Chapters (53)
- Cover
- Title Page
- An Explanation of What This Book Is About
- Part One: Anna’s Sergei and Anya’s City: St. Petersburg, Saturday, January 8, 1905
- 1. On the Heels of Clementine, the Anarchist
- 2. Claudia and Sergei
- 3. Clementine Defends Herself
- 4. To the Concert
- 5. The Tsar’s Letter
- 6. In the Theater
- 7. What Giorgi, the Karenins’ Coachman, Did
- 8. Intermission at the Concert
- 9. Near the Port
- 10. More Specifics about Sergei
- 11. Kapitonich, Hall Porter at the Karenin Palace
- 12. Claudia and Sergei at Table
- 13. Aleksandra and Volodin Go to the Haven
- 14. Our Moment of Greatness
- 15. With Father Gapon
- 16. Clementine, in Pursuit of the Night
- 17. In the Karenin Palace Kitchen
- 18. We’ll Give Our Lives!
- 19. The Karenins Take Dinner
- Part Two: Bloody Sunday: Sunday, January 9, 1905
- 20. Anya Karenina without Aleksandra
- 21. The Karenins’ Reply to the Tsar
- 22. Piotr
- 23. The Three Women
- 24. Claudia’s Impatience
- 25. Unexpected Guests at the Karenin Palace
- 26. What on Earth Was the Tsar Thinking?
- 27. Back in the Karenin Palace Kitchen
- 28. The Reverend’s Beard
- Part Three: Karenina’s Portrait: Three months later
- 29. Karenina’s Portrait
- 30. About Clementine
- 31. The Critics Examine the Portrait
- 32. Vladimir
- 33. The Reason for the Proposed Purchase
- 34. The Portrait Departs
- 35. Between the Dream and the Battleship Potemkin
- 36. Claudia’s Regrets
- 37. In Claudia’s Hands
- Part Four: The Book of Anna: No date or place
- 38. An Opium-Infused Fairy Tale: The Book of Anna by Anna Karenina
- Part Five: Finale: St. Petersburg, June 1905
- 39. After Reading
- 40. The Plot
- 41. The Boxes
- 42. Anya Karenina
- 43. The Wind
- Funder Acknowledgments
- The Publisher’s Circle of Coffee House Press
When his trusty messenger, Vladimir, left for Tsarskoye Selo with his message for the tsar, Father Gapon gathered his men around him.
“This is our moment of greatness. If there are casualties, don’t have regrets. We’re not marching into the fields of Manchuria, but if it comes to pass that blood is spilled in these streets, it will serve to prepare the ground for Russia’s rebirth. If something happens to me, don’t think ill of me. Let’s show them that workers can not only organize but also give their lives for our cause.”
These words cause a great stir, and some of his men become frightened for the first time, but they suppress their fear because Father Gapon often exaggerates. As if he hasn’t spoken seriously enough, he adds, “Let’s take a photograph before we say goodbye.”
“Why say goodbye?” This last comment is the straw that breaks the camel’s back. “Are our lives in danger?”
“No, no, no. Remember that I told you General Fullon has promised not to take a single prisoner. You’re all safe. But as for me, my luck has run out, it’s either prison or death.”
In trying to allay their fears, he’s opened Pandora’s box. Now they know their peaceful march is going to be more turbulent than they had foreseen. Rutenberg, Father Gapon’s friend, was the only one sensible enough to see that things might turn out badly.
This all happened a week ago.
15. With Father Gapon
15. With Father Gapon
After his encounter with “crazy” Clementine, Father Gapon greets Aleksandra with effusive enthusiasm.
“She’s our Vladimir’s sister,” he pronounces as loudly as he’s able—his voice is shot from speaking to dozens of crowds across St. Petersburg, in churches, warehouses, factories, the streets. He repeats, “Vladimir, Vladimir,” so those closest to him will repeat the name. It’s his way of asking them to welcome her, to reassure her that her brother will return from the mission he’s undertaken for “the cause.”
Father Gapon explains, “Vladimir was taken prisoner by the tsar’s henchmen, those malignant tumors that feed off our father.” He says this loud and clear despite the fact that he’s received news to the contrary: that Vladimir has returned, that the tsar refused to receive his message, and that the police have taken his companions prisoner. Clementine’s message was old news.