Indaba "yokuthumba" kwendodakazi ka-Alethei Alexei Panin iyaqhubeka, ikhumbuza umphenyi oshubile oshubile. Ngalesi sikhathi lapho kunesinye ithuba kulolu chungechunge olungapheli. Ekugcineni uPanin wathola ukuthi indodakazi yakhe ikuphi, okufihla futhi kumculi futhi.
Khumbula ukuthi izinyanga eziningana u-Alexey Pannin bebelokhu bezama ukuthola indodakazi yakhe uNyusu, okuyinto, ngombono wakhe, bathunjwe ngunkosikazi wakhe kanye noMama uYulia Yudintsev.
Umama uqobo uyiqiniso lokuthi ingane manje ihlala nayo, ukubikwa, kunjalo, akubheki. Nokho, lapho inkantolo eyayalela ukuba ibuyise indodakazi yakhe yokuhlala nonina. Kepha uPanin uyaqiniseka ukuthi ingane izoba mibi nomfazi wangaphambili, ngoba uJulia kuthiwa akanele.
Isimo sibonakala sixakile, kusukela ekugcineni kokuwa ngonyaka owedlule, abazali bavuma, ukuthi, kuphi futhi nini u-Alexey abona ingane. Kepha kubonakala sengathi kukhona okungazange kuzanywe ngohlelo lokuvakasha, futhi uPanin waphinde walahleka nengane. Ukuthola noma yikuphi, u-Alexey wenqabile ukusebenza waya ukuyofuna. Ukuze athole ingane, u-Alexey wavalwa ngumseshi wangempela: Walandela umkhwekazi wakhe wangaphambili, owaqhubeka nesitimela endaweni yokuhlala yengane. Ngakho-ke, wathola ukuthi ingane icashe esiteshini, esiteshini i-Novy Peterhof esifundeni saseLeningrad. Kwakukhona ukuba yihhovisi lommeli umama anuti. Ukubheka njalo ukunyakaza komndeni, uPanin wazinza ezakhe ... Imoto epakwe esiteshini, hhayi kude nehhovisi. Njengamanje, umlingisi akabukeki indlela engcono kakhulu. Akahlangene lutho, ayikho indawo yokulala ngokujwayelekile. Izithameli sezivele zaqashelwa ngumculi, abalandeli baze balethe ngisho nokudla, isiphuzo esishisayo, nomuntu unikeza ngisho nemali kuphethiloli. Njengoba u-Alexey ahlose manje, okwamanje akwaziwa. Kepha kubonakala sengathi umlingisi uhlose ukufuna eyakhe.