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🟡 Adventures of a Dog, and a Good Dog Too (Full Audiobook) | Alfred Elwes · Fantasy Audiobooks

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Preface and Introduction of The Adventures of a Dog and
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: a Good Dog, Too. This is a LibriVox recording. All
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recorded by Allison Hester.
• 0:18
  Speaker 1: The Adventures of a Dog and a Good Dog, Too.
• 0:21
  Speaker 1: By Alfred Elves. Preface. I love dogs. Who does not?
• 0:27
  Speaker 1: It is a natural feeling to love those who love us,
• 0:30
  Speaker 1: and dogs were always fond of me. Thousands can say
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: the same, and I shall, therefore, find plenty of sympathy
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: while unfolding my dog's tale. This attachment of mine to
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: the canine family in general, and their affection towards myself,
• 0:45
  Speaker 1: have induced me, like the Vizier in Arabian Nights of
• 0:49
  Speaker 1: happy memory, to devote some time to the study of
• 0:52
  Speaker 1: their language. Its idiom is not so difficult as many
• 0:56
  Speaker 1: would suppose. There is a simplicity about it that often
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: shames the dialects of men, which have been so altered
• 1:03
  Speaker 1: and refined that we discover people often saying one thing
• 1:07
  Speaker 1: when they mean exactly the reverse. Nothing of the sort
• 1:11
  Speaker 1: is visible in the great canine tongue. Whether the tone
• 1:15
  Speaker 1: in which it is uttered be gruff or polished, sharp
• 1:18
  Speaker 1: or insinuating, it is at least sincere. Mankind would often
• 1:23
  Speaker 1: be puzzled how to use it. Like many others, its
• 1:27
  Speaker 1: meaning is assisted by gestures of the body and, above all,
• 1:30
  Speaker 1: by the expression of the eye. If ever language had
• 1:34
  Speaker 1: its seat in that organ, as phrenologists pretend, it lies
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: in the eye of the dog. Yet, a good portion
• 1:41
  Speaker 1: finds its way to his tail. The motion of that
• 1:45
  Speaker 1: eloquent member is full of meaning. There is the slow
• 1:48
  Speaker 1: wag of anger, the gentle wag of contentment, the brisker
• 1:52
  Speaker 1: wag of joy, and what can be more mutely expressive
• 1:56
  Speaker 1: than the limp states of sorrow, humility, and fear? If
• 2:01
  Speaker 1: the tongue of the dog presents such distinctive traits, the
• 2:04
  Speaker 1: qualities of the animal himself are not less striking. Although
• 2:08
  Speaker 1: the dispositions of dogs are as various as their forms,
• 2:12
  Speaker 1: although education, connections, the society they keep, have all their influence,
• 2:18
  Speaker 1: to the credit of their name be it said, a
• 2:20
  Speaker 1: dog never sullies his mouth with an untruth. His emotions
• 2:25
  Speaker 1: of pleasure are genuine, never forced. His grief is not
• 2:29
  Speaker 1: the semblance of woe, but comes from the heart. His
• 2:32
  Speaker 1: devotion is unmixed with other feelings. It is single, unselfish, profound.
• 2:39
  Speaker 1: Prosperity affects it not. Adversity cannot make it swerve. Ingratitude,
• 2:44
  Speaker 1: that saddest of human vices, is unknown to the dog.
• 2:48
  Speaker 1: He does not forget past favors, but when attached by
• 2:52
  Speaker 1: benefits received, his love endures through life. But I shall
• 2:56
  Speaker 1: have never done with reciting the praises of this noble animal.
• 3:00
  Speaker 1: The subject is inexhaustible. My purpose now has narrower limits.
• 3:06
  Speaker 1: From the archives of the city of Caneville, I lately
• 3:09
  Speaker 1: drew the materials of a bear's biography. From the same source,
• 3:13
  Speaker 1: I now derive my Adventures of a Dog. My task
• 3:17
  Speaker 1: has been less that of a composer than a translator.
• 3:20
  Speaker 1: for a feline editress a miss minette gatina had already
• 3:25
  Speaker 1: performed her part this latter animal appears however to have
• 3:30
  Speaker 1: been so learned a cat one may say so deep
• 3:33
  Speaker 1: a puss that she had furnished more notes than there
• 3:37
  Speaker 1: was original matter Another peculiarity which distinguished her labors was
• 3:43
  Speaker 1: the obscurity of her style. I call it a peculiarity
• 3:47
  Speaker 1: and not a defect, because I am not quite certain
• 3:50
  Speaker 1: whether the difficulty of getting at her meaning lay in
• 3:53
  Speaker 1: her mode of expressing herself or my deficiency in the
• 3:57
  Speaker 1: delicacies of her language. I think myself a tolerable linguist,
• 4:02
  Speaker 1: yet have too great a respect for puss to say
• 4:05
  Speaker 1: that any fault is attributable to her. The same feeling has, naturally,
• 4:11
  Speaker 1: made me careful in rendering those portions which were exclusively
• 4:14
  Speaker 1: her own. I have preferred letting her say little to
• 4:18
  Speaker 1: allowing her to express anything she did not intend. Her notes,
• 4:22
  Speaker 1: which doubtless drew many a purr of approval from her
• 4:25
  Speaker 1: own breast, and many a wag of approbation from the
• 4:29
  Speaker 1: tales of her choice acquaintance, I have preferred leaving out altogether,
• 4:34
  Speaker 1: and I have so curtailed the labors of her paw
• 4:37
  Speaker 1: and the workings of her brain as to condense into
• 4:40
  Speaker 1: half a dozen pages her little volume of introduction. The
• 4:44
  Speaker 1: autobiography itself, most luckily, required no alteration. It is the
• 4:49
  Speaker 1: work of a simple mind detailing the events of a
• 4:52
  Speaker 1: simple but not uneventful life. Whether I have succeeded in
• 4:56
  Speaker 1: conveying to my reader's intelligence the impression which this dog's
• 5:00
  Speaker 1: adventure has made on mine, they alone can decide. Introduction
• 5:07
  Speaker 1: by Miss Minette Gatina It may seem peculiar to any
• 5:13
  Speaker 1: but an inhabitant of this renowned city of Caneville that
• 5:16
  Speaker 1: one of our nation should venture on the task of
• 5:19
  Speaker 1: bringing to the notice of the world the memoir I
• 5:22
  Speaker 1: have undertaken to edit. But Besides that, in this favored place,
• 5:28
  Speaker 1: animals of all kinds learned to dwell in tolerable harmony together.
• 5:33
  Speaker 1: The subject of this biography had so endeared himself to
• 5:36
  Speaker 1: all classes and to every tribe by his kindness of heart,
• 5:41
  Speaker 1: noble devotion, and other dog-like qualities, that there was not
• 5:45
  Speaker 1: a cat, in spite of the supposed natural antipathy existing
• 5:49
  Speaker 1: between the feline and the canine races, who would not
• 5:53
  Speaker 1: have set up her back and fought to the last
• 5:56
  Speaker 1: gasp in defense of this dear old fellow. Many a
• 6:00
  Speaker 1: time has he saved me from the rough treatment of
• 6:03
  Speaker 1: rude and ill-conducted curs when I have been returning from
• 6:06
  Speaker 1: a concert or tripping quietly home after a pleasant chat
• 6:10
  Speaker 1: with a friend. Often and often, when a kitten, has
• 6:13
  Speaker 1: he carried me on his back through the streets in
• 6:16
  Speaker 1: order that I might not wet my velvet slippers on
• 6:18
  Speaker 1: a rainy day. And once, ah, well do I remember it,
• 6:23
  Speaker 1: he did me even greater service. For a wicked Tom
• 6:27
  Speaker 1: of our race, who had often annoyed me with his attentions,
• 6:30
  Speaker 1: had actually formed a plan of carrying me off to
• 6:34
  Speaker 1: some foreign land, and would have succeeded, too, if dear
• 6:37
  Speaker 1: Doggie had not got scent of the affair and pounced
• 6:41
  Speaker 1: on that treacherous Tom just as he was on the
• 6:43
  Speaker 1: point of executing his odious project. I can speak of
• 6:47
  Speaker 1: these things now without the slightest fear of being accused
• 6:51
  Speaker 1: of vanity. If I say my eyes were beautifully round
• 6:55
  Speaker 1: and green, they are so no longer. If I boast
• 6:59
  Speaker 1: of the former lightness of my step, it drags, alas,
• 7:03
  Speaker 1: but too heavily now. If I dwell on the sweetness
• 7:07
  Speaker 1: of my voice and melody of my purr at one period,
• 7:10
  Speaker 1: little can be said in their favor at the present day.
• 7:14
  Speaker 1: and i feel therefore less scruple in delating on the
• 7:17
  Speaker 1: elegance of my figure and the taste of my toilette
• 7:21
  Speaker 1: as when speaking of them i seem to be referring
• 7:24
  Speaker 1: to another individual puss with whom the actual snuffy old
• 7:28
  Speaker 1: tabby has little or no connection but it will be
• 7:31
  Speaker 1: said these last matters have not so much to do
• 7:34
  Speaker 1: with the object i have in hand i must not
• 7:37
  Speaker 1: attempt to palm off on any reader any adventures of
• 7:41
  Speaker 1: my own under the shadow of a dog I must
• 7:44
  Speaker 1: rather allow my cat's paw to perform the office for
• 7:47
  Speaker 1: which it has become noted, namely, that of aiding in
• 7:51
  Speaker 1: the recovery of what its owner is not intended to participate.
• 7:56
  Speaker 1: I must endeavor to place before the world of to
• 7:59
  Speaker 1: be thence transmitted to the less civilized portions of the
• 8:03
  Speaker 1: globe those incidents in our dog's life which he has
• 8:07
  Speaker 1: been too modest to relate himself in order that after
• 8:11
  Speaker 1: generations may fully appreciate all the goodness of his character
• 8:15
  Speaker 1: to greatness he had no pretension although few animals are
• 8:19
  Speaker 1: aware how close is the relation between these two qualities
• 8:24
  Speaker 1: I think I see the dear old dog now, as
• 8:27
  Speaker 1: it has been often my privilege to behold him, seated
• 8:30
  Speaker 1: in his large armchair, his hair quite silvered with age,
• 8:34
  Speaker 1: shading his thoughtful yet kindly face, his pipe in his paw,
• 8:39
  Speaker 1: his faithful friend by his side, and surrounded by a
• 8:42
  Speaker 1: group of attentive listeners of both sexes who seemed to
• 8:46
  Speaker 1: hang upon every word of wisdom as it dropped from
• 8:49
  Speaker 1: his mouth. All these spring to my mind when I
• 8:53
  Speaker 1: recall his image. And if I were a painter, I
• 8:56
  Speaker 1: think I should have no difficulty in presenting to my
• 8:59
  Speaker 1: readers this pleasant family party. The very room in which
• 9:03
  Speaker 1: these meetings were held comes as strongly to my recollection
• 9:07
  Speaker 1: as the various young and old dogs who were wont
• 9:10
  Speaker 1: to assemble there. Plainly furnished, it yet boasted some articles
• 9:14
  Speaker 1: of luxury, works of statuary and painting, presented to old
• 9:19
  Speaker 1: Job by those who admired his goodness or had been
• 9:22
  Speaker 1: the objects of his devotion. One of these, a statuette
• 9:27
  Speaker 1: representing a fast little dog upon a tasteful pedestal, used
• 9:31
  Speaker 1: often to excite my curiosity, the more because Job showed
• 9:35
  Speaker 1: no inclination to gratify it. I managed, however, at last,
• 9:40
  Speaker 1: to get at the incident which made Job the possessor
• 9:43
  Speaker 1: of this comical little figure, and as the circumstance worthily
• 9:47
  Speaker 1: illustrates his character, I will relate it as the anecdote
• 9:51
  Speaker 1: was told to me. It once was a fashion in Caneville,
• 9:56
  Speaker 1: encouraged by puppies of the superior classes, to indulge in
• 10:00
  Speaker 1: habits of so strange a nature as to meet on
• 10:03
  Speaker 1: stated occasions for the express purpose of trying their skill
• 10:07
  Speaker 1: and strength in set combats. And although the most frightful
• 10:11
  Speaker 1: consequences often ensued, these assemblies were still held until put
• 10:16
  Speaker 1: down by the sharp tooth of the law. The results
• 10:19
  Speaker 1: which ensued were not merely dangerous to life, but created
• 10:23
  Speaker 1: such a quarrelsome disposition that many of these dogs were
• 10:27
  Speaker 1: never happy but when fighting. And the force granted them
• 10:31
  Speaker 1: by nature for self-defense was too often used most wantonly
• 10:35
  Speaker 1: to the annoyance of their neighbors. It one day happened
• 10:39
  Speaker 1: that Job was sitting quietly on a steep bank of
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  Speaker 1: the river where it runs into the wood at some
• 10:44
  Speaker 1: distance from the city and at one moment watching the
• 10:47
  Speaker 1: birds as they skimmed over the water at another following
• 10:51
  Speaker 1: the movements of a large fish just distinguishable from the
• 10:54
  Speaker 1: height as it rose at the flies that dropped upon
• 10:57
  Speaker 1: the stream when three dogs among the most celebrated fighters
• 11:02
  Speaker 1: of the time passed that way two of them were
• 11:05
  Speaker 1: of the common class about the size and weight of
• 11:08
  Speaker 1: job the other was a young puppy of good family
• 11:11
  Speaker 1: whose tastes had unfortunately led him into such a low
• 11:15
  Speaker 1: society Seeing the mild expression of Job's face, and confident
• 11:20
  Speaker 1: in their own prowess, they resolved to amuse themselves at
• 11:24
  Speaker 1: his expense, and to this end drew near to him.
• 11:28
  Speaker 1: Unobserved by their intended victim, with a rapid motion they
• 11:32
  Speaker 1: endeavored to push him head foremost into the river, Master
• 11:36
  Speaker 1: Puppy having dexterously seized hold of his tail to make
• 11:40
  Speaker 1: the somersault more complete. Job, although thus unexpectedly set upon
• 11:45
  Speaker 1: from behind, was enabled by the exertion of great strength
• 11:49
  Speaker 1: to defeat the object of his assailants. In the struggle
• 11:53
  Speaker 1: which ensued, his adversaries discovered that, in spite of their
• 11:57
  Speaker 1: boasted skill, they had more than found their match. One
• 12:01
  Speaker 1: of them got rolled over into the stream, out of
• 12:03
  Speaker 1: which he managed to crawl with considerable difficulty half a
• 12:07
  Speaker 1: mile lower down. The second took to his heels, with
• 12:11
  Speaker 1: his coat torn, and his person otherwise disordered. and the
• 12:15
  Speaker 1: fashionable pup, to his great horror, found himself seized in
• 12:20
  Speaker 1: the formidable jaws of the unoffending but own angry dog.
• 12:24
  Speaker 1: Imagine how much his terror was increased when Job, carrying him,
• 12:29
  Speaker 1: as I would a mouse, to the edge of the
• 12:31
  Speaker 1: precipitous bank, held him sheer over the roaring river. The
• 12:36
  Speaker 1: poor fellow could not swim, He had a perfect antipathy
• 12:39
  Speaker 1: to the water, and he felt himself at that moment
• 12:43
  Speaker 1: on the point of being consigned to certain death without
• 12:46
  Speaker 1: a chance of safety. But he did not know the
• 12:49
  Speaker 1: noble heart of the animal he had offended. Job let
• 12:53
  Speaker 1: him feel for a few dreadful seconds the danger to
• 12:56
  Speaker 1: which he had been so thoughtlessly and in joke about
• 12:59
  Speaker 1: to consign himself. and then placed him safely on the bank,
• 13:03
  Speaker 1: with the admonition to reflect for the future on the
• 13:06
  Speaker 1: probable result of his diversions before he indulged in them,
• 13:10
  Speaker 1: and to consider whether, although amusing to himself, such games
• 13:14
  Speaker 1: might not be fatal to the animals on whom they
• 13:17
  Speaker 1: were played off. The shivering puppy was too much alarmed
• 13:21
  Speaker 1: at the time to attend either to the magnanimity of
• 13:24
  Speaker 1: his antagonist or to the wisdom of his advice, but
• 13:28
  Speaker 1: they were evidently not lost upon him. Many can bear
• 13:31
  Speaker 1: the testimony to the change which that hour wrought in
• 13:34
  Speaker 1: his character. And some weeks after the event, Job received
• 13:39
  Speaker 1: that statue of his little adversary, which had so often
• 13:42
  Speaker 1: struck me, executed by a native artist with a long
• 13:46
  Speaker 1: letter in verse, a beautiful specimen of Dalgro. Indeed, gifts
• 13:52
  Speaker 1: both equally credible to the sculptor and the writer, and
• 13:55
  Speaker 1: most honorable to the animal in whose favor they had
• 13:58
  Speaker 1: been executed. My task will scarce be thought complete without
• 14:03
  Speaker 1: a few words concerning the personal appearance of my old friend. Although, perhaps,
• 14:10
  Speaker 1: few things could be more difficult for me to describe.
