you object if I come to myself home? – then she assured Emmanuel. – I from you will not take money.
Emmanuel as the woman understood Luda. She could not drive the car in such state. Their harmless conversation led to unexpected consequences. Luda was in a hysterics. It could not conduct a car. But nevertheless she drove the car. Sitting in a driver's seat, she could not entrust a wheel of this car to whom was.
– Well. – Emmanuel agreed. Then she asked. – And where do you live?
– Nearby. – Luda answered. – In one quarter.
– Well. – told Emmanuel. Then it kind of encouraging her added. – Life for you only begins. Forget all sorrows and adversities, and live. Lead life, and rejoice it.
– You are right. – Luda agreed. – It is necessary to live it is happy. – she made a sad pause, and with grief on heart added as if approving the correctness. – Only in this country. – then she suggested. – Perhaps here it will be ever possible to live – it having made a heavy pause, and added. – But not now.
Emmanuel told nothing. She looked out of the car window, and thought of something. Perhaps she thought of that why it here? In this country. It perhaps will never find the truth here. Buried under a paper heap, it was handed over in archive, and hardly she will see the light sometime. The governments of all countries are able to keep the secrets and to share them or nobody is going to disclose them.
However, perhaps Emmanuel thought of Luda. Its attitude towards Russia. It was obvious that she did not want to leave this country, but in it it hardly became happy. Happiness for all the. It for each person individual, and hardly someone will share it with somebody.
So they approached one of houses. The car stopped near one of entrances to the address, Yablokov D. № 18 Street. Luda killed the car engine, and having addressed Emmanuel, told:
– Here we also arrived.
Chapter-4
Invitation on a visit
Emmanuel went out of the car-TAXI, behind her there was Luda. Luda told:
– Here I live. – then she added. – You have probably other houses.
Emmanuel having looked at the house and having examined the house, told:
– Houses are similar at each other, people different everywhere.
– You are absolutely right Emmanuel. – Luda agreed. – People everywhere different – then she added Voland's word from the work by M.A. Bulgakov "Master and Margarita". – The housing problem spoiled them.
Emmanuel having approached Luda to help to reach an entrance, admitted:
– I read Bulgakova too.
Luda having looked at Emmanuel, asked:
– Did you read only one his work?
– What you? – was surprised Emmanuel, and hurried to add. – Of course not. – then she added. – I read Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov much. – then she added. – Whether you know, my relatives from Imperial Russia. They fled Russia in the seventeenth year.
Luda having knowingly looked at Emmanuel, with understanding assumed:
– Did you probably always want to return to Russia?
Emmanuel quietly answered:
– To that Russia which was at the CPSU – no.
– And in present?
– I always wanted to live freely as I want to live. – then she added. – I cannot recognize present Russia as the free country. – it having made a pause, added. – I cannot answer you this question unambiguously. Russia is Russia, it has to spread the wings from the Soviet mode now – its dictatorships. And then who knows? Maybe Russia will be the great country? Who knows?
They reached an entrance, and having opened a door entered an entrance. Women approached the elevator, and having pressed the elevator call button, Luda told:
– I am fast.
– You do not hurry. – answered Emmanuel. – I do not hurry.
The elevator opened the doors, and women having entered inside, and Luda pressed the button of the third floor. Doors of the elevator were closed, and the elevator having risen on the third the floor of an apartment house opened the doors. Women went out of the elevator, and having turned to the right, women approached to the leader's door in a corridor of apartments, and having got keys from a jacket pocket, opened a door, and having entered a corridor Luda locked for herself a door. Then they approached to the first door from an entrance on the left side, and Luda having opened a door a key, women entered the apartment, and Luda closed a door and locked it. Having taken off footwear, and having put on slippers Emmanuel asked:
– Where do you have a bathroom?
Luda showed the door on the left side from an entrance.
Emmanuel entered her, and Luda passed in a doorway which conducted to the room. Having entered the room Luda, saw the grandfather Grigory Ivanovich sleeping on the sofa. About it it was possible to write much and all the same you will not write what could be written about it. Let he will tell about himself. But not now. Now he slept on the sofa, and had a dream. It is unlikely I can write what dreamed the seventy-year-old person this day? Let it will remain a secret. But nevertheless one can be told about it now. It had a light sleep and when Luda entered the room Grigory Ivanovich asked:
– Luda, who with you?
Luda having looked at Grigory Ivanovic told:
– I thought you sleep? – then she in a polite courteous form added. – Father.
Grigory Ivanovich having opened eyes, reminded:
– I sensitively sleep, this is time to know.
– I know it.
– Then what to tell? – he got up from a sofa, and having seen a tear-stained face of the daughter, immediately asked:
– What has happened? Why you in such look? Someone offended? – then he assumed. – This is the guest? Or who?
Lisa answered:
– This guest, and it here and.
The father approached the daughter, and assumed:
– Again nightmares?
– No. – Luda assured him. – These are not nightmares. – then she added. – I cannot just live as I live.
– I know. – with a consolation the father told it, and having heaved a deep sigh added, kind of consoling the daughter Luda. – I know. – then he added. – Study the daughter, and it is possible at you life will be better, than at me. I lived it so that I had no choice, and you have it.
– Father. – Luda told weepingly. – I always wanted to leave this country.
– Well – the father agreed. it can so will better who knows? – it having lovingly looked at the beloved daughter, told. – ah you my silly fellow. – then he heard as the door in a bathroom was closed, and he told. – The guest waits. – then he took an interest. – from where it?
Luda answered:
– From France.
– Well, we will listen as is there, in the foreign land?
Luda told:
– I should make toilet.
– Of course.
He pulled trousers and having put on a shirt, told.
– Make toilet, and I will accept the guest.
She does not speak Russian.
– Anything. – Grigory Ivanovich promised. – Let's understand.
Meanwhile Emmanuel having left a bathroom