I dwell in Possibility –
A fairer House than Prose –
More numerous of Windows –
Superior – for Doors –
Of Chambers as the Cedars –
Impregnable of eye –
And for an everlasting Roof
The Gambrels of the Sky –
Of Visitors – the fairest –
For Occupation – This –
The spreading wide my narrow Hands
To gather Paradise –
by Emily Dickinson
THERE WAS ONCE A PRINCE who wished to marry a Princess; but then she must be a real Princess. He travelled all over the world in hopes of finding such a lady; but there was always something wrong. Princesses he found in plenty; but whether they were real Princesses it was impossible for him to decide,for now one thing, now another, seemed to him not quite right about the ladies. At last he returned to his palace quite cast down, because he wished so much to have a real Princess for his wife.
One evening a fearful tempest arose, it thundered and lightened,and the rain poured down from the sky in torrents:besides, it was as dark as pitch. All at once there was heard a violent knocking at the door, and the old King, the Prince’s father, went out himself to open it.
Continue reading
Jedne divne večeri isto tako divni ekonom, Ivan Dimitrič Červjakov, sedeo je u drugom redu fotelja i gledao pomoću dvogleda „Korneviljska zvona“. Gledao je iosećao se na vrhuncu sreće. Kad odjednom… U pripovetkama se često sreće ovo „kad odjednom“. Pisci imaju pravo: život je tako pun iznenañenja! Odjednom mu se lice namršti, oči se upola sklopiše, disanje se zaustavi… skinuo je dvogled sočiju, nagnuo se i…: “a-phi!!!”
Kao što vidite, kinuo je. Kijanje nije zabranjeno nikome i nigde. Kijaju i seljaci i šefovi policije, a ponekad čak i tajni savetnici. Svi kijaju. Červjakov se nije nimalo zbunio, obrisao se maramicom i kao lepo vaspitan čovek pogledao oko sebe: da nije koga slučajno uznemirio svojim kijanjem? Ali se tek sad morao zbuniti.
Video je kako starčić, koji je sedeo ispred njega u prvom redu fotelja, brižljivo briše rukavicom svoju ćelu i vrat i nešto gunđa. Červjakov je u starčiću prepoznao visokog činovnika Brižalova koji je imao rang generala i služio u direkciji saobraćaja. „Uprskao sam ga pljuvačkom!“ pomisli Červjakov. „Nije moj starešina, ali je ipak neprijatno. Treba se izviniti.“ Červjakov se nakašlja, naže se napred i reče šapatom generalu na uvo: “Izvinite, Vaše prevashodstvo, ja sam vas poprskao pljuvačkom… Sasvim slučajno sam…”
“Molim, molim…”
“Tako vam Boga, oprostite. Verujte… nisam hteo.”
Continue reading