husband did not give up so quickly. Malika could not be dissuaded from the fact that only her priority is the condition for complete mutual understanding in the family. In their married life, from the very first minute, the sovereignty of one person protruded – Malika. She responded to her husband’s anger with poisonous correctness. With all of her behaviour in the kitchen at tea, next to the TV, in bed she slowly, deliberately peacefully, like a child, explained to him the inappropriateness of his jealousy, said that with his malicious jealousy he insulted her dignity. But as such Sargel, by nature, could not live without suspicion. And yet, no matter how jealousy tormented Sargel, no matter how he tortured himself with suspicion, like the unsteady shadow of a willow tree or the light of a lonely lamp in a distant village, he was sometimes calmed by a flickering ray of faith. For the last three or four months, this ray has become, as it were, stronger. Sargel came home from work unusually early several times and found his wife either washing clothes, or she was making jam, preparing compote for the winter, happily devoting herself to these female family duties. After such idyllic pictures, his heart became calm. Twice, unexpectedly for himself, Sargel arrived from a business trip ahead of schedule (the last time from Tashkent). Yes, even late at night. Malika slept with her children on either side. He opened the door himself, with his own key. Before waking up his wife, he examined the apartment for any suspicious traces. Everything seemed to be in order. Even the ashtray, which he had glanced at unnoticed by his wife after his arrival, was in the same place, by the hanger, and in it, as before, lay the only burnt match. Around were scattered children’s things, toys, drawings. There was a peaceful silence in the house. Even when he, having entered the bedroom, turned on the light and the chandelier flared up, Malika did not wake up from the sharp click or from an unexpected flash of light. And this, according to Sargel, spoke of the complete peace of mind of his wife. Inappropriate suspicions were dispelled in him, and he even became ashamed of his jealousy. His life began to enter a well-fed, quiet course, he was already satisfied with everything in the world, and then suddenly today’s feast
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