HALFWAY TO THE FRONT DOOR Levin heard a familiar sound of coughing in the hall, but the noise of his own footsteps prevented his hearing it clearly and he hoped he was mistaken. Then he saw the whole of his brother's long bony, familiar figure, and it seemed that there could be no mistake, but he still hoped he was mistaken and that this tall man, who was taking off his overcoat and coughing, was not his brother Nicholas.
Dopo essere sceso giù fino a mezza scala, Levin sentì nell’ingresso un tossicchiare a lui noto; ma lo sentì poco chiaro a causa del rumore dei propri passi e sperò di essersi sbagliato; poi scorse una figura alta, ossuta, nota, e gli parve, non si poteva ormai più sbagliare, eppure ancora lo sperava, che quell’uomo lungo che si toglieva la pelliccia e tossiva fosse suo fratello Nikolaj.