himself; and it is
a pretty sight to see him kissing his little master and mistress and
calling them "his little gods!" He sits up, he jumps about the room,
knocking against the furniture, upsetting Mytyl with his big soft
paws, lolling his tongue, wagging his tail and puffing and panting as
though he were out hunting. We at once see his simple, generous
nature. Persuaded of his own importance, he fancies that he alone is
indispensable in the new world of Things.

After making all the fuss he wanted of the Children, he started going
the round of the company, distributing the attentions which he thought
that none could do without. His joy, now set free, found vent without
restraint; and, because he was the most loving of creatures, he would
also have been the happiest, if, in becoming human, he had not,
unfortunately, retained his little doggy failings. He was jealous! He
was terribly jealous; and his heart felt a pang when he saw Tylette,
the Cat, coming to life in her turn and being petted and kissed by the
Children, just as he had been! Oh, how he hated the Cat! To bear the
sight of her beside him, to see her always sharing in the affection of
the family: that was the great sacrifice which fate demanded of him.
He accepted it, however, without a word, because it pleased his little
gods; and he went so far as to leave her alone. But he had had many a
crime on his conscience because of her! Had he not, one evening, crept
stealthily into Goody Berlingot's kitchen in order to throttle her old
tom-cat, who had never done him any harm? Had he not broken the back
of the Persian cat at the Hall opposite? Did he not sometimes go to
town on purpose to hunt cats and put an end to them, all to wreak his
spite? And now Tylette was going to talk, just like himself! Tylette
would be his equal in the new world that was opening before him!

"Oh, there is no justice left on earth!" was his bitter thought.
"There is no justice left!"

In the meantime, the Cat, who had begun by washing herself and
polishing her claws, calmly put out her paw to the little girl.

She really was a very pretty cat; and, if our friend Tylo's jealousy
had not been such an ugly feeling, we might almost have overlooked it
for once! How could you fail to be attracted by Tylette's eyes, which
were like topaz set in emeralds? How could you resist the pleasure of
stroking the wonderful black velvet back? How could you not love her
grace, her gentleness and the d