The Greyhound
After H. Griffiths
Chapter 6
When Jamie reached his house he stopped in front of its door. After some hesitation he
took Silver by the collar and opened the door. His mother, Cora and little Leah came to
greet him when he came in.
“You’re late for tea. We had tea a hour ago,” said Cora.
“Jamie!” exclaimed Mrs. Vincent. “Where have you been?” Then she saw Silver.
“And where did you get this dog?”
“Hello, Mum!” said Jamie not very bravely. “I visited a friend. He gave me his dog
because he can’t keep him any more.”
“You must take him back, Jamie!” said his mother. “We can’t keep it either! I’ve
already told you we can’t have a dog at home. Such a big dog! We can’t even keep a
small one!”
“But, Mum … I’m begging you …,” pleaded Jamie.
“Take the dog back, Jamie. We can’t keep it here! Don’t let me see this dog here!
You are a very bad boy, Jamie … Don’t let me see it here!” she said angrily.
Jamie looked at his mother for a long time. He was so surprised that he couldn’t say a
word. Why was his mother so angry with him? Why couldn’t she understand how much he
needed that dog? How could she say, “take the dog back?” It was a terrible moment for
him. He saw that Silver was frightened. Silver was so clever that he understood
everything. He went under the table and looked at Jamie first and then at Mrs. Vincent.
His eyes were sad and frightened.
“Mum, I can’t take him back. Let him stay here,” Jamie pleaded with her.
“You do what I tell you to do, Jamie,” she said.
“But I’ve bought him. He is my dog now. I paid for him,” said Jamie.
“Then you must have your money back. But I don’t know about that money. Where did you
get that money? Go and take the dog back. We can’t have him here, and that’s all.”
“Mum, Mum!” Jamie said. “Please don’t send him away. I shall die if you send him
away.”
“Don’t say silly things like that!” said Mrs. Vincent. “Of course, you can live
without him. You’ll forget all about him tomorrow.”
“But I love him, Mum.”
Jamie saw that he could not make his mother understand how much he needed Silver. His
mother did not want to have a dog in the house and she was very angry. He could not
understand why she wanted to send Silver away. Didn’t she want him to be happy? Did she
hate her son? Jamie sat down on a chair and put his face in his hands. Silver came to
Jamie and put his head on Jamie’s knees. Jamie patted the dog.
“Oh, Mum, I love him so much and I want him so much!” said Jamie.
“Stop it, Jamie, stop it!” said his mother. “You must not love a dog so much. It
isn’t right. It’ll only bring you trouble. Take him back.” She did not speak for a
minute, and then said, “Please, Jamie, try to understand. We can’t have him here. Go
and take the dog back.”
Cora and Leah were listening to Jamie and their mother silently. They didn’t even speak
to each other. Evidently Leah liked the dog. She was watching him with great interest.
Cora was not against the dog but she agreed with her mother that their rooms were too
small to keep the dog, especially that big one. She felt sorry for Jamie, because he was
in a very bad situation. “Poor Jamie,” she thought with pity.
Jamie was annoyed that his mother did not want to understand him. There was no hope for
him. Silver had to go but where? Silver could not stay with Jamie and he had to take the
dog away. Jamie looked up at his mother. He hated her now and she noticed it.
She tried to put her arms round him, but he did not let her.
“Jamie, don’t look at me like that. What’s the matter?” she cried.
He wanted to say something to show how angry he was with her, but it was not easy for him.
It was the first time he was angry with his mother. Really, he loved her very much and was
always eager to please her. He never knew that his mother could not understand her son. He
never knew that she could be so heartless. A lump rose in Jamie’s throat. He
could not even utter a word.
“You can’t have the dog, Jamie, and so try not to love him,” said Mrs. Vincent.
“Forget him. Take the dog back to where you got him.”
“I hate you!” cried Jamie suddenly. “I hate you. You don’t know anything about
love. You don’t love me, so I don’t love you. I hate you!”
“Jamie! What are you saying?” asked his mother.
“You are making my life miserable! I hate you! I hate you!” Jamie said with tears in
his eyes.
Mrs. Vincent was so angry that her face became red. She was not sorry for him any more.
Even Cora who had pitied Jamie before the row, now got angry with him. Jamie saw it in her
eyes.
“You’ll take the dog back right now!” Mrs. Vincent shouted angrily. “Don’t come
back with the dog!” She walked to the door and opened it. “Go on, now. Take him back
and let’s not speak about it any more.”
Why did I say that I hate her? How can I hate her? I love her very much! I’m sorry
I’ve said that, thought Jamie. He glanced at his mother. She gave him a dirty look.
I’d like to tell her that I’m sorry but I can’t. She’s so angry with me that she
won’t listen to me. Then he took the dog by the collar and went to the door. Jamie
glanced apologetically at his mother as he passed her. He wanted to put his arms round
her, but she looked too cold and silently closed the door behind them.
“Come on, boy,” said Jamie to the dog when they were on the stairs. “Nobody wants us
here. Let’s go away. Come on.” Jamie took a piece of string out of his pocket and tied
it to Silver’s collar. The dog looked at him sadly.
