"Other People's Letters" "I'm late." "Please, forgive me." "Say something." "Say that you're angry." "I'm not angry." " It is silly that we quarrel so much." " It is indeed." "Where are we going?" "I told you, don't you remember?" "I'm sorry, I forgot." " You're not obliged to go." " Well, I am going now." "Who are they?" "Teachers, like you?" "Yes, they are." "I'm serious, you can do as you please." "I'm not forcing you." ""Enough, stand up." "It's now for me to give you honest explanation." "Onegin, d'you recall the day when in the park, in the allee where fate had fixed our confrontation, humbly I heard your lesson out?" "Today it's turn and turn about." "For then, Onegin, I was younger, and also prettier, I'll be bound..." "Good afternoon, Vera Ivanovna." "Look at that!" "My pupils, all by themselves." "I see." "Hello, Vera Ivanovna!" "Vera Ivanovna!" "Hello." "Hello." "Maybe I'm a brother?" "Or a cousin?" "The whole town knows who you are." " Hello, Vera Ivanovna!" " Hello." "I'd nothing to attract your humour..." "Why then do you pursue me now?" "What cause has won me your attention?" "Could it not be that by convention" "I move in the grand monde?" "that rank, and riches, and the wish to thank my husband for his wounds in battle earn us the favour of the Court?" "that, for all this, my shame's report would cause widespread remark and tattle, and so in the salons could make a tempting plume for you to take?" "I weep..." "In case there still should linger your Tanya's image in your mind," "No, Zina, not right." "You scream, you stress the wrong words..." "Anna Trofimovna, thanks so much for speaking openly!" "Everyone praises me, they even gave me an award at the contest." "They doing me a disservice, aren't they?" "Vera is here!" " Hello." " Hiya." " Vera!" " Hello, Anna Trofimovna." " Hello, Vera Ivanovna." " Hello, Zina." " Meet my friend." " Pleased to meet you." "...likewise." " I like him." " He's nothing special." "A painter, and not even a real one." "Real painters paint." "A painter!" " You're just jealous." " Jealous?" "You thought she'd marry your brother?" "Never!" "I don't think anything." "I feel sorry for her, that's all." "He's good-looking, isn't he?" "He's going to dump her!" "Well, me, I like him not as a male, but as a person, in general." "Something's changed here, not sure what it is." "A birch was there, the cut it down." "Soon they'll take it all down." "The fire station... the windmill." "And the garden, what a pity." " Is he leaving soon?" " Who?" "Igor?" "Yes, they need him in Moscow." "He must work in the theatre." "He's been dreaming about it for a long time... now he's got it." "Haven't you talked?" "About what?" "He goes back to Moscow, everything goes as usual." "We're both somewhat... un-paired people, so to say." "It's difficult for us to be together anyway." "And to be separated?" "It's even worse." "He comes to me and sits there, silently, not a word." "And so do I." "Sit down!" "There's nowhere to hurry!" "Sit down!" "Everybody!" "That's how it always is!" "The bell rings - and we hurry to avoid talking about sore subjects!" "Zina, what is it that we're trying to avoid?" "It's not a secret that Antipov and Kaluazin's behaviour in the summer camp was outrageous!" "They stole a truck and took some girls for a ride." "Were they drunk or sober in the process, is a question in itself!" "They ended up driving into the ditch, the girls fell off, and one of them broke her arm!" " And look at them now!" " We're doing nothing!" "What are you talking about?" "My opinion is that they don't belong in the 9th grade, and I don't see the reasons why they're being kept here!" "It's not a secret that they don't deserve even the low marks they somehow get!" "Vera Ivanovna!" "You're still here!" "What's going on?" "Why so quiet?" "Begunkova thinks that 9th grade is not for everybody." "Begunkova?" "We'll sort it out." "Sit down, Begunkova!" "And next time, think before saying something like that!" "I always say what I think." "So, do think!" "And remember the state you