• 14:14
  Speaker 1: Dogs and cats are apt to admire such very different
• 14:17
  Speaker 1: forms of beauty that the former often call beautiful what
• 14:21
  Speaker 1: we think just the reverse. He was tall, strong, and
• 14:24
  Speaker 1: rather stout, with a large bushy tail which waved with
• 14:28
  Speaker 1: every emotion of his mind, for he rarely disguised his feelings.
• 14:33
  Speaker 1: His features were considered regular, though large, his eyes being
• 14:37
  Speaker 1: particularly bright and full, and the upper part of his
• 14:40
  Speaker 1: head was broad and high. But none who knew Job
• 14:44
  Speaker 1: ever thought of his being handsome or otherwise. You seemed
• 14:48
  Speaker 1: to love him for something more than you could see,
• 14:51
  Speaker 1: something which had little to do with face or body
• 14:54
  Speaker 1: or tail, and yet appeared in them all, and shone
• 14:58
  Speaker 1: clearly out of his eyes. I mean the spirit of
• 15:01
  Speaker 1: goodness which made him so remarkable and was so much
• 15:05
  Speaker 1: a part of Job that I do believe a lock
• 15:07
  Speaker 1: of his hair worn near one's own heart would help
• 15:10
  Speaker 1: to make it beat more kindly to one's fellow creatures.
• 15:14
  Speaker 1: This idea may be considered too fanciful, too cat-like, but
• 15:18
  Speaker 1: I believe it notwithstanding. Such was the dog whose autobiography
• 15:23
  Speaker 1: I have great pleasure in presenting to the world. Many
• 15:27
  Speaker 1: may object to the unpolished style in which his memoirs
• 15:31
  Speaker 1: are clothed, but all who knew him will easily pardon
• 15:34
  Speaker 1: every want of elegance in his language, and those who
• 15:38
  Speaker 1: had not the honor of his acquaintance will learn to
• 15:41
  Speaker 1: appreciate his character from the plain spirit of truth which
• 15:45
  Speaker 1: breathed in every line he wrote. I again affirm that
• 15:49
  Speaker 1: I need to make no apology for attaching my name
• 15:52
  Speaker 1: to that of one so worthy the esteem of his co-dogs, I,
• 15:56
  Speaker 1: and co-cats, too. For, in spite of the differences, which
• 16:01
  Speaker 1: have so often raised up a barrier between the members
• 16:04
  Speaker 1: of his race and ours, Not even the noblest among
• 16:07
  Speaker 1: us could be degraded by raising a mew to the
• 16:11
  Speaker 1: honor of such a thoroughly honest dog. Minette Gatina The
• 16:18
  Speaker 1: Upper Mews, Caneville End of Preface and Introduction Section 1
• 16:31
  Speaker 1: of The Adventures of a Dog and a Good Dog
• 16:34
  Speaker 1: Too Early Days I was not born in this city
• 16:46
  Speaker 1: of Caneville, but was brought here at so young an
• 16:49
  Speaker 1: age that I have no recollection of any other place.
• 16:53
  Speaker 1: I do not remember either my father or my mother.
• 16:56
  Speaker 1: An old doggess, who was the only creature I can
• 16:59
  Speaker 1: recall to mind when I was a pup, took care
• 17:01
  Speaker 1: of me. At least she said she did. But from
• 17:04
  Speaker 1: what I recollect, I had to take most care of myself.
• 17:09
  Speaker 1: It was from her I learned what I know about
• 17:11
  Speaker 1: my parents. She has told me that my father was
• 17:15
  Speaker 1: a foreign dog of high rank from a country many,
• 17:18
  Speaker 1: many miles away called Newfoundland, and that my mother was
• 17:22
  Speaker 1: a member of the Mastiff family. but how I came
• 17:26
  Speaker 1: to be under the care of herself, and how it happened,
• 17:29
  Speaker 1: if my parents were such superior animals, that I should
• 17:33
  Speaker 1: be forced to be so poor and dirty, I cannot tell.
• 17:36
  Speaker 1: I have sometimes ventured to ask her, but as she
• 17:39
  Speaker 1: always replied with a snarl or a bite, I soon
• 17:43
  Speaker 1: got tired of putting any questions to her. I do
• 17:46
  Speaker 1: not think she was a very good temper, but I
• 17:49
  Speaker 1: should not like to say so positively, because I was
• 17:52
  Speaker 1: still young when she died. and perhaps the blows she
• 17:56
  Speaker 1: gave me and the bite she inflicted were only intended
• 17:59
  Speaker 1: for my good, though I did not think so at
• 18:02
  Speaker 1: the time. As we were very poor, we were forced
• 18:06
  Speaker 1: to live in a wretched kennel in the dampest part
• 18:09
  Speaker 1: of the town, among dogs no better off than ourselves.
• 18:13
  Speaker 1: The place we occupied overhung the water, and one day,
• 18:17
  Speaker 1: when the old doggess was punishing me for something I
• 18:20
  Speaker 1: had done, The corner in which I was crouched, being rotten,
• 18:23
  Speaker 1: gave way, and I fell plump into the river. I
• 18:27
  Speaker 1: had never been in the water before, and I was
• 18:30
  Speaker 1: very frightened, for the stream was so rapid that it
• 18:33
  Speaker 1: carried me off and past the kennels I knew in
• 18:36
  Speaker 1: an instant. I opened my mouth to call out for help,
• 18:40
  Speaker 1: but as I was almost choked with the water that
• 18:43
  Speaker 1: got into it, I shut it again and made an
• 18:45
  Speaker 1: effort to reach the land. To my surprise, I found that,
• 18:50
  Speaker 1: by moving my paws and legs, I not only got
• 18:53
  Speaker 1: my head well above the water, but was able to
• 18:55
  Speaker 1: guide myself to the bank, onto which I at length
• 18:59
  Speaker 1: dragged myself, very tired and out of breath, but quite
• 19:03
  Speaker 1: recovered from my fear. I ran over the grass towards
• 19:06
  Speaker 1: the town as fast as I could, stopping now and
• 19:09
  Speaker 1: then to shake my coat, which was not so wet, however,
• 19:13
  Speaker 1: as you would suppose. But before I had got halfway home,
• 19:17
  Speaker 1: I met the doggess, hopping along with her tongue out
• 19:19
  Speaker 1: of her mouth, panting for breath, she having run all
• 19:23
  Speaker 1: the way from the kennel, out of which I had
• 19:25
  Speaker 1: popped so suddenly, along the bank, with the hope of
• 19:28
  Speaker 1: picking me up somewhere. She knew, she said, that I
• 19:32
  Speaker 1: should never be drowned, but how she could know that
• 19:36
  Speaker 1: was more than I could imagine. When we met, after
• 19:40
  Speaker 1: I had escaped so great a danger, I flew to
• 19:43
  Speaker 1: her paws, in the hope of getting a tender lick.
• 19:46
  Speaker 1: but as soon as she recovered breath she caught hold
• 19:49
  Speaker 1: of one of my ears with her teeth and bit
• 19:51
  Speaker 1: it till I howled with pain and then set off
• 19:54
  Speaker 1: running with me at a pace which I found it
• 19:57
  Speaker 1: difficult to keep up with. I remember at the time
• 20:00
  Speaker 1: thinking it was not very kind of her, but I
• 20:03
  Speaker 1: have since reflected that perhaps she only did it to
• 20:06
  Speaker 1: brighten me up and prevent me from taking cold. This
• 20:09
  Speaker 1: was my first adventure, and also my first acquaintance with
• 20:13
  Speaker 1: the water. From that day, I often ventured into the river, and,
• 20:18
  Speaker 1: in the end, became so good a swimmer that there
• 20:21
  Speaker 1: were few dogs in Caneville who could surpass me in
• 20:23
  Speaker 1: strength and dexterity afloat. Many moons came and passed away,
• 20:29
  Speaker 1: and I was getting a big dog. My appetite grew
• 20:32
  Speaker 1: with my size, and as there was little to eat
• 20:35
  Speaker 1: at home, I was forced to wander through the streets
• 20:38
  Speaker 1: to look after stray bones. But I was not the
• 20:41
  Speaker 1: only animal employed thus hunting for a livelihood, and the
• 20:45
  Speaker 1: bits scattered about the streets being very few and small,
• 20:49
  Speaker 1: some of us, as may be imagined, got scanty dinners.
• 20:53
  Speaker 1: There was such quarreling and fighting, also, for the possession
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: of every morsel, that if you were not willing to
• 21:00
  Speaker 1: let go any piece you had seized upon, you were
• 21:03
  Speaker 1: certain to have half a dozen curs upon your back
• 21:06
  Speaker 1: to force you to do so. And the poor weakly dog,
• 21:10
  Speaker 1: whose only hope of a meal lay in what he
• 21:12
  Speaker 1: might pick up, ran a sad chance of being starved.
• 21:17
  Speaker 1: One of the fiercest fights I have ever been engaged
• 21:20
  Speaker 1: in occurred upon one of these occasions— i had had
• 21:23
  Speaker 1: no breakfast and it was already past the hour when
• 21:26
  Speaker 1: the rich dogs of caneville were used to dine hungry
• 21:30
  Speaker 1: and disconsolate i was trotting slowly past a large house
• 21:34
  Speaker 1: when a side door opened and a servant jerked a
• 21:37
  Speaker 1: piece of meat into the road In the greatest joy
• 21:41
  Speaker 1: I pounced upon the prize, but not so quickly but
• 21:44
  Speaker 1: that two ragged curs, who were no doubt as hungry
• 21:47
  Speaker 1: as myself, managed to rush to the spot in time
• 21:51
  Speaker 1: to get hold of the other end of it. Then
• 21:53
  Speaker 1: came a struggle for the dainty, and those who do
• 21:56
  Speaker 1: not know how hard dogs will fight for their dinner
• 21:59
  Speaker 1: when they have had no breakfast should have been there
• 22:01
  Speaker 1: to learn the lesson. After giving and receiving many severe bites,
• 22:06
  Speaker 1: the two dogs walked off. Perhaps they did not think
• 22:10
  Speaker 1: the meat was worth the trouble of contending for any longer,
• 22:13
  Speaker 1: and I was left to enjoy my meal in peace.
• 22:16
  Speaker 1: I had scarcely, however, squatted down with the morsel between
• 22:20
  Speaker 1: my paws than a miserable little puppy, who seemed as
• 22:24
  Speaker 1: if he had had neither dinner nor breakfast for the
• 22:26
  Speaker 1: last week, came and sat himself at a little distance
• 22:29
  Speaker 1: from me, and without saying a word brushed the pebbles
• 22:33
  Speaker 1: about with his ragged tail licked his chops and blinked
• 22:37
  Speaker 1: his little eyes at me so hopefully that hungry as
• 22:41
  Speaker 1: i was i could not begin my meat as i
• 22:44
  Speaker 1: looked at him i observed two tears gather at the
• 22:47
  Speaker 1: side of his nose and grow bigger and bigger until
• 22:51
  Speaker 1: they would no longer stop there but tumbled on to
• 22:54
  Speaker 1: the ground I could bear it no longer. I do
• 22:57
  Speaker 1: not know even now what ailed me, but my own
• 23:01
  Speaker 1: eyes grew so dim that there seemed a mist before them,
• 23:04
  Speaker 1: which prevented my seeing anything plainly. I started up, and
• 23:09
  Speaker 1: pushing to the poor whelp the piece of meat which
• 23:12
  Speaker 1: had cost me three new rents in my coat and
• 23:15
  Speaker 1: a split ear, I trotted slowly away. I stopped at
• 23:19
  Speaker 1: the corner to see whether he appeared to enjoy it,
• 23:22
  Speaker 1: and partly to watch that no other dog should take
• 23:25
  Speaker 1: it from him. The road was quite clear, and the
• 23:28
  Speaker 1: poor pup quite lost in the unusual treat of a
• 23:31
  Speaker 1: good meal, so I took my way homewards with an
• 23:34
  Speaker 1: empty stomach but a full heart. I was so pleased
• 23:38
  Speaker 1: to see that little fellow enjoy his dinner so thoroughly.
• 23:43
  Speaker 1: This sort of life, wherein one was compelled either to
• 23:47
  Speaker 1: fight for every bit one could get to eat or
• 23:50
  Speaker 1: go without food altogether, became at last so tiresome to
• 23:54
  Speaker 1: me that I set about for some other means of
• 23:56
  Speaker 1: providing for my wants. I could not understand how the
• 23:59
  Speaker 1: old doggess used to manage, but though she never had
• 24:02
  Speaker 1: anything to give me, she did not seem to be
• 24:04
  Speaker 1: without food herself. She was getting so much more cross
• 24:08
  Speaker 1: and quarrelsome, perhaps on account of her age and infirmities,
• 24:11
  Speaker 1: that I now saw but little of her, as I often,
• 24:14
  Speaker 1: on a fine night, preferred curling myself up under a
• 24:17
  Speaker 1: doorway or beneath a tree, to returning to the kennel
• 24:20
  Speaker 1: and listening to her feeble growls. She never seemed to
• 24:24
  Speaker 1: want me there, so I had less difficulty in keeping
• 24:26
  Speaker 1: away from her. Chance assisted me in the choice of
• 24:30
  Speaker 1: my new attempt at getting a living. I was walking
• 24:33
  Speaker 1: along one of the narrow streets of Caneville when I
• 24:35
  Speaker 1: was stopped by an old dog who was known to
• 24:38
  Speaker 1: be very rich and very miserly. He had lately invented
• 24:42
  Speaker 1: a novel kind of match for lighting pipes and cigars
• 24:45
  Speaker 1: which he called a firefly, the composition of which was
• 24:48
  Speaker 1: so dangerous that it had already caused a good deal
• 24:51
  Speaker 1: of damage in the town from its exploding, and he
• 24:54
  Speaker 1: wanted some active young dogs to dispose of his wares
• 24:57
  Speaker 1: to the passers-by according to the custom of Caneville. AS
• 25:01
  Speaker 1: HE EXPECTED A GOOD DEAL OF OPPOSITION FROM THE VENDORS
• 25:04
  Speaker 1: OF A RIVAL ARTICLE, IT WAS NECESSARY TO MAKE CHOICE
• 25:08
  Speaker 1: OF SUCH AGENTS AS WOULD NOT BE EASILY TURNED FROM
• 25:10
  Speaker 1: THEIR PURPOSE FOR FEAR OF AN ODD BITE OR TWO.
• 25:14
  Speaker 1: I SUPPOSE HE THOUGHT I WAS WELL FITTED FOR THE
• 25:16
  Speaker 1: OBJECT HE HAD IN VIEW. I WAS VERY POOR, ONE
• 25:19
  Speaker 1: GOOD REASON FOR HIS EMPLOYING ME, AS I WOULD BE
• 25:21
  Speaker 1: CONTENTED WITH LITTLE. I WAS STRONG, AND SHOULD THEREFORE BE
• 25:25
  Speaker 1: ABLE TO GET THROUGH THE WORK. i was willing and
• 25:28
  Speaker 1: bore a reputation for honesty all sufficient causes for old
• 25:32
  Speaker 1: philly that was his name to stop me this fine
• 25:35
  Speaker 1: morning and propose my entering his service terms are easily
• 25:39
  Speaker 1: arranged where both parties are willing to come to an
• 25:41
  Speaker 1: agreement after being regaled with a moldy bone and dressed
• 25:45
  Speaker 1: out in an old suit of clothes belonging to my
• 25:48
  Speaker 1: new master which in spite of a great hole in
• 25:51
  Speaker 1: one of the knees i was not a little proud
• 25:53
  Speaker 1: of with a bundle of wares under my arm and
• 25:56
  Speaker 1: a box of the famous fireflies in my paw i
• 25:59
  Speaker 1: began my commercial career but alas Either the good dogs
• 26:04
  Speaker 1: of Caneville were little disposed to speculate that day, or
• 26:08
  Speaker 1: I was very awkward in my occupation, but no one
• 26:12
  Speaker 1: seemed willing to make a trial of my fireflies. In vain,
• 26:16
  Speaker 1: I used the most enticing words to set off my goods,
• 26:20
  Speaker 1: even going so far as to say that cigars lighted
• 26:23
  Speaker 1: with these matches would have a very fine flavor and
• 26:26
  Speaker 1: could not possibly go out. THIS I SAID ON THE
• 26:30
  Speaker 1: AUTHORITY OF MY EMPLOYER, WHO ASSURED ME OF THE FACT.
