Ivan Nikolaevich Ponyrev (Homeless)

Young poet accompanying Berlioz, engaged in a debate about Jesus and encounters a mysterious foreign professor. Homeless observes the professor’s madness and the tram accident, remains alive Ivan suffers paralysis, chases the foreign professor, encounters a cat, enters apartment 13, experiences a bathroom misunderstanding, swims in the Moscow River and loses his clothes. Returned to Griboedov's, now described as barefoot, wearing a torn Tolstoy blouse, striped drawers, carrying a lit wedding candle, with a fresh scratch on his cheek, and delivering a frantic speech about a mysterious consultant who killed Berlioz. Behaves violently, claims he is healthy, shouts at the doctor, reveals he is 23, was in his underwear after swimming in the Moscow River, attempts to call police, speaks of a foreign consultant linked to Pontius Pilate, is sedated and diagnosed with schizophrenia and alcoholism, and is transferred to a private room for observation. Ivan awakens in a psychiatric clinic, undergoes a full medical examination, meets the chief doctor, is offered paper and pencil, and is advised to remain in the clinic for his own safety. Ivan receives an injection, calms down, sees a rainbow, reflects on his situation, and experiences an internal dialogue before falling asleep. Provides extensive dialogue with the mysterious visitor, confirms his poet profession and nickname 'Homeless', and learns about the visitor's past. After many years, Homeless follows a ritual each spring full moon at Patriarch’s Ponds, experiencing visions and a nightly pilgrimage to a mysterious mansion.