The clapping of hands and shouts of laughter from the onlookers was answer enough. They cheered Vitalis and hooted the policeman and, above all, they were amused at the grimaces Pretty-Heart was making. He had taken his place behind the “illustrious gentleman who represented the law,” and was making ridiculous grimaces behind his back. The officer crossed his arms, then uncrossed them and stuck his fists on his hips and threw back his head, so did the monkey. The onlookers screamed with laughter.
The officer turned round suddenly to see what amused them, and saw the monkey striking his own attitude to perfection. For some moments the monkey and the man stared at each other. It was a question which would lower his eyes first. The crowd yelled with delight.
“If your dogs are not muzzled to-morrow,” cried the policeman, angrily shaking his first, “you’ll be arrested. That’s all.”
“Good-day, until to-morrow, Signor,” said Vitalis, bowing, “until to-morrow…”
As the officer strode away, Vitalis stood with his body almost bent to the ground in mock respect.
I thought that he would buy some muzzles for the dogs, but he did nothing of the kind, and the evening passed without him even mentioning his quarrel with the policeman. I decided at last to broach the subject myself.
“If you don’t want Capi to tear off his muzzle to-morrow during the performance,” I said, “I think it would be a good thing to put it on him beforehand, and let him get used to it. We can teach him that he must keep it on.”
“You think I am going to put one of those things on their little noses?”
“The officer is down on us.”
“You are only a country boy. Like all peasants you are afraid of a policeman.