The Neva is the intended dumping place for the nose Ivan Yakovlevitch is trying to get rid of, and the setting of his brief, deceptive relief when he finally throws it away. The river promises concealment, but the act performed beside it does not end the episode: a police inspector is waiting at the far end of the bridge.

The River as Intended Escape

As the streets grow busier and the shops begin opening, Ivan Yakovlevitch’s despair deepens. He has been trying to dispose of the nose without being seen, but an acquaintance interrupted him, and when he later let it drop, a sentry ordered him to pick it up. With the day becoming more public around him, he resolves to go to the Isaac Bridge, where he hopes he can throw the nose into the Neva.

The Attempt at the Isaac Bridge

At the bridge, Ivan Yakovlevitch looks around and leans on the railings as if watching for fish below. Under cover of this ordinary gesture, he secretly throws the nose, wrapped in a small piece of cloth, into the water. The detail makes the disposal look like a private act disguised as casual observation: the river is not merely named as a destination but becomes the apparent means of removing the incriminating object from sight.

Relief and Reversal

The throw brings Ivan Yakovlevitch an immediate sense of release, as though a ton had been lifted from him, and he laughs cheerfully. Yet he does not simply leave the scene unobserved. Instead of going to shave officials, he turns toward a building advertising tea so that he can have a glass of punch; then he notices a police inspector at the other end of the bridge. The inspector beckons him over and asks why he was standing there. The Neva has received the nose, but the act of disposal has brought Ivan Yakovlevitch into direct scrutiny, reversing his momentary relief into renewed apprehension.