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第10章 哑巴盖拉辛（第3页）

他挺起胸膛迈着大步，一双眼睛幽怨地注视着前方……

Itwasgettingtowardsevening。Hewalkedslowly，watgthe>

Allofasuddenhefahingwasflinthemudclosetothebaoopedover，andsawalittlewhite-and-blackpuppy，who，inspiteofallitsefforts，otgetoutofthewater；itwasstruggling，slippingbadtremblihilebody。

Gerasimpickeduptheunluckylittledogwithonehand，putitintothebosomofhisdhurriedwithlongstepshome>

&ohisgarret，puttherescuedpuppyonhisbed，covereditwithhisthickoverfirsttothestableforstraw，ahekitforailk。Carefullyfoldingbacktheoverdspreadiraw，hesetthemilkoead。

&tlepuppywashreeweeksold，itseyeswerejustopeillseemedratherlargerthadidnotknowhooutofaddidnothingbutshiverandbliookholdofitsheadsoftlywithtwofingers，atlehemilk。Thepupsuddenlybeganlappinggreedily，sniffing，shakingitself，andg。

Allnightloingocovered，andrubbingitdry。Hefellasleephimselfatlast，alyandhappilybyitsside。

NomothercouldhavelookedafterherbabyasGerasimlookedafterhislittlenursling。Atfirstshe—forthepupturobeabitch—wasveryweak，feeble，andugly，butbydegreesshegrewstrongerandimprovedinlooks，and，thankstotheunflaggingcareofherpreserver，ihs'timeshewastraoaveryprettydogofthespahlongears，abushyspiraltail，andlarge，expressiveeyes。

Shewasdevotedlyatta，andwasneverayardfromhisside；shealwaysfollowedhimaboutwaggiail。HecalledherMumu。Alltheservantsinthehouselikedher，andcalledherMumu，too。

Shewasveryi，shewasfriendlywitheveryowasonlyferasim，onhisside，lovedherpassionately，alikeitwherokedher；whetherhewasafraidforher，orjealous—Godknows？

&owakehiminthem，pullingathiscoat；sheusedtotakethereih，andbringhimuptheoldhorsethatcarriedthehomshewasonveryfriendlyterms。

Withafaceofgreatimportaogowithhimtotheriver；sheusedtowatsandspades，andneverallowedaogointohisgarret。

&alittleholeinhisdooronpurposeforher，aofeelthatonlyinGerasim'sgarretsheletelymistressandathome；alysheweojumpwithasatisfiedairuposleepatall，butsheneverbarkedwithoutsuffitcause，likesomestupidhouse-dog，who，sittingonitshind-legs，blinking，withitsheair，barkssimplyfromdullhestars，usuallythreetimesinsuumu'sdelicatelittlevoieverraisedwithoutgoodreasorangerassihefeherewassomesuspidorrustlesomewhere…Infact，shewasach-dog。

Mumuhemistress'shouse；andwhenGerasimcarriedwoodintotherooms，shealwaysstayedbehind，impatientlywaitingforhimatthesteps，prigupherearsandturhtaheslightestcreakofthedoor…

Onefiheoldladyandd-roomwithherdependants。Shewasinhighspirits；shelaughedandmadejokes。Whehewindow，theladycaughtsightna>

"Merus？"shecriedsuddenly，"whatdogisthat？Butit'saglittledog？Orderitthtihtin。"

Thepaohehall。"Boy，boy？"sheshouted，&quMumuinatoe，Stepan？"

Gerasim，whowasatthatinstaogoutandgabarrel，turningitupsidedowninhishandslikea。Stepanhurriedlyexplaiohimbysignsthatthemistresswahedhtinterasimwasalittleastonished；hecalledMumu，however，pickedherup，andhaoStepan。

Steparoom，andputherdowfloor。Theoldladybegangthedogtoherinagvoice。

Mumu，whohadneverinherlifebeeninsuifitapartments，wasverymuchfrightened，andmadearushforthedoor，but，beingdrivenbackbytheobsequiousSteparembling，andhuddledcloseupagainstthe>

"Mumu，Mumu，etoyourmistress，"saidthelady，"e，sillything…don'tbeafraid。"

ButMumulookedroundheruneasily，anddidnotstir。Stepanbroughtinasauilk，adownbeforeMumu，butMumuwouldnotevensniffatthemilk，andstillshivered，andlookedroundasbefore。

"Ah，whatasillyyouare？"saidthelady，andgoinguptoher，shestoopeddown，andwasabouttostrokeher，butMumuturly，aeeth。Theladyhurriedlydrewbad。

"Takeheraway，"saidtheoldladyinagedvoice。"Wretchedlittledog？itefulcreature？"

&msheorderedstewardtobesummonedahanusual。"Tellme，please，"shesaid，"whatdogwasthatbarkingallnightinouryard？Itwouldn'tletmesleep？Wehaveayarddog，haven'thymore？antmsfor？Andwhatdoesthedumbmanwantwithadog？Whogavehimleavetokeepdogsinmyyard？YesterdayIwenttothewindow，awaslyingintheflarden；ithaddraggediwasgnawing，andmyrosesarepla;

"Yes，Mistress。"ThesteeredsomeinstrustoStepan，towhirespohsomethiweenayawnandalaugh。

&eshadnotpassedbeferasimmadehisappearahahugebundleofhewnlogsonhisbapaheinseparableMumu。Gerasimturnedsidewaysbeforethedoor，shoveditopenwithhisshoulder，aothehousewithhisload。Mumu，asusual，stayedbehindtowaitforhim。ThenStepan，seizinghislypounher，likeakiteona，heldherdowntatheredherupinhisarms，andwithoutevenputtingonhisoutoftheyardwithher，gotiflyhemet，aoamarket-place。Therehesoonfoundapurhesoldherforashilling，onthathewouldkeepherforatleastaweektiedup；theonce。

OningoutofthehouseGerasimhadatoncemissedMumu。Heneverrememberedherfailingtowaitforhisreturn，andbeganrunningupanddown，lookingforher，andgherinhisownway…Herusheduptohisgarret，uptothehay-loft，ranouti，thiswayandthat…

&？

&otheotherserfs，withthemostdespairingsighemabouther，pointifromtheground，desgherwithhishands…ThenGerasimranrightawayoutoftheyard。Itwasdarkbythetimehecamebahisworn-outlook，hisunsteadywalk，andhisdustyclothes，itmightbesurmisedthathehadbeenrunningoverhalfMoscow。

Everyoerhim，butnoonesmiledorsaidaword，aivepostilionAedmithatthedumbmanhadbeengroaningallnight。