Konrad and Alexandra (pdf) - Rolf Gross

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The Engagement Konrad and Alexandra surprised her father at work in his study. Dadiani took off his reading glasses and slowly rose. With uncommon seriousness he embraced and kissed Alexandra and shook Konrad’s hand. Ilia Chavchavadze's study in his Tbilisi town-house, 1890s "Yes, dear children, God walked in the garden and Adam and Eve hid in the bushes. You don’t have to be embarrassed before me, I am not God. Besides, different from God, I took a wife at a similar time in my life as you, Konrad, and have never regretted that day." He smiled briefly. Clasping his hands behind his back, he walked back and forth. "I have thought about you and have come to the conclusion that you might be good for each other. Konrad, you are a quiet and considerate man. You can listen and you complement Alexandra’s often unruly, tempestuous nature." He stopped and contemplated them with his clear, blue eyes. "Because your temperaments are so different, life will not bring you only bliss. But if you use your differences to support each other’s strengths and weaknesses mutually and honestly, they will be the best guarantee for a stable and fruitful marriage in these rapidly changing times." He folded his hands, touched his lips briefly, and then faced them squarely. "I have convinced Tamara to accept your wish to get married. Alexandra, please go and find your mother, she knows what decision we four have to make." 52
Alexandra left the room. Dadiani took up his walk again, absentmindedly twirling his mustache in deep concentration. "Konrad, I am trying to help you to get this drama over with as painlessly as possible, but you do have to ask Tamara formally for the hand of her daughter. It is hard on her to see her daughter leave and follow you into an unknown future." Konrad had tried to anticipate various versions of this scene, but in none of them had he seen himself asking Alexandra’s mother for her daughter. He had assumed that this charade would be played out between him and his future father-in-law in his wife’s, and especially Alexandra’s, absence. A proudly poised Tamara followed by an anxious Alexandra walked in. And Konrad, before the tableau could compose itself or anybody could stop him, in unaccustomed spontaneity, went down on one knee and kissed Tamara’s hand. "I have come to ask you and your husband for the hand of your daughter Alexandra. I promise to love her above anything else and to care for her to the end of my days, whatever fate may befall us." He recited the Georgian version Alexandra had taught him. Silence befell on the room. Konrad remained on his knee. Tamara, taken by complete surprise, wiped a tear from her eyes and then did what nobody had expected. She extended her hand, raised Konrad, and embraced him. "Konrad, I welcome you into our family as my son." Blushing like a young girl, she gave him three kisses, took hold of his hand, and presented him first to her husband saying with a trembling voice: "Be this thy father," and then to Alexandra, "and this thy faithful wife for ever and ever." Crying and laughing Alexandra buried her head on Konrad’s chest. He gently kissed her hair. Confounded by his wife’s unexpected ministrations, Irakli Dadiani looked on speechlessly. Finally Tamara took him into her arms. Tamara led her bewildered family onto the verandah where lunch had been laid. A servant brought champagne and Father Dadiani raised his glass with a toast to their future. Abashed, Tamara smiled over her glass at Konrad. "Do call me Tamunia-Deda, and you know, the Georgian word for father: mama!" Konrad said a few improvised words to thank his newly found parents. As they sat down, Alexandra rummaged in her purse and pulled out the necklace. Konrad raised his eyebrows. He had not expected this surprise. She handed it to him, and with a smile he fastened it