“The theater is an atmospheric place and requires priesthood from the actors,” Inga continued, “take at least, for example, a dressing room. This is a kind of spiritual purgatory of the actor before going on stage. It is in the dressing room, he must leave his fears of the role. And you should not awaken these previously abandoned fears disrespect for purgatory. An actor must enter his dressing room with his left foot, but on the stage, he must come from the right foot only. Otherwise, he does not cope with anxiety due to the fact that in the dressing room opens the "Pandora's box" of previous fears.

- Do I need to observe any theatrical customs today?

- All alone. Before going on stage, an artist cannot wish good luck, but it’s better to say, “No fluff or pen!” To get an answer “To hell” - and then devilry helps to play a role.

Our appearance in the theater immediately turned into questions about who I belong to Inge. Even the bearded director was surprised that there was no relationship between Inga and me. Inga led me to an almost completely empty hall, in which only the stage was lit and told me to sit in the back rows. I wished her “Not a fluff or a feather!” The director who entered the hall sat on the sixth row in the center, asked the lighting technicians about readiness and gave the command.

Only I tuned in to the perception of the play, and after twenty minutes it was interrupted by a tough replica of the director. He ordered to repeat the scene, starting with the words in which he was not fully satisfied with the actor's intonation. And this scene was immediately replayed with the same words, but the plastic of the interaction of the actors was already somewhat different than during the first run. There were six such corrected directions and differently accented scenes. One comment by the director was made by Inge - he asked her to delay a little longer before the replica. After the second remark, I began to try to anticipate what the scene I had just seen changed in the corrected repetition. And never hit the mark. And this process of specifying repetition was extremely fascinating for me. I was allowed to the "author's kitchen" of the performance and I was proud that not every spectator has such an honor.

After the rehearsal, Inga introduced me to the rest of the actors involved in the play. We sat in the buffet and for a rather long time they asked me about the impression of each of the games, as if I was the spectator most important to them after the director. Our conversation interrupted Denis's phone call. He asked if the rehearsal was over, and said that he would be waiting for me at the theater entrance in ten minutes.

Denis said that we are on the avenue, which at the time of Empress Anna Ioannovna was called Minor Perspective. And he offered to walk up to the Spit of Vasilyevsky Island, in order to admire the most beautiful circular perspective of the Great City. He said that he very much loves the circular panorama that opens from there at different times of the day, at different times of the year and in a different city. And on the way, if you are in the mood, you can look at the Casa del Meat restaurant and treat yourself to a steak made of marbled beef with a glass of good Chilean wine. I took Denis arm in arm and we slowly walked along the perspective, looking at the remarkable houses.

The steaks were delicious. I never suspected that there could be so many flavors of meat depending on the degree of roasting and the sauce chosen.During the tasting, Denis casually asked: “Do you want to know, dear young lady, why Alena sent us on a one-to-one tete walk and, if possible, until the very late evening?” I was surprised at the question and looked at Denis in perplexity.

- Just Alyona decided at that time to minimize, and even better to zero, your possible today's communication with Roman. By the way, on March 8 there will be not only a women's holiday, but also the eighteenth birthday of Roman.

- So that's why you both reacted to my proposal to come to St. Petersburg on March 8. But why did Alena decide to isolate me from Roman?

- We then talked with her and decided differently. What is better not to isolate you from Roman behind your back, but rather to just tell you what is the cause of our concern and confusion. The fact is that if you believe what I learned from the ringing silence, then your possible future husband is Roman.

- How's the novel? Why Roman? He is two years younger than me! He hasn't even finished school yet! Which one is his husband?

- In fact of the matter. And you know that your age difference with Roman is not the only problem associated with your possible union. There are a lot of problems that affect both your interests and the interests of our family.

- I'm generally in complete shock. Wow petition for my poor head! Novel, of course, the cute guy. But still you absolutely stunned me. I hope, although he does not know this news?

- Of course, he does not know, and in general he should not know from us. This is for him just unnecessary information.

- And what does this mean that everything is predetermined for me for the future?

- As I understand it, for today there is no predetermination for you. I think that just someone who is taller than us gives you some time to realize the alternatives and make your choice. And you choose the term yourself.

- And this term is tied to the moment of loss of virginity, since the one to whom I give my virginity will become my husband?

- Apparently, it is. By the way, it is not clear yet exactly which husband in turn - the first, second, third, fourth ...

- Thank you, little girls - this was just not enough for me! I'm not going to change husbands like gloves. I want a normal strong family, in which children have one mom and one dad.

- Dear young lady! I understand that I have angered you by throwing you now a bunch of very problematic information for thought. But I do not think that it would be better to hide from you what I know from the ringing silence regarding you. I do not want to deprive you of freedom of choice.

- And I don’t blame you for anything, Denis. It's just that all this is somehow unexpectedly responsibly. And it’s not only responsibility for itself.

- Let us now take a pause in the discussion of this topic for a while and just continue our walk. And when your emotions subside a bit, you can return to the burning topic.

Denis paid for dinner and we went to the spit of Vasilyevsky Island. We descended along the paved embankment to the Neva. Ahead of us, two girls with a laugh kissed the face of a stone lion. In my perplexed opinion, Denis said that Petersburg is a mystical city and no one can fully understand him.

- In St. Petersburg, their places of worship for those who believe in omens. Here, for example, the Griffins of the Bank Bridge are supposed to ask for success in business. And it seems that the people’s path to griffins, consisting of top managers of different companies, stroking griffins of their paws and rubbing gilt on their wings, does not seem to grow.

- How funny - it will be necessary on occasion and I ask for an increased scholarship.

- In fact, in mythology, the griffins guarded the treasures, and distributed them to rashzmym asking. But these are details that interfere with the survivability of the myth, - Denis laughed.

- And you, Denis, asked for something from the griffins?

- Of course not. I'm a completely rational person. But those who come to St. Petersburg who are asking for their health - this is the way for them in Aptekarsky Lane to rub their backs on the old house. And then supposedly all the ailments will disappear.

- The main thing for the patient is to believe in the miraculousness of the medicine. You look and really helps.

- Well, stone lions of St. Petersburg are asked for everything and who is ready for anything. Right now we are at the place super popular with the newlyweds. They definitely need to be supported together for the copper rings in the lions' mouth on the embankment, so that married life is long and happy. And girls who want to get married as soon as possible are supposed to kiss a stone lion on the nose.

“I'm not going to kiss these idols,” I said, laughing.

Denis ...