THE CAT= 



Atossa 



I have just been called to the door by the 

 sweet voice of Toss, whose morning proceed- 

 ings are wonderful. She sleeps — She has just 

 jumped on my lap, and her beautiful tail has made 

 this smudge, but I have put her down again. I 

 was going to say that she sleeps on an armchair 

 before the drawing-room fire ; descends the moment 

 she hears the servants about in the morning, and 

 makes them let her out; comes back and enters 

 Flu's room with Eliza regularly at half-past seven. 

 Then she comes to my door, and gives a mew, and 

 then, — especially if I let her in, and go on writing 

 or reading without taking any notice of her, — 

 there is a real demonstration of affection, such as 

 never again occurs in the day. She purrs, she 

 walks round and round me, she jumps in my lap, 

 she turns to me and rubs her head and nose against 

 my chin, she opens her mouth and raps her pretty 

 white teeth against my pen. Then she leaps down, 

 settles herself by the fire, and never shows any more 

 affection all day. 



Matthew Arnold to his mother. 



83 



