Trinity Church of Philimonki. Prince Vladimir Convent in Filimonki

1. Even from a decent distance, the architecture of the Prince Vladimir Monastery (Leninsky district, Filimonki) is amazing. The grandiose ruined Trinity Church is visible for many kilometers, but approaching it is not so easy.

2. After the 1950s. the monastery turned out to be on the territory of a psychiatric hospital, behind a blank concrete fence, which gives the already gloomy complex even more mystery and enigma.

3. The monastery was established in 1891, at the cemetery church. Between 1855 and 1861 by order of V.B. Svyatopolk-Chetvertinsky (owner of the Valuevo and Filimonki estates) according to the project of I.F. Thibault (according to other sources, architect A.P. Popov and designed by P.K. Kozikh) built the majestic, amazing Trinity Church. The building was built in the Roman-Gothic style. The architectural and planning solution is akin to Romanesque basilica churches. The church, cruciform in plan, is connected to the multi-tiered bell tower by a closed gallery - a longitudinal nave. The side compartments (transept) and the altar were dismantled, but the monument has not lost its significance and uniqueness. All architectural elements: arches, edges, panels - emphasize the vertical orientation of the structure.

4. On the outskirts of Filimonki, on the high bank of the Likovka River, among a wild park stood manor house XIX century, standing out from the surroundings with its yellow color. On the opposite bank rises the dilapidated Prince Vladimir Monastery.

5. Outbuildings of the Filimonki estate.

6. There was a close relationship between the estate and the monastery, including architectural and planning. The low buildings of the estate, raised to the top of the hill, are balanced by the high-altitude dominant of the Prince Vladimir Monastery, located on the opposite low bank of the Likova River, the bed of which lies in a deep ravine.

7. The estate, founded at the beginning of the 18th century, presumably by P.A. Golitsyn, later changed many owners; after Golitsyn it was successively owned by Ya.Ya. Protasov, I.S. Chebyshev, E.M. Golitsyna, M.V. Zinoviev. Zinoviev, who became the owner of the estate in 1769, received a very neglected farm; in documents of 1752, the estate buildings were called dilapidated. At the beginning of the 19th century, Filimonki passed to D.V. Izmailov, who began a complete reconstruction of dilapidated buildings, creating a modest-scale estate ensemble in the style of late classicism. The next owner of the estate, landowner Lachinov, sold it to B.A. at the beginning of the 19th century. Svyatopolk-Chetvertinsky.

8. Boris Antonovich Chetvertinsky, after the end of the Patriotic War of 1812, together with his family spent most of the year in his Moscow house, and the summer months traditionally in the country estate - Filimonki. The Svyatopolk-Chetvertinskys changed almost nothing in the estate inherited from their predecessors. The compact, two-story house with a square plan was partially restored after the War of 1812. (It was even rumored that Napoleon stayed overnight in this house during his retreat from Moscow.) Its smooth facades, with rare windows, are completed with massive pediments the entire width of the building.

9. The main decoration of the manor house is a two-tier loggia with a Tuscan order colonnade on the courtyard side.

10. The house is crowned with a light belvedere with a small dome.

11. The picturesque terraced park on the slope of the Likova River has not undergone any changes.

22.

Photo 2005
Text used with

(you can walk) on the same Likova River is located Filimonki estate. The village has been known since the 17th century; the estate appeared a century later, presumably under the Golitsyns. Then the owners often changed - some started the farm, others, on the contrary, took on it in detail.

At the beginning of the 19th century, D.V. Izmailov completely rebuilt the dilapidated Filimonki estate, erecting a not very large, but respectable-looking empire-style mansion on two floors. There were legends that Napoleon stayed overnight in this mansion when leaving Moscow; however, there are many such legendary, or rather mythical, “Napoleon’s houses” to the west of Moscow, and it is not possible to confirm all these “versions” with anything... What can I say, a beautiful building - beautiful story. Izmailov’s house turned out to be impressive - with massive walls, wide pediments, a two-story mini-colonnade and a belvedere. It looked like it was “carved out of a rock,” although in fact it was made of wood. In this form, the estate went to the Svyatopolk-Chetvertinskys by the middle of the 19th century.

