Red Moscow.

Chapter 2651

 Watching Maxim leave, Seryosha muttered: "This man is really annoying. Who does Kopalova want to live with? Does it have anything to do with him?"

"Comrade General," Vaserigov said with an embarrassed expression on his face when Seryosha said this. He looked at Sokov and asked, "Seryosha and I will go back to the next car now and won't disturb you. ”

"Don't leave yet, sit down and chat for a while." After Sokov said this, he saw the puzzled look on Seryosha's face and specifically added: "Maybe he is standing somewhere outside the door right now. , If you see him just leaving and you two follow him, you will definitely become suspicious. "

Hearing what Sokov said, Vaserigov sat down again and began to think about what he should talk to Sokov.

Just when he was in trouble, Sokov said: "Major, if you have time, help me ask the conductor, how long can our train stay in Budapest? If it lasts long enough, I want to go to the city." Let’s go for a walk.”

Vaseligov originally wanted to ask Sokov what there was to see in a city that was destroyed by artillery fire. But he caught a glimpse of Kopalova sitting next to Sokov, and immediately understood that the person who wanted to go shopping in the city was not Sokov, but Kopalova. He nodded quickly and said: "Okay "Comrade General, I will go to the train conductor later and ask him how long we can stay in Budapest. I will tell you tomorrow morning."

Sokov was very satisfied with Vaserigov's answer, especially the last sentence the other party said. After understanding the situation, he would report to himself tomorrow morning. He must have been worried that after inquiring about the information from the train conductor, when he hurriedly came to report to himself, he opened the compartment door and saw something he shouldn't have seen. So the best way is to wait until tomorrow morning and report to himself what he has learned.

The few people chatted awkwardly like this for more than half an hour. Seryosha thought that even if Maxim was watching at the door just now, he might have left by now, so he stood up and said goodbye to Sokov: "Mi "Sha, it's getting late. The major and I will go back to the box next door. You guys should have a rest early."

“That’s right, that’s right, Comrade General, you should go to bed early.” Vaselgov also said, “I have to go find the train conductor.”

After Seryosha and Vaserigov left, Sokov asked Kopalova with concern: "Kopalova, are you sleepy? If you are sleepy, go to bed early."

“Not sleepy, not sleepy.” Kopalova shook her head and said, “I slept for so long in the afternoon and I don’t want to sleep anymore. Let’s chat.”

“Okay, let’s chat.” Sokov stood up, sat on the bed opposite, lay down on it, and said, “Whatever you want to say, I’ll be with you.”

 “Come and lie down with me and chat.”

Sokov felt a dull pain in his lower back. He didn't want to repeat his afternoon sleeping position, which would easily strain his lumbar muscles, so he waved his hand and refused: "It's convenient to chat like this. Maybe I'll fall asleep while chatting." ”

“Misha, I remember you have a good friend by your side. You called him Yasha.” Kopalova lay on her bed and asked Sokov sideways: “What is his origin?”

"He is the eldest son of Comrade Stalin," Sokov explained: "I had a very close relationship with him when I was a child. Since my father passed away, I have basically had no contact with his family. Later we met again and it was I who led the troops. A German prisoner-of-war camp was liberated, and Yasha was among the rescued commanders."

"Ah?! Misha, what did you just say?" After hearing what Sokov said, Kopalova sat up suddenly and asked in surprise: "You said that Stalin's son was once captured by the German army and became a German prisoner of war. Camp, is this true?”

"Of course it's true." Sokov nodded slightly and said in an affirmative tone: "You may not know that when Comrade Stalin learned that his son was captured by the Germans, he sent a special agent team to Rescue his son, but because the enemy moved Yakov, the rescue team failed.

And I started the major counterattack under the city of Moscow, led the troops to seize a German prisoner of war camp, and rescued Yakov from it. At that time, I only knew that he was Stalin's son, but I didn't remember that he had been my best friend when I was a child. It's all due to amnesia, and I can't even remember my old friends. If he hadn't taken the initiative to tell me this, I wouldn't have known that he was once a good friend of mine when I was a child. "

 When Sokov mentioned amnesia again, Kopalova felt somewhat relieved. She clearly remembered that when she met Sokov in Stalingrad, he was not only amazed by her beauty, but also looked at her like a stranger he had never met before. Although Sokov mentioned amnesia many times later, he thought he was looking for excuses to perfunctory him. Looking back now, I realize that I thought too much.

