Chapter
22
By
Candlelight
The
chapter is titled as ‘By Candlelight’, as Margarita’s entry into the world of
adventures takes place in candlelight.
The
car which brings Margarita to Moscow was driven by a bird-driver. The
bird-driver brings Margarita back to Moscow and after dropping her near a
deserted cemetery in the Dorogomilovo area, unscrewed a wheel from the car, sat
on it and flew away.
A
black raincoat appears from behind a grave, appears Azazello and both of them sit
on Margarita’s brush and zoom away, not noticed by anyone. In just a few
seconds they landed at Sadovaya Street near building No 302 and proceed towards
flat No 50! So, flat No 50 is going to play an extremely important role in the
narration that follows.
On
their way they come across three identical persons who were keeping watch on
the flat. Please note that these men had no identity of their own, they were
doing the work mechanically…they had to be similar to each other!
Azazello
opens the door with his key.
It was the
darkness and the size of the place that surprised Margarita. She realized
that she was in an absolutely enormous hall, with a colonnade besides, dark and
on first impression endless. While she was wondering how an ordinary apartment
in Moscow can accommodate all this, she saw a person approaching them. He was carrying
a candle in his hand. This was Koroviev. He explains to Margarita how easy it
is for those who have some knowledge about the fifth dimension to convert a
small place into a big one. He gave her the example of a Moscow dare devil, who
went on erecting partitions and increasing the number of rooms in his
apartments and exchanging them for more than one apartment at a time, but
somehow the authorities came to know of it and his adventures had to stop.
Koroviev
explains to Margarita why she was invited here:
'… to
business, to business, Margarita Nikolaevna. You're quite an intelligent woman,
and of course have already guessed who our host is.'
Margarita's
heart thumped and she nodded.
Well,
and so, ma'am,' Koroviev said, 'and so, we're enemies of any sort of reticence
and mysteriousness. Messire gives one ball annually. It is called the spring
ball of the full moon, or the ball of the hundred kings.
Such a
crowd! ...' here Koroviev held his cheek as if he had a toothache.
'However,
I hope you'll be convinced of it yourself. Now, Messire is a bachelor, as you
yourself, of course, understand. Yet a hostess is needed,' Koroviev spread his
arms, 'without a hostess, you must agree ...'
Margarita
listened to Koroviev, trying not to miss a single word; she felt cold under her
heart, the hope of happiness made her head spin.
'The
tradition has been established,' Koroviev said further, 'that the hostess of
the ball must without fail be named Margarita, first, and second, she must be a
native of the place. And we, you will kindly note, are travelling and at the
present moment are in Moscow. We found one hundred and twenty-one Margaritas in
Moscow, and, would you believe it,' here Koroviev slapped himself on the thigh
with despair, 'not one of them was suitable! And, at last, by a happy fate ...'
Koroviev
grinned expressively, inclining his body, and again Margarita's heart went
cold.
'In short!'
Koroviev cried out 'Quite shortly: you won't refuse to take this responsibility
upon yourself?'
'I
won't refuse!' Margarita replied firmly.
Margarita
is then taken to Woland…he is convinced that Margarita is an intelligent and
decent person.
Bulgakov
mentions about the pain in Woland’s knee. It was since he was thrown out of
paradise.
Bulgakov
makes fun of the news reader girls on the radio, who don’t have clear pronunciation.
Margarita
is attracted towards the globe which was near Woland’s cot and which was
clearly depicting the events taking place in the world. She is shown Abadona.
Margarita
likes Woland’s team: Azazello, Koroviev, cat Begemoth and beautiful Hella.
They
are now getting ready for the ball which was scheduled to start at midnight.
We
shall be with Margarita!
कोई टिप्पणी नहीं:
एक टिप्पणी भेजें
टिप्पणी: केवल इस ब्लॉग का सदस्य टिप्पणी भेज सकता है.