Моите

I saw him for the first time when I started working at the Institute of Literature. He was a member of the Scientific Council of the institute. He had come with Konstantin Petkanov to a meeting. I was impressed by the poet's spiritualized face, his sad gaze, which radiated such tenderness and nobility. At that time, the collection of studies on Ivan Vazov was being prepared intensively, on the occasion of the hundredth anniversary of his birth. Nikolay Liliev participated in the editorial board. And a year before that, a collection of memories of Vazov was published, edited only by Liliev. He had to search for and collect the materials, constantly urging the authors to submit them. This task was not at all easy. Later, from the archive of Elin Pelin at the Institute of Literature, a postcard written in humorous verses came across, in which Liliev asks the great writer to send him his memories of Vazov. This witty parody of Vaz's poem "Kings Mark" shows how much the collection of memories tormented him. Since the letter has been lost, I will quote it approximately, from memory:

I have heard that Grandpa Racho's father was also a coppersmith. He went around the villages repairing coppersmiths and took his son Racho with him. When the son later came to Tarnovo, he was already an orphan - without a father and mother. The conspirators of the Velcho Conspiracy gathered in the house of Racho Kazandzhiata. The neighborhood had already begun to talk about these gatherings. Grandma Todora shouted to her husband: - What do you think? We have so many children. Don't gather here anymore! People are already starting to talk... It was Sunday. Racho Kazandzhiata, together with his wife and children, were at church. Their servant ran up to tell them that they were looking for the conspirators. Grandpa Racho rode his horse and left the city. On the way, he met Velcho, who was coming to Tarnovo from his braiding shop at the mouth. Racho told him that they were looking for them and advised him to return, but Velcho said: "Whatever happens, I will go to Tarnovo" - and continued on his way.

When we moved to Sofia, I often went to the Slaveykovs' in the old house on the square. We played with Pencho's little sister, Penka. He was already sick. I listened to him with difficulty, how he could barely speak. When he started walking with a cane, he came home often. Then I got married. He still visited us often. For a long time I knew nothing about his feelings for me. My mother-in-law, who had come from Sliven, once said to me: - This man comes very often. It seems that he loves you very much. - Of course he loves me, he is my cousin, - I replied. One day he brought me his collection "Mom's Tears" and told me that it was dedicated to me. I thanked him.