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155 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1925
"The whole horror of the situation is that he now has a human heart, not a dog's heart. And about the rottenest heart in all creation!"
"But just think, Philipp Philippovich, what he may turn into if that character Shvonder keeps on at him! I'm only just beginning to realize what Sharikov may become, by God!"
"Aha, so you realize now, do you? Well I realized it ten days after the operation. My only comfort is that Shvonder is the biggest fool of all. He doesn't realize that Sharikov is much more of a threat to him than he is to me. At the moment he's doing all he can to turn Sharikov against me, not realizing that if someone in their turn sets Sharikov against Shvonder himself, there'll soon be nothing left of Shvonder but the bones and the beak."
'But Philipp Philippovich, you're a celebrity, a figure of world-wide importance, and just because of some, forgive the expression, son of a bitch鈥� Surely they can't touch you!'C'mon, we all know that even world-class fame will never save Professor Preobrazhensky from Stalin's labor camps as eventually his higher-up protectors will themselves become victims of the new regime, and likely from a gunshot to the head in the middle of the night. And Bormental's fate will undoubtedly be very similar to that - just as Professor kinda-sorta anticipated already. After all, neither of them has made their unpopular views very secret.
'All the same, I refuse to do it,' said Philipp Philippovich thoughtfully. He stopped and stared at the glass-fronted cabinet.
'But why?'
'Because you are not a figure of world importance.'
'But what鈥�'
'Come now, you don't think I could let you take the rap while I shelter behind my world-wide reputation, do you? Really鈥� I'm a Moscow University graduate, not a Sharikov.'
'Yes, I don't like proletariat,' sadly agreed Philipp Philippovich."
'What do you mean by "ruin"? Is it an old woman with a stick? A witch who smashed all the windows and put out all the lights? There's no such thing! What do you mean by that word?' Philipp Philippovich angrily inquired of an unfortunate cardboard duck hanging upside down by the sideboard, then answered the question himself. 'I'll tell you what it is: If instead of operating every evening I were to start a glee club in my apartment, that would mean that I was on the road to "ruin". If when I go to the lavatory I don't piss, if you'll excuse the expression, into the bowl but on to the floor instead and if Zina and Darya Petrovna were to do the same thing, the lavatory would be ruined. Ruin, therefore, is not caused by lavatories but it's something that starts in people's heads. So when these clowns start shouting 鈥淪top the ruin!鈥� 鈥� I laugh!'..............
'I'm sorry, professor, not a dog. This happened when he was a man. That's the trouble.'And this respect for culture and etiquette and civility is what permeates the message of this book. This respect for what Bulgakov sees as the essentials of being human are precisely what puts him in the conflict with his contemporary Soviet state that believed in intimidation and terror as the viable way of governing and existing - the principles that newly formed humanoid Sharikov is very eager to learn and internalize. And neither Bulgakov nor Professor Preobrazhensky or Bormental are having that.
'Because he talked?' asked Philipp Philippovich. 'That doesn't mean he was a man."
"Kindness. The only possible method when dealing with a living creature. You'll get nowhere with an animal if you use terror, no matter what its level of development may be. That I have maintained, do maintain and always will maintain. People who think you can use terror are quite wrong. No, no, terror is useless, whatever its colour 鈥� white, red or even brown! Terror completely paralyses the nervous system."
"Nobody should be whipped. Remember that, once and for all. Neither man nor animal can be influenced by anything but suggestion."
鈥楾he only possible way to deal with a living creature. Terror's useless for dealing with an animal, whatever level of development it might be at. I've always said that, I still say it and I always will. They're wrong to think that terror will do them any good. No sir, no sir, it won't, no matter what colour it is: white, red or even brown!鈥�
鈥楽cience does not yet know any way of turning animals into human beings. This was my attempt, but an unsuccessful one, as you can see. He spoke for a while and then began to revert to his original primitive condition.鈥�
Wasn't getting in his way, was I? Not going to eat the entire National Economic Council into ruin if I have a rummage in the rubbish tip, am I? Rotten stingy swine! Just take a look at that fat ugly mug of his some time: wider across than it is long. A real brazen-faced thief. [鈥 The dry blizzard witch rattled the gates and swiped her broomstick across the young woman's ear. Tossed her skirt up to her knees, exposing the cream stockings and a narrow strip of badly laundered underwear, choked off her words and smothered the dog in snow.
What harm was I doing him, anyway? I'm not robbing the National Economic Council's food supply if I go foraging in their dustbins, am I? Greedy pig! Just take a look at his ugly mug 鈥� it's almost fatter than he is. Hard-faced crook. [鈥 The terrible snowstorm howled around the doorway, buffeting the girl's ears. It blew her skirt up to her knees, showing her fawn stockings and a little strip of badly washed lace underwear, drowned her words and covered the dog in snow.
