Speak, Memory Chapter 5, Section 3 Summary

  • While the Nabokov parents are away (Mother to visit Father, working in dangerous St. Petersburg, accompanying pink-nosed Miss Robinson to help), Vladimir and Sergey are left in charge of Mademoiselle.
  • The three go for a walk, and Mademoiselle won't let them get wet or dirty. She makes them wear too many winter clothes. (We imagine it looks something like this.)
  • Angry, Vladimir begins to hatch a plan: he'll escape yet again, doing what they had done to poor Miss Hunt, to this new lady. He convinces Sergey to come along. Haven't they been mistreated?
  • Once the three get home from the walk, the boys walk as if they're going up to their rooms, but instead, they walk out the back, their Great Dane dog following along.
  • The boys and the dog walk for miles, until it gets dark and Sergey is cold and tired. Vladimir makes him ride the dog.
  • Eventually, a servant finds them, and hauls them home, where a worried Mademoiselle is very relieved to see them.