Oblomov / Обломов. Книга для чтения на английском языке

«Well, pick up what you’ve dropped! Look at him, standing there and admiring his handiwork!»

Zakhar, still holding the tray, bent down to pick up the roll, but as he squatted down, he realized that both his hands were still occupied and he could not possibly do so.

«Well, sir, pick it up!» Oblomov said sarcastically. «Why don’t you? What’s wrong?»

В«Oh, damn you all!В» Zakhar burst out furiously, addressing himself to the articles on the floor. В«Who ever heard of having lunch before dinner?В»

And, putting down the tray, he picked up the things from the floor; taking the roll, he blew on it and then put it on the table.

Oblomov began his lunch, and Zakhar remained standing at some distance from him, glancing at him sideways and evidently intending to say something. But Oblomov went on eating without taking the slightest notice of him. Zakhar coughed once or twice. Oblomov still paid no attention.

«The landlord’s agent, sir, has just called again», Zakhar at last began timidly.

«The builder has been to see him and asked if he could have a look at our flat. It’s all about the conversion, sir…»

Oblomov went on eating without answering a word.

В«SirВ», Zakhar said after a pause, more quietly than ever.

Oblomov pretended not to hear.

В«They say we must move next week, sirВ», Zakhar wheezed.

Oblomov drank a glass of wine and said nothing.

В«What are we going to do, sir?В» Zakhar asked almost in a whisper.

В«I told you not to mention it to me againВ», Oblomov said sternly and, getting up, went up to Zakhar.

Zakhar drew back from him.

В«What a venomous creature you are, Zakhar!В» Oblomov added with feeling.

Zakhar was hurt.

«Me, sir?» he said. «Me venomous? I haven’t killed nobody».

В«Why, of course you are venomousВ», Oblomov repeated. В«You poison my lifeВ».

«No, sir», Zakhar insisted. «I’m not venomous, sir!»

В«Why, then, do you pester me about the flat?В»

В«But what can I do, sir?В»

В«What can I do?В»

«But you were going to write to the landlord, weren’t you, sir?»

В«Well, of course, I will write.

But you must have patience. One can’t do it all at once».

В«You ought to write to him now, sirВ».

«Now, now! I have much more important business to attend to. You think it’s just like chopping wood? Bang – and it’s done? Look», Oblomov said, turning a dry pen in the inkwell, «there no ink in the inkwell, either.