Childhood

"On the 12th of August, 18-- (just three days after my tenthbirthday, when I had been given such wonderful presents), Iwas awakened at seven o'clock in the morning by Karl Ivanitchslapping the wall close to my head with a fly-flap made ofsugar paper and a stick. He did this so roughly that he hit theimage of my patron saint suspended to the oaken back of mybed, and the dead fly fell down on my curls. I peeped out fromunder the coverlet, steadied the still shaking image with myhand, flicked the dead fly on to the floor, and gazed at KarlIvanitch with sleepy, wrathful eyes. He, in a parti-colouredwadded dressing-gown fastened about the waist with a widebelt of the same material, a red knitted cap adorned with atassel, and soft slippers of goat skin, went on walking roundthe walls and taking aim at, and slapping, flies."