IV.
The Lessons
Karl Ivánovich was not at all in humour. That was evident from his knit brow, from the manner with which he threw his coat into the drawer, from his girding himself angrily, and from his making a deep mark with his thumb in the book of Dialogues, in order to indicate the place to which we were to memorize.
Volódya studied pretty well, but I was so disconcerted that I could do absolutely nothing. I looked for a long time senselessly into the book of Dialogues, but I could not read through the tears which had gathered in my eyes at the thought of the impending departure. But when the time came to recite the Dialogues to Karl Ivánovich, who listened to me with half-closed eyes (that was a bad sign), — particularly when I reached the place where one says, "Wo kommen Sie her?" and the other answers: "Ich komme vom Kaffeehause," I could no longer restrain my tears, and through my sobs could not pronounce: "Haben Sie die Zeitung nicht gelesen?" When we reached penmanship, my tears that fell on the paper made blotches as if I were writing on wrapping-paper.
Karl Ivánovich grew angry, put me on my knees, insisted that it was nothing but stubbornness and a puppet-show (that was his favourite expression), threatened me with the ruler, and demanded that I should ask forgiveness, though I could not pronounce a word through my tears. In the end, he evidently felt that he was unjust
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