Vladimir Nabokov. Labios contra labios
Vladimir Nabokov. LIPS TO LIPS
"I suppose he'll deflower her," mused Euphratski. "Mirno, chitateV, mimo!" ("Wrong, reader, wrong!") answered Ilya Borisovich (misinterpreting Turgenev). He smiled rather smugly, gave his manuscript a resettling shake, crossed his fat-thighed legs more comfortably, and continued his reading.
He read his novel to Euphratski bit by bit, at the rate of production. Euphratski, who had once swooped upon him on the occasion of a concert with a charitable purpose, was an emigre journalist "with a name," or, rather, with a dozen pseu