were in when you came to this school!" "Remember now?" "Vera Ivanovna didn't sleep at nights!" "We wanted to move you to another school!" "She didn't let us! "A good girl, she's a good girl." "Look - she's doing better and better!" "A little angel!"" "Look at her now!" "Look!" "She's going to settle things all by herself!" "Well, wrap it up." "Should I kneel down now?" "She wanted to remind you, Zina, that people do change." "And we should believe in everyone, like we believed in you." "Oh, don't worry, I get it." "And what is it, I wonder?" "Stand up!" "That everyone's a good person, except me." "I remain the same." "What's got into you?" "Nobody likes the truth-seekers." "Sveta!" "What's taking you so long?" "Let's go!" " I'm going." "Wait." " Svetlana!" "Your hair is a mess again, comb it right now!" "Sveta... you really shouldn't be friends with that girl." "And stop telling everyone what you've overheard at home!" "Should I be lying instead?" "You know what, I'm getting tired of your smart answers!" "Calm down, Mom." "You've got a whole class to worry about, don't waste your nerves on me." "You're not going to the dance with her tonight." "I promised her and I'll go!" "Well, look at you!" "To think I used to carry you in my arms!" "And now look, a girl any man would marry!" "Grow a little older and I just might marry you myself!" "Keep your braid, I'd hate to see you cut off such beauty." "What will I become when you grow up, Zina?" "An old geezer." "And you, girls, will look at me with empty eyes." "How pessimistic of you, Jenya." "Did you quit aviation at your own will, or because of your health?" "At will." "At the will of some guy..." "People don't usually like to hear the truth about themselves." "They say, you were fired for fighting." "Can I speak to you for a second?" "Your brother wanted me to talk to you." "He wants to invite your mother - to the wedding." "What do you think of that?" "It is his own business." " She's his mother, after all." " That's right, "after all"!" "I don't think of her as my mother." "I'm getting my passport tomorrow." "What does passport have to do with it?" "Vera, are you alone?" "I won't be long, I've got a pie in the oven." "Listen, get rid of that painter." "What do you need him for?" "Girls are whispering, your colleagues are making jokes." "The summer is over and you're still up in the clouds." "Wake up!" "Is he married?" "Well?" "No." "Divorced then?" "Well, yes or no?" " I don't know." " You don't know!" "You know what, come visit me, for a piece of pie, let's say." "I'll tell you in a jiff, whether he's divorced or not." "I need to look at the man just one..." "Hello." "Hello." " Hello." " Good evening." "Very nice to meet you." "And we've just been talking about you." "Yes, I heard... the audibility here is very good." " Yes, the audibility..." " You know, the walls..." "The whole house is suffering when my neighbour upstairs is practising piano." "Well, you must have the same problem in Moscow." "Yes, the audibility." "Do you live in a new house?" "Well, no, I don't live anywhere right now." "I see." "I see." "My pie!" "I must be going." "I wanted to tell you something." "You two should get married and stop hiding!" " You think so?" " Most certainly!" "Well, that's how it is." "Never mind her." "She means well, she said that just in case." "Tima, Tima!" "Mother, don't pamper him!" " Tima is on a diet." " Good, Zina, very good." "That's for my sister." "Keeps her at home." "What do you think?" " Sasha." " What?" "Why didn't you introduce us?" " And my dress..." " Come on, it looks great." "You must have a new dress for the wedding." "That's superstition." "Don't be afraid." "My family is, well, unusual." "It's in ruins, you might even say." "But don't be afraid." "She puts on a show because of mother, not because of you." "Zinaida!" "Careful, he'll tear your stockings." "Zina... could you stop doing that for a second?" " Can you go to the new houses..." " What for?" "I've invited the Voronins, the Ilyasovs," " and Vera Ivanovna: remind