Chapter 21: Date2
Naturally, the jeweled eggs displayed in the shop windows couldn't be the intricate creations handcrafted by Fabergé himself.
However, the House of Fabergé was already the premier jewelry firm in Russia, employing skilled artisans from all over the country and even Europe. In addition to its headquarters on Bolshaya Morskaya Street in St. Petersburg, Fabergé had factories in Kyiv, Moscow, and Odessa.
The jeweled egg Nicholas purchased was a mass-produced item, but it was still quite novel. Its enameled white exterior was set with various-sized gems. Inside, it contained a miniature mechanical device—a small bird that circled around a ruby.
It also seemed to house a small music box, which wound up when the egg was opened.
"I've heard of Russian eggs before, but I've never seen one in person," Elena remarked, clearly delighted with the gift. However, the egg was quite heavy, so after admiring it for a while, she handed it back to Nicholas.
Having bought the egg, Nicholas wrote down a delivery address for Fabergé, so he wouldn't have to carry the heavy item while shopping.
"Just over there is the Imperial St. Petersburg Yacht Club," Nicholas said, pointing to a building across the street as they left the Fabergé shop.
In this era, water activities didn't include surfing or diving but rather luxurious yacht clubs for the wealthy. Alexander III owned several yachts and would sail to Denmark for vacations each year.
Nicholas wasn't particularly interested in these rich activities, though he had never experienced such luxury himself. In spirit, Nicholas was still a petite bourgeois citizen.
With their previous activities building a foundation of goodwill, Elena had already taken Nicholas's arm. Although they still referred to each other as friends, this closeness was satisfying for Nicholas.
"There seems to be a lot of people over there," Elena said, pointing to a tall building with a constant flow of people entering and exiting. It was lunchtime.
"Oh, that's the Albert Hotel," Nicholas said, squinting at the street number. "It's quite famous in St. Petersburg for its French cuisine and special wine collection."
Despite its fame, the Albert Hotel prided itself on being affordable. One could have lunch for 75 kopecks or dinner for 1 ruble.
At that time, the poorest workers in St. Petersburg province earned about 100 rubles a year, while poor peasants earned about 65 rubles.
From the signs extending from the building, Nicholas could also see advertisements for several other restaurants and many shops.
"But we can start here. If you don't like it, Elena, we can keep walking," Nicholas suggested, pointing to another tall building on their side of the street.
This building, another impressive structure, belonged to Yeliseyev, a prominent banker in St. Petersburg. The ground floor facing the street housed a spacious store named after its owner, called Perets Trading House.
From afar, Nicholas could see the vibrant display of fruits, and as they got closer, he could make out the wine and delicacies in wooden cabinets.
The ground floor was bustling with customers. A white-painted wooden fence enclosed an area with parasols and wooden chairs for resting and dining.
"Would you like something to drink, Elena?" Nicholas asked, feeling quite parched himself. He loosened his tie, a small gesture Elena noticed.
"Of course. A latte would be fine," she replied.
The well-dressed pair quickly found themselves seated under a parasol. A prompt waiter brought them lemon water and glasses.
"One latte and one mocha," Nicholas ordered, then leaned back in his chair, a relieved expression catching Elena's attention.
"We've only just gotten off the carriage, Nicholas, and you're already tired?" she teased.
From a distance, Nicholas could see the colorful display of fruits. As he got closer, he could also see the wines and delicacies arranged on the wooden shelves.
There were quite a few customers on the first floor. Within the white-painted wooden fences, there were areas with parasols and wooden chairs for people to rest and dine.
"Elena, would you like something to drink?"
Nicholas, already parched, loosened his tie—a small action that did not escape Elena's notice.
"Sure, a latte would be nice."
The well-dressed pair quickly sat under a parasol, and the attentive waiter brought them lemon water and glasses.
"One latte and one mocha, please."
After giving the order, Nicholas leaned back with a look of relief, which caught Elena's attention.
"We just got off the carriage, Nicholas, are you already tired?"
