On the eve of the day the dreary tension was suddenly brightened up by my father's proposal to go to the theater. When the professor said that he had booked a box, my mother raised her eyebrows in amazement and even cleaned them towards the hoop.
- But Victor... - Andri saw a strong doubt on her face - isn't it time for such a... Funny?
- No, - my father answered calmly and firmly, - not the time. But I have to be in the theater today. And if I go there alone, it is... will cause unnecessary suspicion and attention. The three of us will go together - you, me and Vlad. Juniors will stay at home, - with these words Lisa angrily protruded her lower lip and looked at her father with the deepest resentment. But he did not even notice the makeup on his daughter's face and continued: - In the center on the streets is almost calm, but the theater is not far away. There is no need to worry.
This question was resolved.
Andrew was so exhausted in the four walls of the house that even without the agreement would have gone this time with the elders, but he did not argue with his father. But Lisa did. She has long and loudly proved that she also has the right to a normal evening, and at the end of his tirade even crying (outrageously) than bribed the professor ... Father allowed Lisa to go with him, but in return, he took the word of honor to be obedient as never before.
That evening, Andri stayed only with the servants. He could probably insist on a trip, too... But he wouldn't have to worry about his already tired father.
The house in the absence of a noisy family seemed abandoned, empty. Andrew was hanging from room to room, not knowing what to carry himself. Antony and Martha spoke softly in the kitchen, doing their usual business there. The pendulum in the old clock clicked gently... I could barely hear the parquet squeaking under my feet... And in my head, there were thoughts about Alexander.
Where is he now? How is he?
And when were they destined to meet again?
In the foyer of the theater was unusual few guests. Lisa, as it should be in this case, dressed in her best weekend dress, frowned dissatisfied, looking at the empty chairs of the front hall. She didn't like the fact that in the theater, always so bright and joyful, this time it was almost as dreary as at home in recent days. Looking at all those present, Lisa realized that the auditorium will be more than half empty. Those who dared to come to the performance, behaved inappropriately quietly. The ladies talked in a whisper, trying to cover their faces with fans more often. The men were silent at all. Lisa understood why. Because of those two men with red bandages on their sleeves. They didn't talk to anybody, they just walked in the foyer from side to side in such a way as if they had been entrusted with a guard of honor in the Emperor's chambers. And themselves... They didn't even wear ties in the theater! So they came in dirty boots and some unsightly suits. This was the way the men from the village dressed, or the craftsmen, when they went out to the city and tried to look decent.
Everyone was afraid of these two.
Everyone except Lisa. She looked at one of the men with a defiant look, wishing to let him know that such ignorant people had no place in the temple of culture. My father saw this and took Lisa by the hand and took her somewhere to the side.
- Dad," Lisa said quietly. - I'm not two years old! Where are you taking me?
My father walked with determination and determination.
- Actually," he replied quietly, "someone promised to behave obediently.
Lisa frowned even more.
She did not violate any request! She did nothing wrong!
- You don't have to piss off a dog if he's already pissed off," Dad replied. - You're big enough to understand that. And you and I are going to the cafeteria.
- To the buffet? - Lisa was amazed. She was waiting for punishment, not a treat.
- Yes, even though you didn't deserve it.
Lisa didn't understand anything, but decided it was better to keep quiet. She obediently allowed her father to lead her by the hand and did not even turn around to look at the nasty men with bandages.
The buffet was a little more fun than the lobby. Here, as before, stood behind the counter fat and kind Herman, who gladly waved at Lisa with his huge fiver.
- What will the little missus do? - He asked, hanging over the counter.
Lisa did not have time to answer - her father said for her:
- Pour the lady a glass of lemonade and give me another box of those condensers, please.
- Please, sir, - candy, a glass of lemonade and a program, which for some reason was placed in an envelope, soon ended up on the counter, where they moved to the professor's hand.
- Thank you, - my father handed over sweets and a glass to Lisa, and put the program in his pocket. - Come on, child.
Lisa sipped off a sweet bite of water with lemon taste and thoughtfully looked at her father. Probably, from the outside this trip to the buffet and in fact looked normal for a wealthy citizen with his daughter, but Lisa knew her parent too well ...
Continued in the next part of 30.