Olga. I will wait for such a day, Rodion.
Rodion. Is that true, Olya? Can I hope?
Olga. Even a mouse in a trap has a right to hope. The question is: for what and for how long? For example, my hope to see your father today has almost died. So, what can I do?
Rodion. Okay, I am going to pledge my dad. Maybe he will have mercy on me and finally send that guy packing.
Olga. I will very much appreciate that!
Rodion. But only if you are coming with me, Olya!
Olga. Are you afraid your dad mopping up on you?
Rodion. I am afraid to leave you alone. What if you disappear like a ghost? Maybe you are not a woman at all.
Olga. Who am I then?! You, smart ass!
Rodion. I mean you are not real. Sometimes it seems to me that you are just my pipe-dream.
Olga. Here is my hand, its of flesh and blood. Can you feel its warm? Hold it tightly. Maybe in such a way you will keep me beside you.
Rodion. Do you really want it?
Olga. Oh, if I only knew what I want!
Rodion holding Olga by her hand comes up to the office door. The voices are heard out of the closed room. Instead of coming in he tried to kiss Olgas hand. She pulls it back and starts listening to the conversation.
Myshevskiy. Thank you for coffee Stalver Udarpayovich.
Golyshkin. Would you like one more cup?
Myshevskiy. If you dont mind professor Id rather jump to the point.
Golyshkin. Sure. So, Mr. Myshevsky if I understood your right you are attracted by the otherworld and its mysteries?
Myshevskiy. Actually, I am a pragmatic professor. Mysteries of the otherworld Well, I will start caring about them when I move to that otherworld. Hopefully, it will happen not so soon. Meanwhile, I am more interested in the mysteries of the living world. I would say, only one of them. And like Orpheus I am ready to follow this mystery down to the kingdom of the dead.
Golyshkin. What is that mystery, Mr. Myshevsky? Is it worth it?
Myshevskiy. It is the elixir-stone.
Golyshkin. So, you are obsessed with the philosophers stone?! I must confess you have disappointed me.
Myshevskiy. But why are you speaking so disdainfully about my obsession, professor?
Golyshkin. After all, it is not even a stone if we consider how it looks like it is a chemical substance. In fact, it is powder required for transmutation of metals into gold.
Myshevskiy. Do you think it really matters how my obsession looks like?
Golyshkin. Sure I do! Doesnt it matter for you how looks a woman who you are going to conquer. Or speaking this dirty modern slang to sleep with.
Myshevskiy. How can you compare these two things!?
Golyshkin. Well, perhaps, I am too quick with my conclusionsPerhaps, you are concerned about other properties of the elixir-stone. You know, if one takes this golden drink in small doses ancient alchemists used to call it аurum potabile it is able to cure any disease, rejuvenate human body and even prolong life.
Myshevskiy. Oh, really? Frankly, I didnt think of that, professor. It is probably because a human being is an egoist by nature. How could he blamed of it? The God created him so.
Golyshkin. However, fortunately, for humanity The God created not all people as egoists. The history contains the examples when some individuals sacrificed their lives for the sake of other people.
Myshevskiy. Well, black sheep occurs in all herds. And after all, if each individual is happy, isnt it enough for all humanity to be happy?
Golyshkin. You are quite a sophist, Mr. Myshevsky, I should tell you. It makes you somewhat similar to your desirable elixir-stone. Your ideas like poison get into peoples minds breaking noble ideals and turn romantic souls into cynics.
Myshevskiy. Id say you are too stern to me, professor.
Golyshkin. Well, lets stop this useless arguing, Mr. Myshevsky. Wed better return to the point of our conversation. Dont you know that the philosophers stone is not more than a fable of ancient alchemists?
Myshevskiy. Yeah, I heard about it. Moreover, this fable had been actively exploited by all sorts of quacks. They made their money on those simpletons who believed in superficial power of the elixir-stone.
Golyshkin. So, you see
Myshevskiy. What about Raimondus Lullius then? Do you know about the Spaniard who lived back in the 14
th
Golyshkin. At that time, all money transactions were made with tin metal. There wasnt much gold in the royal treasury.
Myshevskiy. However, according to the historical documents the royal treasury was filled with gold at the times of Edward the King. It was used for bargaining exclusively big deals with the Hans Republic.
Golyshkin. Even historical documents might contain a sporadic mistake.
Myshevskiy. Okay, lets assume that a quantity of gold was exaggerated. But one cant dispute the fact itself! The golden coins made by Raimondus Lullius have been kept today in the British museums.
Golyshkin. Its a great hoax!
Myshevskiy. Stalver Udarpyatovich! Are you blaming the British King for telling lies?
Golyshkin. Not the King, but the so-called chroniclersе.
