginning of Czerny's little sonata and was forced to stop because of incessant mistakes. Others could only play the scale and a few chords. When Tanya's turn came, she played Fildo's Rondo, but with such ease, with such skill, that everyone was taken aback. They began to ask me: I knew another Fildo's rondo and could play it no worse than Tanya, but I did not want to take away her triumphs, and, no matter how painful my pride was, I was content with playing Pleyel's little old sonata, which I taught when I was just beginning to learn the piano. Of course, I was praised, but not in the same way as Tanya. One mother understood my intention and, kissing me, said that she was always sure of my good heart. I asked my mother to let Tanya come to us, mother agreed, and Tanya will see if I will be able to love her and be grateful to her ...
Today, after dinner, papa called me and the brothers to the table. "Let's play, kids," he said. We went up to the table, and I was very surprised that there was a geographical map on the table, which I had seen with papa; with the only difference that it was pasted on the board, but there were small holes in the places where the names of the cities were. "How are we going to play?" I asked. "That's how". - Then papa gave us several buttons each, on which the names of different cities of Russia were written, pointed needles were attached to these buttons. “Last year, you went to Moscow,” Papa told us, “and do you remember all the cities that we passed?” - "How, we remember, we remember!" we all cried. “So listen: imagine that we are again setting off for Moscow, but that the coachmen do not know the way and are constantly asking through which city we need to go? Instead of showing us the way to the coachmen, we will insert our buttons into these holes, and whoever has at least one button left and does not know where to put it, he will have to pay each of us a silver patch - and this will be fair, because if our guide really did not know how to show it on the road, then we would be forced to stop on the spot or turn back and, consequently, spend money in vain. - "ABOUT! - I said. - It's very easy: here on the map all the cities are written. You see, - I said to the brothers, - here is Petersburg, and there is a ruler from it, and on this ruler there is Novgorod, here is Torzhok, here is Tver. And almost in one minute we put our buttons in place: Petersburg - on Petersburg, Novgorod - on Novgorod, Krestsy - on Kresttsy and so on; It was a little difficult for Vasya alone, but I helped him. "Wonderful! - said papa, - I am very pleased with you, and you need to be paid for your work; here's a nickel for each of you. Now let's see if you really remember this road so well? With these words, papa put another card on the table. "What it is?" I asked. “This is the same map of Russia,” answered papa, “with the only difference that there are no inscriptions here and you will have to guess the cities by their location. Such cards are called silent cards. For the first time, I will help you and show you the place of St. Petersburg, here it is! Now I humbly ask you to find my way to Moscow. Whoever makes a mistake will pay me a nickel for false news. “Oh, papa, it’s very easy,” I said, and seeing that on this map there was also a ruler from Petersburg, my brothers and I soon began to put one button after another, and soon our buttons were put in place. “Okay,” said daddy, “let's see where you brought me somewhere!” With these words, he took out the old card and, pointing to it, said: “Good! Novgorod put in place; and now ... ge! ge! Instead of Kresttsy, you brought me to Porkhov, then to Velikiye Luki. Torzhok flew into Velizh, Tver in Porechye, and you took Smolensk for Moscow. I humbly thank you: I ask you to pay for my vain journey. And our patches went back to daddy. “But you must admit,” I said, giving him the money, “that it was very easy to make a mistake here; look: both roads go down, and Smolensk is almost at the same distance as Moscow. - “Of course, your mistake was excusable,” answered papa, “although, nevertheless, by the lines that circled each province, one could guess that you had stopped in the wrong place. However, there is a surest means of recognizing on the map the place that you are looking for, namely: along the lines that, like a lattice, cover the map and are called meridians; but we will talk about this later, and now I will give you only one advice on how not to make mistakes in the future. Take a map: look carefully at the figure of those places that you need to notice, close your eyes and try to imagine in your mind what you saw on the map; then try to draw the place you noticed on paper and believe what you drew with the map ... "
Yesterday, when I entered my mother's room, I saw a large leather bag on her table; I wanted to lift it, but it almost fell out of my hands - it was so heavy.
What it is? I asked my mother.
Money, she replied.
How! Is it all money? How much money is there?
Five hundred rubles, - answered mother.
