Konrad and Alexandra (PDF) - Rolf Gross

Emigrate to Europe if that happens? With this mountain woman? I have carefully examined the possible scenarios in mymind and in practice. I will not flee to the relative safety of Western Europe. I will stay here. But I can afford it with areasonable amount of willpower and determination. I might have to send Otto to Germany, he is half-German. I have noright to tie him to my fate. Konrad will not desert me."He sighed. "I can see that you are serious, but it is hard for me to face this kind of bare reality. I am not afraid to lose mylife, but you are right, what to do if I survive? How did you learn to live every day in such high spirits? How can you lookinto the face of the worst possible future without getting depressed? I know the answer you will give me, extrovert yourfears and anxieties! That’s what you do! But I was not born with a soul as tough as yours."His eyes were pleading. Alexandra felt touched. "I once promised to be your muse on the path of finding yourself. Mypowers are limited. My commitment to Konrad preempts them. Maybe Tamara is the woman who could rescue you fromyour vacillating indecision, your greatest handicap. Maybe she could inspire your writing and mediate reality."She shook her head. "But you should not propose to Tamara or ask her father for her hand now. Her parents like you, butyou would violate their conservative formality."She paused pensively. "Maybe I could invite Tamara to St. Petersburg. There you could discuss all these questions withher. She could acquire some professional education in St. Petersburg on which she could survive without you ifnecessary. Let me think about that."Vladimir took her hand and kissed it passionately. Alexandra’s knees weakened, and she quickly ended theirconversation.Later, at night in presence of her parents Alexandra invited Tamara to stay with them in St. Petersburg for a few monthsand see what the world outside of Georgia looked like. Tamara, who was not indifferent to Vladimir’s attention, caught onto Alexandra’s offer with enthusiasm.Her father suggested that he might even send her to St. Petersburg to finish her education. With her competent cousin asmentor and chaperone this looked quite conceivable to him. Would Alexandra advise them in such an undertaking? Hehad been much impressed by Alexandra’s single-minded effort in becoming a medical doctor.Alexandra, chose her words carefully. Tamara would have to work hard, but the benefits of a professional education inthese uncertain times were obvious. Tamara had already finished four years at St. Nino’s College for Girls in Tiflis withgood grades."Well, I feel almost embarrassed by being an accomplice to this conspiracy," said Alexandra to Vladimir that night."Before the law one calls this pimping! But you are lucky, her father guessed what is going on between you and Tamara,and he likes you. I will be held responsible for protecting Tamara’s innocence!"46.Strange happenings in Svaneti1907They set out in a cold fog, but the road was good and the horses were fresh. An hour on their way a spooky visionappeared in the fog, a dreamscape of high towers drifting in and out of the clouds, Mestia, Svaneti’s largest village. Soonthe horses’ muffled clatter echoed from the gray slate-covered houses, each with its own four or five stories-high defensetower.Free Svaneti received them with driving snow flurries on the pass to the village of Ipari. Going downhill was arduous, thehorses skidded on the slippery rocks. But there was no imminent danger, the path wound down slowly in manyserpentine twists. Ipari appeared on a rocky promontory at the confluence of the Inguri and the Adishi rivers. Cold andwet, they decided to call it a day. They would stay overnight at the school house, but the teacher was still conducting theafternoon class.Two suspicious villagers ogled the foreigners. When they recognized Tamara they retreated embarrassed into aneighboring house. Tamara went after them and persuaded the grumpy men to invite the entire party in to dry their wetclothes by their roaring fire.At the end of school all hell broke loose, a dozen aggressive children ringed them, throwing stones, singing teasingditties, and scaring the horses. Konrad was at the edge of losing his temper when the teacher appeared and with manyapologies chased their tormentors off."Welcome to Free Svaneti!" joked the stocky man. "Can you imagine what I had to suffer when I first came here? Thesekids are an unruly and independent crowd, but eventually some become really good students, many are bright and alert."146