98 LOLA 



we, kus ich ! " So the " una " had been part of 

 " unartig "1 ( = " dear, come to us, I have just been 

 naughty, often pains, kiss (you) I." Here she showed 

 that she was quite certain in her own mind, and that 

 in spite of my suggestions as to the form her letter 

 should take, she was yet bent on following her own 

 ideas, since there was no trace of " thanks ! " Besides 

 which, instead of concluding with " Lola," as I had 

 proposed her doing, she elected to assert herself by 

 putting ich = " I ! " " Naughty " referred, probably 

 to a strafe she had had about a quarter of an hour 

 earlier for chasing the game, and the " often pain " 

 to headache and to being tired. Anyway, this letter 

 seems a brilliant proof of " independent thinking," 

 and I shall be able to give several more equally fresh 

 and original replies in a later chapter. l 



Up to this time, it had only been in the matter of 

 replies that I had been able to obtain independent com- 

 munications, but, on 27 May, there was a new develop- 

 ment to record : I had avoided asking her any ques- 

 tions for several days, for I had noticed that she seemed 

 extremely tired. But by this day I thought she would 

 probably be fit to do a reasonable amount of work : 

 I have always abstained from this if she showed signs 

 of evident fatigue. So I now asked her : " Lola ! how 

 is it you always know when my friend is coming ? 

 you knew it before she entered the house this morn- 

 ing ! " " Gehort," (= heard) was the reply. " Then, 

 if you know hers do you know the sounds made by 

 every one ? " " No." " Only those whom you know 

 well ? " " Yes." Then Lola began wagging her tail 

 near to the door, so I asked : " Who was outside ? " 

 Lola gave a " g," and then corrected it with " no." 

 From her delight, I was inclined to think that it had 



1 Chapter XVIII, " Spontaneous Answers." 



