novel notes-第21节

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as　there。　　I　succeeded　at　length；　however；　and；　once　outside　the　door；　I　put　sufficient　distance　between　myself　and　the　house　to　ensure　my　not　being　captured；　for　I　knew　〃Toady〃　so　long　as　he　lived　would　never　cease　hoping　to　get　me　back。

〃'Where　to　go；　I　did　not　know。　　Two　or　three　homes　were　offered　me；　but　none　of　them　quite　suited　me。　　At　one　place；　where　I　put　up　for　a　day；　just　to　see　how　I　liked　it；　there　was　a　dog；　and　at　another；　which　would　otherwise　have　done　admirably；　they　kept　a　baby。　Whatever　you　do；　never　stop　at　a　house　where　they　keep　a　baby。　　If　a　child　pulls　your　tail　or　ties　a　paper　bag　round　your　head；　you　can　give　it　one　for　itself　and　nobody　blames　you。　　〃Well；　serve　you　right；〃　they　say　to　the　yelling　brat；　〃you　shouldn't　tease　the　poor　thing。〃　　But　if　you　resent　a　baby's　holding　you　by　the　throat　and　trying　to　gouge　out　your　eye　with　a　wooden　ladle；　you　are　called　a　spiteful　beast；　and　〃shoo'd〃　all　round　the　garden。　　If　people　keep　babies；　they　don't　keep　me；　that's　my　rule。

〃'After　sampling　some　three　or　four　families；　I　finally　fixed　upon　a　banker。　　Offers　more　advantageous　from　a　worldly　point　of　view　were　open　to　me。　　I　could　have　gone　to　a　public…house；　where　the　victuals　were　simply　unlimited；　and　where　the　back　door　was　left　open　all　night。　　But　about　the　banker's　（he　was　also　a　churchwarden；　and　his　wife　never　smiled　at　anything　less　than　a　joke　by　the　bishop）　there　was　an　atmosphere　of　solid　respectability　that　I　felt　would　be　comforting　to　my　nature。　　My　dear　child；　you　will　come　across　cynics　who　will　sneer　at　respectability：　　don't　you　listen　to　them。　Respectability　is　its　own　rewardand　a　very　real　and　practical　reward。　　It　may　not　bring　you　dainty　dishes　and　soft　beds；　but　it　brings　you　something　better　and　more　lasting。　　It　brings　you　the　consciousness　that　you　are　living　the　right　life；　that　you　are　doing　the　right　thing；　that；　so　far　as　earthly　ingenuity　can　fix　it；　you　are　going　to　the　right　place；　and　that　other　folks　ain't。　　Don't　you　ever　let　any　one　set　you　against　respectability。　　It's　the　most　satisfying　thing　I　know　of　in　this　worldand　about　the　cheapest。

〃'I　was　nearly　three　years　with　this　family；　and　was　sorry　when　I　had　to　go。　　I　should　never　have　left　if　I　could　have　helped　it；　but　one　day　something　happened　at　the　bank　which　necessitated　the　banker's　taking　a　sudden　journey　to　Spain；　and；　after　that；　the　house　became　a　somewhat　unpleasant　place　to　live　in。　　Noisy；　disagreeable　people　were　continually　knocking　at　the　door　and　making　rows　in　the　passage；　and　at　night　folks　threw　bricks　at　the　windows。

〃'I　was　in　a　delicate　state　of　health　at　the　time；　and　my　nerves　could　not　stand　it。　　I　said　good…bye　to　the　town；　and　making　my　way　back　into　the　country；　put　up　with　a　county　family。

〃'They　were　great　swells；　but　I　should　have　preferred　them　had　they　been　more　homely。　　I　am　of　an　affectionate　disposition；　and　I　like　every　one　about　me　to　love　me。　　They　were　good　enough　to　me　in　their　distant　way；　but　they　did　not　take　much　notice　of　me；　and　I　soon　got　tired　of　lavishing　attentions　on　people　that　neither　valued　nor　responded　to　them。

