The Seventh Proof Ñåäüìîå äîêàçàòåëüñòâî. "Yes, it was about ten in the morning, my esteemed Ivan Nikolayevich," said the professor. – Äà, áûëî îêîëî äåñÿòè ÷àñîâ óòğà, äîñòî÷òèìûé Èâàí Íèêîëàåâè÷, – ñêàçàë ïğîôåññîğ. The poet passed his hand over his face like a man who had just revived and discovered that it was evening at Patriarch's Ponds. Ïîıò ïğîâåë ğóêîş ïî ëèöó, êàê ÷åëîâåê, òîëüêî ÷òî î÷íóâøèéñÿ, è óâèäåë, ÷òî íà Ïàòğèàğøèõ âå÷åğ. The water in the pond had turned black, and a small rowboat was skimming across it; die splash of an oar could be heard from the boat, along with a woman's giggling. Âîäà â ïğóäå ïî÷åğíåëà, è ëåãêàÿ ëîäî÷êà óæå ñêîëüçèëà ïî íåé, è ñëûøàëñÿ ïëåñê âåñëà è ñìåøêè êàêîé-òî ãğàæäàíêè â ëîäî÷êå. There were now people on the benches along the paths, but once again only on the other three sides of the square, not on the side where our friends were having their chat.  àëëåÿõ íà ñêàìåéêàõ ïîÿâèëàñü ïóáëèêà, íî îïÿòü-òàêè íà âñåõ òğåõ ñòîğîíàõ êâàäğàòà, êğîìå òîé, ãäå áûëè íàøè ñîáåñåäíèêè. The sky over Moscow seemed to have paled, and high overhead, shining clearly and distincuy, was a white, not yet golden, full moon. Íåáî íàä Ìîñêâîé êàê áû âûöâåëî, è ñîâåğøåííî îò÷åòëèâî áûëà âèäíà â âûñîòå ïîëíàÿ ëóíà, íî åùå íå çîëîòàÿ, à áåëàÿ. It had become much easier to breathe, and the voices under the linden trees now sounded softer, as often happens in the evening. Äûøàòü ñòàëî ãîğàçäî ëåã÷å, è ãîëîñà ïîä ëèïàìè çâó÷àëè ìÿã÷å, ïî-âå÷åğíåìó. "How come I didn't notice that he managed to spin out a whole tale?" thought Bezdomny in amazement. «Êàê æå ıòî ÿ íå çàìåòèë, ÷òî îí óñïåë ñïëåñòè öåëûé ğàññêàç?.. – ïîäóìàë Áåçäîìíûé â èçóìëåíèè, "Why it's already evening! But maybe he didn't really tell it, maybe I just fell asleep and dreamed it all?" – âåäü âîò óæå è âå÷åğ! À ìîæåò, ıòî è íå îí ğàññêàçûâàë, à ïğîñòî ÿ çàñíóë è âñå ıòî ìíå ïğèñíèëîñü?» But he had to believe that the professor had told the story because otherwise it would mean that Berlioz had dreamed the same thing since the latter, looking attentively into the foreigner's face, said, Íî íàäî ïîëàãàòü, ÷òî âñå-òàêè ğàññêàçûâàë ïğîôåññîğ, èíà÷å ïğèäåòñÿ äîïóñòèòü, ÷òî òî æå ñàìîå ïğèñíèëîñü è Áåğëèîçó, ïîòîìó ÷òî òîò ñêàçàë, âíèìàòåëüíî âñìàòğèâàÿñü â ëèöî èíîñòğàíöà: "Your story is extraordinarily interesting, Professor, even if it bears no relation whatsoever to the gospel accounts." – Âàø ğàññêàç ÷ğåçâû÷àéíî èíòåğåñåí, ïğîôåññîğ, õîòÿ îí è ñîâåğøåííî íå ñîâïàäàåò ñ åâàíãåëüñêèìè ğàññêàçàìè. "I beg your pardon," replied the professor, with a condescending smile, "You of all people should know that absolutely nothing written in the gospels ever happened in actual fact, – Ïîìèëóéòå, – ñíèñõîäèòåëüíî óñìåõíóâøèñü, îòîçâàëñÿ ïğîôåññîğ, – óæ êòî-êòî, à âû-òî äîëæíû çíàòü, ÷òî ğîâíî íè÷åãî èç òîãî, ÷òî íàïèñàíî â åâàíãåëèÿõ, íå ïğîèñõîäèëî íà ñàìîì äåëå íèêîãäà, and if we start citing the gospels as an historical source..." He smiled again, è åñëè ìû íà÷íåì ññûëàòüñÿ íà åâàíãåëèÿ êàê íà èñòîğè÷åñêèé èñòî÷íèê... – îí åùå ğàç óñìåõíóëñÿ, and Berlioz stopped short because he had been saying the very same thing to Bezdomny when they were walking down Bronnaya Street on their way to Patriarch's Ponds. è Áåğëèîç