1. Is the narrator as rich as Tricki's mistress?
2. How does he treat the dog?
3. Why is he tempted to keep Tricki as a permanent guest?
4. Why does Mrs. Pumphrey think the dog's recovery is a "triumph of surgery"?
Answers
Name of the chapter - "A TRIUMPH OF SURGERY"
by - JAMES HERRIOT
1. Is the narrator as rich as Tricki's mistress?
Answer -
No, the narrator (JAMES HERRIOT) is not as rich as Tricki's mistress.
2. How does he treat the dog?
Answer -
He (JAMES HERRIOT) treat Tricki with love and care. He knew that Tricki was not suffering from any disease or any illness. Just Tricki was overfed and grew fat. So, He didn't give Tricki a special treatment. He treated Tricki as other normal dogs which used to live with him. He used to allow Tricki to go outside so that Tricki would play with other normal dogs.
3. Why is he tempted to keep Tricki as a permanent guest?
Answer -
As Tricki's mistress was rich and care about Tricki, she used to send eggs, wine, and brandy. And the narrator enjoys them. Mrs. Pumphrey used to send all those as she thought Tricki would require all those. And, besides any medical treatment, Tricki's progress was rapid and Tricki was a now an accepted member of the gang of household dogs.
4. Why does Mrs. Pumphrey think the dog's recovery is a "triumph of surgery"?
Answer -
When Mrs. Pumphrey saw Tricki she was shocked. She thought the dog's recovery is a "triumph of surgery" because of earlier the dog had an appearance of a bloated sausage with legs at each corner. It was hugely fat, dull, inactive. After the treatment, he was full of life, active and runs and leaps into the car on Mrs. Pumphrey's lap. She is therefore extremely grateful to the vet (narrator).
Answer:
Solution 1
No, the narrator is not as rich as Tricki's mistress.
Solution 2
He treats the dog with care and love. He realizes that the dog is not suffering from any major illness, but is just greedy and over fed. He therefore does not over indulge or fuss over him, but treats him like all the other household dogs at the surgery. He makes up a bed for him in a warm loose box next to the one where the other dogs sleep. For two days he keeps an eye on him, giving him no food but plenty of water. He then lets him out to play and eat with the other dogs.
Solution 3
He is tempted to keep Tricki on as a permanent guest because thanks to Tricki, he is enjoying a wonderful life with fresh eggs for breakfast, - wine and brandy which were supplied by Mrs. Pumphrey for Tricki. She felt that he would need all these things as the vet had said he was convalescing. Eggs would build up his strength, wine would enrich his blood and the brandy would help his constitution. But all these things were enjoyed by the narrator.
Solution 4
Mrs. Pumphrey is shocked when she sees Tricki. She thinks that the dog's recovery is "a triumph of surgery" because earlier the dog had the appearance of a bloated sausage with a leg at each corner. It was hugely fat, dull, inactive and lifeless. His eyes, bloodshot and rheumy, stared straight ahead and his tongue lolled from his jaws. But after the treatment he is full of life, active and runs and leaps into the car on Mrs. Pumphrey’s lap. She is therefore extremely grateful to the vet.