A character in VN隆炉s novel Look at the Harlequins! (1974), Count Starov (Vadim隆炉s benefactor) is a grave old-fashioned Mason:

On the gray eve of poverty, the author, then a self-exiled youth (I transcribe from an old diary), discovered an unexpected patron in the person of Count Starov, a grave old-fashioned Mason who had graced several great Embassies during a spacious span of international intercourse, and who since 1913 had resided in London. (1.2)

隆掳Grave,隆卤 隆掳graced隆卤 and 隆掳great隆卤 seem to hint at Griboedov, the author of Gore ot uma (隆掳Woe from Wit,隆卤 1824) who was Russian envoy in Teheran. A Mason since 1816, Griboedov founded a lodge in St. Petersburg and called it Blago (隆掳Good隆卤). It brings to mind Annette Blagovo (Vadim隆炉s second wife) and Wladimir Blagidze, alias Starov (the murderer of Iris Black, Vadim隆炉s first wife). Describing his and Iris隆炉s visit to Count Starov隆炉s villa, Vadim mentions a resplendent portrait by Serov of the notorious beauty, Mme. de Blagidze:

Sometime in October my benefactor, now in the last stage of majestic senility, came for his annual visit to Mentone, and, without warning, Iris and I dropped in to see him. His villa was incomparably grander than ours. He staggered to his feet to take between his wax-pale palms Iris's hand and stare at her with blue bleary eyes for at least five seconds (a little eternity, socially) in a kind of ritual silence, after which he embraced me with a slow triple cross-kiss in the awful Russian tradition.

"Your bride," he said, using, I knew, the word  in the sense of fianc篓娄e (and speaking an English which Iris said later was exactly like mine in Ivor's unforgettable version) "is as beautiful as your wife will be!"

I quickly told him--in  Russian--that the maire of Cannice had married us a month ago in a brisk ceremony. Nikifor Nikodimovich gave Iris another stare and finally kissed her hand, which I was glad to see she raised in the proper fashion (coached, no doubt, by Ivor who used to take every opportunity to paw his sister).

"I misunderstood the rumors," he said, "but all the same I am happy to make the acquaintance of such a charming young lady. And where, pray, in what church, will the vow be sanctified?"

"In the temple we shall build, Sir," said Iris--a trifle insolently, I thought.

Count Starov "chewed his lips," as old men are wont to do in Russian novels. Miss Vrode-Vorodin, the elderly cousin who kept house for him, made a timely entrance and led Iris to an adjacent alcove (illuminated by a resplendent portrait by Serov, 1896, of the notorious beauty, Mme. De Blagidze, in Caucasian costume) for a nice cup of tea. The Count wished to talk business with me and had only ten minutes "before his injection."

What was my wife's maiden name?

I told  him. He thought it over and shook his head. What was her mother's name?

I told him that, too. Same reaction. What about the financial aspect of the marriage? (1.10)

In 1828, a few months before his death, Griboedov married in Tiflis (the former name of Tbilisi, the city where Griboedov and his widow were buried) Princess Nina Chavchavadze.

In 隆掳Woe from Wit隆卤 Famusov calculates the pregnancy of a lady friend. It seems that Count Starov is the real father of Vadim and his three successive wives (Iris Black, Annette Blagovo and Louise Adamson). In VN隆炉s novel Ada (1969) Demon Veen (Van隆炉s and Ada隆炉s father) quotes Famosov隆炉s words po raschyotu po moemu:

隆庐By the way, Demon,隆炉 interrupted Marina, 隆庐where and how can I obtain the kind of old roomy limousine with an old professional chauffeur that Praskovia, for instance, has had for years?隆炉

隆庐Impossible, my dear, they are all in heaven or on Terra. But what would Ada like, what would my silent love like for her birthday? It隆炉s next Saturday, po razschyotu po moemu (by my reckoning), isn隆炉t it? Une rivi篓篓re de diamants?隆炉

隆庐Protestuyu!隆炉 cried Marina. 隆庐Yes, I隆炉m speaking seriozno. I object to your giving her kvaka sesva (quoi que ce soit), Dan and I will take care of all that.隆炉

隆庐Besides you隆炉ll forget,隆炉 said Ada laughing, and very deftly showed the tip of her tongue to Van who had been on the lookout for her conditional reaction to 隆庐diamonds.隆炉 (1.38)

隆掳Silent love隆卤 seems to hint at Molchalin, Famusov隆炉s secretary whose name comes from molchat隆炉 (to be silent). Marina and G. A. Vronsky (the movie man) had dubbed Price (an old retainer at Ardis) 隆庐Grib隆炉 (Mushroom):

Another Price, a typical, too typical, old retainer whom Marina (and G. A. Vronsky, during their brief romance) had dubbed, for unknown reasons, 隆庐Grib,隆炉 placed an onyx ashtray at the head of the table for Demon, who liked to smoke between courses 隆陋 a puff of Russian ancestry. (ibid.)

