Konrad and Alexandra (pdf) - Rolf Gross

egain my former balance."
He took a deep swill from his glass. In his present overwrought state the alcohol would
not help. He waved this misgiving away. Somewhere in the distance he noticed a Tcherkassian
woman drift by, but she had long blond hair. It was clearly not Alexandra.
Joachim viewed Konrad with sympathetic concern. "You are neither fish nor fowl, neither
German nor Georgian, you have lost some of your roots, Konrad. Is Alexandra homesick?"
"You are right, and I have no real friend here to whom I could unburden myself. No,
Alexandra is not homesick in the strict sense. She sometimes says that she has never felt so
Georgian, but she is so busy discovering unexplored aspects of herself, that she has no time to
be homesick. Besides, being very high, she has found two close female friends with whom she
can discuss her problems. I am no longer her sole confidant as I was in Tiflis and St.
Petersburg."
He fell silent. This aspect of his remoteness from her had not previously occurred to
him. Alexandra was no longer his one and only student. Claudia had opened new doors to her
in music and Katharina the possibility of physical love between women. He had not much to do
with these two discoveries.
Konrad toasted their Georgian friends and their reunion. He felt the wine go to his head.
Joachim left to find Alexandra.
Clara put her hand on Konrad’s shoulder. "Come Konrad, may I dance with you?
Everything will find a balance and with a little effort you will keep Alexandra."
Konrad let her guide him onto the dance floor. She danced slowly, holding him close.
Her warmth was good.
When they returned Konrad collapsed in a chair, and Clara, sitting next to him, very
gently stroked his head which had sunk on the table.
Joachim returned with Alexandra who was concerned but not disconcerted. She knew
how to handle a drunk tamada.
She bent over the collapsed shape. "Konrad, wake up its I, Alexandra. Please take me
home."
Konrad raised his head, and looked at her. "Alexandra wears a Tcherkassian dress, you
are not her."
Alexandra sat down with hanging arms. "He is right. I changed costumes with our friend
Katharina, who wanted so badly to turn into an Oriental woman for one evening and, I suspect,
had in mind to play a trick on Konrad. What a terrible mess."
Joachim, laughing heartily, saved the embarrassing situation. "You have got the three of
you into a true Georgian farce, two women, one drunk tamada, and lots of melodrama."
Alexandra removed her mask and feeling hot opened the high collar of Katharina’s
blouse. "Konrad, mein Liebster, this is Katharina’s dress which she lent me. She wanted to be
a Georgian woman for one night. I am Alexandra. Please wake up and let’s go home."
This time Konrad sat up and rubbing his eyes and aching head looked at her and saw
the necklace in her décolleté.
He fell on his knees before her, buried his head in her lap, and sobbed frightfully. "Can
you ever forgive me, Alexandra? I was so unhappy without you, and now I am drunk. I love you
above anything."
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