222 THE FIRESIDE SPHINX 



child who, perishing of neglect, would leave in that 

 miserable abode no more trace of its feeble existence 

 than she had done. 



" At last one small paw was lifted, Oh ! so deli- 

 cately, so discreetly ; and, after a long anxious look, 

 Moumoutte, believing the time had now come for 

 venturing all things, took heart of grace, and leaped 

 upon my knee. 



" There she curled herself, but with subdued tact 

 and reserve, seeming to make her little limbs as 

 light as possible, a mere feather-weight, — and never 

 taking her eyes from my face. She stayed a long 

 while, inconveniencing me greatly ; but I lacked 

 the courage to put her down, as I might have done 

 unhesitatingly, had she been pretty and plump and 

 gay. Nervously aware of my least movement, she 

 watched me with intentness ; not as though fearing 

 I would do her harm, — she was far too intelligent 

 to believe me capable of such a thing, — but as 

 though to ask, ' Is it possible that I do not weary 

 or offend you ? ' After a time her expression soft- 

 ened from anxiety to cajolery, and her eyes, lifted 

 to mine, said with charming distinctness : ' On this 

 Autumn evening, so dreary to the soul of a cat, since 

 we two are isolated, and lost in the midst of dangers 

 I do not understand, let us bestow upon each other 

 a little of that mysterious something which sweetens 

 misery and softens death, which is called affection, 



