Part III

And suddenly the sequence of these thoughts broke off, and Prince Andréy heard (without knowing whether it was a delusion or reality) a soft whispering voice incessantly and rhythmically repeating “ piti-piti-piti ,” and then “ titi ,” and then again “ piti-piti-piti ,” and “ titi ” once more. At the same time he felt that above his face, above the very middle of it, some strange airy structure was being erected out of slender needles or splinters, to the sound of this whispered music. He felt that he had to balance carefully (though it was difficult) so that this airy structure should not collapse; but nevertheless it kept collapsing and again slowly rising to the sound of whispered rhythmic music⁠—“it stretches, stretches, spreading out and stretching,” said Prince Andréy to himself. While listening to this whispering and feeling the sensation of this drawing out and the construction of this edifice of needles, he also saw by glimpses a red halo round the candle, and heard the rustle of the cockroaches and the buzzing of the fly that flopped against his pillow and his face. Each time the fly touched his face it gave him a burning sensation and yet to his surprise it did not destroy the structure, though it knocked against the very region of his face where it was rising.