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electrician had replaced a missing electric lamp.
Running past the shooting gallery, he passed through a thick clump of
lilac which screened the blue-painted lavatory. The electrician seemed to
have done his job : the lamp in the men's toilet had been screwed into its
socket and the protective wire screen replaced, but the house manager was
annoyed to notice that even in the dark before the thunderstorm the
pencilled graffiti on the walls were still clearly visible.
'What a . . .' he began, then suddenly heard a purring voice behind
him:
'Is that you, Ivan Savyelich? '
Varenukha shuddered, turned round and saw before him a shortish, fat
creature with what seemed like the face of a cat.
'Yes . . .' replied Varenukha coldly.
'Delighted to meet you,' answered the stout, cat-like personage.
Suddenly it swung round and gave Varenukha such a box on the ear that his
cap flew off and vanished without trace into one of the lavatory pans.
For a moment the blow made the toilet shimmer with a flickering light.
A clap of thunder came from the sky. Then there was a second flash and
another figure materialised, short but athletically built, with fiery
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