The princely family traditionally spent the summer in Filimonki. The old manor buildings were not remodeled, but they were supplemented with their own. Thanks to Vladimir Borisovich and Vera Borisovna Svyatopolk-Chetvertinsky, an outstanding church and then a monastery appeared in Filimonki.

Construction of a huge two-story temple of intricate architecture began in 1861, and was completed and consecrated in 1888. In 1891, the Prince Vladimir Monastery was finally established. Vera Borisovna took monastic vows and led the monastery until 1893, where she was buried. The nuns did a lot of charitable work and generously, supported doctors who treated people for free, and distributed benefits to the needy. The sisters of V.B. Svyatopolk-Chetvertinskaya, it should be noted, also followed the path of charity: Natalya Shakhovskaya founded the community of sisters of mercy “Quench My Sorrows” in Lefortovo, and Nadezhda Trubetskaya - the Brotherly-Loving Society for Providing Apartments for the Poor (later, when the princess, saving the embezzler, son, sold all her property, her society helped her too).

Trinity Church amazes both with its size and its unusualness. The bell tower candle is visible from afar - it is simply impossible not to notice it. Define architectural style it’s quite difficult - before us is an enchanting quintessence of eclecticism, Byzantine, Romanesque, and Russian architecture is mixed here... if you really want to, you can even see the Gothic.

It all looked, one must think, magnificent at the beginning of the 20th century: on both sides of Aikovo there was a monastery and an estate - a single architectural ensemble. A heavy, squat mansion of a “noble nest” on the top of a hill, and opposite, straight from the lowlands, a sort of architectural rocket shoots up.

Unfortunately, Trinity Church is now in a deplorable state - in Soviet years the monastery was turned into a psychoneurological boarding school, the temple lost its owner's hand and began to collapse. By the end of the 20th century, only a skeleton remained of it. Now the bell tower has been externally repaired, but the church itself still resembles the Roman Colosseum in appearance. However, the temple is operational (as far as its emergency condition allows); it was returned to believers in 1994. The House of Sorrow, however, has not gone away, so access to the church through its territory is allowed (with rare exceptions) only for the duration of the service. Frankly, this is a rather difficult feeling: walking to the temple through a madhouse... Heavy and symbolic.

But the manor house no longer exists at all - it burned to the ground in the summer of 2006. Inexplicably, only the first floor colonnade survived the fire. The pathetic ruins cannot be restored - you can only build a “replica”, but who needs that?.. These are just “houses”, as they are contemptuously called by fashionable architects of our time - adherents of glass and concrete.

Trinity Church of the former Prince Vladimir Monastery near the Filimonki estate. The two-story church, located a kilometer from the manor house, was built in 1855-1861. according to the project by J.F. Thibault. The customers were the Svyatopolk-Chetvertinsky princes, who owned the estate at that time. Began to build B.B. Svyatopolk-Chetvertinsky, his sister Vera Borisovna completed the construction. The lower altar was consecrated in 1861. in honor of Sergius of Radonezh, the upper one, Trinity, consecrated in 1888.

The architecture of the building combines features of Old Russian, Byzantine, and Romanesque architecture. The tall four-tiered bell tower still towers above the surrounding buildings and is visible from all sides at a great distance. In 1891 The Prince Vladimir Convent for women was established here. In 1900 another one was built, the Assumption Church according to the design of A.A. Latkova in pseudo-Russian style.

Both churches were closed in the 1930s, the completions were dismantled, the Trinity Church and the bell tower were partially destroyed.

The churches are now located on the territory of a psychoneurological boarding school. In 1994 Trinity Church was handed over to believers, but remains in an almost ruined state.

In the 18th century The Filimonki estate belonged to the family of princes Svyatopolk-Chetvertinsky, who were related or friends with many famous people of that time.

Prince Vladimir Borisovich began construction of a two-story temple in Filimonki according to the design of the architect P.K. Kozikha. In 1861, the lower altar was consecrated in the name of St. Sergius of Radonezh. In 1868, the upper, Trinity throne was consecrated. Vera Borisovna Chetvertinskaya completed the construction of the temple and also built a high five-tier bell tower. She immortalized the miraculous salvation of the royal family during a train crash at Borki station in October 1888 by creating a convent on her estate, named in memory of the princess’s brother in honor of Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir.

