28 THE FIRESIDE SPHINX 



castle hall, by cottage hearth, at the door of my 

 lady's chamber, he kept loyal watch and ward. 

 Poets praised him, kings caressed him, beggars 

 bound him to their wretchedness ; and nuns, on 

 whom the rule of Poverty weighed not too heavily, 

 — like Chaucer's Prioresse, — carried him upon 

 blessed pilgrimages, and fed him daintily 



" With rosted flessh, or mylk and wastel breed." 



Carved in stone and moulded in bronze, we see 

 him on beautiful old tombs, couchant at the feet of 

 mailed knights and noble dames, sharing the still 

 magnificence of death as he shared the glory and 

 the tumult of life. Mother Church took him under 

 her protection, for it was well known that when 

 Saint Roch appeared at Heaven's court, his clog 

 stood by his side ; and Saint Peter, who values 

 faithful service, smiled as he opened wide the gates. 

 From countless altars of Catholic Christendom, 

 Saint Roch — most pitiful because most suffering 

 of Saints — showed, and still shows to poor human- 

 ity the plague spot on his knee ; and still at his feet 

 is the dumb friend whom no excess of misery could 

 alienate, the animal in whose heart God has im- 

 planted a steadfastness of affection which is one of 

 the kindly miracles of creation. 



The colder temperament of the cat, her self- 

 sufficing independence of character, her impene- 

 trable reserve, her love of gentleness and luxury, 



