Rafalski pointed to a long row of shelves standing along the walls. "Those learned gentlemen write a whole lot of clever things, and show great profundity in their studies. Yes, their learning is absolutely overwhelming. What wonderful scientific instruments, and what acuteness of intellect! But all that is quite different from what I mean. Not one of all these great celebrities has hit upon the idea of observing carefully, only for a single day, for instance, a dog or cat in its private life. And yet how interesting and instructive that is. To watch closely how a dog lives, thinks, intrigues, makes itself happy or miserable. Just think, for example, what all those clowns and showmen can effect. One might sometimes think that one was subjected to an extraordinary hypnosis. Never in all my life shall I forget a clown I saw in the hotel at Kiev--a mere clown. What results might have been attained by a scientifically educated investigator, armed with all the wonderful apparatus and resources of our time! What interesting things one might hear about a dog's psychology, his character, docility, etc. A new world of marvels would be opened to human knowledge. For my part, you should know that I am quite certain that dogs possess a language and, moreover, a very rich and developed speech." "But, Ivan Antonovich, tell me why the learned have never made such an attempt?" asked Romashov. Rafalski replied by a sarcastic smile. "He, he, he! the thing is clear enough. What do you suppose a dog is to such a learned bigwig? A vertebrate animal, a mammal, a carnivorous animal, etc, and that's the end of it. Nothing more. How could he condescend to treat a dog as if it were an intelligent, rational being? Never. No, these haughty university despots are in reality but a trifle higher than the peasant who thought that the dog had steam instead of a soul." He stopped short and began snorting and splashing angrily whilst he fussed and fumed with a gutta-percha tube that he was trying to apply to the bottom of the aquarium. Romashov summoned all his courage, made a violent effort of will, and succeeded in blurting out-- "Ivan Antonovich, I have come on an important--very important business----" "Money?" "Yes, I am ashamed to trouble you. I don't require much--only ten roubles--but I can't promise to repay you just yet." Ivan Antonovich pulled his hands out of the water and began slowly to dry them on a towel. "I can manage ten roubles--I have not more, but these I'll lend you with the greatest pleasure. You're wanting to be off, I suppose, on some spree or dissipation? Well, well, don't be offended; I'm merely jesting. Come, let us go."