There were many strange people in Dovbaivka.
There were Shepherds.
There were dumbasses.
There were academics of dumbassology.
But there was only one Count Deberts.
No one remembered his real name.
Some said he was a former intelligence officer.
Others - that counterintelligence.
Others were convinced that he recruited himself.
The Count himself answered all questions in the same way:
- counterintelligence.
After that, everyone nodded, although no one understood anything.
***
In the center of Dovbaivka stood an old club.
The elders gathered there every evening.
A sign hung on the door:
"Entrance only to those who know the difference between tertz and deberts."
Once a young dumbass was brought there.
- How much should be collected? - he asked.
The count raised his head.
- One thousand sixty two.
- Why exactly so much?
- Because that's what counterintelligence decided.
After that, there were no more questions.
***
The count spread the cards.
- Remember.
Three cards in a row - tertz.
Twenty points.
Four cards in a row - deberts.
Fifty points.
Jack of trumps - twenty.
A trump nine is fourteen.
Queen and king of the trump suit - bela.
Twenty more.
The young dumbass started recording.
In the third minute, he got confused.
On the fifth - he gave up.
At ten, he began to pretend that he understood everything.
That's what everyone did.
***
"But that's not the main thing," said the Count.
- And what?
- You have to take at least one trick.
- Why?
- Otherwise, your deberts do not exist.
- How is it?
- You can have a treasure in your hands.
But if you didn't take anything - it's heve.
Minus a hundred.
There was silence in the club.
Even the most experienced dumbasses felt the philosophical depth of what was said.
***
- It turns out, - someone from the hall said thoughtfully, - is it like that in life too?
- Exactly, - answered the Count.
- You can have talent.
You can have knowledge.
You can have a brilliant plan.
But if you did not take a single trick -
they are just beautiful cards in the hands.
After these words, everyone fell silent.
Even dumbasses.
That happened extremely rarely.
***
Count Deberts won the game that night.
But no one understood exactly how.
But everyone was sure:
it was counterintelligence.