îñåêñÿ, ïîòîìó ÷òî áóêâàëüíî òî æå ñàìîå îí ãîâîğèë Áåçäîìíîìó, èäÿ ñ òåì ïî Áğîííîé ê Ïàòğèàğøèì ïğóäàì. "That's true," Berlioz remarked, "but I'm afraid no one can confirm that what you told us actually took place either." – İòî òàê, – çàìåòèë Áåğëèîç, – íî áîşñü, ÷òî íèêòî íå ìîæåò ïîäòâåğäèòü, ÷òî è òî, ÷òî âû íàì ğàññêàçûâàëè, ïğîèñõîäèëî íà ñàìîì äåëå. "Oh, no! There is someone who can confirm it!" retorted the professor in broken Russian with total self-assurance and suddenly, with a mysterious air, he motioned the two friends to come closer. – Î íåò! İòî ìîæåò êòî ïîäòâåğäèòü! – íà÷èíàÿ ãîâîğèòü ëîìàíûì ÿçûêîì, ÷ğåçâû÷àéíî óâåğåííî îòâåòèë ïğîôåññîğ è íåîæèäàííî òàèíñòâåííî ïîìàíèë îáîèõ ïğèÿòåëåé ê ñåáå ïîáëèæå. They both leaned toward him, one on either side, and he said, without any trace of the accent which seemed to fade in and out, the devil knows why, Òå íàêëîíèëèñü ê íåìó ñ îáåèõ ñòîğîí, è îí ñêàçàë, íî óæå áåç âñÿêîãî àêöåíòà, êîòîğûé ó íåãî, ÷åğò çíàåò ïî÷åìó, òî ïğîïàäàë, òî ïîÿâëÿëñÿ: The fact is..." at this point the professor looked around nervously and began speaking in a whisper, "I myself witnessed the whole thing. – Äåëî â òîì... – òóò ïğîôåññîğ ïóãëèâî îãëÿíóëñÿ è çàãîâîğèë øåïîòîì, – ÷òî ÿ ëè÷íî ïğèñóòñòâîâàë ïğè âñåì ıòîì. I was there on Pontius Pilate's balcony, and in the garden when he was talking with Kaifa, È íà áàëêîíå áûë ó Ïîíòèÿ Ïèëàòà, è â ñàäó, êîãäà îí ñ Êàèôîé ğàçãîâàğèâàë, and on the platform too, but I was there in secret, incognito, so to speak, so I beg you-keep it quiet, and don't breathe a word to a soul! Shhh!" Silence fell, and Berlioz grew pale. è íà ïîìîñòå, íî òîëüêî òàéíî, èíêîãíèòî, òàê ñêàçàòü, òàê ÷òî ïğîøó âàñ – íèêîìó íè ñëîâà è ïîëíûé ñåêğåò!.. Òññ! Íàñòóïèëî ìîë÷àíèå, è Áåğëèîç ïîáëåäíåë. "You... you've been in Moscow how long?" he asked, his voice trembling. – Âû... âû ñêîëüêî âğåìåíè â Ìîñêâå? – äğîãíóâøèì ãîëîñîì ñïğîñèë îí. "I just this minute arrived," replied the professor absently, – À ÿ òîëüêî ÷òî ñèş ìèíóòó ïğèåõàë â Ìîñêâó, – ğàñòåğÿííî îòâåòèë ïğîôåññîğ, and it was only then that the friends had the sense to look straight into his eyes, è òóò òîëüêî ïğèÿòåëè äîãàäàëèñü çàãëÿíóòü åìó êàê ñëåäóåò â ãëàçà whereupon they decided that his left eye, the green one, was completely mad, and the right one was vacant, black and dead. è óáåäèëèñü â òîì, ÷òî ëåâûé, çåëåíûé, ó íåãî ñîâåğøåííî áåçóìåí, à ïğàâûé – ïóñò, ÷åğåí è ìåğòâ. "Well, that explains everything!" thought Berlioz, in confusion, «Âîò òåáå âñå è îáúÿñíèëîñü! – ïîäóìàë Áåğëèîç â ñìÿòåíèè, "He's a crazy German who just arrived, or else he just went off his rocker here at Patriarch's Ponds. That's the story!" ïğèåõàë ñóìàñøåäøèé íåìåö èëè òîëüêî ÷òî ñïÿòèë íà Ïàòğèàğøèõ. Âîò òàê èñòîğèÿ!» Yes, indeed, that did explain everything: the highly bizarre breakfast with the late philosopher Kant, the idiotic talk about Annushka and the sunflower oil, Äà, äåéñòâèòåëüíî, îáúÿñíèëîñü âñå: è ñòğàííåéøèé çàâòğàê ó ïîêîéíîãî ôèëîñîôà Êàíòà, è äóğàöêèå ğå÷è ïğî ïîäñîëíå÷íîå ìàñëî è Àííóøêó, the predictions about a head being cut off, and all the rest of it—the professor was a madman. è ïğåäñêàçàíèÿ î òîì, ÷òî ãîëîâà áóäåò îòğóáëåíà, è âñå ïğî÷åå – ïğîôåññîğ áûë ñóìàñøåäøèé. Berlioz