The neighbors of Ardis (the estate of
Daniel Veen, Van's and Ada's uncle, Lucette's father) include the Erminin
twins, Dr Krolik (the local entomologist, Ada's teacher of
natural history) and Praskovia de Prey, born Lanskoy. Their names can be traced
back to Pushkin:
In a letter of about/not later than June 27,
1834, to his wife Pushkin informs Natalie that Mme Smirnov (the
Empress's lady-in-waiting) gave birth to twins and calls Mr Smirnov
krasnoglazyi krolik (a red-eyed rabbit):
Смирнова родила благополучно, и вообрази: двоих.
Какова бабёнка, и каков красноглазый кролик Смирнов? — Первого ребёнка такого
сделали, что не пролез, а теперь принуждены надвое разделить.
Erminia was a nickname of Pushkin's faithful friend E. M.
Khitrovo (see one of my previous
posts).
The owner of Trigorskoe, Praskovia Osipov (born Vïndomski, in the first marriage
Vulf) was a neighbor and friend of Pushkin, whose countryseat was
Mikhaylovskoe (in the Province of Pskov). Lanskoy was the name of Pushkin's
widow in the second marriage.
Alexey
Sklyarenko