he just couldn’t fall asleep. For the umpteenth time, he began to think about the shepherd and his family. There, in this wilderness, in the middle of a blizzard, there was a lonely house. And all seventeen years, day after day, they are there in the snow. The shep- herd’s children grew up quickly, and they’re completely different to his own. Where did their childishness go… It was clear that the snowstorms and dry winds blew everything away. There is maturity in their eyes, what strong words! And how pure and simple-hearted they are! And their parents are simple and trusting. They are ready to forgive everything. All seventeen years they did not ask anything from anyone, they themselves fussed about themselves and about the cattle. Of course, they are not the very first, but they work honestly, to the best of their ability. The main thing is that they will not deceive; they will not dishonour themselves. After all, the essence of a person can be recognised by their eyes. And in the eyes of Kolbai and Tenge there is no dishonour. This quality had passed to their children, the conscience will forever remain and will be the property of their family. And he scared Kolbai with a consequence! What a fool! Karatai scolded himself. How many thousands of sheep did the shepherd raise over the years? Why do we forget about it? He looked at his watch, it was three in the morning. He had to get up after four hours. Karatai closed his eyes again. “Enough, you need to sleep a little, there is work tomorrow. What a life, there is no time to think calmly! What was his name? Madiev?” Karatai remembered the grader’s book and immediately the conversation with his daughter in the mountains came back to him. And Sargel’s letter… It all has something to do with it. “Why did Bagila tell me about this man? Just to remind me how I got him out of the com- partment? Just for this? No… It’s not that simple.” “What are you thinking about?” Asked his wife, seeing that he was awake. “Yes, so.” Karatai evaded the answer. “I think we should go to Alma-Ata.” “What, again for the party meeting?” Karatai chuckled. “Yes, something like that. A family meeting.” In the spring, a new book by Jasyn came out. This was his third. The annotation
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