animal heroes-第4节

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exhibit；　inly　trembling　to　think　what　the　gorgeous　gathering　of
fashion　would　say　if　they　discovered　the　trick　he　was　playing　on
them。　He　had　passed　all　around　the　outer　aisles　and　seen　many
prize…winners；　but　no　sign　of　Slum　Kitty。　The　inner　aisles　were
more　crowded。　He　picked　his　way　down　them；　but　still　no　Kitty；
and　he　decided　that　it　was　a　mistake；　the　judges　had　rejected　the
Cat　later。　Never　mind；　he　had　his　exhibitor's　ticket；　and　now
knew　where　several　valuable　Persians　and　Angoras　were　to　be
found。

In　the　middle　of　the　centre　aisle　were　the　high…class　Cats。　A
great　throng　was　there。　The　passage　was　roped；　and　two　policemen
were　in　place　to　keep　the　crowd　moving。　Jap　wriggled　in　among
them；　he　was　too　short　to　see　over；　and　though　the　richly　gowned
folks　shrunk　from　his　shabby　old　clothes；　he　could　not　get　near；
but　he　gathered　from　the　remarks　that　the　gem　of　the　show　was
there。

〃Oh；　isn't　　she　a　beauty！〃　said　one　tall　woman。

〃What　distinction！〃　was　the　reply。

〃One　cannot　mistake　the　air　that　comes　only　from　ages　of　the　most
refined　surroundings。〃

〃How　I　should　like　to　own　that　superb　creature！〃

〃Such　dignitysuch　repose！〃

〃She　has　an　authentic　pedigree　nearly　back　to　the　Pharaohs；　I
hear〃；　and　poor；　dirty　little　Jap　marvelled　at　his　own　cheek　in
sending　his　Slum　Cat　into　such　company。

〃Excuse　me；　madame。〃　The　director　of　the　show　now　appeared；
edging　his　way　through　the　crowd。　〃The　artist　of　the'sporting
Element'　is　here；　under　orders　to　sketch　the　'pearl　of　the　show'
for　immediate　use。　May　I　ask　you　to　stand　a　little　aside？　That's
it；　thank　you。
　
〃Oh；　Mr。　Director；　cannot　you　persuade　him　to　sell　that　beautiful
creature？〃

〃Hm；　I　don't　know；〃　was　the　reply。　〃I　understand　he　is　a　man　of
ample　means　and
not　at　all　approachable；　but　I'11　try；　I'll　try；　madame。　He　was
quite　unwilling　to　exhibit　his　treasure　at　all；　so　I　understand
from　his　butler。　Here；　you；　keep　out　of　the　way；〃　growled　the
director；　as　the　shabby　little　man　eagerly　pushed　between　the
artist　and　the　blue…blooded　Cat。　But　the　disreputable　one　wanted
to　know　where　valuable　Cats　were　to　be　found。　He　came　near　enough
to　get　a　glimpse　of　the　cage；　and　there　read　a　placard　which
announced　that　〃The　blue　ribbon　and　gold　medal　of　the
Knickerbocker　High　Society　Cat　and　Pet　Show〃　had　been　awarded　to
the　〃thoroughbred；　pedigreed　Royal　Analostan；　imported　and
exhibited　by　J。　Malee；　Esq。；　the　well…known　fancier。　（Not　for
sale。）〃　Jap　caught　his　breath　and　stared　again。　Yes；　surely；
there；　high　in　a　gilded　cage；　on　velvet　cushions；　with　four
policemen　for　guards；　her　fur　bright　black　and　pale　gray；　her
bluish　eyes　slightly　closed；　was　his　Slum　Kitty；　looking　the
picture　of　a　Cat　bored　to　death　with　a　lot　of　fuss　that　she　likes
as　little　as　she　understands　it。


VII

Jap　Malee　lingered　around　that　cage；　taking　in　the　remarks；　for
hoursdrinking　a　draught　of　glory　such　as　he　had　never　known　in
life　before　and　rarely　glimpsed　in　his　dreams。　But　he　saw　that　it
would　be　wise　for　him　to　remain　unknown；　his　〃butler〃　must　do　all
the　business。

