Mr. Jenner.

You did?

Mrs. Paine.

It is a terrible impediment to talking and to friendship.

Mr. Jenner.

I wish you would elaborate on that because I am sure the members of the Commission would like to have your mental reaction to what you thought was your limited command of the Russian language and whether it interfered with communication between you.

Mrs. Paine.

It interfered very markedly.

Mr. Jenner.

Would you elaborate?

Mrs. Paine.

I could think of many more things to say than I could think of the words to use in order to say it in Russian. I want to keep jumping ahead to illustrate this. But just it was very difficult for me to communicate. I understand much more readily than I speak, so that I could understand what she was saying to me easily, especially as she took care to see that she used small words and made herself understood.
But it was very difficult for me just to speak. I could not possibly have reacted to her as I would to someone else in English, as I would if she had been speaking English.

Mr. Dulles.

At this time you felt that she could not gain very much if you talked to her in English?

Mrs. Paine.

I was certain of that, yes.

Mr. Dulles.

But later she had improved, apparently?

Mrs. Paine.

After the assassination, to my knowledge.

Mr. Dulles.

That was after the assassination?

Mrs. Paine.

Yes. I never knew her to speak English at all.

Mr. Dulles.

Or to understand?
I wasn't speaking of just speaking, but about the comprehension of it.

Mrs. Paine.

Well, she said to me in November that she has changed from never listening to an English conversation to giving it some of her attention because she is able to pick up some words. You know how if you don't understand anything there is no point even--

Mr. Dulles.

I personally got the impression when she was here that she understood a good deal of English.

Mrs. Paine.

I believe she does, yes.

Mr. Dulles.

But this time she did not have that facility at all?

Mrs. Paine.

No.

Mr. Jenner.

Did you not think it was curious that her husband was adverse to her acquiring some facility with the English language?

Mrs. Paine.

I thought it was distinctly thoughtless on his part. even cruel.

Mr. Jenner.

Did you discuss it with her to the extent that you could in your limited command of Russian?

Mrs. Paine.

I think the easiest thing was to agree with what she was saying about it, agree with what she was saying.

Mr. Jenner.

Which was what?

Mrs. Paine.

Which is that this wasn't the way it should be and I certainly agreed.

Mr. Jenner.

She complained, did she?

Mrs. Paine.

She complained, yes.

Mr. Jenner.

I see. Did she express an interest, then, in acquiring some facility?

Mrs. Paine.

Not against his wishes, no. She didn't express an interest. In learning English through me, for instance.

Mr. Jenner.

Yes. She showed no interest unlike the interest you had in her helping you with Russian, she showed no interest at that moment in learning from you some command of the English language?

Mrs. Paine.

No.

Mr. Jenner.

Now you think the second occasion occurring in your calendar entry there was possibly March 20?

Mr. Jenner.

And what is the entry?

Mrs. Paine.

It says, "Marina".

Mr. Jenner.

And that is the only word?

Mrs. Paine.

That is all it says.

Mr. Jenner.

In that square?