The Green Lamp read online - Alexander Green. The Green Lamptext About Henry the Green Lamp read

Alexander Green

GREEN LAMP

In London in 1920, in winter, on the corner of Piccadilly and One Lane, two well-dressed middle-aged people stopped. They had just left an expensive restaurant. There they had dinner, drank wine and joked with artists from the Drurilensky Theater.

Now their attention was drawn to a motionless, poorly dressed man of about twenty-five, around whom a crowd began to gather.

Stilton cheese! - the fat gentleman said disgustedly to his tall friend, seeing that he had bent down and was peering at the man lying down. - Honestly, you shouldn’t spend so much time on this carrion. He's drunk or dead.

“I’m hungry... and I’m alive,” muttered the unfortunate man, rising to look at Stilton, who was thinking about something. - It was a faint.

Reimer! - said Stilton. - Here's a chance to make a joke. I came up with an interesting idea. I'm tired of ordinary entertainment, and there's only one way to joke well: making toys out of people.

These words were spoken quietly, so that the man lying and now leaning against the fence did not hear them.

Reimer, who did not care, shrugged his shoulders contemptuously, said goodbye to Stilton and went to while away the night at his club, and Stilton, with the approval of the crowd and with the help of a policeman, put the homeless man into a cab.

The crew headed to one of Gaystreet's taverns. The poor guy's name was John Eve. He came to London from Ireland to seek service or work. Yves was an orphan, raised in the family of a forester. Apart from elementary school, he received no education. When Yves was 15 years old, his teacher died, the adult children of the forester left - some to America, some to South Wales, some to Europe, and Yves worked for some time for a farmer. Then he had to experience the work of a coal miner, a sailor, a servant in a tavern, and at the age of 22 he fell ill with pneumonia and, upon leaving the hospital, decided to try his luck in London. But competition and unemployment soon showed him that finding work was not so easy. He spent the night in parks, on wharves, became hungry, grew thin, and was, as we have seen, raised by Stilton, the owner of trading warehouses in the City.

Stilton, at the age of 40, experienced everything that a single person who does not know the worries about lodging and food can experience for money. He owned a fortune of 20 million pounds. What he came up with to do with Yves was complete nonsense, but Stilton was very proud of his invention, since he had the weakness of considering himself a man of great imagination and cunning imagination.

When Yves drank wine, ate well and told Stilton his story, Stilton said:

I want to make you an offer that will immediately make your eyes sparkle. Listen: I’m giving you ten pounds on the condition that tomorrow you rent a room on one of the central streets, on the second floor, with a window onto the street. Every evening, exactly from five to twelve at night, on the windowsill of one window, always the same, there should be a lit lamp, covered with a green lampshade. While the lamp burns for the designated period of time, you will not leave the house from five to twelve, you will not receive anyone and you will not speak to anyone. In a word, the work is not difficult, and if you agree to do so, I will send you ten pounds every month. I won't tell you my name.

If you’re not joking,” answered Yves, terribly amazed at the proposal, “then I agree to forget even my own name.” But tell me, please, how long will this prosperity of mine last?

This is unknown. Maybe a year, maybe a lifetime.

Better. But - I dare to ask - why did you need this green illumination?

Secret! - Stilton replied. - Great secret! The lamp will serve as a signal for people and things about which you will never know anything.

Understand. That is, I don’t understand anything. Fine; drive the coin and know that tomorrow at the address I provided, John Eve will illuminate the window with a lamp!

Thus a strange deal took place, after which the tramp and the millionaire parted, quite satisfied with each other.

Saying goodbye, Stilton said:

Write post restante like this: "3-33-6". Also keep in mind that who knows when, maybe in a month, maybe in a year, in a word, completely unexpectedly, suddenly you will be visited by people who will make you a wealthy person. Why and how this is - I have no right to explain. But it will happen...

Damn it! - Yves muttered, looking after the cab that was taking Stilton away, and thoughtfully twirling the ten-pound ticket. - Either this man has gone crazy, or I am a special lucky guy. Promise such a heap of grace just for the fact that I burn half a liter of kerosene a day.

The next evening, one second-floor window of the gloomy house number 52 River Street shone with a soft green light. The lamp was moved close to the frame.

Two passersby looked for a while at the green window from the sidewalk opposite the house; then Stilton said:

So, my dear Reimer, when you are bored, come here and smile. There, outside the window, sits a fool. A fool bought cheaply, in installments, for a long time. He will get drunk from boredom or go crazy... But he will wait, not knowing what. Yes, here he is!

