The Petersburg Summer Exodus

The Dreamer's observations of the city emptying as residents flee to their summer villas, highlighting his isolation.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The City's Transformation

The City's Transformation A Strange Despondency The Dreamer feels a sudden loneliness as he realizes that everyone is leaving Petersburg for the summer. The streets are emptier, and the faces he knows have disappeared. The Waggons and Boats He watches waggons loaded with furniture and boats carrying household goods to the islands. He imagines a caravan of people fleeing the city. A Feeling of Exclusion He feels left out, as if he is the only one who has nowhere to go. The city threatens to become a wilderness, and he is its sole inhabitant.

The Dreamer's Escape to the Country

The Dreamer's Escape to the Country Walking Beyond the Gates To escape his melancholy, the Dreamer walks to the city gates and into the countryside. The fields and meadows lift his spirits, and he feels as if he is in Italy. The Beauty of Spring The nature around Petersburg is in full bloom, and he is moved by its fragile beauty, comparing it to a consumptive girl who suddenly becomes lovely. A Temporary Peace He returns to the city as night falls, feeling a momentary relief. But the city's emptiness still haunts him.

early in the story, first day

first day, after wandering