Kuvshinnikov, who happened to be sitting with me, said: 'My boy, you had better go and gather that strawberry.' As for the booths at the fair, they numbered, I should say, fifty." At this point he broke off to take the glass of vodka from the landlady, who bowed low in acknowledgement of his doing so.

At the same moment Porphyri--a fellow dressed like his master (that is to say, in a greasy, wadded overcoat)--entered with the puppy.
"Put the brute down here," commanded Nozdrev, "and then fasten it up." Porphyri deposited the animal upon the floor; whereupon it proceeded to act after the manner of dogs.
"THERE'S a puppy for you!" cried Nozdrev, catching hold of it by the back, and lifting it up.

The puppy uttered a piteous yelp.
"I can see that you haven't done what I told you to do," he continued to Porphyri after an inspection of the animal's belly.

"You have quite forgotten to brush him." "I DID brush him," protested Porphyri.
"Then where did these fleas come from ?" "I cannot think.

Perhaps they have leapt into his coat out of the britchka." "You liar! As a matter of fact, you have forgotten to brush him.
Nevertheless, look at these ears, Chichikov.