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? Waking 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 ordered me to keep, and the inkwell that my father gave me somehow mixed it all up 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 nurse 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 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 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,” papa 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, was frightened, and 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.
Masha writes that she is ten years old. Her mother said that she was old enough to keep a diary of everything that happened during the day. Mom gave the girl a beautiful book in morocco binding, and dad gave a pretty inkwell with a bell.
Masha showed her mother the magazine. Mom was unhappy that the girl did not write anything about her misdeed yesterday. It turns out that the day before, Masha's brother, Vasya, invited her to play with him. The girl writes: “... 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 nurse 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 Masha
I didn't write it down in my diary because I was ashamed. But my mother said that you need to write even your bad deeds, so that you can re-read them later and not forget about them. That's the only way to fix it.
Masha wrote that she would try to behave well. And then it will not be a shame to write down everything that happens to her in a diary.
A very beautiful lady came to visit Masha's parents. She was smartly dressed. The lady was delighted that such order reigned in the house. She told Masha's mother that she must have very good servants. But Mashina's mother objected that she herself was doing the housework. The guest replied that she herself did not know how to do this, everything was decided by her husband. But the husband is very busy in the service, so it turns out that no one is engaged in housekeeping. The machine's father began to tell the guest that a woman should take care of the household. It turns out that the elegant guest was brought up differently. Before marriage, she could only play with dolls, dress herself and dance. And now she has learned nothing. While the guest was talking to Masha's parents, a man from her house arrived. It turns out that her little child suddenly became ill after eating. The guest was very scared. Mom's car went with her.
Mom's car came back late. She said that the child suffered from the fact that he was fed from some untinned saucepan. Doctors believed that the child would not live to see the morning. The mother was crying, she was very sorry for the child. Masha writes: “I could not 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 engaged in household chores? “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.”
Dad's words made a huge impression on Masha. And she asked her mother to teach her how to manage the household. Mom said it takes patience. And you need to learn gradually. To begin with, the mother told the girl that now she would accept linen from the laundress after washing. Masha had to write down all the linen that was given for washing, and then take it in according to the inventory. The nanny used to do it. But since she was illiterate, unable to read and write, she often made mistakes. Now Masha was glad that she could read and write. After all, it was easy for her to figure out whether the washerwoman had returned all the linen. Masha realized that underwear is part of the household, like everything else. And everything must be kept in order.
The woman's child died. Masha realized that there can be no trifles in the household. She took the linen according to the register, then calculated how much soap to wash.
The car's dad showed the girl geographical maps, explained what they were for. Masha learned that any city can be found on the map. The conversation turned not only to geography, but also to history. And Masha said that she would very much like to learn everything. Dad said that tomorrow he would tell her more about what history is.
Masha took linen. And she did everything right. The nanny was even surprised, because everything went off without a dispute. Before, the nanny always argued with the laundress. Masha's mother was very pleased and promised to take her daughter to a children's ball soon. Masha went to her dad to tell her about what history is. The Pope said that history is a description of various incidents that have ever happened. You can learn about what happened once upon a time from records similar to those that Masha herself maintains. Dad explained to the girl that a lot changes over time. And it can be very interesting to know how people dressed; what were the customs. Dad told about his grandfather’s grandfather: “... you know the old man with a 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.” Masha realized that knowing history is very interesting. The Pope said that one can learn the history of both one's own people and other peoples. And the girl began to think about how much she had to learn in the future.
Masha was very happy because her mother gave her a small kitchen appliance. This was necessary so that Masha knew what was needed for the kitchen. The girl learned the name of each thing and what it is used for.
Masha writes that she was very tired the day before and did not write anything. Therefore, I took up the pen only today. Masha was at the ball with Countess Vorotynskaya. The well-dressed guests had a great time. The rooms were decorated. Masha drew attention to the girl who was sitting in the corner. She was simply dressed and wore worn gloves. Masha met a girl named Tanya. She was sweet and welcoming. Tanya taught Masha how to cut out pictures, stick them on wood or glass, transfer fresh flowers onto paper, and draw pictures. Masha listened to Tanya with interest.
The dance ended, Masha's friends ran up to Masha. They began to hug her. Masha noticed that no one talked to Tanya, everyone looked at her with contempt. Masha was uncomfortable. And she herself began to constantly turn to Tanya. But suddenly the little mistress of the house, Countess Mimi, approached Masha. She took Masha away, saying that she wanted to show her other rooms.
When they moved away, Mimi asked Masha not to talk to Tanya. She said the other girls didn't talk to her. And Mimi herself does not understand why her mother allowed Tanya to come to the ball. Tanya was the teacher's daughter. Mimi said:
“Look at what black gloves she has on, how badly her shoes fit; they say that she goes to her daddy’s kitchen!” Masha wanted to stand up for Tanya, but all the girls began to laugh and repeat: "He goes to the kitchen, cook, cook." Masha could not utter a word. The dancing began. The girls still laughed at Tanya, called her a cook. One girl even approached Tanya and said: “Oh, how the kitchen smells from you!” Tanya replied: “I am surprised at this, because I left the dress in which I go to the kitchen at home, but this one 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 household.
