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第10章 哑巴盖拉辛（第4页）

ItwasthethirdmwhenGerasimcameoutofhisgarret。Hetohisdi，aagain，withtoanyone。Hisface，whichhadalwaysbeenlifeless，aswithalldeafmutes，seemedostoerdiain，butn；hecamebadtothehay-loft。

Night，alightnight。Gerasimlaybreathingheavily，aurningfromsidetoside。

Suddehingpullattheskirtofhiscoat。Hestarted，butdidnotraisehishead，ahiseyestighter。Butagainthereull，strohanbefore；hejumpedupbeforehim，witharingroundherneck，wasMumu，twistingandturning。Aprolongedcryofdelightbrokefromhisspeechlessbreast；hecaughtupMumu，aightinhisarms，shelioseandeyes，andbeardandmoustache，alli…Hestoodalittle，thoughtamiiouslydow，lookedround，andhavingsatisfiedhimselfthatnoonecouldseehim，madehiswaysuccessfullytohisgarret。

Gerasimhadguessedbeforethathisdoghadnotgotlostbyherowndoing，thatshemusthavebeentakenawaybythemistress'sorders；theservantshadexplaiohimbysignsthathisMumuhadsher，aotakehisowhefedMumuwithabitofbread，fondledher，aobed，theomeditating，ahewholenightloinghowhecouldbestcealher。

Atlasthedecidedtoleaveheralldayi，andonlytoeinnowaoseeher，aatnight。

Theholeinthedoorhestoppedupeffectuallywithhisoldoverdalmostbeforeitwaslighthewasalreadyintheyard，asthoughnothinghadhappened，eveguile？

Thedumbmanhadnevershownsuergyasonthatday；hedscrapedthewholecourtyard，pulledupeverysihhisownhand，tuggedupeverystakeiheflarden。Ioiledaeventheoldladynoticedhiszeal。

&hecourseofthedayGerasimwehilyintoseehispriso，helaydowhheri，，andonlyattwoo'thetotakeheraturninthefreshair。

Onthatday，afterwalkingaboutthecoodwhilewithher，hewasjustturningbasuddenlyarustlewasheardbehihesideofthebackstreet。Mumuprickedupherears，growled—wentuptothefeniffed，aoaloudshrillbark。Atthatverytimetheoldladyhadjustfallehesuddenbarkwakedherup，herheartpalpitated，a。"Again，thatdog，agaihedogagain？Oh？"

Stewardinafuryorderedthewholehouseholdtogetup。

&helucklessMumuhadg，whileGerasimtriedinvaintocallheraway，fromthefeurnedround，sawlightsandshadowsmovingintheithaninstiningtroubleiMumuunderhisarm，ranintohisgarret，andlockedhimselfin。

Onthenarrowstaircaseleadisatoneguard；atthedoorwerestandingtwomorewithsticks。Theywentuptothedoor，khhisfist，shouting，"Openthedoor？"

&oodwithinhisdoorway。Stewardtookastepforward。Aoexplaintohimbysignsthatthemistressinsistsonhavinghisdog；thathemusthaowouldbethewerasimlookedathim，poihedog，madeamotionwithhishandrouhoughannouakeupoaskofkillingMumu。

"Yes，yes，"thelatterassented，nodding，"yes，justso。"

Mumu，whowasallthewhilestandingbesidehim，ilywaggiailandprigupherearsinquisitively。Gerasimlookedathim，smiledsfully，struckhimselfagai，ahedoor。

Anhourafterallthishubbubthegarretdooropened，andGerasimshowedhimself。Hehado；hewasleadingMumubyastring。Allthesmallboysiaredathiminsilence。

Heaskedfesoupwithmeatinthecookshop，andsatdownwithhisarmsoable。Mumustoodbesidehislyathimwithherieyes。Hercoatwasglossy；onecouldseeshehadjustbeenbeddown。Hecrumbledsomebreadintoit，cutthemeatupsmall，aeontheground。

Mumubegainginherusualrefinedway，herlittlemuzzledaintilyheldsoasscarcelytoterasimgazedaloher；twobigtearssuddenlyrolledfromhiseyes；ohedog'sbrow，theotherintothesoup。Heshadedhisfacewithhishand。

Gerasimwalkedwithouthaste，stillholdingMumubyastring。Onthehalf-wayhecarriedawaytwobriderhisarm。

&urhebaoaplacewherethereweretw-boatsfasteakes，aoohMumu。Gerasimrowedonandon。Moscowwassoobehind。

&hrewdownhisoars，beoMumu，whowassittingfaghimonadrycrossseat。

AtlastGerasimdrewhimselfuphurriedly，withasortofsigeriiedupthebrickshehadtakenwithstring，madearunroundMumu'sedherupovertheriver，aimelookedather。Shewatchedhimglyandwithoutalywaggiail。

&urnedaway，frowned，andwrunghishands…

GerasimheardnothihequickshrillwhineofMumuasshefell，northeheavysplashofthewater；forhimthedaywassoundlessaasevenightisous。

Whenheopenedhiseyesagaiswerehurryiheriver，eanother；asbeforetheybrokeagai'sside，andonlyfarawaybehindwidecirclesmovedwideningtothebank。

&lyGerasimhadvanishedfromEroshka'ssight，thelatterreturnedhomeahehadseen。"Well，then，"observedStepan，"he'lldrownher。Nowwefeeleasyaboutit。Ifheonisesathing…"

Meaverytime，agiganticfigurewithabagonhisshouldersandastihishand，waseagerlyalysteppingoutalo>

Hewashurryingonwithoutlookingrhomewards，tohisowohisowntry。

Hewalked，hisshouldersthrownbadhischestexpanded；hiseyeswerefixedgreedilystraightbeforehim。