1 The Brothers Karamazovdog,’ Kolya observed gravely and stolidly, as if the only
thing he cared about was the puppy and its black nose. But
in reality he still had to do his utmost to control his feelings
not to burst out crying like a child, and do what he would he
could not control it. ‘When it grows up, you’ll have to keep
it on the chain, I’m sure.’
‘He’ll be a huge dog!’ cried one of the boys.
‘Of course he will,’ ‘a mastiff,’ ‘large,’ ‘like this,’ ‘as big as
a calf,’ shouted several voices.
‘As big as a calf, as a real calf,’ chimed in the captain. ‘I
got one like that on purpose, one of the fiercest breed, and
his parents are huge and very fierce, they stand as high as
this from the floor.... Sit down here, on Ilusha’s bed, or here
on the bench. You are welcome, we’ve been hoping to see
you a long time.... You were so kind as to come with Alexey
Fyodorovitch?’
Krassotkin sat on the edge of the bed, at Ilusha’s feet.
Though he had perhaps prepared a free-and-easy opening
for the conversation on his way, now he completely lost the
thread of it.
‘No... I came with Perezvon. I’ve got a dog now, called
Perezvon. A Slavonic name. He’s out there... if I whistle,
he’ll run in. I’ve brought a dog, too,’ he said, addressing Ilu-
sha all at once. ‘Do you remember Zhutchka, old man?’ he
suddenly fired the question at him.
Ilusha’s little face quivered. He looked with an agonised
expression at Kolya. Alyosha, standing at the door, frowned
and signed to Kolya not to speak of Zhutchka, but he did
not or would not notice.