The Dog

Characters

• Porfiry Kapitonitch — a Kaluga landowner and former hussar: He tells how an invisible dog under his bed sent him to Prohoritch and to the puppy Trésor.
• Anton Stepanitch — a civil councillor: A self-assured official for whom the supernatural cannot be reconciled with common sense.
• Trésor — Porfiry Kapitonitch's dog: The puppy bought on Prohoritch's advice; he twice saves his master from the mad dog and dies.
• Prohoritch — an old man of Belyov: A piercing-eyed old man who orders him to buy a puppy and keep it by him; he takes no money.
• Finoplentov — the master of the house: He chimes in from his corner in falsetto and shyly asks about details of the story.
• Skvorevitch and Kinarevitch — guests at Finoplentov's: Two assenting listeners: one echoes the other, and even sneezes after him.
• Filka — Porfiry Kapitonitch's servant: He hears the invisible dog along with his master and turns as white with fright as he does.
• Vassily Vassilitch — a neighbour and card partner: He stays the night, hears the dog, and in terror demands his horses in the middle of the night.
• Fedul Ivanitch — an Old Believer, keeper of the inn: He rejects the word 'sorcery', calls the thing a sign, and sends his guest on to Belyov.
• Nimfodora Semyonovna — a neighbour: A welcoming but capricious neighbour who, after the mad dog's attack, drives her guest away for good.
• Praskovya — the old housekeeper: She brings her master to his senses over Trésor's body: such a death is a great mercy for a dog.
• the mad dog — the count's dog: A huge red beast that springs at the narrator twice and kills Trésor.