• 26:34
  Speaker 1: IT WAS OF NO USE, NOT A SINGLE FIRE-FLY BLAZED
• 26:38
  Speaker 1: IN CONSEQUENCE, AND I BEGAN TO FEAR THAT I WAS
• 26:41
  Speaker 1: NOT DESTINED TO MAKE MY FORTUNE AS A MATCH-SELLER. AT
• 26:45
  Speaker 1: LENGTH THERE CAME SWEEPING DOWN THE STREET A PARTY WHICH
• 26:48
  Speaker 1: AT ONCE ATTRACTED ME, AND I RESOLVED TO USE MY
• 26:51
  Speaker 1: BEST EFFORT TO DISPOSE AT LEAST OF ONE OF MY BOXES,
• 26:55
  Speaker 1: IF IT WERE ONLY TO CONVINCE MY MASTER THAT I
• 26:58
  Speaker 1: HAD DONE MY BEST. The principal animal of the group
• 27:01
  Speaker 1: was a lady doggus, beautifully dressed, with sufficient stuff in
• 27:05
  Speaker 1: her gown to cover a dozen ordinary dogs, a large
• 27:09
  Speaker 1: muff to keep her paws from the cold, and a
• 27:12
  Speaker 1: very open bonnet with a garden full of flowers round
• 27:15
  Speaker 1: her face, which, in spite of her rich clothes, I
• 27:18
  Speaker 1: did not think a very pretty one. A little behind
• 27:21
  Speaker 1: her was another doggus, not quite so superbly dressed, holding
• 27:25
  Speaker 1: a puppy by the paw. It was very certain that
• 27:28
  Speaker 1: they were great animals. For two or three dogs, they
• 27:31
  Speaker 1: had just passed, had taken off their hats as they
• 27:34
  Speaker 1: went by, and then put their noses together as if
• 27:37
  Speaker 1: they were saying something about them. I drew near, and
• 27:42
  Speaker 1: for the first time in my life was timid and abashed.
• 27:46
  Speaker 1: The fine clothes, no doubt, had something to do with
• 27:49
  Speaker 1: making me feel so, but I was still very young.
• 27:54
  Speaker 1: Taking courage, I went on tiptoe to the great lady
• 27:57
  Speaker 1: and begged her to buy a box of fireflies of
• 28:00
  Speaker 1: a poor dog who had no other means of gaining
• 28:03
  Speaker 1: his bread. Now, you must know that these matches had
• 28:07
  Speaker 1: not a pleasant smell. Few matches have, but as they
• 28:11
  Speaker 1: were shut up in the box, the odor could not
• 28:13
  Speaker 1: have been very sensible. however when i held up the
• 28:17
  Speaker 1: article towards her ladyship she put her paw to her
• 28:20
  Speaker 1: nose as though to shut out the odour uttered a
• 28:23
  Speaker 1: low howl and though big enough and strong enough to
• 28:27
  Speaker 1: have sent me head over heels with a single blow
• 28:30
  Speaker 1: seemed on the point of falling to the ground But
• 28:33
  Speaker 1: at the instant, two male servants, whom I had not seen,
• 28:36
  Speaker 1: ran to her assistance, while I, who was the innocent
• 28:40
  Speaker 1: cause of all this commotion, stood like a silly dog
• 28:43
  Speaker 1: that I was, with my box in the air and
• 28:46
  Speaker 1: my mouth wide open, wondering what it all meant. I
• 28:50
  Speaker 1: was not suffered to remain long in ignorance. For the
• 28:54
  Speaker 1: two hounds in livery, turning to me, so belabored my
• 28:58
  Speaker 1: poor back, that I thought at first my bones were broken,
• 29:02
  Speaker 1: while the young puppy, who, it appears, was her ladyship's
• 29:05
  Speaker 1: youngest son, running behind me while I was in this condition,
• 29:09
  Speaker 1: gave my tail such a pull as to cause me
• 29:12
  Speaker 1: the greatest pain. They then left me in the middle
• 29:15
  Speaker 1: of the road, to reflect on my ill success in trade,
• 29:18
  Speaker 1: and gather up my stock as best I could. I
• 29:21
  Speaker 1: do not know what it was which made me so
• 29:24
  Speaker 1: anxious to learn the name and rank of the lady doggess,
• 29:27
  Speaker 1: who had been the cause of my severe punishment. But
• 29:30
  Speaker 1: I eagerly inquired of a kind mongrel who stopped to
• 29:33
  Speaker 1: help me collect my scattered goods if he knew anything
• 29:37
  Speaker 1: about her. He said she was called Lady Bull. that
• 29:40
  Speaker 1: her husband, Sir John Bull, had made a large fortune somehow,
• 29:45
  Speaker 1: and that they lived in a splendid house, had about
• 29:48
  Speaker 1: thirty puppies, little and big, and had plenty of servants,
• 29:52
  Speaker 1: and spent a great deal of money. He could hardly imagine,
• 29:56
  Speaker 1: he said, that it was the odor of the fireflies
• 29:59
  Speaker 1: which had occasioned me to be knocked down for upsetting
• 30:02
  Speaker 1: her ladyship, as she had been a butcher's daughter and
• 30:05
  Speaker 1: was used to queer smells, unless her nose had perhaps
• 30:08
  Speaker 1: got more delicate with her change of position. He said
• 30:12
  Speaker 1: much more about her and her peculiarities than I either
• 30:15
  Speaker 1: remember or care to repeat. But, imagining he had some
• 30:19
  Speaker 1: private reasons for saying what he did, I thanked him
• 30:22
  Speaker 1: for his trouble and bid him good-day. Whatever the cause
• 30:25
  Speaker 1: of my failure, it seemed that I was not fitted
• 30:28
  Speaker 1: for the match business. At all events, the experience of
• 30:32
  Speaker 1: that morning did not encourage me sufficiently to proceed. So,
• 30:36
  Speaker 1: returning the unsold fireflies to old Philly, I made him
• 30:39
  Speaker 1: a present of the time I had already spent in
• 30:42
  Speaker 1: his service, and, with a thoughtful face and aching bones,
• 30:46
  Speaker 1: took my way towards the kennel by the waterside. CHANGES
• 30:54
  Speaker 1: The sun was going down as I came in sight
• 30:56
  Speaker 1: of the river and the row of poor kennels which
• 30:59
  Speaker 1: stood on the bank, many of them, like our own,
• 31:02
  Speaker 1: projecting half over the water. I could not help wondering
• 31:06
  Speaker 1: at the pretty effect they made at a distance, with
• 31:09
  Speaker 1: the blue river dancing gaily by their side, the large
• 31:12
  Speaker 1: trees of the wood on the opposite bank waving in beauty,
• 31:16
  Speaker 1: and the brilliant sun changing everything that his rays fell
• 31:20
  Speaker 1: upon into gold. He made the poor kennels look so
• 31:24
  Speaker 1: splendid for the time that no one would have thought
• 31:27
  Speaker 1: the animals who lived in them could ever be poor
• 31:30
  Speaker 1: or unhappy. But when the rich light was gone, gone
• 31:33
  Speaker 1: with the sun, which made it to some other land,
• 31:37
  Speaker 1: it seemed as if the whole place was changed. The
• 31:40
  Speaker 1: trees shivered as though a cold wind was stirring them.
• 31:44
  Speaker 1: The river ran dark and sullenly by the poor houses,
• 31:48
  Speaker 1: and the houses themselves looked more wretched, I thought, than
• 31:52
  Speaker 1: they had ever appeared before. Yet, somehow, they were more
• 31:56
  Speaker 1: home-like in their dismal state than when they had a
• 31:59
  Speaker 1: golden roof and purple sides. So, resuming my walk, for
• 32:04
  Speaker 1: I had stopped to admire the pretty picture, I soon
• 32:07
  Speaker 1: came near the door. It was open as usual, but
• 32:11
  Speaker 1: what was not usual was to hear other sounds from
• 32:14
  Speaker 1: within than the voice of the old doggus, making ceaseless moans,
• 32:19
  Speaker 1: Now it seemed as if all the doggesses of the
• 32:21
  Speaker 1: neighborhood had met in the poor hut to pass the evening,
• 32:25
  Speaker 1: for there was such confusion of tongues, and such a
• 32:28
  Speaker 1: rustling sound, as told me, before I peeped inside, that
• 32:32
  Speaker 1: there was a large party got together, and that tails
• 32:35
  Speaker 1: were wagging at a fearful rate. When I stood before
• 32:39
  Speaker 1: the open door, all the scene broke upon me. On
• 32:43
  Speaker 1: her bed of straw, evidently at the point of death,
• 32:46
  Speaker 1: lay my poor doggess. Her eyes had almost lost their
• 32:50
  Speaker 1: fierce expression and were becoming fixed and glassy. A slight
• 32:54
  Speaker 1: tremor in her legs and movement of her stumpy tail
• 32:57
  Speaker 1: were all that told she was yet living. Not even
• 33:01
  Speaker 1: her breast was seen to heave. I had not much
• 33:05
  Speaker 1: reason to bear love to the old creature for any
• 33:07
  Speaker 1: kindness she had ever shown me, but this sight overcame
• 33:11
  Speaker 1: me at once. Springing to her aid, and upsetting half
• 33:16
  Speaker 1: a dozen of the gossips by the movement, I laid
• 33:19
  Speaker 1: my paw on hers, and, involuntarily raising my head in
• 33:23
  Speaker 1: the air, I sent forth a howl which shook the
• 33:26
  Speaker 1: rotten timbers of the old kennel, and so frightened the
• 33:30
  Speaker 1: assembled party as to make them scamper out of the
• 33:33
  Speaker 1: place like mad things. The sound even called back the
• 33:37
  Speaker 1: departing senses of the dying doggus. She drew me to
• 33:40
  Speaker 1: her with her paws, and made an effort to lick me.
• 33:44
  Speaker 1: the action quite melted me. I put down my head
• 33:48
  Speaker 1: to hers and felt a singular pleasure mixed with grief
• 33:52
  Speaker 1: whilst I licked and caressed her. I could not help
• 33:55
  Speaker 1: thinking then, as I have often thought since, of how
• 33:58
  Speaker 1: much happiness we had lost by not being more indulgent
• 34:02
  Speaker 1: to each other's faults, forgiving and loving one another. She
• 34:06
  Speaker 1: also seemed to be of this opinion, if I might
• 34:09
  Speaker 1: judge by the grateful look and passive manner in which
• 34:12
  Speaker 1: she received my attentions. Perhaps the near approach of her
• 34:17
  Speaker 1: end gave a softness to her nature which was unusual
• 34:21
  Speaker 1: to her. It is not unlikely, but of a certainty
• 34:25
  Speaker 1: I never felt before how much I was losing, as
• 34:28
  Speaker 1: when I saw that poor doggess's life thus ebbing away.
• 34:33
  Speaker 1: Night had come on while I sat watching by her side.
• 34:37
  Speaker 1: Everything about the single room had become more and more indistinct.
• 34:41
  Speaker 1: until all objects were alike blended in the darkness. I
• 34:46
  Speaker 1: could no longer distinguish the shape of my companion, and,
• 34:50
  Speaker 1: but that I knew she was there, I could have
• 34:52
  Speaker 1: thought myself alone. The wind had fallen, the water seemed
• 34:56
  Speaker 1: to run more gently than it was wont to do,
• 34:59
  Speaker 1: and the noises which generally make themselves heard in the
• 35:03
  Speaker 1: streets of Caneville appeared to be singularly quieted. BUT ONCE ONLY,
• 35:08
  Speaker 1: AT ANOTHER PERIOD OF MY LIFE, WHICH I SHALL SPEAK
• 35:11
  Speaker 1: OF IN ITS PROPER PLACE, DO I EVER REMEMBER TO
• 35:14
  Speaker 1: HAVE BEEN SO STRUCK BY THE SILENCE, AND TO HAVE
• 35:18
  Speaker 1: FELT MYSELF SO ENTIRELY ALONE. THE MOON APPEARED TO RISE
• 35:23
  Speaker 1: QUICKER THAT NIGHT, AS THOUGH IT PITIED THE POOR FORELORN DOG.
• 35:28
  Speaker 1: IT PEEPED OVER AN OPPOSITE HOUSE, AND DIRECTLY AFTER, SHONE
• 35:32
  Speaker 1: COLDLY BUT KINDLY THROUGH THE OPEN DOOR. AT LEAST ITS
• 35:36
  Speaker 1: LIGHT SEEMED TO COME LIKE THE VISIT OF A FRIEND,
• 35:39
  Speaker 1: IN SPITE OF IT SHOWING ME WHAT I FEARED, THAT
• 35:42
  Speaker 1: I WAS, INDEED, ALONE IN THE WORLD. MY POOR DOGGUS
• 35:47
  Speaker 1: HAD DIED IN THE DARKNESS BETWEEN THE SETTING OF THE
• 35:49
  Speaker 1: SUN AND THE MOON'S RISE. I WAS SURE THAT SHE
• 35:53
  Speaker 1: WAS DEAD, YET I HOWLED NO MORE. MY GRIEF WAS
• 35:58
  Speaker 1: VERY GREAT, FOR IT IS A SAD, SAD THING WHEN
• 36:01
  Speaker 1: YOU ARE YOUNG TO FIND YOU ARE WITHOUT FRIENDS. perhaps
• 36:05
  Speaker 1: sadder when you are old, but that I fortunately do
• 36:09
  Speaker 1: not myself know, for I am old and have many friends.
• 36:14
  Speaker 1: I recollect putting my nose between my paws and lying
• 36:18
  Speaker 1: at full length on the floor waiting till the bright
• 36:21
  Speaker 1: sun should come again and thinking of my forlorn condition.
• 36:26
  Speaker 1: I must have slept and dreamed, yet I thought I
• 36:29
  Speaker 1: was still in the old kennel with the dead doggus
• 36:32
  Speaker 1: by my side. but everything seemed to have found a
• 36:35
  Speaker 1: voice and to be saying kind things to me. The river,
• 36:40
  Speaker 1: as it ran and shook the supports of the old kennel,
• 36:43
  Speaker 1: appeared to cry out in a rough but gay tone,' Jobe, Jobe,
• 36:48
  Speaker 1: my dog, cheer up, cheer up. The world is before you, Jobe.
• 36:53
  Speaker 1: Cheer up, cheer up.' The light wind that was coming
• 36:57
  Speaker 1: by that way stopped to speak to me as it passed.
• 37:01
  Speaker 1: it flew round the little room and whispered as it
• 37:04
  Speaker 1: went poor dog poor dog you are very lonely but
• 37:09
  Speaker 1: the good need not be so the good may have
• 37:13
  Speaker 1: friends dear job however poor the trees as they waved
• 37:19
  Speaker 1: their heads sent kindly words across the water that made
• 37:23
  Speaker 1: their way to my heart right through the chinks of
• 37:25
  Speaker 1: the old cabin and when morning broke and a bright
• 37:29
  Speaker 1: sky smiled beautifully upon the streets of caneville i woke
• 37:33
  Speaker 1: up sad indeed but full of hope some ragged curs
• 37:38
  Speaker 1: arrived and carried the old doggus away she was very
• 37:42
  Speaker 1: heavy and they were forced to use all their strength
• 37:46
  Speaker 1: I saw her cast into the water, which she disliked
• 37:49
  Speaker 1: so much alive. I watched her floating form until the
• 37:53
  Speaker 1: rapid current bore it into the wood, and I stayed
• 37:57
  Speaker 1: sitting on the brink of the river, wondering where it
• 38:00
  Speaker 1: would reach at last, and what sort of places must
• 38:03
  Speaker 1: lie beyond the trees. I had an idea in my
• 38:06
  Speaker 1: own mind that the sun rested there all night, only
• 38:10
  Speaker 1: I could not imagine how it came up again in
• 38:12
  Speaker 1: the morning in quite an opposite quarter. but then I
• 38:16
  Speaker 1: was such a young and ignorant puppy. After thinking about
• 38:20
  Speaker 1: this and a good many other matters of no importance
• 38:23
  Speaker 1: to my story, I got upon my legs and trotted
• 38:27
  Speaker 1: gently along the bank towards a part of the city
• 38:30
  Speaker 1: which I did not remember to have seen before. The
• 38:33
  Speaker 1: houses were very few, but they were large and handsome
• 38:37
  Speaker 1: and all had pretty gardens in nice order with flowers
• 38:40
  Speaker 1: which smelled so sweet that I thought the dogs who
• 38:43
  Speaker 1: could always enjoy such advantages must be very happy. But
• 38:48
  Speaker 1: one of the houses, larger than all the rest, very
• 38:51
  Speaker 1: much struck me, for I had never an idea of
• 38:54
  Speaker 1: such a splendid place being in Caneville. It was upon
• 38:58
  Speaker 1: a little hill that stood at some distance from the river,
• 39:02
  Speaker 1: and the ground which sloped down from the house into
• 39:04
  Speaker 1: the water was covered with such beautiful grass that it
• 39:08
  Speaker 1: made one long to nibble and roll upon it. While
• 39:12
  Speaker 1: I was quietly looking at this charming scene, I was
• 39:15
  Speaker 1: startled by a loud noise of barking and howling higher
• 39:19
  Speaker 1: up the river and a confused sound as if a
• 39:22
  Speaker 1: great many dogs were assembled at one place, all calling
• 39:26
  Speaker 1: out together. I ran at once in the direction of
• 39:29
  Speaker 1: the hubbub. partly out of curiosity and in part from
• 39:33
  Speaker 1: some other motive perhaps the notion of being able to
• 39:36
  Speaker 1: render some help a little before me the river had
• 39:40
  Speaker 1: a sudden bend and the bank rose high which prevented
• 39:44
  Speaker 1: me seeing the cause of the noise but when I
• 39:46
  Speaker 1: reached the top the whole scene was before me On
• 39:50
  Speaker 1: my side of the river, a great crowd had assembled,
• 39:53
  Speaker 1: who were looking intently upon something in the water. And
• 39:57
  Speaker 1: on the opposite bank, there was a complete stream of
• 40:00
  Speaker 1: dogs running down to the hill which belonged to the
• 40:03
  Speaker 1: beautiful house I had been admiring. Every dog as he
• 40:07
  Speaker 1: ran seemed to be trying to make as much noise
• 40:10
  Speaker 1: as he could, and those I spoke to were barking
• 40:14
  Speaker 1: so loudly and jumping about in such a way that
• 40:17
  Speaker 1: that I could at first get no explanation of what
• 40:20
  Speaker 1: was the matter. At last, I saw that the struggling
• 40:24
  Speaker 1: object in the water was a young puppy, which seemed
• 40:27
  Speaker 1: very nicely dressed, and at the same moment, the mongrel,
• 40:31
  Speaker 1: who had helped me to pick up my matches the
• 40:33
  Speaker 1: day before, came alongside of me and said, Ah, young firefly,
• 40:38
  Speaker 1: how are you? Isn't this a game? That old lady
• 40:42
  Speaker 1: bull who got you such a drubbing yesterday is in
• 40:45
  Speaker 1: a pretty mess. Her thirty-second pup has just tumbled into
• 40:49
  Speaker 1: the water and will certainly be drowned. Isn't she making
• 40:53
  Speaker 1: a fuss? Just look. One rapid glance showed me the
• 40:58
  Speaker 1: grand lady he spoke of howling most fearfully on the
• 41:01
  Speaker 1: other side of the stream, while two pups, about the
• 41:04
  Speaker 1: same size as the one in the water, and a
• 41:07
  Speaker 1: stout dog, who looked like the papa, were sometimes catching
• 41:10
  Speaker 1: hold of her and then running about, not knowing what
• 41:13
  Speaker 1: to do. I stopped no longer. I threw off my overcoat,
• 41:18
  Speaker 1: and running to a higher part of the bank, leaped
• 41:20
  Speaker 1: into the water, the mongrel's voice calling after me. What
• 41:24
  Speaker 1: are you going to do? Don't you know it's the
• 41:27
  Speaker 1: son of the old doggus who had you beat so soundly?
