About the book: year / "The house looked like an enchanted courtyard. The parquets creaked, the doors sang, the clocks told strange tales. Through the open door to the neighboring chambers one could see the portraits blinking. In one of them, a hefty gentleman with a shaved forelock moved his shoulders and seemed to ask: “What is he doing here?” What?.. This estate was for sale. So he wanted to buy himself land and a yard so that he could have a place to spend the summer with his family».