The Wasp — 1921 — page 19: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page shows a dramatic dialogue scene between a General and a woman named Irma Melipoff. The General mentions a celebrated Imperial Court violinist with that surname from years past, suggesting a connection to pre-revolutionary Russia (references to "Imperial Court" and "Russia, to-day"). The scene appears to be satirizing Russian émigré life in America—likely post-Russian Revolution. The General's knowing glances and hand near his revolver pocket suggest suspicion or danger. The dropped tea stirrer and nervous tension indicate the woman recognizes something threatening in him, possibly connecting to violent Russian political history. This satirizes Russian exile communities and their shadowy, potentially dangerous connections during the early 20th century, playing on American anxieties about Russian revolutionaries and spies.