154 "^he Book of Cats. 



for whom she had the greatest affection, were to be 

 found. Carlo was caught before in the same trap, 

 and he bit at it and at everything around, and 

 severely injured the gardener who went to release 

 him, biting- his arm and lec^s, and tearing his trousers 

 to shreds. Thus, Pussy, under precisely the same 

 circumstances, showed by far the greatest amount 

 of sagacity and cool courage. She, however, not 

 many weeks afterwards, came in one day with her 

 foot sadly lacerated, having again got caught in a 

 trap. So although she could reason, she did not 

 appear to have learned wisdom from experience. 

 She was for long a cripple ; perhaps this last mis- 

 fortune may have taught her prudence. Poor thing ! 

 she went limping about the garden, in vain en- 

 deavouring, even in the frosty weather, to catch 

 birds." 



I know of a young man who was accustomed to 

 leave home on a Monday morning and return on 

 the Saturday, and who had a Cat that used to 

 come home a few moments after him, and watch 

 him wash and dress himself, and then sleep on 

 his clothes until the following Monday, when soon 

 after the young man went away, the Cat would 

 go too, and not return all the week. 



I also know of a Cat that once rushed into a 



