fault that you’re stunningly beautiful. And your beauty is not your personal property, other people should also admire it. God created beauty for this… What do you know, maybe in a hundred years the portrait will be considered a masterpiece. Our descendants will know that in the seventies of the twentieth century a beautiful and intelligent creature lived on this earth.” Bagila could not understand whether Malika was joking or serious, but her confusion dissipated. “That’s why Sar and I didn’t get along for a bit,” Malika touched the painting with an imperceptible movement. “He is against portraits as a genre in fine art.” She laughed through her teeth. “Where shall we hang it? In your room? “No.” “Okay. We’ll think of something tomorrow. It’s good that he drew you. If I had been painted, Sar would have hung me instead of the picture.” “Lika, you don’t have to argue with him all the time.” “Oh! I can see you’re starting to feel kindred feelings.” “I just feel sorry for him.” “Oh my, aren’t you merciful! Fine, today he’s had enough on his mind, last thing he wants is to hear more from us. Take the portrait and put it in your room. If you don’t want to look at it, cover it with a towel.” Malika laughed again and, pushing Bagila towards her room, went to Sargel’s bedroom. Sargel, without changing the position he had taken in the kitchen, stood by the unmade bed and looked out the window. Malika, as if nothing had happened, went to her bed and began to get ready for bed. Only then did Sargel turn his whole body towards her. His eyes were still bulging, as if he had not moved his eyelashes since that moment. Malika saw that he began to move, but pretended that she did not care at all, and got ready to sleep. Sargel moved around the bed- room like a clock pendulum, she did not hear when he started his next sermon. “From the day of the creation of the world, after a man and a woman drank the cup of marital unity, they were obliged to live in peace and harmony under one frame, at one common hearth. Even if the moment comes to prove something, it is not done with their throat, not with anger and rage, otherwise a crack appears in the family, which becomes

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