〃'From　these　people　I　went　to　a　retired　potato　merchant。　　It　was　a　social　descent；　but　a　rise　so　far　as　comfort　and　appreciation　were　concerned。　　They　appeared　to　be　an　exceedingly　nice　family；　and　to　be　extremely　fond　of　me。　　I　say　they　〃appeared〃　to　be　these　things；　because　the　sequel　proved　that　they　were　neither。　　Six　months　after　I　had　come　to　them　they　went　away　and　left　me。　　They　never　asked　me　to　accompany　them。　　They　made　no　arrangements　for　me　to　stay　behind。　They　evidently　did　not　care　what　became　of　me。　　Such　egotistical　indifference　to　the　claims　of　friendship　I　had　never　before　met　with。　　It　shook　my　faithnever　too　robustin　human　nature。　　I　determined　that；　in　future；　no　one　should　have　the　opportunity　of　disappointing　my　trust　in　them。　　I　selected　my　present　mistress　on　the　recommendation　of　a　gentleman　friend　of　mine　who　had　formerly　lived　with　her。　　He　said　she　was　an　excellent　caterer。　　The　only　reason　he　had　left　her　was　that　she　expected　him　to　be　in　at　ten　each　night；　and　that　hour　didn't　fit　in　with　his　other　arrangements。　It　made　no　difference　to　meas　a　matter　of　fact；　I　do　not　care　for　these　midnight　reunions　that　are　so　popular　amongst　us。　　There　are　always　too　many　cats　for　one　properly　to　enjoy　oneself；　and　sooner　or　later　a　rowdy　element　is　sure　to　creep　in。　　I　offered　myself　to　her；　and　she　accepted　me　gratefully。　　But　I　have　never　liked　her；　and　never　shall。　　She　is　a　silly　old　woman；　and　bores　me。　　She　is；　however；　devoted　to　me；　and；　unless　something　extra　attractive　turns　up；　I　shall　stick　to　her。

〃'That；　my　dear；　is　the　story　of　my　life；　so　far　as　it　has　gone。　　I　tell　it　you　to　show　you　how　easy　it　is　to　be　〃taken　in。〃　　Fix　on　your　house；　and　mew　piteously　at　the　back　door。　　When　it　is　opened　run　in　and　rub　yourself　against　the　first　leg　you　come　across。　　Rub　hard；　and　look　up　confidingly。　　Nothing　gets　round　human　beings；　I　have　noticed；　quicker　than　confidence。　　They　don't　get　much　of　it；　and　it　pleases　them。　　Always　be　confiding。　　At　the　same　time　be　prepared　for　emergencies。　　If　you　are　still　doubtful　as　to　your　reception；　try　and　get　yourself　slightly　wet。　　Why　people　should　prefer　a　wet　cat　to　a　dry　one　I　have　never　been　able　to　understand；　but　that　a　wet　cat　is　practically　sure　of　being　taken　in　and　gushed　over；　while　a　dry　cat　is　liable　to　have　the　garden　hose　turned　upon　it；　is　an　undoubted　fact。　　Also；　if　you　can　possibly　manage　it；　and　it　is　offered　you；　eat　a　bit　of　dry　bread。　　The　Human　Race　is　always　stirred　to　its　deepest　depths　by　the　sight　of　a　cat　eating　a　bit　of　dry　bread。'

〃My　friend's　black　Tom　profited　by　the　Chinchilla's　wisdom。　　A　catless　couple　had　lately　come　to　live　next　door。　　He　determined　to　adopt　them　on　trial。　　Accordingly；　on　the　first　rainy　day；　he　went　out　soon　after　lunch　and　sat　for　four　hours　in　an　open　field。　　In　the　evening；　soaked　to　the　skin；　and　feeling　pretty　hungry；　he　went　mewing　to　their　door。　　One　of　the　maids　opened　it；　he　rushed　under　her　skirts　and　rubbed　himself　against　her　legs。　　She　screamed；　and　down　came　the　master　and　the　mistress　to　know　what　was　the　matter。

