Zarifa and Musya-“the original couple of this type out-of Russia to register their ”-was indeed partnered getting a dozen age

Regarding girlhood, the main profile within the “Alisa Shopping Death” is set never to end up being their unique mommy, whom the time suicide and you can whom she remembers which have contempt; she “is actually constantly warmly in love and you may sustained spectacularly, to the point of the psycho wards

Inside the “The newest Dragon in addition to Phoenix,” the first of the four reports that define region one to, we fulfill a lesbian few, Zarifa and Musya. Today they are now living in Cyprus. And even though Musya understands that “simply one will be a husband,” and “to this day the phrase lesbian” can make her “freeze, such as for example a little girl stuck taking”-and though the marriage possess alienated one another feminine off their Armenian and you will Azerbaijani family unit members-Musya and Zarifa was basically delighted to one another (because of or even in spite of its totally reverse characters?).

But now Zarifa try passing away from cancer tumors, a well known fact so inappropriate to Musya one she’s got started privately contacting a set of dated sorceresses “on an elaborate change of just one heart for the next.” She is thrown to the a state whenever she need to deal with Zarifa’s estranged earlier sister, Said, whom hates their (for your, new ladies partnership is blasphemy), however, whom Zarifa have summoned off Karabakh that have recommendations to take a certain family relations treasure: a rug are placed on new coffin from the their particular funeral. At the same time Zarifa also offers summoned “the very brilliant buddy,” Zhenya, to place to help you their own specific deathbed questions, among them “as to why it’s impossible to chair Armenians and Azerbaie desk.” In which the newest flummoxed Zhenya doesn’t have a beneficial address.

He or she is originally from the exact same urban area during the Karabakh, however their relationship failed to initiate up until age later on, after they got to know each other when you look at the Moscow

Musya wonders at the rug’s tricky design, an excellent dragon and you can a beneficial phoenix “secured from inside the Min forklaring fatal and limitless handle.” “There is no way to share with exactly who inside is the warrior, which this new sorcerer, who’s worst and you can that is a great, since they are bound permanently into the one immobile and you may indissoluble band.” But it is that it criminal graphics you to definitely later pierces their particular enough time-pent-upwards despair, their unrestrained outburst causing a moment out of oneness and you can mutual tranquility certainly mourners, an embrace of opposition, the next whenever “who was simply the partner, just who the fresh new spouse, no one cared.”

” (That past phrase is considered the most multiple you to definitely kept me of ever before entirely forgetting you to definitely, regardless of if typically enjoyably readable, the words is an interpretation. One of other crude areas where my personal focus snagged: “A female, their particular looks flattened with the sides with resolute breasts”; “the thing Lilya know throughout the their unique age she bore”-Schiltz-“on account of and that she try mocked once the ‘shilly-shally.’”)

Getting Alisa, “the fear off losing to the a person’s electricity are stronger than virtually any concerns right to help you female: regarding solitude, regarding childlessness, of impoverishment.” Definition, relationship are away. At the 60-five, after a profitable community just like the a manufacturing draftsman and you can ten years away from comfortable retirement, Alisa strikes a hit inside her better-organized life when a great passing out spell contributes to view off mortality. Brand new fainting happens to be absolutely nothing big, however the matter nags: Who will take care of their own if the unavoidable comes? Actually ever fundamental, she check outs a physician and asks your giving their unique resting tablets. Having when the time comes, she demonstrates to you: “I recently need it me a simple passing.”

The doctor is a beneficial widower, a type and you may cultured guy who’s already been way of living a beneficial unmarried lifetime. He will not give Alisa the brand new pills, but once they see once more-by chance, during the a show-they start an event whose repairing bliss shocks and you can pleasures them both. No matter if happy to take on their proposal of relationship, Alisa reminds your: absolutely nothing continues forever; when the time comes, she’ll however require that facile passing. Realizing it is inadequate in order to argue along with her, your physician agrees to that particular very unusual relationship gift.

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