Chapter 924 Lenin Library

  Sokov was having a fierce ideological struggle in his heart, whether he should tell the two girls in front of him the news that he was married. After deliberating over and over again, he finally decided to hide the news for the time being.

  After the three of them finished their dinner, Anne took the initiative to wash the dishes, while Tonya and Sokov continued to sit at the table and chat. Tonya asked, "Misha, is there a shortage of medical personnel in your division?"

"It goes without saying," Sokov instinctively replied, "During such a brutal battle, the casualty ratio of medical personnel is also very high. As far as I know, the field hospitals of some divisions can be said to be completely wiped out." , none of the medical staff survived."

  Sokov's words surprised Tonya and Annie who was washing dishes, "What, so many casualties?"

   Seeing the surprised expressions of the two, Sokov asked back: "I don't know if you have heard a sentence?"

   "What words?"

  Sokov smiled miserably, and said lightly: "In the city of Stalingrad, ordinary soldiers can only survive for 24 hours, and the survival time of officers is only 72 hours."

   Except for a period of time spent in the Western Front, Tonya and Annie spent most of their time in Moscow, and they didn't have enough understanding of the cruelty of the battlefield. So what Sokov said frightened them. After a while, Annie murmured, "But, Misha, you managed to survive."

"Yes, I survived, but I have been injured many times." Sokov took off his jumper, pointed to several scars on his body, and said to the two: "Look, I am the teacher alone. Yes, I have been injured several times, if I hadn’t been lucky, I would have been lying on the cold ground.”

After redressing, Sokov said to the two girls: "On the battlefield, there is no distinction between men and women, only soldiers and civilians. If you want to go to the battlefield, you must be prepared to sacrifice. You are ready ?"

Hearing Sokov's question, Tonya and Annie looked at each other, and then replied in a weak voice: "We are ready, as long as the front line needs us, we will go to the front line without hesitation .”

   "Good job, girls." Sokov nodded at the two, approvingly said: "You are all good."

Time passed unknowingly, and I don't know how long it has passed. Annie looked up accidentally, saw the wall clock hanging on the wall, and exclaimed: "My God, it's almost twelve o'clock, you are not sleepy at all!" ?"

   "It's getting late, you two should go to bed early." Sokov said to the two: "You sleep in the room, and I sleep in the kitchen."

   After the two left the kitchen, Sokov put together several chairs and prepared to lie on them and sleep. At this time, Annie walked in with a quilt in her arms and asked, "Misha, how long can you stay in Moscow this time?"

   "I don't know." Sokov shook his head: "Now the army is fighting the German army. As the division commander, I cannot leave for too long. I may return to Stalingrad at any time."

   "Misha, if you have time during the day, would you like to go outside with me?" Annie blushed and said, "It's my turn to rest tomorrow."

  Sokov thought for a while, and then said: "Annie, if the superior doesn't send someone to look for me, I can accompany you out for a walk."

"That's really great." Hearing Sokov's answer, Anne couldn't help but smile: "Then it's settled, we'll see you tomorrow. Good night!" She waved to Sokov, and walked out of the kitchen lightly. .

  Sokov turned off the light and the door, lay on the chair, thinking to himself, if Yakov hadn't sent someone to find him, Anne might have become his wife long ago. When I go shopping with her tomorrow, do I need to tell her the news of my marriage?

   It may be that he hasn't rested in such a quiet environment for a long time. Sokov slept very soundly this time. If Anne hadn't woken him up, he might have slept until noon.

  Sokov sat up, rubbed his eyes, and asked Annie weakly: "Annie, why are you alone? Where is Tonya?"

   "Donia has already gone to work." Annie smiled and said to Sokov, "Misha, I made you breakfast, hurry up and eat."

  Breakfast is very simple, that is, two slices of sliced ​​pickled cucumbers and a thin slice of rubbed ham sausage are sandwiched between slices of bread, and there is also a bowl of red cabbage soup left over from last night, with two small sticks of cooked beef added.

