Chapters 10-12 Summary

Ali recalls a mournful but spiritual performance of the Passion Play of Holy Hussein in Teheran and contrasts it with Eugene Onegin as the opera is about to begin in the dazzling Baku Opera House. During intermission, he and Nino chat with Nachararyan, who claims an incurable kidney disease precludes army service. Later, he drives them to the City Club, where he talks about the three great Caucasian people as a trinity, a meeting of East and West. Russia is their cultural enemy. Nino objects, as taught in school: Persians and Turks have torn Transcaucasia apart, but the Russians have been invited in. Ali stays silent. Nachararyan concedes the point but insists the Russians are no longer needed to keep peace and Persia is no longer an enemy. He also admits that he is a hedonist. After dropping off Nino, Nachararyan...