In 隆掳Woe from Wit隆卤 Chatski quotes (slightly changing it) the last line of Derzhavin隆炉s poem Arfa (隆掳The Harp,隆卤 1798): i dym otechestva nam sladok i priyaten (even the smoke of fatherland is to us sweet and pleasant).

In 1869 Demon had a sword duel in Nice with Baron d隆炉Onsky (Marina隆炉s lover). D隆炉Onsky隆炉s name and nickname Skonky (anagram of konskiy, 隆掳of a horse隆卤) seem to hint at donskoy zherebets (a Don stallion) mentioned by Pushkin in Eugene Onegin (Two: V: 4):

搂鲁搂脽搂脩搂茅搂脩搂脻搂脩 搂脫搂茫搂脰 搂脺 搂脽搂脰搂脼搂氓 搂脰搂脵搂脴搂脩搂脻搂脷;
搂炉搂脿 搂盲搂脩搂脺 搂脺搂脩搂脺 搂茫 搂脵搂脩搂脮搂脽搂脰搂脭搂脿 搂脺搂芒搂铆搂脻搂卯搂猫搂脩
搂掳搂脪搂铆搂脺搂脽搂脿搂脫搂脰搂脽搂脽搂脿 搂谩搂脿搂脮搂脩搂脫搂脩搂脻搂脷
搂娄搂脼搂氓 搂脮搂脿搂脽搂茫搂脺搂脿搂脭搂脿 搂脴搂脰搂芒搂脰搂脪搂猫搂脩,
搂颅搂脷搂锚搂卯 搂盲搂脿搂脻搂卯搂脺搂脿 搂脫搂脮搂脿搂脻搂卯 搂脪搂脿搂脻搂卯搂锚搂脿搂脹 搂脮搂脿搂芒搂脿搂脭搂脷
搂漏搂脩搂茫搂脻搂铆搂锚搂脩搂盲 搂脷搂莽 搂脮搂脿搂脼搂脩搂锚搂脽搂脷 搂脮搂芒搂脿搂脭搂脷, 隆陋
搂卤搂脿搂茫搂盲搂氓搂谩搂脺搂脿搂脼 搂脿搂茫搂脺搂脿搂芒搂脪搂帽搂茫搂卯 搂盲搂脩搂脺搂脷搂脼,
搂拢搂茫搂脰 搂脮搂芒搂氓搂脴搂脪搂氓 搂谩搂芒搂脰搂脺搂芒搂脩搂盲搂脷搂脻搂脷 搂茫 搂脽搂脷搂脼.
«搂鲁搂脿搂茫搂脰搂脮 搂脽搂脩搂锚 搂脽搂脰搂氓搂茅; 搂茫搂氓搂脼搂脩搂茫搂脪搂芒搂脿搂脮搂脷搂盲;
搂掳搂脽 搂忙搂脩搂芒搂脼搂脩搂脵搂脿搂脽; 搂脿搂脽 搂谩搂卯搂脳搂盲 搂脿搂脮搂脽搂脿
搂鲁搂盲搂脩搂脺搂脩搂脽搂脿搂脼 搂脺搂芒搂脩搂茫搂脽搂脿搂脰 搂脫搂脷搂脽搂脿;
搂掳搂脽 搂脮搂脩搂脼搂脩搂脼 搂脺 搂芒搂氓搂茅搂脺搂脰 搂脽搂脰 搂谩搂脿搂脮搂莽搂脿搂脮搂脷搂盲;
搂拢搂茫搂脰 搂脮搂脩 搂脮搂脩 搂脽搂脰搂盲; 搂脽搂脰 搂茫搂脺搂脩搂脴搂脰搂盲 搂脮搂脩-搂茫
搂陋搂脻搂卯 搂脽搂脰搂盲-搂茫». 搂麓搂脩搂脺搂脿搂脫 搂脪搂铆搂脻 搂脿搂脪搂毛搂脷搂脹 搂脭搂脻搂脩搂茫.