After breakfast, Sokov asked Annie: "Annie, can you take me to your hospital to make a phone call? I want to ask if the superior has any arrangements for today. If not, I can go shopping with you. "

   After confirming that Sokov was willing to go shopping with him, Anne couldn't help being overjoyed. She took Sokov to the hospital communication room across the street, and said to the guard, "Can this commander make a call?"

  The guard glanced at Sokov, quickly got up to salute him, and said loudly: "Hello, Comrade Commander, you can use the phone here as you like."

   After thanking him, Sokov picked up the phone and dialed Yakov's office. After hearing Yakov's voice, he said, "Yasha, I'm Sokov. I want to ask if you have any plans for today. If not, I want to walk around the city."

"There is no arrangement today, you can move freely." Yakov looked at the schedule in front of him, but he still reminded Sukov: "When you are wandering around the city, you may encounter patrols. Remember to bring your military ID."

  After putting down the phone, Sokov thanked the guard and left the guard room with Annie. Not long after the two left, a handyman from the hospital walked into the guard's room, looked at Sokov and Anne in the distance, and asked the guard curiously, "Who is that commander?"

   "I don't know." The guard shook his head and replied, "But it seems that he and Anne have a very close relationship. Could it be that her boyfriend came back from the front line?"

  Sokov and Annie naturally couldn't hear the chat between the doorman and the handyman. He asked Annie: "Annie, where are you going to go today?"

"Those classics in the city are now under martial law. If you want to go, I'm afraid your documents will be checked constantly." As for where to go, Anne thought for a long time, and finally said to Sokov: "How about we go to The Lenin Library."

  Lenin Library is the largest library in the Soviet Union, which collects local Russian and foreign documents in 367 languages ​​​​in the world. There are dedicated collections of maps, music, recordings, rare books, treatises, newspapers and other types of publications.

   Later generations of Sokov have passed by there several times, but due to various reasons, they have never entered. Since I heard Annie say that I want to go today, I just happened to go to learn more.

  The two took the subway to the Lenin Library Station. When they got out of the station, they could see the Lenin Library covered by a camouflage net. Even the statue at the door was covered with a camouflage net. Annie led Sokov into the library familiarly, and said as she walked, "It seems that there are not many people today, and the borrowing speed may be faster."

   Unexpectedly, the two of them were stopped by a security guard as soon as they reached the door. Sokov originally thought that today is a closed day, not open to the public. Unexpectedly, the security guard said: "Please show your library card!"

  Annie quickly took out her library card from her pocket and handed it to the security guard. After checking it, the security guard handed it back to Anne, and then extended his hand to Sokov: "Your library card, Comrade Commander."

   "I haven't." Sokov spread his hands and said helplessly, "It's also my first time here."

   "I'm sorry, Comrade Commander." The security guard said in a businesslike manner, "According to the regulations: without a library card, you cannot enter."

   "Comrade," Sokov said politely, "I just came back from the front line, and I haven't had time to apply for a library card. Please see if you can accommodate me and let me go in and have a look."

   "Yes, he just came back from the front and wants to visit the Lenin Library." Anne chimed in and said, "Just let him in."

   "I'm sorry, no one can enter without a library card. This is a rule." The security guard said stubbornly, "If you want to enter, you must apply for a library card."

  Meeting such a single-minded security guard, Sokov also felt speechless. He could only ask with a bitter face: "Excuse me, where should I apply for a library card?"

   "There." The security guard pointed to a small window not far away, and said to Sokov: "As long as you show your valid ID and provide a photo, you can apply for a library card for free."

  Sokov came to the small window pointed by the security guard, looked down and saw a thin old lady sitting inside, and said politely, "Excuse me, I want to get a library card."

  The old lady looked up at Sokov, and said blankly: "Please show your valid ID and provide a photo."

  Sokov hurriedly took out his military ID, passed it in through the window, and said, "There is a photo in the ID, you can use that photo."

