According to Vadim Vadimovich (the narrator and main character in VN隆炉s novel Look at the Harlequins!), he was brought up by his grand-aunt, Baroness Bredow:

I saw my parents infrequently. They divorced and remarried and redivorced at such a rapid rate that had the custodians of my fortune been less alert, I might have been auctioned out finally to a pair of strangers of Swedish or Scottish descent, with sad bags under hungry eyes. An extraordinary grand-aunt, Baroness Bredow, born Tolstoy, amply replaced closer blood. As a child of seven or eight, already harboring the secrets of a confirmed madman, I seemed even to her (who also was far from normal) unduly sulky and indolent; actually, of course, I kept daydreaming in a most outrageous fashion.              

"Stop moping!" she would cry: "Look at the harlequins!       

"What harlequins? Where?"               

"Oh, everywhere. All around you. Trees are harlequins, words are harlequins. So are situations and sums. Put two things together--jokes, images--and you get a triple harlequin. Come on! Play! Invent the world! Invent reality!"               

I did. By Jove, I did. I invented my grand-aunt in honor of my first daydreams, and now, down the marble steps of memory's front porch, here she slowly comes, sideways, sideways, the poor lame lady, touching each step edge with the rubber tip of her black cane. (1.2)

The name Bredov comes from bred (delirium; ravings; gibberish). Jove is an alternative name of Jupiter (the supreme God in the Roman mythology pantheon). In Chekhov隆炉s play Chayka (隆掳The Seagull,隆卤 1896) Arkadina calls Treplev隆炉s avant-garde play dekadentskiy bred (a decadent nonsense) and Dorn calls Arkadina 隆掳Jupiter:隆卤

