"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.
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