"white BlM, BLACK EAR" "Part Two" " Thank you for taking me on." " You forgot something there?" "What's the matter, Black Ear?" "Whom did you run after?" "Your paws must be aching." "Come on." "You can't lie here." "You'll be run over by a train." "Get up." "Get up, dear." "There you go." "Come on." "Let's go." "This way." "Come on." " His owner must have abandoned him." " Everyone has his own misfortune." "There's someone to blame for every misfortune." "All evil is from vodka." "My man is only kind when sober." "When he's soused, he always fights." "Yes, vodka is a plague." "Almost all important man's work is done by women." "We do repairs, we work at blockhouses and as dispatchers." "Anisya!" "Anisya!" "You, steeplejack, getting off the tracks in the middle of the day?" " Leave me alone!" " Don't you fall!" "Shut up!" "Anisya!" "Wait till you come home." "You'll get a thrashing." "Call my wife." " Don't even try." "She's working." " l want to see her." " Her shift is over." " No, you can't." " Come on!" " You can't go into official premises." "Be quiet. I'm not going anywhere." "Wait, I said." "Where are you going?" "Why aren't you answering?" "Come on, get out of here!" "Why is the dog on official premises?" "I will bring the police." " Beat it from here!" " Anisya, wait till you come home..." "How he threw himself on him." "All right, we'll meet yet." "Don't grieve." "We won't let anyone hurt you." "He's even worse off." "A human can complain, but a dog keeps it all inside." "Perhaps his owner will come back?" "Where're you going?" "Look." "What does he want?" "He's rested." "Now he wants to go home." "We'll see Anisya off, the Moscow train will pass, then I'll let you go." "Go home!" "Home!" "Go!" "Don't walk on the tracks!" " Thank you very much." " Thank you." "Well." "Now she came with her things." "Grandma, Aunt Dasha is here!" "Dasha, it's trouble." "Bim is gone." "He hasn't been back for two nights." "So he didn't come back." "Go and see Ivan lvanych in Moscow." "Tell him that everything's all right." "But we don't have his photograph." "Lyucia, time to go to bed. lt's late." "No." "You'd better write a letter." "What for?" "You're going to Moscow tomorrow anyway." "I can't lie to him." "How did you get in, poor thing?" "What do we do now?" "We'll get it hot for stopping." "The hell with it." "We must report it." " Come on, call the dispatcher." " Right." " Dispatcher?" " Dispatcher's on line." "It's engine driver Lazarev." "Dusya, change the points at 13." " Are you in your right mind?" " Yes, I am." "We're standing." "A dog got in the point." "How can I believe you?" "I can't see from here." "Change it and then switch it back." " But you'll be responsible." " All right." "Why is she so slow?" "Change it, quick!" "We must save a man!" "They're just crazy!" " Good." " Let's take him over there." "Put him down here." "That's it." "Come on, let's go." "Coming." "Sorry, pal." "We're in a hurry." "Goodbye!" "Take care!" " He came back, Stepanovna." " Hi did?" "Thank God!" " What's wrong?" " Who did it to you?" "Oh, my goodness!" "Oh God!" "You sleep here." "Tomorrow we'll discuss it." "All right." "Give me the letter, please." "I've got it here." "Oh, Bim, dear!" "It's for me." " Give it to me." " Let me see." "And this is for him." "This is for you. Ivan lvanych writes:" ""Give this sheet to Bim, and he will read that I'm alive and remember him."" "Look, he understands." " Lyucia, why are you up so early." " l got an important thing to do." "Pal Titych, where were you?" "I've been looking everywhere for you." " l was on a night duty." "What's up?" " They're confiscating the apartment." " Didn't you sleep well?" " l did." "But you will be responsible." "Maybe the man's still alive, and she's brought her suitcases." "She spent the night there without being registered." "Give him a lot of water to drink." "Walk him out only on a leash." "If his leg gets worse, take him to a veterinarian." "I'll do everything." "You just tell Ivan lvanych not to worry." "Lyucia, you'll be late for school." "Aunt Dasha, give it to Ivan lvanych." "There's no photo, but he asked for it." "Thank you, Lyucia." "Go