Behemoth

Fat black cat, walks on hind legs, performs tricks, and later tears the master of ceremonies’ head off before re‑attaching it. The black cat speaks, dons glasses, issues Poplavsky’s passport, commands Azazello, and issues official threats. Behemoth the cat wears a white bow‑tie, opera glasses, and gilded whiskers, holds a chess knight, and engages in a philosophical chess dialogue. Behemoth rubs Margarita’s soles, bursts into the scene, performs magical actions with Neptune’s mouth, drinks cognac, and participates in the surreal ball festivities. Behemoth partakes in the supper, cuts pineapple, throws a second glass of alcohol, and reacts during the gun‑test. Engaged in a chaotic gunfight with police, faked a wound, drank benzene to recover, and escaped through a window with his primus. Joined Koroviev in the currency‑store disturbance, devoured mandarins and herring, set the confectionery counter ablaze, and later attended the Griboedov veranda. Arrived with a salmon, a burnt smock and a landscape, commenting on the fire at Griboedov’s and labeling himself a looter. Behemoth, bored initially, whistles loudly, causing chaos that throws Margarita and damages the pier, then later joins Woland’s departure with guffaws. Behemoth transforms from a fluffy cat into a slim youth demon‑page, losing his tail and fur. The chapter notes the mass killing of black cats, many of which were victims of Woland’s gang.