 |
Idaliya PoleticaMistress
Country:
 Russia |
Biography of Idalia Poletika
Idalia Poletika was known as one of the active figures among the secular enemies and persecutors of A.S. Pushkin. With her natural, capricious and picturesque beauty, she always charmed the demanding society of St. Petersburg. What else could a woman do to conquer the critical bon ton of St. Petersburg, when her life was surrounded by whispers and gossip? It was difficult to distinguish between innocent whispers and scandalous gossip.
Since her birth, Idalia was a stranger in her own household, despite being raised as a spoiled child. She was known for breaking a porcelain doll from Paris simply because she didn't like the way it closed its eyes. Idalia inherited her mother's explosive and passionate temperament, but she cleverly disguised it. Her capriciousness in choosing perfumes, dresses, trinkets, dancing until morning at balls, playing the piano, and sledding until deep into the night, as well as her unmatched skill in weaving intrigues, were all part of her art.
At first, these were innocent amusements - quarrels between friends, capturing the attention of gentlemen. But as time went on, Idalia grew older and her skills as an intriguer developed. She ignited quarrels, broke hearts, pushed people into duels, and sparked scandals while skillfully remaining in the shadows and innocently shrugging her shoulders when accused. She spent a long time meticulously examining herself in the high Venetian mirror before each ball, ensuring her hairstyle was flawless. Her golden waves, delicately cascading around her rosy skin, accentuated her beauty. She paid particular attention to her complexion, ensuring that the soft folds of her fur-trimmed dress did not irritate her delicate swan-like neck.
Idalia spent a fortune on her luxurious dress, hoping that finally someone of importance, someone like Count Grigory Alexandrovich, would take notice of her. She didn't care if Countess Yulia Pavlovna tore and threw Portuguese bone (Portuguese-made) fans in a fit of rage. To Idalia, it was all trivial.
Idalia's beauty was her greatest possession. She captivated the demanding society of St. Petersburg, where whispers and gossip followed her everywhere. She had always been an outsider in her own family, despite her privileged upbringing. Her birth in France was the result of a passionate love affair between Countess Julie Oyenhausen d'Ega and the handsome Count Stroganov, who was vacationing there. The affair was so intense that it was difficult to determine the exact date, let alone the year, of Idalia's birth. Some believed it was in 1807, while others said it was in 1811.
Julie d'Ega, an enchanting woman with a fiery Portuguese temperament, who could captivate men within minutes, paid little attention to her romantic conquests. Rumors circulated in Parisian society that Julie had a dark past, that she was a mistress of the French General Junot, who gathered information for the secret police and was, in fact, a spy. However, Julie dismissed these rumors with a shrug, a shoulder raise, and a contemptuous smile. But the rumors did not deter Count Stroganov. He gave Julie everything - his heart, body, and his immense fortune.
Idalia inherited her mother's explosive and passionate temperament, but she cleverly disguised it. Her capriciousness in choosing perfumes, dresses, and trinkets, her all-night dancing at balls, her skillful piano playing, and her late-night sledding, as well as her unmatched skill in weaving intrigues, all contributed to her charm.
In 1829, she married Alexander Mikhailovich Poletika, a military man who disappeared in the Cavalry Guard barracks in the morning and spent his evenings at the green tables. He knew that his wife's heart belonged to someone else, anyone but him. He never sought the leading role in her life. He heard rumors that even his subordinates called him the "ladybug" because of his wife's influence, but he paid his wife's bills without question when her lovers couldn't. He tried not to seek help from Count Grigory Alexandrovich, but as their family grew, expenses increased. Unfortunately, both their daughter and son, born in 1830 and 1835 respectively, did not live past a few years. Their daughter, Yulia, died in January 1833, and their son, Alexander, died in March 1838.
Idalia frequently encountered Pushkin at the balls and became pale at these encounters, nervously biting her lips. She despised the poet, mocking every word, every movement he made. No one could understand the mystery behind Idalia's sudden hatred for Pushkin, which grew from their once friendly relationship. After all, Pushkin's wife, Natalya Nikolaevna, was Idalia's cousin and almost like a sister to her in terms of family ties. Rumors circulated that Pushkin had offended Idalia, rejecting her romantic advances. But these were just rumors and speculations. No one knew for sure. At first, Idalia and Natalya were very close friends, as they were of the same age and social circle. However, they were very different. Idalia was sharp-tongued, witty, and loved being the center of attention, while Natalya was quiet, reserved, and never spoke ill of anyone.
After a brief conversation with Natalya about fashion, frills, and ribbons, mentioning the sudden wind that blew during a picnic on Kamenny Island and nearly took away her new Parisian hat with silk ribbons and small violet bouquets, which no fashionable lady could distinguish from real flowers, Idalia shared some gossip and then hurried to the center of the ballroom, searching for the tall, stately figure of her lover, Peter Lanskoy.