• 41:30
  Speaker 1: Look at your shoulder where the hair has been knocked
• 41:33
  Speaker 1: off with the blows. Without paying the least attention to
• 41:37
  Speaker 1: these words, which I could not help hearing since they
• 41:39
  Speaker 1: were called out so loudly, I used all my strength
• 41:42
  Speaker 1: to reach the poor little pup, who, tired with his
• 41:45
  Speaker 1: efforts to help himself, had already floated onto his back,
• 41:49
  Speaker 1: while his tiny legs and paws were moving feebly in
• 41:52
  Speaker 1: the air. I reached him after a few more efforts,
• 41:56
  Speaker 1: and seizing his clothes with my teeth, I got his
• 41:59
  Speaker 1: head above the water and swam with my load slowly
• 42:03
  Speaker 1: towards the bank. As I got nearer, I could see
• 42:07
  Speaker 1: Lady Bull, still superbly dressed, but without her bonnet, throw
• 42:11
  Speaker 1: up her paws and nose toward the sky, and fall
• 42:14
  Speaker 1: back into the arms of her husband, while the two
• 42:18
  Speaker 1: pups by her side expressed their feelings in different ways.
• 42:21
  Speaker 1: For one stuffed his little fists into his eyes, and
• 42:25
  Speaker 1: the other waved his cap in the air and broke
• 42:28
  Speaker 1: forth into a succession of infantile bow-wows. On reaching the bank,
• 42:34
  Speaker 1: I placed my load at the feet of his poor mother,
• 42:37
  Speaker 1: who threw herself by his side and hugged him to
• 42:39
  Speaker 1: her breast, in a way which proved how much tenderness
• 42:43
  Speaker 1: was under those fine clothes and affected manners. The others
• 42:47
  Speaker 1: stood around her, uttering low moans of sympathy, and I,
• 42:52
  Speaker 1: seeing all so engaged and taken up with the recovered dog, quietly,
• 42:56
  Speaker 1: and as I thought, unseen by all, slid back into
• 43:00
  Speaker 1: the water and permitted myself to be carried by the
• 43:02
  Speaker 1: current down the river. I crawled out at some short
• 43:06
  Speaker 1: distance from the spot where this scene had taken place
• 43:09
  Speaker 1: and threw myself onto the grass in order to rest
• 43:12
  Speaker 1: from my fatigue and allow the warm sun to dry
• 43:15
  Speaker 1: my saturated clothes. What I felt I can scarce describe,
• 43:20
  Speaker 1: although I remember so distinctly everything connected with that morning.
• 43:25
  Speaker 1: My principal sensation was that of savage joy to think
• 43:29
  Speaker 1: I had saved the son of the doggus who had
• 43:31
  Speaker 1: caused me such unkind treatment. I was cruel enough, I
• 43:35
  Speaker 1: am sorry to say, to figure to myself her pain
• 43:38
  Speaker 1: at receiving such a favor from me. But that idea
• 43:41
  Speaker 1: soon passed away, on reflecting that perhaps she would not
• 43:45
  Speaker 1: even know to whom she owed her son's escape from death.
• 43:49
  Speaker 1: In the midst of my ruminations, a light step behind
• 43:53
  Speaker 1: me caused me to raise my head. I was positively
• 43:56
  Speaker 1: startled at the beautiful object which I beheld. It was
• 44:00
  Speaker 1: a lady puppy, about my own age, but so small
• 44:03
  Speaker 1: in size, and with such an innocent, sweet look, that
• 44:07
  Speaker 1: she seemed much younger. Her dress was of the richest kind,
• 44:11
  Speaker 1: and her bonnet, which had fallen back from her head,
• 44:14
  Speaker 1: showed her glossy dark hair and drooping ears that hung
• 44:18
  Speaker 1: gracefully beside her cheeks. Poorly as I was dressed, and
• 44:22
  Speaker 1: wet as I still was from my bath, she sat
• 44:25
  Speaker 1: herself beside me, and putting her little soft paw upon
• 44:28
  Speaker 1: my shoulder, said with a smile, Ah, Job, for I
• 44:33
  Speaker 1: know that's your name. Did you think you could get
• 44:36
  Speaker 1: off so quietly without anyone seeing you or stopping you
• 44:40
  Speaker 1: or saying one single thank you, Job, for being such
• 44:43
  Speaker 1: a good noble dog as you are? Did you think
• 44:47
  Speaker 1: there was not one sharp eye in Caneville to watch
• 44:50
  Speaker 1: the saver, but that all were fixed upon the saved?
• 44:54
  Speaker 1: That every tongue was so engaged in sympathizing with the
• 44:57
  Speaker 1: mother that that not one was left to praise the brave?
• 45:01
  Speaker 1: If you thought this, dear Job, you did me and
• 45:04
  Speaker 1: others wrong, great wrong. There are some dogs, at least,
• 45:09
  Speaker 1: who may forget an injury, but who never forget a
• 45:12
  Speaker 1: noble action, and I have too great a love for
• 45:15
  Speaker 1: my species to let you think so. I shall see
• 45:19
  Speaker 1: you again, dear Job, though I must leave you now.
• 45:22
  Speaker 1: I should be blamed, if it were known, that I
• 45:24
  Speaker 1: came to talk to you, as I have done, but
• 45:27
  Speaker 1: I could not help it. I could not let you
• 45:29
  Speaker 1: believe that a noble heart was not understood in Caneville. Adieu.
• 45:34
  Speaker 1: Do not forget the name of Fida. She stooped down,
• 45:39
  Speaker 1: and for a moment her silky hair waved on my
• 45:42
  Speaker 1: rough cheek, while her soft tongue gently licked my face.
• 45:46
  Speaker 1: Before I could open my mouth in reply— before indeed
• 45:50
  Speaker 1: i had recovered from my surprise and the admiration which
• 45:53
  Speaker 1: this beautiful creature caused me she was gone i sprang
• 45:57
  Speaker 1: on to my legs to observe which way she went
• 46:00
  Speaker 1: but not a trace of her could i see and
• 46:02
  Speaker 1: i thought it would not be proper to follow her
• 46:05
  Speaker 1: When I felt certain of being alone, I could hardly
• 46:08
  Speaker 1: restrain my feelings. I threw myself on my back, I
• 46:12
  Speaker 1: rolled upon the grass, I turned head over heels in
• 46:15
  Speaker 1: the boisterousness of my spirit, and then gambled around and
• 46:19
  Speaker 1: around like a mad thing. Did I believe all the
• 46:23
  Speaker 1: flattering praises which the lovely Fida had bestowed on me?
• 46:27
  Speaker 1: I might perhaps have done so then, and in my
• 46:30
  Speaker 1: inexperience might have fancied that I was quite a hero
• 46:34
  Speaker 1: time has taught me another lesson it has impressed upon
• 46:38
  Speaker 1: me the truth that when we do our duty we
• 46:40
  Speaker 1: do only what should be expected of every dog only
• 46:44
  Speaker 1: what every dog ought to do of the two fida
• 46:48
  Speaker 1: had done the nobler action She had shown not only
• 46:52
  Speaker 1: a promptness to feel what she considered good, but she
• 46:55
  Speaker 1: had had the courage to say so in private to
• 46:58
  Speaker 1: the doer, although he was of the poorest and she
• 47:01
  Speaker 1: of the richest class of Caneville society. In saving the
• 47:05
  Speaker 1: little pup's life, I had risked nothing. I knew my
• 47:09
  Speaker 1: strength and felt certain I could bring him safely to
• 47:12
  Speaker 1: the shore. If I had not tried to save the
• 47:15
  Speaker 1: poor little fellow, I should have been in part guilty
• 47:18
  Speaker 1: of his death. But she, in bestowing secret praise and
• 47:22
  Speaker 1: encouragement upon a poor dog who had no friends to
• 47:25
  Speaker 1: admire her for so doing, while her action would perhaps
• 47:29
  Speaker 1: bring blame upon her from her proud friends, did that
• 47:33
  Speaker 1: which was truly good and noble. The thought of returning
• 47:37
  Speaker 1: to my solitary home after the sad scene of the
• 47:40
  Speaker 1: night before, and particularly after the new feelings just excited,
• 47:45
  Speaker 1: was not a pleasant one. The bright sky and fresh
• 47:48
  Speaker 1: air seemed to suit me better than the black walls
• 47:52
  Speaker 1: and the smell of damp straw. Resolving in my mind, however,
• 47:56
  Speaker 1: to leave it as soon as possible, I recrossed the
• 47:59
  Speaker 1: river and, with a slower step than usual, took the
• 48:02
  Speaker 1: road which led me thither. End of Section 1 I
• 48:18
  Speaker 1: should not probably have spoken of these last incidents in
• 48:20
  Speaker 1: my life, as the relation of them savors rather too
• 48:24
  Speaker 1: much of vanity, but for certain results of the highest
• 48:25
  Speaker 1: importance to my future fortunes. When I reached the old kennel,
• 48:48
  Speaker 1: I found, waiting my return, two terrier dogs in livery,
• 48:53
  Speaker 1: with Bull's heads grinning from such a quantity of buttons
• 48:56
  Speaker 1: upon their lace coats that it was quite startling. They
• 49:00
  Speaker 1: brought a polite message from Sir John and Lady Bull,
• 49:04
  Speaker 1: begging me to call upon them without delay. As the
• 49:07
  Speaker 1: servants had orders to show me the road, we set
• 49:10
  Speaker 1: off at once. I was very silent on the journey,
• 49:14
  Speaker 1: for my companions were so splendidly dressed that I could
• 49:18
  Speaker 1: not help thinking they must be very superior dogs indeed,
• 49:22
  Speaker 1: and I was rather surprised when they spoke to each
• 49:25
  Speaker 1: other to find that they talked just like any other animals,
• 49:29
  Speaker 1: and a good deal more commonly than many that I knew.
• 49:33
  Speaker 1: But such is the effect of fine clothes upon those
• 49:36
  Speaker 1: who know no better. WE SOON REACHED THE GROUNDS OF
• 49:40
  Speaker 1: THE MANSION, HAVING CROSSED THE RIVER IN A BOAT THAT
• 49:43
  Speaker 1: WAS WAITING FOR US, AND AFTER PASSING THROUGH A GARDEN
• 49:46
  Speaker 1: MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN MY POOR DOG'S BRAIN EVER IMAGINED, WE
• 49:50
  Speaker 1: AT LAST STOOD BEFORE THE HOUSE ITSELF. I NEED NOT
• 49:54
  Speaker 1: DESCRIBE TO YOU, WHO KNOW THE PLACE SO WELL, THE
• 49:57
  Speaker 1: VASTNESS OF THE BUILDING OR THE SPLENDOR OF ITS APPEARANCE.
• 50:02
  Speaker 1: WHAT STRUCK ME MORE EVEN THAN THE PALACE WAS THE
• 50:05
  Speaker 1: NUMBER OF SERVANTS AND THE RICHNESS OF THEIR CLOTHES. Each
• 50:09
  Speaker 1: of them seemed fine enough to be the master of
• 50:11
  Speaker 1: the place, and appeared really to think so, if I
• 50:15
  Speaker 1: could judge by the way they strutted about and the
• 50:18
  Speaker 1: look they gave at my poor apparel. I was much
• 50:21
  Speaker 1: abashed at first to find myself in such a company
• 50:25
  Speaker 1: and make so miserable a figure, but I was consoled
• 50:29
  Speaker 1: with the thought that not one of them that morning
• 50:31
  Speaker 1: had ventured, in spite of his eating his master's meat
• 50:35
  Speaker 1: and living in his master's house, to plunge into the
• 50:38
  Speaker 1: water to save his master's son. Silly dog that I was,
• 50:42
  Speaker 1: it did not enter my head at the time to
• 50:45
  Speaker 1: inquire whether any of them had learned to swim. If
• 50:49
  Speaker 1: the outside of the mansion had surprised me by its beauty,
• 50:53
  Speaker 1: the interior appeared, of course, much more extraordinary to my
• 50:57
  Speaker 1: ignorant mind. everything i was unused to looked funny or
• 51:02
  Speaker 1: wonderful and if i had not been restrained by the
• 51:06
  Speaker 1: presence of such great dogs i should have sometimes laughed
• 51:09
  Speaker 1: outright and at others broken forth into expressions of surprise
• 51:15
  Speaker 1: the stout sir john bull was standing in the middle
• 51:18
  Speaker 1: of the room when i entered it while the stouter
• 51:21
  Speaker 1: lady bull was lying on a kind of sofa that
• 51:25
  Speaker 1: seemed quite to sink beneath her weight I found out
• 51:28
  Speaker 1: afterwards that it was the softness of the sofa which
• 51:32
  Speaker 1: made it appear so. For sitting on it myself, at
• 51:35
  Speaker 1: my lady's request, I jumped up in the greatest alarm
• 51:39
  Speaker 1: on finding the heaviest part of my body sink lower
• 51:42
  Speaker 1: and lower down, and my tail come flapping into my face.
• 51:47
  Speaker 1: Sir John and Lady Bull now thanked me very warmly
• 51:51
  Speaker 1: for what I had done, and said a great many
• 51:53
  Speaker 1: things which it is not worthwhile to repeat. I remember
• 51:57
  Speaker 1: they were very pleasing to me then, but I am
• 52:00
  Speaker 1: sure cannot be interesting to you now. After their thanks,
• 52:05
  Speaker 1: Sir John began to talk to me about myself, about
• 52:08
  Speaker 1: my parents, my wishes, what I intended to do, and
• 52:12
  Speaker 1: what were my means. To his great surprise, he learned
• 52:16
  Speaker 1: that parents I had none, that my only wishes were
• 52:20
  Speaker 1: to desire to do some good for myself and others
• 52:23
  Speaker 1: and earn my meat. that I had no notion what
• 52:26
  Speaker 1: I intended doing, and had no means whatever to do
• 52:30
  Speaker 1: anything with. It may be believed that I willingly accepted
• 52:34
  Speaker 1: his offer to watch over a portion of his grounds
• 52:37
  Speaker 1: to save them from the depredations of thieves, on condition
• 52:41
  Speaker 1: of my receiving good clothes, plenty of food, and a
• 52:44
  Speaker 1: comfortable house to live in. It was now my turn
• 52:47
  Speaker 1: to be thankful. But although my heart was full at
• 52:51
  Speaker 1: this piece of good fortune, and I could think of
• 52:54
  Speaker 1: a great many things to say to show my gratitude,
• 52:57
  Speaker 1: not a single word could I find to express it in,
• 53:01
  Speaker 1: but stood before them like a dumb dog, with only
• 53:04
  Speaker 1: the wave of my tail to explain my thanks. They seemed, however,
• 53:09
  Speaker 1: to understand it, and I was at once ordered a
• 53:12
  Speaker 1: complete suit of clothes and everything fitted for my new position.
