Мертві душі
Chapter 3
Nextdayitwaslateinthemorningbeforeheawoke.Throughthewindowthesunwasshiningintohiseyes,andtheflieswhich,overnight,hadbeenroostingquietlyonthewallsandceilingnowturnedtheirattentiontothevisitor.Onesettledonhislip,anotheronhisear,athirdhoveredasthoughintendingtolodgeinhisveryeye,andafourthhadthetemeritytoalightjustunderhisnostrils.Inhisdrowsyconditionheinhaledthelatterinsect,sneezedviolently,andsoreturnedtoconsciousness.Heglancedaroundtheroom,andperceivedthatnotallthepictureswererepresentativeofbirds,sinceamongthemhungalsoaportraitofKutuzov14andanoilpaintingofanoldmaninauniformwithredfacingssuchaswereworninthedaysoftheEmperorPaul15.Atthismomenttheclockuttereditsusualhissingsound,andstruckten,whileawoman’sfacepeeredinatthedoor,butatoncewithdrew,forthereasonthat,withtheobjectofsleepingaswellaspossible,Chichikovhadremovedeverystitchofhisclothing.Somehowthefaceseemedtohimfamiliar,andhesethimselftorecallwhoseitcouldbe.Atlengthherecollectedthatitwasthefaceofhishostess.Hisclotheshefoundlying,cleananddry,besidehim;sohedressedandapproachedthemirror,meanwhilesneezingagainwithsuchvehemencethatacockwhichhappenedatthemomenttobenearthewindow(whichwassituatedatnogreatdistancefromtheground)chuckledashort,sharpphrase.
