Vladimir Orlov - Danilov the Violist

Then a new house spirit appeared at one of the meetings on Argunovskaya. He had been sent to house twenty-one to fill the vacancy left by Ivan Afanasyevich.

3

His name was Valentin Sergeyevich. He wore a pince-nez on a platinum chain, and when he was amazed by something someone said -- for instance, that the fish Protoperus could get out of its tank and finish off a medium-size cat -- he would toss back his head and say in a piercing tone: "Tse! Tse! Tse! Tse!" These sounds did convey amazement, and also something frightening, or at the very least, menacing. The lazy house spirits from the huge block buildings, who had received the bulk of their education from television, at first nicknamed him Menshevik because of his pince-nez, but then for some reason they began to hold their tongues. The old-timers told Valentin Sergeyevich that it was proper to attend meetings in the club caftan and not in an unfashionable jacket. But Valentin Sergeyevich seemed not to hear, and talk about his jacket died down.

Valentin Sergeyevich was fidgety. He ran with tiny hops from one group to another. Playing cards or chess, he squirmed all the while and confused his opponent with his aggressive "Tse! Tse! Tse! Tse!" In general sitting down across a table or chess board from him was a bad deal, because he always won. The Ostankino old-timers did not know the story of Valentin Sergeyevich's life: The only thing they learned from his personnel file was that he had worked previously somewhere near Kolkhoz Square. That's where Bryus's house was. Peter the Great's Field Marshal Yakov Vladimirovich Bryus, as we know, was interested in the black arts and alchemy -- even in the July heat his guests could ice skate. The smells and fluids from Bryus's stoppers and dishes had the potential to stink up the neighborhood for centuries. What if Valentin Sergeyevich had his eccentricities, too? Maybe his pince-nez chain was made by alchemy. The wise heads of Argunovskaya Street gave this some thought. There was a reason, they decided, that Valentin Sergeyevich had appeared among their peaceful company.

Danilov had once again not attended a meeting of the house spirits in a long time. He had his hands full with human concerns. But one night he dropped in and immediately sensed that there was some sort of bond between him and Valentin Sergeyevich. "He has something for me," Danilov said to himself. He did not approach Valentin Sergeyevich, but waited for the other to reveal himself. However, Valentin Sergeyevich apparently was the patient and willful type, or perhaps was not responsible for his own behavior. He fidgeted and capered not far from Danilov but seemingly did not dare approach him -- as if he were a titular councillor and Danilov a general's daughter. However, Danilov occasionally noted in Valentin Sergeyevich's glance both self-confidence and perhaps a sense of superiority. "A fine specimen!" thought Danilov. Obviously it was not in vain that he had shown Georgii Nikolayevich the door. Now Danilov was angry -- not exactly recklessly angry, but more with the soul-stirring expectation of adventure.

At last Valentin Sergeyevich came over to him and proposed a game of chess.

"For some reason they're all afraid to play me here," he said, apparently with embarrassment.

Danilov sat down with him and soon realized that Valentin Sergeyevich was a strong player. Danilov even began to wonder whether he should play against Valentin Sergeyevich on the level of house spirit or move up a rung.

But he decided after all to play with the power of a house spirit. In ten moves or so, though, Danilov saw that Valentin Sergeyevich was playing in a higher league. His pince-nez radiated an amazing greenish light that began to put thoughts into Danilov's head. "Ah, so that's how it is," he thought. "You ought to be playing against Fischer like this... But I'll turn on a counter system against your light tricks..." He turned it on and moved his white bishop forward.

There was an electric crackle. Valentin Sergeyevich bounced up in his chair and slammed his palms against the edge of the table. Danilov saw that he would checkmate the hawk of the Ostankino chess table on the thirty-sixth move.

"The custom here is to play on the level of house spirits," Danilov said. "Your violation of the rules could be misinterpreted."

"You ... you!" Valentin Sergeyevich spoke nervously. "All you can do is play chess and the viola. And only because you bought a good Albani instrument for three thousand. If you had a poor instrument they'd throw you out of the orchestra! ... And you want to play the viola d'amore, and you can't!"

"What do you know about the viola d'amore!" Danilov said. "You cannot speak about that which you don't know and about which you dare not speak."

"But I do!" screeched Valentin Sergeyevich.

He turned around at this point, but the house spirits had long ago huddled into the corners of the unpleasant room, as if to show they had no interest whatsoever in the conversation between Danilov and Valentin Sergeyevich.

"You're nervous," Danilov said. "Keep it up and you'll be checkmated sooner than your game deserves."

Danilov was angry himself. "The scoundrel!" But he appeared calm.

"So, you sympathize with Georgii Nikolayevich," Danilov said, taking a white pawn.

"You guessed wrong, Vladimir Alekseyevich!" said Valentin Sergeyevich with a laugh. "You are known to be frivolous, but you could have understood this... What do you and I care for Georgii Nikolayevich? He's a correct house spirit. But small potatoes, nothing! He's sick, fine, let him be sick. My interest in you is for a different reason! If it can be called an interest."

"What are you so excited about?"

"I'd heard about you a long time ago. You annoy me. Bother me. You're not high-ranking, you're even illegitimately born. And yet you permit yourself such ... I heard about you and practically wept. I thought, is there any justice?"

"And, is there?"

"There is, Vladimir Alekseyevich, there is! Here it is!"

And Valentin Sergeyevich brought his hand up to Danilov's face and spread his fingers. On his hand appeared a rectangle of shiny paper, resembling a visiting card. It was a summons.

"Just like pirates," Danilov said. "Why don't you have a skull and crossbones on it?"

"He who laughs last..."

"Why, have you been sent to punish me?"

"No," said Valentin Sergeyevich quickly, as if he were afraid. "I'm a courier."

"Then know your place," Danilov said.

"How arrogant you are!" screeched Valentin Sergeyevich once more. "I may be a minor figure, but I am performing official duties, and this is not the time for you to be insolent! You don't seem to understand -- you have been given Time X."

In crimson symbols the announcement of Time X appeared on the shiny rectangle. Danilov, despite trying to keep up a brave front, felt a chill. "It's probably not today or tomorrow, or even next month!" he said to console himself. But he no longer had his former insouciance.

"Your move," Valentin Sergeyevich said.

"Yes!" Danilov came back to the game.

Danilov looked at the board and saw that a rook he had taken a long time ago -- seven moves before -- had reappeared. He looked at the record of moves and discovered a notation made in his own hand, but which had no basis in reality, that also showed the white rook on the board. Danilov forgot about the summons. He was not about to take chicanery like that! He was ready to turn this trickster, emboldened by his job, to ashes! But then Danilov recalled the fire in Planerskaya and the flu epidemic and thought that perhaps Valentin Sergeyevich was purposely provoking him to make a scene. So he exercised his willpower. Otherwise Argunovskaya Street might have been turned into a long stretch of black, empty lots with charred stumps. A sneaky thought occurred to Danilov: "Why don't I let him have the bishop, too, just like that," he decided, "and then we'll see ..." Valentin Sergeyevich greedily grabbed the set-up bishop, like a streetcar fare box sucks up a copper coin. But he hesitated, then gave Danilov a confused and pathetic look. His eyelashes began to flutter and color with phosphorescent tints.