of people interested in what goes on in the world, and as far as I know none of them has ever seen a Russian, and it was just like a new specimen of humanity, you see, that appeared in front of them, both Marina and Oswald, an American but who had been to Russia. But I don't remember any particular discussion or disagreement or agreement. I think probably Oswald was talking most of the time.

Mr. Jenner.

Oswald was pretty proud, was he, of his ability to speak Russian?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. He was proud of it, yes; because it is quite an achievement for a man with a poor scholastic background to have learned the language. It is surprising to me. It was an extraordinary surprise for my wife and myself that he was able to learn to speak it so well for such a short time as he was supposed to have stayed in Russia. As I understand it, he stayed there some 2 years, I gather.

Mr. Jenner.

That is all.
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. And it is amazing.

Mr. Jenner.

In speaking of that, as I recall, you noted he had a conversational command of the language.
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Yes.

Mr. Jenner.

But that he did not speak a refined Russian.
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. No, no; not a refined Russian.

Mr. Jenner.

He had trouble with his grammar?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Yes, yes.

Mr. Jenner.

Were there occasions when you knew them in which Marina would correct his grammar and there would be an altercation between them or something?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Oh, yes; there was bickering all the time. There was bickering all the time. I don't remember whether it was especially on the point of grammar, but there was bickering between them all the time.
But as I said before, the bickering was mainly because Marina smoked and he didn't approve of it, that she liked to drink and he did not approve of it. I think she liked to put the makeup on and he didn't let her use the makeup. My wife will explain a little bit more in detail what was going on between them, you see, because she was a confidante of Marina's, you see. I was not.

Mr. Jenner.

Would you elaborate, please?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Well, my wife being a woman was interested in a woman's problems, you see, Marina's, in the baby and in her makeup, in the way she dressed and the way she behaved, you see. She tried to correct her manners, correct, teach her how to be a human being, you see, which Marina did not know very well. She was doing her best to learn. She wanted to, but she really had a very poor background, you see.

Mr. Jenner.

You made a comment that you just said your wife had confidence in Marina, but you didn't. What did you mean by that?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Confidence from what point of view?

Mr. Jenner.

I don't know.
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Yes; I mentioned that because I don't like a woman who bitches at her husband all the time, and she did, you know. She annoyed him. She bickered. She brought the worst out in him. And she told us after they would get a fight, you know, that he was fighting also. She would scratch him also.

Mr. Jenner.

She would scratch him?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. She would scratch him also.

Mr. Jenner.

Do you recall the time?
I will put the question this way in order to draw on your recollection, rather than mine.
There was an occasion, was there not, that Marina left Lee by herself?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Yes.

Mr. Jenner.

Without being taken?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. Yes; I have a recollection of that.

Mr. Jenner.

Tell us about that. When did it occur?
Mr. DE MOHRENSCHILDT. I don't remember when it occurred.

Mr. Jenner.

Does October 1963 refresh your recollection?

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