It　was　Slum　Kitty　who　made　that　show　a　success。　Each　day　her
value　went　up　in　her　owner's　eyes。　He　did　not　know　what　prices
had　been　given　for　Cats；　and　thought　that　he　was　touching　a
record　pitch　when　his　〃butler〃　gave　the　director　authority　to
sell　the　Analostan　for　one　hundred　dollars。

This　is　how　it　came　about　that　the　Slum　Cat　found　herself
transferred　from　the　show　to　a　Fifth　Avenue　mansion。　She　evinced
a　most　unaccountable　wildness　at　first。　Her　objection　to　petting；
however；　was　explained　on　the　ground　of　her　aristocratic　dislike
of　familiarity。　Her　retreat　from　the　Lap…dog　onto　the　centre　of
the　dinner…table　was　understood　to　express　a　deep…rooted　though
mistaken　idea　of　avoiding　a　defiling　touch。　Her　assaults　on　a　pet
Canary　were　condoned　for　the　reason　that　in　her　native　Orient　she
had　been　used　to　despotic　example。　The　patrician　way　in　which　she
would　get　the　cover　off　a　milk…can　was　especially　applauded。　Her
dislike　of　her　silk…lined　basket；　and　her　frequent　dashes　against
the　plate…glass　windows；　were　easily　understood：　the　basket　was
too　plain；　and　plate…glass　was　not　used　in　her　royal　home。　Her
spotting　of　the　carpet　evidenced　her　Eastern　modes　of　thought。
The　failure　of　her　several　attempts　to　catch　Sparrows　in　the
high…walled　back　yard　was　new　proof　of　the　royal　impotency　of　her
bringing　up；　while　her　frequent　wallowings　in　the　garbage…can
were　understood　to　be　the　manifestation　of　a　little　pardonable
high…born　eccentricity。　She　was　fed　and　pampered；　shown　and
praised；　but　she　was　not　happy。　Kitty　was　homesick！　She　clawed　at
that　blue　ribbon　round　her　neck　till　she　got　it　off；　she　jumped
against　the　plate…glass　because　that　seemed　the　road　to　outside；
she　avoided　people　and　Dogs　because　they　had　always　proved
hostile　and　cruel；　and　she　would　sit　and　gaze　on　the　roofs　and
back　yards　at　the　other　side　of　the　window；　wishing　she　could　be
among　them　for　a　change。

But　she　was　strictly　watched；　was　never　allowed　outsideso　that
all　the　happy　garbage…can　moments　occurred　while　these
receptacles　of　joy　were　indoors。　One　night　in　March；　however；　as
they　were　set　out　a…row　for　the　early　scavenger；　the　Royal
Analostan　saw　her　chance；　slipped　out　of　the　door；　and　was　lost
to　view。

Of　course　there　was　a　grand　stir；　but　Pussy　neither　knew　nor
cared　anything　about　thather　one　thought　was　to　go　home。　It　may
have　been　chance　that　took　her　back　in　the　direction　of　Gramercy
Grange　Hill；　but　she　did　arrive　there　after　sundry　small
adventures。　And　now　what？　She　was　not　at　home；　and　she　had　cut
off　her　living。　She　was　beginning　to　be　hungry；　and　yet　she　had　a
peculiar　sense　of　happiness。　She　cowered　in　a　front　garden　for
some　time。　A　raw　east　wind　had　been　rising；　and　now　it　came　to
her　with　a　particularly　friendly　message；　man　would　have　called
it　an　unpleasant　smell　of　the　docks；　but　to　Pussy　it　was　welcome
tidings　from　home。　She　trotted　down　the　long　Street　due　east；
threading　the　rails　of　front　gardens；　stopping　like　a　statue　for
an　instant；　or　crossing　the　street　in　search　of　the　darkest　side；
and　came　at　length　to　the　docks　and　to　the　water。　But　the　place
was　strange。　She　could　go　north　or　south。　Something　turned　her
southward；　and；　dodging　among　docks　and　Dogs；　carts　and　Cats；
crooked　arms　of　the　bay　and　straight　board　fences；　she　got；　in　an
hour　or　two；　among　familiar　scenes　and　smells；　and；　before　the
sun　came　up；　she　had　crawled　back　…weary　and　foot…sore　through
the　same　old　hole　in　the　same　old　fence　and　over　a　wall　to　her
junk…yard　back　of　the　bird…cellaryes；　back　into　the　very　
cracker…box　where　she　was　born。