〃'It's　a　stray　cat；　mum；'　said　the　girl。

〃'Turn　it　out；'　said　the　master。

〃'Oh　no；　don't；'　said　the　mistress。

〃'Oh；　poor　thing；　it's　wet；'　said　the　housemaid。

〃'Perhaps　it's　hungry；'　said　the　cook。

〃'Try　it　with　a　bit　of　dry　bread；'　sneered　the　master；　who　wrote　for　the　newspapers；　and　thought　he　knew　everything。

〃A　stale　crust　was　proffered。　　The　cat　ate　it　greedily；　and　afterwards　rubbed　himself　gratefully　against　the　man's　light　trousers。

〃This　made　the　man　ashamed　of　himself；　likewise　of　his　trousers。　'Oh；　well；　let　it　stop　if　it　wants　to；'　he　said。

〃So　the　cat　was　made　comfortable；　and　stayed　on。

〃Meanwhile　its　own　family　were　seeking　for　it　high　and　low。　　They　had　not　cared　over　much　for　it　while　they　had　had　it；　now　it　was　gone；　they　were　inconsolable。　　In　the　light　of　its　absence；　it　appeared　to　them　the　one　thing　that　had　made　the　place　home。　　The　shadows　of　suspicion　gathered　round　the　case。　　The　cat's　disappearance；　at　first　regarded　as　a　mystery；　began　to　assume　the　shape　of　a　crime。　　The　wife　openly　accused　the　husband　of　never　having　liked　the　animal；　and　more　than　hinted　that　he　and　the　gardener　between　them　could　give　a　tolerably　truthful　account　of　its　last　moments；　an　insinuation　that　the　husband　repudiated　with　a　warmth　that　only　added　credence　to　the　original　surmise。

〃The　bull…terrier　was　had　up　and　searchingly　examined。　　Fortunately　for　him；　he　had　not　had　a　single　fight　for　two　whole　days。　　Had　any　recent　traces　of　blood　been　detected　upon　him；　it　would　have　gone　hard　with　him。

〃The　person　who　suffered　most；　however；　was　the　youngest　boy。　　Three　weeks　before；　he　had　dressed　the　cat　in　doll's　clothes　and　taken　it　round　the　garden　in　the　perambulator。　　He　himself　had　forgotten　the　incident；　but　Justice；　though　tardy；　was　on　his　track。　　The　misdeed　was　suddenly　remembered　at　the　very　moment　when　unavailing　regret　for　the　loss　of　the　favourite　was　at　its　deepest；　so　that　to　box　his　ears　and　send　him；　then　and　there；　straight　off　to　bed　was　felt　to　be　a　positive　relief。

〃At　the　end　of　a　fortnight；　the　cat；　finding　he　had　not；　after　all；　bettered　himself；　came　back。　　The　family　were　so　surprised　that　at　first　they　could　not　be　sure　whether　he　was　flesh　and　blood；　or　a　spirit　come　to　comfort　them。　　After　watching　him　eat　half　a　pound　of　raw　steak；　they　decided　he　was　material；　and　caught　him　up　and　hugged　him　to　their　bosoms。　　For　a　week　they　over…fed　him　and　made　much　of　him。　　Then；　the　excitement　cooling；　he　found　himself　dropping　back　into　his　old　position；　and　didn't　like　it；　and　went　next　door　again。

〃The　next　door　people　had　also　missed　him；　and　they　likewise　greeted　his　return　with　extravagant　ebullitions　of　joy。　　This　gave　the　cat　an　idea。　　He　saw　that　his　game　was　to　play　the　two　families　off　one　against　the　other；　which　he　did。　　He　spent　an　alternate　fortnight　with　each；　and　lived　like　a　fighting　cock。　　His　return　was　always　greeted　with　enthusiasm；　and　every　means　were　adopted　to　induce　him　to　stay。　　His　little　whims　were