Pilot-cosmonaut of the USSR. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union.
Laureate of the State Prize of the USSR. Honored Master of Sports of the USSR.
Head of the Education Support Fund of the Russian branch of Festo.

Aleksey Eliseev was born on July 13, 1934 in the town of Zhizdra, Kaluga Region. After the First World War, the parents of the father of the future cosmonaut, Lithuanians by nationality, settled in the Ryazan province, where Stanislovas Kuraitis was born. In 1935, Father was sentenced to 5 years for anti-Soviet agitation, and his wife, Valentina, was forced to divorce and took her maiden name, Eliseeva.

In 1943, Alexey Kuraitis graduated from two classes of a school in the city of Borovoe, Kokchetav region, and in 1946 he graduated from three classes at the 4th railway school in the village of Nemchinovka, Moscow region. In 1950, at the age of 16, Aleksey Kuraitis changed his surname to his mother's surname - Eliseev. In 1951 he graduated from secondary school No. 167 in Moscow.

After leaving school, from 1951 to 1957 he studied at the Bauman Moscow Higher Technical School. Upon graduation, he received a diploma in mechanical engineering. By distribution, he worked in the laboratory of OKB-1, from where he quit due to entering the graduate school of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. The future cosmonaut graduated from graduate school in 1962. After graduating from graduate school, he returned to work at OKB-1, where he participated, in particular, in the design of spacecraft control systems.

At the end of May 1966, Eliseev received the status of a candidate test cosmonaut, and later, on December 30, 1966, a test cosmonaut. The cosmonaut was trained as a Soyuz spacecraft flight engineer under the Docking program. In the period from 1968 to 1969, he was part of a group of Soviet cosmonauts who were preparing under the Soviet programs for flying around the moon L1 / "Zond" and landing on the surface of the earth's satellite - L3. Under these programs, in 1968 he went on a business trip to Somalia to study the southern hemisphere of the sky.

Until December 1968, Aleksey Eliseev continued training under the Docking program. The first flight took place on January 15, 1969. The flight duration was 1 day 23 hours 45 minutes 50 seconds. For the first time in the world, the crews performed manual docking of manned spacecraft. The second flight of Eliseev took place on October 13, 1969 on the Soyuz-8 spacecraft. The flight ended successfully on October 18, 1969. The flight lasted - 4 days 22 hours 50 minutes.

In mid-February 1973, after defending his dissertation, he received a doctorate in technical sciences. From October 11, 1973, Eliseev acted as head of complex No. 0. From June 14, 1974, he worked as deputy general designer - head of complex No. 1. He supervised the flights of all manned spacecraft of the USSR during this period. In the period from January 2, 1986 to 1991, the legendary cosmonaut was the rector of the Moscow Higher Technical School.

From October 22, 1991 to January 31, 1996, he worked as a project manager at IBM USSR LLC. On January 3, 1997, he took the position of President of CJSC Festo. Later, Aleksey Stanislavovich Eliseev took the post of head of one of the divisions of the Moscow Power Engineering Institute and head of the education support fund for the Russian branch of Festo. Corresponding member of the International Academy of Astronautics.

Awards of Alexei Eliseev: Twice Hero of the Soviet Union, 01/22/1969, 10/22/1969. Order of Lenin, four, 2201.1969, 04/30/1971, 01/15/1976. Medal "For Merit in Space Exploration", 04/12/2011. Medal "For Valiant Labor. In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of V. I. Lenin”, 1970. Medal “For the Development of Virgin Lands”, 1969. Hero of Labor of the GDR. Hero of Socialist Labor (NRB). Order of Georgy Dimitrov (Bulgaria). State Prize of the USSR, 11/03/1980. Medal of Alexei Leonov, 2015.

Ranks of Alexei Eliseev: Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR, 01/22/1969. Cosmonaut-instructor 3rd class, 6/26/1969. Cosmonaut-instructor, test cosmonaut 2nd class, 12/04/1969. Instructor test cosmonaut 1st class, 14.6.1971. Honored Master of Sports of the USSR, 1969. Master of Sports of the USSR in fencing.

