282 Wild Beasts 



intoxicated with being free, and it was not until nervous 

 tension had been relieved by violent muscular motion, that 

 he bethought himself of other matters. 



To sit and watch a man take himself to pieces was 

 pleasing but puzzling. It was evident that boots were part 

 of the body, because his nose told him so. How could 

 they be taken off, and why had these feet their claws 

 behind ? A sword and pistol did not perplex his mind, 

 apparently, as much as the foot gear and spurs. The 

 rapier he admired, like all bright objects, but the firearm 

 excited distrust as being, perhaps, capable of going off 

 spontaneously. He knew about revolvers, but placed no 

 confidence in them whatever. Having presided over the 

 strange process of taking off one skin and putting on 

 another, inspected the articles of clothing removed, and 

 assured himself that those assumed had really become part 

 of the incomprehensible being who did these things, he 

 was ready for his own toilet, which was confined to a gentle 

 brushing of the head. This was expected, however, and 

 was suggested if it did not come soon enough. Then he 

 was ready to go to dinner, a pleasing interlude during 

 which his manners were marked with the greatest elegance 

 and discretion. It was not appetite that moved Gato — 

 he had gratified that before ; it was the performance 

 itself. 



Forks, for instance, those queer talons that were picked 

 up and laid down, excited his curiosity. He examined 

 them, he ate from one with propriety, their glitter attracted 

 him, but he did not understand the rationale of such devices, 

 and their use never failed to fix his attention. Moreover, 



