Concerning Cats 



companions, whom he had picked up in his wander- 

 ings, and he would stand complacently by while they 

 bolted the contents of his plate of food in a violent 

 hurry and in dread of dispersion by a broomstick or 

 a shower of water. I was sometimes tempted to say 

 to Gavroche, ' A nice lot of friends you pick up,' 

 but I refrained, for, after all, it was an amiable weak- 

 ness : he might have eaten his dinner all by himself. 



"The interesting Eponine was more slender and 

 graceful than her brothers, and she was an extraordi- 

 narily sensitive, nervous, and electric animal. She 

 was passionately attached to me, and she would do 

 the honors of my hermitage with perfect grace and 

 propriety. When the bell rang, she hastened to the 

 door, received the visitors, conducted them to the 

 salon, made them take seats, talked to them — yes, 

 talked, with Uttle coos, murmurs, and cries quite 

 unlike the language which cats use among them- 

 selves, and which bordered on the articulate speech 

 of man. What did she say ? She said quite plainly : 

 ' Don't be impatient : look at the pictures, or talk 

 with me, if I amuse you. My master is coming 

 down.' On my appearing she would retire dis- 

 creetly to an arm-chair or the corner of the piano, 

 and listen to the conversation without interrupting it, 

 like a well-bred animal accustomed to good society. 



" Eponine's intelligence, fine disposition, and socia- 

 biUty led to her being elevated by common consent 

 to the dignity of a person, for reason, superior in- 



104 



