Theholeinthedoorhestoppedupeffectuallywithhisoldovercoat， andalmostbeforeitwaslighthewasalreadyintheyard， asthoughnothinghadhappened， even—innocentguile？
Thedumbmanhadnevershownsuchenergyasonthatday； hecleanedandscrapedthewholecourtyard， pulledupeverysingleweedwithhisownhand， ， hetoiledandlaboredsothateventheoldladynoticedhiszeal.
TwiceinthecourseofthedayGerasimwentstealthilyintoseehisprisoner； whennightcameon， helaydowntosleepwithherinthegarret， notinthehay-loft， andonlyattwoo'clockinthenighthewentouttotakeheraturninthefreshair.
Onthatday， afterwalkingaboutthecourtyardagoodwhilewithher， hewasjustturningback， ， growled—wentuptothefence， sniffed， ， thesuddenbarkwakedherup， herheartpalpitated， andshefeltfaint."Again， thatdog， again？ Thedog， thedogagain？ Oh？"
Stewardinafuryorderedthewholehouseholdtogetup.
MeanwhilethelucklessMumuhadgoneonbarking， whileGerasimtriedinvaintocallheraway， ， sawlightsandshadowsmovinginthewindows， andwithaninstinctofcomingtroubleinhisheart， putMumuunderhisarm， ranintohisgarret， andlockedhimselfin.
Onthenarrowstaircaseleadingtothegarretsatoneguard； ， knockedwithhisfist， shouting， "Openthedoor？"
； thathemusthanditoveratonce， ， pointedtothedog， madeamotionwithhishandroundhisneck， asthoughannouncinghewouldtakeuponhimselfthetaskofkillingMumu.
"Yes， yes，" thelatterassented， nodding，"yes， justso."
Mumu， whowasallthewhilestandingbesidehim， ， smiledscornfully， struckhimselfagainonthebreast， andslammedtothedoor.
Anhourafterallthishubbubthegarretdooropened， ； .