In 1891 the monastery was established. Vera Borisovna was its abbess until 1893. A year later she died and was buried in the monastery, in the family crypt. For a long time V.B. Chetvertinskaya supported a doctor to provide free treatment to all those in need. Many peasants received monthly benefits from her. Her sisters: Princess Nadezhda Borisovna Trubetskaya, founder of the Brotherly Loving Society, and Princess Natalya Borisovna Shakhovskaya, founder of the community of sisters of mercy “Quench My Sorrows,” donated a mahogany iconostasis for the monastery church. On June 15, 1893, nun Anastasia (Elena Astapova) was appointed abbess of the Prince Vladimir Convent.

In 1894, a new iconostasis was installed in the lower church, and the church was consecrated after renovation. At the end of the 19th century. workers of the Danilovskaya manufactory repeatedly arrived at the monastery on pilgrimage, bringing gifts of icons and banners, lamps and candlesticks.

IN Soviet time the monastery was closed, the Trinity Church was badly damaged. In the basement there was a warehouse and a carpentry workshop for the disabled people's home.

The second church of the monastery is in honor of the Assumption Holy Mother of God- three-altar, built in the early 1900s. designed by architect A.A. Latkova. The temple was also closed during Soviet times and was destroyed. All the wooden buildings of the monastery were destroyed, only the stone body of the cells was preserved.

In 1994, the Trinity Church of the Prince Vladimir Convent in the village of Filimonki was returned to believers. Recovery has begun. Chapel St. Sergius of Radonezh.

http://www.mepar.ru/eparhy/temples/?temple=35

Website address: letovochurch.ru Directions: from metro station "Yugo-Zapadnaya" bus. No. 611 to the stop. "Moscow State Farm", then local bus. No. 420 to the stop. "Filimonki". Address: 142780, Moscow, village of Filimonki The Church of the Holy Trinity in the village of Filimonki was built in the mid-19th century as the family tomb of the princes Svyatopolk-Chetvertinsky. In 1891, the female monastic community of the Prince Vladimir Monastery was registered. In 1901, the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary was built on the territory of the monastery. In 1926, the monastery was closed, in the 50s the temple was completely ravaged and destroyed, a psycho-neurological boarding school began operating on the territory of the monastery, and in 1994 it was returned to believers. Since 2007, the temple has been participating in the Federal Program for the Restoration of Historical and Architectural Monuments. During this time, the bell tower of the temple was restored, the cross was raised on the bell tower, and the bells were cast. http://il-blago.ru/templs/by-name/item/philimonki.html?category_id=2

Not far from the Valuevo estate, on the same Likovo River, is the former Filimonki estate. The village has been known since the 17th century; the estate appeared a century later, presumably under the Golitsyns. Then the owners often changed - some started the farm, others, on the contrary, took on it in detail. At the beginning of the 19th century D.V. Izmailov completely rebuilt the dilapidated estate, erecting a not very large, but respectable-looking empire-style mansion on two floors. There were legends that Napoleon stayed overnight in this mansion when leaving Moscow; however, there are many such legendary, or rather mythical, “Napoleon’s houses” to the west of Moscow, and it is not possible to confirm all these “versions” with anything... Izmailov’s house turned out to be impressive - with massive walls, wide pediments, a mini-colonnade in two floors and a belvedere. It looked like it was “hewn out of a rock,” although in fact it was made of wood. In this form, the estate went to the Svyatopolk-Chetvertinskys by the middle of the 19th century. The princely family traditionally spent the summer in Filimonki. The old manor buildings were not remodeled, but they were supplemented with something of their own. Thanks to Vladimir Borisovich and Vera Borisovna Svyatopolk-Chetvertinsky, an outstanding church and then a monastery appeared in Filimonki.

The Trinity Church, which has no analogues, was built according to the design of the famous architect P.K. Kozikha. Construction of a huge two-story temple of intricate architecture began in 1861, and was completed and consecrated in 1888. In 1891, the Prince Vladimir monastery was finally established. In the early 1900s, a second church was built in the monastery - in the name of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Vera Borisovna took monastic vows and led the monastery until 1893, where she was buried. The nuns did a lot of charitable work and generously, supported doctors who treated people for free, and distributed benefits to the needy. The sisters of V.B. Svyatopolk-Chetvertinskaya, it should be noted, also followed the path of charity: Natalya Shakhovskaya founded the community of sisters of mercy “Quench My Sorrows” in Lefortovo, and Nadezhda Trubetskaya - the Brotherly-Loving Society for Providing Apartments for the Poor (later, when the princess, saving the embezzler, son, sold all her property, her society helped her too).