them..." " Did you invite her too?" " Well then go there yourself." " What?" "I said go yourself." "I'm not going to humiliate myself." "Why humiliate?" "Did you..." " Did you have a fight again?" " What do you care?" " Don't talk to me like that!" " Sasha!" "Just look at her!" "At odds with the whole world!" "Do you really have to spoil such a day with your bad temper?" "How are you doing?" "Oh, how beautiful you both are!" "Some wife you've got, my son." "Can't admire her enough." " And your fiancee, Zoya..." " Alright, alright." "I'll be eternally grateful..." "Mom!" "Come with us!" "Sure, why not?" " Me?" " Yes, why not!" "No..." "No." "What would people say?" ""There she is, fast enough"." "Thanks for the invitation, though." "Okay then, we must go." "Mother!" "I said he's on a diet!" "He's a German shepherd!" " I'm sorry." " And it's unhygienic!" "Right, Zina, unhygienic." "Come here." "Come." "Should I give them now?" "You know, for good spirits." "Now where did you get these, I wonder." "In a shop." "I have a friend who works there." "And you thought..." " Nothing!" " No you did!" "Do you even know why they took me?" " For the shortage." " I'm not interested in that." "It's just the way you grovel before that Zoya!" "Keep in mind, she won't let you live in her flat anyway!" "I don't need it!" "I wasn't even thinking!" " You scum." " Sasha, please!" "Please don't, I'm on a two-day leave!" "Don't be afraid, mother." "I won't touch her." "I'd like to see you try!" "What did she ever do to you?" "You know what?" "Today you're free to go wherever you want." "You are not invited for the wedding, you get that?" "I'm shaking with fear." "I won't go anyway." "I'll close my door - like that - and you do what you want!" "Switch on the ignition." "Hiya!" " Fine?" " Yeah, it works." " Wanna test it?" " You go ahead." " Boss!" "Can I take her for a ride?" " All right!" "Zinaida, hop in!" "It's a fine car, Zina!" "How about we steal it?" "What does that old fart need it for anyway, right?" "Wanna steal it?" "Okay." " Why aren't you on the wedding?" " I don't want to go." "And you?" "I have a schedule to follow." "Still, I'm happy to be invited." "Your brother sees me as a homeless child that heeds to be brought up." "Wanna have a soda?" "Okay." "I'm leaving, Zina." "Still got some friends in this world." "Maybe I'll fly again, who knows." "Of course you will." "When we moved in here, that cathedral was in ruins." "They've restored it only recently." "There is this guy Lyskin, he works as a guide there." "He knows all the icons." " Irons?" " Icons!" "And he can also tell who you are from your handwriting." "He said that, judging by my writing," "I'll be either an investigator or a prosecutor." "What do you think, Jenya, what will I be?" "Nobody!" "You'll be making eyes at everyone, just like your mother did." "A zero with a minus." " I'm not making eyes." " Right." "It's just that a woman must be liked." "It gives her courage and good mood." "No arguing!" "You're in a good mood the whole day anyway." " It's not true." " Sure it is." "I love you." " Wha?" " I love you!" "Eternally." "Did I mishear?" "What did ya say, madam?" "Kiss me." "Holy shit." "Jenya!" "Jenya!" "Get down here, I'll catch you!" "Let me go." "What if I don't?" "What if I don't?" "Jenya!" "Like it?" "You silly doll." "Straighten your skirt!" "I said straighten it!" "God damn it, sitting there, like a..." "Jenya..." "I'll go tell your brother, how impetuous we are!" "He'll teach you a lesson!" "Right, sit there and cry." "Some coquette." "Yeah, yeah, cry." "A blue-eyed rascal." " Hello." " Hi." "Just a second." "Don't bother." "I brought the play." "Here." "I liked it a lot." "It should look brilliant on the stage." "Bye." " Wait, are you going home?" " Yes." "Sveta!" "Sveta, come out!" "Sveta!" "She won't go to the dances." "She has to study." "Here." "Drink this and calm down." "Come on." "You'll calm down, we'll eat and then you'll tell me everything." "My God, you're soaking wet!" "You must drink some hot soup, you hear?" "You're