In the youthful circles of late nineteenth-century Tiflis, debates over grand ideas intertwine with personal feelings and ambition. Gymnasium student Srapion Barsamyan finds himself in a secret group and listens with admiration to the freethinking words of its members, especially Hakhverdyan. Over time, however, the contradictions between their inspiring words and their actual conduct become increasingly apparent. The recollection recounted in Mikayel Marutyants’s home leaves room for reflection on youthful ideals, self-deception, and social aspirations.