Trinity Church amazes both with its size and its unusualness. The bell tower candle is visible from afar - it is simply impossible not to notice it. It is quite difficult to determine the architectural style - before us is the enchanting quintessence of eclecticism, Byzantine, Romanesque, and Russian architecture is mixed here... if you really want, you can even see Gothic. All this looked, one must think, magnificently at the beginning of the 20th century: on both sides of Likovo there was a monastery and an estate - a single architectural ensemble. A heavy, squat mansion of a “noble nest” on the top of a hill, and opposite - straight from the lowlands - a kind of architectural rocket shoots up.

The Trinity Church, like the Assumption Church, was looted and closed in the 1930s. The wedding ceremonies, of course, were broken, and all the bells were thrown from the bell tower. During the Soviet years, the monastery was turned into a psychoneurological boarding school, the temple lost its owner's hand and began to collapse. By the end of the twentieth century, only a skeleton remained of it. In 1994, the Trinity Church was transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church. Over time, sponsors and benefactors were found. First, the bell tower was restored, and then the main building of the temple itself. The House of Sorrow, however, has not gone away, so access to the church through its territory is allowed (with rare exceptions) only for the duration of the service. But the manor house no longer exists at all - it burned to the ground in the summer of 2006. Inexplicably, only the first floor colonnade survived the fire. The pitiful ruins cannot be restored and it is unlikely that anyone will ever undertake to restore them.

Magazine " Orthodox Temples. Travel to Holy Places". Issue No. 71, 2014.

This weekend we went on a trip to Moscow and the Moscow region in convent in Filimonki. True, without a child. After all, we are going to the Prince Vladimir Convent in Filimonki. And there is nothing to do there with the child. The territory will be surrounded by a fence, so you won’t be able to walk around, touch everything and look closer.

In general, today we are going by car to look, at least from above, at the territory of another monastery. We go by car to the Prince Vladimir Convent in Filimonki.

As usual in the car, I share historical moments from the history of the convent. We are very interested in the history of Russia and Rus'. That is why we decided to go to Filimonki, realizing that this is not an ordinary excursion route. There will not be the usual buses with pilgrims and believers, places for recreation and parks equipped for them, such as in or in. But this is what makes this monastery interesting.

We take a quadcopter with us DJI Phantom 4 Pro to fly and photograph the place from the sky.

And here’s what we learned and saw on our next excursion by car around the Moscow region.

Excursion to the Prince Vladimir Convent in Filimonki

The foundation of the Prince Vladimir Convent occurred at the end of the 19th century. It was located in picturesque places Moscow region, on the coast of the Likovka River. Not far from the monastery there was the Filimonki estate, which at the time of its foundation belonged to the princes Svyatopolk-Chetvertinsky. The estate is located today in the Leninsky district of the Moscow region.

The first organization of a women's spiritual community was undertaken by Princess Svyatopolk-Chetvertinskaya V.B. in 1890, and a year later the community had the status of a monastery. The main church of the monastery at that time was the Trinity Church, which at that time already existed, and it was erected in 1855-1861. The building had original architecture, being made in the spirit of romanticism of the mid-19th century.

The second church of the monastery was the Assumption Church, built in 1900. The project for it was developed by A. A. Latkov, and the style in which the temple was built was pseudo-Russian. The design of the church was based on the then modern vision of ancient Russian architecture.

Two chapels were built at the church - Michael the Archangel and Prince Vladimir. Today, only these two houses of God have survived at the monastery - the Trinity and Assumption churches. In the old days, there were other buildings at the monastery, mostly wooden, but they have not survived to this day.

The design of the Trinity Cathedral was developed by J. F. Thibault, and the princes Svyatopolk-Chetvertinsky acted as customers for the construction of the temple. The start of construction was initiated by B.B. Svyatopolk-Chetvertinsky, and it was completed with the support of his sister Vera Borisovna.