Myshevskiy. Professor, why dont you want to believe the simplest explanation? Somehow Raimondus Lullius managed to get the recipe of creating the elixir stone. Or does the time where he lived seem too mysterious to you?
Golyshkin. I would say yes. Medieval period is sunk in the darkness. Some historical chronicles claim that fire-spitting dragons used to dwell at that times. Should I believe them too?
Myshevskiy. Do you mean dragons? Actually, I didnt think of that All is possible However, some elements of Mendeleevs table might be transmuted into gold. That was proven yet in the 20
th
Golyshkin. Yes, it often happens in the process of nuclear reactor working. But the concentration of gold which is emitted in the result of it is too small and too expensive. Obviously, it cant be considered as a reasonable way.
Myshevskiy. Thats why scientists prefer not to take it seriously. Besides, this chemical reaction has some negative impact on functioning of the nuclear reactor itself. However, its a fact.
Golyshkin. So, what does it prove?
Myshevskiy. It proves that transmutation of any metal into gold is possible! The problem is that the recipe of the elixir-stone has been lost in centuries. And all those who knew had turned into ashes long ago.
Golyshkin. Okay, let it be so. But why did you come to see me?
Myshevskiy. The reason is your book, professor. You state that a spirit-rapping is a real opportunity to talk to the dead.
Golyshkin. Wait a minute, Mr. Myshevsky! I think Ive got you! Thats it! You are not going to waste your life making experiments. Why to seat for years in the laboratory bending your head over retorts hoping to see a punch of gold sand on the bottom of one of them one day? No way, thats not for you! Instead of all that you want to get into spiritual contact with one of those who used to know a recipe of the elixir-stone and get the secret of transmutation. Please, correct me, if I am wrong.
Myshevskiy. You are right professor.
Golyshkin. So, who did you chose for this purpose? The Spaniard Lullius? Or Edward the King?
Myshevskiy. That is Hermes Trismegistus.
Golyshkin. My God! You are crazier than I thought.
Myshevskiy. What does surprise you, professor? Nobody knows about the elixir-stone more than Hermes Trismegistus. It was not for nothing that he was called Hermes Trice the Great. It was this Egyptian who introduced the elixir-stone which he received in the result of his alchemic experiments.
Golyshkin. But this is a mythological personality! According to the old legends he was a son of Egyptian Gods Osiris and Isis. He is also often compared to Thoth, the ancient Egyptian wizard God. Most likely this person never existed at all.
Myshevskiy. Actually, he did and even wrote books. Actually, the world learnt about the elixir-stone exactly from his books. Unfortunately, most of the them were destroyed by the fire at the Alexandria library. Those few saved were hidden in the underground caches in the desert by Hermes Trismegistuss adepts.
Golyshkin. Do you really believe all that?
Myshevskiy. Some translations of his books are available today. Unfortunately, they are too distorted. Almost nothing could be understood from them.
Golyshkin. Well, are you sure that during a spirit séance this mythological Egyptian would show up from the other world and open you his secret recipe?
Myshevskiy. Why not? I think many people before me tried to do this. Most of them didnt succeed. But some were lucky.
Golyshkin. It looks like you are absolutely sure, Myshevsky, that Hermes Tricemegistus wouldnt reject you.
Myshevskiy. Not me.
Golyshkin. Why?
Myshevskiy. Because what I need from Hermes Tricemegistus is not the recipe of the elixir-stone. I already know this recipe.
Behind the door Rodion tries to kiss Olgas lips, but she blocks his lips with her hand.
Rodion. Why not, Olya? Dont you like it?
Olga. Hush!
Olga puts her finger on his lips encouraging him to listen to the voices in the room.
Golyshkin. Did you get your recipe from one of those poor translations of that great Egyptian alchemist? Or did you get it from those books destroyed by fire at the Alexandrian library?
Myshevskiy. Dont mock professor. I inherited it from my father.
Golyshkin. Well, well Excuse me, what did your father do?
Myshevskiy. There is nothing supernatural. In his youth he was attracted by archeology. He used to go to archeological expeditions as a simple worker. During one of the expeditions they came across a half destroyed tomb in the desert. While digging my dad found a cache in the wall with an ancient manuscript in it. It was a sheet of parchment half destroyed by time and sand. Some unreadable hieroglyphs were written there. My dad was an honest person, but you should keep in mind, that he was young
Golyshkin. So, he stole the manuscript?
Myshevskiy. I would put it another way. He held it back. Most likely, it was against his own will. As he said later, some supernatural power conquered his will. When my father returned to his consciousness he was sitting in his tent at the camp. He didnt remember how he got there unnoticeable walking from the tomb. The parchment carefully covered with a clean shirt was in his backpack. Later, my dad felt ashamed of what he did but it was too late to get back. Even if he had returned the parchment he would have been blamed for theft anyway and expelled from the expedition. He would have probably been arrested. Stealing of the state property was punished more strictly than murder at those times.
