English fiction -- 20th century; English poetry; Short stories, English
The best man-doctor in the place wrote a prescription, and the
veterinary Deputy Inspector-General went over it afterwards to be sure
that the drugs were in the proper dog-proportions; and that was the
first time in his life that our doctor ever allowed his prescriptions
to be edited. It was a strong tonic, and it put the dear boy on his feet
for a week or two; then he lost flesh again. I asked a man I knew to
take him up to the Hills with him when he went, and the man came to the
door with his kit packed on the top of the carriage. Garm took in the
situation at one red glance. The hair rose along his back; he sat down
in front of me and delivered the most awful growl I have ever heard in
the jaws of a dog. I shouted to my friend to get away at once, and as
soon as the carriage was out of the garden Garm laid his head on my
knee and whined. So I knew his answer, and devoted myself to getting
Stanley's address in the Hills.
My turn to go to the cool came late in August. We were allowed thirty
days' holiday in a year, if no one fell sick, and we took it as we could
be spared. My chief and Bob the Librarian had their holiday first, and
when they were gone I made a calendar, as I always did, and hung it up
at the head of my cot, tearing off one day at a time till they returned.
Vixen had gone up to the Hills with me five times before; and she
appreciated the cold and the damp and the beautiful wood fires there as
much as I did.
“Garm,” I said, “we are going back to Stanley at Kasauli.
Kasauli--Stanley; Stanley--Kasauli.” And I repeated it twenty times.
It was not Kasauli really, but another place. Still I remembered what
Stanley had said in my garden on the last night, and I dared not change
the name. Then Garm began to tremble; then he barked; and then he leaped
up at me, frisking and wagging his tail.
“Not now,” I said, holding up my hand. “When I say 'Go,' we'll go,
Garm.” I pulled out the little blanket coat and spiked collar that Vixen
always wore up in the Hills to protect her against sudden chills and
thieving leopards, and I let the two smell them and talk it over. What
they said of course I do not know; but it made a new dog of Garm. His
eyes were bright; and he barked joyfully when I spoke to him. He ate his
food, and he killed his rats for the next three weeks, and when he began
to whine I had only to say “Stanley--Kasauli; Kasauli--Stanley,” to wake
him up. I wish I had thought of it before.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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