Brilliantly written! And, surely, I did not expect that ending. Lieutenant Ragaiac had to really stamp his foot and his madness signature even to the last page of the novel. An awfully funny guy!
I was worried when I started the novel that this is yet another book to put under reflector the woman in some displeasing situations, from physical, mental, moral, spiritual perspective. But I was so wrong. One of the best surprises of the novel in fact. The matter of fact is that here we have the male hero under microscope and revealing himself to the reader in a bunch of awfully terrible situations. I mean funny situations, from my angle of seeing :)
During my read I was continually reminded of my maternal grandmother famous saying: “when or where there is a lot of learning from books, there is also a lot of stupidity”, and, also of a Romanian writer's quote: “The human being has only one duty: not to be stupid” (Ioan Slavici)
In this novel we are thrown back one hundred years (by the by, even the novel was published in 1933), shortly after the end of WW1 when Romania’s territory was larger as bigger part of Bessarabia (modern day as the Republic of Moldova) was united with the rest of the historical Romanian provinces. The novel is titled “The Russian Woman” but maybe it should have been named “Lieutenant Ragaiac, bubbling on the eternal Feminine Ideal” instead :D
Lieutenant Ragaiac talks ceaselessly from first to last page in a whirlpool of thoughts, emotions, impressions, monologues. He was assigned the job of protecting the Eastern border of Bessarabia, somewhere on the Nistru river (Dniester), from allowing migrants to enter the country. The local administration, and with dedication the military staff, was afraid of communists, and especially of females spies. They won’t catch many (and if caught they are compulsorily returned back to the other shore, over the night) and there are careful and strong measures put in place against the 'invasion'. And, however surprising, there are local inhabitants that want to cross the river, on the other side, in search for the red paradise…
During all this time, partly in activity, partly chasing other local woman and getting entangled in some love/sex affairs, lieutenant Ragaiac doesn’t stop dreaming for her, the most ideal woman, who will fulfil all his inner most desires, passions, dreams of a life that is worthy to live. The reality however proves him differently. I had got so intoxicated with Ragaiac that early this morning I had woke up with him in my dream, and, honestly, I can’t recall when I had dreamt last time. But I dreamt of him, and I kicked off my morning with a positive outlook :) Good to be again young and full of madness like lieutenant Ragaiac!
...In rapoartele dumneavoastra eu n-am vazut ca e vorba de nicio femeie...iar siguranta prinde mereu...pe aici, pe la Chisinau, prin toate partile... Pe unde intra femeile astea in tara? Si pe unde ies...caci s-au gasit scrisori la ele... Ei bine, asta n-are sa mai mearga... Orice femeie, perchezitionata pana la piele...
- Sa traiti, domne colonel, totdeauna se procedeaza astfel...
- Perchezitionata pentru gasit scrisori dom'le... nu pentru ce cautati dumneavoastra... daca nu prezinta nimic suspect, expediate imediat inapoi....daca da...aduse sub o puternica escorta...
- La comandament....
- Evident ca la comandament intai, locotenent Iliad... Dumneavoastra lucrati cu comandamentul... Noi, pe urma, deferim justitiei militare.. Ei bine, nicio femeie... dar absolut nici femeie... Adica n-au incercat sa treaca Nistrul, de trei luni, de cand am ocupat frontiera, atatea si atatea comuniste care forforesc pe aici? ... Unde sunt?... Eu n-am vazut nici una... Barbati cat poftesti, femei nici una...
- Eu singur v-am trimes, domnule colonel, sapte... acum trei saptamani...
- Nu vorbesc de tarance de-alea, domnule, care vin sa-si vada rudele, sau sa faca nitica contrabanda... Comuniste, spioane... asa astept'eu... Cand sunt murdare si babe, gata sunteti toti unu si unu la datorie... Dar cand dama e bine... se face scapata... stiu tot, locotenent Iliad, vai de acela pe care-l voi prinde... Baga de seama, nu numai cariera lui va fi periclitata, dar chiar il voi deferi Consiliului de razboi pentru complicitate si tradare... Sunt unii care, ametiti de-o vrajitoare d-astea, sunt in stare chiar sa nimiceasca ori sa ascunda probele suspecte... Stii dumneata ce-nsemneaza, locotenent Iliad?...
- Stiu, domnule colonel, si tocmai de aceea sunt foarte surprins ca dumneavoastra aveti astfel de banuieli asupra...
- Nu zic ca dumneata... si multi altii... sau ca dinadis...dar...ametiti...intelegi dumneata...femeia e lucru dracului, Iliade... din cele mai vechi timpuri istoria ne vorbeste de astfel de cazuri... Ba chiar Biblia, cartea cea sfanta... Am sa dau ordine severe...si am sa indesesc inspectiile inopinate...