Konrad and Alexandra (pdf) - Rolf Gross

Exploring St. Petersburg
1905
Their first excursion would, of course, be devoted to Alexander Blok.
"Are you in an expansive mood?" asked Vladimir when he arrived at their apartment to
pick them up. "I would like to introduce you to Blok. No poetry reading, something new, a miniopera.
Blok wrote the script and Mikhail Kuzmin, an unknown poet, the music, and an actor
named Vsevolod Meyerhold put the piece on stage and plays its main character: The Puppet
Show. The world has never seen anything like it."
Before they left Vladimir suggested a masquerade. "I have to introduce you to my
friends, but you don’t want to appear in the gossip magazines tomorrow under your real
names. So we have to invent new personalities for you—besides it will be much more fun to
make my friends guess the identity of that ravishing, unknown lady!"
Konrad smirked. "Carnival begins only next month."
But Alexandra was tickled by the prospect of playing Vladimir’s latest conquest while
flirting shamelessly with Konrad. "I will be Alexandra d’Andreae, what do you think Konrad?"
Konrad mumbled something about blasphemy, but then smiled. "Walter would be
amused."
Vladimir tried to guess. "Oh," said Alexandra, "her name was Novella d’Andreae,
professor of Greek and philosophy at the University of Bologna, in the year 1299! The Ur-greatgrandmother
of one Konrad Rost. Can you believe it?"
Vladimir was impressed, and Konrad had to explain the connection and, of course, the
reason for Novella’s fame.
Vladimir was elated. "Italian-German, an old name, a fabulous combination! And you
look it too. You will become the instant rumor of town. Your Georgian accent will sound very
authentic. Are you a tourist from Florence? And Konrad?"
Alexandra objected. "No, I come from Munich, my Italian will not stand any serious test.
Konrad’s name will be Wolfson, he collects old Russian icons for the American market. He is,
of course, German, he can’t hide his accent. We met here over some deal entirely by
accident."
Alexandra poked Konrad in the ribs.
"Alexandra and I met on the snow-bound train in Eydtkuhnen," Konrad suggested,
catching up with her.
The men were already at the door when Alexandra ran back and returned, coquettishly
displaying the fedora from Berlin.
Vladimir gasped. "My God, how did you know?"
"Know what?" Alexandra laughed winking at Konrad.
Vladimir quoted:
Ancient beliefs waft
From her heavy silks,
And her hat with funereal feathers,
235