The name of the dictator of Padukgrad in VN's novel Bend Sinister (1947), Paduk seems to hint at glitay abozh pauk (the spider), in Chekhov's story Chelovek v futlyare ("The Man in a Case," 1898) a nickname that Kovalenko gave Belikov:
Он даже название дал Беликову «глитай абож паук». И, понятно, мы избегали говорить с ним о том, что сестра его Варенька собирается за «абож паука». И когда однажды директорша намекнула ему, что хорошо бы пристроить его сестру за такого солидного, всеми уважаемого человека, как Беликов, то он нахмурился и проворчал:
— Не мое это дело. Пускай она выходит хоть за гадюку, а я не люблю в чужие дела мешаться.
He even gave Belikov a nickname, 'The Spider.' And it will readily be understood that we avoided talking to him of his sister's being about to marry 'The Spider.' And on one occasion, when the headmaster's wife hinted to him what a good thing it would be to secure his sister's future with such a reliable, universally respected man as Belikov, he frowned and muttered:
'It's not my business; let her marry a viper if she likes. I don't like meddling in other people's affairs.'
In a letter of Feb. 25, 1899, to Olga Vasilyev (Chekhov's English translator) Chekhov explains that Glitay, abozh pauk is the title of an Ukranian play. Glitay means "spider" and the whole phrase means "Spider, or Spider" (pauk is Russian for "spider) and therefore cannot be translated literally:
Многоуважаемая Ольга Родионовна, «Глитай, абож паук» — это название одной малороссийской пьесы. Глитай значит паук, а вся фраза значит «паук, или паук», т. е. объясняется, что значит глитай. Это непереводимо на иностранный язык.
Actually, Glitay, abozh pavuk ("The Exploiter, or a Spider") is a play by Marko Kropyvnytskyi (1840-1910), an Ukrainian playwright and actor. Paduk's nickname, "The Toad," brings to mind gadyuka (a viper) mentioned by Kovalenko. Russian for "toad," zhaba is almost abo zh, "or" in Ukrainian, in reverse and abozh is almost zhopa (vulg., "ass") backwards. The name of one of rhe soldiers in Padukgrad is Gurk (Krug spelled backwards). Gurke is German for "cucumber." In Chekhov's play Ivanov (1887) Shabelski says that scientists failed to invent something better than a salted cucumber:
Шабельский. Ну нет, огурец лучше... Ученые с сотворения мира думают и ничего умнее соленого огурца не придумали... (Петру.) Петр, поди-ка еще принеси огурцов да вели на кухне изжарить четыре пирожка с луком. Чтоб горячие были.
SHABELSKI. No, no, these cucumbers are better; all scientists since the creation of the world has been trying to invent something better than a salted cucumber, and not one has succeeded. [To PETER] Peter, go and fetch some more cucumbers. And Peter, tell the cook to make four little onion pasties, and see that we get them hot. (Act Three, scene I)
Shabelski-Bork was the name of one of the murderers of VN's father. Ivanov is the main character in VN's story Sovershenstvo ("Perfection," 1932). Krug's son David is a namesake of Ivanov's pupil. Krug ("The Circle," 1936) is a story by VN.
At the end of Chekhov's story V usad'be ("At a Country House," 1894) the word Zhaba (The Toad, Rashevich's nickname) is repeated four times:
— Жаба! — вдруг послышалось из соседней комнаты; это был голос старшей дочери, негодующий, шипящий голос. — Жаба!
— Жаба! — повторила, как эхо, младшая. — Жаба!
"The toad!" he suddenly heard from the next room; it was the voice of his elder daughter, a voice with a hiss of indignation. " The toad!"
"The toad!" the younger one repeated like an echo. "The toad!"