wet to the skin." "Where did he take you, Zina?" "You can tell me the whole truth!" "I'll tell Sasha that you're with me." "They're at the wedding, right?" " I'm not going home!" " Okay." "Okay, you can stay with me." " But we must tell him, or he'll worry." " Please, don't tell anything!" "My goodness, what did that bastard do to you?" "Zina, tell me." "I must know." "Did you run away from him?" "Hello." "Welcome." "Sasha is out, he's looking for Zina." "Come in, please." "Don't worry, Zina's with me." "I'll find Sasha and tell him everything." "You're the one I need." "What happened?" "What did you do to the girl?" "Don't lie!" " Wha?" "You're..." " I saw you two in the car!" "...talking about Zina?" " Well, I just..." " You know what, follow me, now." "Alright, alright." "Take off your arm." "What're you looking at?" "Take it off, I'll go by myself." "You're gonna explain everything to her brother!" "Let go of my hand, will you?" "Let go." "Dear Mr. Evgeniy Mikhailovich!" "It's me, Zina Begunkova, who is writing." "Forget about our conversation." "I was only joking and you don't seem to understand jokes." "Watch the "Pub 13 Chairs", develop a sense of humour and excuse me for my frivolous joke." ""Still yours"" "Dear Mr. Evgeniy Mikhailovich!" "If you don't mind, I'd like her to stay here for a little while." "It's all because I invited Mother to the wedding." "Maybe I shouldn't have..." "She haven't seen her for seven years now." "I guess that's why it started." "Igor, could you sit in the kitchen?" "We have some business here..." "Zina!" " Where is she?" " I'm not surprised." "Hell if I know." "Yeah..." "The whole story is absurd." "Family business..." "And me too, I lost my patience." "Well, Vera Ivanovna, excuse me" " I should go." "Alexander Petrovich, you should probably come to school." " When?" " Any time you want," " ..." "I'd like to talk to you." " I certainly will, goodbye." " Am I intruding?" " When do you leave?" " At 6.20." " Tomorrow?" "Well, it is today now." "You can stay here if you want, I'll see you to the station." "I'm sorry, Vera Ivanovna, can I go?" "Well hello there and good evening." "Very nice of you." "Get back in the closet!" "Now!" "I said now!" "You got 3." "Why is that?" "You must've deserved it." "Vera Ivanovna is always just." " Not to everyone, it seems" " To everyone." " Do you know why she took you?" " I moved in myself." "She doesn't have any children, that's why she always" " ...has to teach someone else." " Who, me?" "What do you know, anyway." ""Anna Karenina"" "Vera Ivanovna..." "Can I bring Tima here?" "Yes, sure." " Not for long, just a little while." " I don't mind if it's permanent." "Oh my, what a draught." "You should tape the windows." "I've already brought the paper." " Zina." " I'm going, I'm going." "And tell me, what do you need that for?" "Because I want to look at you." "Here I am, you can look." "And when you're not home?" "I want to look at you all the time." "Oh and it wasn't finished, so I drew the rest myself." " You shouldn't paint for the painter." " It's only a little collar!" "It looks better now, doesn't it?" " And I did the frame." " It's okay." "Can we buy a TV?" "We'll pay by instalments." "Even the smallest will do." "One, two, three, four!" "One, two, three, four!" "One, two, three, four!" "One, two, three, four!" "It's alright, don't worry, you can do it!" "One... two... three four!" "Don't laugh, it should relax you." " Let's do it again." " One, two, three..." "Bend, bend." "Tima!" "Tima!" "Good doggie." "Good doggie." "We burned it again." "You should put it on later." "The exercises start at the same time." "When is that?" "Being on time everywhere is a matter of planning your schedule." " No milk?" "We forgot to buy it." " And condensed?" "And powdered?" "Should be somewhere." "Vera Ivanovna, you don't have anything!" "It all ran out somehow." "Tima!" "Tima." "Come here." "Sorry, no milk for you today, Tima." "Yes, no milk for my doggie." "Well, you can do without it, can you?" "Tima can wait." "It's alright, Tima, it's