Page:Oblomov (1915 English translation).djvu/49

Rh he had seen a thousand times before; then he glanced once or twice out of the window, took from a whatnot an article of some sort, turned it over in his hands, looked at it from every point of view, and replaced the same. That done, he resumed his pacing and whistling—the whole being designed to avoid hindering Oblomov from rising and performing his ablutions. Ten minutes passed.

"What is the matter with you?" asked Alexiev suddenly.

"What is the matter with me?"

"I mean, why are you still in bed?"

"I cannot tell you. Is it really necessary that I should get up? "

"Of course it is necessary, for they are waiting for us. Besides, you said that you would like to go."

"To go where? I have no such desire."

"Only this mbmenr you said we would go and lunch at Ovchinin's, and then proceed to the Ekaterinhov!"

"No, I cannot. It would mean my going out into the damp. Besides, rain is coming on. The courtyard looks quite dark."

" As a matter of fact, not a single cloud is in the sky, and the courtyard looks dark only because you never have your windows washed."