Bunin and intelligentnost'

[Robert Chandler]

Dear all,

The hero of Bunin's 'V Parizhe' (from Temnye allei) confesses to reading
personal ads from a magazine called 'Illustrated Russia'.  Over dinner he
quotes one such ad, which I have translated as follows:

³Serious lady, auburn hair, old-fashioned but sympathique, widowed with
9-year-old son, wishes to correspond, serious intentions, with sober
gentleman of at least 40, financially secure, employed as chauffeur or
similar, enjoys home comforts.  Intellectual interests not essential.² I
quite understand her -- they really aren¹t essential.¹

'Intellectual interests' is my extremely inadequate translation of
'intelligentnost'.  Can anyone do better?

Yours in anticipation,

Robert Chandler


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