now." "You go, too." "Or you'll be late." "Well?" "Didn't I tell you?" " Good morning, Pal Titych." " Good morning." "Who allowed you to break into someone else's flat and spend the night there?" "I've been watching her." "First she was sizing it up and now she brought her things." "First, I didn't break in, the neighbors opened the door for me." "Of course." "What nonsense you're talking!" "And second, the dog is left in their care." "As you see, he's in a very bad state." "Someone has beaten him and mutilated his leg." "They'll have to answer for it." "I know it's not your fault." "I have a train to catch. I hope my recommendations will be followed." "Further instructions will be in writing." "Everything will be done." "I'll find you anyway." "You can't hide from me." "That rotten woman!" "What can I say?" " Goodbye, Bim." "Goodbye." " Goodbye." "Please." " l count on you." " Everything will be all right." "You should've warned me that she's from Moscow." "Look, we must take care of that dog." "As long as he's in our charge, put him on a chain." "Such a clever dog on a chain?" "He'll get vicious." "Vicious, but alive." "You must know how to observe the world around you." "And if you pay attention, you will see how many beautiful things there are in this world, clever, good and interesting things." "Then you will grow up to be not indifferent, people who care, people who will help make life even better and more beautiful." " Yes, Kolia?" " What is indifference?" "lndifference..?" "For example, it's when I'm speaking to you and someone is whispering." "That would be indifference." "Maria Petrovna!" "It's all because of Lyuska." "We feel so bad about it." "Lyucia, not Lyuska." "What do you feel bad about?" " She's even drawn it." " Lyucia, what is it?" "We have a dog living next to us." "He used to be so cheerful." "And now he's sad." "His master was taken away." "He got a fragment in here." "I got it." "Lyuska is not indifferent." "Am I right?" "You're right, Kolia." "Very interesting!" "You shouldn't have been so nervous." "We even will send directives to other schools to have lessons on the subject of loving the animals." "Ivan lvanych!" "Come in." "You have a visitor." "A visitor?" " Hello, Ivan lvanych. " " Hello." " l came from Bim." "From Bim?" "Why didn't you make an x-ray?" "Why wasn't the patient taken to the dressing room?" "Why didn't you tell me?" "Where's your sense of responsibility?" " lf it ever happens again..." " Everything's alright, Alex Petrovich." " You said exactly that?" " Yes, I said exactly that." " Good morning." " Good morning." "Oh, we can even laugh." "And he said he had no one but Bim." " You see, Doctor..." " Quiet." "Calm down." "What is this?" " You worried about that ugly creature?" " Well." "He's not ugly." " Do you know him personally?" " Yes." "Then I give up." "Let's get ready for the operation." "Now when the humankind is concerned about the environmental issues, it's important to cultivate in oneself the feeling of compassion for animals and plants." "To offer them a timely help, and do it sensibly and carefully." " Will you pity a homeless dog?" " We will." "And if it's rabid?" "You must be very careful." "Or, for instance..." "Think about it, children." "Just think:" "a girl from School No.21 said that someone had torn off a dog's leg." "And the poor dog with a black ear became a cripple." "It's unworthy of a Soviet man." " ln what school?" " No.21 ." "Now write a composition, "l Love Animals"." "A small and warm composition." "Distribute the sheets and questionnaires, please." "The questions are:" "What is the name of your dog?" "is it white or what color is it?" "Does it bite or not?" "Who does it bite?" "What's that dog's name?" "Bem." "Bim!" "Let me go." "I'll go search for Bim." "Please!" "Sit down!" "You're disturbing the others." "Do your dad and mom love it?" "Why do you love it?" "Why is the cow milked and the elk is not?" "Should we love animals?" " Please let me go!" " Stop it!" "Think and write." "I cut classes and came to your school." "The boys helped me to find you." "Who said Bim got his paw torn off?" "Our teacher." "I didn't believe