alright." "Whatever." "Vera Ivanovna!" " Read it, I know you want to." " Later." "Sonja Morgenstern, East Germany, 16 years old." "Her coach is Jutta Muller too." "Her idol is Gabriele Seyfert." "Her long program was voted the best at the European championship." "There's no arguing with her - she believes not not in education, but in educator - herself, that is." "We'll talk about the distance between a pupil and a teacher, we'll give her advice, tips... but she likes the girl and that's all there is to it!" "Yes, I like her." "What's wrong with that?" "She was crying in the court, I invited her to stay with me." "Lisaveta Sergeyevna, haven't you ever had pupils who lived with you?" "I had, and they stayed for a long time - when they had nowhere to live." "Education is a gradual process, Vera Ivanovna." "Thus one should always avoid drastic measures." "You both know that Zina is a sociable person, that she cannot endure loneliness." "It's typical for young ones to overestimate themselves." "Vera Ivanovna is certainly trying to prove something to us." "To us and to herself." "She thinks she can work miracles with mere patience, trust, understanding and love." " Am I right?" " No." "No." "Me and Zina, we're doing fine." "And I'm glad to see that she seems to be getting attached to me." " Look at that!" " Zina!" "What are you doing here?" "I'm waiting for Vera Ivanovna." " What, is it forbidden?" " Go home, now!" " Wanna go out?" " Nuh-uh." " Why?" " Not in a mood." "What are you doing then?" "Nothing." "Sometimes one needs to be by himself, to think." "...he writes about his dreams, his thoughts, his feelings... everything!" "He writes how much I mean to him - I'm a little surprised, actually." " Does Vera know?" " Of course not." "I hid them at home." "Wanna show them to me?" "Or Vera is your friend now?" "As you like, I'll bring them to you." " Does he write about love?" " Sure, and a lot about love." "He's written to me three times and I've written only twice." "I should write an answer but I never have the time." " Tell me more, what does he write?" " Wait." "No, I can't remember." "Okay, for example:" ""Now I'm looking at myself with your eyes," "going over the whole summer and the last days in my mind, when we understood each other so badly." "I tried to get used to the thought that we're parting for good..."" "I forgot." "He remembers me, to sum it up." "Sounds too good to be true." "You don't believe me?" "I'll bring you the letters!" "Any time!" ""My dear Vera." "It's raining..."" ""My dear Zina." "It's raining..."" "You're not sleeping?" "Nuh-uh." " Thinking?" " Uh-huh." " Well, what are you thinking about?" " About you, Vera Ivanovna." "About me?" "And what're you thinking about me?" "I'm thinking about love." "About love?" "You were..." "You were my ideal." "I even wrote an essay about you." "And when you got mixed with that painter - over!" "I've come to hate you." " For what?" " Because you turned into one of them." "Everybody says that he dumped you." "And you don't even see that." "You're so..." " It is easy to fool you." " Nobody fooled me." "You see, Zina, love doesn't necessarily last forever." "Really?" "So it's allowed to cheat?" "It's not what I wanted to say." "And then... you never know what kind of love it will be." "It's as if you're living in another dimension." "You stop understanding the simplest things." "But in return another man's world gets opened for you." " Right?" " Right." "And clever people, Zina, don't gossip about the love of others." " And theirs too." " But not everyone is clever!" "There are different people." "Even bad people." "I do understand you, Vera Ivanovna, with all my heart." "But not everyone can do that." "You're right, you are living in another dimension, not knowing a thing about life." "Rudiments and atavisms." "Today we'll talk about evidence of bestial origin of humans." "Write it down:" ""Rudiments and atavisms"." "Ready?" "May I come in?" "Come in, Begunkova." "Don't let her in!" "Rudiments are the organs that, in the process