It is a question of an unfinished novel by E. L. Mindlin. The writer breaks the usual genre
model. Eight short chapters create a minor form. The name «novel» is an axiological definition.
The author brings the reader into a clear axiological system. The writer created his destiny as a
journey to the world of hidden entities. The main purpose of such movement for Mindlin turned
out to be the idea of ideas: the lost old age of a rejuvenated Faust, «a bowl drained empty». The
novel by Mindlin is characterized by paleontological structure: reconstruction of early «mythological
» principles by analyzing late events. The similar relation can be shown using extensive cultural
materials. For example, Acts of the Martyrs with its martyred topic, G. G. Shwittau’s crosscultural
discourse connected with the Goethe’s conception of «World literature»; the image of
Goethe’s contemporary writer Х. W. Nikolai. Three cities – Moscow, Prague, Berlin – turned into
some kind of theatrical scene presenting the drama of ideas (eschatological motif of «a volatile
city» etc).