• 53:16
  Speaker 1: i was also supplied with the most abundant supper i
• 53:20
  Speaker 1: had ever had in my life and went to rest
• 53:22
  Speaker 1: upon the most delightful bed so that before i went
• 53:26
  Speaker 1: to sleep i do believe afterwards too i kept saying
• 53:29
  Speaker 1: to myself job job you have surely got some other
• 53:34
  Speaker 1: dog's place all this good luck can't be meant for
• 53:37
  Speaker 1: you what have you done job that you should eat
• 53:40
  Speaker 1: such meat and sleep on so soft a bed and
• 53:43
  Speaker 1: be spoken to so kindly Don't forget yourself, Job. There
• 53:47
  Speaker 1: must be some mistake. But when I got up in
• 53:51
  Speaker 1: the morning and found a breakfast for me as nice
• 53:53
  Speaker 1: as the supper, and looked at my clothes, which, if
• 53:57
  Speaker 1: not so smart as some of the others, were better
• 53:59
  Speaker 1: and finer than any I could ever have thought I
• 54:02
  Speaker 1: should have worn, I was at last convinced, and although
• 54:06
  Speaker 1: I was poor Job, and although I did not, perhaps,
• 54:09
  Speaker 1: deserve all the happiness I felt, that it was not
• 54:12
  Speaker 1: a dream, but real, plain truth. as it is so
• 54:17
  Speaker 1: i said again i must do my duty as well
• 54:20
  Speaker 1: as i am able for that is the only way
• 54:23
  Speaker 1: a poor dog like me can show his gratitude after
• 54:27
  Speaker 1: breakfast i accompanied sir john to the place of my
• 54:31
  Speaker 1: future home a quarter of an hour's walk brought us
• 54:35
  Speaker 1: to a gentle hill which similar to the one whereon
• 54:38
  Speaker 1: the mansion itself was situated sloped downwards to the water
• 54:43
  Speaker 1: One or two trees, like giant sentinels, stood near the top,
• 54:47
  Speaker 1: and behind them weighed the branches of scores more, while beyond,
• 54:52
  Speaker 1: for many a mile, spread the dark mass of the
• 54:55
  Speaker 1: thick forest of which I have more than once made mention.
• 55:00
  Speaker 1: Nearly at the foot of the hill, beneath a spreading oak,
• 55:03
  Speaker 1: was a cottage, a very picture of peace and neatness.
• 55:07
  Speaker 1: and as we paused, Sir John pointed out the peculiarities
• 55:11
  Speaker 1: of the position and explained my duties. It appeared that
• 55:15
  Speaker 1: this part of his grounds was noted for a delicate
• 55:18
  Speaker 1: kind of bird, much esteemed by himself and his family,
• 55:22
  Speaker 1: and which was induced to flock there by regular feeding
• 55:26
  Speaker 1: and the quiet of the situation. This fact was, however,
• 55:30
  Speaker 1: perfectly well known to others besides Sir John. and as
• 55:34
  Speaker 1: these others were just as fond of the birds as himself,
• 55:38
  Speaker 1: they were accustomed to pay nightly visits to the forbidden
• 55:41
  Speaker 1: ground and carry off many of the plumpest fowl. The
• 55:45
  Speaker 1: wood was known to shelter many a wandering fox, who,
• 55:49
  Speaker 1: although dwelling so near the city, could not be prevailed
• 55:53
  Speaker 1: on to abandon their roguish habits and live in a
• 55:56
  Speaker 1: civilized manner. These birds were particularly to their taste, and
• 56:01
  Speaker 1: it required the greatest agility to keep off the cunning invaders, for,
• 56:06
  Speaker 1: though they had no great courage and would not attempt
• 56:09
  Speaker 1: to resist a bold dog, they frequently succeeded in eluding
• 56:13
  Speaker 1: all vigilance and getting off with their booty. Often, too,
• 56:18
  Speaker 1: a stray cur, sometimes two or three together, from the
• 56:21
  Speaker 1: lowest classes of the population, would, when moved by hunger,
• 56:26
  Speaker 1: make a descent on the preserves, and battles of a
• 56:29
  Speaker 1: fierce character not seldom occurred. For, unlike the foxes, they
• 56:34
  Speaker 1: were never unwilling to fight, but showed the utmost ferocity
• 56:38
  Speaker 1: when attacked, and were often the aggressors. But those were
• 56:42
  Speaker 1: not all. the grounds were exactly opposite that part of
• 56:46
  Speaker 1: the city of caneville known as the mews and occupied
• 56:50
  Speaker 1: by the cat population who have a general affection for
• 56:53
  Speaker 1: most birds and held these preserved ones in particular esteem
• 56:59
  Speaker 1: fortunately the water that interposed was a formidable barrier for
• 57:03
  Speaker 1: the feline visitors as few pussies like to wet their
• 57:06
  Speaker 1: feet but by some means or other they frequently found
• 57:10
  Speaker 1: their way across and by their dexterity, swiftness, and the
• 57:14
  Speaker 1: quiet of their movements, committed terrible ravages among the birds.
• 57:19
  Speaker 1: When Sir John had told me all this, he led
• 57:22
  Speaker 1: the way down the hill to the small house under
• 57:25
  Speaker 1: the tree. It had two rooms, with a kennel at
• 57:27
  Speaker 1: the back. The front room was the parlor, and I
• 57:31
  Speaker 1: thought few places could have been so neat and pretty.
• 57:34
  Speaker 1: The back was the sleeping room, and the windows of
• 57:37
  Speaker 1: both looked out upon the soft grass and trees and
• 57:41
  Speaker 1: showed a fine view of the river this said sir
• 57:45
  Speaker 1: john is your house and i hope you will be
• 57:48
  Speaker 1: happy in it yourself and be of service to me
• 57:52
  Speaker 1: you will not be alone for there pointing to the
• 57:55
  Speaker 1: kennel at the back sleeps an old servant of the
• 57:58
  Speaker 1: family who will assist you in your duties He then
• 58:01
  Speaker 1: called out, Nip, when a rumbling noise was heard from
• 58:04
  Speaker 1: the kennel, and directly after, a lame hound came hopping
• 58:09
  Speaker 1: round to the door. The sight of this old fellow
• 58:12
  Speaker 1: was not pleasant at first, for his hair was a
• 58:15
  Speaker 1: grisly brown, and his head partly bald. His eyes were sunk,
• 58:20
  Speaker 1: and indeed almost hidden beneath his bushy brows, and his
• 58:24
  Speaker 1: cheeks hung down below his mouth, and shook with every
• 58:27
  Speaker 1: step he took. I soon found out that he was
• 58:30
  Speaker 1: as singular in his manners as in his looks, and
• 58:33
  Speaker 1: had such a dislike to talking that it was a
• 58:36
  Speaker 1: rare thing for him to say more than two or
• 58:39
  Speaker 1: three words at one time. Sir John told him who
• 58:42
  Speaker 1: I was, and desired him to obey my orders, commanded
• 58:46
  Speaker 1: us both to be good friends and not quarrel, as
• 58:49
  Speaker 1: strange dogs were rather apt to do, and, after some
• 58:53
  Speaker 1: more advice, left us to ourselves. I, in a perfect
• 58:57
  Speaker 1: dream of wonderment, and Nip sitting winking at me in
• 59:01
  Speaker 1: a way that I thought more funny than agreeable. After
• 59:05
  Speaker 1: we had sat looking at one another for some time,
• 59:07
  Speaker 1: I said, just to break the silence, which was becoming tiresome,
• 59:12
  Speaker 1: A pretty place, this. Nip winked. Have you been here long?
• 59:18
  Speaker 1: I asked. Think so, said Nip. All alone? I inquired. Almost,
• 59:25
  Speaker 1: Nip replied. Much work to do, eh? I asked. The
• 59:30
  Speaker 1: only answer Nip gave to this was by winking first
• 59:34
  Speaker 1: one eye and then the other, and making his cheeks
• 59:37
  Speaker 1: rise and fall in a way so droll that I
• 59:39
  Speaker 1: could not help laughing, at which Nip seemed to take offense,
• 59:43
  Speaker 1: for without waiting for any farther questions, he hopped out
• 59:47
  Speaker 1: of the room, and I saw him soon after crawling
• 59:50
  Speaker 1: softly up the hill, as if on the lookout for
• 59:53
  Speaker 1: some of the thieves Sir John had spoken of. I, too,
• 59:57
  Speaker 1: went off upon the watch. I took my way along
• 1:00:00
  Speaker 1: the bank. I glided among the bushes, ran after a
• 1:00:04
  Speaker 1: young fox whose sharp nose I spied pointed up a tree,
• 1:00:08
  Speaker 1: but without catching him, and finally returned to my new
• 1:00:11
  Speaker 1: home by the opposite direction. Nip came in shortly after,
• 1:00:15
  Speaker 1: and we sat down to our dinner. Although this portion
• 1:00:19
  Speaker 1: of my life was, perhaps, the happiest I have ever known,
• 1:00:22
  Speaker 1: it has few events worth relating. the stormy scenes which
• 1:00:26
  Speaker 1: are so painful to the dog who suffers them are
• 1:00:29
  Speaker 1: those which are most interesting to the hearer while the
• 1:00:33
  Speaker 1: quiet days that glide peacefully away are so like each
• 1:00:37
  Speaker 1: other that an account of one of them is a
• 1:00:39
  Speaker 1: description of many a few hours can be so full
• 1:00:43
  Speaker 1: of action as to require volumes to describe them properly
• 1:00:47
  Speaker 1: and the history of whole years can be written on
• 1:00:50
  Speaker 1: a single page I tried, as I became fixed in
• 1:00:54
  Speaker 1: my new position, to do what I had resolved when
• 1:00:57
  Speaker 1: I entered it, namely, my duty. I think I succeeded.
• 1:01:02
  Speaker 1: I certainly obtained my master's praise, and sometimes my own,
• 1:01:06
  Speaker 1: for I had a habit of talking to myself, as
• 1:01:09
  Speaker 1: Nip so rarely opened his mouth, and would praise or
• 1:01:12
  Speaker 1: blame myself just as I thought I deserved it. I
• 1:01:16
  Speaker 1: am afraid I was not always just, but too often said,
• 1:01:21
  Speaker 1: Well done, Job. That's right, Job. When I ought to
• 1:01:25
  Speaker 1: have called out, You're wrong, Job. You ought to feel, Job,
• 1:01:29
  Speaker 1: that you're wrong. Then it is not so easy a
• 1:01:32
  Speaker 1: thing to be just, even to ourselves. One good lesson
• 1:01:37
  Speaker 1: I learned in that little cottage, which has been of
• 1:01:40
  Speaker 1: use to me all through my life, and that was
• 1:01:43
  Speaker 1: to be very careful about judging dogs by their looks.
• 1:01:47
  Speaker 1: There was old Nip. when i first saw him i
• 1:01:51
  Speaker 1: thought i had never beheld such an ugly fellow in
• 1:01:54
  Speaker 1: my life and could not imagine how anything good was
• 1:01:57
  Speaker 1: to be expected from so cross a looking ragged old
• 1:02:01
  Speaker 1: hound and yet nothing could be more beautiful more lovable
• 1:02:06
  Speaker 1: than dear old nip when you came to know him
• 1:02:08
  Speaker 1: well all the misfortunes he had suffered all the knocks
• 1:02:13
  Speaker 1: he had received in passing through the world seemed to
• 1:02:16
  Speaker 1: have made his heart more tender and he was so
• 1:02:19
  Speaker 1: entirely good-natured that in all the time we were together
• 1:02:23
  Speaker 1: i never heard him say an unkind thing of a
• 1:02:26
  Speaker 1: living or dead animal i believe his very silence was
• 1:02:31
  Speaker 1: caused by the goodness of his disposition For as he
• 1:02:34
  Speaker 1: could not help seeing things he did not like, but
• 1:02:37
  Speaker 1: could not alter, he preferred holding his tongue to saying
• 1:02:41
  Speaker 1: what could not be agreeable. Dear, dear Nip, if ever
• 1:02:46
  Speaker 1: it should be resolved to erect a statue of goodness
• 1:02:49
  Speaker 1: in the public place of Caneville, they ought to take
• 1:02:52
  Speaker 1: you for a model. You would not be so pleasant
• 1:02:55
  Speaker 1: to look on as many finer dogs. But when once known,
• 1:02:59
  Speaker 1: your image would be loved, dear Nip. as I learned
• 1:03:03
  Speaker 1: to love the rugged original. It can be of no
• 1:03:06
  Speaker 1: interest to you to hear the many fights we had
• 1:03:09
  Speaker 1: in protecting the property of our master during the first
• 1:03:12
  Speaker 1: few moons after my arrival. Almost every night we were
• 1:03:16
  Speaker 1: put in danger of lives, for the curs came in
• 1:03:20
  Speaker 1: such large numbers that there was a chance of our
• 1:03:23
  Speaker 1: being pulled to pieces in the struggle. Yet we kept
• 1:03:26
  Speaker 1: steady watch, and after a time, finding, I supposed, that
• 1:03:31
  Speaker 1: we were never sleeping at our post, and that our
• 1:03:33
  Speaker 1: courage rose with every fresh attack, the thieves gradually gave
• 1:03:38
  Speaker 1: up open war and only sought to entrap the birds
• 1:03:41
  Speaker 1: by artifice, and, like the foxes and cats, came sneaking
• 1:03:46
  Speaker 1: into the grounds and trusted to the swiftness of their
• 1:03:49
  Speaker 1: legs rather than the sharpness of their teeth when nip
• 1:03:52
  Speaker 1: or eye caught sight of them. And thus a long,
• 1:03:57
  Speaker 1: long time passed away. i had meanwhile grown to my
• 1:04:01
  Speaker 1: full size and was very strong and active not so
• 1:04:06
  Speaker 1: stout as i have gotten these later years when my
• 1:04:09
  Speaker 1: toes sometimes ache with the weight which rests on them
• 1:04:13
  Speaker 1: but robust and agile and as comely i believe as
• 1:04:17
  Speaker 1: most dogs of my age and descent the uniformity of
• 1:04:22
  Speaker 1: my life which i have spoken of as making me
• 1:04:25
  Speaker 1: so happy was interrupted only by incidents that did not
• 1:04:28
  Speaker 1: certainly cause me displeasure. I renewed my acquaintance with Fida,
• 1:04:33
  Speaker 1: no longer little Fida, for she had grown to be
• 1:04:37
  Speaker 1: a beautiful lady dog. Our second meeting was by chance,
• 1:04:41
  Speaker 1: but we talked like old friends, so much had our
• 1:04:44
  Speaker 1: first done to remove all strangeness. I don't think the
• 1:04:48
  Speaker 1: next time we saw each other was quite by accident.
• 1:04:52
  Speaker 1: If I remember rightly, it was not. and we often
• 1:04:55
  Speaker 1: met afterwards. We agreed that we should do all we
• 1:04:59
  Speaker 1: could to assist one another, though what I could do
• 1:05:02
  Speaker 1: for so rich and clever a lady dog I could
• 1:05:05
  Speaker 1: not imagine, although I made the promise very willingly. On
• 1:05:10
  Speaker 1: her part, she did for me what I can never
• 1:05:13
  Speaker 1: sufficiently repay. She taught me to read, lending me books
• 1:05:18
  Speaker 1: containing strange stories of far-off countries and beautiful poetry. written
• 1:05:24
  Speaker 1: by some deep dogs of the city she taught me
• 1:05:27
  Speaker 1: to write and in order to exercise me made me
• 1:05:31
  Speaker 1: compose letters to herself which nip carried to her bringing
• 1:05:35
  Speaker 1: me back such answers as would astonish you for when
• 1:05:39
  Speaker 1: you thought you had got to the end they began
• 1:05:42
  Speaker 1: all over again in another direction besides these she taught
• 1:05:47
  Speaker 1: me to speak and act properly in the way that
• 1:05:50
  Speaker 1: well-behaved dogs ought to for i had been used to
• 1:05:53
  Speaker 1: the company of such low and poor animals that it
• 1:05:57
  Speaker 1: was not surprising if i should make sad blunders in
• 1:06:00
  Speaker 1: speech and manners i need not say that she taught
• 1:06:04
  Speaker 1: me to love herself for that you will guess i
• 1:06:07
  Speaker 1: had done from the first day i saw her when
• 1:06:10
  Speaker 1: i was wet from my jump in the river and
• 1:06:12
  Speaker 1: she spoke to me such flattering words No, she could
• 1:06:16
  Speaker 1: not teach me more love for herself than I already knew.
• 1:06:20
  Speaker 1: That lesson had been learned by heart and at a
• 1:06:24
  Speaker 1: single sitting. Our peaceful days were drawing to a close.
