“... I wanted to know why he was grinning there, and I tried to discreetly look into the newspaper. “Do you want to read it?” - he asked briskly, noticing my not very clever attempt and holding out the newspaper. “No,” I said and, sensing from my tone that his soul was yearning for communication, added: “You speak Russian very well.” “Yes,” he agreed. , and his bright eyes sparkled even brighter, “this is my pride, but I’ve been studying Russian since my youth.” “Oh, well?” “I was surprised. “Yes,” he repeated energetically and added with unexpected slyness: “Guess why?” “I don’t know,” I said, slightly slowing down the expression of sociability, if, of course, it was on my face. “To read Dostoevsky?” “Exactly,” he nodded and pushed away the empty cup. ..."