The church is a two-story building located approximately 1 km from the manor building. The illumination of the lower altar was carried out in 1861 in the name of Sergius of Radonezh. The upper altar was consecrated in 1888. Under the church there was a tomb of the princely family of Svyatopolk-Chetvertinsky.

In the architecture of the building one can see a combination of trends of Romanesque, Byzantine, Old Russian architecture with an admixture of neo-Gothic. A high bell tower of 4 tiers, built here in the 19th century, crowns the building. You can see it long before approaching the temple itself.

Today, the Prince Vladimir Convent, together with its churches, belongs to the Russian Orthodox Church, but its churches are located on the territory of a psychoneurological boarding school, which was opened during the Soviet era. To get to the temples, you must go through the checkpoint of this institution. Currently, the Trinity Church has been restored; its reconsecration took place in 2015. Restoration work is currently underway in the Assumption Church. She was included in Federal program, according to which architectural and historical monuments are being restored in Russia.

Currently, the bell tower in the Trinity Cathedral has been restored, a new cross has been installed on it, and bells have also been made and raised. Temple servants say that this moment There is a need to purchase new furniture and church utensils for the church. The temple does not refuse help in this matter from all those who care and want to help. The cathedral today also needs help setting up a Sunday school and making icons.

Churches are currently holding services, which can be attended by those who wish, according to the schedule.

How to get to the Prince Vladimir Convent?

You can use public transport, namely by bus departing from the station. metro station "Yugo-Zapadnaya". You need to get to the stop called “Moskovsky State Farm”. From this stop, take a local bus on route No. 420 to the stop called “Filimonki”.

This is the easiest way for residents of Moscow and the Moscow region. Or by car, focusing on bus route 420. We did just that, going to the nunnery in our car.

Historical information about the convent in Filimonki

The estate in Filimonki appeared in the 18th century, and in a relatively short period of time it changed many owners. In the 40s In the 19th century, the princely family of Svyatopolk-Chetvertinsky became its owners, and at the insistence of his wife, the head of the family began the construction of a temple not far from their estate (1 km from it).

Initially, it was assigned the role of a family tomb, and by 1861 its construction was completed. His lower altar was consecrated, and a few years later the upper altar was consecrated.

The structure had an impressive size, thanks to which it could be seen from afar. It was a tomb in the basement, above which rose a centric cruciform church. The luxurious arches placed vertically, which pierced the bell tower, emphasized the vertical position of the composition, its tendency upward.

The year 1888 was marked by an incident that had a significant impact on the fate of the estate and the entire village. In October of this year, an accident involving an imperial train occurred near Kharkov, in which 19 people died. The carriage in which the imperial family was traveling did not derail, so none of its members were injured. The roof collapsed in it, and Alexander III, who had a powerful physique, held it with his shoulders.

On the occasion of miraculous salvation The imperial family erected chapels and churches in many villages and cities. The princely family of Svyatopolk-Chetvertinsky decided to organize a monastic community to coincide with this event. In 1890, its staff was established, it was given the name Prince of Vladimir - Princess Vera Borisovna gave it in honor of her by that time deceased brother Vladimir Borisovich. Already in 1891, the community acquired the status of a monastery.

Princess Svyatopolk-Chetvertinskaya became not only the founder of the monastery, but also its abbess. She showed every possible concern both to the sisters of the monastery and to the residents of nearby settlements. The princess organized the treatment of the sick, and the peasants received monthly cash benefits from her. The sisters of Vera Borisovna - Shakhovskaya N.B. and Trubetskaya N.B. presented the monastery with a gift in the form of an iconostasis made of mahogany. The sisters of the abbess of the community were frequent guests at the monastery and estate.

Princess V.B. Svyatopolk-Chetvertinskaya was the abbess of the monastery until 1893. A year later, she died, and was buried in the family crypt at the temple created by her family, where she rested with her deceased parents and brothers.

Since 1893, the abbess of the Prince Vladimir Convent was nun Anastasia (in the world Elena Astapova), who received the rank of abbess in 1901. Anastasia was born into a family of merchants in 1833. Since 1876, she was established as a sister of the Boriso-Gleb Anosin monastery. In 1879, Anastasia was tonsured a nun, and a few months later she was transferred to the Moscow Ivanovsky Monastery. From 1885 to 1888 Elena Astapova was an assistant treasurer at the Moscow Ascension Monastery. Since 1888, she stayed in the Kazan-Golovinsky Monastery.

