The Old Genie Hottabych

A RESTLESS NIGHT

Before an hour passed, however, he was suddenly awakened by the ringing of the telephone in the hall.

His father answered the phone:

“Hello. Yes. Who? Good evening, Varvara Stepanovna?… I’m fine, thank you. And you? … Volka? He’s asleep… I think he’s quite well. He had a very big supper… Yes, I know. He told us… I’m terribly surprised myself… Yes, that’s probably the only answer… ,. Certainly, he should rest a while, if you have no objections… Thank you very much… Varvara Stepanovna sends you her regards,” his father said to his mother. “She wanted to know how Volka is. She said not to worry, because they think very highly of him, and she suggests he have a good rest.”

Volka strained his ears listening to what his parents were talking about, but unable to make anything out, he fell asleep. This time he slept no longer than fifteen minutes. The telephone rang again.

“Yes, speaking,” he heard his father’s muffled voice. “Yes… Good evening… What?… No, he’s not here… Yes, he’s at home… Certainly he’s at home… That’s quite all right… Good-bye.”

“Who was it?” Volka’s mother called from the kitchen. “It was Zhenya Bogorad’s father. He sounded very worried. Zhenya’s not home yet. He wanted to know whether he was here and if Volka was at home.”

“In my time,” Grandma said, “only hussars came home this late, but when a child…”

Half an hour later the ringing of the telephone interrupted Volka’s sleep for the third time that troubled night. It was Zhenya’s mother. He had still not returned. She wanted them to ask Volka if he knew where he was.

“Volka!” his father called, opening the door. “Zhenya’s mother wants to know where you saw him last.” “At the movies this evening.” “And after the movie?” “I didn’t see him after that.” “Did he say where he was going afterwards?” “No.”

For a long, long time after that, Volka waited for the grown-ups to stop talking about Zhenya’s disappearance (he himself was not the least bit worried, since he was sure Zhenya had gone to the circus in the recreation park to celebrate), but he fell asleep again before they did. This time till morning.

Soon there was a soft splash in the corner. Then the patter of wet bare feet could be heard. Footprints appeared and quickly dried on the floor. Someone invisible was silently pacing the room, humming a plaintive Eastern melody.

The footprints headed towards the table where an alarm clock was ticking away. There was the sound of lips smacking together with pleasure. Then the alarm clock floated into the air, and for a while it hung suspended between the ceiling and the floor. Then it returned to the table and the footprints headed towards the aquarium. Once again there was a splash. Then all was quiet.

Late that night it began to rain. The raindrops pattered on the window, they rustled the leaves of the trees and gurgled in the drain-pipes. At times the rain would die down, and then one could hear the large drops falling into the rain barrel below with a loud, ringing splash. Then, as if having gathered its. strength, the rain would again pour down in torrents.

Towards morning, when the sky was nearly clear of clouds, someone tapped Volka lightly on the shoulder. He was sound asleep and did not waken. Then, whoever it was who had tried to awaken him, sighed sadly, mumbled, and shuffled towards the high stand with Volka’s aquarium. There was a faint splash. Once again a sleepy quiet fell on the room.