Cosmonaut: Aleksey Stanislavovich Eliseev (07/13/1934)

• 15th cosmonaut of the USSR (36th in the world), call signs "Baikal-2" and "Amur-2" (1969), "Granit-2" (1969 and 1971).
• Flight duration (1969): 1 day 23 hours 45 minutes 50 seconds
• Flight duration (1969): 4 days 22 hours 50 minutes 49 seconds
• Flight duration (1971): 1 day 23 hours 45 minutes 54 seconds

The life of Aleksey Stanislavovich Kuraitis begins on July 13, 1934 in the Kaluga region, in the city of Zhizdra. When Alexei was only a year old, his father, Stanislav Kuraitis, was arrested for 5 years for anti-Sovietism. For this reason, the mother had to return to her last name - Eliseeva. In 1950, Aleksey also changed his surname to Eliseev. Before completing his secondary education in Moscow in 1951, the young man studied at two other schools during the war. In 1957, Alexei Stanislavovich was awarded a diploma of a mechanical engineer from a higher technical school. After graduating from the graduate school of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, he got a job as a technician at the rocket and space enterprise OKB-1 (today RSC Energia) in 1962.

During his work, he participated in the development of control systems for such devices as Vostok, Voskhod and Soyuz.

astronaut career

After undergoing special training and passing exams, Alexey Eliseev received the title of test cosmonaut in the winter of 1966. A year and a half later, he was enrolled in one of the cosmonaut corps. It is noteworthy that the training included not only parachute jumps, but also a test in a pressure chamber and a water flight simulation on a model ship in the Black Sea. The following training sessions were aimed at completing a mission to fly around the moon. They included a scientific expedition to Somalia to study the sky in the southern hemisphere.

On January 15, 1969, cosmonaut Eliseev, as a flight engineer as part of the Soyuz-5 crew, completed the docking of two spacecraft, the first in the world. During the mission, the team completed a ship-to-ship transition through outer space that lasted 37 minutes.

Aleksey Stanislavovich made his second flight in the same year, from October 13 to 18, aboard the Soyuz-8 spacecraft. The purpose of the mission is a group flight of three spacecraft, two of which (Soyuz-8 and Soyuz-7) were supposed to dock. The mission was unsuccessful due to a failure in the rendezvous and docking system. The flight lasted almost 5 days.

For the first two space flights, cosmonaut Eliseev was twice awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

On April 23, 1971, flight engineer Eliseev and two other cosmonauts launched from Baikonur. The crew was faced with the task of docking the Soyuz-10 aircraft and the Salyut space station. And although the docking was completed, the astronauts failed to go to the station. The reason was the failure of the Soyuz-10 docking station, due to which the joint was depressurized. As a result of these malfunctions, the mission was completed ahead of schedule and on April 25 Soyuz-10 landed.

Future life

In 1973, Alexey became a doctor of technical sciences. Upon completion of his career as a cosmonaut, in December 1985, Alexei Stanislavovich got a job at RSC Energia as Deputy General Designer. Two weeks later he became the rector of the State Technical University in Moscow. After the collapse of the USSR, until 1995, the former cosmonaut Aleksey Eliseev served as the head of various projects in the Russian branch of IBM. In January 1997, Alexei Stanislavovich became the president of the FESTO company, which represents in Russia a German manufacturer of automation systems and various industrial equipment. Today A. Eliseev continues to work at FESTO.

E Liseev Aleksey Stanislavovich - flight engineer of spacecraft (SC) "Soyuz-4" - "Soyuz-5", "Soyuz-8", "Soyuz-10", USSR Pilot-Cosmonaut No. 15.

Born on July 13, 1934 in the town of Zhizdra, Kaluga Region, in the family of an employee. Russian. Member of the CPSU since 1967. In 1957 he graduated from the Moscow Higher Technical School named after N.E. Bauman. He worked at OKB-1 (a design bureau led by S.P. Korolev), where he took part in the creation of space technology samples.

Since 1966 - in the Detachment of Soviet Cosmonauts, where he completed a full course of general space training, preparation for flights on spacecraft of the Soyuz type, orbital stations of the Salyut type, as well as for a flight to the moon.

He made 3 space flights as a Soyuz-type spacecraft flight engineer.