• 1:06:29
  Speaker 1: Sir John died. Lady Bull lived on for a short
• 1:06:33
  Speaker 1: time longer. Many said, when she followed, that she ate
• 1:06:37
  Speaker 1: herself to death. But I mention the rumor in order
• 1:06:41
  Speaker 1: to deny it, for I am sure it was grief
• 1:06:43
  Speaker 1: that killed her. it is a pity some dogs will
• 1:06:47
  Speaker 1: repeat everything they hear without considering the mischief such tittle-tattle
• 1:06:51
  Speaker 1: may occasion although it has been asserted by many that
• 1:06:55
  Speaker 1: in this case the false intelligence came from the cats
• 1:06:58
  Speaker 1: who had no great affection for the poor lady bull
• 1:07:02
  Speaker 1: whatever the cause she died and with her the employment
• 1:07:06
  Speaker 1: of poor nip and myself the young bulls who came
• 1:07:11
  Speaker 1: into possession of the estate sold the preserves to a
• 1:07:14
  Speaker 1: stranger and as the new proprietor intended killing off the
• 1:07:18
  Speaker 1: birds and did not require keepers there being no longer
• 1:07:22
  Speaker 1: anything for them to do we were turned upon the
• 1:07:25
  Speaker 1: world the news came upon us so suddenly that we
• 1:07:29
  Speaker 1: were quite unprepared for it and we were, besides, so
• 1:07:33
  Speaker 1: far from being rich that it was a rather serious
• 1:07:36
  Speaker 1: matter to find out how we should live until we
• 1:07:39
  Speaker 1: could get some other occupation. I was not troubled for myself,
• 1:07:43
  Speaker 1: for though I had been used to a good feeding lately,
• 1:07:46
  Speaker 1: I did not forget the time when I was often
• 1:07:49
  Speaker 1: forced to go the whole day with scarce a bit
• 1:07:52
  Speaker 1: to eat. But the thought of how poor old Nip
• 1:07:56
  Speaker 1: would manage gave me some pain. Having bid adieu to
• 1:08:00
  Speaker 1: the peaceful cottage where we had spent such happy times,
• 1:08:03
  Speaker 1: we left the green fields and pleasant trees and proceeded
• 1:08:07
  Speaker 1: to the town, where, after some difficulty, we found a
• 1:08:10
  Speaker 1: humble little house which suited our change of fortune. Here
• 1:08:15
  Speaker 1: we began seriously to muse over what we should do.
• 1:08:19
  Speaker 1: I proposed making a ferry boat of my back, and,
• 1:08:22
  Speaker 1: stationing myself at the water-side near the mews, swim across
• 1:08:26
  Speaker 1: the river with such cats as required to go over,
• 1:08:30
  Speaker 1: and did not like to walk as far as where
• 1:08:32
  Speaker 1: the boat was accustomed to be. By these means, I
• 1:08:36
  Speaker 1: calculated on making enough money to keep us both comfortably.
• 1:08:40
  Speaker 1: Nip thought not. He said that the cats would not
• 1:08:43
  Speaker 1: trust me. Few cats ever did trust the dogs. And then,
• 1:08:48
  Speaker 1: though he did not dislike cats, not at all. for
• 1:08:51
  Speaker 1: he knew a great many sensible cats, and very good
• 1:08:55
  Speaker 1: ones too, he did not like the idea of seeing
• 1:08:58
  Speaker 1: his friend walked over by a cat. cats or dogs
• 1:09:01
  Speaker 1: or any other animal stranger or domestic besides there were
• 1:09:06
  Speaker 1: other objections strong as i was i could not expect
• 1:09:10
  Speaker 1: if i made a boat of myself that i could
• 1:09:13
  Speaker 1: go on and on without wanting repair any more than
• 1:09:16
  Speaker 1: a real boat But where was the carpenter to put
• 1:09:19
  Speaker 1: me to rights, or take out my rotten timbers and
• 1:09:23
  Speaker 1: put in fresh ones? No, that would not do. We
• 1:09:26
  Speaker 1: must think of something else. It must not be imagined
• 1:09:31
  Speaker 1: that Nip made all this long speech in one breath,
• 1:09:34
  Speaker 1: or in a dozen breaths. It took him a whole
• 1:09:37
  Speaker 1: morning to explain himself even as clearly as I have
• 1:09:40
  Speaker 1: tried to do. And perhaps I may still have written
• 1:09:44
  Speaker 1: what he did not quite intend. for his words came
• 1:09:47
  Speaker 1: out with a jump, one or two at a time,
• 1:09:49
  Speaker 1: and often so suddenly that it would have startled a
• 1:09:52
  Speaker 1: dog who was not used to his manner. Nip himself
• 1:09:56
  Speaker 1: made the next proposal, and though I did not exactly
• 1:09:59
  Speaker 1: like it, there seemed so little choice that I at
• 1:10:03
  Speaker 1: once agreed to do my part in the scheme. Nip
• 1:10:07
  Speaker 1: was the son of a butcher, and though he had
• 1:10:09
  Speaker 1: followed the trade but a short time himself, he was
• 1:10:13
  Speaker 1: a very good judge of meat. He, therefore, explained that
• 1:10:17
  Speaker 1: if I would undertake to become the seller, he would
• 1:10:20
  Speaker 1: purchase and prepare the meat, and he thought he could
• 1:10:23
  Speaker 1: make it look nice enough to induce the dogs to
• 1:10:25
  Speaker 1: come and buy. Our stock of money, being very small,
• 1:10:30
  Speaker 1: a house shop was out of the question, so there
• 1:10:33
  Speaker 1: was no chance of getting customers from the better class,
• 1:10:36
  Speaker 1: a thing which I regretted, as I had little taste
• 1:10:39
  Speaker 1: for the society of the vulgar. But, again, as it
• 1:10:43
  Speaker 1: could not be helped, the only thing to do was
• 1:10:45
  Speaker 1: make the best of it. A wheelbarrow was therefore bought
• 1:10:50
  Speaker 1: by Nip, with what else was necessary to make me
• 1:10:53
  Speaker 1: a complete walking butcher, and having got in a stock
• 1:10:57
  Speaker 1: of meat the day before, Nip cut, and contrived, and shaped,
• 1:11:02
  Speaker 1: and skewered, in so quiet and businesslike a way, as
• 1:11:06
  Speaker 1: proved he knew perfectly well what he was about. With
• 1:11:10
  Speaker 1: early morning, after Nip had arranged my dress with the
• 1:11:13
  Speaker 1: same care as he had bestowed upon the barrow and
• 1:11:16
  Speaker 1: its contents, I wheeled my shop into the street, and,
• 1:11:20
  Speaker 1: amid a great many winks of satisfaction from my dear
• 1:11:23
  Speaker 1: old friend, I went trudging along, bringing many a doggus
• 1:11:28
  Speaker 1: to the windows of the little houses by my loud
• 1:11:31
  Speaker 1: cry of,' Meat! Fresh meat!' As I was strange in
• 1:11:38
  Speaker 1: my new business and did not feel quite at ease,
• 1:11:41
  Speaker 1: I fancied every dog I met, and every eye that
• 1:11:45
  Speaker 1: peeped from door encasement stared at me in a particular manner,
• 1:11:50
  Speaker 1: as if they knew I was playing my part for
• 1:11:52
  Speaker 1: the first time and were watching to see how I
• 1:11:55
  Speaker 1: did it. The looks that were cast at my meat
• 1:11:58
  Speaker 1: were all, I thought, intended for me. and when a
• 1:12:01
  Speaker 1: little puppy leered suspiciously at the wheelbarrow as he was
• 1:12:05
  Speaker 1: crossing the road, no doubt to see that it did
• 1:12:08
  Speaker 1: not run over him, I could only imagine that he
• 1:12:11
  Speaker 1: was thinking of the strange figure I made, and my
• 1:12:15
  Speaker 1: awkward attempt at getting a living. Feelings like these, no doubt,
• 1:12:20
  Speaker 1: alarm every new beginner. But time and habit, if they
• 1:12:24
  Speaker 1: do not reconcile us to our lot, will make it
• 1:12:27
  Speaker 1: at least easier to perform. And thus, after some two
• 1:12:31
  Speaker 1: hours journeying through the narrow lanes of Caneville, I did
• 1:12:35
  Speaker 1: what my business required of me with more assurance than
• 1:12:38
  Speaker 1: when I first set out. One thing, however, was very
• 1:12:42
  Speaker 1: distasteful to me, and I could so little bear to
• 1:12:46
  Speaker 1: see it that I even spoke of it aloud and
• 1:12:49
  Speaker 1: ran the risk of offending some of my customers. I
• 1:12:52
  Speaker 1: mean the way in which several of the dogs devoured
• 1:12:55
  Speaker 1: the meat after they had bought it. You will think that,
• 1:12:58
  Speaker 1: when they had purchased their food and paid for it,
• 1:13:01
  Speaker 1: they had a right to eat it as they please.
• 1:13:04
  Speaker 1: I confess it. Nothing can be more true. But still,
• 1:13:09
  Speaker 1: my ideas had changed so of late that it annoyed
• 1:13:12
  Speaker 1: me very much to see many of these curs, living
• 1:13:15
  Speaker 1: as they did in the most civilized city in this
• 1:13:18
  Speaker 1: part of the world, gnawing their meat as they held
• 1:13:21
  Speaker 1: it on the ground with their paws. and growling if
• 1:13:24
  Speaker 1: anyone came near, as though there was no such thing
• 1:13:26
  Speaker 1: as a police in Caneville. I forgot, when I was
• 1:13:30
  Speaker 1: scolding these poor dogs, that perhaps they had never been
• 1:13:33
  Speaker 1: taught better, and deserved pity rather than blame. I forgot, too,
• 1:13:39
  Speaker 1: that I had myself behaved as they did before I
• 1:13:43
  Speaker 1: had been blessed with happier fortune. and that even then
• 1:13:47
  Speaker 1: if i had looked into my own conduct i should
• 1:13:49
  Speaker 1: have found many things more worthy of censure than these
• 1:13:53
  Speaker 1: poor curs mode of devouring their food the lane i
• 1:13:57
  Speaker 1: was passing along was cut across by a broad and
• 1:14:00
  Speaker 1: open street the favourite promenade of the fashionable caneville there
• 1:14:05
  Speaker 1: might be seen about midday when the sun was shining
• 1:14:09
  Speaker 1: troops of well-dressed dogs and a few superior cats some
• 1:14:13
  Speaker 1: attended by servants others walking alone, and many in groups
• 1:14:18
  Speaker 1: of two or three, the male dogs smoking cigars, the
• 1:14:22
  Speaker 1: ladies busily talking while they looked at and admired one
• 1:14:25
  Speaker 1: another's pretty dresses and bonnets. By the time I had
• 1:14:29
  Speaker 1: got thus far, I had become tolerably used to my
• 1:14:33
  Speaker 1: new work and could imagine that when the passers-by cast
• 1:14:37
  Speaker 1: their eyes on my barrow, their glances had more to
• 1:14:40
  Speaker 1: do with the meat than myself. but I did not
• 1:14:43
  Speaker 1: like the idea of crossing the road where such grand
• 1:14:46
  Speaker 1: dogs were showing off their finery. After a little inward
• 1:14:50
  Speaker 1: conversation with myself, which finished with my muttering between my teeth, Job,
• 1:14:56
  Speaker 1: brother Job, I am ashamed of you. Where is your courage,
• 1:14:59
  Speaker 1: brother Job? Go on, go on. I went on without
• 1:15:04
  Speaker 1: further delay. I had got halfway across, and was already
• 1:15:09
  Speaker 1: beginning to praise myself for the ease with which I
• 1:15:12
  Speaker 1: turned my barrow in and out of the crowd without
• 1:15:15
  Speaker 1: running over the toes of any of the puppies, who
• 1:15:17
  Speaker 1: were far too much engaged to look after them themselves,
• 1:15:22
  Speaker 1: when a dirty little cur stopped me to buy a
• 1:15:25
  Speaker 1: pinorth of meat. I set down my load just in
• 1:15:28
  Speaker 1: time to avoid upsetting a very fat and splendidly dressed doggess.
• 1:15:33
  Speaker 1: who must, if I had run the wheel into her back,
• 1:15:37
  Speaker 1: and it was very near it, have gone head foremost
• 1:15:40
  Speaker 1: into the barrow. This little incident made me very hot,
• 1:15:44
  Speaker 1: and I did not get cooler when my customer squatted
• 1:15:47
  Speaker 1: down in the midst of the well-dressed crowd and began
• 1:15:51
  Speaker 1: tearing his meat in the way I have before described
• 1:15:54
  Speaker 1: as being so unpleasant. At the same moment, another dog
• 1:15:58
  Speaker 1: by his side, with a very ragged coat and queer
• 1:16:01
  Speaker 1: little face, held up his paw to ask for a
• 1:16:04
  Speaker 1: little bit, as he was very hungry, only a little bit.
• 1:16:10
  Speaker 1: I should probably have given him a morsel, as I
• 1:16:13
  Speaker 1: remembered the time when I wanted it as much as
• 1:16:16
  Speaker 1: he seemed to, but for an unexpected meeting. Turning my
• 1:16:21
  Speaker 1: head at a rustling just behind me, I saw a
• 1:16:24
  Speaker 1: well-dressed dog with a hat of the last fashion placed
• 1:16:29
  Speaker 1: so nicely on his head that it seemed to be
• 1:16:32
  Speaker 1: resting on the bridge of his nose, the smoke from
• 1:16:35
  Speaker 1: a cigar issuing gracefully from his mouth, and his head
• 1:16:39
  Speaker 1: kept in an upright posture by a very stiff collar
• 1:16:42
  Speaker 1: which ran around the back of his neck and entirely
• 1:16:45
  Speaker 1: prevented his turning round his head without a great deal
• 1:16:49
  Speaker 1: of care and deliberation, while a tuft of hair curled
• 1:16:53
  Speaker 1: nicely from beneath his chin and gave a fine finish
• 1:16:56
  Speaker 1: to the whole dog, but though I have spoken of
• 1:16:59
  Speaker 1: this Caneville fashionable, it was not he who caused the
• 1:17:03
  Speaker 1: rustling noise or who most attracted my attention. Tripping beside him,
• 1:17:09
  Speaker 1: with her soft paw beneath his, was a lady dog
• 1:17:13
  Speaker 1: whose very dress told her name, at least in my eyes,
• 1:17:17
  Speaker 1: before I saw her face. I felt sure it was Fida.
• 1:17:21
  Speaker 1: and I wished myself anywhere rather than in front of
• 1:17:25
  Speaker 1: that barrow with an ill-bred cur at my feet gnawing
• 1:17:29
  Speaker 1: the pinorth of meat he had just bought of me.
• 1:17:32
  Speaker 1: Before I had time to catch up my load and depart,
• 1:17:35
  Speaker 1: a touch on my shoulder, so gentle that it would
• 1:17:38
  Speaker 1: not have hurt a fly, and yet, which made me
• 1:17:41
  Speaker 1: tremble more than if it had been the grip of
• 1:17:44
  Speaker 1: a giant animal, forced me again to turn. It was Fida!
• 1:17:50
  Speaker 1: as beautiful and as fresh as ever, who gave me
• 1:17:54
  Speaker 1: a sweet smile of recognition and encouragement as she passed
• 1:17:58
  Speaker 1: with her companion and left me standing there as stupid
• 1:18:02
  Speaker 1: and uncomfortable as if I had been caught doing something wrong.
• 1:18:07
  Speaker 1: You will say it was very ridiculous in me to
• 1:18:09
  Speaker 1: feel so ashamed and disconcerted at being seen by her
• 1:18:13
  Speaker 1: or any other dog or doggess in my common dress
• 1:18:17
  Speaker 1: and following an honest occupation. I do not deny it.
• 1:18:21
  Speaker 1: And in telling you these things, I have no wish
• 1:18:24
  Speaker 1: to spare myself. I have no excuse to offer, but
• 1:18:28
  Speaker 1: only to relate events and describe my feelings precisely as
• 1:18:33
  Speaker 1: they were. End of section two. Section three of The
• 1:18:48
  Speaker 1: Adventures of a Dog and a Good Dog Too by
• 1:18:51
  Speaker 1: Alfred Elves. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.
• 1:18:56
  Speaker 1: Recorded by Allison Hester. Section 3 The Inundation That evening
• 1:19:04
  Speaker 1: it seemed as if Nip and I had changed characters.
• 1:19:07
  Speaker 1: It was he who did all the talking while I
• 1:19:10
  Speaker 1: sat in a corner full of thought and answered yes
• 1:19:13
  Speaker 1: or no to everything he said. and sometimes in the
• 1:19:16
  Speaker 1: wrong place, I am sure, for once or twice he
• 1:19:19
  Speaker 1: looked at me very attentively and winked in a way
• 1:19:22
  Speaker 1: which proved that he was puzzled by my manner. The
• 1:19:25
  Speaker 1: reason of his talkativeness was the success I had attained
• 1:19:29
  Speaker 1: in my first morning's walk, for I had sold nearly
• 1:19:32
  Speaker 1: all the meat and brought home a pocketful of small money.
