280 THE FIRESIDE SPHINX 



an outcast and Pariah, living by depredations, but 

 no longer daring enough for successful robbery, 

 who was rescued from his miserable estate by M. 

 Desfontaines, the director of Xhejardiu des Plantes, 

 and one of the kindest men who ever blessed the 

 earth. This creature, so wild and hopeless, re- 

 sponded to M. Desfontaines's gentle advances. 

 Within half an hour he was transformed from a 

 wretched marauder into a happy and affectionate 

 pussy, manifesting keen intelligence and quick sym- 

 pathy, but lacking always that serene composure 

 which is the most exquisite birthright of his race. 

 He resembled, no doubt, the " vieux chat noir" of 

 M. Prosper Merimee, " parfaitement laid, mais plein 

 d'esprit et de discretion. Seulement il n'a eu que 

 des gens vulgaires, et manque d'usage." 



This is seldom the case. A cat born in the gut- 

 ter or in the stables will, under favouring circum- 

 stances, be as politely contemptuous as though the 

 blood of feline Howards ran in her veins. Perhaps 

 the arrogant young kitten given by Prince Potemkin 

 to Catherine the Great came of obscure parentage, 

 and had brothers and sisters mousing modestly in 

 the little shops of Saint Petersburg. Catherine was 

 attached to this cat. She speaks of it in one of her 

 letters as "gay, witty, and not obstinate;" — a 

 curious description of an animal whose gayety is so 

 swiftly subdued by decorum, whose wit is reserved 



