Kvachi

Description

This is, in brief, the story of a swindler, a Georgian Felix Krull, or perhaps a cynical Don Quixote, named Kvachi Kvachantiradze: womanizer, cheat, perpetrator of insurance fraud, bank-robber, associate of Rasputin, filmmaker, revolutionary, and pimp. Though originally denounced as pornographic, Kvachi's tale is one of the great classics of twentieth-century Georgian literature -- and a hilarious romp to boot. Contents Introduction From the Author Chapter One Kvachi's Birth Kvachi’s Parents Getting Noble Status from Ashordia* Kvachi’s Youth Kvachi’s Character The First Hard-Earned Rouble Kvachi s Ordeal His First Step Graduating from School and Rescuing a Widow Music Studies Buying a House Going to Russia to Seek His Dream Woman Making Friends and a Little Money, and Finding a Dream Woman Chapter Two Founding a Group of Comrades and Settling in with a New Dream Woman Isaac’s Liberation and Kvachis First Loves Flight Madame Lapoche A Jinxed Love Affair Ending Two Love Affairs Bankruptcy and the Boxwood Spoon Kvachi Becomes a Salesman Insuring a Life and a House Making a Profit from Insurance Chapter Three Studying Banking and Panicking an Associate Kvachi and his Friends Move to Petersburg Beginning a New “Job” Getting to Know a Holy Old Man and Other Men of Power The Holy Man s Secretary and Bodyguard Cracking New Big Jobs The Holy Mans Character Intimidating the Holy Man, and Spying on Others Saving the Holy Man Jumping to the Top of the Ladder Saving the Throne and Russia from Turmoil Kvachi’s Award, A Woman’s Apology, and a Few Other Things Holy Grigory’s “Passport”, and Flogging a Fornicator The Holy Man’s Penitence, and Crashing the Stock Exchange The Last Supper Chapter Four The Break-Up of the Comrades’ Lair Meeting the Emir and Kvachi’s Muteness Going a Little Mad in Vienna and Visiting the Capital of the World Touring the Modem Babylon and a Short Discussion The Thoughts of the Worldly Idelsohn Visiting Nightclubs and Renewing Old Affections Resurrecting Old Love and Finding New Passion The Museum of Art A Conversation and Three Comrades’ Return to the Motherland Lady Harvey’s and Kvachi’s Passionate Affair The Story of a Really Big “Job” Jewels, a Madhouse, a Duel, a Motion Picture, and Many Heroic Deeds Chapter Five A Secret Obligation and the Return to Russia The “Good Samaritan” and Kvachi’s New Success How a Major Military Job was “Pulled” Kvachi’s Amazing Transformation, and a Lost Battle Won A Strange Delirium Kvachi’s Quarrel with People at the Top A Change of Direction and Kvachi’s Prophecy Giving Thanks and Distorting History Falling into a Trap and Getting out of It Getting Trapped Again, Avoiding the Noose, and the Country’s Explosion Chapter Six The Society of Defenders of the Revolution and Founding the Free Socialist Party The First Command, July, and Building a New Bridge Kvachi and the Comrades Turn Red and Prepare for October Red October Jobs Botched While Ivan Bums in October’s Fires The Story of Samtredidze Karapet Shulavriants A Bloody Battle Returning to the Motherland and Bringing a Coffin Chapter Seven Running About on One’s Home Ground First Steps Neither Here nor There Kvachi at War 25 February and Kvachi Turns Red Kvachi’s Loyal Service and Rescue by Madame NEP Kvachis Engagement Rachels Infidelity Raking Over the Past, and a Miracle Fleeing an Ungrateful Motherland Reliving Old Times Cashing in on Old Love, Getting Married, and Ending the Story