And is it all yours? Why, mother, do you often say that you are not rich?
The mother smiled.
Tell me, what do you think it means to be rich?
To be rich?.. It means to have a lot of money, to have a hundred, two hundred, five hundred rubles.
What do you think money is?
Money?.. That is, rubles, fifty dollars, quarters, two hryvnias, hryvnias, nickels...
Well, what else?
Imperials, semi-imperials.
Do you want, Masha, - continued mother, - for dinner, I will pour you some rubles on a plate?
You are laughing at me, mother, is it possible to eat rubles?
And what do you eat every day?
You know that, mother, - soup, bread, roast ...
And where does the soup, and bread, and roast come from?
The baker brings bread every day, Ivan goes to the market for other provisions.
Do you think Ivan takes provisions for nothing?
Oh no, mother, I know that you give him money for provisions.
So you told a lie that you don't eat money; you eat them every day at lunch.
Yes it's true.
Now you will understand if I tell you that you are dressed with money, that you are sleeping, sitting on money, because your dress, chair, bed, watch, everything that you see in the room, everything was bought with money.
It's true, mother, but it seems so ridiculous to think that I'm sitting and sleeping on money.
Tell me now, what is money?
ABOUT! Now I know: money is a dress, bread, furniture - in a word, everything that we use.
You can add an apartment to this, because every year I pay the owner money for it.
It's true, mother, but it still seems to me that five hundred rubles is a lot, a lot of money.
You say this because you don't know the value of things.
What does it mean, mother, the price of things?
For example, how many times do you think you can have lunch for five hundred rubles?
I don't know, mother.
Go get my account book and we'll take a look.
I brought the account book, and my mother said to me:
Look, what's the cost of today's dinner?
Five rubles forty kopecks.
What about yesterday?
Four rubles sixty kopecks.
And the third day?
Two rubles ninety kopecks.
And the fourth day?
Seven rubles twenty kopecks. I don't know how to count, mother; Every day is a different expense.
I will help you. Count how much we spent during the week; how much will?
I counted thirty-five rubles seventy kopecks.
This makes with a little five rubles a day; you see that five hundred rubles will not be enough for a hundred dinners, that is, with a little for three months, not counting neither a dress, nor an apartment, nor other expenses.
I confess that this unexpected score surprised and even frightened me.
Imagine, - continued mother, - that there are people who do not have five hundred rubles for a whole year.
But how do they live? I asked.
They eat only bread and cabbage soup, sometimes porridge, and these are still hardworking, sufficient people; There are others who don't even have that.
Tell me, mother, what would you do if we were poor; how would we live?
Like others: we would work for money and especially not spend more than our income. However, rich people should do the same; without this, even the rich will be in need, like the poor.
Can the rich be in need?
It is very easy: if he spends all his money on unnecessary things, on whims, then he will not have enough for the necessary things, or he will be forced to go into debt. This is the state I call - to be in need, to be poor.
Tell me, mother, how do you get into debt?
In two ways: either they do not pay the artisans who work different things for us, or they borrow from those who have more money than ours. The first way is the greatest injustice; there is nothing more immoral than withholding the money of people who have worked for us. And the second way equates us with beggars, making us seem to beg for alms. Both can be avoided only by good management.
You and papa promised to teach me housekeeping; tell me, do me a favor, what is a good household?
A good economy consists in spending no more, no less, as much as necessary and when necessary. I would really like to teach you this secret, because it gives you the opportunity to be rich with little money.
Who taught you, mother?
Nobody. I had to study on my own and therefore often fell into mistakes, from which I would like to warn you. I was not brought up like that: I was taught music, languages, sewing on canvas, and especially dances; but about the order in the house, about income, about expenses, about the economy in general, they did not give me any idea; in my time it was even considered indecent for a girl to interfere in the household. I saw that the linen was always ready for me, dinner also, and it never occurred to me to think: how is all this done? I only remember that they called me a good housewife, because I poured tea, and good-naturedly believed this. When I got married, then I saw how unfairly this name was given to me: I didn’t know what to do, everything in my house was not going well, and your dad was angry with me because I couldn’t reduce income with expenses . I spent on one thing, I lacked on another; so that I was then much poorer than I am now, although our incomes are still the same.
