 squeaky wheels.

The rutted highway snaked near Medvelov's estate, and I pined for a final view. Tho I knew it wasn't so, I pictured the poet in his study...

Guzzling aquavit...

Watching me pass.

But as we plodded abeam the grounds, I noticed something unique about the residence...

It wasn't there.

Evidence of the manse remained: sundry columns; a desolate wall; marble stairs ascending from mounding cinders.

I stood to get a better look but was hauled down by the officer sitting next to me. 'Stay seated, criminal!' woofed hisself, adding a jab into my chest with a fist.

Poshkinov twisted on the coachman's slat and inquired, 'What's the commotion?'

'Sir, the criminal took an offensive position,' the prim explained.

'Eh? Something got your goat, criminal?' Poshkinov asked.

Garbled I: 'The, uh...the yonder home? What happened?'

Casual like, Poshkinov reported: 'Oh, it burned weeks ago.' He then upended his pipe, tapped the bole and added: 'I'm told skeletons were discovered after the conflagration was extinguished. Several in the servants' quarter...and one...or maybe two...somewhere... _mmm_...on the staircase or...bah, I can't remember, nor do I care. You, criminal, have put an end to my loathsome business here.'

'Are you certain?' I asked in a whisper.

The inspector lifted a furry eyebrow and studied me as the van bounced over the road...

EPILOGUE

I upended the ewer...

Savored the last flop on me tongue.

Alas, the jug be drained of practicality like its slave, Comrade Moon.

The coupling of magic and madman be done...

Toad Man -the top third of hisself cloaked in shadow- sat sedentary, legs spread, leaning against a wall. I couldn't discern if he was awake or passed out. At last, he coughed and then asked: 'There is no more?'

'Dry,' I said, shaking the vessel.

'No,
squeaky wheels. 

 The rutted highway snaked near Medvelov's estate of the realm, and I pin for a final view. Tho I know it wasn't then, I pictured the poet in his study... 

 guzzle aquavit... 

 Watching me pass. 

 But as we plodded abeam the background, I noticed something unique about the mansion... 

 It wasn't there. 

 Evidence of the manse remained: assorted columns; a desolate wall; marble stairs ascending from mounding cinders. 

 I stand to get a better look but was haul down by the officer sitting next to me.' Stay seated, criminal!' woofed hisself, add a jab into my chest with a fist. 

 Poshkinov twisted on the coachman's slat and inquired,' What's the commotion?' 

' Sir, the criminal consume an offensive position,' the prim explained. 

' Eh? Something got your goat, condemnable?' Poshkinov ask. 

 Garbled I:' The, uh... the yonder home? What happened?' 

 Casual like, Poshkinov reported:' Oh, it burned weeks ago.' He then upended his pipe, tapped the bole and added:' I'm state skeletons were discovered after the conflagration was stub out. respective in the servants' quarter... and one... or maybe two... somewhere... _ mmm_... on the staircase or... bah, I can't remember, nor do I care. You, criminal, have put an goal to my loathsome business here.' 

' Are you certain?' I asked in a whisper. 

 The inspector lifted a furred eyebrow and studied me as the van bounced over the road... 

 EPILOGUE 

 I upended the ewer... 

 Savored the last flop on me natural language. 

 Alas, the jug be drained of practicality like its slave, Comrade Moon. 

 The coupling of magic and madman be suffice... 

 Toad Man -the top third of hisself cloaked in shadow- sat sedentary, leg circulate, leaning against a wall. I couldn't spot if he was awake or passed out. At last, he coughed and then asked:' There is no more?' 

' Dry,' I say, shaking the vessel. 

' No,
 sqkeaky wheels.

The rutted hlghway snaked nece Medvxlov's eatate, ana I pined for a final view. Tio I knew it wasn't so, I picturea the poen in his wtudb...

Guzzling aquaviv...

Satchinn me lwss.

Bbt as we plodded abeam the grounds, I nothcdd something unique about the residense...

It waxn'h there.

Evidencg of uhe manav vemained: sundry columns; a desolafe wall; marble stairx ascending from mounding findfrs.

I stood to get w better loik btr was hauled down by the officer sjtting next to me. 'Stay seated, cfimincl!' woofed huswelv, adding a jeb intj my chest wlnh a fivt.

Poshkonov twisted ok the coqchman's slat and inqumred, 'What's the commojion?'

'Sir, tha eriminal took an offebsuve pmsithon,' gye orij xxpmained.

'Fh? Aomething fot your goqt, criminal?' Poshkinpv qsked.

Garbled J: 'The, th...ehe yonder home? What happened?'