In 1894, a new iconostasis was installed in the lower altar of the temple, and the church itself was consecrated after repairs were made to it.

In 1894, the workers of the Danilovskaya spinning and weaving manufactory of the monastery donated new clothes, banners, church utensils, and an altar, which were purchased with funds collected by the enterprise. In the same year, but a little later, the workers of the same factory of the monastery presented a large icon of the Mother of God of the Mammal, as well as 2 banners and 20 more images.

At the end of the 19th century, factory workers made pilgrimages to the monastery more than once, bringing new gifts.

In the 20s In the 20th century, the monastery was closed, but the nuns who lived in it remained at the churches until the 30s. last century. At this time, the cathedrals were closed, and their premises were given over to Agriculture. The building in which the sisters' cells were located was given over to living quarters for lay people. Wooden buildings were destroyed.

The princely family tomb of Svyatopolk-Chetvertinsky, whose graves were opened, was also destroyed. At the end of the war, a psychoneurological boarding school was organized in the monastery, which is still functioning.

In 1994, the Trinity Church was returned to believers. For a long time after this event, the monastery continued to be the ruins of once majestic buildings, and the basement had to be used for worship. Nevertheless, over time, restoration work began to be carried out here, spiritual life returned to the churches, and many caring people helped and are still helping in the restoration of the monastery’s cathedrals.

Read about our other travels around Russia, and about all our travels.

Photos " Prince Vladimir Convent in Filimonki"

Here are the photos we took with a quadcopter DJI Phantom 4 Pro. Few people have seen this temple from this angle. And the monastery is surrounded by wire. We didn't go inside ourselves. In general, I think that this is not the place to go with a child. After all, there is a psychoneurological boarding school nearby. Why bother people? And the territory of the monastery is not so large and is not suitable for picnics and walks.

Settlement Coordinates

Story

Mentioned in documents of the first quarter of the 17th century as the village " Filimonovo, Filimontsevo also" Since the end of the 19th century it has been listed in documents as Filimonki. The name presumably came from the calendar personal name Philemon .

In the 18th century, an estate appeared in the village of Filimonki. At the beginning of the 19th century, the estate belonged to D.V. Izmailov, who began its reconstruction. In the middle of the 19th century, the estate belonged to the princes Svyatopolk-Chetvertinsky, under them the Trinity Church was built in the village in 1855-1888. In 1891, the Prince of Vladimir Convent was founded at the expense of V.B. Svyatopolk-Chetvertinskaya. In 1900-1904, the Assumption Church was built at the monastery.

In the 19th century, the village of Filimonki was part of the Desenskaya volost of Podolsk district. In 1899, 27 people lived in the village.

In the 1920s, the monastery was closed, its buildings were used as a psychoneurological boarding school.

Population

Location

The village of Filimonki is located on the Likova River, approximately 5 km south of the center of the city of Moskovsky. Immediate settlements- the village of Pushkino and the village of Radiocenter.

Attractions

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Notes

Literature

• Vladimir women's community in the village of Filimonki, Moscow province, Podolsk district. M., 1895, 24 p.