- “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 this?”
After these words, Tanya almost burst into tears. All the girls left her alone. And Masha went with them. Masha was very ashamed, but she did not dare to contradict her friends. Masha felt guilty. But suddenly the mother of Countess Mimi noticed that the girls treat Tanya badly. And she decided to fix the situation. She invited the girls to cut paper silhouettes to make a collection of portraits. All the girls took paper and pencils. But no one succeeded. Only Tanya quickly drew the silhouette of Countess Mimi, then cut it out. The portrait was very similar. Everyone was delighted.
Masha wanted Tanya to carve her portrait too. But it was a shame to ask, because Masha understood that she could not protect Tanya from the girls. However, Tanya herself carved her portrait and gave it to the countess, Mimi's mother. Then she made another portrait and gave it to Masha.
Masha threw herself on her neck and asked her forgiveness. Mimi was embarrassed. But she didn't say anything. Then Countess Vorotynskaya offered to play the piano. Mimi began to play, but she played very badly. Other girls also played badly. Tanya was great. Masha deliberately played the simplest sonata so as not to overshadow Tanya's skill. Masha's mother understood this and praised her daughter for her kindness. Masha asked her mother to allow Tanya to come to visit them. Mom allowed.
Dad invited the children to play. When they approached the table, they saw a geographical map. It was pasted on the board. There were small holes in the places where the names of the cities were located. Dad handed out buttons to the children and suggested that they imagine that they were going to Moscow and should show the way to the coachmen. Buttons had to be inserted into holes to show the way to Moscow. If someone does not know where to put the button, he must pay the other players a silver patch. Dad chose a map where the names of the cities were not written. Children began to play and made mistakes.
Dad explained how to navigate the map depending on the lines (meridians).
Masha went into the room and saw five hundred rubles on her mother's table. The girl was surprised, because it was a lot of money. And my mother often said that they were not rich. The conversation turned to wealth. Mom asked her daughter what it means to be rich. Masha replied that it meant having a lot of money. Mom said that every thing has its price. She told the girl how much is spent on food, clothes, an apartment, and much, much more. Mom said that even a rich person should not throw money away, buy unnecessary things. Otherwise, he will get into debt, go bankrupt.
Mom explained to her daughter that you need to properly manage the household, spend exactly as much money as you need. She herself made many mistakes in her time. No one taught her how to run a household; in childhood, she was taught only music, languages, dances, and embroidery. And she knew nothing about income and expenses. When Masha's mother got married, she could not reduce income with expenses. And my husband was very angry. She spent a lot of money on one thing, as a result, not enough for another; often bought unnecessary things or expensive things that you can do without. Then Masha's mother learned everything, put her household in order. I began to do without those things that were not particularly necessary.
Mom told Masha that each person should correspond to the position that he occupies in the world. For example, if she wears the same dresses that the maids wear, she will be condemned for this. But no one will blame Masha's mother for not wearing such expensive dresses as the familiar princess wears. The mother said to the girl: “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.
Masha began to understand that you need to live according to your income. You need to calculate your money so that you can buy everything you need. In order for the girl to better learn these lessons, her mother said that now she herself would have the money intended for her maintenance. That is, every month my mother promised to give Masha a certain amount of money. And the girl had to manage them and record all expenses.
Masha had eighty-five rubles. The girl wrote in the book: "The arrival, May 1, 85 rubles." Mom told her that she needed to calculate all the necessary purchases. “Think carefully about what you lack in your wardrobe, consider your money and decide in advance what exactly you need.” Masha thought about it and decided that she needed two dresses. She already had two dresses. But one became narrow and short, and the other could still be worn. Masha also needed a hat, shoes and gloves. After preliminary calculations, Masha realized that after all the purchases she still had money left. And my mother said that's how it should be. You need to keep money in reserve.
Masha woke up early, she was pleased with the thought that today she herself would choose the fabric for dresses. Together with their mother, they went to the store. The girl saw beautiful material, asked her mother if she could buy it. Mom told her to decide for herself. And asked the price of the fabric. The seller said that an arshin of fabric costs ten rubles. Mom told Masha that the dress needed four arshins. So, you have to spend forty rubles. And it's very expensive. According to preliminary calculations, the girl had to spend no more than thirty rubles on dresses. Masha began to ask her mother why she couldn't spend more. And my mother said: “... we must 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?”
Masha understood that her mother was right. But the fabric was so beautiful that the girl could not resist. And she asked if it was impossible to make one instead of two dresses. Mom said that, of course, this can be done. But she also told Masha that she really needed two dresses, she couldn't do without them. And therefore it would be unwise to choose expensive material.
