Mikhail Bulgakov. The Fateful Eggs -
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the Valkyrie rang in the apartment upstairs. The cloth mill director's radio
had tuned in to the Wagner concert at the Bolshoi. To the accompaniment of
howls and rumbles descending from the ceiling, Persikov declared to Maria
Stepanovna that he would take the director to court, smash his radio to
bits, and get the blazes out of Moscow, because somebody was clearly trying
to drive him out. He broke his magnifying glass, spent the night on the
divan in the study and was lulled to sleep by the sweet trills of a famous
pianist wafted from the Bolshoi Theatre.
The following day was also full of surprises. After taking the tram to
the Institute, Persikov found a stranger in a fashionable green bowler hat
standing on the porch. He scrutinised Persikov carefully, but did not
address any questions to him, so Persikov put up with him. But in the
Institute hall, apart from the dismayed Pankrat, a second bowler hat stood
up as Persikov came in and greeted him courteously: "Good morning, Citizen
Professor."
"What do you want?" asked Persikov furiously, tearing off his coat with
Pankrat's help. But the bowler hat quickly pacified Persikov by whispering
in the gentlest of voices that there was no need at all for the Professor to
be upset. He, the bowler hat, was there precisely in order to protect the
Professor from all sorts of importunate visitors. The Professor could rest
assured not only about the laboratory doors, but also about the windows. So
saying the stranger turned back the lapel of his jacket for a moment and
showed the Professor a badge.
"Hm ... you work pretty efficiently, I must say," Persikov growled,
adding naively: "What will you have to eat?"
Whereupon the bowler hat smiled and explained that someone would come
to relieve him.
The next three days were splendid. The Professor had two visits from