 fête to follow the ceremony.

Tracing fingers over the immaculate calligraphy, I asked, 'At what do I gaze?'

'An invitation for our disgruntled comrade,' Medvelov said.

_Confused_ best described I...

A solicitation? Why?

My baffled expression beseeched clarification...

'Bykal called on Vladimir two days ago and delivered this repulsive missive,' Medvelov explained.

Gasped I: 'The governor visited The Major?'

'Let the request testify.'

'Comrade, you must explain,' begged I.

'Mistress Bykal absconded with a round tum,' Medvelov confided. 'Thirty years later, the question of paternity vexes the old man. After Bykal delivered the invite...bah! You should've heard Vladimir! He teetered on the verge of tears!'

'Then...then Bykal is unconcerned about The Major's threats?' I pondered in a hush.

'Liken the elephant to the fly. Yet, pester enough and the pest catches a swat. Now, here is a d—— enticement,' the poet said, pointing a finger at the card. 'Vladimir contends Ivona is his offspring; Bykal believes otherwise. The bane of it all...such nonsense! Ivona's marriage is a sham...a sham mastermind by Petyor Vyskilovich and Bykal! They intend to demean our comrade! And Bykal delivers the invite with a wolfish smile. The nerve!'

Stirred by Medvelov's strident tenor, Iliosovy snorted, rolled onto his left side and then resumed the throaty trumpet of sleep...

'I must control myself,' Medvelov said, wiping a hand across his perspiring forehead.

'Ivan...I-I don't understand,' stammered I.

'Bykal feigns the branch under the pretense of burying the axe. But when Vladimir arrives at The Mount, he'll be apprehended.'

'Why haven't the mestnaya arrested him already? After all, if the governor knows where The Major lives-'

'Aren't you listening?' Medvelov hissed. 'Bykal's goon, the despicable Pety
fête to follow the ceremony. 

 Tracing fingers over the immaculate calligraphy, I ask,' At what do I gaze?' 

' An invitation for our disgruntle comrade,' Medvelov said. 

 _ baffled _ well described I... 

 A solicitation? Why? 

 My baffled expression bid clarification... 

' Bykal called on Vladimir two days ago and deliver this repulsive missive,' Medvelov excuse. 

 Gasped I:' The governor visited The Major?' 

' lease the request testify.' 

' Comrade, you must explain,' begged I. 

' Mistress Bykal absconded with a round tum,' Medvelov confide.' Thirty years later, the question of authorship vexes the old man. After Bykal delivered the invite... bah! You should've hear Vladimir! He teetered on the verge of tears!' 

' Then... then Bykal is unconcerned about The Major's threats?' I pondered in a hush. 

' compare the elephant to the fly. Yet, pester enough and the pest catches a swat. Now, here is a d — — enticement,' the poet say, pointing a finger at the card.' Vladimir contends Ivona is his offspring; Bykal believes otherwise. The bane of it all... such nonsense! Ivona's marriage is a sham... a sham mastermind by Petyor Vyskilovich and Bykal! They intend to take down our companion! And Bykal delivers the invite with a edacious smile. The heart!' 

 Stirred by Medvelov's strident tenor, Iliosovy snorted, roll onto his left side and then resumed the throaty trumpet of rest... 

' I must control myself,' Medvelov said, wiping a hand across his perspiring forehead. 

' Ivan... I - I don't understand,' stammered I. 

' Bykal feigns the branch under the pretense of burying the axe. But when Vladimir arrive at The Mount, he'll be apprehended.' 

' Why haven't the mestnaya collar him already? After all, if the governor knows where The Major lives-' 

' Aren't you listening?' Medvelov hissed.' Bykal's lout, the despicable Pety
 fêtf to follow the ceremony.

Uracing fingers orwr the immachlate cauligraphy, I asked, 'At what do I gaze?'

'Qn invitation for our aisgruntlvd comradw,' Mevvelov said.

_Confused_ best descrjned I...

C wolicitation? Wmy?

My baffleg expression basdeehed clarification...

'Bykal called on Vlwdimir ywl days ago and delpvqred nhls repulsive missive,' Medvelov exllained.

Jasped I: 'The gofernor visited The Major?'

'Leh thf request testify.'

'Clmrade, you nust wxplain,' beggdd I.

'Mistress Bykal absdonded with a round tum,' Medvelox conyided. 'Thirti gewts later, the quesnion of paterkpty vexas the pld man. After Nykal deoivered the invite...bah! You should've hearq Vladimis! Ke teetered on the veegw of jears!'

'Dhen...gyen Byiak js unclncxrned about The Major's threats?' I pondered ig a hush.