her." "Here we are." "He recognized you." "Look what they've done to him." "How did it happen?" "Someone has beaten him." "He won't eat or drink now." "Wait." "Where's the plate?" "He had it." "Yes, he did." "Someone took it off with the collar. I bought a new one for him." " What do you want?" " Why did you take the plate off?" " Are you nuts?" " You took him away with the plate on." "And I let him go with the plate on." "He bit me." "You're lying!" "Bim is kind." "You beat him and made him an invalid." "Me?" "Me lying?" "You milksop!" "Where are your parents?" "You're not going to my parents because you're lying!" "is that the way to talk to grownups, to honored people?" "What a generation!" "I'll show you!" "You won't do anything to me, because you're a coward and a liar!" " You will answer to me for that!" " Shame on you!" "You behave as if you were bitten again." "That collection of yours will be the end of you." "I met that greenhorn, from whom I took the dog." "He'll go to the police, they'll come here, see all this and confiscate it." "Times are different now." "They don't arrest honest citizens." " l didn't mean that." " l must write to the newspaper." "Where have you been?" "You forgot about your music lesson?" " l don't want to do music lessons." " This is for us to decide." "We won't let you grow up a sponger." ""A setter dog with a black ear was running along." "It tore a piece of meat from my body..."" "That's right." "It was running like crazy." "I demand it be caught and destroyed, or I will complain about you being callous in doing your work." "Where did it bite you and when?" "Right here." "There's nothing to smile about." "Take measures." "And don't mock at me." "Don't get excited. I treat dogs." "My association with them is different." " Different association." " Did it have a number on the collar?" " lt didn't." " Are you sure?" " lt didn't. lt didn't have anything." " l see." " Pasteur Institute?" "It's a vet doctor." "I've got a patient bitten by a rabid dog." "What?" "What kind of animal?" "It's not an animal, it's a homo sapiens." "Why homasapens?" "I have a name!" "Calm down." "All right, we'll wait." "Everything's all right." "They're coming." "Are you financed by the state?" "Right." "The vet services are free." "Free." "That's where our money goes." "You'd better kill it and make a soup." "Kill them all, and they'll not get sick." "You're being treated free, too." " How can you compare?" " l don't." " Where's the bitten one?" " There he is." "Which place?" "This." " l see." "Take your trousers off." " What are you talking about?" "!" "Come on, take them off!" "is that some kind ofjoke?" " How much time has passed?" " About ten days." "In four days he'll go rabid." "You may dress." "And when was the last time you took a bath?" "Last Saturday, before I was bitten." "I was afraid of infecting it." " lt's a serious spot." " A very serious one!" "Go to the clinic immediately!" "lnjections to your belly for 6 months." "Are you crazy?" "If you don't do it, we'll make you to, with the help of the police." "They'll come to your home, if you're so ignorant." "Me ignorant?" " You know where l used to work?" " lt's none of my business." "What are you up to?" "is it a conspiracy?" "To the clinic!" "To the clinic!" "Heel!" "Heel, I said!" "Quiet!" "Nikolai Yegorych." "He hasn't eaten for two days." " You're late again." " l wasn't late for the music lesson." "Did you hear it?" "He's doing me a favor." "You hang out in the street with some hooligans." "You shouldn't spend so much time in the street." "A rabid dog is out." "Show me." "What times we're living in." ""Anyone who knows the whereabouts of a setter with a black ear... as well as the persons bitten by it... please report to the following address..." "Be careful and don't keep silent."" "What's the matter, Tolik?" "Why are you so frightened?" " They'll catch it, won't they, Dad?" " Of course they will." " What do you want?" " The doctor." " lt's our day off." "No one's here." " What about you?" "I'm a medical attendant." "We can't leave our patients alone." "They're mute." "Do you have the address, Mister?" " What