Ii6 The Book of Cats. 



descending to the lower storey, was surprised to 

 hear her cries of " Puss " answered by the mewing 

 of a Cat, the sounds proceeding from the wine cellar, 

 which had been properly locked and the key placed 

 in safe custody. As the Cat was in the parlour 

 when the lady left for church, it was unnecessary to 

 consult a " wise man " to ascertain that the servants 

 had clandestine means of getting into the wine- 

 cellar, and that they had forgotten, when they them- 

 selves returned, to request pussy, also, to withdraw. 

 The contents of the cellar, from that time forward, 

 did not disappear as quickly as they had been 

 doing for some time previously. 



A woman was murdered at Lyons, and when the 

 body was found weltering in blood, a large white 

 Cat was seen mounted on the cornice of a cup- 

 board. He sat motionless, his eyes fixed on the 

 corpse, and his attitude and looks expressing horror 

 and affright. Next morning he was still found 

 there ; and when the room was filled by the officers 

 of justice, neither the clattering of the soldiers' 

 arms nor the loud conversation frightened him 

 away. As soon, however, as the suspected persons 

 were brought in, his eyes glared with fury, a' id his 

 hair bristled. He darted into the middle of the 

 room, where he stopped for a moment to g ze on 



