midday
After which Yura found himself standing on his legs , red faced , dishevelled , feeling very miserable and terribly happy at the same time . The day was rushing fast , like a cat that is chased by a dog . Like forerunners of the coming great festival , certain messengers appeared with notes , wonderfully tasty cakes were brought , the dressmaker came and locked herself in with mamma in the bedroom ; then two gentlemen arrived , then another gentleman , then a lady -- evidently the entire city was in a state of agitation . Yura examined the messengers as though they were strange people from another world , and walked before them with an air of importance as the son of the lady whose birthday was to be celebrated ; he met the gentlemen , he escorted the cakes , and toward midday he was so exhausted that he suddenly started to despise life . He quarrelled with the nurse and lay down in his bed face downward in order to have his revenge on her ; but he fell asleep immediately . He awoke with the same feeling of hatred for life and a desire for revenge , but after having looked at things with his eyes , which he washed with cold water , he felt that both the world and life were so fascinating that they were even funny . When they dressed Yura in a red silk rustling blouse , and he thus clearly became part of the festival , and he found on the terrace a long , snow white table glittering with glass dishes , he again commenced to spin about in the whirlpool of the onrushing events .