Sequel to Cats & Dogs

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Such is the nature of fox-terriers; and, therefore, I do not blame 

Montmorency for his tendency to row with cats; but he wished he had not 

given way to it that morning.

We were, as I have said, returning from a dip, and half-way up the High 

Street a cat darted out from one of the houses in front of us, and began 

to trot across the road. Montmorency gave a cry of joy - the cry of a 

stern warrior who sees his enemy given over to his hands - the sort of 

cry Cromwell might have uttered when the Scots came down the hill - and 

flew after his prey.

His victim was a large black Tom. I never saw a larger cat, nor a more 

disreputable-looking cat. It had lost half its tail, one of its ears, 

and a fairly appreciable proportion of its nose. It was a long, sinewy-

looking animal. It had a calm, contented air about it.

Montmorency went for that poor cat at the rate of twenty miles an hour; 

but the cat did not hurry up - did not seem to have grasped the idea that 

its life was in danger. It trotted quietly on until its would-be 

assassin was within a yard of it, and then it turned round and sat down 

in the middle of the road, and looked at Montmorency with a gentle, 

inquiring expression, that said:

"Yes! You want me?"

Montmorency does not lack pluck; but there was something about the look 

of that cat that might have chilled the heart of the boldest dog. He 

stopped abruptly, and looked back at Tom.

Neither spoke; but the conversation that one could imagine was clearly as 

follows:-

THE CAT: "Can I do anything for you?"

MONTMORENCY: "No - no, thanks."

THE CAT: "Don't you mind speaking, if you really want anything, you 

know."

MONTMORENCY (BACKING DOWN THE HIGH STREET): "Oh, no - not at all - 

certainly - don't you trouble. I - I am afraid I've made a mistake. I 

thought I knew you. Sorry I disturbed you."

THE CAT: "Not at all - quite a pleasure. Sure you don't want anything, 

now?"

MONTMORENCY (STILL BACKING): "Not at all, thanks - not at all - very kind 

of you. Good morning."

THE CAT: "Good-morning."

Then the cat rose, and continued his trot; and Montmorency, fitting what 

he calls his tail carefully into its groove, came back to us, and took up 

an unimportant position in the rear.

To this day, if you say the word "Cats!" to Montmorency, he will visibly 

shrink and look up piteously at you, as if to say:

"Please don't."

....Jerome K Jerome


...Posted by Ishani

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