'At the theatre there was an actress who sang like a canary, the hussy! Kuvshinnikov who was sitting by me, "I say, my boy," says he, "there's a rose that wants gathering." There must have been quite fifty booths, I believe. Fenardi turned somersaults for four hours.' At this point he took the glass out of the hands of the old woman, who made him a low bow for doing so.
'Ah, give him here,' he shouted, seeing Porfiry come in with the puppy. Porfiry was dressed like his master in a sort of jerkin, wadded and somewhat greasy, however.
'Bring him here, put him down on the floor!'
Porfiry set down the puppy which, stretching out all its four legs, sniffed at the floor.
'Here's the pup!' said Nozdryov, picking it up by its back and holding it up in the air. The puppy gave a rather plaintive howl.
'But you haven't done what I told you,' said Nozdryov, addressing Porfiry, and carefully scrutinising the puppy's belly; 'and didn't you think to comb him?'
'Yes, I did comb him.'
'Well, why has he got fleas then?'
'I can't tell. They may have got on to him from the chaise.'
'You are lying, you are lying, you never thought of combing him; and I expect, you fool, you let him catch yours too. Just look here, Tchitchikov, look what ears; here, feel them.'
'But why? I can see without that: it's a good breed,' answered Tchitchikov.
