Kollontai (who spent all night persuading communists to join the demonstration because it will aid their cause) is marching with her group of Bolshevik laborers. Aleksandra is at the front, Gapon and his lieutenants behind her. As for Sasha, she’s at home, completely unaware of this important event. She’s not praying, like some say she is. Today she wants to stew some beets, but how do you cook beets? Her lover received them as a gift. She has no idea what to do with them and doesn’t know whom to ask. She regards them with curiosity, trying to work out their secret.

So, of our three Alexandras, two are marching, and one is pondering a difficult subject. Kollontai says, “From now on things are going to be different.” For Sasha, nothing will change after today, it’ll be the same as ever, waiting for her lover (he gets home so late that she’s already asleep, and it’s not unusual for him to leave before she’s opened her eyes). Waiting, and trying to understand things beyond her ken. She’s not stupid, it’s just that life is complicated, as they say.

For the other Aleksandra—Vladimir’s sister—everything will change.

24. Claudia’s Impatience

24. Claudia’s Impatience

That Sunday, Claudia is thinking that they should get Mikhailov’s portrait out of the attic as soon as possible, in case (though it’s unlikely) the appraisers come soon. “It should be out on display, I don’t want it to stay up there forever.”

The problem is where to put it. Claudia doesn’t have an office. The library is too full. The blue room, where it would look lovely, isn’t a good idea, because Sergei likes to spend time there, and Claudia wants to put the portrait somewhere he won’t see it.

But then, Sergei doesn’t use his office very often. To be sure he won’t see the portrait, they’ll have to cover it. His undersecretary, Priteshko, who comes to the house three times a week—he spends the other days at the ministry—is the one who uses the office, and the portrait won’t bother him in the least. Sergei can’t stand Priteshko.

“I’m going to ask Priteshko to come every day so there’s no chance Sergei will see it by accident.”

Piotr, the messenger, is also carrying a note for Priteshko; Claudia wrote it in a rush this morning. It’s one simple line, asking Priteshko to come to the house first thing on Monday. She’ll tell him everything herself. All day—though in St. Petersburg’s long winters it’s more like all night—she’ll wait for him in Sergei’s office. After she speaks with him, she’ll tell Sergei that Priteshko needs to work there for the next few weeks.