Konstantin Paustovsky, “The Telegram”
Konstantin Georgievich Paustovsky (1892–1968) wrote the story «Телеграмма», which makes the reader reflect on how people, caught up in everyday worries, forget their nearest and dearest. The heroine is the old Katerina Petrovna, who lives out her last years in the old house built by her father, a famous painter. Her only dream is to meet her daughter Nastya. Nastya lives far away in Leningrad and has not visited for three years. Katerina Petrovna writes seldom because she thinks the young have their own affairs; sometimes once in two or three months a money order arrives, and that is all. The watchman Tikhon sometimes drops in, helps about the yard and each time asks whether there is a letter from Nastya. The mother writes to her daughter: I will not live through this winter, come for at least one day. Nastya works as a secretary at the Artists' Union; she puts the letter into her bag unopened. Then she goes to the studio of the young sculptor Timofeev: the statue of Gogol seems to look at her as if to say that the letter is unopened. That evening at home she reads the letter, but thinks «how can I go now?» and puts it into a drawer. Then for two weeks she busies herself arranging Timofeev's exhibition. On the opening night the messenger Dasha brings her a telegram from Tikhon: «Katya is dying». Nastya sits on among the guests; again she feels Gogol's gaze. Then she runs into the street and hurries to the train: «if only I am in time, if only she forgives». There are no tickets, but a cashier hears her say «my mother…» and helps; she leaves on the «Красная стрела». Meanwhile Tikhon writes a telegram in Nastya's name, «Wait for me, I have left», and reads it to Katerina Petrovna; she says it is not needed, turns to the wall and seems to fall asleep. She is buried next day. Nastya reaches the village the day after the funeral, weeps all night in the empty cold room and leaves unseen: she feels that only her mother could have lifted her guilt. Idea: do not put off attention to those who are close.
“Roles by scene”. Four groups take four scenes (Katerina Petrovna's house, the studio, the exhibition, the train); each group names the hero's feeling in one word.