Konrad and Alexandra (pdf) - Rolf Gross

eternity for such a sin.
The three men were at a loss what to do. Alexandra tired, full of pity for the old man, and
wanting to get the bungled affair over with, suggested that they should stick some candles to
the walls, get a Bible, and the two witnesses should perform the wedding.
Lacking a better suggestion Dato consented. Touched, Alexandra found that the three
had brought a white shawl to cover her head and two wreaths connected by a string, the
indispensable implements of the Eastern wedding ritual.
They lit the candles. Alexandra, covered by the bridal veil, knelt next to Dato before the
iconostasis, and one of the young men placed the wreaths on their heads. The second young
man, confused and disorganized, read some arbitrary text from the bible. When he had
finished, he crossed the wreaths and solemnly intoned, "I pronounce you, Dato Ortaladze and
Alexandra Dadiani, married."
After that he halted and exclaimed, "Dato, what am I to do next? I have never been
married."
Alexandra giggled, "None of us has. Now comes the ring ceremony. Dato, where are the
rings?"
Dato, pale-faced, admitted that he had no rings. He pulled his revolver and held it to his
head.
In a lightening sweep Alexandra took the gun from his hand and stood, a blazing
avenging angel, in front of the iconostasis with the loaded weapon in hand.
"Look Dato," she said with a cutting voice, "you are not going to shoot yourself in this
sacred place. Collect yourself and say after me ‘I promise to love you, Alexandra Dadiani, for
ever and ever, until I die.’"
Dato, sobbing, repeated the sentence and collapsed at her feet.
Keeping his two friends at a distance with the gun, Alexandra knelt down besides the
dissolved groom and covered him with her bridal veil. "Dato, I, Alexandra Dadiani promise to
love you for ever and ever until I die. I do and will."
Dato stuck his head from under the veil. Fear and surprise on his face. He was still alive!
"Truly, will you?"
"Yes, in the name of the Holy Mother of God and all the Saints, I will," repeated
Alexandra, "and these two friends of yours are my witnesses."
Dato sat up and wiped away his tears, while Alexandra opened the magazine of the
revolver, took the six bullets out, and handed the empty weapon back to him. She helped him
up and embraced and kissed him. Recovered from their fright the witnesses applauded.
"Look Dato, whenever you are in need you can come to me, but I cannot, before God,
become your wife. I am Konrad’s wife and you and I would commit a grave sin, if I got married
to a second man in this holy place, even if it were only informally."
She took him by the hand and spoke quietly to him. "I am dead tired after the long ride
and all this emotional upheaval. Can we ride to Telavi and find a room to get some sleep? I
would also like to send a telegram to my father. Deda must be out of her mind with worry about
me. I promise you that I will protect you from the authorities, provided the three of you will take
on some reason now."
They rode down to Telavi and Alexandra sent a telegram from the post office: alive and
69