Dear Don,
By coincidence, the author of this obscure
article (Защита Набокова), one Konstantin Kedrov (a fine poet, who,
according to Wiki, is a grandson of the painter Pavel Chelishchev and was
nominated for Nobel Prize), is also the author of the (perfectly lucid)
Introduction to Odoevtseva's memoirs I happen to enjoy. Btw., the correct
spelling of Odoevtseva's real name is Iraida* Heinicke. She was born (according
to a different source, in 1895) in Riga.
Before Jansy transforms the name of the author of
Le Tramway ivre,** I mean, The Stray Streetcar, to
Gummilove or Gummielastikov, let me stress that the correct spelling
is Gumilyov.
To Jerry Friedman: I now agree with you that the
Castor/Castro wordplay probably wasn't intended by VN. Btw., in Russian "a
stale joke" is бородатый анекдот ("bearded joke").
*note that the Russian name of Iris (Greek goddess
of rainbow) is Irida.
**see LATH, Part Seven, 2
Alexey Sklyarenko
p.s. J. D. Salinger died yesterday. He was my
favorite American writer (VN was a Russian one, wasn't he).
p.p.s. Tomorrow is the 150th anniversary of
Chekhov's birth.