At first they all would call on him,

but since to the back porch

habitually a Don stallion

for him was brought

as soon as one made out along the highway

the sound of their domestic runabouts 隆陋

outraged by such behavior,

they all ceased to be friends with him.

隆掳Our neighbor is a boor; acts like a crackbrain;

he's a Freemason; he

drinks only red wine, by the tumbler;

he won't go up to kiss a lady's hand;

'tis all 隆庐yes,隆炉 隆庐no隆炉 隆陋 he'll not say 隆庐yes, sir,隆炉

or 隆庐no, sir.隆炉 隆卤 This was the general voice.

Unlike Onegin, Count Starov would go up to kiss a lady隆炉s hand. In his note to the stanza隆炉s line 10 VN points out that 隆掳eighteenth-century liberal thought had sought refuge in Masonic organizations. A provincial squire would regard a Freemason as a revolutionary. Masonic lodges were forbidden in Russia in the spring of 1822隆卤 (EO Commentary, vol. II, p. 226). In 隆掳The Genesis of EO隆卤 (EO Commentary, vol. I, p. 61) VN mentions the fact that Pushkin was a Mason since May 4, 1821. Pushkin was a member of the Kishinev lodge 隆庐Ovid.隆炉 Pushkin隆炉s poem K Ovidiyu (隆掳To Ovid,隆卤 1821) begins as follows:

搂掳搂脫搂脷搂脮搂脷搂脹, 搂帽 搂脴搂脷搂脫搂氓 搂脪搂脻搂脷搂脵 搂盲搂脷搂莽搂脷搂莽 搂脪搂脰搂芒搂脰搂脭搂脿搂脫隆颅

Ovid, I live near the silent shores隆颅

In his poem Vnov隆炉 ya posetil隆颅 (隆掳I revisited again隆颅隆卤 1835) Pushkin mentions inye berega, inye volny (other shores, other waves). In Drugie berega (隆掳Other Shores,隆卤 1954), the Russian version of his autobiography Speak, Memory (1951), VN describes the veranda of their Vyra country house and mentions prozrachnaya arlekinada (the transparent harlequinade):

