 Trotsky generously mentored the gifted young Ursula on Russian mysticism, literature and swordplay and instructed her on the rules of verse.About this, Merchant recalled, "I knew at that moment that I had found my 'Innere Gedanken', my inner most desire, I immediately knew I would be an artist and that I would do art performances".The same year, the prodigious Merchant was to start work on 'Mein Liebling roter Schuh für regnerische Tage' in what was to become a hit play.