than three weeks old, its eyes were just open—­one eye still seemed rather larger than the other; it did not know how to lap out of a cup, and did nothing but shiver and blink.  Gerasim took hold of its head softly with two fingers, and dipped its little nose into the milk.  The pup suddenly began lapping greedily, sniffing, shaking itself, and choking.  Gerasim watched and watched it, and all at once he laughed outright. . . .  All night long he was waiting on it, keeping it covered, and rubbing it dry.  He fell asleep himself at last, and slept quietly and happily by its side.

No mother could have looked after her baby as Gerasim looked after his little nursling.  At first she—­for the pup turned out to be a bitch—­was very weak, feeble, and ugly, but by degrees she grew stronger and improved in looks, and, thanks to the unflagging care of her preserver, in eight months’ time she was transformed into a very pretty dog of the spaniel breed, with long ears, a bushy spiral tail, and large, expressive eyes.  She was devotedly attached to Gerasim, and was never a yard from his side; she always followed him about wagging her tail.  He had even given her a name—­the dumb know that their inarticulate noises call the attention of others.  He called her Mumu.  All the servants in the house liked her, and called her Mumu, too.  She was very intelligent, she was friendly with every one, but was only fond of Gerasim.  Gerasim, on his side, loved her passionately, and he did not like it when other people stroked her; whether he was afraid for her, or jealous—­God knows!  She used to wake him in the morning, pulling at his coat; she used to take the reins in her mouth, and bring him up the old horse that carried the water, with whom she was on very friendly terms.  With a face of great importance, she used to go with him to the river; she used to watch his brooms and spades, and never allowed any one to go into his garret.  He cut a little hole in his door on purpose for her, and she seemed to feel that only in Gerasim’s garret she was completely mistress and at home; and directly she went in, she used to jump with a satisfied air upon the bed.  At night she did not sleep at all, but she never barked without sufficient cause, like some stupid house-dog, who, sitting on its hind-legs, blinking, with its nose in the air, barks simply from dullness, at the stars, usually three times in succession.  No!  Mumu’s delicate little voice was never raised without good reason; either some stranger was passing close to the fence, or there was some suspicious sound or rustle somewhere. . . .  In fact, she was an excellent watch-dog.  It is true that there was another dog in the yard, a tawny old dog with brown spots, called Wolf, but he was never, even at night, let off the chain; and, indeed, he was so decrepit that he did not even wish for freedom.  He used to lie curled up in his kennel, and only rarely uttered a sleepy, almost noiseless bark, which broke off at once, as though he were himself aware of its uselessness.  Mumu never went into the mistress’s house; and when Gerasim carried wood into the rooms, she always stayed behind, impatiently waiting for him at the steps, pricking up her ears and turning her head to right and to left at the slightest creak of the door . . .