Konrad and Alexandra (PDF) - Rolf Gross

who would uncover all his well-kept secrets. But then he showed his most relaxed and humorous side, excited by thenew insights Konrad brought back. Jovial Alexeev meanwhile entertained Helena with funny anecdotes about famous,impractical M. le Professeur Chavannes, with whom he had traveled in China.In the evenings, seeking the warm family atmosphere, Helena often cooked dinner for Konrad and helped him and Ottowith their grand project for Alexandra’s birthday: a diary of Konrad’s Chinese travels collated from his notes, letters, anddrawings. Otto painstakingly drew the maps and occasionally copied Konrad’s notes.One evening Helena confided to Konrad that Alekseev had invited her to dinner. She blushed deeply, he was a mostcongenial and charming man.These idyllic days without Alexandra were rudely interrupted when Tamara arrived in St. Petersburg breathing fire. "Youhave no idea how narrow-minded Georgian fathers are. Irakli’s love for Alexandra is downright incestuous. Konrad, younever had to fight for Alexandra."She was now visibly pregnant. Konrad found her insufferable and to cap it all, Otto, who hung on Tamara’s every word,asked, "Papa, what is incestuous love?"Pained and embarrassed, Konrad explained to him that incest was an overwhelming love of a father for his daughter.Because they were closely related, such a love was forbidden.Tamara shouted. "I am no longer a child, I will do what I think is right, and not what convention decrees. When I said that,my father slapped me. It was an ugly scene. I am sorry it happened in Irakli’s house. Irakli, who had tried everything inhis power to change my father’s mind, had to witness that scene. I will never forgive my father!"She put her head on the table and cried in fits. "I love my parents, I always loved my father dearly. I was proud of him. Allof that has been destroyed by his intransigence. I lost not only him but my entire family."Vladimir tried to stroke her hair. She reared her head and shoock her abundant mane. "Leave me alone. You are asarch-conservative as my father, and you got me pregnant."She had another attack of hysterical sobs. "You never support my political aspirations, you smile meekly and remainsilent. Father at least objected openly to my wish to join Jordania’s party. You never spoke up for me. You sabotaged myattempts at contacting the influential Socialists in Tbilisi. ‘Don’t do that now, it will incense all your relatives.’ That waswhat you said. Why am I so weak in my condition?"Her head, surrounded by her long black hair, sank back on the table. Valdimir smiled, abashed. Standing behind her, hespread his arms in an apologetic gesture of helpless despair.The scene was fast approaching the limits of Konrad’s usually imperturbable patience. "Stop crying!" Konrad said sternly."What do you want to do about getting married? Go wash off your tears, and let us discuss that problem instead of theseuseless accusations."She raised her head and looked at him wide-eyed. "All of you are paternalistic reactionaries. ‘Go, marry this man!’ I willmarry only to protect my child from this bourgeois society."Konrad’s voice was rising. "I thought we had covered that ground months ago. Of course, it is to protect your child frombeing born illegitimate. As far as I am concerned, you can live in a wild marriage, I don’t care. You can even keep thename of your father, if that is a consolation to you.""I will keep my name, I will. I will, even if father disowns me."They left her alone, and eventually she got up and, glaring at the two men, retreated to the bathroom.Vladimir and Tamara’s wedding took place a week after Alexandra had come home. Alexandra at the side of Vladimir’sfather, Konrad and Helena as witnesses. The priest had been paid off to perform the ceremony in the sacristy of hischurch, no pomp, no singing, barely a ritual. Tamara and Vladimir in street clothes, only M. Nomikoff and Alexandra informal dress.Alexandra cried in sad frustration. Irakli’s ominous prediction of the pair’s unhappy future rang in her ears. Otto watchedthe pregnant revolutionary wide eyed.Tamara’s family ignored the wedding, no messages, no presents, or congratulatory letters from her parents, except aserious note from Irakli and Tamunia-Deda wishing God’s blessing onto them and their unborn child.Vladimir’s father invited the pair and their five guests to a suitably elegant restaurant. Tamara ate almost nothing, she feltnauseous. Otto watched the vaguely threatening, enigmatic events with bewildered eyes.On July 28, 1913 Tamara gave birth to a daughter. Alexandra delivered the baby at the St. Petersburg Lying-in Hospital.They called her Asmat Alexandra after Tamara’s mother and her natlideda.In the winter of 1913-14, actively supported by the Okhrana, political demonstrations returned to St. Petersburg. Thegovernment considered them a welcome diversion from the mounting social and political ills of the country. Wellcontrolledby troops of the Ministry of the Interior, the rallies were dressed as pan-Slavic protests supporting Serbia’sfight against Austria over the remains of the Ottoman possessions in the Balkans. The ‘Second Balkan War’ smolderedfor several months—the tinder on the European powder keg that had been Joachim von Bredow’s worry.The keg exploded in July 1914 when Archduke Ferdinand of Austria and his wife were assassinated by a Serb inAustrian Sarayevo. Austria invaded Serbia.192