Why so?
I did not know the price of many things and often paid more for them than what they cost; and even more because I did not know what things I needed and what I could do without; however, I did not want your papa to be angry with me, and I was not calm until I had put our household in order.
How did you get it sorted out?
I began by becoming aware of my costs; reviewing the account book, I noticed in the distribution of our costs those things that we could do without or that could be cheaper. I noticed, for example, that we were paying too much for an apartment, and I reasoned that it was better to have it on the floor above than to deny myself in other respects. I did the same with other things.
Tell me, mother, what does the distribution of costs mean?
The distribution of costs, or, all the same, the distribution of income, is the most important thing in the good economy we are talking about. This is rather difficult to understand; but I suppose you have so much sense in you that I think, with some reflection, you will understand me. Do you remember, we said that money is the same things that we need: a dress, a table, an apartment; therefore, it is necessary to determine or assign a part of your income to each of these things. On this appointment or distribution depends a good economy, and with it the well-being of the family; but in this distribution we must consider what we owe to ourselves and the place we occupy in the world.
I didn't understand this at all.
Tell me, - I asked my mother, - what does the place we occupy in the world mean?
The amount of money that we have, - answered mother, - or, to put it better, the amount of things that can be obtained for money, is known to all our acquaintances, and therefore, when we say that such and such a person receives so much income, then, at the same time, an idea is born about the way of life that he should lead, or about those things that he should have.
Why should you, mother? Who forces a person to lead this or that way of life, to have this or that thing?
No one, if you like, who could be called by name, but in society there is a certain sense of justice, which is usually called general opinion, and to which it is impossible not to conform. I could, for example, not occupy such an apartment as now, live in a small room, sleep on felt, wear a calico bonnet, a lace dress, like a nanny, but I cannot do this.
Of course, mother: everyone who comes to us would laugh at us.
You see, therefore, that the place I occupy in the world forces me to make certain expenses, or, in other words, to have certain things in accordance with my condition. Note this word: consistent with my condition; so, for example, no one will reproach me for not wearing dresses of three hundred and four hundred rubles, which you sometimes see on our familiar princess. The world has the right to demand from us costs in accordance with our condition, because most of the money received by the rich goes back to the poor, who work for us. If the rich did not spend money, then money would do no one any good, and the poor would starve to death. So, for example, if all those who are able to support three or four servants would keep only one at a time, then the rest would not find a place for themselves. Now do you understand what it means to live decently in the place occupied in the world? But, when distributing costs, we must also think about what we owe to ourselves, that is, we must know how much our income allows us to spend. There are people who out of vanity want to appear richer than they really are. These people are very unintelligent; in order to shine before others, they deny themselves what is necessary; they are always restless and unhappy; they often spend several years in luxury, and the rest of their lives in perfect poverty; and all this only because they do not want to live according to the state. Do you remember, papa told about his secretary, who on his wedding day spent all his annual income, then sold the furniture so as not to starve to death for a year, and finally came to ask us for money for firewood.
Teach me, mother, how to live according to the state?
I repeat to you that I have assigned a special part of my income to each kind of expenses, and I never cross over the appointed one. It is also true that it is easier for others to establish such an order, because every month I always receive a certain amount. It is more difficult for those who receive money at different times, for different amounts. However, every state requires a special economy peculiar to it; everyone should try to adapt the order of his house to his circumstances. So, for example, if I had not three of you, but more or less, then I would have to distribute my income differently.
It's true, mother; everything must be divided equally.
Equally? I won't say it. The point is not to divide everything equally, but that everyone should get according to his needs. So, for example, I sometimes use more money for myself than for you, that is, I take more material for myself than for you, but meanwhile we receive equally, both get two dresses.
All this is very good, mother, but it is only difficult to remember.
It is not at all as difficult as you think, and I will give you an excellent means of remembering everything that I have told you so far.
With these words, mother took out a small book from the bureau, bound in red morocco, and said to me:
Here is a present for you: from today on, you yourself will manage the money that I assign for your maintenance, in a word, you will do for yourself what I do for the whole house. Every month you will receive from me the amount of money assigned to you, you will manage it yourself and write down the costs in this book. On the left side you will write in it the word: parish, you will set the year and month; on another page - the word: expense, and you will also set the year and month; on this page you will record your expenses by numbers. Do you understand?
