Just then Margarita saw Azazello hand Korovyov the dish with the skull-shaped goblet.

" By the way, Baron, " said Woland, suddenly lowering his voice and speaking chattily, " rumors are circulating regarding your extraordinary inquisitiveness. They say that this, matched with your no less developed talkativeness, has begun to attract general attention. Moreover, spiteful tongues have dropped the words 'informer, ' and 'spy.' And, in addition, there is an assumption that this will lead you to a sorry end in less than a month. And so, to save you the bother of a tiresome wait, we have decided to come to your aid and to take advantage of the fact that you wangled yourself an invitation here with the express purpose of eavesdropping and spying on everything you could."

The baron became even paler than Abaddon, who was exceptionally pale by nature, and then something strange happened. Abaddon appeared before the baron and took his glasses off for just a second. At the same moment something flashed like fire in Azazello's hands, and there was a soft noise, like a hand clap, and the baron started to fall backwards, as scarlet blood spurted from his chest and soaked his starched shirt and vest. Korovyov held the goblet under the pulsing stream, and when it was full, he gave it to Woland. By that time the baron's lifeless body was already on the floor.

" Ladies and gentlemen, I drink to your health, " said Woland softly, and raising the goblet, he touched it to his lips.

Then a metamorphosis ensued. The tattered slippers and patched nightshirt disappeared. Woland was now wearing a long, black robe with a steel saber on his hip. He walked quickly over to Margarita, raised the goblet to her lips, and in a commanding voice said, " Drink! "

Margarita's head began to spin, she swayed, but the goblet was already at her lips, and voices, whose she could not tell, whispered in both her ears, " Don't be afraid, Your Majesty... Don't be afraid, Your Majesty, the blood has already seeped down into the earth. And there where it spilled, clusters of grapes are already growing."

Margarita took a swallow without opening her eyes, and a sweet current ran through her veins, and there was a ringing in her ears. It seemed to her that deafening roosters were crowing, that somewhere a march was playing. The crowds of guests began to lose their appearance. The women and the men in tails dissolved into dust. Decay engulfed the ballroom before Margarita's very eyes, a cryptlike smell flowed over it.

Satan's Grand Ball 235

The columns dissolved, the lights went out, everything shriveled and shrank until there were no fountains, tulips, or camellias. All that was left was what had been there before—the modest living room of the jeweller's wife, and a stream of light coming through the half-opened door. And Margarita walked through this half-opened door.

XXIV

The Liberation of the Master

N Woland's bedroom everything was as it had been before the ball. Woland was sitting in his nightshirt on the bed, only Hella was no longer massaging his leg, but setting the table, where earlier they had been playing chess, for supper. Korovyov and Azazello had taken off their tailcoats and were sitting at the table; nestled in next to them was, naturally, the cat, who didn't want to part with his tie even though by now it was an utterly grubby rag. Swaying on her feet, Margarita walked over to the table and leaned on it. Then, as he had before, Woland beckoned to her to sit down beside him.

" Well, now, did they wear you out completely? " asked Woland.

" Oh, no, Messire, " answered Margarita, but barely audibly.

" Noblesse oblige, " remarked the cat, and he poured Margarita some transparent liquid into an ornate small glass.

" Is that vodka? " asked Margarita weakly.