Tchaikovsky Papers by Polina E. Vaidman Marina Kostalevsky

Author:Polina E. Vaidman,Marina Kostalevsky
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Yale University Press
Published: 2018-06-16T16:00:00+00:00

Their repertoire had been enriched by various delightful numbers. Half of the next day of my stay in Kiev was ruined by running into Zhenya Kondratiev248 (but there is worse to come!) from whom I learned that Donaurov249 is here with him in Kiev and suffering from one of his migraine attacks. Reluctantly I stopped by his place and we had to spend the evening together. Suddenly I realized for the first time that I had never liked Donaurov. It was unpleasant to see him. Physically, he hasn’t changed in the slightest and is exactly the same as ever, only he lies an awful lot and boasts about his conquests; to hear him tell it, practically the whole army that fought in the last war has spent the night with him. Everyone is in awe of his intelligence and his talents and everyone knows about his songs, something he affects to be surprised at but in actual fact makes him as pleased as punch.

I arrived yesterday evening and found Tolya already here; he had arrived from Kolya’s250 via Znamenka. I found Tolya looking extremely well, suntanned, cheerful and in excellent spirit. It appears that he has now become a true Moscovite and never had a dull moment while he was there, and that he doesn’t miss St. Petersburg in the least and is really looking forward to his future life in Moscow.251 I am very pleased for him. He told me the whole story of what has been happening to Laroche recently. It was all immensely interesting, and my God, I can’t think of a more rewarding subject for depicting in some literary form! It is a sorry tale of the most shameless despicable and shabby behavior and dithering between Kat[erina] Iv[anovna]252 and his personal freedom. It ended when he got 5,000 rubles in silver from Kat[erina] Iv[anovna]’s mother and stopped visiting Rubinstein and Tolya and left by ship for Paris with Kat[erina] Iv[anovna]. I am terribly curious to know whether they made it to Paris and what they are going to do there. Of course, it is quite possible that this may turn out to be Laroche’s salvation and that in Paris he will get a new lease on life. Before he left, he drove around at breakneck speed and dressed to kill, but studiously avoided Tolya.

I still like Kamenka; and it still gives me a pang when I think of Simaki.253

Modya, which do you prefer? To live in Pelazia’s254 room or in a wing of the main house? These two options are both open. Let me know.

Merci for the letters. Kisses. Hugs from Tolya.

P. Tchaikovsky

* * *

39. TO MODEST ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY

Saturday, 9 Aug[ust 1880, Kamenka]255

Dear Modosha! I just remembered that for you to get our latest news by Thursday, I have to write today—so here I am sitting down right away to write this. Everything is more or less all right here; a lot of people are sick: Miss Eastwood 256 (disenteria sanguinensis), Flegont 257 (febris gastrica), Tanya

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