Русский доктор — президент гавайи

В конце XIX века на Гавайских островах появился седой бело­кожий человек. Он был очень внимателен к местным жителям, кото­рые обращались к нему «за исцелением», и бедных лечил бесплатно. Слава об этом человеке распространилась мгновенно. Называли его «доктор Руссель», но никто не знал его настоящего имени. Кто же он был на самом деле?

Уроженец России из белорусской семьи на Могилевщине, Нико­лай Константинович Судзиловский, медик по образованию, еще в студенческие годы начал участвовать в нелегальных организациях народовольцев. Его повсюду разыскивала царская полиция, чтобы упрятать в тюрьму. Однако ему удается нелегально перебраться через границу в Румынию.

И отправился путешествовать политический эмигрант по свету, меняя имена и внешний облик, занятия.

Двенадцать лет прожил Судзиловский на Гавайских островах. Этот бесстрашный человек и здесь оставался верным своим принци­пам, требуя государственного контроля над здравоохранением, улучшения жизненных условий рабочих на сахарных планта­циях. Он не скрывал своих намерений революционизировать об­щество."

После «свержения» проамериканскими агентами туземной коро­левы, на острове были объявлены выборы в сенат. И в этот момент, кроме традиционных демократов и республиканцев, появляется третья партия, возглавляемая русским доктором. Об успехе третьей партии можно судить хотя бы по тому, что именно Николай Судзи­ловский становится первым президентом страны. Он пытается заста­вить сенат принять «билль о народном здравоохранении». Он настаи­вает на том, чтобы было организовано местное самоуправление, что­бы народное образование стало бесплатным, требует, чтобы" разви­валась местная промышленность. Но против него тотчас поднялись местные богатей и североамериканские агенты. Доктору Русселю приходится уйти с поста президента.

Осталось огромное количество разного рода документов, связан­ных с доктором Русселем и его деятельностью.

 

Questions

1. When did the Russian doctor arrive in Hawaii? 2. Why did his fame spread so quickly? 3. What name did the local people give the doctor? 4. What was his real name? 5. Where was he born? 6. What was he by education? 7. What organisation did he belong to in his student years? 8. Why was the czarist police after him? 9. Why did he have to cross the border into Roumania? 10. What would have happened to him if he had stayed in Russia? 11. Where did he set out from Roumania? 12. How long did he live in Hawaii? 13. Did he drop his political activ­ity when he arrived there? 14. What were his demands as to public health care? 15. Why did he fight for better living conditions for the workers on sugar plantations? 16. Did he make a secret of his intentions to revolutionize society? 17. What election was announced following the "overthrow" of the native ruler? 18. What third party took part in the election campaign? 19. What is there to show that the third party was a success? 20. Who became first president of Hawaii? 21. Why did the new president insist that the Public Health Care Bill should be among the first passed by the Senate? 22. What other points were there on his program? 23. Who rose against the new president and his program of reforms? 24. Why did Doctor Russel have to give up his post?

 

Ex. 39. Read and retell the text.

DR. FRANKLIN OF HARLEY STREET*

A year ago, when I was still quite a kid, I had food poisoning**. That's what I had — but that's not what the doctors told me. Judging by what they said I had almost everything except food poisoning. Be­lieve me, I'm not inventing anything. When the local doctor gave me up, I went to hospital on the national health***, where at least three of them examined me, gave me pills and injections and sent me away as cured, exactly as before. For days I was in great pain. I ran tempera­tures and was sick almost hourly. I was beginning to get really fright­ened.

Then I had an idea. Everybody knows that Harley Street is where the best doctors practise their trade. I went there one day. I decided that I'd choose the same street number as the day it happened to be and ring the bell, and see what happened. The trouble was there turned out to be six bells; so, without hesitation I rang them all. If you don't believe this story, remember that I was drunk with fever and just didn't care what happened. I'd coire there with one purpose—to reach somebody who knew what the matter was. Well, the six bells were all answered by the same person: a sort of nurse-secretary, and before I had time to make any inquiries, I collapsed**** in the hall.

When I came round I saw a tall, intelligent-looking young man, who asked mi to tell him all about my trouble, which I did. He gave me an hour's examination, and then said, "Well, I don't know what's the matter with you, but we must find out."

I can't tell you how these words of Doctor Franklin impressed me and how my heart filled with respect for him. Because all the other doctors said they knew what the matter was, but Dr. Franklin of Har-ley Street said he didn't know. He got an ambulance and placed me in­side one of those eighty-a-week clinics where they pierce***** your ear-lobes******, or change your sex for you, for three-figure fees — all with­out any mention of who was going to pay or on what terms I was going to be kept there.

To cut a long story short, he found there was an abscess, and pierced

it, and down went the temperature, and that was that. Dr. Frank­lin insisted that I should stay another week inside the clinic. Every day he would drop in to say "Hi", and he always treated me in front of the nurses as if I were a cabinst minister or someone — I mean he was so wonderfully polite. I really think he had the nicest manners I have ever seen in anyone, and I shan't forget it.

But on the day I was to go horns, he did not turn up at all, and so I didn't have a chance to thank him, or to raise the question of how to pay for my stay in the clinic. I wrote him, of course, but though he answered very nicely, he didn't mention the money. So I did this. While I was in the place, I took pictures with my Rolleiflex of nurses and patients, and some of them ware really funny. So I picked out the best, made enlargements, put them in an album, and dropped it in at Harley Street, and he wrote back and said, if ever I got into the clinic again, which he sincerely hoped I wouldn't, he'd confiscate my Rolleiflex first.

(from "Absolute Beginners" by Collin Maclnnes)

 

Ex. 40. Use the following words and phrases in situations.