Golyshkin. You know, in the Middle East, they used to cut a hand to a thief. In ancient Russia they used to mark a thief and tear out his nostrils. However, people keep on stealing here and there. I think supernatural power has nothing to do with it. That is human nature. Your father was afraid but had stolen anyway. Why did he need this parchment? I doubt that he understood what it was. Did he really think that somebody would buy this shabby sheet of paper?
Myshevskiy. Let it be your way, professor. Okay, lets assume that supernatural power has nothing to do with it and my dad was a simple wrecker. However, in order to justify him Id like to say the following: for many years my dad had been trying to read what was written on the parchment. He didnt sell this shabby paper as you call it he didnt even try.
Golyshkin. So, did he manage to read it?
Myshevskiy. It took him almost his whole life. For a few years he had been learning that dead language. During the following few decades he had been trying to decipher the words. Hermes Tricemegistus used a special cipher to put down his great secret.
Golyshkin. Are you sure it was Hermes Tricemegistus?
Myshevskiy. Absolutely. As sure as a gun. The parchment was signed by the great Egyptian. But even without it the text spoke for itself. It was a recipe of the elixir-stone.
Golyshkin. So, your dad did he use the recipe?
Myshevskiy. Fortunately, not. By the time when the secret text was deciphered my dad was seriously ill. Soon after that he died. The only thing he did was to hand the parchment to me. He expected that I would fulfill the business of his whole life.
Golyshkin. Wait a second! Why did you say fortunately?
Myshevskiy. Because he didnt feel that frustration that I did. I tried to prepare the elixir-stone.
Golyshkin. And you failed, as far as I understand.
Myshevskiy. After my experiment I received very beautiful crystals of deep-ruby color. It turned out to be Argentum Chloraurate with a high concentration of gold forty four percent! During a fusing process the crystals got golden color. However, it wasnt pure gold as we hoped.
Golyshkin. Perhaps, the alchemists called these crystals the elixir stone.
Myshevskiy. Only quacks and losers did so. I guess Hermes Tricemegistus wrote this recipe especially for them. In order to confuse them, the Egyptian made the recipe look quite naturally, but had changed some ingredient. Perhaps, only one ingredient, but it resulted in just forty four percent of gold in the substance. So, if we manage to open this little secret of the old alchemist we would become fantastically rich, professor!
Golyshkin. You said we? Are you sure?
Myshevskiy. Of course we. I cant deal with this spirit-rapping stuff. All my attempts in it failed. You are an expert in spiritualism. So, I offer you to open a joint venture. My contribution to the authorized fund is the recipe of the elixir-stone willed to me by my dad. And you
Golyshkin. Yes, what about me?
Myshevskiy. Sincere confession of Hermes Tricemegistus.
Golyshkin. Its nonsense! Dont you understand it?
Myshevskiy. Will you believe me if I show you the parchment
Myshevskiy takes something covered with soft cloth out of his briefcase. He unfolds it carefully and shows the manuscript to Golyshkin. He shows it at a distance not letting touch it.
Golyshkin. My God! So it's true!
Myshevskiy. What is the reason for me deceiving you? You can check the veracity of my words yourself.
Golyshkin. Are you going to give me..?
Myshevskiy wraps the manuscript in cloth and hides the package back in his briefcase.
Myshevskiy. Of course, it's not that easy. Only after you promise me to get the spirit of Hermes Trismegistus. So Deal?
Golyshkin. Give me some time to think. I can't make a decision out of the blue like this. After all, I am a philosopher, not an adventurer.
Myshevskiy. I understand, professor. How much time do you need?
Golyshkin. I'll call you. In a week. Or by the end of the month.
Myshevskiy. I'll call you myself. If you dont mind.
Golyshkin. But I don't promise anything!
Myshevsky. Negative answer is also an answer.
Golyshkin. Well, if so
Myshevskiy. Well, its time for me to leave.
Golyshkin. Shall I guide you?
Myshevskiy. No, thanks. I'll find the way.
Golyshkin. It is not so easy. You may get lost in the maze of the rooms.
Myshevsky. It seems to me I've been here before. And that's why I'm fine with it.
Golyshkin. Oh, really? And when?
Myshevsky. Maybe in my previous life. Its genetic memory.
Golyshkin. You are speaking with puzzles, Mr. Myshevsky.
Myshevskiy. There will come a time for clues, professor. I promise you. I'm leaving, but Ill come back. See you!
Golyshkin. But remember I didn't promise anything!
Olga moves away from the door and drags Rodion along with her.