Indeed, a dark figure, leaning his forehead against the glass, looked into the semi-darkness of the street, as if asking: “Who is there? What should I expect? Who will come?”

1.
In London in 1920, in winter, on the corner of Piccadilly and One Lane, two well-dressed middle-aged people stopped. They had just left an expensive restaurant. There they had dinner, drank wine and joked with artists from the Drurilensky Theater.
Now their attention was drawn to a motionless, poorly dressed man of about twenty-five, around whom a crowd began to gather.
- Stilton! - the fat gentleman said disgustedly to his tall friend, seeing that he had bent down and was peering at the man lying down. - Honestly, you shouldn’t spend so much time on this carrion. He's drunk or dead.
- I am hungry. . . and I’m alive,” muttered the unfortunate man, rising to look at Stilton, who was thinking about something. - It was a faint.
- Reimer! - said Stilton. - Here's a chance to make a joke. I came up with an interesting idea. I'm tired of ordinary entertainment, and there's only one way to joke well: making toys out of people.
These words were spoken quietly, so that the man lying and now leaning against the fence did not hear them.
Reimer, who did not care, shrugged his shoulders contemptuously, said goodbye to Stilton and went to while away the night at his club, and Stilton, with the approval of the crowd and with the help of a policeman, put the homeless man into a cab.
The crew headed to one of Gaystreet's taverns. The poor guy's name was John Eve. He came to London from Ireland to seek service or work. Yves was an orphan, raised in the family of a forester. Apart from elementary school, he received no education. When Yves was 15 years old, his teacher died, the adult children of the forester left - some to America, some to South Wales, some to Europe, and Yves worked for some time for a farmer. Then he had to experience the work of a coal miner, a sailor, a servant in a tavern, and at the age of 22 he fell ill with pneumonia and, upon leaving the hospital, decided to try his luck in London. But competition and unemployment soon showed him that finding work was not so easy. He spent the night in parks, on wharves, became hungry, grew thin, and was, as we have seen, raised by Stilton, the owner of trading warehouses in the City. Stilton, at the age of 40, experienced everything that a single person who does not know the worries about lodging and food can experience for money. He owned a fortune of 20 million pounds. What he came up with to do with Yves was complete nonsense, but Stilton was very proud of his invention, since he had the weakness of considering himself a man of great imagination and cunning imagination. When Yves drank wine, ate well and told Stilton his story, Stilton said: “I want to make you an offer that will make your eyes sparkle.” Listen: I’m giving you ten pounds on the condition that tomorrow you rent a room on one of the central streets, on the second floor, with a window onto the street. Every evening, exactly from five to twelve at night, on the windowsill of one window, always the same, there should be a lit lamp, covered with a green lampshade. While the lamp burns for the designated period of time, you will not leave the house from five to twelve, you will not receive anyone and you will not speak to anyone. In a word, the work is not difficult, and if you agree to do so, I will send you ten pounds every month. I won't tell you my name. “If you’re not joking,” answered Yves, terribly amazed at the proposal, “then I agree to forget even my own name.” But tell me, please, how long will this prosperity of mine last? - This is unknown. Maybe a year, maybe a lifetime. - Better. But - I dare to ask - why did you need this green illumination? - Secret! - Stilton replied. - Great secret! The lamp will serve as a signal for people and things about which you will never know anything. - Understand. That is, I don’t understand anything. Fine; drive the coin and know that tomorrow at the address I provided, John Eve will illuminate the window with a lamp! Thus a strange deal took place, after which the tramp and the millionaire parted, quite satisfied with each other. Saying goodbye, Stilton said: “Write poste restante like this: “3-33-6.” Also keep in mind that who knows when, maybe in a month, maybe in a year, in a word, completely unexpectedly, suddenly you will be visited by people who will make you a wealthy person. Why and how this is - I have no right to explain. But it will happen.

Green Alexander

Green lamp

Alexander Green

GREEN LAMP

Now their attention was drawn to a motionless, poorly dressed man of about twenty-five, around whom a crowd began to gather.

“I’m hungry... and I’m alive,” muttered the unfortunate man, rising to look at Stilton, who was thinking about something. - It was a faint.

Reimer! - said Stilton. - Here's a chance to make a joke. I came up with an interesting idea. I'm tired of ordinary entertainment, and there's only one way to joke well: making toys out of people.