搂卤搂脿搂茫搂盲搂脿搂帽搂脽搂脽搂脰搂脹搂锚搂脷搂脼 搂脴搂脰 搂脷搂茫搂盲搂脿搂茅搂脽搂脷搂脺搂脿搂脼 搂脿搂茅搂脩搂芒搂脿搂脫搂脩搂脽搂脷搂帽 搂脫 搂茅搂脩搂茫搂铆 搂茅搂盲搂脰搂脽搂脷搂帽 搂脽搂脩 搂脫搂铆搂芒搂茫搂脺搂脿搂脹 搂脫搂脰搂芒搂脩搂脽搂脮搂脰 搂脪搂铆搂脻搂脷 搂茂搂盲搂脷 搂猫搂脫搂脰搂盲搂脽搂铆搂脰 搂茫搂盲搂脳搂脺搂脻搂脩, 搂茂搂盲搂脩 搂谩搂芒搂脿搂脵搂芒搂脩搂茅搂脽搂脩搂帽 搂脩搂芒搂脻搂脰搂脺搂脷搂脽搂脩搂脮搂脩! 搂鲁搂脩搂脮 搂脷 搂脿搂谩搂氓搂锚搂脺搂脩 搂谩搂脩搂芒搂脺搂脩, 搂谩搂芒搂脿搂谩搂氓搂毛搂脰搂脽搂脽搂铆搂脰 搂茫搂脺搂脫搂脿搂脵搂卯 搂脷搂莽 搂脫搂脿搂脻搂锚搂脰搂脪搂脽搂氓搂冒 搂谩搂芒搂脷搂脵搂脼搂氓, 搂脷搂茫搂谩搂脿搂脻搂脽搂帽搂脻搂脷搂茫搂卯 搂脺搂脩搂脺搂脿搂脹-搂盲搂脿 搂盲搂脷搂锚搂脷搂脽搂铆 搂脷 搂脿搂盲搂芒搂脰搂锚搂脰搂脽搂脽搂脿搂茫搂盲搂脷. 搂卤搂脿搂茫搂脼搂脿搂盲搂芒搂脷搂锚搂卯 搂茫搂脺搂脫搂脿搂脵搂卯 搂茫搂脷搂脽搂脷搂脹 搂谩搂芒搂帽搂脼搂脿搂氓搂脭搂脿搂脻搂卯搂脽搂脷搂脺 -- 搂脷 搂谩搂脰搂茫搂脿搂脺 搂茫搂盲搂脩搂脽搂脿搂脫搂脷搂盲搂茫搂帽 搂谩搂脰搂谩搂脻搂脿搂脼, 搂盲搂芒搂脩搂氓搂芒搂脽搂铆搂脰 搂脮搂脰搂芒搂脰搂脫搂卯搂帽 搂谩搂脻搂脩搂脫搂脩搂脻搂脷 搂脫 搂盲搂芒搂脿搂谩搂脷搂茅搂脰搂茫搂脺搂脿搂脼 搂脽搂脰搂脪搂脰. 搂鲁搂脺搂脫搂脿搂脵搂卯 搂脵搂脰搂脻搂脳搂脽搂铆搂脹 搂谩搂脩搂芒搂脩搂脻搂脻搂脰搂脻搂脰搂谩搂脷搂谩搂脰搂脮 搂脵搂脰搂脻搂脰搂脽搂卯 搂脳搂脻搂脿搂脺 搂脪搂铆搂脻搂脩 搂脵搂脰搂脻搂脰搂脽搂脰搂脰 搂脻搂脷搂谩. 搂拢 搂脴搂脳搂脻搂盲搂脿搂脼 搂芒搂脿搂脼搂脪搂脰 搂盲搂脰搂脽搂脷 搂脪搂铆搂脻搂脷 搂脺搂脩搂脺 搂脺搂芒搂脰搂谩搂脺搂脷搂脹 搂茅搂脩搂脹, 搂脩 搂茫搂脿搂脻搂脽搂猫搂脰 搂脺搂脩搂脺 搂脴搂脷搂脮搂脺搂脷搂脹. 