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