address?" " The address of your doctor." "What for?" "I need it very much." "It's a matter of life and death." "Life and death?" "Are you about this matter too?" "Of course." "The public must help." "I know the dog and where they hide it." " You know its owners?" " lt has no owners." "Used to." "No owners." "That's what I thought." " Did it bite you?" " Sure. I brought a statement." "Good that you're so conscientious." " Hello." " Hello." " She's about that matter, too." " Also bitten?" " Of course." " She knows where to catch it." "Come in, please." " Hello." " Hello." "Hello..." "Nikolai Yegorych." "I'm from white Bim." " From whom?" " From Bim." "How can you stick a syringe in my belly, me a conscientious woman?" "I'm doing it for the public good, and you stick it into my belly." "You'd better catch the dog." "Calm down." "We've taken the necessary measures." "They went for the dog." "But we can't let you go without an injection." " Here's some water." " No. lt'll make me vomit." "You see?" "Water makes you sick." "That's the first symptom." "Lie down." "I'll write out prescriptions and tell you how to treat him." "Everyone leave the room except the owner." "We're taking the dog away." " No, you won't." " What do you mean?" "Don't you read the papers?" " You won't. I'm a vet doctor." " Please." "The dog is not rabid." "He was just maimed, beaten by people." "You can see for yourself." "Take your gun away." "It's true, you're not rabid." "You're such a nice dog." "And we were called up by radio." " ls that apartment 19?" " Yes, 19." "You see?" "It was a misunderstanding." " May we go now?" " Yes, please." "We're sorry." "Sorry." "It was a mistake. I think I know who called you." "This prescription is for an ointment, and that one for a syrup" " Here's some money." " Thank you, I've got money." " What's your name, hero?" " Tolik." "You're a good man, Tolik." "It was a false alarm." "When will you stop it at last?" "No, don't turn it on!" "Do you hear?" "My son just couldn't please me more." "No more that dog nonsense." "He enrolled in a photography class." "Developing shots in the bathroom." " l think nothing came out of it." " He will learn." "He himself began to practice music." "I can't tear him off it." "And all because we took measures just in time." "Squat, Lyucia." "Hold him." "Now it's perfect." "Smile." "Where shall we go now?" "Good that you have him on a chain and took the dog under your patronage." "Good, but it shouldn't interfere with your studies." "I know you." "But who are you?" " l'm not from here. I'm a friend." " He's our friend." "Isn't it that rabid dog they were writing about?" "No, it's not him." "Go on, Mister." "Well, go on, walk him out." "The boy missed school several times." "He cuts classes." "He got very distracted." "It all began with the composition, for which I gave him a "D"." "As he well deserved." "Take a look." ""His name is Bim." "He is white with a black ear."" "Well... "He played with us." Oh, God." ""My mom and dad can't love him." "My mom says that flowers only breed filth in the house." That's right." ""But I love them. I don't know why, just love them."" "What rubbish! "l'm afraid of mice." "The cow is milked to make milk available in the stores and to fulfill the plan."" "What's this?" "He's simply defective." ""And the elk is not milked, there's no elk milk in the stores." "But I'll find Bim anyway!" "Though you, Anna Pavlovna..." "Well, I don't care."" "Well, how do you like it?" "It's terrible!" "Thank you, Tolik." "What would we do without you?" "Thank your parents for us." "Do they ask you where you go?" " They do." " And my mom and dad are far away." "Cheer up." "They didn't go away for good." "They'll come back." " Of course they will." " And what about Ivan lvanych?" "I'm sure he'll come back." "Tomorrow I'll bring you color crayons." "Honest?" "We're going to make an album of photos and pictures of Bim." "My son is a liar!" "My son is a truant!" "I'm sick and tired of it!" "You are grounded!" " But, Dad!" " l don't want to hear it!" "You've lost my trust." "That's enough!" " And no dogs!" "Especially rabid ones." " lt's not true!" "He says that