Konrad and Alexandra (PDF) - Rolf Gross

Alexandra wanted to have a closer look, but Vladimir held her back. "Stay away from him, he isn’t trustworthy."Suddenly Badmaev threw a handful of seeds into the fakir’s brazier. Thick smoke began to fill the room, and like a visionthe face of Mme. Blavatsky appeared in the smoke.The audience guffawed, although it was obvious to Alexandra that the image was a simple laterna magica projection.Yet, the back-and-forth wafting smoke uncannily brought her to life."Ah, cannabis asiatica! I can smell it," whispered Alexandra wrinkling her nose. A minute later she nervously pulledVladimir by the arm and with an urgent voice said, "Please let’s get out of here, fast."Hoarse and highly alarmed she repeated, "Let’s go, quick! Some grave danger is approaching."Wordlessly Vladimir like a cat, deliberately slow and cautious, taking her arm, walked her toward the door, trailed by theworried Sisakians."The lady is unwell," Vladimir said to the servant who held the door open. "Thank you, I shall take her outside myself."Working with great circumspection Vladimir found his car and waved to the chauffeur to pull up. They all piled in."Go Fyodor! We have to get out of here as fast you can.""What is it Alexandra?" asked Izabel in confusion."I had a sudden premonition. We have a rule in our family to fear nothing, but act fast when a premonition warns us."The shock wave of a massive explosion coming from the house interrupted her. The car rocked frighteningly.Vladimir let go of a string of obscenities. "Go Fyodor, get us out of here before the police arrive. I must not be found inthis place!"Fyodor revved the engine and began pulling out into the street. Screaming people came pouring out of the palais, theelectric lights went out. They had reached the street.Marti began to shout. "My paintings! Two years of work, my paintings! Let me out!"Fyodor stopped the car and Marti and Izabel jumped out. Vladimir and Alexandra saw them running towards the smokingbuilding as Fyodor shifted into high gear and scattering the crowds of the curious running towards the place of disaster,they sped to safety."Explosion at Volkonsky Palais—Indian fakir killed, scores wounded" screamed the headlines next morning. The paperblamed the Indian and Badmaev for setting up the explosion. The Theosophists were nowhere mentioned. The palaishad suffered extensive damage. An investigation of the causes was under way.Alexandra was anxiously waiting for news from the Sisakians. She had no clue how to find them and was much relievedwhen Izabel and Marti stood before her door late that night."We saved the paintings!" cried Marti. "Here is the painting from Shakh-i-Zabz which you liked so much." He presentedher with long roll wrapped in newspaper. "Take it as our thanks for saving our lives."Izabel hugged Alexandra. "Thank you! You have a sense which rivals Mme. Blavatsky, you would make a perfectTheosophist!"Alexandra unwrapped the painting. It still fascinated her in an undefinable way. She thanked Marti, but he could ill affordto make her such a present. Had he been a Georgian, offering him money would have deeply offended him. But anArmenian had other feelings in such matters. She would have to give this some thought.Alexandra proposed to prepare something to eat for them, and they moved into the kitchen."This was a narrow escape," began Marti. "The bomb exploded somewhere in the kitchen behind the wall where the yogiwas stirring his brazier. The whole wall collapsed and buried him. People further away were spared, but Badmaev andthe women who were crowding around him are all in the hospital. What a vicious way to demonstrate the government’sdispleasure with the Theosophists!""The paper blamed the Indian and Badmaev for having caused the explosion," remarked Alexandra.Marti’s dark eyes became furious. "You don’t believe that story, do you? Of course, they would print such a calumny, theman is dead and cannot prove them wrong. Don’t be naïve! It was a bomb planted by you know who. "He made an obscene gesture. "And the mess when the police arrived! They came an hour late, and all they did wasconfiscate some literature and arrest some harmless people. Because of my ‘getup’ they held me for two hours untilsome influential person released me on his recognizance. Thank God, we had carried all my paintings to the house offriends before the police arrived, they would have confiscated those too."He had talked himself into a real heat. He swore and rowed with his arms. "We should have stayed in Central Asia,where life is easier than here. And I tell you, the capital is going to explode any time and one more such experience, andI will join the revolutionaries in the streets!"Alexandra shook her head. "You should be careful of what you say, Marti. This apartment is safe, but you can never tellwho is listening in these days. There are many people, especially at the university, who think like you do. Sometimes Ifeel like you. I too would join the revolution and get into trouble—ah, well, maybe it is providence that I leave for Munichin two weeks."Glowering, Marti raised his fist and through clenched teeth cursed the Tsar, his government, and the Okhrana."Let us postpone our political discussion for a walk in the woods," suggested Alexandra, "tell me instead about your70