knew immediately what had to be done. Leaning back against the bench, he started winking at Bezdomny behind the professor's back, as if to say, Áåğëèîç òîò÷àñ ñîîáğàçèë, ÷òî ñëåäóåò äåëàòü. Îòêèíóâøèñü íà ñïèíêó ñêàìüè, îí çà ñïèíîş ïğîôåññîğà çàìèãàë Áåçäîìíîìó, "Don't contradict him," but the flustered poet did not understand the signals. – íå ïğîòèâîğå÷ü, ìîë, åìó, – íî ğàñòåğÿâøèéñÿ ïîıò ıòèõ ñèãíàëîâ íå ïîíÿë. "Yes, yes, yes," said Berlioz excitedly, "but of course, it's all possible! – Äà, äà, äà, – âîçáóæäåííî ãîâîğèë Áåğëèîç, – âïğî÷åì, âñå ıòî âîçìîæíî! More than possible, the whole thing, Pontius Pilate, the balcony, and all the rest of it... Did you come here alone or with your wife?" Äàæå î÷åíü âîçìîæíî, è Ïîíòèé Ïèëàò, è áàëêîí, è òîìó ïîäîáíîå... À âû îäíè ïğèåõàëè èëè ñ ñóïğóãîé? "Alone, alone, I'm always alone," the professor replied bitterly. – Îäèí, îäèí, ÿ âñåãäà îäèí, – ãîğüêî îòâåòèë ïğîôåññîğ. "But where are your things, Professor?" Berlioz asked in an insinuating tone. "At the Metropole? Where are you staying?" – À ãäå æå âàøè âåùè, ïğîôåññîğ? – âêğàä÷èâî ñïğàøèâàë Áåğëèîç, – â «Ìåòğîïîëå»? Âû ãäå îñòàíîâèëèñü? "Where am I staying? Nowhere," answered the half-witted German, his green eye wandering sadly and wildly over Patriarch's Ponds. – ß? Íèãäå, – îòâåòèë ïîëîóìíûé íåìåö, òîñêëèâî è äèêî áëóæäàÿ çåëåíûì ãëàçîì ïî Ïàòğèàğøèì ïğóäàì. "What? But... where will you be living?" "In your apartment," replied the madman with sudden familiarity and he winked. – Êàê? À... ãäå æå âû áóäåòå æèòü? –  âàøåé êâàğòèğå, – âäğóã ğàçâÿçíî îòâåòèë ñóìàñøåäøèé è ïîäìèãíóë. "I... I would be delighted," stammered Berlioz, "but you would no dcubt be uncomfortable at my place... – ß... ÿ î÷åíü ğàä, – çàáîğìîòàë Áåğëèîç, – íî, ïğàâî, ó ìåíÿ âàì áóäåò íåóäîáíî... Besides, the rooms at the Metropole are superb, it's a first-class hotel..." À â «Ìåòğîïîëå» ÷óäåñíûå íîìåğà, ıòî ïåğâîêëàññíàÿ ãîñòèíèöà... "And the devil doesn't exist either?" the sick man suddenly inquired cheerily of Ivan Nikolayevich. "And the devil doesn't..." – À äüÿâîëà òîæå íåò? – âäğóã âåñåëî îñâåäîìèëñÿ áîëüíîé ó Èâàíà Íèêîëàåâè÷à. – È äüÿâîëà... "Don't contradict him!"mouthed Berlioz in a soundless whisper, as he dove behind the professor's back and made a face. – Íå ïğîòèâîğå÷ü! – îäíèìè ãóáàìè øåïíóë Áåğëèîç, îáğóøèâàÿñü çà ñïèíó ïğîôåññîğà è ãğèìàñíè÷àÿ. "There is no devil!" exclaimed Ivan Nikolayevich, blurting out what he shouldn't have because all the nonsense going on had made him flustered. "What a nuisance you are! Stop acting like a loon!" – Íåòó íèêàêîãî äüÿâîëà! – ğàñòåğÿâøèñü îò âñåé ıòîé ìóğû, âñêğè÷àë Èâàí Íèêîëàåâè÷ íå òî, ÷òî íóæíî, – âîò íàêàçàíèå! Ïåğåñòàíüòå âû ïñèõîâàòü. At this point the madman produced such a laugh that a sparrow darted out of the linden tree overhead. Òóò áåçóìíûé ğàñõîõîòàëñÿ òàê, ÷òî èç ëèïû íàä ãîëîâàìè ñèäÿùèõ âûïîğõíóë âîğîáåé. "Well, now, this is really getting interesting," cried the professor, shaking with laughter. "What is it with you? Whatever comes up you say doesn't exist" – Íó, óæ ıòî ïîëîæèòåëüíî èíòåğåñíî, – òğÿñÿñü îò õîõîòà ïğîãîâîğèë ïğîôåññîğ, – ÷òî æå ıòî ó âàñ, ÷åãî íè õâàòèøüñÿ, íè÷åã...
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