“'MY FRIENDS, ... I STAND BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING QUITE UNPREPARED.'”
She began with the cats of ancient times—the wildcat inhabiting the mountains—then she got to Egypt and told us of the sacred awe in which the cat was held there, of the temples raised and sacrifices offered in its honor. Finally she proceeded to Europe, and was on her way to America, but long before she got there I became tired, although she was my sister, and began to look about me.
Half the cats in her audience were asleep, many were yawning, and wishing they could sleep. A few had stolen away, a few looked mad. I did wish she would stop, but she had her head in the air, she saw only her own glorified self, and sailed on and on, till I thought I should scream from nervousness.
Blizzard sat behind her with the most inscrutable look on his face, and yet I felt that the longer she lectured the better he was pleased.
Presently I got up. I could stand it no longer. Creeping cautiously round the edge of the bog, I came up to the back of the stump where Serena stood. Reaching up, I stuck my claws in the end of her tail and gave it a slight pull.
She started irritably, and turned round.
“Oh, do stop,” I said; “can't you see that you are tiring everybody to death?”
“I see nothing,” she said blissfully, and she shut her eyes.
Blizzard snickered beside me. Oh! how pleased he was—the malicious fellow.