搂隆搂芒搂脺搂脩搂脮搂脷搂脽搂脩. 搂麓搂脰搂谩搂脰搂芒搂卯 搂脿搂脺搂脩搂脵搂铆搂脫搂脩搂脰搂盲搂茫搂帽, 搂茅搂盲搂脿 搂脿搂脽 搂脽搂脩搂谩搂脷搂茫搂脩搂脻 搂脫搂脰搂脻搂脷搂脺搂脿搂脰 搂谩搂芒搂脿搂脷搂脵搂脫搂脰搂脮搂脰搂脽搂脷搂脰! 搂鲁搂脺搂脩搂脴搂脷搂盲搂脰 搂谩搂脿搂脴搂脩搂脻搂氓搂脹搂茫搂盲搂脩! 搂鲁搂盲搂脩搂脻搂脿 搂脪搂铆搂盲搂卯, 搂氓搂茫搂盲搂芒搂脿搂脷搂脻 搂脿搂脽 搂茂搂盲搂脿搂盲 搂茫搂谩搂脰搂脺搂盲搂脩搂脺搂脻搂卯 搂脷 搂脽搂脩搂脮搂氓搂锚搂脷搂脻 搂茫搂脰搂芒搂脿搂脹 搂脽搂脰 搂脮搂脻搂帽 搂锚搂氓搂盲搂脺搂脷, 搂脩 搂脮搂脻搂帽 搂脮搂脰搂脼搂脿搂脽搂茫搂盲搂芒搂脩搂猫搂脷搂脷... 搂娄搂脼搂氓 搂莽搂脿搂盲搂脰搂脻搂脿搂茫搂卯 搂谩搂脿搂氓搂茅搂脷搂盲搂卯 搂脽搂脩搂茫, 搂脺搂脩搂脺 搂脽搂脩搂脮搂脿 搂谩搂脷搂茫搂脩搂盲搂卯 搂脷 搂茅搂盲搂脿 搂脽搂氓搂脴搂脽搂脿 搂脷搂脭搂芒搂脩搂盲搂卯... 搂炉搂脩搂脺搂脿搂脽搂脰搂猫, 搂茂搂盲搂脿 搂茫搂盲搂脩搂脽搂脿搂脫搂脷搂盲搂茫搂帽 搂茫搂脺搂氓搂茅搂脽搂脿. 搂驴搂盲搂脷 搂谩搂脿搂茫搂盲搂脿搂帽搂脽搂脽搂铆搂脰 搂脫搂铆搂脻搂脩搂脵搂脺搂脷 搂谩搂芒搂脿搂盲搂脷搂脫 搂脼搂脰搂脽搂帽 搂脷 搂锚搂谩搂脷搂脻搂卯搂脺搂脷, 搂脫搂脿搂脻搂帽 搂脫搂脩搂锚搂脩, 搂脽搂脩搂脮搂脿搂脰搂脮搂帽搂盲 搂莽搂脿搂盲搂卯 搂脺搂脿搂脼搂氓! 搂卢搂脩搂谩搂芒搂脷搂脵搂脽搂铆搂脹, 搂茫搂脩搂脼搂脿搂脻搂冒搂脪搂脷搂脫搂铆搂脹 搂脼搂脩搂脻搂卯搂茅搂脷搂脺.
搂鲁搂脿搂芒搂脷搂脽. 搂掳搂脽 搂莽搂脿搂盲搂脰搂脻 搂脮搂脿搂茫搂盲搂脩搂脫搂脷搂盲搂卯 搂盲搂脰搂脪搂脰 搂氓搂脮搂脿搂脫搂脿搂脻搂卯搂茫搂盲搂脫搂脷搂脰.
搂隆搂芒搂脺搂脩搂脮搂脷搂脽搂脩. 搂楼搂脩? 搂掳搂脮搂脽搂脩搂脺搂脿 搂脴搂脰 搂脫搂脿搂盲 搂脿搂脽 搂脽搂脰 搂脫搂铆搂脪搂芒搂脩搂脻 搂脺搂脩搂脺搂脿搂脹-搂脽搂脷搂脪搂氓搂脮搂卯 搂脿搂脪搂铆搂脺搂脽搂脿搂脫搂脰搂脽搂脽搂脿搂脹 搂谩搂卯搂脰搂茫搂铆, 搂脩 搂脵搂脩搂茫搂盲搂脩搂脫搂脷搂脻 搂脽搂脩搂茫 搂谩搂芒搂脿搂茫搂脻搂氓搂锚搂脩搂盲搂卯 搂茂搂盲搂脿搂盲 搂脮搂脰搂脺搂脩搂脮搂脰搂脽搂盲搂茫搂脺搂脷搂脹 搂脪搂芒搂脰搂脮. 搂虏搂脩搂脮搂脷 搂锚搂氓搂盲搂脺搂脷 搂帽 搂脭搂脿搂盲搂脿搂脫搂脩 搂茫搂脻搂氓搂锚搂脩搂盲搂卯 搂脷 搂脪搂芒搂脰搂脮, 搂脽搂脿 搂脫搂脰搂脮搂卯 搂盲搂氓搂盲 搂谩搂芒搂脰搂盲搂脰搂脽搂脵搂脷搂脷 搂脽搂脩 搂脽搂脿搂脫搂铆搂脰 搂忙搂脿搂芒搂脼搂铆, 搂脽搂脩 搂脽搂脿搂脫搂氓搂冒 搂茂搂芒搂氓 搂脫 搂脷搂茫搂脺搂氓搂茫搂茫搂盲搂脫搂脰. 搂隆, 搂谩搂脿-搂脼搂脿搂脰搂脼搂氓, 搂脽搂脷搂脺搂脩搂脺搂脷搂莽 搂盲搂氓搂盲 搂脽搂脿搂脫搂铆搂莽 搂忙搂脿搂芒搂脼 搂脽搂脰搂盲, 搂脩 搂谩搂芒搂脿搂茫搂盲搂脿 搂脮搂氓搂芒搂脽搂脿搂脹 搂莽搂脩搂芒搂脩搂脺搂盲搂脰搂芒.
搂麓搂芒搂脷搂脭搂脿搂芒搂脷搂脽. 搂卢搂脩搂脴搂脮搂铆搂脹 搂谩搂脷搂锚搂脰搂盲 搂盲搂脩搂脺, 搂脺搂脩搂脺 搂莽搂脿搂茅搂脰搂盲 搂脷 搂脺搂脩搂脺 搂脼搂脿搂脴搂脰搂盲.
搂隆搂芒搂脺搂脩搂脮搂脷搂脽搂脩. 搂卤搂氓搂茫搂盲搂卯 搂脿搂脽 搂谩搂脷搂锚搂脰搂盲, 搂脺搂脩搂脺 搂莽搂脿搂茅搂脰搂盲 搂脷 搂脺搂脩搂脺 搂脼搂脿搂脴搂脰搂盲, 搂盲搂脿搂脻搂卯搂脺搂脿 搂谩搂氓搂茫搂盲搂卯 搂脿搂茫搂盲搂脩搂脫搂脷搂盲 搂脼搂脰搂脽搂帽 搂脫 搂谩搂脿搂脺搂脿搂脰.
搂楼搂脿搂芒搂脽. 搂脌搂谩搂脷搂盲搂脰搂芒, 搂盲搂铆 搂茫搂脰搂芒搂脮搂脷搂锚搂卯搂茫搂帽...
搂隆搂芒搂脺搂脩搂脮搂脷搂脽搂脩. 搂脕 搂脽搂脰 搂脌搂谩搂脷搂盲搂脰搂芒, 搂脩 搂脴搂脰搂脽搂毛搂脷搂脽搂脩. (搂漏搂脩搂脺搂氓搂芒搂脷搂脫搂脩搂脰搂盲.) 搂脕 搂脽搂脰 搂茫搂脰搂芒搂脴搂氓搂茫搂卯, 搂脼搂脽搂脰 搂盲搂脿搂脻搂卯搂脺搂脿 搂脮搂脿搂茫搂脩搂脮搂脽搂脿, 搂茅搂盲搂脿 搂脼搂脿搂脻搂脿搂脮搂脿搂脹 搂茅搂脰搂脻搂脿搂脫搂脰搂脺 搂盲搂脩搂脺 搂茫搂脺搂氓搂茅搂脽搂脿 搂谩搂芒搂脿搂脫搂脿搂脮搂脷搂盲 搂脫搂芒搂脰搂脼搂帽. 搂脕 搂脽搂脰 搂莽搂脿搂盲搂脰搂脻搂脩 搂脰搂脭搂脿 搂脿搂脪搂脷搂脮搂脰搂盲搂卯.