An excerpt characterizing Filimonki

Rostov has not experienced such pleasure from music for a long time as on this day. But as soon as Natasha finished her barcarolle, reality came back to him again. He left without saying anything and went downstairs to his room. A quarter of an hour later the old count, cheerful and satisfied, arrived from the club. Nikolai, hearing his arrival, went to him.
- Well, did you have fun? - said Ilya Andreich, smiling joyfully and proudly at his son. Nikolai wanted to say “yes,” but he couldn’t: he almost burst into tears. The Count was lighting his pipe and did not notice his son’s condition.
“Oh, inevitably!” - Nikolai thought for the first and last time. And suddenly, in the most casual tone, such that he seemed disgusted to himself, as if he was asking the carriage to go to the city, he told his father.
- Dad, I came to you for business. I forgot about it. I need money.
“That’s it,” said the father, who was in a particularly cheerful spirit. - I told you that it won’t be enough. Is it a lot?
“A lot,” Nikolai said, blushing and with a stupid, careless smile, which for a long time later he could not forgive himself. – I lost a little, that is, a lot, even a lot, 43 thousand.
- What? Who?... You're kidding! - shouted the count, suddenly turning apoplectic red in the neck and back of his head, like old people blush.
“I promised to pay tomorrow,” said Nikolai.
“Well!...” said the old count, spreading his arms and sank helplessly onto the sofa.
- What to do! Who hasn't this happened to? - said the son in a cheeky, bold tone, while in his soul he considered himself a scoundrel, a scoundrel who could not atone for his crime with his whole life. He would have liked to kiss his father's hands, on his knees to ask for his forgiveness, but he said in a careless and even rude tone that this happens to everyone.
Count Ilya Andreich lowered his eyes when he heard these words from his son and hurried, looking for something.
“Yes, yes,” he said, “it’s difficult, I’m afraid, it’s difficult to get... never happened to anyone!” yes, who hasn’t happened to... - And the count glanced briefly into his son’s face and walked out of the room... Nikolai was preparing to fight back, but he never expected this.
- Daddy! pa... hemp! - he shouted after him, sobbing; excuse me! “And, grabbing his father’s hand, he pressed his lips to it and began to cry.

While the father was explaining to his son, an equally important explanation was taking place between the mother and daughter. Natasha ran to her mother excitedly.
- Mom!... Mom!... he did it to me...
- What did you do?
- I did, I proposed. Mother! Mother! - she shouted. The Countess could not believe her ears. Denisov proposed. To whom? This tiny girl Natasha, who had recently been playing with dolls and was now taking lessons.
- Natasha, that’s complete nonsense! – she said, still hoping that it was a joke.
- Well, that's nonsense! “I’m telling you the truth,” Natasha said angrily. – I came to ask what to do, and you tell me: “nonsense”...
The Countess shrugged.
“If it’s true that Monsieur Denisov proposed to you, then tell him that he’s a fool, that’s all.”
“No, he’s not a fool,” Natasha said offendedly and seriously.
- Well, what do you want? You are all in love these days. Well, you’re in love, so marry him! – the countess said, laughing angrily. - With God blessing!
- No, mom, I’m not in love with him, I must not be in love with him.
- Well, tell him so.
- Mom, are you angry? You’re not angry, my dear, what’s my fault?
- No, what about it, my friend? If you want, I’ll go and tell him,” said the countess, smiling.
- No, I’ll do it myself, just teach me. Everything is easy for you,” she added, responding to her smile. - If only you could see how he told me this! After all, I know that he didn’t mean to say this, but he said it by accident.
- Well, you still have to refuse.
- No, don't. I feel so sorry for him! He is so cute.
- Well, then accept the offer. “And then it’s time to get married,” the mother said angrily and mockingly.
- No, mom, I feel so sorry for him. I don't know how I'll say it.
“You don’t have anything to say, I’ll say it myself,” said the countess, indignant that they dared to look at this little Natasha as if she were big.
“No, no way, I myself, and you listen at the door,” and Natasha ran through the living room into the hall, where Denisov was sitting on the same chair, by the clavichord, covering his face with his hands. He jumped up at the sound of her light steps.
“Natalie,” he said, approaching her with quick steps, “decide my fate.” It's in your hands!
- Vasily Dmitrich, I feel so sorry for you!... No, but you are so nice... but don’t... this... otherwise I will always love you.
Denisov bent over her hand, and she heard strange sounds, incomprehensible to her. She kissed his black, matted, curly head. At this time, the hasty noise of the countess's dress was heard. She approached them.
“Vasily Dmitrich, I thank you for the honor,” said the countess in an embarrassed voice, but which seemed stern to Denisov, “but my daughter is so young, and I thought that you, as a friend of my son, would turn to me first.” In this case, you would not put me in the need of refusal.
“Athena,” Denisov said with downcast eyes and a guilty look, he wanted to say something else and faltered.
Natasha could not calmly see him so pitiful. She began to sob loudly.
“Countess, I am guilty before you,” Denisov continued in a broken voice, “but know that I adore your daughter and your entire family so much that I would give two lives...” He looked at the countess and, noticing her stern face... “Well, goodbye, Athena,” he said, kissed her hand and, without looking at Natasha, walked out of the room with quick, decisive steps.