Oh；　if　the　Fifth　Avenue　family　could　only　have　seen　her　in　her
native　Orient！

After　a　long　rest　she　came　quietly　down　from　the　cracker…box
toward　the　steps　leading　to　the　cellar；　engaged　in　her　old…time
pursuit　of　seeking　for　eatables。　The　door　opened；　and　there　stood
the　negro。　He　shouted　to　the　bird…man　inside：

〃Say；　boss；　come　hyar。　Ef　dere　ain't　dat　dar　Royal　Ankalostan　am
comed　back！〃

Jap　came　in　time　to　see　the　Cat　jumping　the　wall。　They　called
loudly　and　in　the　most　seductive；　wheedling　tones：　〃Pussy；　Pussy；
poor　Pussy！　Come；　Pussy！〃　But　Pussy　was　not　prepossessed　in　their
favor；　and　disappeared　to　forage　in　her　old…time　haunts。

The　Royal　Analostan　had　been　a　windfall　for　Japhad　been　the
means　of　adding　many　comforts　to　the　cellar　and　several　prisoners
to　the　cages。　It　was　now　of　the　utmost　importance　to　recapture
her　majesty。　Stale　meat…offal　and　other　infallible　lures　were　put
out　till　Pussy；　urged　by　the　reestablished　hunger…pinch；　crept　up
to　a　large　fish…head　in　a　box…trap；　the　negro；　in　watching；
pulled　the　string　that　dropped　the　lid；　and；　a　minute　later；　the
Analostan　was　once　more　among　the　prisoners　in　the　cellar。
Meanwhile　Jap　had　been　watching　the　'Lost　and　Found'　column。
There　it　was；　〃25　reward；〃　etc。　That　night　Mr。　Malee's　butler
called　at　the　Fifth　Avenue　mansion　with　the　missing　cat。　〃Mr。
Malee's　compliments；　sah。　De　Royal　Analostan　had　recurred　in　her
recent　proprietor's　vicinity　and　residence；　sah。　Mr。　Malee　had
pleasure　in　recuperating　the　Royal　Analostan；　sah。〃　Of　course　Mr。
Malee　could　not　be　rewarded；　but　the　butler　was　open　to　any
offer；　and　plainly　showed　that　he　expected　the　promised　reward
and　something　more。

Kitty　was　guarded　very　carefully　after　that；　but　so　far　from
being　disgusted　with　the　old　life　of　starving；　and　glad　of　her
ease；　she　became　wilder　and　more　dissatisfied。


VIII

The　spring　was　doing　its　New　York　best。　The　dirty　little　English
Sparrows　were　tumbling　over　each　other　in　their　gutter　brawls；
Cats　yowled　all　night　in　the　areas；　and　the　Fifth　Avenue　family
were　thinking　of　their　country　residence。　They　packed　up；　closed
house　and　moved　off　to　their　summer　home；　some　fifty　miles　away；
and　Pussy；　in　a　basket；　went　with　them。

〃Just　what　she　needed：　a　change　of　air　and　scene　to　wean　her　away
from　her　former　owners　and　make　her　happy。〃

The　basket　was　lifted　into　a　Rumble…shaker。　New　sounds　and
passing　smells　were　entered　and　left。　A　turn　in　the　course　was
made。　Then　a　roaring　of　many　fee