the newspaper didn't write the truth." "It's not true." "He is not rabid." "I know." "Perhaps you'll show me where the dog is?" "Come on, tell me!" "I'm not telling you anything." "Put him under a 24-hour care and keep me informed. I'll be back." "All right." " Hello." " Hello." " You can't see him today." " l just want to know." "To know." "As they say, it's the echo of the war." "16.35 grams." "You can tell Bim with a black ear." "Thank you, Professor." "Thank you for everything." "And from Bim, too." "Hey, wait!" "Where are you going?" "Want a ride, too?" "You look familiar." "You don't remember, dog?" "Why are you alone?" "Well, let's go." "Come on!" "Sit!" "Sit!" "Sit!" "Otradnoye!" "Next stop - Prasulovo." "Thank you for your attention." "Those with no tickets, leave the premises." "Where are you going?" "!" "Sit!" " ls it your dog?" " Sure it's mine." "Wait, I said!" "Sit!" " Where is he so impatient to go?" " Where?" "It's a hunting dog." "I got no one at home to leave him with." "The neighbors protest." "He howls." "Then give him to me." " Shall I give you my pocketbook too?" " Then I'll buy him." "Are you serious?" " Serious." " Let's go out." "Come here." " How much will you pay me?" " Well, a ten." " Ah... it isn't worth the trouble." " How much do you want?" " Twenty five." " l don't have that much." "Fifteen." "All right. lf it weren't my neighbors." "They write letters, complaining." "Are we going or not?" "They do as they please." "As if it's his personal bus." " What's his name?" " Black Ear." " lt's not your dog, is it?" " lt's mine." "Black Ear." "Sure." "We're starting off." "Next stop - Prasulovo." "Where're you going?" "Let's go home." "Come on, home!" "Don't strain!" "What can you do now?" "You've been sold." "Sold, Black Ear." "Sold for money." "And your name was sold too." "You're not Black Ear." "That's not a dog's name." "I knew right away that you were not his." "That's our village over there." "You will live with me from now on." "Don't feel bad about that money." "Some people will sell not only you, but even their honor, their morals." "You're a dog, Black Ear." "You don't know that." "And it is as well." "Let you be Black Ear." "It sounds pretty dog-like." "Black Ear." "I'll be calling you that name." "Black Ear." "This way." "There you go." "We're home now." "Mother, father is back from town." "Here we are." "Look!" "Where did you get him?" "I'll tell you later." "Alyoshka, get the chickens in." " All right." " Where did you pick him up?" "It's a long story." " Grandma, Tolik is here!" " Tolik, why didn't you come?" "There was a reason." "These are photographs for Ivan lvanych." "And the crayons for you." "Oh, thanks." "Let's go to Bim, Lyucia." "I missed him so much." " Come on, Lyucia." " Bim is not here, Tolik." "Not here." " How come?" " He's been gone three days now." " How did it happen?" " lt's all my fault." "I let him out." "He begged so much." "You were not here. I can't walk, my legs are killing me." " Lyucia was at school." " Don't cry, Grandma." "I can't help it." "We got a letter from Dasha." "She wants to know about Bim." "What can I write to her?" "Let's not upset Ivan lvanych." "We'll send him the photos." "I'll find Bim." "Alyosha, come, I'll pour some milk." "Hold it." "Fresh milk from the cow for you." "Drink it, Black Ear." "His eyes look so human." "Yes, he's got kind eyes, but sad." "He must be missing his master." "Sure thing." "Such a dog must have had a master." ""My dear Stepanovna and Lyucia, and Tolik whom I never met." "The professor promises to discharge me any day now." "So I'll see you soon." "Thank you again for the photographs." "Don't write to me anymore."" "Black Ear!" "Black Ear!" "Come here." "Come here!" "Quick!" "Quick!" "Come on, catch me!" "Catch me, Black Ear!" "Take the mitten from me." "Come on!" "What?" "Catch me!" "Catch me!" "Alyosha, come home!" "Father is back." "It's dinnertime." "Let's go, Black Ear." " He's become so lively." " Sure thing." "He got used to us." "Home, Black Ear!" " ls that you, Klim?" " Come on in." " Good evening." " Just in time for tea." "Join us." "Don't bother, Petrovna. I don't like tea. I