'Well, but Fox, I mean do you improve? do I? do any of you? The men are always talking about doing their duty, and that, they say, is the way to improve, and to be happy. And as I was not happy I thought that had, perhaps, something to do with it, so I came out to talk to the creatures. They also had the old chant—duty, duty, duty; but none of them could tell me what mine was, or whether I had any.'
The Fox smiled. 'Another leaf out of your schoolroom,' said he. 'Can't they tell you there?'
'Indeed,' she said, 'they are very absurd. They say a great deal about themselves, but they only speak disrespectfully of us. If such creatures as they can do their duty, and improve, and be happy, why can't we?'
'They say they do, do they?' said the Fox. 'What do they say of me?'
The Cat hesitated.
'Don't be afraid of hurting my feelings, Cat. Out with it.'
'They do all justice to your abilities, Fox,' said she; 'but your morality, they say, is not high. They say you are a rogue.'
'Morality!' said the Fox. 'Very moral and good they are. And you really believe all that? What do they mean by calling me a rogue?'
'They mean you take whatever you can get, without caring whether it is just or not.'
'My dear Cat, it is very well for a man, if he can't bear his own face, to paint a pretty one on a panel and call it a looking-glass; but you don't mean that it takes you in.'