Contents: This final part has 9 chapters. If you don't want to read about Erik's relatives, skip chapter 2, 5 and 6. But please read chapter 1 and 7-9, which tell about Erik's final years.
1915
Katja and Gregorij – twins
Katja and Gregorij returned to Moscow having been in London for their honeymoon trip. Katja didn't resume her dancing when she realized she was pregnant. Instead she looked after her and Gregorij's new apartment. Soon she was heavy, carrying twins, and had to rest a lot. As soon as they were sure about Katja's condition they sent a letter to Erik and Eleanor, who were delighted. "There was something special about her" Erik said "I'm not sure what it was. I liked her very much and I am pleased that she is now expecting my grandchildren." He was sad that the ongoing war, if it would last even the coming years, would prevent them from come and visit. He was pleased, however, that Susan and her family had moved to England and that he could see Eric as much as he liked.
Louis got an employment at a theater and felt partly at ease. But still they stayed in Eleanor's and Erik's apartment and Louis wanted them to have something of their own. Susan liked it. She could play the piano together with her father and Eric could play whenever he wanted. He was interested in playing and he was a good learner. Susan wanted the audience to still remember her and her father and she managed for them both to give a concert together wich was broadcasted on the radio. "This is definitely my last performance" he said.
Soon Louis was tired of living with his parents-in-law and he and Susan began to quarrel. One evening they stopped talking to each other and Susan went to her father for comfort. "Once I thought that you were going to be the lonely musical genius, but now I know that you manage to have a good family life too. Don't put that at stake. I can understand that your husband wants to have his family by himself." Susan knew what had to be done and the next morning she asked Louis for forgiveness.
They managed to find an apartment of their own. Eric went to see his grandfather often, accompanied by Sunny, acting as his nanny.
Birth
In March it was time for the birth of the Ragavich twins. They went to one of the best hospitals in Moscow. Gregorij had to wait a long time before he had any news. Then a doctor came, looking serious, and Gregorij was scared. "Has something happened?" he asked. "Are the children alive? My wife?" – "Yes they are all fine, your wife, a daughter and a son. But the boy – he has a disfiguration. I haven't seen anything like this before. Do you want to see?" Gregorij nodded and followed the doctor. "Have you told my wife?" – "She is still asleep. I wanted to talk to you first."
Two small children lay in a cradle. The doctor removed the blanket and showed him the boy's face. The forehead, the nose and the cheek on the right side of the head were red and slightly deformed. Gregorij winced. Still it wasn't as bad as he had feared. It was more than his own but less than Erik's. "Is he normal in every other way ?" he asked. "As far as we can see. And the girl in completely normal. I meant to ask – do you want to show him to your wife, or would you rather he disappear? I mean, all children don't survive.." – "You mean you would let him die?" – "Or let him be raised by someone else." Gregorij felt his anger rise. "That will not happen. We will love our son whatever he looks like. "
Gregorij went to Katja's room as soon as she woke up. "Are they alright?" she asked. "Have you seen them?" He sat by her bed. "They are fine both of them. But there is something I must tell you." A nurse brought the twins and then left. "It's the boy. Look at his face." He lifted the blanket and showed her. She drew a deep breath and pressed her arms against her chest. Then she held out her arms and Gregorij took the boy up and passed him to Katja. He took up the girl. Katja touched her son's face. "It's my fault" she said. "They say that if a mother who is expecting is scared in some way in the beginning of the pregnancy, the child will be deformed. I removed Erik's mask and I was frightened, though I didn't tell him. He looked like that." Tears began to fall down her cheeks. Gregorij leaned towards her. "It is not your fault. That is just superstition. I am to blame, the genes come from me. I should have known, considering my birth mark. It's Erik's inheritage."
Katja looked at him through the tears. "I wouldn't have renounced from having children even if I had known. Perhaps he has others of Erik's talents too?" – "He has put his hope in Eric. Do you want to keep him? " – "Of course. What are you saying? We love our little Sergej, if that will be his name, whatever he looks like. He might outgrow it. Anyway, he will never wear a mask." Gregorij put his arms around his wife.
