The Short Happy Life of the Brown Oxford and Other Classic Stories Read Online Free PDF Page B

Mrs. Cardossi poured water into the coffee pot. Steam rose from the water, blinding her. She set the pot down on the edge of the stove and went into the pantry. When she came back Alf was standing at the door of the kitchen. He put his glasses on.
    “You bring the paper?” he said.
    “It’s outside.”
    Alf Cardossi walked across the kitchen. He threw the bolt on the back door and stepped out onto the porch. He looked into the gray, damp morning. At the fence Boris lay, black and furry, his tongue out.
    “Put the tongue in,” Alf said. The dog looked quickly up. His tail beat against the ground. “The tongue,” Alf said. “Put the tongue in.”
    The dog and the man looked at one another. The dog whined. His eyes were bright and feverish.
    “Roog!” he said softly.
    “What?” Alf looked around. “Someone coming? The paperboy come?”
    The dog stared at him, his mouth open.
    “You certainly upset these days,” Alf said. “You better take it easy. We both getting too old for excitement.”
    He went inside the house.
     
    The sun came up. The street became bright and alive with color. The postman went along the sidewalk with his letters and magazines. Some children hurried by, laughing and talking.
    About 11:00, Mrs. Cardossi swept the front porch. She sniffed the air, pausing for a moment.
    “It smells good today,” she said. “That means it’s going to be warm.” In the heat of the noonday sun the black dog lay stretched out full length, under the porch. His chest rose and fell. In the cherry tree the birds were playing, squawking and chattering to each other. Once in a while Boris raised his head and looked at them. Presently he got to his feet and trotted down under the tree.
    He was standing under the tree when he saw the two Roogs sitting on the fence, watching him.
    “He’s big,” the first Roog said. “Most Guardians aren’t as big as this.”
    The other Roog nodded, his head wobbling on his neck. Boris watched them without moving, his body stiff and hard. The Roogs were silent, now, looking at the big dog with his shaggy ruff of white around his neck.
    “How is the offering urn?” the first Roog said. “Is it almost full?”
    “Yes.” The other nodded. “Almost ready.”
    “You, there!” the first Roog said, raising his voice. “Do you hear me? We’ve decided to accept the offering, this time. So you remember to let us in. No nonsense, now.”
    “Don’t forget,” the other added. “It won’t be long.”
    Boris said nothing.
    The two Roogs leaped off the fence and went over together just beyond the walk. One of them brought out a map and they studied it.
    “This area really is none too good for a first trial,” the first Roog said. “Too many Guardians… Now, the northside area—”
    “They decided,” the other Roog said. “There are so many factors—”
    “Of course.” They glanced at Boris and moved back farther from the fence. He could not hear the rest of what they were saying.
    Presently the Roogs put their map away and went off down the path.
    Boris walked over to the fence and sniffed at the boards. He smelled the sickly, rotten odor of Roogs and the hair stood up on his back.
    That night when Alf Cardossi came home the dog was standing at the gate, looking up the walk. Alf opened the gate and went into the yard.
    “How are you?” he said, thumping the dog’s side. “You stopped worrying? Seems like you been nervous of late. You didn’t used to be that way.”
    Boris whined, looking intently up into the man’s face.
    “You a good dog, Boris,” Alf said. “You pretty big, too, for a dog. You don’t remember long ago how you used to be only a little bit of a puppy.”
    Boris leaned against the man’s leg.
    “You a good dog,” Alf murmured. “I sure wish I knew what is on your mind.”
    He went inside the house. Mrs. Cardossi was setting the table for dinner. Alf went into the living room and took his coat and hat off. He set his lunch pail down on the