The Master and Margarita. unpleasant, are you afraid of me?

unpleasant, are you afraid of me? "

The same malicious smile contorted Levi's face, and he said, " No, it's because you'll be afraid of me. It won't be easy for you to look me in the face after you killed him."

" Be quiet, " said Pilate, " take some money."

Levi shook his head in refusal, and the procurator continued, " You, I know, consider yourself a disciple of Yeshua, but I can assure you that you have learned nothing from what he tried to teach you. Because if you had, you would certainly have accepted something from me. Remember that before he died, he said that he didn't blame anyone, " — Pilate raised his finger meaningfully, and his face twitched. " And he himself would undoubtedly have taken something from me. You are cruel, and he was not a cruel man. Where will you go? "

Levi suddenly walked over to the table, rested both hands on it, and, staring with burning eyes at the procurator, whispered to him, " Know, Hegemon, that I am going to murder a certain man in Yershalaim. I am telling you this so you will know there will be more blood."

" I, too, know there will be more blood, " replied Pilate. " Your words do not surprise me. You, of course, wish to murder me, isn't that so? "

" I would not be able to murder you, " replied Levi, baring his teeth in a smile, " and I am not stupid enough to expect that I could. But I shall murder Judas of Kerioth, even if it takes me the rest of my life."

A gleam of pleasure shone in the procurator's eyes. Beckoning Levi Matvei closer, he said, " Don't worry yourself, you won't succeed. Judas was already murdered this very night."

Levi jumped back from the table, his eyes staring wildly, and cried out, " Who did it? "

" Don't be jealous, " replied Pilate, baring his teeth, and rubbing his hands, " I'm afraid you weren't his only admirer."

" Who did it? " repeated Levi in a whisper.

" I did it."

Levi's mouth fell open, and he gaped at the procurator, who said quietly, " It wasn't very much, of course, but nevertheless it was I who did it." And he added, " Well, will you take something now? "

Levi thought for awhile, relented, and finally said, " Tell them to give me a piece of clean parchment."

An hour passed. Levi was gone from the palace. Now the only thing that disturbed the early morning silence was the quiet sound of the sentries' footsteps in the garden. The moon was rapidly fading, and at the other edge of the sky the whitish speck of the morning star appeared. The lamps had long been extinguished. The procurator lay on his couch. He slept with his hand under his cheek, breathing soundlessly. Banga slept beside him.