She always found him quickly and approached him, paying no attention to the presence of others. She quickly arranged secret meetings with him, either at her home when her husband was absent or in a secluded pavilion in one of the parks. It was a passionate affair that consumed both of them. Lanskoy seemed genuinely infatuated with Idalia, and she reciprocated fully, sometimes even regretting her position as a married woman. Lanskoy was more interesting and prominent than Poletika. He was highly regarded in the regiment and by the emperor. With his promotion to colonel in 1836, a brilliant future awaited him. But what was done was done, and Madame Poletika enjoyed the fact that she held Lanskoy in her hands, not letting him slip away. Lanskoy's salary slowly disappeared into the hands of the fiery beauty, who disdainfully wrinkled her nose when she received a bouquet that was not extravagant enough, an inexpensive hat, postponed walks in a hired carriage, or a modest apartment for secret meetings. She craved brilliance in everything and sought revenge against her own origins, which she secretly felt ashamed of. She always wanted to be the first in everything, and even imaginary rivals horrified her. She never forgave anyone who treated her with contempt. When she saw that Lanskoy's attention was shifting towards Natalya, whom he feared approaching because she was Pushkin's wife and the mother of his four children, an evil plan formed in Idalia's mind. This plan had multiple purposes: to avenge the famous poet, to put Natalya in her place and tarnish her name not only in the eyes of her jealous husband but also in the eyes of others.
The last goal was to bring back Lanskoy, who had started to cool off towards her by that time. He had become more and more infatuated with Natalya but was hesitant to approach her because she was Pushkin's wife and the mother of his children. Idalia, perplexed by this situation, chose another Grenadier Guard, D'Antes, who also courted the beautiful Natalya. Idalia flirted with George, invited him to parties and picnics, attended his invitations to receptions at the Dutch embassy, and managed to find favor not only with the fair-haired guardsman but also with his adoptive father, Baron Hekkern. She wrote George letters, calling them "friendly correspondence," but in reality, they were the first steps towards a romance. She probably burned the drafts of these letters in the fireplace, so her husband wouldn't see them. Scandals did not scare her. Although what could be the value of, for example, such lines: "You don't know me well! If I love someone, I love them forever!" But Lanskoy showed no signs of jealousy, and to Idalia's surprise, D'Antes spent more time lingering around Natalya and sighing, begging Idalia to help arrange a meeting with the beautiful poet.
This was all very surprising to Idalia. She was used to men behaving completely differently. Her carefully planned revenge, which was supposed to benefit her, became more and more tangled. And then, Lanskoy was sent on a four-month official trip to Ukraine to observe the recruitment process, following an urgent order from the emperor.
Idalia, an intelligent and passionate beauty, accustomed to constant success, realized that this separation could cost her dearly. She decided to take immediate action. Pretending to sympathize with the poor love-stricken George, sighing and lowering her eyes, she professed to him that she would convince Natalya to agree to a completely innocent meeting, offering her own apartment in the Konnogvardeisky barracks for this purpose. On October 16, 1836, Lanskoy left St. Petersburg with his inspection team, and exactly two weeks later, on November 2, 1836, "Madame Intrigue," as she was sometimes called in high society, began to implement her plan. She invited Natalya, who was unaware of the scandalous rendezvous, to her home and left. Arriving at her friend's place, Natalya was surprised to learn from a blushing maid that Idalia had to urgently leave to attend to a supposedly "ill" Countess Yulia Pavlovna Stroganova, but she would soon return and requested Natalya to wait. Natalya, feeling uncomfortable, agreed to the maid's persuasion and entered the living room, keeping her hands in her muff as the evening felt chilly and her fingers were growing cold. At the threshold of the living room, she was greeted by D'Antes, who wasted no time in passionately explaining himself. It is uncertain what words were exchanged when he grabbed the young lady in his arms and threatened to shoot himself in front of her if she refused to "establish a connection and run away with him abroad." (Princess V.F. Vyazemskaya in P.I. Bartenev's notes). The small daughter of Idalia, Elizaveta, who was looking for one of her toys, rushed into the room. Her governess followed closely behind. Startled by the commotion, D'Antes released the woman who was burning with shame and anger, and she, not herself, rushed towards Elizaveta. A few minutes later, she left the Poletika residence.
On the same evening, she told her husband, the poet, about the scandalous meeting. He immediately wrote a letter to Baron Hekkern, speaking disdainfully about D'Antes as a married failure, leaving the latter with no choice but to accept the highly offensive challenge despite being related to Pushkin's family. On January 29, 1837 (Old Style), a duel took place on the Black River, resulting in Pushkin's death two days later. The duel not only left Pushkin's wife a widow but also his children orphaned and filled D'Antes with contempt not only in the eyes of his contemporaries but also in the eyes of future generations.
Idalia was also shaken, but not by Russia losing its Orpheus. No, she was furious because Pushkin was once again the talk of the town, elevated to the heavens and declared the Glory of Russia. That insignificant poet, who never knew how to handle true ladies of high society, as Madame Poletika believed herself to be, was not destroyed by her cunning plan. He was not erased and consigned to oblivion but, on the contrary, gained immortality. She would never forgive him for that, not even in death. Her intense hatred for the "solar" poet extended even to his children and widow. Seven years later, the adjutant and lover who had left Idalia Grigorievna, by then General Lanskoy, married Natalya Nikolaevna. He took both her and her "offspring" under his protection, as Madame Poletika contemptuously referred to them. In her hatred, the "Queen of Intrigue" reached absurdity: she threatened to visit Pushkin's grave and spit on it.
