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the cat - World eBook Library

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THE CAT-<br />

coat. There, warm, safe, and unseen, poor Moquo<br />

would take courage, and softly purr his gratitude.<br />

Sometimes, however, we caught a glimpse of him,<br />

and <strong>the</strong>n, in spite of my fa<strong>the</strong>r's reproaches, we<br />

laughed and jeered at his melancholy aspect. I<br />

can still recall <strong>the</strong> shadowy creature, shrinking<br />

away, and seeming to melt into <strong>the</strong> breast of his<br />

protector, closing his eyes as he crept backward,<br />

choosing to see and hear nothing.<br />

There came a day when my fa<strong>the</strong>r left us for a<br />

long journey, and all <strong>the</strong> animals shared our grief<br />

at his departure. Time after time his dogs trotted<br />

a little way along <strong>the</strong> road he had taken to Paris,<br />

howling piteously for <strong>the</strong>ir master. The most<br />

desolate creature in <strong>the</strong> house was Moquo. He<br />

trusted no one ; but, for a while, would steal to <strong>the</strong><br />

hearth, looking wistfully and furtively at my fa-<br />

<strong>the</strong>r's vacant place. Then, losing hope, he fled<br />

to <strong>the</strong> woods, to resume <strong>the</strong> wild and wretched life<br />

of his infancy; and, though we tried, we never<br />

could entice him back to <strong>the</strong> home where he no<br />

longer had a friend.<br />

Memoires (Tune Enfant, Athanais Michelet.<br />

151

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