ARKADINA. And suddenly, he隆炉s produced a masterpiece. Really! So it wasn't a lark. He put together this extravaganza and choked us with sulphur not to amuse us, but to make a point. To teach us how plays should be written, and acted. I'm so tired of the constant insults and blatant disrespect - it would try the patience of a saint. He's an impetuous, pretentious little boy.
SORIN. He was trying to please you.
ARKADINA. Really? Then why couldn't he choose a proper play? Why make us sit through this decadent nonsense? I am perfectly willing to listen to a nonsense if it's meant to entertain, but this apparently was meant to be a new theatrical form, the art of the future. Since when has the exhibition of a morbid personality been a new art form?
TRIGORIN. Every writer must write what they know, as best they can.
ARKADINA. He's welcome to continue writing. I just pray I won't be subjected to his future works.
DORN. When Jupiter is angry, Jupiter is wrong.
ARKADINA. I'm not Jupiter, I am a woman. [She lights a cigarette] And I'm not angry. I just hate to see a young man wasting his time like that. I never meant to hurt his feelings. (Act One)

A character in Chekhov隆炉s play, Nina Zarechnyi is an amateur actress (who leaves home and goes on the stage). According to Vadim, Ivor Black (a fine amateur actor who goes to Hollywood) asked him if Revizor, the Russian title of Gogol隆炉s play 隆掳The Inspector隆卤 (1835), came from the French for 隆庐dream,隆炉 r篓潞ve:

Some time during the Easter Term of my last Cambridge year (1922) I happened to be consulted, "as a Russian," on certain niceties of make-up in an English version of Gogol's Inspector which the Glowworm Group, directed by Ivor Black, a fine amateur actor, intended to stage. He and I had the same tutor at Trinity, and he drove me to distraction with his tedious miming of the old man's mincing ways--a performance he kept up throughout most of our lunch at the Pitt. The brief business part turned out to be even less pleasant. Ivor Black wanted Gogol's Town Mayor to wear a dressing gown because "wasn't it merely the old rascal's nightmare and didn't Revizor, its Russian title, actually come from the French for 隆庐dream,隆炉 r篓潞ve?" I said I thought it a ghastly idea. (1.1)

According to Treplev, on the stage life should be represented as it appears in dreams:

搂炉搂脷搂脽搂脩. 搂拢 搂脫搂脩搂锚搂脰搂脹 搂谩搂卯搂脰搂茫搂脰 搂盲搂芒搂氓搂脮搂脽搂脿 搂脷搂脭搂芒搂脩搂盲搂卯. 搂拢 搂脽搂脰搂脹 搂脽搂脰搂盲 搂脴搂脷搂脫搂铆搂莽 搂脻搂脷搂猫.
搂麓搂芒搂脰搂谩搂脻搂脰搂脫. 搂篓搂脷搂脫搂铆搂脰 搂脻搂脷搂猫搂脩! 搂炉搂脩搂脮搂脿 搂脷搂脵搂脿搂脪搂芒搂脩搂脴搂脩搂盲搂卯 搂脴搂脷搂脵搂脽搂卯 搂脽搂脰 搂盲搂脩搂脺搂脿搂冒, 搂脺搂脩搂脺 搂脿搂脽搂脩 搂脰搂茫搂盲搂卯, 搂脷 搂脽搂脰 搂盲搂脩搂脺搂脿搂冒, 搂脺搂脩搂脺 搂脮搂脿搂脻搂脴搂脽搂脩 搂脪搂铆搂盲搂卯, 搂脩 搂盲搂脩搂脺搂脿搂冒, 搂脺搂脩搂脺 搂脿搂脽搂脩 搂谩搂芒搂脰搂脮搂茫搂盲搂脩搂脫搂脻搂帽搂脰搂盲搂茫搂帽 搂脫 搂脼搂脰搂茅搂盲搂脩搂莽.

NINA. Your play is very hard to act in; there are no live people in it.
TREPLEV. That隆炉s the whole point! Life shouldn隆炉t be represented as it is and not as it should be, but as it appears in dreams. (ibid.)

