History of History

As a very young man, Leonid Utesov learned to play violin and began to work as a street musician. A long time ago the Russian-Japanese War ended, but the most popular hit in Russia remained the waltz "On the Spots of Manchuria". It was the young man who most often performed.
One day, a beautiful and young officer passed by with a young girl. They stood up, listened, and the officer suddenly — or was he fighting in the
"Japanese," he wanted to show himself in front of the girl - he threw a whole silver ruble into the young man's hat. The highest fee for a street musician for all his performances. The young Utesov wanted to thank the generous officer in a special way and did so in French:
Thank you very much, Messiah! I remembered this case forever.
Years passed, and - already after the revolution - the still young, but already popular musician Leonid Utesov came to Paris with his wife as a tourist. It was struck by the poverty in which lived most of the Russian emigrants. And, somehow walking with his wife through the French capital, Utesov stumbled upon a street violinist playing the waltz "On the Spots of Manchuria".
Looking around, he recognized in the musician the most beautiful and generous officer of his youth - already strongly surrendered and, seemingly, strongly descended. Leonid was constrained in the means, but decided to give him — he could not but give — a few francs, but suddenly found in his wallet unknown as the royal silver ruble (already at that time much raised in price) collapsed there. He threw a coin into a musician’s hat.
He, seeing the royal ruble, stopped playing, looked long in his face.
Leonida finally smiled:
“Thank you very much... Or rather – grand thanks, messier.