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Page 8
"Mercy on us!" she cried suddenly; "what dog is that?"
The companion, addressed by the old lady, hesitated, poor thing, in that
wretched state of uneasiness which is common in any person in a
dependent position who doesn't know very well what significance to give
to the exclamation of a superior.
"I d . . . d . . . don't know," she faltered; "I fancy it's the dumb man's
dog."
"Mercy!" the lady cut her short; "but it's a charming little dog! order
it to be brought in. Has he had it long? How is it I've never seen it
before? . . . Order it to be brought in."
The companion flew at once into the hall.
"Boy, boy!" she shouted; "bring Mumu in at once! She's in the flower-
garden."
"Her name's Mumu then," observed the lady; "a very nice name."
"Oh, very, indeed!" chimed in the companion. "Make haste, Stepan!"
Stepan, a sturdy-built young fellow, whose duties were those of a
footman, rushed headlong into the flower-garden, and tried to capture
Mumu, but she cleverly slipped from his fingers, and with her tail in
the air, fled full speed to Gerasim, who was at that instant in the
kitchen, knocking out and cleaning a barrel, turning it upside down in
his hands like a child's drum. Stepan ran after her, and tried to catch
her just at her master's feet; but the sensible dog would not let a
stranger touch her, and with a bound, she got away. Gerasim looked on
with a smile at all this ado; at last, Stepan got up, much amazed, and
hurriedly explained to him by signs that the mistress wanted the dog
brought in to her. Gerasim was a little astonished; he called Mumu,
however, picked her up, and handed her over to Stepan. Stepan carried
her into the drawing-room, and put her down on the parquette floor. The
old lady began calling the dog to her in a coaxing voice. Mumu, who had
never in her life been in such magnificent apartments, was very much
frightened, and made a rush for the door, but, being driven back by the
obsequious Stepan, she began trembling, and huddled close up against the
wall.
"Mumu, Mumu, come to me, come to your mistress," said the lady; "come,
silly thing . . . don't be afraid."
"Come, Mumu, come to the mistress," repeated the companions. "Come
along!"
But Mumu looked round her uneasily, and did not stir.
"Bring her something to eat," said the old lady. "How stupid she is! she
won't come to her mistress. What's she afraid of?"
"She's not used to your honor yet," ventured one of the companions in a
timid and conciliatory voice.
Stepan brought in a saucer of milk, and set it down before Mumu, but
Mumu would not even sniff at the milk, and still shivered, and looked
round as before.
"Ah, what a silly you are!" said the lady, and going up to her, she
stooped down, and was about to stroke her, but Mumu turned her head
abruptly, and showed her teeth. The lady hurriedly drew back her
hand. . . .
A momentary silence followed. Mumu gave a faint whine, as though she
would complain and apologize. . . . The old lady moved back, scowling.
The dog's sudden movement had frightened her.
"Ah!" shrieked all the companions at once, "she's not bitten you, has
she? Heaven forbid! (Mumu had never bitten any one in her life.) Ah!
ah!"
"Take her away," said the old lady in a changed voice. "Wretched little
dog! What a spiteful creature!"
And, turning round deliberately, she went towards her boudoir. Her
companions looked timidly at one another, and were about to follow her,
but she stopped, stared coldly at them, and said, "What's that for,
pray? I've not called you," and went out.
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