The Master and Margarita. at around 11:30 in the morning and then, also at 11:30, the same Styopa standing in his socks at the airport in Yalta

at around 11: 30 in the morning and then, also at 11: 30, the same Styopa standing in his socks at the airport in Yalta... The devil knew how!

Maybe it wasn't Styopa who called him from his apartment? No, it was Styopa! As if he didn't know Styopa's voice! And even if it hadn't been Styopa on the phone that morning, it was certainly Styopa who appeared in his office as recently as yesterday evening, bringing that foolish contract and annoying the financial director with his thoughtlessness. How could he have left town or taken a plane without telling the theater? And even if he had taken a plane last night, he couldn't have gotten there by noon today. Or could he?

" How many kilometers is it to Yalta? " asked Rimsky. Varenukha stopped his running about and shouted, " I thought of that! I already thought of that! By train to Sevastopol it's about 1500 kilometers. And it's another eighty kilometers from there to Yalta. But, by air, of course, it's less."

Hm... Yes... Trains were out of the question. But what then? A fighter plane? Who would let Styopa on a fighter plane without shoes? Why? Maybe he took off his shoes when he arrived in Yalta. Again: why? Besides, they wouldn't have let him on a fighter plane even with shoes! And what did a fighter plane have to do with it? Still, they had it in writing that he appeared at the Criminal Investigation Department at 11: 30 in the morning, but he was talking on the phone in Moscow... wait a minute... at that point the face of Rimsky's watch suddenly appeared before his eyes... He remembered where the hands had been. God! It had been 11: 20. So where does that leave us? If we assume that Styopa left for the airport right after our conversation and got there in, say, five minutes, which, by the way, is also inconceivable, then we are left to conclude that the plane took off right on the spot and covered more than 1000 kilometers in just five minutes?! Meaning that it traveled at more than 1200 kilometers per hour!! That's impossible, so he can't be in Yalta.

What other explanation was there? Hypnosis? There was no hypnosis in the world that could propel someone more than 1000 kilometers! So is he only imagining that he's in Yalta? He's imagining it, perhaps, and the Yalta CID is imagining it too?! No, you'll have to excuse me, but things like that don't happen. But hadn't they sent a wire from there?

The financial director's face looked literally horror-struck. Meanwhile, the doorknob was being pulled and twisted from the outside, and the messenger girl was heard shouting desperately, " You can't go in! I won't let you! Even if you kill me! There's a meeting! "

Rimsky did his utmost to control himself, picked up the phone, and said, " Connect me with Yalta, it's urgent."

" Smart! " Varenukha exclaimed to himself.

But the call to Yalta did not go through. Rimsky hung up the phone and said, " The line's out of order, as if out of spite."

News from Yalta 91

It was obvious that the faulty line had a particularly devastating effect on Rimsky and even made him reflective. After musing for a while, he again picked up the receiver with one hand and with the other began writing down what he was saying into the phone.

" Take an express telegram. Variety. Yes. Yalta. Criminal Investigation Department. Yes. 'Today around 11: 30 Likhodeyev phoned me in Moscow. Stop. After that missed work and cannot be located by phone. Stop. Handwriting confirmed. Stop. Steps taken to put said artiste under surveillance. Financial Director Rimsky.'"

" Very smart! " thought Varenukha, but before he could think it properly these words echoed in his head, " It's stupid! He can't be in Yalta! "

Meanwhile, Rimsky did the following: he neatly folded all the telegrams that had been received, put them in a packet along with a copy of the telegram he had sent, put the packet into an envelope, sealed it, wrote something on it, and then handed it to Varenukha saying, " Ivan Savelyevich, take this over in person right away. Let them figure it out."

" Now that's really smart! " thought Varenukha, and he stuffed the envelope into his briefcase. Then, just in case, he dialed Styopa's apartment again, listened, winked joyously and mysteriously, and smirked. Rimsky stretched his neck to listen.

" May I speak to the artiste Woland? " Varenukha asked sweetly.

" They're busy, " a crackling voice replied, " Who may I say is calling? "

" The manager of the Variety Theater, Varenukha."

" Ivan Savelyevich? " the receiver exclaimed joyously. " I'm terribly happy to hear your voice! How's your health? "

" Merci, " the astonished Varenukha replied. " And who am I speaking to? "

" The assistant, his assistant and interpreter, Korovyov, " crackled the receiver. " I'm at your service, my dear Ivan Savelyevich! Tell me how I can be of help to you. Well? "

" Excuse me, but is Stepan Bogdanovich Likhodeyev not at home? "

" Alas, no! He's not! " shouted the receiver. " He's gone."

" Where to? "

" He went for a drive outside of town."

" Wha... what's that? A dr... drive? And when will he be back? "

" He said, I'm just going out for some fresh air and I'll be right back! "

" I see..." said Varenukha, completely at a loss. " Merci Be so kind as to tell Monsieur Woland that he will be appearing today in the third part of the program."

" I will indeed. But of course. Without fail. Right away. To be sure. I'll tell him, " tapped out the receiver abruptly.

" All the best, " said the astonished Varenukha.

" Please accept, " said the receiver, " my best, my warmest wishes and regards! I wish you success! Good luck! Complete happiness. Everything! "

" Well, of course! It's just what I said! " cried die manager excitedly. " He didn't go to any Yalta, he just went for a ride in the country! "

91 The Master and Margarita

" If that's the case, " said the financial director, turning pale with rage, " words can't describe what a swine he is! "