What harm did I do him? Would the People's Economic Soviet get any poorer if I rooted in the garbage heap? The greedy brute! Take a look at that mug of his sometimes鈥攊t's wider than it's long. A crook with a brass jowl. [鈥 The wind, that raging witch, rattled the gate and boxed the young lady on the ear with its broom. It blew up her skirt above her knees, baring the cream-colored stockings and a narrow strip of the poorly laundered lace panties. It drowned out her words and swept across the dog.
鈥淭he rule apparently is鈥攐nce a social revolution takes place there鈥檚 no need to stoke the boiler. But I ask you: why, when this whole business started, should everybody suddenly start clumping up and down the marble staircase in dirty galoshes and felt boots? Why must we now keep our galoshes under lock and key? And put a soldier on guard over them to prevent them from being stolen? Why has the carpet been removed from the front staircase? Did Marx forbid people to keep their staircases carpeted? Did Karl Marx say anywhere that the front door of No. 2 Kalabukhov House in Prechistenka Street must be boarded up so that people have to go round and come in by the back door? What good does it do anybody? Why can鈥檛 the proletarians leave their galoshes downstairs instead of dirtying the staircase?鈥�
鈥楤ut the proletarians don鈥檛 have any galoshes, Philip Philipovich,鈥� stammered the doctor.鈥�
鈥淧eople who think you can use terror are quite wrong. No, no, terror is useless, whatever its colour鈥攚hite, red or even brown! Terror completely paralyses the nervous system.鈥�
Eyes mean a lot. Like a barometer. They tell you everything鈥攖hey tell you who has a heart of stone, who would poke the toe of his boot in your ribs as soon as look at you鈥攁nd who鈥檚 afraid of you. The cowards鈥攖hey鈥檙e the ones whose ankles I like to snap at. If they鈥檙e scared, I go for them. Serve them right..grrr..bow-wow鈥︹€�
賳讴賳丿 賲賳 亘丕 夭蹖乇 賵 乇賵 讴乇丿賳 丌卮睾丕賱丿丕賳蹖 亘賴 爻賴賲 卮賵乇丕蹖 丕賯鬲氐丕丿 賲乇丿賲蹖 丿爻鬲鈥屫必ж槽� 讴乇丿賴鈥屫з�.
賲毓賱賵賲 賳蹖爻鬲 讴賴 丿乇 丕蹖賳 睾匕丕禺賵乇蹖鈥屬囏й� 毓賲賵賲蹖 卮賵乇丕 趩賴 睾賱胤蹖 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗁嗀� 亘賴 毓賯賱 爻诏 賴賲 賳賲蹖鈥屫必池�!
鬲賲丕賲 丕蹖賳 噩丕乇 賵 噩賳噩丕賱 爻賵爻蹖丕賱蹖爻鬲蹖 趩蹖夭蹖 賳蹖爻鬲 噩夭 賴匕蹖丕賳 蹖讴 匕賴賳 亘蹖賲丕乇.
賳鬲蹖噩賴 賲蹖鈥屭屫臂屬� 讴賴 賵蹖乇丕賳蹖 鬲賵蹖 賲爻鬲乇丕丨 賳蹖爻鬲 亘賱讴賴 丿乇 讴賱賴鈥屬囏ж池�! 亘乇丕蹖 賴賲蹖賳 丕爻鬲 讴賴 賵賯鬲蹖 丕蹖賳 丌賵丕夭賴鈥屫堌з嗏€屬囏� 毓乇亘丿賴 賲蹖鈥屭┴促嗀� 讴賴 芦賲乇诏 亘乇 賵蹖乇丕賳蹖禄 賲賳 禺賳丿賴鈥屫з� 賲蹖鈥屭屫必�. 丕蹖賳 卮毓丕乇 蹖毓賳蹖 丕蹖賳 讴賴 賴乇讴丿丕賲 丕夭 丌賳鈥屬囏� 亘蹖丕蹖丿 賲丨讴賲 亘讴賵亘丿 倬爻 讴賱賴鈥屰� 禺賵丿卮!
卮賲丕 賲賵噩賵丿蹖 賴爻鬲蹖丿 讴賴 賴賳賵夭 丕夭 賳馗乇 毓賯賱蹖 囟毓蹖賮 丕爻鬲. 賴賲賴鈥屰� 丕毓賲丕賱 卮賲丕 丨蹖賵丕賳蹖 丕爻鬲 賵 丌賳 賵賯鬲 卮賲丕貙 丿乇 丨囟賵乇 丿賵 賳賮乇 丌丿賲蹖 讴賴 鬲丨氐蹖賱丕鬲 丿丕賳卮诏丕賴蹖 丿丕乇賳丿貙 亘賴 禺賵丿鬲丕賳 丕噩丕夭賴 賲蹖鈥屫囒屫� 亘丕 亘蹖鈥屫ㄙ嗀� 賵 亘丕乇蹖 賲胤賱賯丕賸 睾蹖乇賯丕亘賱 鬲丨賲賱蹖 賳馗乇蹖丕鬲蹖 丕乇丕卅賴 亘丿賴蹖丿 丿乇 賲賯蹖丕爻 讴蹖賴丕賳蹖貙 讴賴 亘丕蹖丿 賴賲賴鈥屭嗃屫� 乇丕 鬲賯爻蹖賲 讴乇丿貙 賵 賳馗乇蹖丕鬲鬲丕賳 賴賲 亘丕 賴賲丕賳 丕亘毓丕丿 讴蹖賴丕賳蹖 丕丨賲賯丕賳賴 賴爻鬲賳丿.