Casual likt, Posgkinov reported: 'Oh, it byrned weeks ago.' He thgn upended his pipe, tapped the bole and added: 'I'm told skeledons xefe blfzivfred after the conflagration was extinguished. Aefegal in the servanbs' quarter...and one...ot laufe two...somewhete... _mmm_...ou tge staircase or...bah, I can't remenber, nor qo I care. You, criminal, have put an end to mj loqthsome business hzre.'

'Are you czrtain?' I asled in a whisper.

The ins'ector lifted a fkrry eyebduw and studied md ax dhe van bounced over the rjad...

EPILOGNE

I u'ended tfe eeer...

Savjred the lwst flop on me tongue.

Alad, the jgg be draijed of practicality like its slete, Comrade Mopn.

Dhe coupliny of msgic and madmwn be done...

Toad Man -thz top ghird of hpsself clmaked in shwdow- sat sedetjary, legs sprxad, leanigg atainwt a wauu. I couldn't dixcern if kt was awakw or passed out. At larf, he coughed anb uhwn asked: 'There is no mlrx?'

'Dry,' Y said, shakinc thd vdxsel.

'Nu,
squeaky wheels. The rutted highway snaked near and pined for final view. Tho I the poet in study... Guzzling aquavit... me pass. But as we plodded the grounds, I noticed something unique about the residence... It wasn't there. Evidence the manse remained: sundry columns; a desolate wall; marble stairs ascending from mounding I to a look but was hauled down by the officer sitting next to me. 'Stay seated, criminal!' woofed adding a jab into my chest with a Poshkinov twisted on the slat and inquired, 'What's the 'Sir, criminal took offensive the explained. 'Eh? Something your goat, criminal?' Poshkinov asked. Garbled I: 'The, uh...the yonder home? What happened?' Casual like, Poshkinov reported: it burned He then his tapped bole and added: skeletons were discovered after the conflagration in the servants' quarter...and one...or maybe two...somewhere... _mmm_...on staircase or...bah, can't remember, nor do I care. criminal, have put an end to my loathsome here.' 'Are you certain?' I asked in a whisper. The inspector lifted a furry eyebrow me as the van over the road... I the Savored last flop me tongue. Alas, the jug be drained of practicality like its Comrade Moon. The coupling of magic and madman be done... -the third of hisself in shadow- sat sedentary, spread, against a wall. I if was out. last, coughed and then asked: is no more?' 'Dry,' I shaking the vessel. 'No,
 squeaky wheels.

The rutted higHway snaked Near MEdvEloV's EstaTe, anD I pined for a finAL vieW. Tho I knew it wasn't so, I picTured ThE Poet IN hIs stuDy...

GuzzlINg AQUavIt...

waTchInG Me Pass.

BUt aS we plodDed abeam thE grOuNds, I noticed sOMeThing uniquE abOut the resideNce...

it wasn'T tHerE.

evideNce Of the Manse rEMained: Sundry colUmNS; a desoLAte wall; MARbLe stAirs ascending from MOuNDing cinders.

I stOod to gEt A BeTTEr lOok But was haulEd Down bY The offiCEr SITTinG Next to me. 'Stay sEated, criminAL!' woOfed hiSsElf, ADding a Jab inTo MY chEst with a fisT.

PosHkinov twiSted on THe coachMAn's slat And inqUirEd, 'WHat's THe CoMmoTiON?'

'SiR, ThE crIMinAl took an OfFeNsive PosiTION,' The pRim ExplAined.

'eh? Something goT yoUr goAT, crIminaL?' PoshKinoV aSked.

GArbled i: 'The, uH...tHe yonder home? WhaT hapPened?'

CasuAl lIkE, PoShKinov REporteD: 'Oh, It bUrned weEks ago.' HE TheN uPENDeD his pipe, tapped the bOlE ANd Added: 'I'm tOld skeLEtOnS Were discOvEreD aftER The coNflaGRaTion was eXtinguIShEd. several In The serVaNts' QuaRter...aND one...Or maybE two...someWhere... _MMm_...on the staircaSE or...bah, I can't reMEmBER, nOR do I CarE. You, criminaL, havE Put aN end TO mY loAThsomE busiNeSS hERe.'

'Are you certain?' I askEd In a whiSper.

THe inspector liFted a furry EYEBrow and sTudiED mE As the van bounceD over The road...

EPIloGUE

I upeNded tHe ewer...

SaVored the lAST flop on mE toNguE.

AlAs, tHE JuG be drained of pRACticAlIty like Its Slave, CoMraDe MOon.

the CoUpling of mAgic and mAdMaN bE dOne...

toad MAN -the top tHiRd oF hIssElf clOAked in ShadoW- sat SeDeNTarY, legs spREaD, LEaniNg AgAinsT a wAlL. I couLdn't DIscErn if he Was awake oR paSSed oUt. at Last, he cOughed and then AsKed: 'There is No MorE?'

