© Copyright Victor Pelevin


Sometimes hidden behind the smooth stone faces of these idols are labyrinths of cracks and hollows, inhabited by various kinds of birds.
Joseph Lavender, "Easter Island"
He didn't remember such a cold winter in Vienna yet. Every time the
door opened and a cloud of cold air flew into the cafe, he shivered a
little. For a long time no new visitors came, and Sigmund fell into a light
senile nap, but now the door banged again, and he raised his head to look.
Two newcomers just entered the cafe -- a whiskered gentleman and a lady
with a high chignon.
The lady held a long sharp umbrella in her hands.
The gentleman carried a small purse decorated by dark shiny furs, a
little moist from the melted snowflakes.
They stopped at the hat rack and began undressing: the man took off his
overcoat, hung it on a peg, and then tried to hang his hat on one of the
long wooden knobs that jutted out of the wall above the hat rack, but
missed, and the hat fell out of his hand and down on the floor. The man
muttered something, lifted his hat and hung it finally on the knob; then he
hurried to help her take off her furcoat. Relieved of the furcoat, the lady