 “Misha, I’m sorry.”

Sokov, who had closed his eyes to rest, was about to fall asleep. Suddenly he heard Kopalova saying sorry to him. He opened his eyes and asked in confusion: "Kopalova, why are you saying sorry to me?" What? Did you do something wrong?"

"I apologize to you because I have misunderstood you for so long. I thought you were tired of me and didn't want to marry me, so I deliberately pretended to have amnesia and didn't know me, so that you could legitimately marry another woman. My wife." Kopalova said in a serious tone: "But I just discovered that after you were injured, you did lose a lot of memories, not only the memories related to me, but also your best friend when you were a child. Yakov, you don’t remember either.”

After understanding the reason why Kopalova apologized to him, Sokov closed his eyes again, waved his hand in Kopalova's direction, and said: "It's good that you know. You can't say anymore that I deliberately pretended to have amnesia and don't want to pay attention to you. Have you heard this kind of thing?"

"I heard it!" Kopalova replied reluctantly: "I will believe whatever you say from now on. Are you satisfied now?"

 There was silence in the box.

 Hearing Kopalova's silence, Sokov began to feel drowsy.

Just when he was about to fall asleep, he suddenly felt that Kopalova crawled over, came close to his ear, and said with a clear breath: "Misha, your wife has had a miscarriage, and she may not be able to have another child for a long time. If If you don’t mind it, why don’t we give it a try? Maybe you can have a child of your own before you return to Moscow?”

“Just give it a try, no one is afraid of you!”

 …

 After several days of driving, the train finally entered the Budapest train station.

Sokov sat by the window, looking at the scenery flashing outside the window. He had a bad feeling in his heart. This city had suffered heavy losses in the war that ended not long ago, and many places of interest may have been destroyed by the war. The Chain Bridge that Kopalova cherishes so much may no longer exist.

After the train stopped, Seryosha and Vaserigov walked in from the door and said to Sokov: "Misha, we have arrived in Budapest. The train will stay here for fifteen hours, you have enough time. , come and visit this beautiful city.”

After Seryosha finished speaking, Vaserigov also asked tentatively: "Do you need me to bring all the guards?"

"No need." Sokov shook his head and said: "There are our troops in this city, and the Hungarians are also very friendly to us. I think there will be no danger. It is enough to have Seryosha with me." ”

Vaserigov knew that Seryosha was once responsible for protecting Sokov’s safety. At this moment, when Sokov asked Seryosha to accompany him to Budapest, he said respectfully: “Okay, Comrade General, then I will stay on the train with the two guards. If you do not return to the train in time, I will also stop the conductor from driving early." "Kopalova," Sokov touched his sore lower back and stood up. She held Kopalova's hand and led him out, then called Seryosha: "Seryosa, let's set off."

Coming out of the train station, you can see many Soviet patrols on the streets.

Seeing Sokov standing at the entrance of the train station, the patrols passing by him would stop and salute him before continuing to move forward.

Sokov turned to Kopalova and asked: "Kopalova, do you know where the Chain Bridge is?"

Unexpectedly, Kopalova shook her head and said: "I don't know. All my knowledge about Budapest comes from books. And the common sense about the Chain Bridge also comes from books. I know that it is the first bridge in Budapest. The bridge over the Danube, but where it is, is unknown.”

Seeing that Kopalova had no hope, Sokov could only focus on those patrols.

When another patrol stopped when it passed by him, the commander of the team raised his hand to salute him and asked politely: "Comrade Lieutenant, I would like to ask where the most famous Chain Bridge in Budapest is. I want to go there." Look there."

“Comrade General,” the patrol commander said respectfully, “if you want to see the Chain Bridge, I advise you not to go.”

Sokov asked puzzledly: "Why?"

“In order to consolidate their fortress on Castle Hill, the German army blew up all the bridges on the Danube River in 1944, and the Chain Bridge was one of them.”