Looks like mommy.
Notice one more thing: every month you cost me about twenty roubles; however, this sum, twenty rubles, is not spent every month. At the beginning of winter or summer, I prepare everything you need; in the months that follow, I set aside what remains of the petty monthly expenses. Now I have sixty-five rubles left for you by the first of May, and besides that, you should receive twenty rubles for this month, for a total of eighty-five rubles. Think carefully what you should use them for; tomorrow I will ask you about it.
Everything that mother has said up to now has been rather difficult for my understanding, so difficult that I did not dare to write down in a journal my daily conversations with her about it, and already after a week, having thoroughly understood everything that mother told me, I decided to write them down. I read to my mother everything I wrote down, and she praised me, saying that I completely understood her.
So, now I have eighty-five rubles! Whatever you say mama, I thought, but that's a lot of money. I remember when papa gave me a little blue piece of paper on my name day, I didn't know what to do with it; and now I have seventeen new little blue papers! ..
On the advice of my mother, I wrote on the first sheet on the left side: “Arrival, May 1, 85 rubles” and, having come to my mother, I told her:
Mommy! Now it's time to think about what I need for the summer: let's go to the shops.
Wait, - she answered, - you must first think about what exactly you need.
But how can I know if I haven't been to the shops before?
Nothing is easier, she said, you know that we should spend money only on those things that we really need. Think carefully about what you lack in your wardrobe, consider your money and decide in advance what exactly you need.
After thinking a little, I found that I needed two dresses, because although I have two white dresses, one is already old and has become narrow and short for me, the other can still be corrected. The pink dress can still be worn, but the blue one is no good. Thinking about it decently, I said to my mother:
I would like to have two dresses: one is better, but not very easily soiled, and the other is just white. Do you think I'm telling the truth?
Let's see, said the mother. - What else do you need?
My winter hat is already completely worn out; I think that now I need another, straw.
You need more shoes, gloves.
It's true, mamma, but it's all a trifle, and I still have enough money left.
All the better; should never spend all his income, one must also think about unforeseen cases; for them it is always necessary to leave something in reserve. You happen to lose handkerchiefs, you are careless and often soil your dresses, our shortcomings always cost us dearly; who does not want to get rid of them, he must save money for them, in reserve. Think again, do you need anything else?
Everything seems to be here, mama.
All right, but I keep thinking that you forgot something, and therefore I advise you to determine a not too large amount for your dresses, for example, no more than thirty rubles for both dresses, fifteen or twenty for a hat - this will already amount to fifty rubles.
But I have eighty-five rubles, mother.
This is true; remember, however, that you still have other expenses to spare, and that we have agreed to leave at least something for next month. Tomorrow we will go to the shops.
Today I woke up very early: I could hardly sleep from the thought that today I would go to the shops myself, I would choose my own dresses, I would pay for them myself. How fun it is!..
I returned home. How strange to live in this world, and how little experience I have! Entering the shop, I began to examine various materials; beautiful tibe, white with stains, caught my eye.
May I buy this? I asked my mother.
Decide for yourself, she replied. - How much arshin? - continued mother, turning to the merchant.
Ten rubles an arshin is very cheap; this is real French stuff; no one else has it.
You need four arshins, ”mother remarked,“ this will amount to forty rubles, that is, more than what you assigned for two dresses.
But why, mother, am I obliged to spend only thirty rubles on my dress?
It is obliged because it is necessary to keep the word that we give ourselves. Tell me, what would be the use of it if, after much deliberation, we decide on something and then suddenly change our minds for no reason at all?
I felt the justice of my mother's words, but the beautiful chibe tempted me very much.
Can't I, - I said, - instead of two dresses, make only one?
It’s very possible,” answered mother, “but think carefully: you yourself found that you need two dresses, and really you cannot do without two new dresses; you yourself thought so, until you were seduced by this tibe. That is why I advised you to get into the habit of setting your costs in advance and sticking to your word.
Once again I felt that my mother was telling the truth, but I involuntarily sighed and thought how difficult it was to manage money myself. It seems that the merchant noticed my grief, that he immediately said to me:
We have a very similar cambric.
