Free eBooks at Planet eBook.com ket-place.
‘I am late,’ answered Krassotkin. ‘I was detained by cir-
cumstances. You won’t be thrashed for coming with me?’
‘Come, I say, I’m never thrashed! And you’ve got Perez-
von with you?’
‘Yes.’
‘You’re taking him, too?’
‘Yes.’
‘Ah! if it were only Zhutchka!’
‘That’s impossible. Zhutchka’s non-existent. Zhutchka is
lost in the mists of obscurity.’
‘Ah! couldn’t we do this?’ Smurov suddenly stood still.
‘You see Ilusha says that Zhutchka was a shaggy, greyish,
smoky-looking dog like Perezvon. Couldn’t you tell him
this is Zhutchka, and he might believe you?’
‘Boy, shun a lie, that’s one thing; even with a good ob-
ject- that’s another. Above all, I hope you’ve not told them
anything about my coming.’
‘Heaven forbid! I know what I am about. But you won’t
comfort him with Perezvon,’ said Smurov, with a sigh. ‘You
know his father, the captain, ‘the wisp of tow,’ told us that
he was going to bring him a real mastiff pup, with a black
nose, to-day. He thinks that would comfort Ilusha; but I
doubt it.’
‘And how is Ilusha?’
‘Ah, he is bad, very bad! I believe he’s in consumption: he
is quite conscious, but his breathing! His breathing’s gone
wrong. The other day he asked to have his boots on to be
led round the room. He tried to walk, but he couldn’t stand.