In a letter of Nov. 25, 1892, to Suvorin Chekhov says that the best writers are realists who paint life as it is, but, through every line隆炉s being soaked in the consciousness of an object, you feel, besides life as it is, the life which ought to be:

搂碌 搂脽搂脩搂茫 搂脽搂脰搂盲 «搂茅搂脰搂脭搂脿-搂盲搂脿», 搂茂搂盲搂脿 搂茫搂谩搂芒搂脩搂脫搂脰搂脮搂脻搂脷搂脫搂脿, 搂脷 搂茂搂盲搂脿 搂脵搂脽搂脩搂茅搂脷搂盲, 搂茅搂盲搂脿 搂谩搂脿搂脮搂脽搂脷搂脼搂脷搂盲搂脰 搂谩搂脿搂脮搂脿搂脻 搂脽搂脩搂锚搂脰搂脹 搂脼搂氓搂脵搂脰, 搂脷 搂拢搂铆 搂氓搂脫搂脷搂脮搂脷搂盲搂脰 搂盲搂脩搂脼 搂谩搂脻搂脿搂茫搂脺搂脿搂脰 搂脼搂脰搂茫搂盲搂脿. 搂拢搂茫搂谩搂脿搂脼搂脽搂脷搂盲搂脰, 搂茅搂盲搂脿 搂谩搂脷搂茫搂脩搂盲搂脰搂脻搂脷, 搂脺搂脿搂盲搂脿搂芒搂铆搂莽 搂脼搂铆 搂脽搂脩搂脵搂铆搂脫搂脩搂脰搂脼 搂脫搂脰搂茅搂脽搂铆搂脼搂脷 搂脷搂脻搂脷 搂谩搂芒搂脿搂茫搂盲搂脿 搂莽搂脿搂芒搂脿搂锚搂脷搂脼搂脷 搂脷 搂脺搂脿搂盲搂脿搂芒搂铆搂脰 搂谩搂卯搂帽搂脽搂帽搂盲 搂脽搂脩搂茫, 搂脷搂脼搂脰搂冒搂盲 搂脿搂脮搂脷搂脽 搂脿搂脪搂毛搂脷搂脹 搂脷 搂脫搂脰搂茫搂卯搂脼搂脩 搂脫搂脩搂脴搂脽搂铆搂脹 搂谩搂芒搂脷搂脵搂脽搂脩搂脺: 搂脿搂脽搂脷 搂脺搂氓搂脮搂脩-搂盲搂脿 搂脷搂脮搂氓搂盲 搂脷 搂拢搂脩搂茫 搂脵搂脿搂脫搂氓搂盲 搂盲搂氓搂脮搂脩 搂脴搂脰, 搂脷 搂拢搂铆 搂茅搂氓搂脫搂茫搂盲搂脫搂氓搂脰搂盲搂脰 搂脽搂脰 搂氓搂脼搂脿搂脼, 搂脩 搂脫搂茫搂脰搂脼 搂茫搂脫搂脿搂脷搂脼 搂茫搂氓搂毛搂脰搂茫搂盲搂脫搂脿搂脼, 搂茅搂盲搂脿 搂氓 搂脽搂脷搂莽 搂脰搂茫搂盲搂卯 搂脺搂脩搂脺搂脩搂帽-搂盲搂脿 搂猫搂脰搂脻搂卯, 搂脺搂脩搂脺 搂氓 搂盲搂脰搂脽搂脷 搂脿搂盲搂猫搂脩 搂陇搂脩搂脼搂脻搂脰搂盲搂脩, 搂脺搂脿搂盲搂脿搂芒搂脩搂帽 搂脽搂脰搂脮搂脩搂芒搂脿搂脼 搂谩搂芒搂脷搂莽搂脿搂脮搂脷搂脻搂脩 搂脷 搂盲搂芒搂脰搂脫搂脿搂脴搂脷搂脻搂脩 搂脫搂脿搂脿搂脪搂芒搂脩搂脴搂脰搂脽搂脷搂脰. 搂碌 搂脿搂脮搂脽搂脷搂莽, 搂茫搂脼搂脿搂盲搂芒搂帽 搂谩搂脿 搂脺搂脩搂脻搂脷搂脪搂芒搂氓, 搂猫搂脰搂脻搂脷 搂脪搂脻搂脷搂脴搂脩搂脹搂锚搂脷搂脰 隆陋 搂脺搂芒搂脰搂谩搂脿搂茫搂盲搂脽搂脿搂脰 搂谩搂芒搂脩搂脫搂脿, 搂脿搂茫搂脫搂脿搂脪搂脿搂脴搂脮搂脰搂脽搂脷搂脰 搂芒搂脿搂脮搂脷搂脽搂铆, 搂谩搂脿搂脻搂脷搂盲搂脷搂脺搂脩, 搂脺搂芒搂脩搂茫搂脿搂盲搂脩 搂脷搂脻搂脷 搂谩搂芒搂脿搂茫搂盲搂脿 搂脫搂脿搂脮搂脺搂脩, 搂脺搂脩搂脺 搂氓 搂楼搂脰搂脽搂脷搂茫搂脩 搂楼搂脩搂脫搂铆搂脮搂脿搂脫搂脩, 搂氓 搂脮搂芒搂氓搂脭搂脷搂莽 搂猫搂脰搂脻搂脷 搂脿搂盲搂脮搂脩搂脻搂脰搂脽搂脽搂铆搂脰 隆陋 搂脪搂脿搂脭, 搂脵搂脩搂脭搂芒搂脿搂脪搂脽搂脩搂帽 搂脴搂脷搂脵搂脽搂卯, 搂茫搂茅搂脩搂茫搂盲搂卯搂脰 搂茅搂脰搂脻搂脿搂脫搂脰搂茅搂脰搂茫搂盲搂脫搂脩 搂脷 搂盲. 搂谩. 搂颅搂氓搂茅搂锚搂脷搂脰 搂脷搂脵 搂脽搂脷搂莽 搂芒搂脰搂脩搂脻搂卯搂脽搂铆 搂脷 搂谩搂脷搂锚搂氓搂盲 搂脴搂脷搂脵搂脽搂卯 搂盲搂脩搂脺搂脿搂冒, 搂脺搂脩搂脺搂脩搂帽 搂脿搂脽搂脩 搂脰搂茫搂盲搂卯, 搂脽搂脿 搂脿搂盲搂盲搂脿搂脭搂脿, 搂茅搂盲搂脿 搂脺搂脩搂脴搂脮搂脩搂帽 搂茫搂盲搂芒搂脿搂茅搂脺搂脩 搂谩搂芒搂脿搂谩搂脷搂盲搂脩搂脽搂脩, 搂脺搂脩搂脺 搂茫搂脿搂脺搂脿搂脼, 搂茫搂脿搂脵搂脽搂脩搂脽搂脷搂脰搂脼 搂猫搂脰搂脻搂脷, 搂拢搂铆, 搂脺搂芒搂脿搂脼搂脰 搂脴搂脷搂脵搂脽搂脷, 搂脺搂脩搂脺搂脩搂帽 搂脰搂茫搂盲搂卯, 搂茅搂氓搂脫搂茫搂盲搂脫搂氓搂脰搂盲搂脰 搂脰搂毛搂脰 搂盲搂氓 搂脴搂脷搂脵搂脽搂卯, 搂脺搂脩搂脺搂脩搂帽 搂脮搂脿搂脻搂脴搂脽搂脩 搂脪搂铆搂盲搂卯, 搂脷 搂茂搂盲搂脿 搂谩搂脻搂脰搂脽搂帽搂脰搂盲 搂拢搂脩搂茫.