In fact, he showed me a kisei, which from a distance looked very much like a tibe; I asked about the price; three rubles arshins. This price was also more than the amount that I had assigned for the dress.
No, it's expensive, - I said to my mother.
The mother smiled.
Wait, she said, maybe another dress will be cheaper and we'll make ends meet.
And for sure: I found a very pretty canvas for a ruble of fifty kopecks arshins. Thus, these two dresses together were only three rubles more than the amount I had assigned for them.
Don't forget, - said mother, - that we must spend these three rubles on other expenses.
We asked the merchant to postpone our purchase, saying that we would send for it, and went to another store. There, on mother's advice, we bought a straw hat, lined with pink gros de napple, with the same ribbon and bow. They asked for twenty rubles for her, but when mamma bargained, they gave her for seventeen rubles. Then we went to the shoe-maker; I ordered boots made of wild morocco for four roubles. From there we went to the glove box and bought two pairs of gloves.
I foresaw, - said mother, - that we would forget something; because we need to take the lining of the muslin to your dresses.
And we returned to the first store. Entering it, I saw a lady who, sitting near the counter, sorted out many different materials that the merchant showed her. “Here is woolen muslin, foulards,” the merchant said, “here are tibe, shawls, silk muslin, French cashmeres.” The lady looked at everything with indifferent contempt, but she bought everything. This was good for her in the morning toilet, then for the evening, then to carry around at home; and she bought everything.
I looked at this lady with surprise and even, I'm afraid to say, with a kind of envy. How rich she must be, I thought. Meanwhile, mother took the lining muslin and said to me: "Let's go, Masha." Mother's voice made the lady turn around; she immediately got up and went over to her mother.
Oh! It's you, Katya, - she cried, - you are nowhere to be seen, you completely forgot me, but you remember how we learned to dance together.
Mother answered her that household chores take away all her time, and besides, she added, you will never be found at home.
Oh, it's just an epigram for me! - answered the lady, - on the contrary, I'm going home now. Let's go with me, I'll show you a new painting that my husband bought. He assures her that she is wonderful; you are a great painter and tell me your opinion about her. How glad I would be if my husband were wrong! Perhaps this would wean him from his passion for paintings: he is completely ruined by them.
After some resistance, mother agreed; we got into the carriage of a rich lady and went to her.
I couldn't resist and said:
Oh! What fun it is to ride in a carriage.
Yes, - said the lady, - I do not know how you can do without a carriage.
However, - said mother, - there are people who do without it.
Imagine, Katya, - answered the lady, - that my husband wanted to do without a carriage and always ride in a cabriolet, but I proved to him that it was impossible to do without a carriage.
But when the content of the carriage exceeds our fortune, then what is to be done?
Whatever it is, - answered the lady, - but the carriage is a necessary thing; it is necessary sometimes to make a sacrifice to the place that we occupy in the light.
Mom looked at me - I understood her. We arrived.
Mother went with the lady into the room where the picture was, and I remained in the living room. Here, on the carpet, the mistress's little daughter played; no one did it; she was wearing a velvet dress, but already quite old; the girdle was stabbed with a pin because the buckle was broken; the cape was crumpled and torn; worn out shoes.
When we left this lady, I asked my mother if she noticed the child's strange toilet.
How not to notice, - she answered, - this lady is much richer than me, but her daughter wears worn-out shoes, while yours are new; this is because my friend has been thinking only about her own whims for a century; never considers his income with his expenses; whatever she sees, she wants everything; she buys everything she likes, and the thought that she can completely go bankrupt, leave her daughter without a piece of bread, never occurs to her. She sees nothing beyond the present moment. I expect that she will soon be completely ruined and will pay with bitter poverty for her present luxury.
This struck me.
Oh, mother, - I said, - I swear to you that I will never give free rein to whims.
Promise me at least to try about it, - said mama. - From the first time it is difficult to learn to win yourself.
Here we entered the store, where I chose the belts, because my mother wanted to buy everything I needed at one time, saying that there was no need to waste time. While we were sorting out the belts, I saw a beautiful neckerchief, and I really wanted it; it cost only five rubles.
Masha, - my mother told me, - after all, this is a whim.
