“Let’s say you do,” I stated. “You’ll break through the defenses set up by both the Watches, especially to deal with those who want to intervene like this, and you’ll alter the nature of all the people who have anything to do with power. The president, the ministers, the Duma deputies . . . So?”

Valentin actually started puffing and panting with indignation.

“What do you mean, ‘so’? Corruption would come to an end, the laws would be observed. It would straighten out people’s lives!”

“But you won’t remoralize all the people in the country,” I said gently. “The Dark Ones will be granted the right to payback. And so?”

“So if the authorities have high moral standards . . .”

“Then in a few days they’ll be gobbled up by those who aren’t affected by your spell. Who won’t have any pangs of conscience, doubts, hesitations. An honest politician is an oxymoron. The new arrivals will immediately remind your highly moral elite of all their sins—and they’ll start beating their breasts and repenting without that in any case.”

“Then they can step down!”

“But the new ones won’t be any better.”

“So am I supposed just to do nothing?” Valentin asked, outraged. “Are people simply doomed to suffering? What do you suggest: ‘Don’t touch it until it starts to stink’?”

“Better: ‘Don’t touch if it still works,’ ” I told him. “Valentin, the whole problem is that the regime is a reflection of society. Crooked and grotesque, but still a reflection. And as long as most of the citizens of a country—if they happened to gain power—would steal and regard themselves as better than other people, no remoralization of the ruling circles will change anything. Those politicians who acquire a conscience will leave. And new ones without consciences will take their places. It’s people who have to change, society—”

“You already said that,” Valentin growled.

“Uh-huh. And I can say it again.”

“No, Anton,” Valentin said firmly. “I don’t believe it. That’s your fatigue talking—your pessimism. As well—pardon me for mentioning it—as your own self-interest.”

“How’s that?” I asked in amazement.

“The status quo suits the Night Watch,” Valentin said dismally. “You feed your own sense of self-importance, have a fine life, and you’re afraid of serious changes in society. Maybe you’re simply afraid of being left with nothing to do. If there’s less evil in life, not only will the Day Watch shrink, you won’t be needed either!”

I just shook my head. It had suddenly become quite clear to me that I was wasting my time arguing. Valentin wanted to do good. Swiftly and effectively, with all the bells and whistles. And here I was, muttering something to him about human nature, about how it was impossible to wave a magic wand and bring happiness to everyone.