ncrustenberg
(for it was she); 'it has just come in to supply the place of poor old
Finette: put it into Finette's bed to-night, Ermengarde, and give it a
good meal first, for I dare say it is hungry enough, poor creature!
But, first, bring it here, and let me stroke it.'

You may imagine how puss purred her very loudest as the countess
patted her, and called her a pretty cat. She thought herself now the
luckiest cat in the world: how she wished that spiteful old owl could
but know about it! Ermengarde, the waiting-woman, now took her back
into the room she had first entered, and setting her down on the
hearth-rug, went out. Presently she returned, and placed before the
cat a dish, containing such a supper, as had never entered her
imagination till the magpie enlightened her on these subjects: it was
some minutes before she could believe it; was it _real_? However, she
did it full justice in time; and then, after a great deal more patting
and petting, the maid again took her up, and deposited her by the side
of the fire, in a very pretty basket lined with soft cushions. And
could she go to sleep? Not for some time, in spite of her long ride.
It all seemed so strange--so wonderful! that she, who had been longing
for months to belong to the household of the Countess Von
Rustenfustenmustencrustenberg, should now be actually in her palace!
It was extraordinary indeed. But she fell asleep at last.

The next morning the cat was awake early, and the sun was shining
through the satin curtains of the splendid room, and everything in it
looked so _very_ beautiful! How different from the old woman's hut! So
the cat sate up in the basket, and looked about her. After she had
thus amused herself in this way for some time, Ermengarde opened the
door.

'Well, Pussy,' she said, 'so you are wide awake, and ready, I dare
say, for your breakfast.'

Now for the buttered crumpets! thought the cat. The maid went out, and
quickly returned with a large saucer full of rich milk, with some roll
crumbled into it. No buttered crumpets.

The cat felt a sort of blank feeling of disappointment; it was very
odd: but perhaps she should have some another morning. However, she
made an exceedingly good breakfast, as it was; but it must be
confessed she was a little cross all day. Soon after breakfast, the
old countess came in, followed by a lap-dog--a fat, spoilt,
disagreeable looking animal, and the cat took a dislike to him at
first sight. And as