The first - January 15-17, 1969 on the Soyuz-5 spacecraft (KK commander - B.V. Volynov, research engineer - E.V. Khrunov). For the first time in the world, cosmonauts Eliseev A.S. and Khrunov E.V. made a transition through outer space to the Soyuz-4 spacecraft (commander of the spacecraft - Shatalov V.A.), on which they returned to Earth.

At Order of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of January 22, 1969 for the successful completion of the task and the courage and heroism shown in this Eliseev Alexey Stanislavovich was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (No. 10716).

At By order of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on October 22, 1969, he was awarded the second Gold Star medal for the successful flight on the Soyuz-8 spacecraft, which participated in the group flight of the Soyuz-6 and Soyuz-7 spacecraft.

The third space flight of A.S. Eliseev made April 23-25, 1971 on the Soyuz-10 spacecraft, together with the commander of the spacecraft Shatalov V.A. and research engineer Rukavishnikov N.N. For the first time in the world, the docking of the spacecraft and the Salyut orbital station was carried out, but the planned 3-week work on board the orbital station did not take place due to technical malfunctions ...

Upon completion of space flights, A.S. Eliseev in 1971 - 1975 worked at the Mission Control Center. Since 1973 - Doctor of Technical Sciences. In 1975-1985 he was the Deputy General Designer of the Energy Research and Production Association. In 1985 - 1991 - rector of the Moscow Higher Technical School named after N.E. Bauman. In addition to scientific work, he was actively involved in social work. In 1986 - 1991 he was Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Group of the USSR. He was elected a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the 11th convocation. People's Deputy of the USSR (1989-1992). In 1981-1991 - Chairman of the Presidium of the Soviet Society for Cultural Relations with Compatriots Abroad (Rodina Society). In 1991-1992 - Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Association for Relations with Compatriots Abroad (Rodina Association). Corresponding member of the International Academy of Astronautics.

He was awarded 3 orders of Lenin (01/22/1969, 04/30/1971, 01/15/1976), the medal "For Merit in Space Exploration" (00/12/2011), foreign orders. Hero of Socialist Labor of the People's Republic of Bulgaria, Hero of Labor of the German Democratic Republic. Awarded the gold medal named after Yu.A. Gagarin, gold medal named after K.E. Tsiolkovsky Academy of Sciences of the USSR, an honorary diploma named after V.M. Komarov and de Laveau medals (FAI).

Bronze bust of twice Hero of the Soviet Union Eliseev A.S. installed in his homeland - in the city of Zhizdra.

Honorary citizen of the cities of Kaluga (Russia), Dnepropetrovsk (Ukraine).

Compositions:
Space flight technology. M., 1983;
"Life is a drop in the ocean." - M.: Publishing house. House "Aviation and Cosmonautics", 1998.

After the First World War, the parents of the father of the future cosmonaut, Lithuanians by nationality, settled in the Ryazan province, where Stanislovas Kuraitis was born. In 1934, after the assassination of Sergei Mironovich Kirov, repressions began in the USSR, during which many Lithuanians were arrested because of relations with Lithuania and other foreign countries. Stanislovas Kuraitis (father of the cosmonaut) in 1945 was convicted as an “enemy of the people” for anti-Soviet agitation and sent to a camp for 5 years. His wife Valentina was forced to divorce and take her maiden name - Eliseeva.

In 1943, Alexey Kuraitis graduated from two classes of a school in the city of Borovoe, Kokchetav Region, in 1946 he graduated from three classes at the 4th railway school in the village of Nemchinovka, Moscow Region. In 1950, being a 16-year-old boy, Aleksey Kuraitis changed his surname and became Aleksey Eliseev. In 1951 he graduated from secondary school No. 167 in Moscow. After leaving school, from 1951 to 1957 he studied at the Moscow Higher Technical School named after N.E. Bauman, received a diploma in mechanical engineering. By distribution, he worked in the laboratory of OKB-1, from where he quit due to entering the graduate school of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. The future cosmonaut graduated from graduate school in 1962. After graduating from graduate school, he returned to work at OKB-1, where he participated, in particular, in the design of spacecraft control systems. On May 23, 1966, he received the status of a candidate test cosmonaut, and later (December 30, 1966) - a test cosmonaut.

