The ways of a scientist are mysterious, even to himself. The main character of D. Lodge's novel "It's a Small World" Perce McGarrigle, who is chasing around the world (or rather, all the scientific conferences of the world) after the romantic ghost of his love, the charming Angelique, is destined to be convinced of this. Surprisingly, no matter where Persian travels, he meets approximately the same people, like our old acquaintances (“Academic Exchange”, Nezavisimaya Gazeta Publishing House, 2000) F. Lowe, M. Zapp and other learned men and ladies who still love to have love affairs and get into funny situations - and get out of them with the same academic dignity.