The old lady unfolded her military ID, looked at the ID, then looked up at Sokov, then took a small light yellow card from the side, filled in some basic information on it, and pasted the photo on the blank space , picked up another seal, dipped it in the inkpad, and stamped it on the photo with a snap.

  The old lady brought the library card to her mouth, and blew a few breaths on the wet ink pad to speed up the drying process. Taking advantage of this time, Sokov asked with a smile: "May I ask how many people are reading in the library now?"

"It doesn't matter, Comrade Commander." The old lady replied amiably: "People go in to read books all year round. Except last year when the Germans approached the city, there were fewer readers. The number of readers at other times is the same as that before the war. almost."

After the ink pads were dry, the old lady handed the newly issued library card to Sokov, and told him: "Comrade commander, please keep your library card. Remember not to lose it, otherwise you will be the next time If you enter the museum again, you have to come to me to get a new one.”

  With the library card, Sokov and Anne entered the library smoothly. Annie is a frequent visitor here, and as soon as she entered the door, she brought Sokov to the cloakroom and said to him, "Misha, take off your military overcoat and store it here until we leave. "The two of them deposited the clothes, took the voucher for sending the clothes, and continued to walk inside.

  Sokov thought that borrowing books here is the same as in China. He just needs to walk over and explain the books he wants to borrow to the librarian, and the librarian will find them for you. Unexpectedly, after entering here, I found that it is not the same thing. If you want to borrow any books, you must first fill out a card in front of the counter. .

   After handing over the completed card to the librarian, Annie said to Sokov, "Misha, there is a row of chairs over there. Let's sit there and wait."

  Sokov followed Annie to the row of chairs in a daze. After sitting down, he asked curiously, "Annie, didn't you want to borrow a book? How did you end up sitting here?"

   "I'm waiting for the librarian to pick up the book for me." Annie explained to Sokov: "I'll find a place to read when the book is brought over."

"How to get the book?" Sokov saw the female librarian who received the card, sitting there without moving, as if she didn't want to find the book at all: "I see that the librarian sat there and didn't move at all. Pass."

  Hearing Sokov's question, Anne couldn't help laughing: "Misha, is this your first time entering the Lenin Library?"

   "Yes, it's my first time here." Sokov nodded, and said in a positive tone, "Didn't you just see me and apply for a temporary library card?"

"There are too many books here, and it will take a long time to find a book. Therefore, the division of labor in the Lenin Library is very detailed." Anne explained to Sukov: "Don't look at that woman. The librarian is sitting still, but her responsibility is to collect the cards filled in by the readers. Every fifteen minutes, a staff member will appear, and he will take all the cards in the librarian's hand , go back and arrange for people to find the books we want to read."

   "So that's the case." Hearing Annie's explanation, Sokov suddenly felt that his knowledge had increased again. He felt that this division of labor was very scientific. Some were responsible for collecting borrowing cards, and some were responsible for finding books at the back according to the cards. Everyone performed their duties, making the entire Lenin Library look orderly.

Not long after, Sokov saw a male staff member appear beside the female librarian. After taking a stack of cards from her hand, he turned and walked into the back full of bookshelves. It should be Help readers find books.

After waiting for about twenty minutes, Sokov heard the sound of the wheels of the trolley rolling on the marble floor. He followed the sound and saw the male staff member who had left earlier pushing a cart full of books. The small car headed towards where the female librarian was.

  When the book was delivered, the female librarian began to read the number, and the person who was read took the initiative to get the books they wanted to borrow from her. Annie's book was also among them. As soon as she got the book, she dragged Sokov to the nearby reading area and found a seat by the side to sit down.

  She looked around and said to Sokov in a low voice: "Misha, if you want to read a book, you can fill out a card. It won't take long before you can get the book you want."

   "I see." Sokov nodded, and whispered to Annie: "You can read books at ease here, and I will check the catalog to see if there are any books I want to read."

  (end of this chapter)