2

Native “decadents” had been calling them “calendar tripe” for the last three decades; yet Linde had always had an army of stout admirers; mighty few of them turned up at his exhibitions in America. Very soon a number of unconsolable oils found themselves being shipped back to Moscow, while another batch moped in rented flats before trouping up to the attic or creeping down to the marketstall.

What can be sadder than a discouraged

2

在過去的三十多年里，盡管本國“頹廢派藝術家”把它們稱為“沒有價值的掛歷畫”，林德還是擁有大批堅定不移的仰慕者。但在美國，前來為他的畫展捧場的人卻屈指可數。不久，一批極可悲的油畫被運回了莫斯科，另一些則憂郁地游蕩于租來的公寓里，等著在閣樓上展出，或是被偷偷運到集市上賤賣掉。

還有什么比一個失意的