“Styopa dialed the number of the financial manager of the Variety Theater, Rimsky. Styopa’s position was delicate: to begin with the foreigner might take offense at Styopa’s attempt to verify his words after he had shown the contract; besides it was difficult to speak to the financial manager. After all, one could not say, ‘Tell me, did I sign a contract yesterday with a professor of black magic for thirty-five thousand rubles?’ No, such a question would not do!”
Mikhail Bulgakov, The Master and Margarita (1928-40).
No comments:
Post a Comment