came about Black Ear." "The dog will be ruined without hunting or he'll run away." "Sell him to me." "I'll give you 25 rubles for him." " He's not for sale." " Where did you get him?" " l bought him." " From whom?" "I have my doubts." "But I feel he's a pedigree dog." "Must be taken care of." " What if his owner shows up?" " l'll give him back." "And you can kiss your money goodbye." "I'm giving you 25 rubles." "I'm not selling him!" "Look!" "He smells a hunter." "And you will ruin him." "That's too bad." "Alyoshka will grow up and they will go hunting." "You show respect for the boy and none for me?" "There will be no deal, Klim." "What a man you've got, Petrovna." "He has no sense in his head." "He said himself, the dog must be taken care of. lt's for the dog's good." "Klim!" "Klim, wait!" "What?" "All right, take him hunting." "For free." "Let him live up to his breed, as he's supposed to." " But bring him back the same day." " Don't you know me?" "Everything will be right." "Like it should be." " Where're your parents?" " They left for town. I locked him in." "I came for him as we agreed." "Come on." "Well, Black Ear, let's go hunting." " l wish I hadn't to go to school." " You'll come with us next time." "Heel." "Heel." "Go!" " Black Ear must be home by nightfall." " All right." "He'll be here." " Goodbye, Black Ear!" " Enough." "Go!" "Come on, go!" "Bim!" "Bim!" "Bim!" "Bim!" "Ivan lvanych!" "Ivan lvanych!" "What a great book we've bought, "The Manual of Hunting Dog Breeding"." " Where have you been?" " l was at Klim's." " Take your coat off." " Why didn't you bring Black Ear?" " They're not back from hunting yet." " He'll come." "Where can he go?" "Alyoshka, look what I bought for Black Ear." "A lead with a collar." "Just like they write in the book." " What if Black Ear is gone?" " Don't worry." "He's with Klim." "I'm telling you, I didn't lay a finger on him." "I hardly took the belt off him when he ran off." "After you, I guess." "I rushed after him." "But I couldn't grab hold of him." "The collar was fixed to the belt." "You're lying!" " You beat him, that's why he ran away." " Beat him?" "I looked for him all night." " l can see it by your face." " He sold him." "If you sold him, tell me. I'll buy him out." "Who will buy him?" "He's no good for hunting." "I'll never ask you to give him to me again." "He must be home by now." "And you're rubbing salt into my heart." "You got no heart." "Neither heart nor honor." "Don't you insult me!" " May he go to hell!" " insulting a man because of a dog!" "May that dog drop dead!" "Too bad I didn't kill him." " There's blood, Dad!" " Hurry up, Alyoshka!" "The bus has just left." "Dad, there's a lot of blood here, too." "He must have licked his wounds here." "Klim did beat him till he bled." "Why are such men allowed to live?" "A beast." "Black Ear!" "Black Ear!" "No use calling him." "He must have run to the city." "He doesn't believe in us anymore." "Bim?" "Bim!" "My dear Bim!" " What is this?" " This is Bim, Mom." " Get away from him." " No, don't, Mom." "Tolik, please, get away from him." "No, I won't. lt's Bim." "He has found me." "He's clever and kind." " ls it that dog?" " Yes, Mom, it's Bim." " Drive him out now!" " No, I will not." " Tolik!" " No, please!" " Drive him out!" " But it is Bim!" "I won't tolerate that Bim in my house." " Dad, it's Bim." "He found me." " The one with a black ear?" " Just look at that." " But, Dad!" " Well, it's a nice doggy." " What nonsense are you talking!" "There it goes again: mother says one thing, you say another." "You'll spoil the child, but it'll be too late when you understand it." " Quiet, quiet." " How can I be quiet?" " How can I go?" "He'll bite him." " No, Mom!" "He has never bitten anyone!" "Stop it." "What's this?" "Let's go and discuss it." "If they turn you out, I'll go with you." "I won't give you to anyone." "Let's go to my room." "Come on." "You think I don't want him to grow up a good man?" "And you say in front of him that I'm going to spoil the child." "And you?" "He just began to act sensibly, and now a stray dog." "And in our clean house." "He will get infected." "Turn the dog