“And occasionally, for their own personal benefit, Dark Others are capable of doing good for the people around them, while Light Others can occasionally cause them harm,” said Anton, nodding again. “That’s right. Although I am surprised that you’re still poring over the basics . . . What does the Day Watch’s fifteenfold advantage over us signify?”

“There are more egotists among people,” said Galina Stanislavovna.

“The Night Watch isn’t as good at looking for future Others,” suggested Denis.

“Both explanations are good,” said Anton. “We won’t try to determine how correct they are just yet. Tell me, in that case, why is the balance between the Watches maintained?”

“Because you’re a Higher Other,” said Denis. “So is Gesar, and Svetlana . . . and Nadenka’s an Absolute Enchantress!”

Gorodetsky nodded.

“That’s right. The Night Watch has significantly fewer members, but at the same time we have a greater number of powerful magicians. And to get back to the previous question, this has been the normal situation over many centuries. There really are more Dark Ones. The Light Ones really are more powerful. Overall, there’s parity. And that, Pavel, is why you shouldn’t use magic for every tiny little thing. Where you can put your trust in science, that’s what you should do.”

Pavel nodded, although, to judge from his expression, Gorodetsky hadn’t convinced him completely.

“Anton, have there ever been any attempts to alter the balance of power?” asked Galina Stanislavovna.

“Of course there have,” said Anton, nodding. “The most far-reaching of them was called the Great October Revolution. Communist ideology was based on altruism and the experiment by the Russian Watches was officially sanctioned. Essentially, it was the greatest intervention by Others in human life after the Renaissance, the Great Plague, and the independence of the North American states.”

“And the Dark Ones allowed it?” Galina asked in amazement.

“Of course. In the first place, they were in our debt . . .”

“For the independence of the USA?” Denis chuckled.

“No, for the Renaissance. And in the second place, the Dark Ones were of the opinion that the dissemination of communist ideology among people was bound to produce an increase in egotism and dark emotions.”

“And were they proved right?” Galina asked indignantly.

“No. We were all wrong. It didn’t change the balance of egotists and altruists at all, in the world at large or in Russia. After that the tacitly accepted general opinion was that the ratio of ‘one to fifteen’ or, more precisely, ‘one to sixteen,’ is a constant that expresses the balance of altruists and egotists among human beings.”

“But what is it in the USA, for instance?” enquired David Saakyan. The seventeen-year-old school pupil had been initiated only a month earlier, and he was interested in absolutely everything.