For the tango, which
completed his number on his last tour, he [Van] was given a partner, a Crimean cabaret dancer in
a very short scintillating frock cut very low on the back. She sang the tango
tune in Russian:
Pod znóynïm nébom Argentínï,
Pod strástnïy góvor mandolinï
'Neath sultry sky of Argentina,
To the hot hum of mandolina
Fragile, red-haired 'Rita' (he never learned her real name), a
pretty Karaite from Chufut Kale, where, she nostalgically said, the Crimean
cornel, kizil', bloomed yellow among the arid rocks, bore an odd
resemblance to Lucette as she was to look ten years later. (1.30)
Rita is a character in Kuprin's story
Khoroshee obshchestvo ("The Good Society," 1905). Its title brings to
mind Korolenko's strory V durnom obshchestve ("In a Bad Company," 1885)
also known as Deti podzemel'ya ("Children of Underground"). According
to Van, an artist is an underground observatory:
'I say, Dick, ever met a gambler in the States called
Plunkett? Bald gray chap when I knew him.'
'Plunkett? Plunkett? Must have been before my time. Was he the
one who turned priest or something? Why?'
'One of my father's pals. Great artist.'
'Artist?'
'Yes, artist. I'm an artist. I suppose you think you're an
artist. Many people do.'
'What on earth is an artist?'
'An underground observatory,' replied Van promptly. (1.28)
Demon's casino-touring companion, bodyguard and
guardian angel, Mr Plunkett brings to mind Balunski, the king of
shulers (cardsharps) in Kuprin's story Uchenik ("The
Disciple," 1911).
Veno = Nevo = Oven = Noev
Rovno = voron = norov
Veno - Knyazh'e
Veno, the city where the action of "Children of Underground" takes place;
bride-price
Nevo - old name of
Lake Ladoga
Oven - ram; Aries,
the Ram
Noev -
Noah's
Rovno - city in
Ukraine (the real name of Knyazh'e Veno)
voron -
raven
norov - obs., custom;
obstinacy; restiveness
Alexey Sklyarenko