Authoress' Note: This story is a direct sequel to my other story "Marius Gets a Dog." I highly recommend that that story be read before this is. Thank you, and enjoy!

The door was looked. The door was locked because I was studying and did not want to be disturbed. But then someone knocked-two long and three short-and I jumped up. It was Joly; I recognized his knock. I opened the door to admit my friend into the meagre apartment we shared. Then I gasped and jumped backwards.

Joly was a dog! A big grey dog! My God, who could have done this to him?

"Bossuet-" said a muffled voice.

Joly was a talking dog!

"Bossuet," the muffled voice repeated.

I became confused. The Joly-dog's mouth wasn't moving. Unless he were a ventriloquist, the dog wasn't actually speaking.

"Bossuet," the voice said a third time. "Why aren't you answering me?" And Joly stepped out from behind the big sheepdog. Then he sneezed.

"Oh, terribly sorry, Joly," I apologized, stepped away from the door so that my room mate and the dog could enter the room. "I thought you had been turned into a dog. My mistake."
I shut the door behind them.

"That's absurd," Joly replied. Then came a sneeze. "It's obvious that I am a human."

"Well, now it is-" I was cut off by another sneeze. Something clicked in my mind.
"Joly, aren't you allergic to dogs?"

"I am allergic to everything."

I grimaced. "Is the dog yours?"

"Yes."

I stared at him expectantly for a moment longer before saying, "Do you see where I'm going with this?"

"No."

I sighed. "Joly, you can't keep that dog. It's not healthy." Joly's face fell, and the dog growled. Without meaning to, I took a step back. Or maybe I did mean to. I've never seen such a big dog in all my life.

And somehow I'm getting the distinct feeling that it doesn't like me.

"Bossuet, I love this dog."

Joly, apparently, still wasn't quite understanding my objection to his new pet.

"His name is Tache," Joly told me.

"Tache?" I repeated. "What a silly name!" Tache responded to my insult by violently snapping at the air in front of him with his teeth. With his long, sharp teeth.
Maybe I have more than one objection to Joly's new pet. I don't think I quite trust this animal-

"OW!" I hollered. "OW!" My instincts concerning the dog were correct. "Joly, he bit my leg!" And he drew blood, too.

"Oh, don't be silly. He's just playing," Joly replied. He knelt down in front of the dog, and proceeded to scratch behind his unbelievably furry ears. Tache thumped his tail on the floor in delight. "Weren't you-ACHOO-Tache?" Joly looked up at me. "Bossuet, could you please get me a handkerchief?" I rolled my eyes, but did as he asked.

"Joly," I said, handing him the handkerchief, making sure to keep clear of Tache's fangs. "Where did you get this dog anyhow?"

Joly blew his nose. "Marius gave him to me," he replied with a sniff.

"Why did Marius give him to you?" I probed.

"He didn't want him anymore." He sneezed again, and wiped his nose on his sleeve.

"For Heaven's sake, Joly, I gave you that handkerchief for a reason," I said. Obliging, Joly wiped his nose with the handkerchief. "Now, tell me why Marius didn't want him anymore."

Joly fell silent. After a moment or so, he turned from me, and went back to scratching his pet. ACHOO, ACHOO, ACHOO, ACHOO!

"Joly?" I pressed.

"I don't know," Joly answered quickly. "It certainly wasn't because Tache attacked him and Grantaire or destroyed the Café Musain or anything like that, if that's what you're thinking."

My mouth dropped open.

"What?" Joly sniffled. "It's not!"

I just stared at my friend. My mouth worked for a moment before words actually started coming out. Finally, I burst out, "JOLY!"

"Oh, but Bossuet, see how gentle-ACHOO-he is!" The dog growled at me. I pointed that out to Joly.

"That's not growling, Bossuet," my friend assured me. "It's purring!" I didn't know that dogs purred, but I let that one go. "He's happy!" Joly continued. "Aren't you, Tacheeeeaaachooooo! Oh, excuse me…"

"Joly, this is ridiculous. The dog can't stay."

Joly gave me an icy stare. "Marius gave him to me, he's mine, and I want to keep him!"

Struggling to remain calm, I told him slowly, "No. I'm sorry, Joly, I really am. But he just can't stay. You're allergic to him. And if the landlord learns that we're keeping pets he'll evict us." Tache growled. "And I don't think he likes me much," I added quickly. I looked straight into Joly's face. He was still crouched down in front of Tache, a desolate look on his face. But his eyes and nose were a harsh red from the exposure to the allergen that was his new pet. There was just no way that this was going to work out. "I'm sorry," I repeated softly. "But you have to get rid of him."

Then suddenly, an idea seemed to come to my friend. His face lit up with the thought of his unspoken proposal.

And it won't be good for me, that's for certain.

"Bossuet," said Joly. "Let's give this a little time."

"Please, no-"

"Just one night! I promise one night!"

"One night for what?" I asked him, afraid of his answer.

"Well, Tache will stay with us for one night. One night during which you try your best to warm up to Tache. And if by tomorrow morning you still feel the same way about him, I promise you-" Joly broke off.

"You promise me…?" I prompted.

Joly sighed, but resumed. "I promise you that I will get rid off Tache. How's that?"

I hesitated. How's that? Well, it certainly doesn't sound too pleasant. But Joly is my best friend. I suppose…it must be my duty as a friend to give him this much. So I said, "Alright, Joly. I agree. One night."

One night.