out!" "You don't know anything about tactics." "One should use one's head." "Everything will be all right." "Ivan lvanych is getting well." " All right." "He may stay." " Thank you." " But he must sleep in the hall." " All right." "Let's go, Bim." " May I take the rug, Mom?" " You may." "Your place!" "Down!" " Mom, look how clever he is." " l see." "Tolik, go to bed. lt's late." "Just a bit more, please." " Go." " Coming, Mom." "Good night, Bim dear!" "Sleep!" "Get out!" "If you get hungry, here's some meat." "Why don't you sleep?" " Do we have some heart drops?" " What?" "Oh, God!" "We're so touchy!" "What's so awful?" "A dog's more dear to you than your son." " Shut up." " l don't understand it." "Exactly." " Say something." " No, you say." "Mom, where's Bim?" " Where's Bim, Mom?" " He wanted to pee." "Dad let him out and he ran away." "Dad called him, but he didn't return." " Come on, Dad, wasn't it so?" " Well... he'll come back." "If he doesn't, we'll find him and take him in. I promise." "We'll find him." "A dog is not a needle." "Don't say anything, Dad." "I don't believe you anymore." "But I'll find Bim anyway." "Bim!" " We'll have to keep you here." " No, please, Professor." "A day or two." "Well, for a week." " l've bought a ticket already." " A ticket..." " Professor." " All right, go." "I know, they can't wait to see you there." "Take it." " What is this?" " Nothing." "A rattle as a keepsake." " Such a tiny thing." " And gave us so much trouble." " l envy you." " Me?" "What a beautiful lot: extracting fragments from human hearts." " Exterminating pain." " You're exaggerating." "These fragments come fewer and fewer, but the other kind, invisible, yet wounding as cruelly..." "Here surgeons are powerless." "I guess it's in your department." " Mine?" " Come on, you conspirator." " No, I didn't mean to." " May I?" "If it's of any interest to you." ""The forest was silent." "Only the golden leaves of birches quivered playfully, basking in the sun's rays." "Oh, the yellow forest!" "Here's a piece of happiness for you." "A place for meditation." "In the autumn forest a man becomes purer."" "Yes, I wish we all could go to that yellow forest more often." "Thank you, Alexander Petrovich." "That girl who helped us so much." "is she any relation to you?" " Any relation?" "No." " How did she happen to know you?" "It's he who brought us together." "Bim." "is that you, Kostya?" "It's me, Semyon." "Semyon?" "How are you?" "What's up?" "Will you do me a favor?" "I need to place an ad." "Can you do it quickly for old times' sake, without me waiting in line?" "If it's for old times' sake, I'll try to squeeze it in the Sunday issue." "Go ahead, dictate it." "Yes, I got you." "A dog is missing?" "White with a black ear." "Named Bim." "Unbelievably clever and very smart." "Why are you laughing?" "I don't know how to look my son straight in the eye, and you..." "Come here." "All right." "Stop yelling!" "I'm talking with someone here." "With whom?" "With a good man." "Take the phone." "Talk to him!" "Hello, Dad." " Dad, I'm not coming home tonight." " All right, Tolik." "Can you give me the address?" "Come on." "All right." " Where have you been?" " Skidding in the forest." "Our son got lost." "He didn't. I found him." "But we could lose him by our own doing." " What rubbish!" "Where's he?" " He won't come home for the night." " Nut!" "Walking with your boots on." " You'd better mind other cleanness." "Valya, wait." "Come on, Valya, wait!" "Valya!" "It's you?" "You were gone, weren't you?" "Get out of here!" "Go away now!" "Your master is not here." "Go away, I said!" "What are you staring at?" "Why are you staring?" "I won't let you in." "Sitting here like it's his own home." "Stop!" " Whose dog is that?" " Mine." " Why is it without a collar?" " Try and put it on him!" "He gnawed the rope and keeps biting." "He's gone rabid. lf he bites anyone, I'll be responsible." "Put him on a leash." "Or we'll take him." "I'll be only glad if you do. I wrote to everyone begging." "Please take him away." " He isn't rabid." " He's just sick." " What do we do?" " Take him as long as the owner asks." " Maybe she's lying?" " None