These words were spoken quietly, so that the man lying and now leaning against the fence did not hear them.

When Yves drank wine, ate well and told Stilton his story, Stilton said:

If you’re not joking,” answered Yves, terribly amazed at the proposal, “then I agree to forget even my own name.” But tell me, please, how long will this prosperity of mine last?

This is unknown. Maybe a year, maybe a lifetime.

Better. But - I dare to ask - why did you need this green illumination?

Secret! - Stilton replied. - Great secret! The lamp will serve as a signal for people and things about which you will never know anything.

Understand. That is, I don’t understand anything. Fine; drive the coin and know that tomorrow at the address I provided, John Eve will illuminate the window with a lamp!

Thus a strange deal took place, after which the tramp and the millionaire parted, quite satisfied with each other.

Saying goodbye, Stilton said:

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Alexander Green

GREEN LAMP

Now their attention was drawn to a motionless, poorly dressed man of about twenty-five, around whom a crowd began to gather.

“I’m hungry... and I’m alive,” muttered the unfortunate man, rising to look at Stilton, who was thinking about something. - It was a faint.

Reimer! - said Stilton. - Here's a chance to make a joke. I came up with an interesting idea. I'm tired of ordinary entertainment, and there's only one way to joke well: making toys out of people.

These words were spoken quietly, so that the man lying and now leaning against the fence did not hear them.

When Yves drank wine, ate well and told Stilton his story, Stilton said:

If you’re not joking,” answered Yves, terribly amazed at the proposal, “then I agree to forget even my own name.” But tell me, please, how long will this prosperity of mine last?

This is unknown. Maybe a year, maybe a lifetime.

Better. But - I dare to ask - why did you need this green illumination?

Secret! - Stilton replied. - Great secret! The lamp will serve as a signal for people and things about which you will never know anything.

Understand. That is, I don’t understand anything. Fine; drive the coin and know that tomorrow at the address I provided, John Eve will illuminate the window with a lamp!

Thus a strange deal took place, after which the tramp and the millionaire parted, quite satisfied with each other.

Saying goodbye, Stilton said:

The next evening, one second-floor window of the gloomy house number 52 River Street shone with a soft green light. The lamp was moved close to the frame.

Two passersby looked for a while at the green window from the sidewalk opposite the house; then Stilton said:

Indeed, a dark figure, leaning his forehead against the glass, looked into the semi-darkness of the street, as if asking: “Who is there? What should I expect? Who will come?”

However, you are also a fool, my dear,” said Reimer, taking his friend by the arm and dragging him towards the car. - What's funny about this joke?

A toy... a toy made from a living person, - said Stilton, the sweetest food!

In 1928, a hospital for the poor, located on one of the outskirts of London, was filled with wild screams: an old man who had just been brought in, a dirty, poorly dressed man with an emaciated face, was screaming in terrible pain. He broke his leg when he tripped on the back stairs of a dark den.

The victim was taken to the surgical department. The case turned out to be serious, since a complex bone fracture caused rupture of blood vessels.

Based on the inflammatory process of the tissues that had already begun, the surgeon who examined the poor man concluded that surgery was necessary. It was immediately carried out, after which the weakened old man was laid on a bed, and he soon fell asleep, and when he woke up, he saw that the same surgeon who had deprived him of his right leg was sitting in front of him.

So this is how we had to meet! - said the doctor, a serious, tall man with a sad look. - Do you recognize me, Mr. Stilton? - I am John Eve, whom you assigned to be on duty every day at the burning green lamp. I recognized you at first sight.

Thousand devils! - Stilton muttered, peering. - What happened? Is it possible?

Yes. Tell us what changed your lifestyle so dramatically?

I went broke... several big losses... panic on the stock exchange... It's been three years since I became a beggar. And you? You?

“I lit a lamp for several years,” Yves smiled, “and at first out of boredom, and then with enthusiasm I began to read everything that came to hand. One day I opened an old anatomy that was lying on the shelf of the room where I lived, and I was amazed. A fascinating country of secrets of the human body opened up before me. Like a drunk, I sat all night reading this book, and in the morning I went to the library and asked: “What do you need to study to become a doctor?” The answer was mocking: “Study mathematics, geometry, botany, zoology, morphology, biology, pharmacology, Latin, etc.” But I stubbornly interrogated, and I wrote everything down for myself as a memory.