Barks and Purrs

Excerpt: .... yes, even out in the twilight, though it makes me sad, I'll willingly follow you there . my nose close, close to the hem of your dress. SHE, (disarmed and quite indifferent to the cataclysm) Do look how pretty they are! SHE IS ILL A bed-room in the country-house; autumnal sunshine filters in through closed blinds. SHE lies on a couch, apparently asleep, dressed in a white woolen gown. KIKI-THE-DEMURE makes his toilet on a narrow console-table. TOBY-DOG, on the carpet, in a sphinx-like attitude, watches HER and at the same time, is attentive to the words of his master, who is leaving the room on tip-toe. HE, (in a very low voice to the two animals) Sh! Don't wake her. Be good. I'm going downstairs, to write. (He closes the door noiselessly after him.) TOBY-DOG (to KIKI-THE-DEMURE) What did He say? KIKI-THE-DEMURE I don't know. Something vague. Directions, like: stay there, good-by. TOBY-DOG He said, "'Sh!" I'm not making any noise. KIKI-THE-DEMURE, (ironically) They're astonishing! They say "no noise," and thereupon walk off with a step a deaf rat could hear two miles away. TOBY-DOG Some truth in that. (He looks at the sleeping figure on the couch.) Her face still looks very small. She's asleep. If you jump down from that table don't land with a big thump. KIKI-THE-DEMURE, (stiffly) Ah, you're teaching me to jump now, are you? Oh, worthy counselor! (quoting) Put a beggar in your barn and he'll make himself your heir. TOBY-DOG What's that? KIKI-THE-DEMURE Nothing. An Oriental proverb. If I wished, dog, to disturb the silence of this room I'd be clever enough to choose a rickety chair; its feet would pound out a regular tic-toc, tic-toc, tic-toc, in time with my tongue as I washed myself. It's a means I've invented to gain my liberty. Tic-toc, tic-toc, says the chair. She happens to be reading or writing, is easily irritated, and cries, "Be quiet, Kiki!" But I go on unconscious of any wrong-doing; tic-toc, tic-toc. She...