As burly Sergei Vinogradov was quick to learn after he first arrived in Paris back in 1953, life can be lonely for the Soviet ambassador to a Western capitaleven when that capital has a solid Communist minority, ranging from tough factory hands to the mandarins of the Left Bank. In 1953, Vinogradov got a deliberately perfunctory greeting from Foreign Minister Georges Bidault, and some newsmen even ungenerously commented on the new ambassador's baggy appearance. But soon Paris began to take a second look.
Dinner guests at the Soviet embassy spread the word that the cuisine and cellar were excellent. Mme. Vinogradov, an...
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