When Anna knew she said "It is my fault, still more than yours, Gregorij. I gave birth to Erik's child and passed on the inheritage." – "You didn't know. He has other children, nobody looks like this."
Gregorij sent a letter to his father. "Katja doesn't want you to blame yourself. She says this ties you two together even more." But Erik was sad. 'The curse is not over yet' the thought and wrote them a comforting letter. "I know you will love your children. I curse the war which stops you from coming to me. I would like to see your son as soon as possible."
Katja stayed home with the children, who were christened Sonya and Sergej. Sergej developed earlier than his sister and began to walk before she did. Both of them liked listening to music. Subconsciously Katja cared more about her son than her daughter. Katja's mother, Tamara, told her daughter not to retract within herself and loose contact with reality. Perhaps it was time to start dancing again? Gregorij, on the other hand, spent more time with his daughter.
Katja wrote to Erik telling him how much she regretted that they couldn't come to visit them, and Erik answered her asking her to observe everything happening to his grandson. Since they had no piano Katja had bought a balalaika, which she learned to play. When listening to the music Sonya started to dance by herself, while Sergej sat listening, concentrated. "Perhaps she is a little dancer" Gregorij said. "And Sergej?" – "Why not a composer?"
Anna and Igor had a piano, and when visiting them Sergej showed an interest. When he was two years old Anna started to teach him and he learned fast. "Isn't he much too young?" Gregorij asked. "I don't think so" his mother said. "Remember he is Erik's grandson."
Eleanor
Richard had studied at the university for several years. The summer before the war he brought a friend, Jeremy Brent, to spend part of the summer with him and his parents at the summer villa in Winston. Jeremy was a charming young man, aiming to be an author and he had written many poems. Eleanor liked very much to listen to them and the two of them spent many hours in the summer house, Jeremy reciting his poems and Eleanor listening. She began to think of her situation. She was a little envious of the young people who had their lives ahead of them. Now she had reached the age of 50 and thought of her life. Erik had seemed young for a surprisingly long time, perhaps due to his secret drug, but now he was around 80 and after all he was an old man. She knew he still met with Christine every year in Caen, but Christine also had a husband her own age, and Eleanor had not. What was she to do if he passed away? Since the dramatic story with Sir Roger Macahan she had not looked at any other man. But Jeremy appealed to her. Of course he was much too young for a romantic interest from her side, but she still enjoyed being with him.
Erik
In the spring 1916 Erik began to feel ill. Eleanor sat by his side and Susan was constantly present. She was now expecting her second child, due in June. "It would be a great disappointment to me if I couldn't live long enough to see Gregorij's children, or yours for that matter" he said faintly. Susan went to a doctor to get some of her own blood and then made a new, stronger mix of her father's drug, which he drank. After that he fell unconscious for a day and a night, then he awoke feeling much better. "I had a strange dream" he said. "I dreamed I met my old friend Nadir again. He told me I was to live for ten more years. And then, before the end comes, I will gather my whole family around me again."
In June Susan and Louis had their second child, a daughter. Louis was very pleased that it was a girl. Erik came out from his study, where he had been sitting lost in thoughts. "Could I suggest a name for your little girl?" he asked. "What would you say about Luciana?" – "It sounds good" Susan said. "Wasn't that a girl you knew a long time ago?"-"Yes, she loved me in a way, and I her – and without wanting it I caused her death." – "You have read your memoires again?" – "Yes. There are many things I want to forget, but some things are worth remembering."
When Susan was busy with the new child Erik wanted to help her. He felt fit and enthusiastic again and therefore he let Eric come and stay with him as much as possible. He wanted the boy to play the piano but Eric had other plans. "Mother says you did much drawing when you were a child. Do you have any left? " – "None of them, but I did other things when I grew up. I have one of the Paris opera house. Perhaps it's too difficult for you to understand, but I have others too." Soon it became clear that drawing and architecture was Eric's main interest. He played the piano when he was told, but after a while he left the piano stool heading for pen and paper instead.