• 1:19:36
  Speaker 1: The cause of my silence was the unexpected meeting with
• 1:19:39
  Speaker 1: Fida and the annoyance I felt at having been seen
• 1:19:43
  Speaker 1: by her in such a position. This was the first
• 1:19:46
  Speaker 1: time I had set eyes on her for several days.
• 1:19:49
  Speaker 1: When we left our pretty country lodging, I wrote her
• 1:19:52
  Speaker 1: a letter, which Nip carried as usual to her house.
• 1:19:55
  Speaker 1: But he was told that she had gone on a
• 1:19:58
  Speaker 1: visit to some friends at a distance, but that the
• 1:20:00
  Speaker 1: letters should be given to her on her return. I
• 1:20:03
  Speaker 1: had not, therefore, been able to inform her of what
• 1:20:07
  Speaker 1: we had been compelled to do, as I would have wished.
• 1:20:10
  Speaker 1: But thus, without preparation, quite unexpectedly— i had been met
• 1:20:15
  Speaker 1: by her in the public street acting the poor dog's
• 1:20:18
  Speaker 1: butcher with the implements of my business before me and
• 1:20:22
  Speaker 1: a dirty cur growling and gnawing his dinner at my
• 1:20:25
  Speaker 1: feet what made the matter more serious for serious it
• 1:20:29
  Speaker 1: seemed to me though I can but smile now to
• 1:20:33
  Speaker 1: think why such a thing should have made me uncomfortable,
• 1:20:36
  Speaker 1: was that the whole scene had taken place in so
• 1:20:40
  Speaker 1: open a part, with so many grand and gay dogs
• 1:20:44
  Speaker 1: all round, to be witnesses of my confusion. I did
• 1:20:48
  Speaker 1: not reflect that. Of all the puppies who were strutting past,
• 1:20:52
  Speaker 1: there was probably not one who could have remembered so
• 1:20:55
  Speaker 1: common an event as the passing of a butcher's barrow,
• 1:20:59
  Speaker 1: And if they looked at me at all, it was doubtless,
• 1:21:01
  Speaker 1: for no other reason than to avoid running against my
• 1:21:05
  Speaker 1: greasy coat and spoiling their fine clothes. These confessions will
• 1:21:09
  Speaker 1: prove to you that I was very far from being
• 1:21:12
  Speaker 1: a wise dog or even a sensible one. All the
• 1:21:16
  Speaker 1: books I had read had, as yet, served no other
• 1:21:20
  Speaker 1: purpose than that of feeding my vanity and making me
• 1:21:23
  Speaker 1: believe I was a very superior animal. And you may
• 1:21:27
  Speaker 1: learn from this incident that those who wish to make
• 1:21:30
  Speaker 1: a proper figure in the world and play the part
• 1:21:33
  Speaker 1: they are called on to perform in a decent manner
• 1:21:36
  Speaker 1: must study their lesson in the world itself by mingling
• 1:21:40
  Speaker 1: with their fellows. For books alone can no more teach
• 1:21:43
  Speaker 1: such knowledge than it can teach a dog to swim
• 1:21:46
  Speaker 1: without his going into the water. Nip and I had
• 1:21:50
  Speaker 1: our dinner, and when it was over, my old friend
• 1:21:53
  Speaker 1: went out to procure a supply of meat for the
• 1:21:55
  Speaker 1: next day's business. I sat at the window with my
• 1:21:58
  Speaker 1: nose resting on the ledge, at times watching some heavy
• 1:22:02
  Speaker 1: clouds which were rolling up the sky, as if to
• 1:22:05
  Speaker 1: attend a great meeting overhead. At another moment, looking at
• 1:22:09
  Speaker 1: the curs in the streets who were playing all sorts
• 1:22:12
  Speaker 1: of games, which generally turned into a fight, and often
• 1:22:16
  Speaker 1: staring at the house opposite without seeing a single stone
• 1:22:20
  Speaker 1: in the wall, but in their place, fidas, and puppies
• 1:22:23
  Speaker 1: with stiff collars, and barrows with piles of meat, ready, cut,
• 1:22:28
  Speaker 1: and skewered. I was awoke from this daydream by the
• 1:22:32
  Speaker 1: voice of an old but very clean doggess, inquiring if
• 1:22:36
  Speaker 1: my name was Mr. Job. I answered that I was
• 1:22:39
  Speaker 1: so called when she drew from her pocket and gave
• 1:22:43
  Speaker 1: me a pink-colored note which smelt like a nice garden.
• 1:22:47
  Speaker 1: and even brought one to my view as plainly as
• 1:22:50
  Speaker 1: if it had suddenly danced before me, and saying there
• 1:22:53
  Speaker 1: was no reply, returned by the way she had come.
• 1:22:57
  Speaker 1: I did not require to be told by whom it
• 1:23:00
  Speaker 1: was sent. I knew the writing too well. The neat folding,
• 1:23:04
  Speaker 1: the small but clean address assured me that a lady's
• 1:23:08
  Speaker 1: paw had done it all, and every word of the direction.
• 1:23:13
  Speaker 1: Master Job in the little dog's street lower caneville f
• 1:23:22
  Speaker 1: spoke to me of fida and it did not even
• 1:23:25
  Speaker 1: need the f in the corner to convince me of
• 1:23:28
  Speaker 1: that fact with her permission i here give you the
• 1:23:31
  Speaker 1: contents my dear job I am sorry I was away
• 1:23:36
  Speaker 1: from home when your letter arrived and would have told
• 1:23:39
  Speaker 1: you I was going, but that I thought the news
• 1:23:41
  Speaker 1: might cause you pain, as I, by some mischance, had
• 1:23:45
  Speaker 1: got my tail jammed in a door and was forced
• 1:23:48
  Speaker 1: to leave home in order to visit a famous doctor
• 1:23:51
  Speaker 1: who lives at some distance. He fortunately cured me after
• 1:23:55
  Speaker 1: a few days' illness, and the tail wags now as
• 1:23:58
  Speaker 1: freely as ever, although it was very annoying as well
• 1:24:02
  Speaker 1: as ridiculous. to see me walking up and down the
• 1:24:04
  Speaker 1: room with that wounded member so wrapped up that it
• 1:24:08
  Speaker 1: was as thick as my whole body and was quite
• 1:24:10
  Speaker 1: a load to drag about. But, dear Job, I do
• 1:24:15
  Speaker 1: not write this to talk about myself, though I am
• 1:24:18
  Speaker 1: forced to give you this explanation of my silence. What
• 1:24:21
  Speaker 1: I wish to say is something about you. And to begin,
• 1:24:26
  Speaker 1: as you have always been a good, kind dog and
• 1:24:29
  Speaker 1: listened to me patiently when I have praised, You must
• 1:24:33
  Speaker 1: now be just as kind and good, and even more patient,
• 1:24:37
  Speaker 1: because I am going to scold. Dear Job, when I
• 1:24:42
  Speaker 1: met you this morning in your new dress and occupation,
• 1:24:46
  Speaker 1: I had not then read your letter. I had but
• 1:24:49
  Speaker 1: just returned and was taking a walk with my brother,
• 1:24:53
  Speaker 1: who had arrived from abroad during my absence. I knew
• 1:24:56
  Speaker 1: you at once, in spite of your change of costume.
• 1:24:59
  Speaker 1: and though I did not particularly like the business you
• 1:25:02
  Speaker 1: had chosen, I felt certain you had good reasons for
• 1:25:05
  Speaker 1: having selected it. But when I looked in your face,
• 1:25:09
  Speaker 1: instead of the smile of welcome which I expected from you,
• 1:25:12
  Speaker 1: I could read nothing but shame, confusion, and annoyance. Why,
• 1:25:18
  Speaker 1: dear Job, why? If you were ashamed of your occupation,
• 1:25:23
  Speaker 1: why had you chosen it? I suppose when you took
• 1:25:26
  Speaker 1: it up, You resolved to do your duty in it properly.
• 1:25:30
  Speaker 1: Then why feel shame because your friend sees you as
• 1:25:34
  Speaker 1: you must have thought she would one day see you
• 1:25:37
  Speaker 1: since the nature of your business carries you into different
• 1:25:40
  Speaker 1: parts of the city? But dear Job, I feel certain
• 1:25:44
  Speaker 1: and I would like you to be equally sure that
• 1:25:47
  Speaker 1: there is no need of shame in following any business
• 1:25:50
  Speaker 1: which is honest and which can be carried on without
• 1:25:53
  Speaker 1: doing injury to others. It is not the business Believe me,
• 1:25:57
  Speaker 1: dear Job, which lowers a dog, he himself is alone
• 1:26:02
  Speaker 1: capable of lowering himself, and one dog may be truly
• 1:26:07
  Speaker 1: good and noble, though he drive a meat-barrow about the streets,
• 1:26:11
  Speaker 1: while another may be a miserable mean animal, though living
• 1:26:15
  Speaker 1: in a palace and never soiling his paws. I have
• 1:26:18
  Speaker 1: a great deal more to say, my dear Job, upon
• 1:26:21
  Speaker 1: this subject, but I must leave the rest till I
• 1:26:24
  Speaker 1: see you. I have already crossed and re-crossed my note,
• 1:26:28
  Speaker 1: and it may be most difficult to understand where I
• 1:26:31
  Speaker 1: most want to be clear. Here is a nice open space, however,
• 1:26:35
  Speaker 1: in the corner, which I seize on with pleasure to
• 1:26:38
  Speaker 1: write myself most distinctly, Your Friend, Fida. A variety of
• 1:26:45
  Speaker 1: feelings passed through my mind as I read these lines.
• 1:26:48
  Speaker 1: but they were all lost in my wonder at Fida's
• 1:26:51
  Speaker 1: cleverness in being able to read my face as if
• 1:26:54
  Speaker 1: it had been a book. I was grateful to her
• 1:26:57
  Speaker 1: for the good advice she gave me, and now felt
• 1:27:00
  Speaker 1: ashamed for having been ashamed before. The best way I
• 1:27:04
  Speaker 1: thought to prove my thankfulness would be to act openly
• 1:27:07
  Speaker 1: and naturally, as Fida had pointed out, for I could
• 1:27:10
  Speaker 1: not help confessing, as my eyes looked again and again
• 1:27:14
  Speaker 1: over her note, that she was quite right. and that
• 1:27:17
  Speaker 1: i had acted like a very silly animal i was
• 1:27:21
  Speaker 1: interrupted during my reflections by the bursting of rain upon
• 1:27:25
  Speaker 1: the house roofs and the stream which rose from the
• 1:27:28
  Speaker 1: streets as large drops came faster and faster down i
• 1:27:32
  Speaker 1: went to the door to look for my old friend
• 1:27:35
  Speaker 1: but not a dog was to be seen i was
• 1:27:38
  Speaker 1: surprised at the sight of the sky where i had
• 1:27:41
  Speaker 1: observed the clouds rising a little while before For now,
• 1:27:45
  Speaker 1: those same clouds looked like big rocks piled one above another,
• 1:27:50
  Speaker 1: with patches of light shining through great caverns. As I
• 1:27:54
  Speaker 1: steered eagerly down the street, torrents of water poured from above, which,
• 1:27:59
  Speaker 1: instead of diminishing, seemed to be growing more terrible every moment.
• 1:28:04
  Speaker 1: I had never seen so fearful a storm. It did
• 1:28:08
  Speaker 1: not appear like mere rain which was falling. The water
• 1:28:11
  Speaker 1: came down in broad sheets, and changed the road into
• 1:28:15
  Speaker 1: a river. I got more and more anxious about old Nip.
• 1:28:19
  Speaker 1: It was getting dark, and I knew he was not strong.
• 1:28:23
  Speaker 1: My hope was that he had taken shelter somewhere, but
• 1:28:26
  Speaker 1: I could not rest, for I was sure he would
• 1:28:29
  Speaker 1: try and get home, if only to quiet me. While
• 1:28:32
  Speaker 1: running in and out in my anxiety, the water having
• 1:28:35
  Speaker 1: meanwhile risen above the seal of the door and poured
• 1:28:38
  Speaker 1: into our little house, where it was already above my
• 1:28:41
  Speaker 1: paws I spied a dark figure crawling along the street
• 1:28:46
  Speaker 1: and with great difficulty making way against the beating of
• 1:28:49
  Speaker 1: the storm I at once rushed out and swimming rather
• 1:28:54
  Speaker 1: than running towards the object I found my poor friend
• 1:28:57
  Speaker 1: almost spent with fatigue and scarcely able to move having
• 1:29:02
  Speaker 1: a heavy load to carry besides his own limbs which
• 1:29:05
  Speaker 1: were not fit to battle with such a tempest i
• 1:29:08
  Speaker 1: caught up his package and assisting him as well as
• 1:29:12
  Speaker 1: i was able we at length got to our cottage
• 1:29:15
  Speaker 1: though we were forced to get upon the bench that
• 1:29:17
  Speaker 1: stood by the wall to keep our legs out of
• 1:29:20
  Speaker 1: the water the rain had now become a perfect deluge
• 1:29:24
  Speaker 1: a stream of water went hissing down the street and
• 1:29:27
  Speaker 1: rushed in and out of houses as if they had
• 1:29:30
  Speaker 1: been baths. When Nip recovered breath, he told me that
• 1:29:35
  Speaker 1: terrible things were happening in the parts of the city
• 1:29:37
  Speaker 1: by the waterside. The river had swollen so much that
• 1:29:41
  Speaker 1: some kennels had been carried away by the current, and
• 1:29:44
  Speaker 1: it was impossible to learn how many poor dogs had
• 1:29:47
  Speaker 1: been drowned. This news made me jump again from the
• 1:29:50
  Speaker 1: bench where I had been sitting. What is it? said
• 1:29:54
  Speaker 1: nip i'm going out nip replied i i must not
• 1:29:59
  Speaker 1: be idle here when i can perhaps be of use
• 1:30:02
  Speaker 1: somewhere else that is true said nip but job strong
• 1:30:08
  Speaker 1: as you are the storm is stronger yes nip answered
• 1:30:13
  Speaker 1: i But there are dogs weaker than myself who may
• 1:30:16
  Speaker 1: require such assistance as I can give them. And it
• 1:30:19
  Speaker 1: is not time for a dog to sit with his
• 1:30:21
  Speaker 1: tail curled round him when there are fellow creatures who
• 1:30:25
  Speaker 1: may want a helping paw. So goodbye, old friend. Try
• 1:30:29
  Speaker 1: and go to sleep. You have done your duty as
• 1:30:31
  Speaker 1: long as your strength let you. It is now for
• 1:30:35
  Speaker 1: me to do mine. Without waiting for a reply, I
• 1:30:39
  Speaker 1: rushed out the door. it did not need much exertion
• 1:30:43
  Speaker 1: to get through our street or the next or the
• 1:30:46
  Speaker 1: next after that for as they all sloped downwards the
• 1:30:50
  Speaker 1: water more than once took me off my legs and
• 1:30:52
  Speaker 1: carried me along sad as nip's news had been i
• 1:30:57
  Speaker 1: was not prepared for the terrible scene which met my
• 1:31:00
  Speaker 1: eyes when i got near the river the houses at
• 1:31:03
  Speaker 1: the lower part of the street i had reached had
• 1:31:05
  Speaker 1: been swept away by the torrent and a crowd of
• 1:31:08
  Speaker 1: shivering dogs stood looking at the groaning river as it
• 1:31:12
  Speaker 1: rolled past in great waves as white as milk in
• 1:31:16
  Speaker 1: which black objects either portions of some kennel or articles
• 1:31:20
  Speaker 1: of furniture were floating Every now and then, a howl
• 1:31:24
  Speaker 1: would break from Adalgis in the crowd, as a dead
• 1:31:27
  Speaker 1: body was seen tossed about by the angry water. And
• 1:31:30
  Speaker 1: the same dolorous cries might be heard from different quarters,
• 1:31:35
  Speaker 1: mixed up with the roar of the river. While standing
• 1:31:38
  Speaker 1: with a group of three or four, steering with astonishment
• 1:31:41
  Speaker 1: at the frightful scene, uncertain what to do, a howl
• 1:31:45
  Speaker 1: was heard from another direction, so piercing that it made
• 1:31:48
  Speaker 1: many of us run to learn the cause. The pale
• 1:31:52
  Speaker 1: light showed us that the torrent had snapped the supports
• 1:31:55
  Speaker 1: of a house at some distance from the river's bank,
• 1:31:58
  Speaker 1: but which the swollen stream had now reached and carried
• 1:32:01
  Speaker 1: away at least half the building. By some curious chance,
• 1:32:05
  Speaker 1: the broken timbers had become fixed for the moment in
• 1:32:08
  Speaker 1: the boiling water, which, angry at the obstruction, was rushing
• 1:32:12
  Speaker 1: around or flying completely over them. And it was easy
• 1:32:16
  Speaker 1: to see that in a very short time the mass
• 1:32:19
  Speaker 1: would be swept away. Upon the timbers, thus exposed, were
• 1:32:24
  Speaker 1: three little pups, scarce two months old, yelping most dismally
• 1:32:29
  Speaker 1: as they crouched together or crawled to the edge of
• 1:32:32
  Speaker 1: their raft, while on the floor of the ruin from
• 1:32:36
  Speaker 1: which this side had been torn away was their poor mother,
• 1:32:40
  Speaker 1: whose fearful howl had attracted us thither and who was
• 1:32:43
  Speaker 1: running from side to side of the shattered hut as
• 1:32:47
  Speaker 1: if she was frantic. Great as the danger was, I
• 1:32:51
  Speaker 1: could not bear to think the wretched mother should see
• 1:32:54
  Speaker 1: her little ones swallowed up by the stormy water before
• 1:32:57
  Speaker 1: her very eyes without a single attempt being made to
• 1:33:00
  Speaker 1: save them. Although I could scarcely hope even to reach
• 1:33:04
  Speaker 1: them in safety and in no case could bring more
• 1:33:07
  Speaker 1: than one of them to land, if I even got
• 1:33:10
  Speaker 1: so far, I resolved to make the trial. Better save one,
• 1:33:15
  Speaker 1: I thought, than let all die. Holding my breath, I
• 1:33:19
  Speaker 1: LAUNCHED INTO THE CURRENT IN THE DIRECTION OF THE RAFT,
• 1:33:22
  Speaker 1: AND SOON FOUND THAT I HAD NOT BEEN WRONG IN
• 1:33:25
  Speaker 1: CALCULATING THE DIFFICULTIES AND DANGERS OF THE UNDERTAKING. IT WAS
• 1:33:29
  Speaker 1: NOT THE WATER ALONE WHICH MADE THE PERIL SO GREAT,
• 1:33:32
  Speaker 1: THOUGH THE EDDIES SEEMED AT EVERY MOMENT TO BE PULLING
• 1:33:35
  Speaker 1: ME TO THE BOTTOM, BUT THERE WERE SO MANY THINGS
• 1:33:38
  Speaker 1: RUSHING ALONG WITH THE STREAM AS TO THREATEN TO CRUSH
• 1:33:41
  Speaker 1: ME AS THEY FLEW BY, AND HAD THEY STRUCK ME,
• 1:33:44
  Speaker 1: THERE IS NO DOUBT THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN AN END
• 1:33:47
  Speaker 1: OF MY ADVENTURES. Avoiding them all, though I know not how,
• 1:33:52
  Speaker 1: I was getting near the spot where the little pups
• 1:33:54
  Speaker 1: were crying for their mother when I felt myself caught
• 1:33:57
  Speaker 1: in an eddy and dragged beneath the water. Without losing courage,
• 1:34:02
  Speaker 1: but not allowing myself to breathe, I made a strong
• 1:34:05
  Speaker 1: effort and at last got my head above the surface again.
