the drawing-room in his bleeding mouth. 

 That he wished to destroy them is certain, 

 but their bristles saved them and they were 

 all restored to the bushes and liberty. On 

 such matters there can be no argument. It is 

 best to admit that our beloved dog and our 

 dear cat both have primal impulses, ancient 

 necessities of rapine, and wild desires which 

 we can sometimes soften and direct, but can 

 never utterly abolish. It must be enough for 

 us that they have come from their world into 

 ours to lay their love and their companionship 

 at our feet. 



3S With what a dignity and grace and dis- 

 cretion does a cat make her offer. She tells 

 you plainly it is there for the taking, but she 

 would scorn to force it upon you, for she has 

 her reserve and is proud of her independence. 

 " If you like me," she seems to say, " and are 

 willing to respecl: me, count me your faithful 

 cat. I shall make few claims on you. An 

 armchair, a cushion, a saucer of milk, a plate 

 of fish will satisfy my wants. I shall never 

 39 m plague 