of evolution..." "Did you bring them?" "Atavisms are the cases when the body returns to its lost traits." "To prove the bestial origin of a man..." " To Egorova!" "as well as the fact of historical development of animals, rudiments are of key importance." "Begunkova!" "What's all the fuss about?" "Rudiments." "Let's take a look at some of them." "To Egorova." "Odintsov!" "What did you take from Begunkova?" "Put the notebook one my table!" "Hurry it up!" "Do your copying off during the breaks." "I'll pass it to Vera Ivanovna, she'll decide who does his homework himself and who's cribbing from Begunkova." "In total, human body has..." " Lyskin!" "Get the notebook!" "Steal it!" "Human skin is covered with a little amount of..." "Lyskin!" "Lyskin." "These are the rudiments, leftovers from the body of our ancestors." "Begunkova, you're going on a walk?" "To the blackboard." "The brain of one-month old human foetus resembles the brain of fish." "Gradually, the hemisphere of the brain moves at the other sections, and something forms on the cortex..." "What?" " Fissures and convolutions." " Fissures and convolutions." " She wrote it herself!" "...Increasing what, Begunkova?" " The brain's surface." " The brain's surface." "The brain of a 7-month old foetus still resembles the brain of a baboon." "Begunkova." "Begunkova." "Sit down." ""My dear Zina!"" "You wrote it herself, didn't you?" "Stop it at once!" "Begunkova!" "Begunkova!" "Sit down immediately." "Immediately!" "What's going on with you all?" "Where's the notebook?" "Who took the notebook?" "Who took the notebook that was on my table?" "Who did it?" " I did." " Put it back." "And the sheet!" "That Eremeeva threw to Egorova, Egorova, put it back now!" "Put it back!" "I'm stopping the lesson!" "Sveta..." "Something is happening to them." "I can't stand it." "Just can't stand it." "I don't bother anyone, I'm only explaining - thank you." "Read it, read it." "That's the kind of letters Begunkova receives." "And the whole class reads it and laughs." "Barbarians." "And we're talking about biology, trigonometry..." "Here, children, take the tops and the roots." "I know what happened." "Now, those who didn't read the letter and didn't want to - sit down." "And those who read it, passed it and discussed it, will stay." "And I'll stay with you" " I read it too." "We'll stay like that and look each other in the eyes." "I missed the very first lesson." "I didn't teach you the simplest things." "Like, you mustn't read somebody else's letters." "I thought everybody knew it." "But I was wrong." "That's why I must apologize for all of us before Zina." "Zina, take the notebook and the letter and never bring such things to school." "And go to Antonina Karpovna and apologize." "You forgot the letter." "Take it." "She wrote it herself." "Nonsense!" "Who said that?" "Sit down!" "I see nothing strange either about this letter or the fact that someone fell in love with Zina." "He doesn't know, though, that she reads his letters to her girlfriends." "You can go now." "It was her!" "She wrote it, that's obvious!" "Copied it off some book!" ""I had known no happiness before I met you..."" "Enough!" "If a man writes to himself, he must have a reason, right?" " I saw her bending the sheet!" " Come on." "Alright, if its true, if she did write it herself, isn't it better to be silent about it?" "Vera Ivanovna!" "You, of all, why are you lying?" "You do know the truth, don't you?" "Why, why did you do it?" "How did you get the idea?" "Lies!" "Lies." "What's wrong about it?" "I brought it to Sveta." " You don't understand?" " Why doesn't she believe me?" " Why doesn't she believe me?" " Because you're lying!" "Zina." "I know he doesn't write to you." "How mean of you, Vera Ivanovna." "Looking for a sore spot." "You read somebody else's letter." " That's okay, I forgive you." " But it was on the table!" "Right there, in full view!" "You wanted me to read it, didn't you?" "Haven't you shown it to anyone?" "I won't believe it!" "Zina!" "Only you and me, only you and me, only