Аннотация: MMMDXCIV. Leo Tolstoy in South Korea. A fantasy-political short story. - January 1, 2025.
Leo Tolstoy in South Korea. A fantasy-political short story.
Leo Tolstoy walks through Seoul.
He approaches the parliament. There is a fight at the entrance to the parliament: people in military uniforms are fighting with people in suits, white shirts and ties.
Tanks are approaching and stopping. The barrels of the tanks begin to move: the barrels are aiming at the parliament.
Next to Tolstoy is a group of people dressed like tourists. Leo Tolstoy hears Russian words: 'Октябрь 1993-го! Октябрь 1993-го!' ("October 1993! October 1993!").
Tolstoy turns to tourists for clarification: "What's going on, monsieurs?!"
"The President of South Korea has imposed martial law! Troops are blocking the parliament!"
Leo Tolstoy went to the entrance of the parliament. He went up the steps. Fighting people are watching: a man with a beard, an unusual appearance. The shirt he's wearing is not Korean at all. Who is this man?
They stopped fighting. At that moment, someone shouted, "It's Leo Tolstoy!"
Everyone is quiet, all are looking at Tolstoy.
Leo Tolstoy looked at the crowds of people around and said, "Greetings to the people of South Korea! Before visiting your country, I read an article about Korea in one of our encyclopedias. Korean culture is one of the oldest cultures in the world." (People in military uniforms, people in suits and ties, all the other people began to smile).
Tolstoy continues his speech: "I have not found any references in this encyclopedia about serfdom in Korea. I've read about the Mongol invasions to Korea, but I haven't seen any mention of the Mongol yoke!"
Tolstoy saw a person standing not far from him with face, frown slightly.
Tolstoy asks this man: "Who are you? Am I saying something wrong?"
That person answers: "I'm a history professor. No, no! Don't pay attention to my facial expressions. Keep your speech!"
Tolstoy is preparing to continue his speech, but at that time a little boy asks him a question: "And what about North Korea?"
Tolstoy replies to the boy: "As I understand from the encyclopedia, in history there have always been differences between the northern and southern territories of Korea."
The professor winces again, but Tolstoy does not address him with questions.
At that time, there is some movement at the entrance: people are running into the parliament building.
Tolstoy continues his speech to the crowds gathered outside the parliament: "I have great respect for South Korea and I greet the people of South Korea!"
Smiles appear on the faces of everyone present again.
At this moment, a man in a suit and tie comes out of parliament, politely bows to Leo Tolstoy (as a sign of greeting) and addresses the people gathered near the parliament.
"As Chairman of the Parliament, I inform everyone that we, the members of Parliament, have gathered, voted and lifted martial law!"
The Chairman of the Parliament enters the Parliament building again.
A man gets out of one of the tanks, stands on the tank, and says, "I am the Minister of Defense. I pay my respects to the esteemed Leo Tolstoy and announce my order: in accordance with the constitutional decision of the Parliament, I order the military units to return to their places of deployment! I apologize to the people of South Korea!" The Defense minister takes out a paper with the president's order and defiantly tears it up in front of the public (a copy of this order remains in the presidential office for the investigating authorities).
The tanks start their engines and move away from the square (in front of the parliament), followed by other military units.
Once again, the Chairman of parliament appears from the parliament building, bows (as a sign of respect) to Leo Tolstoy and informs the assembled people:
"I'm informing everyone: We have decided to impeach the president who declared martial law! The President is dismissed from office until the issue is considered by the Constitutional Court!"
Leo Tolstoy is very surprised: everyone is calm, no one is shooting, shops are operating normally, and transport is moving without obstacles.
Tolstoy says, addressing the assembled people: "Congratulations! Everything seems to be in order. I see that the encyclopedia informed me correctly before my visit to South Korea. It was a pleasure for me to meet the people of South Korea. I have to return to Russia because I need to finish my novel 'Anna Karenina'."
Cheers can be heard from the crowd: "Tolstoy! Tolstoy!"
Leo Tolstoy begins to descend the steps to the square. He thinks: "Well, until the Constitutional Court considers the issue of impeachment of the president, the XXII century will come...".
A group of people runs through the square.
Tolstoy asks the history professor: "Why are these people running!? Is the president suspending the chief prosecutor? Is the president stopping the activities of the Constitutional Court?"
The history professor replies to Leo Tolstoy: "It is the staff of the prosecutor's office and the investigative authorities who are running to court to ask to arrest the president on suspicion of treason."
Leo Tolstoy is surprised by such promptness.
People are leaving the square: they are going to work (competition in the markets of high-tech products is very intense; every second is precious).
Leo Tolstoy hurries to the port. He plans to catch the ship on which Anton Chekhov returns to Russia (via the Suez Canal) after visiting Sakhalin.
In Yasnaya Polyana, Leo Tolstoy learns that the court has decided to arrest the president of South Korea on suspicion of treason.
He thoughtfully writes in the manuscript of the novel "Anna Karenina": "All happy families are similar to each other, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."
("What will censorship be able to object to this almost revolutionary thesis?" Leo Tolstoy thinks).
January 1, 2025, 18:50
Translation from Russian into English: January 1, 2025 20:28
Владимир Владимирович Залесский ' Лев Толстой в Южной Корее. Политико-фантастический рассказ. '.
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MMMDXCIV. Leo Tolstoy in South Korea. A fantasy-political short story. - January 1, 2025.
Vladimir Zalessky Internet-bibliotheca. Интернет-библиотека Владимира Залесского}