of our business." "Fetch the net." "Take him, everybody will be grateful." "He doesn't like it." "Why are you grinning?" "Torturing a dog when you don't know how to keep it." "Herself is a tub of lard and the dog is reduced to such a sorry state." "You stinking dog-catcher, insulting a respectable woman?" "You jerk!" "Behave yourself!" "Or I'll get you with the net and into the iron box." "Their kind should be put in a van at least for a week each year." "You lousy alcoholics!" " Excuse me." " We're running late, aren't we?" "Yes, we are." "Don't worry." "We'll catch up at night." "Yes." " Excuse me." "Can you bring me tea?" " l will." "You're all packed too early." "We'll be there in an hour or two." "Some tea?" " No, thank you." " We'll be there on time." "Comrade, is your name Tolik?" " Yes, it is." "Why?" " l'm about the ad, about Black Ear." "Black Ear?" "Bim!" " Good morning!" " Good morning." "No, the local paper." "Thank you." "I haven't read it for quite a while." " ls that your dog missing?" " The dog?" "It's on the last page." " Give that note to the guard." " And the paper?" "Here." "Hurry up." "There you go." " Take them to the quarantine station." " Will do." "Good luck!" "Anybody here?" "Anybody here?" "Why all this racket?" "No one's here. lt's everybody's day off." "Any dogs brought here in the last three days?" "They didn't catch any on Thursday and Friday." "There're only yesterday's." " Not many though." " May I have a look?" "Tomorrow." "The doctor will come and say which for science and which for its hide." "Sometimes they bury them with a hide, or burn them." "The doctors know better." " Do they bring hunting dogs too?" " Not often." "Those are not killed, nor given to science." "First they wait for the owner or call the Hunters' Union." "We got one right now though. Ivan said the owner herself gave him up." "Sure!" "Maybe her husband died." "Let me in, please." "I'm looking for my dog." "Don't you see what's written?" "Authorized personnel only." "It's their day off." "Wait!" "Wait." "Are you a man or some fiend?" "He's just from hospital." "Had a fragment in him since the war and was operated on." "His dog's missing." "It's such a wonderful dog." "Perhaps it's here." "They don't put wonderful dogs in here." "Only infectious ones." "Chief, come here." "Here's a ruble, let him in." "What?" "Get out of here!" "You know how many wounded I carried on my back?" "And you with your ruble!" "Come in, comrade." "Thank you." " Didn't I tell you!" " No, not you." "Fiend!" "You fiend yourself." "He'll never stop now!" "Hey!" "It's here, in the van." "Can I take him?" "What's the use now?" "Come tomorrow." "I've overstepped my authority as it is." "What?" "Done in?" "Thank you." "Alyosha, I think it's Ivan lvanych." "Ivan lvanych!" " Ivan lvanych, is it you?" " Yes." "I'm Tolik." "Do you remember?" "I sent you Bim's photos and the letter." "Tolik?" "And this is Alyosha." "Bim lived with him in the country." "We're looking for Bim." "We were sent here." "is Bim here?" "No, boys." "Bim isn't here." "Tell us the truth, please." "Bim isn't here." "We should look for him, boys." "Look for him." "Why three shots?" "That's the hunters' tradition." "As many shots as the dog's age." "What a bitch!" "Take him, she says, I'm the owner." "Everybody will be only grateful." "And we believed that viper." "If we have only known!" "What can we do now?" "What?" "Nothing." "I'm quitting!" "That's it!" "Come here." "Come, shaggy." " Run for your life." " What are you doing?" " So what?" " They know there were two dogs." "One died, the other ran away." "Give it to me. I've got an owner for it." "I don't think I would have been able to outlive that day if it were not for the boys to whom I had lied." "I didn't want to deprive them of hope." "Lies can be sacred, too." "And life goes on because there is hope, without which despair would have killed life." "It's winter now, but spring will come for sure." "And there will be snowdrops." "We have winters and springs in Russia." "That's what our Russia is like." "Winters and springs for sure." "I know and I have faith." "Life goes on." "Bim!" "Bim!" "THE END"