you and me, you and me-e-e." "Only me and you, Only me and you, only me and you..." "Vera Ivanovna!" "Vera Ivanovna!" "Turn over." "Harder, Vera Ivanovna!" "It's as hard as I can." "Harder!" "Even harder!" "Oh my, you have weak hands, Vera Ivanovna." "By the way, we had a debate about you not so long ago." "How much do you get paid as a painter?" "If it's not a secret, of course." "It's a secret." "Come on, roughly." "How much did you pay for the hotel?" "A million." "Come on, I'm serious." "The girls keep asking me, and I don't know." "Zina!" "What girls, what are you talking about?" "People are interested." "If you prefer to hide this information - go ahead," "I don't need your money." " Zina, are the potatoes ready?" " I'll go see." "Tima, come with me." "You can talk confidentially now." "These eyes in front of me, the kaleidoscope of lights..." "These eyes in front of me, the brightest and the dearest..." " Did I come at the wrong time?" " No, why?" "How long are you staying?" "I came to see you." "Let's run away somewhere." " Where to?" " Anywhere." "Let's run." "You're not going anywhere, Vera Ivanovna." "Are you ordering me?" "Yes, I am ordering you." " Since you can't..." " It seems that I'm the teacher and..." "Running like a girl." " What's wrong with you?" " It's late night!" " I'm expected." " They'll wait." "What are you doing?" " Vera Ivanovna, it's best for you." " Give me the key!" "You'll thank me later, Vera Ivanovna." " Go to sleep." " Stand up and give me the key." "Zina, get up and put the key back, now." "Or we'll have a fight and you'll leave this house tomorrow!" "And you'll be transferred to another school!" " Oh yeah?" "Don't threaten me." " Stand up!" "You're talking to the senior!" "Take the key and put it where you took it." "Here, take it, run, I don't care." "Shut up!" "Put it there!" "In silence!" "So you can shout at me, and I can't say a word?" "This will not do!" "I'm not some sponger!" "Sasha brought you money for me!" "Yes!" "And you didn't take it!" "To be able to order me about!" "Zina go do this!" "Zina go do that!" " I hit a girl." " Vera?" " I hit a girl." " Don't stand, please, sit somewhere, at this box, for instance." "Who's the lucky girl?" "Zina Begunkova?" "Don't laugh." "I'm not going back to school." "I can't go there anymore." "I don't like them." "I don't like children." " I'm afraid of them." " And you used to love them all?" " All of them?" " Yes!" "Vera Ivanovna, we can do great things with love." "But it's a capricious thing." " Love passes and you have to live on." " I can't do anything right." "I can't explain to them the simplest things." "I can't explain why they mustn't read somebody else's letters." "Why they mustn't read somebody else's letters?" "Because it's wrong, that's why!" "Eaglet, Eaglet, my winged comrade," "The feather grass steppes are in fire!" "Komsomol eagles are flying to give me a hand," "And life will come back to me." "Komsomol eagles are flying to give me a hand," " What are we going to do now?" " I don't know." " Let's put the dance first, the readers after it!" "I can't perform, I have a sore throat." "Why did you come then?" "You should stay at home." "So that you could cross me out." " Acrobats at the end." " The piano player won't wait!" " Then let them dress and go home." " And the readers?" " Tell Vera Ivanovna that I'm sick." " Tell it her yourself." "Let Lyskin read." "Angelina Grigoryevna," "Vera Ivanovna isn't guilty of anything." "It was life that drove her to that condition." "Life." "Or maybe it was you?" " You, Zina Begunkova." " Me?" "Zina!" "Don't just stand there, you'll catch cold!" " Hello, Anna Trofimovna." " Hello, Zina." "Well, go now." "Go help them." "Form the chain, everyone!" " Throw it up!" " Hold the lampshade!" " Give me the box!" "It's fragile!" "Handle it with care." " Safonov!" "Have you no shame?" " I do, why?" "To the chain." "To the chain." "Begunkova, what would we do without you." "I told you, all the glass - upwards!" "Goodbye, Vera Ivanovna!" "Bye!" "Bye!" "The End"