“Please, Silver,” said Jamie. “Don’t look at me like that. I love you and I’ll
find you some place to live. You are my dog now and I’ll take care of you.”
They were going along the street slowly. Jamie was annoyed. He did not smile now. He
felt down in the dumps. He did not know where to go. He could not take the dog back to
the old man. He had to do something, but what? He had no idea what he could do and there
was nobody who could help him.
Jamie walked about the streets for a long time. There was no place for Silver anywhere.
Suddenly he saw a half-destroyed house. He decided to go in. He saw a flight of steps that
went down into a cellar. Jamie went slowly down the steps. He walked very carefully. His
mother always told him to be careful and not to play in half-destroyed houses and other
places like that. It was dangerous. When he came to the last step he looked around him.
The moon was bright and it shone down the steps into the cellar. So he could see its high
walls. It looked like a long tunnel under the street. It was dark in the cellar and Jamie
was a little afraid. But suddenly Silver’s hot tongue began to lick his hand. Jamie was
not alone. His friend was with him.
“Come on, boy,” said Jamie. “Let’s see what’s here.”
At the far end of the cellar Jamie found a hole in the wall. The hole was not very large
but Jamie and Silver could go through it. There was another cellar there. It was smaller
than the first one and there was some sand on the floor.
“Silver! My beautiful dog! We’ve found a suitable place,” said Jamie and Silver came
up to him and began to lick his hand again. “Silver, you are my dog and I must take care
of you. I’ll make a warm nest for you. I’ll visit you every day and even every free
minute. I’ll bring you food and we’ll go for a walk.”
Jamie did not like to leave Silver alone in the cold dark cellar but there was no other
place. He began to make a warm nest for the dog. He found an old door and made a platform
out of it. Then he found some old boxes and put them on the door. “It may be colder at
night,” Jamie thought and put his coat on the boxes. “Silver can lie on it and be
warm.”
At last everything was ready. Jamie did not want to leave but it was late and he had to go
back home. His mother was already angry with him. “And she will be angry again if I come
late,” he thought.
Silver did not like that dark, cold place and did not want to stay there. It was not easy
for Jamie to go away without Silver. He sat down near him and talked, and talked to him.
At last he got up. “Don’t be afraid, Silver,” said Jamie. “You are not going to
lose me. I’ll come back tomorrow.” Silver got up, too, and licked Jamie’s face.
Jamie took some steps but Silver did not make a single move. Silver understood that he
could not come with Jamie but he could not understand why.
Jamie went home slowly. He was very cold without a coat because he had left his coat in
the cellar. It was late and there was nobody in the streets. “It’s wonderful to have a
dog,” he thought, “but it isn’t easy to keep him. I have taken money from Hilliard
that I can never pay back. My mother was angry with me. Things look bad. But there
is something worse than that: he left Silver in a cold dark cellar without food or
water.” His heart was torn in two with pity for him. But he could not take him
home. What could he do? Nothing! Nothing at all!
Mrs. Vincent was worried that Jamie had not come home yet. Suddenly she heard footsteps on
the stairs. She ran to the door and opened it. It was Jamie at last.
“Jamie! Where have you been?” she asked.
Jamie did not answer. He was not angry with his mother now, but he could not tell her the
truth and did not want to tell her a lie. He was tired and cold.
“You have been away so long! You must be tired and hungry, Jamie! Sit down at the table
and I’ll make you something to eat. Do you want a cup of tea or hot milk?” asked his
mother.
Jamie sat at the table and watched his mother. Mrs. Vincent was a small woman; she had
grey eyes like Jamie’s and dark hair like Cora’s. Her clothes were clean but old,
because she never had enough money to buy new ones. But to Jamie she was the most
beautiful mother in the world. “Everything will be all right between us,” he thought
and promised himself never to be so rude to his mother.
Mrs. Vincent saw that Jamie was without his coat, but she decided not to ask any questions
about the dog or coat. She was happy that Jamie was home and not angry with her.
When Mr. Vincent came home from work that night it was already late and Jamie was in bed.
Jamie thought about Silver. Silver had his home now and Jamie hoped that the dog was all
right.
Mrs. Vincent told her husband the whole story about Jamie and the dog.
“Poor boy,” said Jamie’s father, “when I was a boy I wanted to have a dog but my
mother was against it. She never spoke much. She said only ‘no’. I knew that there was
no hope for me if she said ‘no’.”
“Jamie’s heart is in that dog,” said Mrs. Vincent. “It’s a pity that we can’t
keep the dog here.”
“A man has told me about a new factory that will be opened soon in the country near
London. I’m going to get work there. If I get work there, I’ll get a house there, too.
If we have a house in the country, we can keep a dog there. If Jamie wants a big dog,
he’ll have a big one.”
“That’s a good idea! But let’s not say anything to Jamie yet. We’ll tell him about
it when you get work,” said Mrs. Vincent.
Jamie was sleeping. Silver was near Jamie’s bed in his dream. Mrs. Vincent and Mr.
Vincent were talking about their new house in the country. They wanted to make Jamie
happy. They would try to do their best to make their children happy. Soon Jamie’s dream
could come true.