around Alexandra's neck. Alexandra was glowing. "Look what Konrad made for me." Her mother asked to see the necklace up close. She held it by its ends in an arc and, as if weighing it, let the links flow between her hands. Alexandra had to tell the story of the necklace, and her father toasted the unexpected goldsmith in their midst. Tying it around Alexandra’s neck, new tears came to Deda’s eyes. She kissed her daughter. "How did you find this man? A foreigner who speaks Georgian and makes Sufi necklaces?" She shook her head. "This gold chain is a serious declaration of love. It has the power to protect you and your marriage as long as you live. Give it to your daughter before you die." Konrad returned to Henri’s shop. He felt a need to think about Alexandra in the quiet solitude of working precious metal into new life. He wanted to compose himself, to renew and 53
Page 2 and 3: Konrad and Alexandra The Chronicle
Page 4 and 5: 24.The Dahl's House, Katharina, 190
Page 6 and 7: One piece of luggage after another
Page 8 and 9: I sank into a restless sleep and th
Page 10 and 11: jokes. Fifteen years ago Leist had
Page 12 and 13: goats, and driven from behind by sh
Page 14 and 15: two of us." Tiflis 1898 Tiflis and
Page 16 and 17: comprehension that fortune had sent
Page 18 and 19: Wine Merchants, Tiflis Bazaar, 1890
Page 20 and 21: I can never completely shake off vi
Page 22 and 23: couches. They were given big towels
Page 24 and 25: Alexandra Dadiani Tiflis 1898 She w
Page 26 and 27: Dadiani laughed so heartily that Ko
Page 28 and 29: eally introverted. We love tragedy,
Page 30 and 31: "Konrad, come and join us, it must
Page 32 and 33: Chekhov's "Chaika" and Henri the Go
Page 34 and 35: He handed her the necklace. She str
Page 36 and 37: curtain. Konrad, raised on the clea
Page 38 and 39: Henry nodded. "I know what you mean
Page 40 and 41: "I know you feel overawed by the ta
Page 42 and 43: Alexandra's Necklace Konrad’s emo
Page 44 and 45: Georgia on Horseback 1898 Konrad’
Page 46 and 47: Konrad laughed. "That was exactly w
Page 48 and 49: came from the desert, a jackal or a
Page 50 and 51: Around the white cathedral that tow
Page 54 and 55: find the love she needed. He had pu
Page 56 and 57: The half hour ride took them up a v
Page 58 and 59: After the dance ended, a deep silen
Page 60 and 61: Ilia Chavchavadze, Tiflis, 1900 (Wi
Page 62 and 63: Irakli raised his glass. "Do bury t
Page 64 and 65: New Year 1899 The jeunesse d’oré
Page 66 and 67: "May I look at your watch? What is
Page 68 and 69: possibility of a physical abduction
Page 70 and 71: well in Telavi, return tomorrow. A
Page 72 and 73: Alexandra described the sequence of
Page 74 and 75: It was Easter night. On his last vi
Page 76 and 77: hoarsely, "Mein Gott, you are right
Page 78 and 79: sharply. Konrad smiled. "We left he
Page 80 and 81: that no publisher would touch the m
Page 82 and 83: The Last Feudal Wedding in Kakheti
Page 84 and 85: Alexandra sees in me. A remarkably
Page 86 and 87: Alexandra had phonetically translit
Page 88 and 89: "Listen my love, try to lie absolut
Page 90 and 91: over dark waters to an undisclosed
Page 92 and 93: The Wolfsons Fiesole and Florence 1
Page 94 and 95: anecdote: my brother studied theolo
Page 96 and 97: vanishing lines. They are not shown
Page 98 and 99: Alexandra tried to compare both pai
Page 100 and 101: Sisakians, she found, disconcerted,
Page 102 and 103:
existed no viable political alterna
Page 104 and 105:
Russian aristocrats are blind or si
Page 106 and 107:
The ball became a great, albeit con
Page 108 and 109:
He was not interested in controllin
Page 110 and 111:
would have fainted." Niko laughed.
Page 112 and 113:
women as you are now. His skill suc
Page 114 and 115:
erated him. Had he not himself said
Page 116 and 117:
Otto's Birth 1900 At four in the mo
Page 118 and 119:
at the height of the contraction sh
Page 120 and 121:
today you look even more gorgeous."
