A Gentleman in Moscow

The Count is unnerved by Sofia’s quietness and her habit of watching him. Though he prides himself on his ability to make conversation, he realizes his usual tack—asking one about oneself—would make her sad. He asks Sofia about her doll’s name; learning the doll doesn’t have one, he insists Sofia name her. The Count asks if she wants to hear about princesses. Sofia responds, “The age of the nobility has given way to the age of the common man” (239).

As the Count washes up for the day, he reflects how someone so small could take up so much space. He also realizes that, at age 48, he has finally settled into routine: in his youth, he “would never have been inconvenienced by a fellow soul” (241), hadn’t cared about possessions, and welcomed the interruptions of friends. When he returns, Sofia gives him an envelope that had been slipped under the door. As the Count expects, it’s empty, but offers the words “Three o’clock?” on the outside. Sofia is interested in how his clock only chimes twice a day.

The Count takes her to the Piazza for lunch, telling the new waiter, Martyn, that Sofia is his niece. Sofia is awed by the luxurious grandeur of the Piazza and “seemed to understand instinctively that such a