Primakov was on his way to the United States to meet with

Kolya and Lida, scared out of their wits by the crowd, and their

mother's mad pranks, suddenly seized each other by the hand, and ran

off at the sight of the policeman who wanted to take them away

somewhere. Weeping and wailing, poor Katerina Ivanovna ran after them.

She was a piteous and unseemly spectacle, as she ran, weeping and

panting for breath. Sonia and Polenka rushed after them.

"Bring them back, bring them back, Sonia! Oh stupid, ungrateful

children!... Polenka! catch them.... It's for your sakes I..."