The cosmonaut was trained as a Soyuz spacecraft flight engineer under the Docking program. He was a member of the crew of the Soyuz-2 spacecraft, which was supposed to start on April 24, 1967 to dock with the previously launched Soyuz-1 spacecraft and transfer along with the third member of the Soyuz-2 crew (Khrunov) to return to the Soyuz- one". Due to malfunctions on the Soyuz-1 of the same type (the flight of which ended in a disaster with the death of cosmonaut Komarov), the launch of Soyuz-2 was canceled, which saved the lives of its crew.

In 1968-1969, he was a member of a group of Soviet cosmonauts who were preparing under the Soviet programs for flying around the moon L1 / Zond and landing L3 on it. Under these programs, in 1968 he went on a business trip to Somalia to study the southern hemisphere of the sky.

Until December 1968, he continued training under the Docking program. The first flight took place on January 15, 1969. The flight duration was 1 day 23 hours 45 minutes 50 seconds. For the first time in the world, the crews performed a manned docking of manned spacecraft.

The second flight of Eliseev took place on October 13, 1969 on the Soyuz-8 spacecraft. The flight ended successfully on October 18, 1969. Flight duration - 4 days 22 hours 50 minutes 49 seconds.

Eliseev's third flight as a flight engineer took place on April 22-24, 1971 on the Soyuz-10 spacecraft. For the first time in the world, a ship was docked with the orbital station (Salyut-1), but the astronauts could not get inside the station due to a breakdown of the docking unit, and the flight was aborted ahead of schedule. Call sign: "Granit-2". The flight duration was 1 day 23 hours 45 minutes 54 seconds.

On February 16, 1973, after defending his dissertation, he received the degree of Doctor of Technical Sciences. From October 11, 1973, he acted as head of complex No. 0. From June 14, 1974, he worked as deputy general designer - head of complex No. 1. He supervised the flights of all manned spacecraft of the USSR during this period.

In the period from January 2, 1986 to 1991, Eliseev was the rector of the Moscow Higher Technical School. From October 22, 1991 to January 31, 1996, he worked as a project manager at IBM USSR LLC (renamed IBM Eastern Europe/Asia). Since January 3, 1997 - President of CJSC "Festo" (Festo). At the moment, he manages one of the divisions of the Moscow Power Engineering Institute and heads the education support fund for the Russian branch of Festo.

He lives in Moscow, on Bolshaya Bronnaya Street, in an apartment building where cosmonauts Vladislav Volkov and Georgy Dobrovolsky lived.

Awards

• Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (January 22, 1969, October 22, 1969)
• Order of Lenin (four) (January 22, 1969, October 22, 1969, April 30, 1971, January 15, 1976)
• Medal "For Merit in Space Exploration" (April 12, 2011) - for great merits in the field of exploration, exploration and use of outer space, many years of conscientious work, active social activity
• Medal "For Valiant Labor. In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of V. I. Lenin "(1970)
• Hero of the GDR
• Hero of the NRB
• Order of George Dimitrov (Bulgaria)
• USSR State Prize (November 3, 1980)

Ranks

Pilot-cosmonaut of the USSR (22.01.1969).

Cosmonaut-instructor 3rd class (6/26/1969).

Cosmonaut-instructor, test cosmonaut 2nd class (12/4/1969).

Instructor test cosmonaut 1st class (14.6.1971).

Master of Sports of the USSR in fencing.

Publications

The book "Life is a drop in the sea" (M: Publishing House "Aviation and Cosmonautics", 1998).

Social and political activity

Member of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of the 11th convocation.

People's Deputy of the USSR (1989-1992).

Delegate of the XXIV-XXVII congresses of the CPSU.

In 1987-1991 - Chairman of the Presidium of the Soviet Society for Cultural Relations with Compatriots Abroad (Rodina Society).

In 1991-1992 - Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Association for Relations with Compatriots Abroad (Rodina Association).

From January 10, 1991, he was the head of the deputy group for relations with regional inter-parliamentary organizations of Europe of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.

Corresponding member of the International Academy of Astronautics.

Family status

Mother - Eliseeva Valentina Ivanovna, b. 02/23/1909, head. laboratory of the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the USSR Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, Honored Inventor of Russia. Retired.

