THE CAT TRIUMPHANT 139 



phere in which Puss is born to reign. Warm fires 

 by which to purr and, drowse ; a bountiful tea-table 

 amply provided with cream ; the swirling of autumn 

 leaves around the garden paths if a little brisk exer- 

 cise was desired ; a comfortable supply of over-fed 

 mice when conscience suggested work ; eight pairs 

 of tame pigeons when Satan prompted mischief. 

 There were, to be sure, other pets ; too many of 

 them,, by far, from a cat's point of view ; — gold- 

 finches, canaries, and a caged linnet, all jealously 

 guarded from hostility ; the spaniel Beau, a foolish 

 squirrel, two imbecile guinea-pigs, and the ever- 

 famous hares, "canonized pets of literature," with 

 surly tempers that brooked no liberties. "One 

 evening," writes Lady Hesketh, " the cat giving one 

 of the hares a sound box on the ear, the hare ran 

 after her, and punished her by drumming on her 

 back with two feet as hard as drumsticks, till the 

 poor creature would actually have been killed, had 

 not Mrs. Unwin rescued her." 



This was worse than encountering vipers, or being 

 shut up in a drawer. The tranquil home at Olney 

 was not without its dangers and alarms, and Cowper 

 did his cat the honour of immortalizing two of her 

 adventures. In that " delightful ' lusus poeticus,' " 

 as Mr. Austin Dobson has kindly christened " The 

 - Colubriad," he narrates her rescue, at his own hands, 

 from the snake which she was softly patting with 



