Chapter 18 18. Precious dog

Dubov, a senior lieutenant who was a veteran, and Knapps, a volunteer, were sitting together drinking. "What a male dog!" Dubov said to Knaps, pointing to his dog Mirka, "a... expensive... dog! Pay attention to his face! That face alone is worth a lot of money! When you meet someone you like Dog man, you'd throw two hundred rubles at that face! Don't you believe me? So you're an amateur..." "I understand, but..." "It's a setter, a purebred English setter! It's such a beautiful way to spot a wild game, and that nose . Do you know how much I paid for it, son? A hundred rubles! What a dog! Mirka, you clever! Mirka, you little bastard! Come here, come here, come here... My little baby, my little darling..."

Dubov drew Milka over and kissed her dog on the head.Tears welled up in his eyes. "I won't give anyone... my little beauty... my little rascal. You love me, Mirka, don't you? . . Wow! Seriously, Knaps, I bought this puppy for one hundred and fifty rubles! It is worth a lot: it is a pity that I have no time to hunt! The dog is dead idle, and his talents are wasted... ...so I want to sell it. Buy it, Knapps! You'll thank me all your life! Oh, if you're short on money, I'll give you half the price... fifty and take it away! You're Grab it!" "No, dear..." Knaps sighed, "if your Milka had been a male dog, perhaps I would have bought her, but..."

"Mirka is not a male dog?" The lieutenant was very surprised, "Knaps, what's the matter with you? Milka is not a male... dog! Haha! Then what do you think it is? A bitch? Hahaha! This child, you can do it You can’t even tell the difference between a male dog and a female dog!” "You talk to me like I'm a blind or ignorant doll..." Knaps was annoyed. "Of course it's a bitch!" "Maybe you'll call me a lady! Oh, Knaps, Knaps! You're a junior college graduate! Wrong, my dear, it's a purebred A male dog! And it's ten times stronger than any male dog, yet you say...it's not a male dog! Haha..."

"I'm sorry, Mikhail Ivanovitch, but you... you take me for a fool... it's really annoying..." "Come on, don't be angry, fuck you... just don't buy it...you are a dead man! You will say later that this dog's tail is not a tail, but a leg...don't be angry. I'm sorry for you It was a good intention. Vakhrameyev, bring me some brandy!" The orderly brought another bottle of brandy.The two friends each poured a glass and fell into deep thought.Half an hour passed in relative silence. "Even if it's a bitch..." the lieutenant broke the silence, looking sullenly at the bottle, "that's a strange thing! But it's better for you. It'll give you puppies, and a puppy is twenty-five rubles...Anyone I would like to buy from you. I really don’t understand why you like male dogs so much! Female dogs are a thousand times stronger than male dogs. Female dogs know good and bad, and love their owners more... Well, since you are so afraid of female dogs, you give me twenty-five Take the ruble with you."

"No, my dear . . . I won't pay a kopeck. First, I don't need a dog, and second, I have no money." "It would have been better if you hadn't said that. Mirka, get out of here!" The orderly served the fried eggs.The two friends ate, silently devouring a pan of eggs. "You're a good boy, Knaps, honestly..." the lieutenant wiped his mouth, "I'm sorry to let you go back like this, to hell... Guess what? Take the dog, I'm giving you away for nothing !" "Where shall I take it, my dear?" said Knaps, with a sigh. "And who am I to look after it?"

"Okay, if you don't want it, don't...go to hell with you! I don't want to buy it, and I don't want to...hey, where are you going? Just sit down for a while!" Knaps stretched, stood up, and picked up his hat. "It's time to go, goodbye..." he said with a yawn. "Then wait a minute, I'll see you off." Dubov and Knaps put on their overcoats, went out into the street, and walked a hundred or so steps in silence. "Who do you think I should give this dog to?" said the lieutenant. "Do you have any acquaintances? You have seen that dog. It is a good dog, a purebred dog, but ... it is really useless to me." No!"

"I don't know, my dear . . . and where do I know anyone around here?" Walking all the way to Knaps' residence, the two friends didn't say a word.Knaps shook the lieutenant's hand and opened the door of his house. Dubov coughed and said hesitantly, "Do you know if the local butchers accept dogs?" "I'm sure I'll accept it...I'm not sure." "Tomorrow I'll have Vakhrameyev send it to... Fuck it! Have it skinned... This damned dog! It's disgusting! Not only did it dirty all the rooms, it also turned the kitchen up yesterday. I ate up all the meat in it by stealth, b... bastard... a purebred dog, god knows what it is, maybe a crossbreed between a guard dog and a pig. Good night!"

"Goodbye!" said Knaps. The access door was closed, and the lieutenant was left alone.