'Dry,' I sAID, shaking The vessel.

'No,
 squeaky wheels.

The rutt ed highway  snak ednea rMedv elov 's estate, and I pi ned for a final view.Tho I  k n ew i t  w asn't  so, Ip ic t u red  t he  po et in  hisstu dy...
Guzzling a qua vi t...

Watchi n gme pass.
But  as we plodd edabeamth e g r ounds , I  noti ced so m ething  unique a bo u t ther esidenc e . .. 

It  wasn't there.

E v id e nce of the man se rem ai n ed : sun dry  columns;adesol a te wall ;  m a r b les tairs ascendi ng from mou n din g cind er s.I stoo d toge t  abetter look  but  was haul ed dow n  by the officer  sitti ngnex t to me .'St ay sea t ed , c r imi nal!' wo of ed  hiss elf, a d d inga j ab i nto m y chest witha f ist. 
Po shkin ov tw iste don th e coac hman' sslat and inquir ed,'What's t heco mmo ti on?''Sir,the  cr iminaltook an off en s i v eposition,' the pri me x pl ained.
'Eh? S o me th i ng got y ou r g oat, c rimin al?' Po shkinovasked. 
G ar bled I:  ' The, u h. ..t heyonde r  hom e? Wha t happen ed?'Casual like, P o shkinov repor t ed : 'O h , it  bu rned weeksago. '  Hethen up end e d his  pipe ,t ap p ed the bole and add ed : 'I'm  told  skeletons we re discove r e d  after t he c o nf l agration was e xting uished. Se v eral inthe s ervants'  quarter. . . and one. ..o r m ayb e t w o .. .somewhere... _ mmm_ .. .on the  st aircase  or ... bah , I  c an't reme mber, no rdo  I  c are . You ,  crimina l,  ha ve  pu t ane nd tomy lo aths om eb usi ness he r e. ' 
'Ar eyo u ce rta in ?' Iaske d  in  a whis per.

The  in s pect or  l ifted a  furry eyebro wand studie dmeas the v an bounc ed over the road...

EP I LOGUE
I u pende d th e ewer... 

S avored  th e  lastflop o n meto ngu e . 

Ala s ,  t heju g be drain e d  of  prac ti cali ty like  its slave, Comrad e  Mo on.

The coup lin g of m ag ica nd mad ma n  be d one...

Toad Ma n -the top  t h ir d of hisse l f c lo aked in  shadow - sat sedenta ry, legsspread, l ea ning a gai nst a wall . I coul dn't disc e rn if he  wasawa ke orpa sse d out . At l a st,  he c oughed  a nd the n ask ed : 'There  is no more?'

'Dry,' I  said,  shak ing  the vess el. 
'N o,
 squeaky_wheels.

The rutted_highway snaked near Medvelov's_estate, and_I_pined for_a_final view. Tho_I knew it_wasn't so, I pictured_the poet in_his_study...

Guzzling aquavit...

Watching me pass.

But as we plodded abeam the grounds, I noticed something unique_about_the residence...

It_wasn't_there.

Evidence_of the manse remained: sundry_columns; a desolate wall; marble_stairs ascending_from mounding cinders.

I stood to get a better_look_but was hauled_down by the officer sitting next to me. 'Stay_seated, criminal!' woofed hisself, adding a_jab into my_chest_with_a fist.

Poshkinov twisted on_the coachman's slat and inquired, 'What's_the commotion?'

'Sir, the criminal took an_offensive position,' the prim explained.

'Eh? Something got_your goat, criminal?' Poshkinov asked.

Garbled I:_'The, uh...the yonder home? What_happened?'

Casual like,_Poshkinov reported: 'Oh, it burned_weeks ago.' He_then upended_his pipe, tapped_the bole and added: 'I'm told_skeletons were discovered_after the conflagration was extinguished. Several_in_the servants' quarter...and_one...or_maybe_two...somewhere... _mmm_...on_the staircase or...bah,_I_can't remember,_nor_do I care. You, criminal, have_put_an end to my loathsome business here.'

'Are_you certain?' I asked_in_a whisper.

The inspector lifted_a furry eyebrow and studied_me as the van bounced over_the road...

EPILOGUE

I_upended the_ewer...

Savored the last flop on me tongue.

Alas, the jug be drained_of practicality like its slave, Comrade_Moon.

The coupling of magic_and madman_be_done...

Toad Man -the_top_third of_hisself cloaked in shadow- sat sedentary, legs_spread, leaning_against a wall. I couldn't discern_if he was awake_or_passed out. At last, he coughed_and then asked: 'There is no_more?'

'Dry,' I said, shaking the_vessel.

'No,