A lump rose in Jamie’s throat. Комок подкатил к горлу.
She gave him a dirty look. Она посмотрела на него сердито.
He felt down in the dumps. Он чувствовал себя как в воду опущенный.
Things look bad. Плохи дела.
His heart was torn in two with pity for him. Его сердце разрывалось на части от жалости к собаке.
ACTIVITIES AND EXERCISES
I. Comprehension Task
There are 10 mistakes in this paragraph. Read it carefully and find them.
Jamie ran about the streets for a long time. There was no place for Jamie anywhere. Suddenly he saw a half-destroyed shed. He decided to come in. He saw a flight of steps that went up into a cellar. Jamie went quickly down the steps. He walked very carelessly. His mother never told him to be careful and not to play in half-destroyed houses and other places like that. It was interesting. When he came to the last step he looked around him. The sun was bright and it shone down the steps into the cellar. So he could see its high walls. It looked like a long tunnel under the street. It was light in the cellar and Jamie was a little afraid. But suddenly Silver’s hot tongue began to lick his hand. Jamie was not alone. His friend was with him.
1. ____________=____________
2. ____________=____________
3. ____________=____________
4. ____________=____________
5. ____________=____________
6. ____________=____________
7. ____________=____________
8. ____________=____________
9. ____________=____________
10. ____________=____________
Answers: 1. ran =walked; 2. Jamie = Silver; 3. shed = house; 4. up = down; 5. quickly = slowly; 6. carelessly = carefully; 7. never = always; 8. interesting = dangerous; 9. sun = moon; 10. light = dark
II. Grammar
1. Put the words in the correct order and write sentences (all of them are statements).
1. I, told, have, we, can, have, not, at, dog, you, already, a, home.
2. Was, him, great, with, she, interest, watching.
3. Everything, he, clever, was, he, Silver, understood, so, that.
4. Why, could, she, Silver, away, send, understand, to, he, not, wanted.
5. Knees, head, and, came, Jamie’s, to, Silver, put, his, on, Jamie.
6. To, and, were, Cora, and, listening, and, Leah, Jamie, their, silently, mother.
7. He, could, the, not, with, had, take, away, dog, stay, Jamie, and, to, Silver.
8. With, it, first, was, the, when, time, was, he, mother, angry, his.
9. Collar, it, pocket, and, to, tied, his, out, took, of, a, of, string, piece, Jamie, Silver’s.
10. The, nest, warm, he, to, began, make, a, for, dog.
2. Now look through the text again and check your answers.
Answers:
1. I’ve already told you we can’t have a dog at home.
2. She was watching him with great interest.
3. Silver was so clever that he understood everything
4. He could not understand why she wanted to send Silver away.
5. Silver came to Jamie and put his head on Jamie’s knees.
6. Cora and Leah were listening to Jamie and their mother silently.
7. Silver could not stay with Jamie and he had to take the dog away.
8. It was the first time when he was angry with his mother.
9. Jamie took a piece of string out of his pocket and tied it to Silver’s collar.
10. He began to make a warm nest for the dog.
III. Pronunciation Task
Combination of letters has more than one pronunciation. Look at the underlined letters in the words below. They often sound [i:]. Use your dictionary to check the pronunciation. Write out the words where “ea” sounds different. Practice saying the words with [i:].
reach, tea, dream, greet, been, plead, head, keep, see, clean, already, need, ready, please, knee, sleep, speak, each, great, agree, really, eager, leave, near, heard, heart, tear, free, easy, between, beautiful, street
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
Answers: head, already, ready, great, really, near, heard, heart, tear, beautiful
IV. Vocabulary
Sometimes we use “one” or “ones” to replace a countable noun or nouns. Look at the sentences below and answer the question: “What noun does it replace?”
1. Such a big dog! We can’t even keep a small one! (_____)
2. Cora was not against the dog but she agreed with her mother that their rooms were too small to keep the dog, especially that big one. (_______)
3. There was another cellar there. It was smaller than the first one and there was some sand on the floor. (_______)
4. Her clothes were clean but old, because she never had enough money to buy new ones. (_______)
5. If Jamie wants a big dog, he’ll have a big one. (_______)
Answers: 1. dog; 2. dog; 3. cellar; 4. clothes; 5. dog
V. Speaking
What do you think about a conflict between Jamie and his mother? Who was right and who was wrong in your opinion? The questions below will help you to express your opinions.
1. Were the Vincents’ rooms big enough for five people and a dog?
2. Did Jamie’s parents earn enough money to keep a dog?
3. Why was Mrs. Vincent against a dog?
4. Did Mrs. Vincent know that her son had no friends and was lonely?
5. Would Mrs. Vincent let Jamie have a dog if he told his mother that he was lonely and needed a friend?
6. Do you think that Mrs. Vincent did not love her son and so she could not understand him?
7. Did Jamie really hate his mother?
8. Was Jamie rude to his mother?
9. Why did Cora pity Jamie at the beginning of the conflict and why did she become angry with him later?
10. Jamie’s parents wanted their children to be happy, didn’t they?