Mikhail Bulgakov. The Master and Margarita -
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room came a kind-looking woman in a clean white overall and said to Ivan :
'Good morning!'
Ivan did not reply, as he felt the greeting out of place in the
circumstances. They had, after all, dumped a perfectly healthy man in
hospital and were making it worse by pretending it was necessary! With the
same kind look the woman pressed a button and raised the blind. Sunlight
poured into the room through a light, wide-mesh grille that extended to the
floor. Beyond the grille was a balcony, beyond that the bank of a meandering
river and on the far side a cheerful pine forest.
'Bath time! ' said the woman invitingly and pushed aside a folding
partition to reveal a magnificently equipped bathroom.
Although Ivan had made up his mind not to talk to the woman, when he
saw a broad stream of water thundering into the bath from a glittering tap
he could not help saying sarcastically :
'Look at that! Just like in the Metropole! '
'Oh, no,' replied the woman proudly. ' Much better. There's no
equipment like this anywhere, even abroad. Professors and doctors come here
specially to inspect our clinic. We have foreign tourists here every day.'
At the words ' foreign tourist' Ivan at once remembered the mysterious
professor of the day before. He scowled and said :
'Foreign tourists . . . why do you all think they're so wonderful?
There are some pretty odd specimens among them, I can tell you. I met one
yesterday--he was a charmer! '
He was just going to start telling her about Pontius Pilate, but
changed his mind. The woman would never understand and it was useless to
expect any help from her.
Washed and clean, Ivan Nikolayich was immediately provided with
everything a man needs after a bath--a freshly ironed shirt, underpants and
socks. That was only a beginning : opening the door of a wardrobe, the woman