Nicholas chuckled and shook his head, his gaze drifting towards the distant street scene as if deep in thought. After a moment of silence, he said quietly, "I believe..." He paused, organizing his thoughts, "that humanity isn't so different. The so-called superiority or inferiority cannot be judged accurately from a long-term historical perspective. No matter how strong Rome was, it eventually fell to the Vandals."
Elena was taken aback, not expecting him to delve into such a profound topic so suddenly, but she didn't interrupt him.
"The Vandals were one of many Germanic tribes, and because of their plundering, the term 'Vandals' in English has come to mean 'barbarians' or those who deliberately destroy public property." Nicholas explained softly, seemingly not wanting the heavy atmosphere to overshadow their afternoon.
Elena quietly listened to Nicholas's somewhat nihilistic statements, noticing a hint of melancholy in his eyes, which made her feel a surge of compassion.
"Nicholas, there's a touch of sorrow in your words," she said gently, her voice warm and caring.
"Maybe it's because reading history has shown me many tales of rise and fall." Nicholas shook his head. At this moment, the waiter brought over two cups of coffee, dispelling the inexplicable heaviness in the air. Nicholas took his coffee cup, sipping lightly as if to ease the weight in his heart. "Sorry for sounding a bit empty. You see, I'm still the crown prince, trying to fight against this natural cycle of rise and fall."
Elena smiled softly and said tenderly, "Fighting against nature, just like the heroes of ancient Greece. No matter what challenges they faced, they always confronted them bravely, never backing down."
Nicholas nodded slightly, a look of gratitude in his eyes. "You're right. Perhaps each of us is waging a battle against fate in our own lives. Sometimes, I feel a sense of powerlessness, as if no matter what I do, the wheels of history will not stop for my efforts."
Elena reached out, gently placing her hand on Nicholas's, offering silent support. "Nicholas, you've already done very well. Your thoughts and efforts are not just for yourself but for those you care about."
Feeling her warmth, Nicholas held Elena's slender hand. His hand was slightly cool, but in that moment of holding hers, a wave of warmth surged through his heart.
Her hand trembled slightly at first but did not pull away from his grasp. The two of them held hands openly, as if this simple act brought endless comfort and strength.
Nicholas spoke softly, "Thank you, Elena. Sometimes, I need to remind myself that even in the darkest moments, there is hope and light."
Elena nodded with a smile, her eyes shining with a firm light. "We'll face it together. No matter how unpredictable the future may be, we can always find our own path."
After a brief interruption, Nikolai and Elena continued their stroll.
They crossed the Police Bridge over the Moika River and came to a magnificent Baroque building, the famous Stroganov Palace, with its beautifully pink exterior.
However, this was one of the few buildings on Nevsky Prospect that did not house a commercial company, so they quickly moved past it.
"Do you like sweets, Elena?"
Nikolai pointed to the building at No. 21 Nevsky Prospect, home to the luxurious confectionery of the Georg Bormann Company, which was very famous in St. Petersburg's dessert scene.
"No, I already added a lot of sugar to my coffee earlier. I need to watch my figure."
Elena's slender beauty attracted the attention of many gentlemen on the street, causing the ladies accompanying them to glare.
Why was she walking arm-in-arm with a man of such ordinary appearance?
Nikolai was neither handsome nor unattractive, but compared to Elena, he was outshone. Many of the men walking along the street sighed in regret—such a beauty with a plain man!
"By the way, there's something I'm not sure about."
"What is it?"
"You said at the beginning that this place is like Paris. Why? I've never been to Paris."
The two of them moved forward slowly, the rhythmic clatter of horse-drawn carriages and the sounds of people and sunlight creating a peaceful and prosperous scene.
"Nikolai, haven't you noticed? What is there the most of here?"
"The most of?"
Nikolai looked up in confusion, glancing around, then shook his head.
"There are many banks here."
Elena pointed to the ones in front of them and then, taking Nikolai's arm, pointed to several they had already passed.
Siberian Commercial Bank, Junker Private Bank, St. Petersburg-Moscow Bank, Zamkhalov Private Bank, Life Insurance Corporation, Discount and Loan Bank... With Elena's reminder, Nikolai realized that not only were there many shops, but there were also countless banks.
