The Master and Margarita. Alas, even I, calmly replied the guest But I do know that he will receive the money this evening

" Alas, even I, " calmly replied the guest " But I do know that he will receive the money this evening. He has been summoned today to Haifa's palace."

" Ah, that greedy old man from Kerioth, " remarked the procurator, smiling. " He is an old man, isn't he? "

" The Procurator is never wrong, but this time he is mistaken, " replied the guest amiably. " The man from Kerioth is a young man."

" You don't say! Can you describe him to me? Is he a fanatic? "

" Oh, no, Procurator."

" I see. Anything else? "

" He's very handsome."

" And? Has he perhaps one particular passion? "

" It's hard to have precise knowledge of everyone in this vast city, Procurator..."

" Oh, no, no, Afranius! Don't underestimate your talents."

" He does have one passion, Procurator." The guest paused briefly. " A passion for money."

" And what is his occupation? "

Afranius raised his eyebrows, thought a moment, and replied, " He works in a money-changer's shop that belongs to one of his relatives."

" Ah, yes, yes, yes, yes." Here the procurator fell silent, looked around to make sure there was no one on the balcony, and then said quietly, " The fact is today I received information that he will be murdered tonight."

Here the guest not only fixed the procurator with his gaze, he even held it there for a while, and then replied, " You have given too flattering an account of me, Procurator. In my opinion I do not deserve your recommendation. I have no such information."

" You merit the highest possible reward, " replied the procurator, " but such information does exist."

" Dare I inquire who gave you this information? "

" Allow me not to disclose that for the moment, especially since the information is accidental, unclear, and unreliable. But it is my duty to foresee everything. That is my job, and more than anything else, I must trust my own intuition because it has never deceived me. According to the information I have, one of Ha-Notsri's secret friends, outraged by this money-changer's monstrous betrayal, has conspired with accomplices to lull him tonight, and to send the money he received for his betrayal back to the high priest with a note saying: 'I am returning your accursed money.' "

The head of the secret service gave the Hegemon no more of his sudden stares and continued listening to him with narrowed eyes, as Pilate continued, " Do you think the high priest will find it pleasant to receive such a gift on the night of the holiday? "

" Not only will it not be pleasant, " replied the guest, smiling, " but I

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