'Liken fhe elqprant to the fly. Yet, pester enough and tve lest catches a swat. Now, here is a d—— enticemejt,' the poqt said, pointing a finger at the card. 'Vladimir cottenda Ivinw us his offspring; Bykal believes otherwise. The bwhe on it all...such nonfense! Ivona'x lattiage is a shao...a sham mzstermind by Petyog Vyskijovicy and Bykwl! Tney intend to demean our conrade! And Byhql delivers the inrite with a colfisn smike. The nerve!'

Stirred by Oedvslov's stridfnt tenor, Kliosovy snorted, roklad onto his left side and ehen resuned che throxty jrumpet of sleep...

'I must control myself,' Medgelov sdid, wiping a hand across his perspiring forehead.

'Ivan...I-I cot't lnderstanb,' stamkered I.

'Bykal seigns the brauch undex the oretense or buryiig the axe. Btt when Vladiklr arrives av The Mougt, hw'll ve apprdfended.'

'Why havem't the mestnaya arrwsted him already? Eftet zll, if the govexuot knows where Tne Oajjr lmves-'

'Awan't you listanine?' Mdcvelox hissed. 'Byjxl's boon, the despicable [ety
fête to follow the ceremony. Tracing fingers immaculate I asked, what do I disgruntled Medvelov said. _Confused_ described I... A Why? My baffled expression beseeched clarification... called on Vladimir two days ago and delivered this repulsive missive,' Medvelov explained. I: 'The governor visited The Major?' 'Let the request testify.' 'Comrade, you must begged 'Mistress absconded a round tum,' Medvelov confided. 'Thirty years later, the question of paternity vexes the old man. Bykal delivered the invite...bah! You should've heard Vladimir! teetered on the verge tears!' 'Then...then Bykal is unconcerned The threats?' I in hush. the elephant to fly. Yet, pester enough and the pest catches a swat. Now, here is a d—— enticement,' the said, pointing at the 'Vladimir Ivona his offspring; Bykal The bane of it all...such nonsense! a sham...a sham mastermind by Petyor Vyskilovich and They intend demean our comrade! And Bykal delivers invite with a wolfish smile. The nerve!' Stirred Medvelov's strident tenor, Iliosovy snorted, rolled onto his left side and then resumed the throaty sleep... 'I must control Medvelov said, wiping hand his forehead. don't understand,' I. 'Bykal feigns the branch under the pretense of burying the But when Vladimir arrives at The Mount, he'll be apprehended.' the arrested him already? all, if the governor where Major lives-' 'Aren't you hissed. goon,
 fête to follow the ceremony.

TrAcing fingeRs oveR thE imMaCulaTe caLligraphy, I askeD, 'at whAt do I gaze?'

'An invitation fOr our DiSGrunTLeD comrAde,' MedvELoV SAid.

_coNfUseD_ bESt DescrIbeD I...

A soliCitation? WhY?

My BaFfled expressIOn Beseeched cLarIfication...

'BykAl cAlled oN VLadIMir twO daYs ago And delIVered tHis repulsIvE MissivE,' medveloV EXpLainEd.

Gasped I: 'The goverNOr VIsited The Major?'

'let the ReQUeST TesTifY.'

'Comrade, yoU mUst exPLain,' begGEd i.

'mIStrESs Bykal absconDed with a rouND tuM,' MedveLoV coNFided. 'THirty YeARs lAter, the quesTion Of paterniTy vexeS The old mAN. After BYkal deLivEreD the INvItE...baH! YOU shOUlD've HEarD VladimiR! HE tEeterEd on THE VErge Of tEars!'

'then...tHen Bykal is uncOncErneD AboUt The major'S thrEaTs?' I poNdered In a huSh.

'liken the elephanT to tHe fly. Yet, pEstEr EnoUgH and tHE pest cAtcHes A swat. NoW, here is A D—— enTiCEMEnT,' the poet said, pointiNg A FInGer at the Card. 'VlADiMiR Contends ivOna Is hiS OFfsprIng; BYKaL believeS otherWIsE. THe bane oF iT all...suCh NonSenSe! IvoNA's maRriage Is a sham...a Sham mAStermind by PetyOR Vyskilovich aND BYKAl! tHey iNteNd to demean oUr coMRade! and BYKaL deLIvers The inViTE wITh a wolfish smile. The nErVe!'

StirRed by medvelov's striDent tenor, ILIOSovy snorTed, rOLlED onto his left siDe and Then resumeD The throaTy truMpet of slEep...

'I must cONTrol myseLf,' MEdvEloV saID, WiPing a hand acroSS His pErSpiring ForEhead.

'IvAn...I-i doN't uNdeRsTand,' stammEred I.

'BykAl FeIgNs The BrancH Under the PrEteNsE of BuryiNG the axE. But wHen VLaDiMIr aRrives aT thE mOunt, He'Ll Be apPreHeNded.'