But, mother, - I objected, - I really need a silk handkerchief, because I don’t have one; I still have enough money left, why shouldn't I buy this handkerchief?
How much money do you have left?
Twenty rubles ... my income for the whole month.
Remember that you have to pay at least another ten rubles for sewing dresses and also leave something in reserve, because before the end of the month you may still need money.
But, mother, if I buy this handkerchief, I still have five rubles left.
You really wanted this handkerchief, it is quite expensive, but you can do without it. Do you know, Masha, that for these five rubles you can buy ten arshins of sacking, and ten arshins will make two dresses for the daughters of that poor woman who comes to us and who has been ill for so long and could not work.
These words brought me almost to tears.
No, mother, - I said, - I don't want a handkerchief, buy five rubles worth of whipping for the poor little ones.
Mommy kissed me.
I am very glad, - she said, - that you want to use the money for a real need, and not for a whim. Today you took a big step towards an important science - the science of living. When you are twelve years old, then you will help me with the household chores.
Oh, how fun it will be, dear mother! Only I won't know how to go about it," I said after a moment's thought.
Won't you be able to accept? You will take care of the whole household just as you took care of your own. Now write down in your book everything that you spent, this should always be done immediately. In order not to forget everything that we have been saying throughout this week, write on the first sheet the words of the Apostle Paul: "He is rich who is content with what he has."
Write down also, - added mother, - the words of Franklin, the great man, whose story I will tell you one day: "If you buy what you do not need, then soon you will sell what you need."
Vladimir Fyodorovich Odoevsky
Excerpts from Masha's magazine
Today I am ten years old... Mommy wants me to start writing from this very day what she calls a journal, that is, she wants me to write down everything that happens to me every day... I confess that I am very glad about this. It means… that I'm already a big girl!.. Besides how fun it will be to read your journal in a few time, to remember all the games, all the friends, all the acquaintances… However, I must admit, this is quite difficult. Until now, I took a pen in my hands only to either write off the copybook, or write a small letter to my grandmother ... Yes, it’s not at all easy! However, we will see ... Well, what did I do today? When I woke up, I found on the table, near the bed, my mother's gifts. My mother gave me a beautiful morocco-bound book for my magazine; papa gave me a very pretty inkwell with a bell. How glad I am! I will put all this on my table - and my table will be exactly like papa's ... How glad I am!
I was having lunch... Mommy sent me to rest.
Today I showed my mother my yesterday's magazine. The mother was unhappy with them. “Why,” she asked, “I don’t see a word in your journal about what you did in the morning and after dinner?” I didn’t know what to answer to this, and it would be tricky to answer ... because yesterday I behaved very badly: both the journal that my mother told me to keep, and the inkwell that my father gave me, somehow mixed all this with me thoughts in my head, and when brother Vasya came to me in the morning to call me to play with him, I showed him my morocco book and answered that I could no longer play with him, that I was already big. The brother got angry, burst into tears, grabbed my book and threw it under the table. This also made me angry; I turned him towards the door and pushed him in spite of the nanny. Vasya stumbled, fell and hurt himself, and when the nanny began to reprimand me, instead of running to Vasya and comforting him, I said in my heart that he was worth it. At that time, my mother came, but I didn’t listen to her words, like Nanny’s, for which my mother ordered me not to leave my room ... Only by the evening I made peace with Vasya. - All this I did not have the spirit to write down in a journal yesterday, and today I asked my mother: do I really have to write down in it even everything that I do bad during the day? “Without a doubt,” answered mother, “without that, what use will your journal be? It is written so that it contains everything that a person does during the day, so that later, when reading what was written, he would not forget about his bad deeds and would try to improve. This is called, - added mother, - to be aware of your life.
Oh, I confess that it is very difficult!.. Up to now, you used to be naughty, then ask your mother for forgiveness - and everything is forgotten; the next day you don’t even think ... And now, no matter what you do badly, nothing will be forgotten: mother will forgive, and my journal will keep talking tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, and in a week. And how embarrassing it is when the next day you remember your yesterday's prank! Like today: I was so ashamed to describe my yesterday's stubbornness.