Fortunately, the seller said that there is another material similar to the one that the girl liked so much. This material costs three rubles per arshin. Masha said that it was expensive too. But my mother replied that another dress might be cheaper. And that way you can make ends meet.
And indeed, for another dress, Masha found cheap fabric, which cost a ruble and fifty kopecks per arshin. As a result, only three rubles more was spent on two dresses than planned in advance. Mom said that we need to save these three rubles on something else.
Masha and her mother bought a hat for seventeen rubles; boots for four rubles and gloves. Then they went back to the fabric store to buy dress lining. In the store they saw a lady who was choosing expensive fabrics. She bought everything that the seller showed. Masha looked at the lady with envy, thinking how rich she was. It turned out that Masha's mother and this lady are familiar. The lady invited Masha's mother to her place to show a new painting that her husband had just bought.
Masha and her mother got into the rich lady's carriage. Masha really enjoyed riding in the carriage. The lady said that she could not imagine how one could do without a carriage. But Masha Mama objected that some people get along just fine without her.
In the car house, mother and the hostess went to see the picture. Masha stayed in the living room. The little daughter of the hostess played here, no one looked after her. Masha noticed that the girl was wearing an old dress, the buckle on the belt was broken, so the belt was stabbed with a pin. The cape on the dress was torn and wrinkled, the shoes were old and worn out.
When Masha and her mother were walking home, they began to talk about the child's strange outfit. The car mother said that the lady is much richer than her, but the daughter wears old, worn-out shoes. And all this because the lady thinks only about her whims. And she does not even think that she can go bankrupt. Masha said that she would never give vent to whims. Mom said it was very difficult. But still, you have to try.
Masha and her mother went to the store to buy belts. The girl drew attention to the beautiful neckerchief. It cost five rubles. But my mother said that buying a scarf is a whim, a whim. Masha began to beg to buy a scarf, because she had money left, and she didn’t have a single scarf. Masha had twenty rubles left. But my mother said that ten rubles had to be paid for sewing dresses. And you need to leave something in reserve. Masha said that after buying a scarf, there would still be five rubles left. Mom objected: “You really wanted this handkerchief, it is quite expensive, but you can do without it. Do you know, Masha, that with these five rubles you can buy ten arshins of hemp, 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.
Masha realized that she was wrong. And she said that, indeed, let mom buy fabric for poor babies. Mom praised the girl for being ready to give up her whim. Mom told her daughter: “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 in the household of the whole house.
Mom told the girl to write down all the expenses made. She also advised to write on the first page of the expense book the words of the Apostle Paul: “He is rich who is content with what he has” and the words of Franklin: “If you buy what you do not need, then soon you will sell what you need ".
The genre of diary entries is very interesting. They allow you to understand the thoughts and feelings of the person who made them. In the work of Odoevsky there is no plot as such. We look at the world through the eyes of a ten-year-old girl, learn about the events of her life. The experiences and impressions of the girl are shown very authentically. Masha's diary entries show us how the girl grows up, how her worldview changes, how she becomes more serious and responsible.
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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? Waking 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 ordered me to keep, and the inkwell that my father gave me somehow mixed it all up 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 nurse 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 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 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,” papa 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, was frightened, and 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, mama, 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 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 economy, you will learn the rest in time, now note, once and for all, that without order there can be no economy, 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."
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. That means... that I'm already a big girl!..
Besides how fun it will be to read your journal after a while, 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? Waking 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 ordered me to keep, and the inkwell that my father gave me somehow mixed it all up 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 nurse 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 be in your journal? 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? - objected the lady, - 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, was frightened, and 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 engaged in household chores? “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 economy, you will learn the rest in time, now note, once and for all, that without order there can be no economy, 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."
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 seen by one small dot, or, rather, by this house with a cross on top, which you see here. “Oh, how curious! - I said to my dad. “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, was a little angry, because the matter went off without any disputes and in the most a short 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 us 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 wore different names, of which many 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 due course. 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, everyone is so smart: the rooms are so light, everything sparkles! .. Waiting for the end of the dance, I sat down next to 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 a few 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; it is very easy and can be done soon: each of you will make the 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 a 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 vanity was, I contented myself 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 had always been 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, in fact, our guide 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. - "O! - 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, we, together with the brothers, 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?
O! 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, I saw how unfairly this name was given to me: I didn’t know what to do, everything in my house didn’t go well, and your dad was angry with me because I didn’t know how to combine 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 expenses in accordance with our condition, because most of the money received
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? Waking 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 ordered me to keep, and the inkwell that my father gave me somehow mixed it all up 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 nurse 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 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 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,” papa 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, was frightened, and 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, mama, 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 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 economy, you will learn the rest in time, now note, once and for all, that without order there can be no economy, 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."
