Clara Renata

“Lowering his voice, he said, "In America we have a custom. When you're given presents for your birthday, you're supposed to open them and say thank you."
Tatiana nervously looked down at the present. "Thank you." Gifts were not something she was used to. Wrapped gifts? Unheard of, even when they came wrapped only in plain brown paper.
"No. Open first. Then say thank you."
She smiled. "What do I do? Do I take the paper off?"
"Yes. You tear it off."
"And then what?"
"And then you throw it away."
"The whole present or just the paper?"
Slowly he said, "Just the paper."
"But you wrapped it so nicely. Why would I throw it away?"
"It's just paper."
"If it's just paper, why did you wrap it?"
"Will you please just open my present?" said Alexander”
― Paullina Simons, The Bronze Horseman

“Live as if you have faith,” she said, “and faith shall be
given to you.”
― Paullina Simons, Tatiana and Alexander

“Tania, last time in Morozovo, I let you go, but not this time. This time we live together or we die together.”
― Paullina Simons, Tatiana and Alexander

“Courage, Alexan­der,” she whis­pered.
“Courage, Ta­tiana.”
― Paullina Simons, The Bronze Horseman