Sokov remembered that Budapest is a city divided into two parts by the Danube River. If there is no bridge, what will the residents on both sides do? "Comrade Lieutenant, the bridge on the Danube River has been blown up. What should residents on both sides of the river do if they want to communicate?"

“There are simple pontoons on the river, and there are also ferries.” The commander said: “If residents want to go to the other side of the river, they can only take a ferry or pass the pontoon.”

After thanking the commander, Sokov turned to Kopalova and said with a wry smile: "Kopalova, you heard it, the Chain Bridge has been blown up by the **** Germans, we can see it even if we want to" Not even ”

“Even if the bridge is blown up, I still want to see the lions on the bridge.” Kopalova said a little stubbornly: “I don’t believe that the Germans even blew up the stone lions.”

“Okay, let’s go see the ruins of the Chain Bridge.”

But before setting off, Seryosha remembered something and quickly reminded the two of them: "Do you understand Hungarian?"

 Sokov and Kopalova looked at each other, then shook their heads in unison: "I don't understand!"

“Since you don’t understand, how can you ask for directions?” Seryosha asked.

Sokov thought for a while and said to Seryosha: "Seryosa, I am indeed worried that I don't understand Hungarian, but now I find that our patrols are everywhere on the streets. If we go somewhere , Just ask the patrols, I’m sure their familiarity with the terrain is no worse than the locals.”

Sokov's words made Kopalova's eyes light up: "Misha, you are right. Although we don't understand Hungarian, our patrols are all over the streets. We only need to ask them where we want to go. , are you still worried about not finding where you want to go?”

In this way, the three of them kept asking the patrols along the way for directions. With the help of many patrols, they finally arrived near the bombed Chain Bridge.

Although the bridge was blown up, the two huge stone lions at the head of the bridge are still there.

"Misha, look." Kopalova pointed to the stone lions and said to Sokov: "The huge stone lions on both sides of the bridge are like guardian angels guarding the bridge day and night. The lions look up into the distance, majestic and majestic, symbolizing the Hungarian people Unyielding historical courage.”

Sokov suppressed a smile and thought to himself: "It's a pity that the bridge has been blown up by the Germans. Will the stone lions at the head of the bridge continue to guard this broken bridge?"

"Misha, there is a story about these two stone lions." Kopalova continued: "After the pair of lion sculptures were placed at both ends of the Chain Bridge, some people said that the lions had no tongues in their mouths. The sculptor because Humiliated by the ridicule of the crowd, he finally committed suicide by jumping into the Danube."

Sokov looked up at the stone lion in front of him and asked curiously: "Does the lion have a tongue in its mouth?"

“Of course there is.” Kopalova nodded and said, “The lion has a tongue in its mouth, but it’s not easy to see if the angle is wrong.”

Sokov squinted his eyes and observed from several different angles. Sure enough, he saw the tongue in the lion's mouth: "Yes, I saw it. There is indeed a tongue in the lion's mouth." Thinking of the designer who died of injustice, he He couldn't help but shake his head and sighed, "The designer's psychological quality is so poor that he threw himself into the river after being criticized for a few words. If it were me, I would definitely drag all those gossipers here and let them They saw with their own eyes whether the lion had a tongue in its mouth."

“We’ve finished watching the Chain Bridge, let’s go to the restaurant to taste Hungarian food.”

"Okay, okay, it's really good." Sokov couldn't help but start drooling, remembering the Hungarian delicacies Kopalova once said, and urged: "Let's go there now, my stomach is so hungry." Cooed."

“On the way here, I saw a few restaurants.” Seryosha said from the side: “We might as well go there.”

Sokov asked jokingly: "Seryozha, you don't know Hungarian, how do you know that there is a restaurant?"

"Although I don't know Hungarian, those signboards all have knives and forks painted on them. This is obviously the logo of the restaurant." Seryosha pointed to his nose and said proudly: "What's more important is that when you pass by there I smell the fragrance coming from inside. Believe me, my nose is always very good.”

"Kopalova, since Seryosha said he can find the restaurant, let's follow him." Sokov said to Kopalova with a smile: "I want to see if there is a real restaurant there. Hungarian food.”