Summary

Vasili Ivanovich was always attentive to his surroundings. If he was at a station and saw "some entirely insignificant objects," he would immediately try to memorize them (83). He always knew, however, that these objects, or some passing group of children, would never remain fixed in his mind.

On the train, Vasili Ivanovich's observations were less exacting. The leader from the Bureau handed out sheet music and told the group to sing together. The song was about ending worry, and joining "the hearty guys" out in the "country's grass and stubble" (83). Vasili Ivanovich was a terrible singer, and could not "pronounce German words clearly" (83). He mouthed the words instead. Schramm noticed what he was doing, and alerted the leader. The leader demanded that Vasili Ivanovich sing by himself. Nervously, Vasili Ivanovich sang. Once the others rejoined the chorus, he was afraid to stop singing...