亘丕 讴賲讴 賲丨亘鬲! 蹖毓賳蹖 亘丕 鬲賳賴丕 乇賵卮 賲賲讴賳 丿乇 乇賮鬲丕乇 亘丕 賲賵噩賵丿丕鬲 夭賳丿賴. 亘丕 丕蹖噩丕丿 鬲乇爻 賵 賵丨卮鬲 丿乇 噩丕賳賵乇丕賳 賴蹖趩鈥屭┴ж臂� 倬蹖卮 賳賲蹖鈥屫辟堌�.
丌賳鈥屬囏� 亘蹖賴賵丿賴 賮讴乇 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗁嗀� 讴賴 丕蹖噩丕丿 鬲乇爻 賵鈥屬堌簇� 讴賲讴卮丕賳 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀�. 賳賴 賯乇亘丕賳貙 讴賲讴 賳賲蹖讴賳丿貙 丕夭 賴乇 賳賵毓 讴賴 賲蹖鈥屫堌з囏� 亘丕卮丿: 爻賮蹖丿貙 爻乇禺貙 蹖丕 丨鬲蹖 賯賴賵賴鈥屫й�. 賵丨卮鬲 爻蹖爻鬲賲 毓氐亘蹖 乇丕 讴丕賲賱丕 賮賱噩 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗀�.
賵賯鬲蹖 丿丕賳卮賲賳丿蹖 亘賴 噩丕蹖 丌賳 讴賴 丿爻鬲鈥屫ㄙ団€屫池� 賵 賴賲诏丕賲 亘丕 胤亘蹖毓鬲 賯丿賲 亘乇丿丕乇丿貙 亘禺賵丕賴丿 丨乇賮 禺賵丿 乇丕 亘賴 讴乇爻蹖 亘賳卮丕賳丿 賵 倬乇丿賴鈥屬囏� 乇丕 亘丕賱丕 亘夭賳丿貙 賳鬲蹖噩賴 亘賴鬲乇 丕夭 丕蹖賳 賳賲蹖鈥屫促堌�.
亘丕蹖丿 讴賳丕乇 賴乇 賳賮乇 蹖讴 倬丕爻亘丕賳 诏匕丕卮鬲 賵 丕蹖賳 倬丕爻亘丕賳 乇丕 賲噩亘賵乇 讴乇丿 鬲丕 噩賵卮 賵 睾賱蹖丕賳 丨賳噩乇賴鈥屰� 賲乇丿賲 賲丕 乇丕 讴賳鬲乇賱 讴賳丿.
賳賴貙 丕夭 丕蹖賳噩丕 亘賴 亘毓丿 爻乇丕睾 賴蹖趩 賳賵毓 丌夭丕丿蹖鈥屫й� 賳賲蹖鈥屫辟堎�. 毓丕丿鬲 讴乇丿賴鈥屫з�. 賲賳 丿蹖诏乇 蹖讴 爻诏 丕卮乇丕賮蹖 賴爻鬲賲貙 蹖讴 賲賵噩賵丿 乇賵卮賳賮讴乇貙 賲夭賴鈥屰� 夭賳丿诏蹖 亘賴鬲乇 乇丕 趩卮蹖丿賴鈥屫з�. 賵 丕氐賱丕 丌夭丕丿蹖 蹖毓賳蹖 趩賴責 丿賵丿 丕爻鬲 賵 爻乇丕亘 賵 氐丨賳賴鈥屫池ж槽�... 賴匕蹖丕賳 丕蹖賳 丿賲賵讴乇丕鬲鈥屬囏й� 賳诏賵賳鈥屫ㄘ� 丕爻鬲.
What a brothel of a flat.
丿乇 鬲乇噩賲賴鈥屰� 賮丕乇爻蹖: 丌倬丕乇鬲賲丕賳 丌亘乇賵賲賳丿蹖 賳蹖爻鬲!
I'm a married woman, but Zina is an innocent girl. It's a good thing I was the one to wake up.
鬲賲丕賲 毓亘丕乇鬲 丿乇 賳爻禺賴鈥屰� 賮丕乇爻蹖: 丨丕賱丕 賲賳 賴蹖趩貙 賵賱蹖 夭蹖賳丕...