I dedicate this story to a very beautiful girl, Susanna. She has big agate eyes. M.L.

A three-deck passenger ship with the exotic name Proserpina, gently swaying on the waves, followed the course of the Volga from Astrakhan to Moscow.

Evening fog fell on the river. The captain of the ship, checking the navigation instruments, flipped the toggle switch and ordered the crew to slow down the ship and turn on the side lights.

The captain's cabin door suddenly opened, and the boatswain stumbled into it.

- Hello, old man! - unceremoniously threw it. - I decided to chat with you about our sinful life. - Boatsman hoarsely laughed.

“We’ll talk to you again,” the captain snapped. - This is the first. Secondly, how dare you hang around the ship in this form! And thirdly, get out immediately! Not that I myself will throw you out. - The captain turned away from the boatswain, clearly making it clear that the conversation was over.

“Slu-sha-yus,” the boatswain sang, burning his captain’s back through his eyes.

He, like a crab, got out of the wheelhouse, spat and, peering into the wet veil, said:

- For the six holds me, crud. Let's talk? Well, of course, let's talk: everything has its time.

* * *

There were two people in the lounge: a representative man, over forty, and a young man who could be given twenty-five years. Bags under the eyes, pale face said that the guy is seriously ill.

The man carefully looked at the young man and gently addressed him:

- Sorry for the tactlessness, but you do not seem quite well. Perhaps I can help you with something? You see, I'm a doctor.

By the nature of the doctor was a man quite closed. He himself was surprised at his words; they somehow escaped spontaneously.

As for the young man, he easily, without hesitation, answered the stranger's question. There was sarcasm in his voice:

- Here is how! Doctor? How can you help me? Before you sits a complete addict. Before you sits a dead man.

The young man turned his face away from the doctor.

- Hand tremor, unhealthy complexion - everything suggests that you are right. I would even say that you have all the signs of polydrug addiction. But you shouldn’t despair, you shouldn’t say such fatal words about yourself, - the doctor answered.

The young man covered his eyes with his hand and said the following:

- I do not think that you or anyone else can help me. Perhaps because I myself do not want it. However, I feel really terrible. Morphine stock expires every day. Hardly enough for the rest of our trip.

Hopelessness was felt in the words of the young man.

“The first thing I would advise you is to get off at a large port and go to the hospital.” But you do not do that? - asked the doctor.

The young man shook his head:

- No no. This is fate, you see, my fate.

The doctor shrugged.

- Morphine, unfortunately, I do not. The only thing I can offer you in this case is a pair of amitala tablets, which will at least a little withdraw the withdrawal syndrome.

The doctor handed the boy a pill. The young man thanked his new acquaintance and, without hesitation, sent the pills into his mouth.

“God, they are bitter,” exclaimed the doctor. - Would you even have washed down with what.

“Not worth it,” the young man said, swallowing them. “I never drink anything, you know.” And then, they are not bitter at all - life is bitter. No, no, she is even terrible, terrible! - he added.

“Cesare Pavese said,” said the doctor, “that life is not easy and not hard: it is simply original.”

- Well, this idiot is your Pavese. Life is terrible and inventive in its horrors.

Both passengers smoked. The pills seemed to begin to have an effect on the young man. After a pause, the young man suddenly asked:

- Tell me, doctor, have you ever encountered something irrational, incomprehensible, otherworldly?

- Well, how do you tell? The region of the transcendental and occult has always attracted my attention, I even visited some countries of the East, but, unfortunately, I did not see anything supernatural and mysterious there. Perhaps you are more fortunate than mine, and the mysterious world has opened its invisible veil to you. Do me a favor, tell me what you have seen. And then, it seems to me, some burden lies on your soul, although maybe it is not so?

“Well done,” said the young man. - I like your insight. It is a pity that you are not a priest.

“Unfortunately, no,” the doctor smiled, “but I am ready to listen to you with all my heart.”

“Then you will have to listen to my story,” the young man replied. - Tell me, have you heard anything about the island of Lofofora?

The doctor shook his head.

PART I

Two years ago, I lived with my father on the island of Akkond (the Bahamas archipelago). This is not unusual. My father is from Argentina, I was also born there. My mother was Russian. After her death, my father and I went to the islands. I was fluent in two languages: Portuguese and English.

What my father was doing in Aklonda was of little interest to me: he always had some business connected with his company. We lived in a two-story cottage, my life was like some sort of chaotic dream. I was tormented everywhere with inexplicable melancholy - this eternal existential pivot that I have felt since childhood. Uninterested, depressed and reticent, I lived on the island for a month and a half, and my longing turned into something exhausting and fatal. I did not find a place for myself. And so one sunny morning, without knowing anything about myself, I took a pleasure boat and set sail from the coast to the blue depths of the sea. If I had been asked then where I was going to sail, I could hardly have answered anything.

I gave full speed to the motor and gave my fate in the hands of the Atlantic elements. My boat with a roar cut the azure waves, and I was happy and did not think about any consequences. Suddenly, I remembered that I had forgotten a compass at home. If only I knew how useful it would be to me! I flew my boat forward into the unknown.

Soon, common sense began to return to me, because the boat slowed down thoroughly: apparently the fuel was running out. I looked at the clock: they showed three minutes to two. I mentally figured out that I had been swimming in the ocean for about three hours. Where have I swam and how will I come back?

Suddenly I noticed a strip of earth in the distance. There was just enough fuel to get to the shore, and I dropped the anchor. I found myself on an unfamiliar beach and immediately felt like a defenseless child. “Why didn't I bring a weapon with me?” Flashed through my mind. Sullen cliffs huddled around me, looking at me with hostility and caution. Their almost steep slopes were riddled with some strange signs. I didn’t even have time to get scared when my hand fell lightly on my shoulder, like a gull's wing. I turned round sharply and saw a girl in front of me.

She was not tall, rounded lines of hips emphasized narrow waist. She had slender, barely plump legs, covered with a soft tan. On the narrow face, framed by brown hair, stood out huge agate eyes; bright, beautifully defined lips gave a special effect to the face of a stranger. She was wearing a short narrow skirt and a thin white T-shirt. In appearance she was about nineteen-twenty. I was quite surprised that I had met such an interesting girl in these strange places.

After reading the confusion on my face, she smiled and first spoke to me in English. Her voice sounded fascinatingly calm.

And I, feeling relieved, began to answer her questions. We talked about various trifles, remember ...