CH. IIl.] FRIENDS PARTED. 189 
was in the habit of ascending to the room where 
T used to sit. Being very fond of the maid as 
well as of myself, she used to besport herself or 
sleep contentedly enough in her room, and evinced 
no desire to leave it, until she heard my step 
approaching on my way up-stairs. She was then 
up and after me in a moment, following me to 
my room, and taking up her favourite position 
on my table, where she used to sit, if I would 
allow it, with her paw over my hand whilst I was 
writing, a proceeding of which many a blot was the 
consequence. 
From the position of the lady’s-maid’s room, 
it was impossible for the kitten to have seen 
who was approaching the staircase, but her sense 
of hearing was so acute, that, though many other 
persons ascended it in the course of the morning, 
she (as I was assured, and have no reason to dis- 
believe) never attempted to move at the approach 
of any other step than my own. 
The bond of friendship which thus existed 
between us was however condemned to be broken. 
I was absent from home for a good while, during 
which the kitten, having attained to the age of 
cat-hood, retired from the upper part of the house, 
where we should perhaps have revived our in- 