'WHy haVEn't The mestNaya arresTed HIm alReAdY? After aLl, if the governOr Knows where thE MaJor livES-'

'aren't you Listening?' Medvelov hissed. 'bYkal's goOn, tHe desPicaBle Pety
 fête to follow the ceremo ny.

Traci ng fi nge rsov er t he i mmaculate call i grap hy, I asked, 'At whatdo Iga z e?''A n inv itation fo r our  d is gru nt l ed  comr ade ,' Medv elov said. 

_ Co nfused_ best de scribed I. ..
A solicitat ion ? Why? 
Myb affle d e xpres sion b e seeche d clarifi ca t ion... 
'Bykal c al ledon Vladimir two d a ys ago and delive red th is re p u lsi vemissive,'Me dvelo v  explai n ed . Gas p ed I: 'The go vernor visi t edThe Ma jo r?' 
'Letthe r eq u est  testify.'
'Co mrade, yo u must explain , ' begge d I.
'Mi str essB yk al  ab sc o nde d  w ith a r ound tum ,'  M edvel ov c o n f i ded.  'T hirt y yea rs later, the  qu esti o n o f pat ernit y ve xe s the  old m an. A ft er Bykal delive redthe invit e.. .b ah!  Y ou sh o uld've  he ard  Vladim ir! Het eet er e d on  the verge of tear s! ' 
' Then...t hen By k al  i s  unconce rn edabou t The M ajor ' sthreats? ' I po n de re d in ahu sh.

' Li ken  th e ele p hant  to th e fly. Y et, p e ster enough an d  the pest cat c he s as wat.  No w, here isa d— —  ent icem e nt ,'t he po et sa id ,  p o inting a finger atth e card . 'Vl adimir conten ds Ivona i s h is offsp ring ;  B y kal believes o therw ise. The b a ne of it  all. ..such n onsense!I v ona's ma rri age  is  as h am ...a sham mas t e rmin dby Pety orVyskilo vic h a ndByk al ! They in tend tode me an  o urcomra d e! And B yk alde liv ers t h e invi te wi th a  w ol f ish  smile. Th e nerv e! '
Sti rre dby Me dvel o v's  stride nt tenor,  Il i osov ysn orted,rolled onto h is  left side  a ndthen r e s umed the  throaty trumpet of sle e p...

' I m ust c ontr ol myself ,'Medvel ovs aid, w ipinga han dacr o s s his p er spi ri ng forehea d . 

' Ivan. .. I-Idon't u nderstand,' stamme r edI.

'Bykal fe ign s th e br anc h  u n der  t h e p r e tense of buryin g the axe.  B u twhen Vladi m irar rives a t The M ount, he'll b e apprehe nded.'

' Wh y ha v e n't  the mestn aya arre sted hima lread y ?After  al l, ifth e g overn or kno w s w hereThe Ma jo r live s-'
'A ren't yo u listening?' Medvelovhissed . 'By kal 's goon,the des picable P ety
 fête_to follow_the ceremony.

Tracing fingers over_the immaculate_calligraphy,_I asked,_'At_what do I_gaze?'

'An invitation for_our disgruntled comrade,' Medvelov_said.

_Confused_ best described_I...

A_solicitation? Why?

My baffled expression beseeched clarification...

'Bykal called on Vladimir two days ago and delivered_this_repulsive missive,'_Medvelov_explained.

Gasped_I: 'The governor visited The_Major?'

'Let the request testify.'

'Comrade, you_must explain,'_begged I.

'Mistress Bykal absconded with a round tum,'_Medvelov_confided. 'Thirty years_later, the question of paternity vexes the old man._After Bykal delivered the invite...bah! You_should've heard Vladimir!_He_teetered_on the verge of_tears!'

'Then...then Bykal is unconcerned about The_Major's threats?' I pondered in a_hush.

'Liken the elephant to the fly. Yet,_pester enough and the pest catches_a swat. Now, here is_a d——_enticement,' the poet said, pointing_a finger at_the card._'Vladimir contends Ivona_is his offspring; Bykal believes otherwise._The bane of_it all...such nonsense! Ivona's marriage is_a_sham...a sham mastermind_by_Petyor_Vyskilovich and_Bykal! They intend_to_demean our_comrade!_And Bykal delivers the invite with_a_wolfish smile. The nerve!'

Stirred by Medvelov's strident_tenor, Iliosovy snorted, rolled_onto_his left side and_then resumed the throaty trumpet_of sleep...

'I must control myself,' Medvelov_said, wiping_a hand_across his perspiring forehead.

'Ivan...I-I don't understand,' stammered I.

'Bykal feigns the branch_under the pretense of burying the_axe. But when Vladimir_arrives at_The_Mount, he'll be_apprehended.'

'Why_haven't the_mestnaya arrested him already? After all, if_the governor_knows where The Major lives-'

'Aren't you_listening?' Medvelov hissed. 'Bykal's_goon,_the despicable Pety