Shtember called for me at seven o'clock and together we went to the Small Hall for a rehearsal of the exam recital programme, but neither Anna Nikolayevna* nor Kalantarova** came. All six candidates were present, however, and we played from the platform to an empty hall. The girls' attitude to me was fairly hostile, while I in turn jeered at them for playing so appallingly. Yesipova had not given them many lessons and had only gone superficially through their programmes with them. The stupid creatures were incapable of working anything out for themselves without their teacher, so their playing was limp, colourless and insensitive.I on the other hand played well, and got through my whole programme in an hour and a half without getting up from my seat at the keyboard.