搂拢 搂脺搂芒搂脩搂茫搂脽搂脿搂脼 搂盲搂芒搂脰搂氓搂脭搂脿搂脻搂卯搂脽搂脷搂脺搂脰 搂盲搂脳搂脼搂脽搂脿-搂芒搂氓搂脪搂脷搂脽搂脿搂脫搂脩搂帽 搂脻搂脷搂茫搂盲搂脫搂脩 搂脭搂氓搂茫搂盲搂脰搂脻搂脩 搂脽搂脩搂脮  搂芒搂脿搂脵搂脿搂脫搂铆搂脼  搂脼搂脰搂脻搂脿搂脼 搂脩搂脻搂脻搂脰搂脷. 搂卢搂脿搂脭搂脮搂脩 搂脴搂脰 搂谩搂脿搂茫搂脻搂脰 搂脫搂茫搂脰搂莽 搂茂搂盲搂脷搂莽 搂芒搂脿搂茫搂脺搂脿搂锚搂脰搂茫搂盲搂脫 搂脿搂脪搂芒搂脩搂盲搂脷搂锚搂卯搂茫搂帽, 搂脪搂铆搂脫搂脩搂脻搂脿, 搂脺 搂脿搂脮搂脽搂脿搂脼搂氓 搂脷搂脵 搂脽搂脰搂脼搂脽搂脿搂脭搂脷搂莽 搂脺搂脫搂脩搂脮搂芒搂脩搂盲搂脷搂脺搂脿搂脫 搂脿搂脪搂铆搂脺搂脽搂脿搂脫搂脰搂脽搂脽搂脿搂脭搂脿 搂谩搂芒搂脰搂茫搂脽搂脿搂脭搂脿 搂茫搂盲搂脰搂脺搂脻搂脩, 搂茫 搂脿搂脮搂脷搂脽搂脿搂脺搂脷搂脼 搂脺搂脿搂脼搂脩搂芒搂脿搂脼 搂脷搂脻搂脷 搂莽搂芒搂脿搂脼搂脿搂脹 搂脺搂脩搂芒搂脩搂脼搂脩搂芒搂脿搂脹 搂脫 搂氓搂脭搂脻搂氓, 搂茂搂盲搂脿 搂脪搂铆搂脻搂脿 搂盲搂脩搂脺, 搂脪搂氓搂脮搂盲搂脿 搂脪搂脰搂芒搂脳搂锚搂卯 搂脭搂脻搂脿搂盲搂脿搂脺 搂脫搂脿搂脮搂铆, 搂脺搂脿搂脭搂脮搂脩 搂脽搂脰 搂莽搂脿搂茅搂脰搂盲搂茫搂帽 搂谩搂脷搂盲搂卯, 搂脷 搂盲搂芒搂脰搂脵搂脫搂脿 搂脪搂脰搂脻搂脰搂脻搂脩 搂茫搂脺搂脩搂脼搂卯搂帽 搂谩搂脿搂脮 搂脵搂脽搂脩搂脺搂脿搂脼搂脿搂脹 搂莽搂脫搂脿搂脰搂脹; 搂脽搂脿 搂脷搂脵 搂脫搂茫搂脰搂莽 搂脿搂脺搂脿搂脽搂脰搂猫, 搂脫 搂脽搂脰搂脭搂脿-搂盲搂脿 搂脼搂脿搂脷 搂脭搂脰搂芒搂脿搂脷-搂脷搂脵搂脭搂脽搂脩搂脽搂脽搂脷搂脺搂脷 搂脼搂氓搂茅搂脷搂盲搂脰搂脻搂卯搂脽搂脿 搂脴搂脩搂脴搂脮搂脩搂脻搂脷 搂谩搂脿搂茫搂脼搂脿搂盲搂芒搂脰搂盲搂卯.

