Reading Angela Carter's 'Nights at the Circus': Confusion in the Siberian Wilderness

I am about fifty pages from finishing and will not issue any spoilers.  An explosion on the Siberian train leaves them prone to bandits, the tigers have disappeared, as so have the clowns - suffice to say that the circus is depleted even more and spirits are at low ebb.  Walser (once a journalist, now the only remaining clown - no irony there) is wandering about in a cloud of confusion, crowing "Cockadoodledoo-ski!".  People are eyeing up Sybil the Pig as their next meal, but things are looking up for the broken, wandering minstrels.

I am hoping to finish this off for tomorrow, take a break then start with the stories from The Bloody Chamber that I haven't read yet.

Hark, Hark....

We are currently being driven potty by the dog residing at the holiday rental cottage next door.  It does nothing but bark - doesn't like being left alone and every sound sets it off.  I am usually quite tolerant to the holiday makers - next door is a second home and they only let family members and friends use it.  Right now though, it is grating on my senses and am on the verge of phoning up the original owners asking who is in and why is the dog continually kicking off?  Poor dog is probably frightened and wants it's owners to stay at home and eat.

Rant over.