We lack 隆掳something,隆卤 that is true, and that means that, lift the robe of our muse, and you will find within an empty void. Let me remind you that the writers, who we say are for all time or are simply good, and who intoxicate us, have one common and very important characteristic; they are going towards something and are summoning you towards it, too, and you feel not with your mind, but with your whole being, that they have some object, just like the ghost of Hamlet隆炉s father, who did not come and disturb the imagination for nothing. Some have more immediate objects 隆陋 the abolition of serfdom, the liberation of their country, politics, beauty, or simply vodka, like Denis Davydov; others have remote objects 隆陋 God, life beyond the grave, the happiness of humanity, and so on. The best of them are realists and paint life as it is, but, through every line隆炉s being soaked in the consciousness of an object, you feel, besides life as it is, the life which ought to be, and that captivates you.

An empty void under the muse隆炉s robe brings to mind tsar Nikita隆炉s forty daughters in Pushkin隆炉s frivolous poem Tsar隆炉 Nikita i sorok ego docherey (隆掳Tsar Nikita and his Forty Daughters,隆卤 1822) who lack something between their legs. Thar Nikita隆炉s forty daughters have different mothers. The first three of Vadim隆炉s three or four successive wives seem to be the daughters of Count Nikifor Nikodimovich Starov, who, as Vadim himself suspects, can be his real father. Iris Black, Annette Blagovo and Louise Adamson are thus Vadim隆炉s half-sisters. Chekhov is the author of Tri sestry (隆掳The Three Sisters,隆卤 1901), a play known on Antiterra (aka Demonia, Earth隆炉s twin planet on which VN隆炉s novel Ada, 1969, is set) as Four Sisters.

In the film version of Chekhov隆炉s Four Sisters Marina Durmanova (Van隆炉s, Ada隆炉s and Lucette隆炉s mother) played sister Varvara, a garrulous originalka (odd female). The name Durmanov comes from durman (thorn-apple; drug, narcotic; intoxicant). In 隆掳The Seagull隆卤 Treplev speaks of his mother Arkadina (a professional actress) and mentions durman (intoxicant):