Father - Kuraitis Stanislav Adamovich, (1905-1978). After being released from the camp, he did not return to his family. He worked as the head of the laboratory of the Central Research Institute of the leather and footwear industry in Moscow.

Maternal brother - Atovmyan Artashes Vaginakovich, (04/17/1944 - 07/09/1989) engineer of the Luch Central Design Bureau, then worked at the IKI of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

Stepfather - Atovmyan Vaginak Efremovich, (1898-1959), worked as chief engineer of the tannery named after. Seryogin, in the city of Setun, Moscow Region.

Daughter - Eliseeva Elena Alekseevna, b. 03/09/1960, production designer of a film studio, teaches art composition at VGIK and at the same time teaches English at an elementary school.

Wife (former, divorced in 1966) - Shpalikova Valentina Pavlovna, b. 05/23/1935, senior engineer of the Central Research Institute of Automation and Hydraulics.

The second wife is Komarova Larisa Ivanovna, b. 07/12/1934, head of the sector of NPO Energia.

perpetuation of memory

Honorary citizen of the city of Kaluga.

In the city of Zhizdra, Kaluga region, in the homeland of the twice Hero of the Soviet Union, on September 6, 1978, a bronze bust was installed on a red-brown granite pedestal (sculptor L. E. Kerbel).

Foreign states:

Alexey Stanislavovich Eliseev, (was born July 13 ( 19340713 ) in the city of Zhizdra, now the Kaluga region) - Soviet cosmonaut No. 15, twice Hero of the Soviet Union.

Biography

After the First World War, the parents of the father of the future cosmonaut, Lithuanians by nationality, settled in the Ryazan province, where Stanislovas (Stanislav Adamovich) Kuraitis was born. In 1935, he was sentenced to 5 years for anti-Soviet agitation. His wife Valentina was forced to divorce and take her maiden name - Eliseeva.

In 1943, Alexei Kuraitis graduated from two classes of a school in the town of Borovoe, Kokchetav Region, in 1946 he graduated from three classes at the 4th railway school in the village of Nemchinovka, Moscow Region. In 1950, at the age of 16, Aleksey Kuraitis changed his surname and became Aleksey Eliseev. In 1951 he graduated from secondary school No. 167 in Moscow. After leaving school, from 1951 to 1957 he studied at the Moscow Higher Technical School named after N.E. Bauman, received a diploma in mechanical engineering. By distribution, he worked in the laboratory of OKB-1, from where he quit due to admission to graduate school. The future cosmonaut completed his postgraduate studies in 1962. After graduating from graduate school, he returned to work at OKB-1, where he participated, in particular, in the design of spacecraft control systems. On May 23, 1966, he received the status of a candidate test cosmonaut, and later (December 30, 1966) - a test cosmonaut.

The cosmonaut was trained as a Soyuz spacecraft flight engineer under the Docking program. He was a member of the crew of the Soyuz-2 spacecraft, which was supposed to start on April 24, 1967 to dock with the previously launched Soyuz-1 spacecraft and go along with the third member of the Soyuz-2 crew (Khrunov) to return to the Soyuz- one". Due to malfunctions on the Soyuz-1 of the same type (the flight of which ended in a disaster with the death of cosmonaut Komarov), the launch of Soyuz-2 was canceled, which saved the lives of its crew.

• “S.P. Korolev. Encyclopedia of Life and Creativity” - edited by V.A. Lopota, RSC Energia im. S.P. Koroleva, 2014 ISBN 978-5-906674-04-3

1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s

An excerpt characterizing Eliseev, Alexei Stanislavovich

“What a charm this Nikolai is!” thought Natasha. - BUT! there’s still a fire in the living room,” she said, pointing to the windows of the house, which shone beautifully in the wet, velvet darkness of the night.

