Summer 2004 (12.2)
The Ali and Nino Walking Tour
by Betty Blair and Fuad
Akhundov
Fillifpojanz Coffee
Shop
Alizade 5
(Pre-Soviet: Baryatinskaya Street)
Back
to Ali & Nino Walking Tour Index
This
building was constructed in 1901 by architects A.N. Kalgin and
G.M. Ter Mikalov, who also designed the Philharmonic Hall. The
façade itself identifies the building as the Tiflis Bank
but there was an entrance to the Fillifpojanz Coffee House, a
coffee shop that sold pastries.
Sitting in the plush seats in one of the booths, Ali pours out
his heart describing one of the bitterest disappointments that
he had ever faced in life-refusal by Nino's parents to let Ali
marry her. Although Nino's parents (Christian Georgians) balk
at her wanting to marry Ali (Azerbaijani Muslim), they don't
use religion as an excuse for refusing Ali. Totally shattered
when Nino's parents reject his proposal, Ali confides with Nachararyan
(Christian Armenian) about the excuses her parents were offering
related to her relatively young age and the uncertainty of the
regional political situation. Ali considered Nachararyan a friend,
but later realized that trusting this Armenian was a serious
misjudgment.
From "Ali & Nino",
pp. 106 ff.
Let's go to Fillifpojanz, Nachararyan said. I nodded. It didn't
matter to me. He took my hand and led me along Baryatinsky Street
to the big coffee house. When we sank into the deep chairs, he
said understandingly: "Amok, Caucasian amok! It's probably
this oppressive heat. Or is there any special reason, Ali Khan,
that makes you rush about raging like that?"
I sat in the coffee house in the room with soft chairs and walls
covered with red silk, sipped hot tea and told Nachararyan the
whole story: how I had telephoned the old Kipianis, asking to
be received today, how Nino had tiptoed out of the house, stealthily
and afraid, how I had kissed the Princess' hand and shaken hands
with the Prince, how I had spoken of our ancient family tree
and of my family's revenues, how I had asked for the Princess
Nino's hand in marriage and all that in such perfect Russian
that even the Czar might have envied me.
"And then, my friend?" Nachararyan seemed very interested
indeed.
"And then? Just listen to this!" I imitated the Prince's
movements and his voice with its slight Georgian accent: "My
dear son, esteemed Khan. Please believe me, I could not imagine
a better husband for my child. What happiness for a woman to
be chosen by a man of your character.
But there is Nino's age. After all, she is still a schoolgirl.
What does a child like that know of love? Surely, we are not
going to have the Indian child marriage system here. And then
the differences in religion, upbringing, descent. I say this
for your own sake as well as for hers. I'm sure your father thinks
the same. And then: these times, this terrible war. God knows
what will become of us all. I don't want to stand in her way.
But let's just leave it like that for the moment; let's leave
it till the end of the war. You'll both be older then. And if
you then feel as strongly about it as you do today, we can have
another talk."
"And what will you do now, Khan?" asked Nachararyan.
"Kidnap Nino and take her to Persia. I can't take this lying
down. To say 'No' to a Shirvanshir! Who does he think he is?
I feel dishonored, Nachararyan. The House of Shirvanshir is older
than the Kipianis. Under Agha Mohammad Shah, we destroyed the
whole of Georgia. Then any Kipiani would have been only too pleased
to give his daughter to a Shirvanshir. What does he mean 'difference
in religion'? Is Christianity better than Islam?
And my honor? My own father will laugh at me. A Christian refuses
me his daughter. We Muslims are wolves who have lost their teeth.
A hundred years ago...
My fury choked me and stopped my outburst. Just as well-already
I had said much that would better have been left unsaid. Nachararyan
was a Christian, too. He had ever right to feel insulted. But
he was not.
"I understand your rage," he said. But he has not refused
you. Of course, it is ridiculous to wait for the end of the war.
He just cannot realize that his daughter has grown up. I'm not
against kidnapping her. It is an old, well-established way of
settling things, quite in the tradition of our country. But surely
it is a last resort. Somebody should explain to the Prince the
cultural and political significance of this marriage. I'm sure
he'd come around then."
"But who would do that?"
Nachararyan clapped his broad palm on his breast and cried: "I
will. Depend on me, Khan!"
I looked at him, astonished. What did this Armenian have in mind?
It was the second time he had interfered in my life. Maybe he
was trying to make friends among the Muslims, seeing that the
Turks were advancing. Or maybe he really planned to form an Alliance
of the Caucasian People. I did not care. Obviously, he was an
ally. I gave him my hand. He kept it in his: "Just leave
it to me. I'll keep you informed. And no kidnapping. Only as
a last resort."
I got up. I had a strong feeling that I could trust this fat
man. I embraced him and left the coffee house.
Back to Ali and Nino Walking
Tour Index
Back to Index AI 12.2 (Summer
2004)
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