"Parisian banks also prefer to be located in commercial districts, alongside florists and hat shops, without any factories."
"I didn't expect you to observe so keenly."
"The British love detective novels. I've read some, and they came in handy."
Elena gave Nikolai a mischievous smile, looking a bit playful.
"You can call me Nicky; it's my nickname."
"Hmm... then you can call me Nana."
As soon as this intimate nickname slipped out, Elena's heart skipped a beat.
"Is that your nickname?"
"Yes..."
"Very cute."
Nikolai's straightforward compliment brought a faint blush to Elena's cheeks.
"...Thank you."
Their conversation continued as they reached the next intersection on Nevsky Prospect, a few meters past the corner with Mikhailov Street, where a large private building stood—No. 38 Nevsky Prospect.
The store occupying the first and second floors, "Paris Grand Boutique," is a famous luxury women's clothing shop.
Nikolai looked up at the sign; indeed, there was also a bank occupying part of the building—the Volga-Kama Bank.
"Are you verifying my observation?"
"Yes, even though I'm a St. Petersburg native, my observations here aren't as sharp as yours, Nana."
"Nicky? I'm not quite used to that name yet..."
"It's okay, I can go back to calling you Elena."
"No... you should keep calling me Nana."
The whims of a woman's heart puzzled Nikolai, but he nodded in agreement to please Elena.
"Let's go inside and take a look."
Elena's shopping instincts seemed fully unleashed by the dazzling array of goods. Of course, it could also be because her newfound freedom, after being restricted by living with her father for so long, made her extremely excited.
Whatever the reason, Nikolai's legs were likely the ones to suffer.
The aimless browsing left Nikolai unable to remember how many times they circled the same counter, but Elena was thoroughly enjoying herself.
"Do you like this one?"
"Yes, it's nice."
"But I don't really like the color..."
"..."
"How about this one?"
"It's good too."
"No, the fabric isn't right..."
"..."
This kind of conversation went on for almost an hour, and Nikolai let out a sigh that many men might deeply relate to—when would it end?
And, as Nikolai had anticipated, the outcome was predictable.
"I think they're all nice, what do you think?"
Several sales assistants were sweating from running around to help Elena, who finally looked indecisive and turned to Nikolai sitting on a nearby sofa.
"Then buy them all."
Nikolai's generous suggestion made the sales assistants' eyes light up.
"Wouldn't that be too much trouble for you, Nicky?"
"...Ahem, it's no trouble."
"Ship it to this address, cash on delivery."
After signing a series of details that left the sales assistants in astonished disbelief, Nikolai calmly opted to put it all on credit.
"Thank you for accompanying me on this shopping trip."
As they left the luxurious women's clothing store, the heavy scent of perfume dispersed, and Nikolai felt a great sense of relief as he breathed in the fresh air again.
Elena's gratitude left him somewhat puzzled.
"No... it's nothing, Nana... I enjoyed it too."
"Father always wanted to groom me into a very accomplished woman, insisting on proper appearance and courteous manners..."
"I think you're doing wonderfully, Nana."
"...Thank you, but I don't know what to do about... Eddie..."
Eddie was the nickname of the late Prince Albert Victor, Queen Victoria's eldest grandson.
Nikolai understood this well; it was clear that expecting Elena to change suddenly was unrealistic. She needed a reason, an excuse to let go of her past attachment to Eddie.
"No, it's nothing."
Nikolai interrupted Elena's hesitant monologue.
"What?"
"Actually, you don't need to burden yourself... You're an accomplished woman, not living just for your father's ambitions. We can spend more time together..."
Honestly, this was Nikolai's first attempt at sweet-talking a woman, and he felt so embarrassed that he wanted to slap himself. What he said made no logical sense at all.
"…Hmm..."
Fortunately, Elena was also feeling confused, so she simply nodded in agreement with her head down.
"It's getting late. Let's wait for a carriage to take us back."
"Okay, Nicky."
As the afternoon wore on, the sudden silence between them made it feel as if they were meeting for the first time again.
But their feelings were now quite different.
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