Count Ilya Andreich resigned from the leaders because this post was too expensive. But things didn't get better for him. Often Natasha and Nikolai saw the secret, restless negotiations of their parents and heard rumors about the sale of a rich, ancestral Rostov house and a suburban one. Without leadership, it was not necessary to have such a large reception, and the life of congratulations was conducted more quietly than in previous years; but the huge house and outbuilding were still full of people, more people were still sitting at the table. All of these were people who had settled down in the house, almost members of the family, or those who, it seemed, had to live in the count's house. Such were Dimmler - a musician with his wife, Yogel - a dance teacher with his family, the old lady Belova, who lived in the house, and many others: Petya's teachers, the former governess of young ladies and just people who were better or more profitable to live with the count than at home. There was no such big visit as before, but the course of life was the same, without which the count and countess could not imagine life. There was the same, still increased by Nikolai, hunting, the same 50 horses and 15 coachmen at the stable, the same expensive gifts on name days, and solemn dinners for the whole county; the same count whists and bostons, behind which he, dissolving cards for everyone to see, allowed himself to be beaten every day by hundreds of neighbors who looked at the right to play the game of Count Ilya Andreich as the most profitable lease.
The count, as if in huge snares, went about his business, trying not to believe that he was entangled, and with each step he became more and more entangled and feeling himself unable to either break the nets that entangled him, or carefully, patiently begin to unravel them. The Countess, with a loving heart, felt that her children were ruined, that the count was not to blame, that he could not be different from what he was, that he himself was suffering (although he hides it) from the consciousness of his own and children's ruin, and was looking for means to help the cause. From her feminine point of view, there was only one way - the marriage of Nicholas to a rich bride. She felt that this was the last hope, and that if Nikolai refused the party that she had found for him, she would have to say goodbye forever to the opportunity to improve things. This party was Julie Karagina, the daughter of a beautiful, virtuous mother and father, known from childhood to Rostov, and now a rich bride on the occasion of the death of the last of her brothers.
The Countess wrote directly to Karagina in Moscow, offering her the marriage of her daughter to her son, and received a favorable response from her. Karagina replied that she, for her part, agreed that everything would depend on the inclination of her daughter. Karagina invited Nikolai to come to Moscow.
Several times, with tears in her eyes, the Countess told her son that now that both her daughters were added, her only desire was to see him married. She said that she would lie down in the coffin calm, if that were the case. Then she said that she had a beautiful girl in mind and elicited his opinion about marriage.
In other conversations, she praised Julie and advised Nikolai to go to Moscow for the holidays to have fun. Nikolai guessed what his mother's conversations were leading to, and in one of these conversations he called her to complete frankness. She told him that all the hope of getting things right was now based on his marriage to Karagina.
- Well, if I loved a girl without a fortune, would you really demand, maman, that I sacrifice feeling and honor for a fortune? he asked his mother, not understanding the cruelty of his question and wishing only to show his nobility.
“No, you didn’t understand me,” said the mother, not knowing how to justify herself. “You didn’t understand me, Nikolinka. I wish you happiness,” she added, and felt that she was telling a lie, that she was confused. She started crying.
“Mamma, don’t cry, but just tell me that you want it, and you know that I will give my whole life, I will give everything so that you are calm,” said Nikolai. I will sacrifice everything for you, even my feelings.
But the countess did not want to put the question that way: she did not want a sacrifice from her son, she herself would like to sacrifice to him.
“No, you didn’t understand me, let’s not talk,” she said, wiping her tears.
“Yes, maybe I love the poor girl,” Nikolai said to himself, well, should I sacrifice feeling and honor for the state? I wonder how my mother could tell me this. Because Sonya is poor, I can’t love her, he thought, I can’t respond to her faithful, devoted love. And I'll probably be happier with her than with some sort of Julie doll. I can always sacrifice my feelings for the good of my relatives, he said to himself, but I cannot command my feelings. If I love Sonya, then my feeling is stronger and higher than anything for me.
Nikolai did not go to Moscow, the countess did not resume the conversation with him about marriage, and with sadness, and sometimes with anger, she saw signs of an ever greater rapprochement between her son and the dowryless Sonya. She reproached herself for that, but she could not help but grumble, find fault with Sonya, often stopping her for no reason, calling her "you" and "my dear." Most of all, the kind countess was angry with Sonya because this poor, black-eyed niece was so meek, so kind, so devotedly grateful to her benefactors, and so faithfully, unfailingly, selflessly in love with Nicholas that it was impossible to reproach her for anything. .
Nikolai spent his vacation with his relatives. The 4th letter was received from the groom, Prince Andrei, from Rome, in which he wrote that he would have been on his way to Russia long ago if his wound had not suddenly opened in a warm climate, which makes him postpone his departure until the beginning of next year . Natasha was just as in love with her fiancé, just as reassured by this love, and just as receptive to all the joys of life; but at the end of the fourth month of separation from him, moments of sadness began to come over her, against which she could not fight. She felt sorry for herself, it was a pity that she had been lost for nothing, for no one, all this time, during which she felt herself so capable of loving and being loved.
It was sad in the Rostovs' house.

