"Лариса Матрос. Behind the Staircase (англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

in front of Anna. "Here I have a friend, she is an American, a student. We
were working together in a kitchen of a restaurant. Her father is a
professor in a university. Do you know how proud she was? And how much
respect she has frtem all, when she let us know who her father is! So, don't
listen to them. I can assure you here education and intellect are more
important than money. If you
move here..."
"Why don't you study, if you think an education is important here?
the girl's mother interrupted her.
"As for me, I don't want anything here. I want there. There is my
home," said the young girL
"Well, Lubochka! You are here already half a year. It's time already to
palm down," said the old woman, sitting next to the girl.
"I don't want to calm down. I want home. I was forced to move out."
"You see, she had a boyfriend there," inserted her mother, demonstrating the
absolute stupidity in the relation with her daughter.
Anna looked at the girl with a feeling of compassion. "You know what,"
said a slender older man cheerfully, sitting at the other side of the girl.
Obviously, he wanted to change the theme of the conversation. He stood up,
holding his glass of wine. "Since we began talking about money, I suggest a
toast. Do you remember the following anecdote of "Armenian radio": Someone
asks Armenian radio "Can a wife make her husband a millionaire?" On the next
day radio answered, " Yes, she can, but only if he is a billionaire." All
laughed. " My toast," continued the man, "is the following, let our wives
always make us millionaires. Even if money is not prestigious, it's still
better to have more."
Everybody laughed together and then Rudolf and Masha invited all guests
to the table. The guests went to the dining room/ where tables were set.
Once they got in, all of them uttered together, "Oh, my gosh!" In front of
them, in the middle of the big, nice, set table, there was a miniature
Potyomkinskaya Staircase. The staircase, the parapets, were covered with
grey glaze, which looked like granite. On the top landing, there was the
small chocolate figure, whose silhouette exactly replicating Richeliett's
monument.
Rudolf, with excitement came to Anna and said quietly, "It was made by
masters from our bakery. Anna, look, there are 192 steps, ten landing and
flights. The scale was observed completely." Anna could not find words. She
sat at the table silently/ as all the other guests were loudly discussing
memories of the periods of their lives related to the staircase.
Everybody started to eat the dinner quickly/because theywere impatient
to taste the cake. The hostess seeing that, decided to skip the break they
usually had before dessert. After finishing the main meal, the hostess
served champagne and started to cut the cake. Once a knife touched the
staircase, its parts turned into biscuit-chocolate cakes. As the staircase's
size was reduced and dessert plates were filled with its pieces, Anna felt
sorrow. She looked at the guests, nipping off parts of the staircase with
their spoons and she wanted to cry. At that moment she felt the anxious
stare of Rudolf. She did not wish to meet his gaze and inclined her head,
pretending she was placing a napkin on her dress. Suddenly, the quiet
Rudik's voice sounded. His intonations were discordant with the atmosphere