搂麓搂芒搂脰搂谩搂脻搂脰搂脫. 搂娄搂脹 搂氓搂脴搂脰 搂脮搂脿搂茫搂脩搂脮搂脽搂脿, 搂茅搂盲搂脿 搂脫搂脿搂盲 搂脽搂脩 搂茂搂盲搂脿搂脹 搂脼搂脩搂脻搂脰搂脽搂卯搂脺搂脿搂脹 搂茫搂猫搂脰搂脽搂脰 搂脪搂氓搂脮搂脰搂盲 搂脷搂脼搂脰搂盲搂卯 搂氓搂茫搂谩搂脰搂莽 搂漏搂脩搂芒搂脰搂茅搂脽搂脩搂帽, 搂脩 搂脽搂脰 搂脿搂脽搂脩. (搂卤搂脿搂茫搂脼搂脿搂盲搂芒搂脰搂脫 搂脽搂脩 搂茅搂脩搂茫搂铆.) 搂卤搂茫搂脷搂莽搂脿搂脻搂脿搂脭搂脷搂茅搂脰搂茫搂脺搂脷搂脹 搂脺搂氓搂芒搂卯搂脰搂脵 - 搂脼搂脿搂帽 搂脼搂脩搂盲搂卯. 搂垄搂脰搂茫搂茫搂谩搂脿搂芒搂脽搂脿 搂盲搂脩搂脻搂脩搂脽搂盲搂脻搂脷搂脫搂脩, 搂氓搂脼搂脽搂脩, 搂茫搂谩搂脿搂茫搂脿搂脪搂脽搂脩 搂芒搂铆搂脮搂脩搂盲搂卯 搂脽搂脩搂脮 搂脺搂脽搂脷搂脴搂脺搂脿搂脹, 搂脿搂盲搂莽搂脫搂脩搂盲搂脷搂盲 搂盲搂脰搂脪搂脰 搂脫搂茫搂脰搂脭搂脿 搂炉搂脰搂脺搂芒搂脩搂茫搂脿搂脫搂脩 搂脽搂脩搂脷搂脵搂氓搂茫搂盲搂卯, 搂脵搂脩 搂脪搂脿搂脻搂卯搂脽搂铆搂脼搂脷 搂氓搂莽搂脩搂脴搂脷搂脫搂脩搂脰搂盲, 搂脺搂脩搂脺 搂脩搂脽搂脭搂脰搂脻; 搂脽搂脿 搂谩搂脿搂谩搂芒搂脿搂脪搂氓搂脹 搂谩搂脿搂莽搂脫搂脩搂脻搂脷搂盲搂卯 搂谩搂芒搂脷 搂脽搂脰搂脹 搂楼搂氓搂脵搂脰! 搂掳搂脭搂脿-搂脭搂脿! 搂炉搂氓搂脴搂脽搂脿 搂莽搂脫搂脩搂脻搂脷搂盲搂卯 搂盲搂脿搂脻搂卯搂脺搂脿 搂脰搂脳 搂脿搂脮搂脽搂氓, 搂脽搂氓搂脴搂脽搂脿 搂谩搂脷搂茫搂脩搂盲搂卯 搂脿 搂脽搂脰搂脹, 搂脺搂芒搂脷搂茅搂脩搂盲搂卯, 搂脫搂脿搂茫搂盲搂脿搂芒搂脭搂脩搂盲搂卯搂茫搂帽 搂脰搂脰 搂脽搂脰搂脿搂脪搂铆搂脺搂脽搂脿搂脫搂脰搂脽搂脽搂脿搂冒 搂脷搂脭搂芒搂脿搂脹 搂脫 "La dame aux camelias" 搂脷搂脻搂脷 搂脫 "搂鹿搂脩搂脮 搂脴搂脷搂脵搂脽搂脷", 搂脽搂脿 搂盲搂脩搂脺 搂脺搂脩搂脺 搂脵搂脮搂脰搂茫搂卯, 搂脫 搂脮搂脰搂芒搂脰搂脫搂脽搂脰, 搂脽搂脰搂盲 搂茂搂盲搂脿搂脭搂脿 搂脮搂氓搂芒搂脼搂脩搂脽搂脩, 搂盲搂脿 搂脫搂脿搂盲 搂脿搂脽搂脩 搂茫搂脺搂氓搂茅搂脩搂脰搂盲 搂脷 搂脵搂脻搂脷搂盲搂茫搂帽, 搂脷 搂脫搂茫搂脰 搂脼搂铆 - 搂脰搂脳 搂脫搂芒搂脩搂脭搂脷, 搂脫搂茫搂脰 搂脼搂铆 搂脫搂脷搂脽搂脿搂脫搂脩搂盲搂铆. 搂漏搂脩搂盲搂脰搂脼 搂脿搂脽搂脩 搂茫搂氓搂脰搂脫搂脰搂芒搂脽搂脩, 搂脪搂脿搂脷搂盲搂茫搂帽 搂盲搂芒搂脰搂莽 搂茫搂脫搂脰搂茅搂脰搂脹, 搂盲搂芒搂脷搂脽搂脩搂脮搂猫搂脩搂盲搂脿搂脭搂脿 搂茅搂脷搂茫搂脻搂脩. 搂掳搂脽搂脩 搂茫搂脺搂氓搂谩搂脩. 搂碌 搂脽搂脰搂脳 搂脫 搂掳搂脮搂脰搂茫搂茫搂脰 搂脫 搂脪搂脩搂脽搂脺搂脰 搂茫搂脰搂脼搂卯搂脮搂脰搂茫搂帽搂盲 搂盲搂铆搂茫搂帽搂茅 - 搂茂搂盲搂脿 搂帽 搂脵搂脽搂脩搂冒 搂脽搂脩搂脫搂脰搂芒搂脽搂脿搂脰. 搂隆 搂谩搂脿搂谩搂芒搂脿搂茫搂脷 搂氓 搂脽搂脰搂脳 搂脫搂脵搂脩搂脹搂脼搂铆, 搂脿搂脽搂脩 搂茫搂盲搂脩搂脽搂脰搂盲 搂谩搂脻搂脩搂脺搂脩搂盲搂卯.