Page 122 and 123:
Alexandra had waited for him and fi
Page 124 and 125:
The Gulf of Finnland near Lisi Nos
Page 126 and 127:
Count Nikolai Prshevalsky had broug
Page 128 and 129:
The entire ground floor had been op
Page 130 and 131:
She finally learned to distinguish
Page 132 and 133:
pouring out of the palais, the elec
Page 134 and 135:
Indian Masters were fabricated by h
Page 136 and 137:
Berlin 1904 Alexandra had received
Page 138 and 139:
pretty women. They are hanging on S
Page 140 and 141:
He pointed at a monument everybody
Page 142 and 143:
Rheinsberg 1904 They traveled by tr
Page 144 and 145:
under Friedrich’s eyes. Friedrich
Page 146 and 147:
off her horse, and embraced her. Ar
Page 148 and 149:
lethargy and got me into this adven
Page 150 and 151:
"Look, I will give you a recipe for
Page 152 and 153:
The Dahl's House Katharina Weisshub
Page 154 and 155:
know in medicine of when these days
Page 156 and 157:
"I urgently need some new clothes a
Page 158 and 159:
They went to the late show in an ol
Page 160 and 161:
irresponsibly than ever. Instead of
Page 162 and 163:
those of Soranus and the plants Ale
Page 164 and 165:
available to the women of the twent
Page 166 and 167:
asked Alexandra with her cool dark
Page 168 and 169:
She glanced furtively at Katharina.
Page 170 and 171:
"You guessed right," she said in Ge
Page 172 and 173:
He switched back to German. "Can on
Page 174 and 175:
"It describes Wagner arriving at th
Page 176 and 177:
the cello, a red rectangle driven b
Page 178 and 179:
Had Herr Schönberg or Herr Webern
Page 180 and 181:
scores? She had not heard either ye
Page 182 and 183:
Fashing Munich 1905 Once a year Dio
Page 184 and 185:
cuirass. The audience watched breat
Page 186 and 187:
They sank into each other’s arms.
Page 188 and 189:
They woke up late next morning. Kon
Page 190 and 191:
Walking on Ice After the cold and f
Page 192 and 193:
in the shadows, and green edges aro
Page 194 and 195:
Germany an alternative. He surely d
Page 196 and 197:
Professor Dahl began to laugh. "I s
Page 198 and 199:
Friedrich and Katharina get married
Page 200 and 201:
Alexandra was the first to notice t
Page 202 and 203:
arena. Aïda in the immense Roman o
Page 204 and 205:
Fiesole 1905 "Walter, we have not s
Page 206 and 207:
Last time Walter had taken her to t
Page 208 and 209:
Alexandra's Time "Friedrich," said
Page 210 and 211:
points I felt the eyes of the Gods
Page 212 and 213:
Meeting Clara Westhoff München and
Page 214 and 215:
"I rented the large dining hall and
Page 216 and 217:
Despite the scarf, Alexandra could
Page 218 and 219:
adoration of her bizarre beauty. Ev
Page 220 and 221:
and do not flush in breathless wave
Page 222 and 223:
Snowbound in Eydtkuhnen 1905 "Konra
Page 224 and 225:
the platform. Someone unrolled a re
Page 226 and 227:
The von Bredow's Snow Casle From be
Page 228 and 229:
They tiptoed downstairs and along t
Page 230 and 231:
Return to St. Petersburg 1905 Konra
Page 232 and 233:
power and calls for the establishme
Page 234 and 235:
taken Rilke’s abandoned wife alon
Page 236 and 237:
And her narrow hand in rings. "Ever
Page 238 and 239:
They had, one day, swum out to a lo
Page 240 and 241:
impression on us, you have to conce
Page 242 and 243:
his best to bring some kind of stab
Page 244 and 245:
Uncle Muravi's Benz Tiflis 1907 "Ma
Page 246 and 247:
you have ever known me. Can’t you
Page 248 and 249:
after me. I would have liked to bri
Page 250 and 251:
From the very beginning little Soph
Page 252 and 253:
like he: They look at someone and k
Page 254 and 255:
long ride with Claudia and her pare
Page 256 and 257:
In the evening, alone with Dahl and
Page 258 and 259:
maternal rule?" Alexandra burst out
