Felix would miss his nightly chats with Professors Mulligan and Stumpworthy as much as he would despise constantly having to avoid Dr. Melpot.
He stepped out through the front doors and filled his lungs with the cool autumn air. The gardens reached out as far as his eye could see, with the distant sound of traffic the only reminder that the estate was in the heart of Paris. Just then a grey flash caught his eye at the far end of the garden ―a grey streak that darted across an expanse of lawn in the distance, then disappeared behind a large magnolia tree.
Felix adjusted his glasses and watched as what turned out to be a grey shaggy dog darted across the grass again, then disappeared behind another tree. Seconds later, it poked its head out, looked from side to side, then, in an almost crouched run, crossed the lawn to hide behind another tree.
Felix smiled for the first time that morning as he watched the animal’s bizarre commando-style maneuvering. He laughed out loud as he imagined the dog rolling onto its stomach before opening fire with its imaginary submachine gun.
“That’s Oscar,” Professor Mulligan said, startling Felix as he walked up from behind. “I was watching from the window; you seemed to be enjoying yourself out here so I hadn’t wanted to interrupt, but Harmony just phoned and said she’d be here in about five minutes.”
The smile on Felix’s face disintegrated. He nodded his understanding, returning his attention to the dog Mulligan had called Oscar. “I didn’t know that Professor Stumpworthy had a dog.”
Mulligan laughed heartily. “Oh my, no. Oscar is not Professor Stumpworthy’s. In fact, Oscar doesn’t seem to be terribly fond of Horace at all. He comes around here all the time―I think the kitchen staff must feed him. But when he catches even a glimpse of Horace he goes wild, bears his teeth and growls. To be honest I think that the beast would simply love to take a big chunk out of Horace’s flesh.”
“That’s weird.”
“I suppose it’s another example of Horace’s animal magnetism. That dog would sooner grab Horace by the throat than look at him. I’ve never seen a dog behave like that, but then, I had never seen an attack rabbit either.”
Felix laughed briefly before feeling a slight pang of sadness at the mention of Melinda’s rabbit. “Why doesn’t the professor do something about it—couldn’t he talk to the owners?”
Mulligan shook his head. “Horace is surprisingly affectionate towards animals —even when their preference is to cause him pain.” He patted Felix’s shoulder. “Anyway, it’s not our problem, and we have our own concerns―work to do, places to go, or whatever that old cliché is. I’ll see you at school on Monday.” He trundled back into the house, leaving Felix alone on the front st eps.
Seconds later the dog darted out again, running from tree to tree until it was close enough for Felix to see it clearly. Without thinking about his movements, Felix walked down the steps and whistled for Oscar to come.
The dog stopped in his tracks, sniffed the air and began taking tentative steps towards Felix, wagging its tail slowly.
Felix could see that the dog’s coat was rough and unkempt; he looked malnourished and frightened. “If only my dad was here,” Felix whispered as the poor sickly animal came closer. Tentatively, Oscar inched his way toward Felix―then, as if frightened by something unseen, stopped, lowered his head, bared his teeth and growled.
“It’s OK, boy,” Felix called nervously at the same time that a stinging pain hit the back of his neck. His eyes rolled up and the ground hit his face before he had even realized that he was falling. He heard the dog yelp painfully…he felt the warmth of the sun…he was aware that he was lying face down on the moist grass, but he was completely helpless to do anything about it.
C HAPTER E LEVEN
Harmony Melpot smiled as she replaced a small picture of a man into the top
He stepped out through the front doors and filled his lungs with the cool autumn air. The gardens reached out as far as his eye could see, with the distant sound of traffic the only reminder that the estate was in the heart of Paris. Just then a grey flash caught his eye at the far end of the garden ―a grey streak that darted across an expanse of lawn in the distance, then disappeared behind a large magnolia tree.
Felix adjusted his glasses and watched as what turned out to be a grey shaggy dog darted across the grass again, then disappeared behind another tree. Seconds later, it poked its head out, looked from side to side, then, in an almost crouched run, crossed the lawn to hide behind another tree.
Felix smiled for the first time that morning as he watched the animal’s bizarre commando-style maneuvering. He laughed out loud as he imagined the dog rolling onto its stomach before opening fire with its imaginary submachine gun.
“That’s Oscar,” Professor Mulligan said, startling Felix as he walked up from behind. “I was watching from the window; you seemed to be enjoying yourself out here so I hadn’t wanted to interrupt, but Harmony just phoned and said she’d be here in about five minutes.”
The smile on Felix’s face disintegrated. He nodded his understanding, returning his attention to the dog Mulligan had called Oscar. “I didn’t know that Professor Stumpworthy had a dog.”
Mulligan laughed heartily. “Oh my, no. Oscar is not Professor Stumpworthy’s. In fact, Oscar doesn’t seem to be terribly fond of Horace at all. He comes around here all the time―I think the kitchen staff must feed him. But when he catches even a glimpse of Horace he goes wild, bears his teeth and growls. To be honest I think that the beast would simply love to take a big chunk out of Horace’s flesh.”
“That’s weird.”
“I suppose it’s another example of Horace’s animal magnetism. That dog would sooner grab Horace by the throat than look at him. I’ve never seen a dog behave like that, but then, I had never seen an attack rabbit either.”
Felix laughed briefly before feeling a slight pang of sadness at the mention of Melinda’s rabbit. “Why doesn’t the professor do something about it—couldn’t he talk to the owners?”
Mulligan shook his head. “Horace is surprisingly affectionate towards animals —even when their preference is to cause him pain.” He patted Felix’s shoulder. “Anyway, it’s not our problem, and we have our own concerns―work to do, places to go, or whatever that old cliché is. I’ll see you at school on Monday.” He trundled back into the house, leaving Felix alone on the front st eps.
Seconds later the dog darted out again, running from tree to tree until it was close enough for Felix to see it clearly. Without thinking about his movements, Felix walked down the steps and whistled for Oscar to come.
The dog stopped in his tracks, sniffed the air and began taking tentative steps towards Felix, wagging its tail slowly.
Felix could see that the dog’s coat was rough and unkempt; he looked malnourished and frightened. “If only my dad was here,” Felix whispered as the poor sickly animal came closer. Tentatively, Oscar inched his way toward Felix―then, as if frightened by something unseen, stopped, lowered his head, bared his teeth and growled.
“It’s OK, boy,” Felix called nervously at the same time that a stinging pain hit the back of his neck. His eyes rolled up and the ground hit his face before he had even realized that he was falling. He heard the dog yelp painfully…he felt the warmth of the sun…he was aware that he was lying face down on the moist grass, but he was completely helpless to do anything about it.
C HAPTER E LEVEN
Harmony Melpot smiled as she replaced a small picture of a man into the top
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