TREPLEV. Yeah, she隆炉s in a snit because Nina will be in the spotlight tonight. Seriously, even out here, on this little stage. [Looking at his watch] My mother隆炉s so neurotic. She may be talented, and sensitive and if you隆炉re sick she隆炉s like an angel of mercy; but don隆炉t you dare praise another actress in her presence! Did I mention that she隆炉s competitive? That only she can be applauded, or written about, or raved over. She doesn隆炉t get any of that out here. There隆炉s no that intoxicant here in the country, so she gets grumpy and bad-tempered. Then she thinks we隆炉re all out to get her, and claims, 隆掳everything隆炉s our fault隆卤. Neurotic and incredibly superstitious. She flips out if someone lights up three cigarettes with one match, or if she realizes it隆炉s Friday the thirteenth, or if someone utters Macbeth backstage. And, she隆炉s incredibly stingy; she has seventy thousand rubles in a bank in Odessa, I隆炉ve seen the bank statements, but ask her to lend you a penny and she breaks into tears. (Act One)

The name Sorin (of Arkadina隆炉s brother) brings to mind Sirin, VN隆炉s Russian nom de plume. In LATH Vadim writes under the penname V. Irisin (in honor of his first wife). In Part Five of LATH Vadim says that spying had been his 隆掳clyst篓篓re de Tch篓娄khov隆卤 even before he married Iris Black and mentions two Soviet 隆掳diplomats,隆卤 Tornikovsky and Kalikakov. In a letter of October 22, 1896, to Suvorin Chekhov speaks of the flop of the first performance of 隆掳The Seagull隆卤 in the Aleksandrinsky Theater and in the same letter mentions gromadnye klistiry (the huge clysters) that on the previous day he made to a rich peasant whose bowel was blocked with kal (faeces). Clyst篓篓re de Tch篓娄khov is a play on violon d隆炉Ingres (a hobby). Jean Ingres is the author of Jupiter et Th篓娄tis (1811). Jupiter隆炉s wife Juno was his sister.

Describing Flavita (the Russian Scrabble), Van Veen (the narrator and main character in Ada) compares the letter J on two joker blocks to a blank check signed by Jupiter or Jurojin:

The set our three children received in 1884 from an old friend of the family (as Marina隆炉s former lovers were known), Baron Klim Avidov, consisted of a large folding board of saffian and a boxful of weighty rectangles of ebony inlaid with platinum letters, only one of which was a Roman one, namely the letter J on the two joker blocks (as thrilling to get as a blank check signed by Jupiter or Jurojin). It was, incidentally, the same kindly but touchy Avidov (mentioned in many racy memoirs of the time) who once catapulted with an uppercut an unfortunate English tourist into the porter隆炉s lodge for his jokingly remarking how clever it was to drop the first letter of one隆炉s name in order to use it as a particule, at the Gritz, in Venezia Rossa. (1.36)

Gritz blends the luxurious Ritz hotels with Madame Gritsatsuev, in Ilf and Petrov隆炉s novel Dvenadtsat隆炉 stuliev (隆掳The Twelve Chairs,隆卤 1928) a passionate woman, a poet隆炉s dream whom Ostap Bender marries in Stargorod. The city隆炉s name and the name Starov come from staryi (old). Baron Klim Avidov is an anagram of Vladimir Nabokov. Walter C. Keyway, Esq. (the unfortunate English tourist who was catapulted by Avidov) believed that Avidov隆炉s real name was Davidov. Ingres was a pupil of Jacques-Louis David (the author of 隆掳The Death of Marat隆卤). On Antiterra Jean-Paul Marat is blended Tolstoy隆炉s Haji Murad and with General Murat (Napoleon隆炉s brother-in-law):

He [Van] struggled to keep back his tears, while AAA blew his fat red nose, when shown the peasant-bare footprint of Tolstoy preserved in the clay of a motor court in Utah where he had written the tale of Murat, the Navajo chieftain, a French general隆炉s bastard, shot by Cora Day in his swimming pool. What a soprano Cora had been! (1.28)

In his 隆掳Memoirs隆卤 (1953) Prince Felix Yusupov (Rasputin隆炉s murderer whom a French friend nicknamed Charlotte Corday) says that he performed in a variety show dressed a girl and singing songs in a soprano voice. According to Yusupov (a descendant of Mohammad隆炉s brother-in-law Ali), dazhe v bredu (even in a delirium) he could not have imagined such a thing as his canonization (by a member of the sect that worships Ali). Even in a delirium Vadim could not have imagined that his wives were his sisters.