Page 260 and 261:
hair and build. Cousin Tamara was t
Page 262 and 263:
along, which I will tie to the pers
Page 264 and 265:
I could live just as well in Svanet
Page 266 and 267:
suspected to suffer from tuberculos
Page 268 and 269:
The dinner feast became a grand aff
Page 270 and 271:
things." Alexandra surprised Shalva
Page 272 and 273:
cut the bread effigy into small pie
Page 274 and 275:
her hands during her examination. W
Page 276 and 277:
Adishi Gocha Teaching Dream Work Ad
Page 278 and 279:
talked to me during the night, but
Page 280 and 281:
Ilia Chavchavadze's funeral train a
Page 282 and 283:
Their slightly feminist-tinged conv
Page 284 and 285:
he spent six hours with her and twi
Page 286 and 287:
and patience are most important. A
Page 288 and 289:
strokes on large pieces of newspape
Page 290 and 291:
while Izabel became their quietly d
Page 292 and 293:
ankles, this très-solide, yet well
Page 294 and 295:
in 1907! At first, this fact and th
Page 296 and 297:
my company. Together, we could have
Page 298 and 299:
covered with faded, dark-red plush,
Page 300 and 301:
not sell me this painting, I will d
Page 302 and 303:
Konrad in China 1911-1912 In Octobe
Page 304 and 305:
father is very impressed by your so
Page 306 and 307:
Niko. "You asked me what would happ
Page 308 and 309:
teachers of the great Medresses in
Page 310 and 311:
The patient, an old man suffering f
Page 312 and 313:
Konrad's Return from China St. Pert
Page 314 and 315:
which I did not understand. When I
Page 316 and 317:
Konrad dug a thick, battered sketch
Page 318 and 319:
everybody. "Konrad, will you let me
Page 320 and 321:
Alexandra let out a peal of laughte
Page 322 and 323:
Alexandra's Journey to Munich 1913
Page 324 and 325:
ediscovering the old sympathies. Pe
Page 326 and 327:
Dahl's Examination of Alexandra Mun
Page 328 and 329:
in Svaneti may not have been perman
Page 330 and 331:
"My shadow-soul flies into an embra
Page 332 and 333:
Ever since Claudia’s outbreak in
Page 334 and 335:
A Visit to Kandinsky Murnau 1913 Al
Page 336 and 337:
sexual arousal, dance rhythms, and
Page 338 and 339:
He invited them to dinner in the vi
Page 340 and 341:
any thought to. A group of children
Page 342 and 343:
Petersburg. They will have a simple
Page 344 and 345:
you smile meekly and remain silent.
Page 346 and 347:
herself to sleep. With the last mai
Page 348 and 349:
of his faithful. One night around t
Page 350 and 351:
ead and the resignation of the Empe
Page 352 and 353:
Vladimir gulped down his glass of v
Page 354 and 355:
Their Flight to Georgia May 1918 In
Page 356 and 357:
It was an unreal night, the scare a
Page 358 and 359:
negotiate the bad mountain tracks.
Page 360 and 361:
was very much of her own mind. Meli
Page 362 and 363:
director at the hospital until the
Page 364 and 365:
Kräuterfrau, a herbalist in the Ge
Page 366 and 367:
He paused and took a sip from his g
Page 368 and 369:
German Troops in Tbilisi 1918 - 191
Page 370 and 371:
would crown the tombstone on his gr
Page 372 and 373:
we are late." "Tell me what was you
Page 374 and 375:
adventure on that German ship to Ha
Page 376 and 377:
"Friedrich, who was a very successf
Page 378 and 379:
Alexandra’s diminutive scribble w
Page 380 and 381:
The snotty character in the shaft-b
Page 382 and 383:
final reckoning with Georgia. Withi
Page 384 and 385:
again war was raging behind the mou
Page 386 and 387:
She undid it and let it flow into m
Page 388 and 389:
ut she did not explain why―a Sufi
Page 390 and 391:
weeks among the obscurer Greek writ
Page 392 and 393:
A List of people "Konrad and Alexan
Page 394:
Sources Little information exists o
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