and with exaggerated airs had
imitated every movement I had made, and when I was finished put his
hands on his hips, threw back his head, and laughed mockingly.

It is a scientific question as to whether monkeys laugh or not. I lived
on familiar terms with Pretty-Heart for a long time, and I know that he
certainly did laugh and often in a way that was most humiliating to me.
Of course, he did not laugh like a man, but when something amused him,
he would draw back the corners of his mouth, screw up his eyes, and work
his jaws rapidly, while his black eyes seemed to dart flames.

"Now you're ready," said Vitalis, as I placed my hat on my head, "and
we'll get to work, because to-morrow is market day and we must give a
performance. You must play in a comedy with the two dogs and
Pretty-Heart."

"But I don't know how to play a comedy," I cried, scared.

"That is why I am going to teach you. You can't know unless you learn.
These animals have studied hard to learn their part. It has been hard
work for them; but now see how clever they are. The piece we are going
to play is called, 'Mr. Pretty-Heart's Servant, or The Fool is not
Always the One You Would Think.' Now this is it: Mr. Pretty-Heart's
servant, whose name is Capi, is about to leave him because he is getting
old. And Capi has promised his master that before he leaves he will get
him another servant. Now this successor is not to be a dog, it is to be
a boy, a country boy named Remi."

"Oh...."

"You have just come from the country to take a position with Mr.
Pretty-Heart."

"Monkeys don't have servants."

"In plays they have. Well, you've come straight from your village and
your new master thinks that you're a fool."

"Oh, I don't like that!"

"What does that matter if it makes the people laugh? Well, you have come
to this gentleman to be his servant and you are told to set the table.
Here is one like we shall use in the play; go and set it."

On this table there were plates, a glass, a knife, a fork, and a white
tablecloth. How could I arrange all those things? As I pondered over
this question, leaning forward with hands stretched out and mouth open,
not knowing where to begin, my master clapped his hands and laughed
heartily.

"Bravo!" he cried, "bravo! that's perfect. The boy I had before put on a
sly expression as much as to say, 'See what a fool I can make of
myself'; you are natural; that is splendid."

"But I don't know what I have to do."

"