Yusupov隆炉s full name was Prince Felix Felixovich Yusupov Count Sumarokov-Elston. In 隆掳The Twelve Chairs隆卤 Persitski suggests that the poet Nikifor Lyapis-Trubetskoy (隆掳Lapsus隆卤) should change his pseudonym to Nikifor Sumarokov-Elston and mentions bred (a piece of rubbish):

搂楼搂脩, 搂脺搂茫搂盲搂脩搂盲搂脷. 搂颅搂帽搂谩搂茫搂氓搂茫, 搂谩搂脿搂茅搂脰搂脼搂氓 搂脫搂铆 搂麓搂芒搂氓搂脪搂脰搂猫搂脺搂脿搂脹? 搂卤搂脿搂茅搂脰搂脼搂氓 搂脫搂脩搂脼 搂脽搂脰 搂脫搂脵搂帽搂盲搂卯 搂谩搂茫搂脰搂脫搂脮搂脿搂脽搂脷搂脼 搂脰搂毛搂脳 搂谩搂脿搂脻搂氓搂茅搂锚搂脰? 搂炉搂脩搂谩搂芒搂脷搂脼搂脰搂芒, 搂楼搂脿搂脻搂脭搂脿搂芒搂氓搂脺搂脷搂脹! 搂炉搂脷搂脺搂脷搂忙搂脿搂芒 搂楼搂脿搂脻搂脭搂脿搂芒搂氓搂脺搂脷搂脹! 搂陋搂脻搂脷 搂炉搂脷搂脺搂脷搂忙搂脿搂芒 搂拢搂脩搂脻搂氓搂脩? 搂陋搂脻搂脷 搂脰搂毛搂脳 搂脻搂氓搂茅搂锚搂脰: 搂脭搂芒搂脩搂脴搂脮搂脩搂脽搂脷搂脽 搂炉搂脷搂脺搂脷搂忙搂脿搂芒 搂鲁搂氓搂脼搂脩搂芒搂脿搂脺搂脿搂脫-搂驴搂脻搂卯搂茫搂盲搂脿搂脽? 搂娄搂茫搂脻搂脷 搂氓 搂脫搂脩搂茫 搂茫搂脻搂氓搂茅搂脷搂盲搂茫搂帽 搂莽搂脿搂芒搂脿搂锚搂脩搂帽 搂脺搂脿搂芒搂脼搂氓搂锚搂脺搂脩, 搂茫搂芒搂脩搂脵搂氓 搂盲搂芒搂脷 搂茫搂盲搂脷搂锚搂脺搂脩 搂脫 «搂陇搂脰搂芒搂脼搂氓搂脼搂氓», 搂盲搂脿 搂脫搂铆搂莽搂脿搂脮 搂脷搂脵 搂谩搂脿搂脻搂脿搂脴搂脰搂脽搂脷搂帽 搂氓 搂脫搂脩搂茫 搂脪搂脻搂脰搂茫搂盲搂帽搂毛搂脷搂脹. 搂掳搂脮搂脷搂脽 搂脪搂芒搂脰搂脮 搂谩搂脿搂脮搂谩搂脷搂茫搂铆搂脫搂脩搂脰搂盲搂茫搂帽 搂鲁搂氓搂脼搂脩搂芒搂脿搂脺搂脿搂脫搂铆搂脼, 搂脮搂芒搂氓搂脭搂脩搂帽 搂脼搂脩搂脺搂氓搂脻搂脩搂盲搂氓搂芒搂脩 隆陋 搂驴搂脻搂卯搂茫搂盲搂脿搂脽搂脿搂脼, 搂脩 搂盲搂芒搂脰搂盲搂卯搂帽 隆陋 搂脌搂茫搂氓搂谩搂脿搂脫搂铆搂脼隆颅 搂驴搂莽 搂脫搂铆, 搂莽搂脩搂脻搂盲搂氓搂芒搂毛搂脷搂脺!..

隆掳Anyway, why are you called Trubetskoy? Why don't you choose an even better name? Nikifor Dolgoruki. Or Nikifor Valois. Or, still better, Citizen Nikifor Sumarokov-Elston. If ever you manage to get some easy job, then you can write three lines for Gerasim right away and you have a marvelous way to save yourself. One piece of rubbish is signed Sumarokov, the second Elston, and the third Yusupov. God, you hack!" (Chapter XXIX 隆掳The Author of the Gavriliad隆卤)

Alexey Sklyarenko