The poor little puppy was not more 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.
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