What can I do so that I am not ashamed, so that the magazine does not tell how I was naughty, how I was capricious? .. I clearly see one way ... not to be naughty, not to be capricious and obey my mother ... However, this is very difficult.
Today all the teachers were very pleased with me. After dinner, I spent the whole evening playing with Vasya a game that I don’t like at all: soldiers. Mamma praised me very much for that, and Vasya flung himself on my neck and kissed me. This made me so happy...
Today we had a guest - a beautiful lady! She had on a lovely hat with feathers, I will certainly make the same for my doll. After dinner I went to the living room. Papa and mama were talking to the lady. I did not understand many of their words; I only noticed one thing: this lady was very surprised why we had so few servants in the house, and yet everything was in such order. “You are right,” she said to her mother, “you are very happy in choosing people.” “No,” answered mother, “but I do the housework myself.” “How is that possible? - objected the lady, - I can’t do it like that. “Who looks after your house?” asked papa. "My husband," the lady replied. “Well, now it’s not surprising,” dad objected, “that you have servants twice as many as ours, and yet everything is not done in the house, as it should be. Your husband is busy with the service, he is not at home all morning, he returns and works all evening, when is he to do housework? And that's why no one cares about them." “That is almost true,” answered the lady, “but what can be done? How to help this? “I dare to think,” said papa, “that doing housework is a woman’s business; her job is to go into all the details, to settle scores, to oversee order. “It’s impossible for me,” the lady answered, “I wasn’t brought up like that: until my marriage I had no idea about what is called housekeeping, I only knew how to play with dolls, dress myself and dance. Now I would like to think about the economy, but I don’t know how to start. Whatever order I give, it will be nonsense, and in despair I have already decided to leave everything to my husband, or, better, to no one. Then papa told her for a long time what she should do in order to learn what she had not been taught in childhood, but I could not understand much from his words. They were still talking when a man from home jumped up to her and said that her little child had become very ill after eating. The lady screamed, she was frightened, and she herself became so ill all of a sudden that mother did not dare to let her go alone, but went to her together with her.
Mom returned very late yesterday and said that the child had fallen ill from some untinned saucepan, the doctors think that he will not live to see the morning. Mamma could not help but shed tears as she told how the poor boy suffered, and I began to cry. I could never understand how a child could get sick from an untinned saucepan; but when papa said: “This is what can happen when the mother of the family does not take care of the household herself!” - "How? I asked, “Is a child really dying because his mother is not doing housework?” “Yes, my dear,” answered papa, “if his mother had been taught from childhood to do housework more than dancing, then there would not have been such a misfortune with her.” - "Oh my god! I cried, throwing myself on my mother’s neck, “teach me housekeeping!” “If you please, my dear,” answered mother, “but this cannot be done all of a sudden; you need to get used to it little by little, but will you have enough patience? - "Oh, I assure you that it will get it!" “All right,” said mother, “we will make an experiment. Did you see your underwear in the chest of drawers in your room?” “I saw it, mother.” - “Have you noticed that when the washerwoman Avdotya brings linen to your nanny, then the nanny takes it on a bill?” “I noticed, mother.” - "Now, instead of a nanny, you will accept linen from Avdotya." “But how, mother, can I remember how much of which linen? I noticed that the nanny often makes mistakes and argues with Avdotya. “I won’t be surprised at this,” said mother, “because your nanny does not know how to read and write, but for you it will be a great help that you can read and write. You write down on a piece of paper all your underwear and note how much, which one. When Avdotya brings it to you, then, looking at the piece of paper, believe that Avdotya brought everything that you gave her. “Oh, mother, it’s very easy! It's good that I can read and write! “You see, my dear,” said mother, “remember how you missed when they forced you to read a book or write off prescriptions, then you didn’t want to believe me, as it is necessary.” - “Oh, mother! I cried, “now I will believe you in everything, but tell me, does linen belong to the household?” - “Yes, my dear, this is part of the economy, you will learn the rest in time, now notice, once and for all, that there can be no economy without order, and order must be in linen, and in the maintenance of servants, and in purchases. , and in his own dress, in a word, in everything, and if you do not observe order in one thing, then the servants will not observe it in another, and that is why everything in the house will go upside down, from this such misfortunes occur what happened to this lady's child."