But the most constant source of enchantment during those readings came from the harlequin pattern of colored panes inset in a whitewashed framework on either side of the veranda. The garden when viewed through these magic glasses grew strangely still and aloof. If one looked through blue glass, the sand turned to cinders while inky trees swam in a tropical sky. The yellow created an amber world infused with an extra strong brew of sunshine. The red made the foliage drip ruby dark upon a coral-tinted footpath. The green soaked greenery in a greener green. And when, after such richness, one turned to a small square of normal, savorless glass, with its lone mosquito or lame daddy longlegs, it was like taking a draft of water when one is not thirsty, and one saw a matter-of-fact white bench under familiar trees. But of all the windows this is the pane through which in later years parched nostalgia longed to peer. (Chapter Five, 5)

At the end of the chapter VN mentions lzheklassicheskiy bred (pseudo-classical rubbish):

搂炉搂脩搂脼 搂茫  搂脪搂芒搂脩搂盲搂脿搂脼, 搂氓搂脫搂铆, 搂脪搂铆搂脻搂脷 搂脮搂脩搂脽搂铆 搂脺搂脩搂脺 搂芒搂脩搂脵 搂脿搂脪搂芒搂脩搂盲搂脽搂铆搂脰 搂脿搂盲搂脺搂芒搂脿搂脫搂脰搂脽搂脷搂帽: 搂盲搂脿, 搂茅搂脰搂脭搂脿 搂脽搂脰 搂脼搂脿搂脭搂脻搂脷 搂脫搂脷搂脮搂脰搂盲搂卯 搂脫搂脵搂芒搂脿搂茫搂脻搂铆搂脰, 搂脽搂脩搂脪搂脻搂冒搂脮搂脩搂脫搂锚搂脷搂脰 搂脻搂脷搂锚搂卯 搂脿搂脪搂脻搂脩搂茅搂脰搂脽搂脽搂氓搂冒 搂脫 搂脽搂脰搂谩搂芒搂脿搂脽搂脷搂猫搂脩搂脰搂脼搂铆搂脰 搂脮搂脿搂茫搂谩搂脰搂莽搂脷, 搂脮搂脽搂脰搂脫搂脽搂氓搂冒 Mademoiselle, 搂脫搂脷搂脮搂脰搂脻搂脷 搂脼搂铆, 搂脫搂茫搂脰搂脵搂脽搂脩搂冒搂毛搂脷搂脰 搂脮搂脰搂盲搂脷, 搂脺搂脿搂脭搂脮搂脩, 搂脪搂铆搂脫搂脩搂脻搂脿, 搂盲搂脿搂脼搂氓 搂脷搂脻搂脷 搂脮搂芒搂氓搂脭搂脿搂脼搂氓 搂脷搂脵 搂脽搂脩搂茫 搂谩搂芒搂脷搂茫搂脽搂脷搂盲搂茫搂帽 搂脮搂氓搂芒搂脽搂脿搂脹 搂茫搂脿搂脽, 搂脷 搂芒搂脩搂脵搂脪搂氓搂脴搂脰搂脽搂脽搂脩搂帽 搂脵搂脫搂脰搂芒搂脷搂脽搂铆搂脼 搂脫搂脿搂谩搂脻搂脰搂脼, 搂脿搂脽搂脩 搂谩搂脿搂帽搂脫搂脻搂帽搂脻搂脩搂茫搂卯 搂脷搂脵 搂茫搂脿搂茫搂脰搂脮搂脽搂脰搂脹 搂脺搂脿搂脼搂脽搂脩搂盲搂铆, 搂脪搂脿搂茫搂脩搂帽, 搂谩搂芒搂脿搂茫搂盲搂脿搂脫搂脿搂脻搂脿搂茫搂脩搂帽, 搂谩搂脿搂脮搂脽搂帽搂脫 搂谩搂脰搂芒搂脰搂脮 搂茫搂脿搂脪搂脿搂冒 搂茫搂脫搂脰搂茅搂氓, 搂脼搂脷搂脭搂脩搂脽搂卯搂脰搂脼 搂茫搂脫搂脿搂脷搂脼 搂脿搂脪搂芒搂脩搂毛搂脩搂脫搂锚搂氓搂冒 搂脫 搂茅搂脰搂锚搂氓搂冒 搂脵搂脿搂脻搂脿搂盲搂铆搂脰 搂脪搂脻搂脰搂茫搂盲搂脺搂脷  搂脽搂脩  搂脰搂脰 搂脺搂芒搂脿搂脫搂脩搂脫搂脿-搂脺搂芒搂脩搂茫搂脽搂脿搂脼 搂脺搂脩搂谩搂脿搂盲搂脰, 搂脺搂脿搂盲搂脿搂芒搂铆搂脹 搂脽搂脰 搂谩搂芒搂脷搂脺搂芒搂铆搂脫搂脩搂脻 搂脰搂脳 搂茅搂氓搂脮搂脿搂脫搂脷搂毛搂脽搂铆搂莽 搂脺搂脿搂脻搂铆搂莽搂脩搂脽搂脷搂脹; 搂脫 搂茂搂盲搂氓 搂脼搂脷搂脽搂氓搂盲搂氓 搂脿搂脽搂脩 搂脺搂脩搂脵搂脩搂脻搂脩搂茫搂卯 搂茫搂氓搂毛搂脷搂脼 搂脫搂脿搂谩搂脻搂脿搂毛搂脰搂脽搂脷搂脰搂脼 搂陋搂脰搂脵搂脩搂脫搂脰搂脻搂脷 搂脷搂脵 "Athalie", 搂脮搂氓搂芒搂脩搂猫搂脺搂脿搂脹 搂盲搂芒搂脩搂脭搂脰搂脮搂脷搂脷 搂虏搂脩搂茫搂脷搂脽搂脩, 搂脺搂氓搂茫搂脺搂脷 搂脺搂脿搂盲搂脿搂芒搂脿搂脹 搂脼搂铆, 搂脺搂脿搂脽搂脰搂茅搂脽搂脿, 搂脮搂脿搂脻搂脴搂脽搂铆 搂脪搂铆搂脻搂脷 搂脵搂脽搂脩搂盲搂卯 搂脽搂脩搂脷搂脵搂氓搂茫搂盲搂卯 搂脫搂脼搂脰搂茫搂盲搂脰 搂茫搂脿 搂脫搂茫搂帽搂脺搂脷搂脼 搂脮搂芒搂氓搂脭搂脷搂脼 搂脻搂脴搂脰搂脺搂脻搂脩搂茫搂茫搂脷搂茅搂脰搂茫搂脺搂脷搂脼 搂脪搂芒搂脰搂脮搂脿搂脼.

Such discoveries as my awed brother and I did make merely increased the difficulties of that task; and the grown-ups who during the day beheld a densely clothed Mademoiselle never saw what we children saw when, roused from her sleep by one of us shrieking himself out of a bad dream, disheveled, candle in hand, a gleam of gilt lace on the blood-red dressing gown that could not quite wrap her quaking mass, the ghastly J篓娄zabel of Racine隆炉s absurd play stomped barefooted into our bedroom. (ibid.)