Christmas time came, and apart from the ceremonial mass, except for the solemn and boring congratulations from neighbors and courtyards, except for all the new dresses worn, there was nothing special commemorating Christmas time, but in a windless 20-degree frost, in a bright blinding sun during the day and in starry winter light at night, the need for some kind of commemoration of this time was felt.
On the third day of the holiday, after dinner, all the households went to their rooms. It was the most boring time of the day. Nikolai, who went to the neighbors in the morning, fell asleep in the sofa room. The old count was resting in his study. Sonya was sitting at a round table in the living room, sketching a pattern. The Countess laid out the cards. Nastasya Ivanovna, with a sad face, was sitting at the window with two old women. Natasha entered the room, went up to Sonya, looked at what she was doing, then went up to her mother and silently stopped.
- Why are you walking around like a homeless person? her mother told her. - What do you want?
“I need him ... now, this minute I need him,” said Natasha, her eyes shining and not smiling. The Countess lifted her head and looked at her daughter intently.
- Don't look at me. Mom, don't look, I'll cry now.
“Sit down, sit with me,” said the countess.
Mom, I need it. Why am I disappearing like this, mother? ... - Her voice broke off, tears splashed from her eyes, and to hide them, she quickly turned around and left the room. She went out into the sofa room, stood for a moment, thought, and went into the girls' room. There, the old maid grumbled at a young girl, out of breath, who had come running from the cold from the servants.
“That will play,” said the old woman. - There is all the time.
“Let her go, Kondratyevna,” said Natasha. - Go, Mavrusha, go.
And releasing Mavrusha, Natasha went through the hall into the hall. The old man and two young footmen were playing cards. They interrupted the game and stood up at the entrance of the young lady. "What should I do with them?" thought Natasha. - Yes, Nikita, please go ... where can I send him? - Yes, go to the servants and bring a rooster please; yes, and you, Misha, bring oats.
- Would you like some oats? Misha said cheerfully and willingly.
“Go, go quickly,” said the old man.
- Fedor, and you get me some chalk.
Passing by the buffet, she ordered the samovar to be served, although it was not at all the time.
Fok the barman was the most angry person in the whole house. Natasha loved to try her power over him. He did not believe her and went to ask if it was true?
- Oh, this young lady! said Foka, feigning a frown at Natasha.
No one in the house sent out so many people and gave them so much work as Natasha. She could not see people with indifference, so as not to send them somewhere. It was as if she was trying to see if she would get angry, if one of them would pout at her, but people did not like to fulfill anyone's orders as much as Natasha's. “What should I do? Where should I go? Natasha thought as she slowly walked down the corridor.
- Nastasya Ivanovna, what will be born from me? she asked the jester, who, in his kutsaveyka, was walking towards her.
- From you fleas, dragonflies, blacksmiths, - answered the jester.
“My God, my God, it’s all the same. Ah, where should I go? What should I do with myself? - And she quickly, clattering her feet, ran up the stairs to Vogel, who lived with his wife on the top floor. Vogel had two governesses, and there were plates of raisins, walnuts, and almonds on the table. The governesses talked about where it was cheaper to live, in Moscow or Odessa. Natasha sat down, listened to their conversation with a serious, thoughtful face, and stood up. “The island of Madagascar,” she said. “Ma da gas car,” she repeated each syllable distinctly, and without answering m me Schoss’s questions about what she was saying, she left the room. Petya, her brother, was also upstairs: he and his uncle arranged fireworks, which he intended to set off at night. - Petya! Petka! she shouted to him, “take me downstairs. c - Petya ran up to her and turned his back. She jumped on top of him, wrapping her arms around his neck, and he jumped up and ran with her. “No, no, it’s the island of Madagascar,” she said, and, jumping off it, went down.