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The Master and Margarita. Why, our most precious Director, our diamond from heaven, how quaint you are, answered the magician's assistant in a quavering voice






" Why, our most precious Director, our diamond from heaven, how quaint you are, " answered the magician's assistant in a quavering voice. " Our equipment is always with us. Here it is! Eins, zwei, drei! " He then wiggled his gnarled fingers in front of Rimsky's eyes and suddenly pulled out Rimsky's gold watch and chain from behind the cat's ear. Up until now it had been in the financial director's vest pocket, underneath his buttoned jacket, with its chain looped through the buttonhole.

Rimsky grabbed his stomach involuntarily, the onlookers gasped, and the makeup man, who was peering in through the door, clucked approvingly.

" Could this be your watch? Please take it, " said the fellow in checks, smiling in an overly familiar way as he handed the flustered Rimsky his property on a grubby palm.

" You wouldn't want to get on a streetcar with the likes of him, " whispered the storyteller gaily to the makeup man.

But then the cat pulled a trick that was even more skillful than the one with Rimsky's watch. Suddenly rising from the couch, he walked on his hind paws to the table under the mirror, pulled the stopper out of the carafe, poured some vodka into a glass, drank it, put the stopper back in place, and then wiped his whiskers off with a makeup rag.

This time no one even gasped, mouths simply opened wide, and the makeup man whispered ecstatically, " Now, that's first-class! "

At this point the third bell rang, and everyone, keyed up and anticipating an exciting act, rushed out of the dressing room.

A minute later the lights dimmed in the auditorium, and the footlights came on, casting a reddish glow on the bottom of the curtain. A stout fellow, clean-shaven and cheerful as a baby, wearing rumpled tails and soiled linen, appeared through the brightly lit opening in the curtain and stood before the audience. This was the master of ceremonies, George Bengalsky, well known to all of Moscow.

" And so, citizens, " began Bengalsky, smiling a babylike grin, " now I would like to present..." Here he interrupted himself and began speaking in a different tone, " I see that our audience has increased for the third part of the program. Half the city is here with us today! Just recently I met a friend and said to him, 'Why don't you come and see us? Yesterday half the city was here.' And he says, 'But I live in the other half! ' Bengalsky paused, expecting a burst of laughter, but when none came, he continued, " And so, I would like to present the famous foreign artiste, Monsieur Woland, in a performance of black magic! Of course, you and I know, " here Bengalsky smiled a knowing smile, " that there is no such thing in the world as black magic, and it is nothing other than superstition and that Maestro Woland is simply a master of conjuring technique, a fact which will become obvious in the most interesting part of his performance, that is, when he reveals the secrets behind his technical skill. And so, since we all applaud both expertise


Block Magic ami Its Exposé 101

and its exposé, let us welcome Mr. Woland! "

After delivering this whole spiel, Bengalsky pressed his palms together and waved them in welcoming fashion at the opening in the curtain, whereupon it drew apart with a soft rustle.


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