Arlekinada (harlequinade) = arlekin (harlequin) + Ada. In a little poem that she added under her photograph in the graduation album Ada mentions veranda:

It隆炉s a gruesome girl!隆炉 she cried after the melodious adieux. 隆庐Her name is Vanda Broom, and I learned only recently what I never suspected at school 隆陋 she隆炉s a regular tribadka 隆陋 poor Grace Erminin tells me Vanda used to make constant passes at her and at 隆陋 at another girl. 隆庐There隆炉s her picture here,隆炉 continued Cordula with a quick change of tone, producing a daintily bound and prettily printed graduation album of Spring, 1887, which Van had seen at Ardis, but in which he had not noticed the somber beetle-browed unhappy face of that particular girl, and now it did not matter any more, and Cordula quickly popped the book back into a drawer; but he remembered very well that among the various more or less coy contributions it contained a clever pastiche by Ada Veen mimicking Tolstoy隆炉s paragraph rhythm and chapter closings; he saw clearly in mind her prim photo under which she had added one of her characteristic jingles:

In the old manor, I隆炉ve parodied

Every veranda and room,

And jacarandas at Arrowhead

In supernatural bloom. (1.43)

The last chapter (1.43) of Ada隆炉s Part One ends as follows:

When in early September Van Veen left Manhattan for Lute, he was pregnant.

The Antiterran name of Paris, Lute hints at Lut篓篓ce (the city隆炉s ancient name). In his epistle 隆掳To Vasiliy Pushkin on his Stay in Kostroma隆卤 (1805) Count Khvostov mentions chudesnaya Lyutetsa (wondrous Lut篓篓ce) and Sekvana (Sequana, the goddess of the river Seine). There is Van in Sekvana, a name that brings to mind kvaka sesva (quoi que ce soit in Marina隆炉s mispronunciation), and in Vanda Broom, a lesbian whose name is secretly present in Ada隆炉s poem.

VN隆炉s Ada corresponds to Vadim隆炉s novel Ardis (1970). According to Vadim, the society nickname of his father (who died in a pistol duel) was Demon. As a boy, Vadim flirted with Ada Bredow, a girl who was portrayed by Serov:

I am reduced--a sad  confession!--to something I have also used before, and even in this book--the well-known method of degrading one species of art by appealing to another. I am thinking of Serov's Five-petaled Lilac, oil, which depicts  a tawny-haired girl of twelve or so sitting at a sun-flecked table and manipulating a raceme of lilac in search of that lucky token. The girl is no other than Ada Bredow, a first cousin of mine whom I flirted with disgracefully that very summer, the sun of which ocellates the garden table and her bare arms. (4.3)

It was Ada隆炉s grandmother, Baroness Bredow, born Tolstoy, who summoned Vadim to look at the harlequins:

I saw my parents infrequently. They divorced and remarried and redivorced at such a rapid rate that had the custodians of my fortune been less alert, I might have been auctioned out finally to a pair of strangers of Swedish or Scottish descent, with sad bags under hungry eyes. An extraordinary grand-aunt, Baroness Bredow, born Tolstoy, amply replaced closer blood. As a child of seven or eight, already harboring the secrets of a confirmed madman, I seemed even to her (who also was far from normal) unduly sulky and indolent; actually, of course, I kept daydreaming in a most outrageous fashion.              

"Stop moping!" she would cry: "Look at the harlequins!       

"What harlequins? Where?"               

"Oh, everywhere. All around you. Trees are harlequins, words are harlequins. So are situations and sums. Put two things together--jokes, images--and you get a triple harlequin. Come on! Play! Invent the world! Invent reality!"               

I did. By Jove, I did. I invented my grand-aunt in honor of my first daydreams, and now, down the marble steps of memory's front porch, here she slowly comes, sideways, sideways, the poor lame lady, touching each step edge with the rubber tip of her black cane. (1.2)

In my previous post (隆掳Baroness Bredow, Nikifor Nikodimovich Starov & Ada Bredow in LATH; Mr Brod or Bred in Ada隆卤) I forgot to mention Aldanov隆炉s novel Bred (隆掳Delirium,隆卤 1955). Its hero, a professional spy, in a delirium visits Moscow and meets in Kremlin Stalin (Colonel St Alin, a scoundrel, is a second in Demon隆炉s duel with d隆炉Onsky, 1.2). Also, in his 隆掳Memoirs隆卤 (1953) Felix Yusupov (a descendant of Mohammad隆炉s son-in-law Ali) mentions his famous portrait by Serov (according to Yusupov, Serov was the greatest artist whom he ever met).

Alexey Sklyarenko