• 1:34:10
  Speaker 1: But where was the raft? Where were the helpless puppies?
• 1:34:15
  Speaker 1: All had gone. Not a trace was left to tell
• 1:34:18
  Speaker 1: where they had been. The river foamed over the spot
• 1:34:21
  Speaker 1: that had held them for a time and was now
• 1:34:24
  Speaker 1: rushing along as if boasting of its strength. Seeing my
• 1:34:28
  Speaker 1: intentions thus defeated, I turned my head towards the shore,
• 1:34:32
  Speaker 1: resolving to swim to land. To my surprise, I found
• 1:34:36
  Speaker 1: that I made no progress. I put out all my strength.
• 1:34:41
  Speaker 1: I fought with the water. I threw myself forward. It
• 1:34:44
  Speaker 1: was in vain. I could not move a paw's breath
• 1:34:48
  Speaker 1: against the current. I turned to another point. I again
• 1:34:52
  Speaker 1: used every exertion. All was useless. I felt my tired
• 1:34:57
  Speaker 1: limbs sink under me. I felt the stream sweeping me away.
• 1:35:02
  Speaker 1: My head turned round in the agony of that moment,
• 1:35:05
  Speaker 1: and I moaned aloud. My strength was now gone. I
• 1:35:11
  Speaker 1: could scarce move a paw to keep my head down
• 1:35:13
  Speaker 1: the river. A dark object came near me. It was
• 1:35:17
  Speaker 1: a large piece of timber, probably a portion of some
• 1:35:20
  Speaker 1: ruined building. Seizing it as well as my weakness would
• 1:35:24
  Speaker 1: permit me, I laid my paws over the floating wood and,
• 1:35:28
  Speaker 1: dragging my body a little more out of the water,
• 1:35:31
  Speaker 1: got some rest from my terrible labors. Where was I
• 1:35:35
  Speaker 1: hurrying to? I knew not. Every familiar object must have
• 1:35:40
  Speaker 1: been long past. but it was too obscure to make
• 1:35:43
  Speaker 1: out anything except the angry torrent. On, on I went,
• 1:35:48
  Speaker 1: in darkness and in fear. Yes, great fear. Not of death,
• 1:35:54
  Speaker 1: but a fear caused by the strangeness of my position
• 1:35:57
  Speaker 1: and the uncertainty before me. on till the black shores
• 1:36:02
  Speaker 1: seemed to fly from each other and the river to
• 1:36:05
  Speaker 1: grow and grow until all land had disappeared and nothing
• 1:36:10
  Speaker 1: but the water met my aching eyes i closed them
• 1:36:14
  Speaker 1: to shut out the scene and tried to forget my
• 1:36:17
  Speaker 1: misery had i slept and what was the loud noise
• 1:36:21
  Speaker 1: which startled me so that i had nearly let go
• 1:36:24
  Speaker 1: my hold i roused myself i looked around I was
• 1:36:28
  Speaker 1: tossing up and down with a regular motion, but could
• 1:36:31
  Speaker 1: see nothing clearly. I was no longer carried forward so
• 1:36:34
  Speaker 1: swiftly as before, but the dim light prevented me making
• 1:36:38
  Speaker 1: out the place I was now in. Suddenly, a flash
• 1:36:42
  Speaker 1: broke from the black clouds and for a single moment
• 1:36:45
  Speaker 1: shed a blue light over everything. What a spectacle! All
• 1:36:51
  Speaker 1: around for miles and miles and miles was nothing but
• 1:36:55
  Speaker 1: dancing water, like shining hills with milky tops, but not
• 1:36:59
  Speaker 1: a living creature beside myself to keep me company or
• 1:37:03
  Speaker 1: say a kind word or listen to me when I
• 1:37:06
  Speaker 1: spoke or pity me when I moaned. Oh, who could
• 1:37:10
  Speaker 1: tell what I then felt, what I feared, and what
• 1:37:13
  Speaker 1: I suffered, alone, alone. When I think, as I often
• 1:37:18
  Speaker 1: do now, of that terrible scene, and figure to myself
• 1:37:22
  Speaker 1: my drenched body clinging to that piece of timber, I
• 1:37:26
  Speaker 1: seem to feel a strange pity for the miserable dog
• 1:37:29
  Speaker 1: thus left, as it seemed to die away from all
• 1:37:33
  Speaker 1: his fellows, without a friendly howl raised, to show there
• 1:37:37
  Speaker 1: was a single being to regret his loss. And I
• 1:37:40
  Speaker 1: cannot help at such times murmuring to myself, as if
• 1:37:44
  Speaker 1: it were some other animal, Poor Job! Poor dog! I
• 1:37:50
  Speaker 1: remember a dimness coming over my eyes after I had
• 1:37:54
  Speaker 1: beheld that world of water. I have a faint recollection
• 1:37:58
  Speaker 1: of thinking of Fida, of poor Nip, of the drowning
• 1:38:02
  Speaker 1: puppies I had tried in vain to save, of my
• 1:38:05
  Speaker 1: passing through the streets of Caneville with my meat barrow,
• 1:38:09
  Speaker 1: and wondering how I could have been so foolish as
• 1:38:12
  Speaker 1: to feel ashamed of doing so. And then, and then...
• 1:38:18
  Speaker 1: I remember nothing more. End of section three. Section four
• 1:38:29
  Speaker 1: of The Adventures of a Dog and a Good Dog
• 1:38:32
  Speaker 1: Too by Alfred Elves. Recorded by Allison Hester. Pains and
• 1:38:40
  Speaker 1: Pleasures When I again opened my eyes after the deep
• 1:38:45
  Speaker 1: sleep which had fallen upon me, Morning was just breaking,
• 1:38:49
  Speaker 1: and a gray light was in the sky and on
• 1:38:52
  Speaker 1: the clouds, which dotted it all over. As I looked round,
• 1:38:56
  Speaker 1: you may well think, with hope and anxiety, still nothing
• 1:39:00
  Speaker 1: met my view but the great world of water, broken
• 1:39:04
  Speaker 1: up into a multitude of little hills. I now understood
• 1:39:08
  Speaker 1: that I was on the sea, where I had been
• 1:39:10
  Speaker 1: born by the rushing river. that sea of which I
• 1:39:13
  Speaker 1: had often read, but which I could form no idea
• 1:39:16
  Speaker 1: about till this moment. The sad thought struck me that
• 1:39:20
  Speaker 1: I must stop there, tossed about by the wind and
• 1:39:24
  Speaker 1: beaten by the waves, until I should die of hunger,
• 1:39:27
  Speaker 1: or that, spent with fatigue, my limbs would refuse to
• 1:39:30
  Speaker 1: sustain me longer, and I should be devoured by some
• 1:39:33
  Speaker 1: of the monsters of the deep who were always on
• 1:39:36
  Speaker 1: the watch for prey. Such reflections did not help to
• 1:39:40
  Speaker 1: make my position more comfortable, and it was painful enough
• 1:39:43
  Speaker 1: in itself without them. It was certain, however, that complaint
• 1:39:47
  Speaker 1: or sorrow could be of no service, and might be
• 1:39:50
  Speaker 1: just the contrary, as the indulging in either would probably
• 1:39:55
  Speaker 1: prevent my doing what was necessary to try to save
• 1:39:58
  Speaker 1: myself should an opportunity offer. The gray light, in the meantime,
• 1:40:02
  Speaker 1: had become warmer and warmer in its tones, until the
• 1:40:06
  Speaker 1: face of every cloud towards the east was tinged with gold.
• 1:40:10
  Speaker 1: While I was admiring the beautiful sight, for it was
• 1:40:13
  Speaker 1: so beautiful that it made me forget for a time
• 1:40:16
  Speaker 1: my sad position, my eyes were caught by the shining
• 1:40:19
  Speaker 1: arch of the rising sun as it sprang all of
• 1:40:23
  Speaker 1: a sudden above the surface of the sea. Oh, never
• 1:40:27
  Speaker 1: shall I forget the view. Between me and the brilliant
• 1:40:31
  Speaker 1: orb lay a pathway of gold, which rose and fell
• 1:40:35
  Speaker 1: and glittered and got at last so broad and dazzling
• 1:40:39
  Speaker 1: that my eyes could look at it no longer. I
• 1:40:42
  Speaker 1: knew it was but the sun's light upon the water,
• 1:40:45
  Speaker 1: but it looked so firm that I could almost fancy
• 1:40:49
  Speaker 1: I should be able to spring upon it and run
• 1:40:52
  Speaker 1: on and on until I reached some friendly country. But alas,
• 1:40:56
  Speaker 1: there seemed little chance of such a thing happening as
• 1:40:59
  Speaker 1: my ever-reaching land again. As the sun got high up
• 1:41:04
  Speaker 1: and poured his rays onto the sea, I began to
• 1:41:07
  Speaker 1: feel a craving for food, and, though surrounded with water,
• 1:41:11
  Speaker 1: yet the want of some to drink. When the thirst
• 1:41:14
  Speaker 1: came upon me, I at first lapped up a few
• 1:41:17
  Speaker 1: drops of the sea water with avidity, but I soon
• 1:41:20
  Speaker 1: found that it was not fit to drink, and that
• 1:41:23
  Speaker 1: the little I had taken only made my thirst the greater.
• 1:41:27
  Speaker 1: In the midst of my suffering, a poor bird came
• 1:41:30
  Speaker 1: fluttering heavily along, as if his wings were scarce able
• 1:41:33
  Speaker 1: to support his weight. Every little object was interesting to
• 1:41:37
  Speaker 1: me just then, and as I sat upon my piece
• 1:41:40
  Speaker 1: of timber, I looked up at the trembling creature and
• 1:41:43
  Speaker 1: began comparing his fate with my own. Ah, Job, I
• 1:41:48
  Speaker 1: said half aloud, you thought, perhaps, that you were the
• 1:41:52
  Speaker 1: only unhappy being in the world. Look at that poor fowl.
• 1:41:56
  Speaker 1: There he is, far away from land, from his home,
• 1:42:00
  Speaker 1: from his friends, perhaps his little ones, for many birds
• 1:42:03
  Speaker 1: have large families, with tired wings, and not a piece
• 1:42:08
  Speaker 1: of ground as broad as his own tail for him
• 1:42:10
  Speaker 1: to rest upon. He must go on, fatigued though he
• 1:42:14
  Speaker 1: may be, for if he fall, nothing can prevent his death.
• 1:42:18
  Speaker 1: The water will pour among his feathers, clog his wings,
• 1:42:22
  Speaker 1: and not only prevent him ever rising more into the air,
• 1:42:25
  Speaker 1: but pull him down until his life is gone. So, Job,
• 1:42:29
  Speaker 1: badly off as you are just now, there is another,
• 1:42:33
  Speaker 1: as you see, whose fate is worse. And who shall
• 1:42:36
  Speaker 1: say that in other places where your eye cannot reach,
• 1:42:40
  Speaker 1: there are not others yet so very, very miserable that
• 1:42:44
  Speaker 1: they would willingly, oh, how willingly, change places with you?
• 1:42:48
  Speaker 1: or with that poor fluttering bird. This talk with myself
• 1:42:53
  Speaker 1: quieted me for a time, and I felt a certain
• 1:42:56
  Speaker 1: joy when I saw the bird slowly descend, and having
• 1:42:59
  Speaker 1: spied my uncomfortable boat, perch heavily on the other end
• 1:43:03
  Speaker 1: of it. He did not do so until he had
• 1:43:06
  Speaker 1: looked at me with evident alarm, and, worn out as
• 1:43:09
  Speaker 1: he was, and his heart beating as though it would
• 1:43:12
  Speaker 1: burst through his yellow coat, he still kept his eyes
• 1:43:15
  Speaker 1: fixed upon me, ready to wing and resume his journey,
• 1:43:19
  Speaker 1: wherever he might be going, at the least motion I
• 1:43:22
  Speaker 1: should make. Some time passed over in this way, myself
• 1:43:26
  Speaker 1: in the middle, and Dickie at the end of the beam.
• 1:43:29
  Speaker 1: We did not say a word to each other. for
• 1:43:32
  Speaker 1: as I spoke no other language but my own, and
• 1:43:34
  Speaker 1: he seemed about as clever as myself, we merely talked
• 1:43:38
  Speaker 1: with our eyes. A thought now came into my head.
• 1:43:42
  Speaker 1: My thirst returned, and I felt very hungry. What if
• 1:43:46
  Speaker 1: I should suddenly dart on little Dickie and make a
• 1:43:49
  Speaker 1: meal of him? I did not consider at the instant that,
• 1:43:53
  Speaker 1: by so doing, I should be acting a very base part,
• 1:43:56
  Speaker 1: for Dickie had placed confidence in me. and killing him
• 1:44:00
  Speaker 1: for trusting to my honor and eating him because he
• 1:44:03
  Speaker 1: was poor and unfortunate would be neither a good return
• 1:44:07
  Speaker 1: nor a kind action. Luckily for Dickie, and even for myself,
• 1:44:11
  Speaker 1: although he was not able to speak foreign languages, he
• 1:44:14
  Speaker 1: could read my meaning in my eyes. For when I
• 1:44:17
  Speaker 1: turned them slowly towards him, just to see my distance,
• 1:44:21
  Speaker 1: he took alarm and rose into the air with a
• 1:44:24
  Speaker 1: swiftness which I envied. I am sorry to say my
• 1:44:28
  Speaker 1: only thought at first was the having lost my dinner.
• 1:44:31
  Speaker 1: But as I watched him through the air, flying on
• 1:44:34
  Speaker 1: and on, until he diminished to a misty speck and
• 1:44:38
  Speaker 1: then disappeared, my better feelings came back to me and said, Oh, Job,
• 1:44:44
  Speaker 1: I would not have believed this of you. But, replied
• 1:44:48
  Speaker 1: my empty stomach, I am so hungry. Without food, I
• 1:44:53
  Speaker 1: shall fall in and Job will die. Let Job die,
• 1:44:58
  Speaker 1: said my better self again in a cold, firm tone.
• 1:45:01
  Speaker 1: Let Job rather die than do what he would live
• 1:45:05
  Speaker 1: to feel ashamed of. As the day wore on, I
• 1:45:08
  Speaker 1: began to think that death could only relieve me, and
• 1:45:12
  Speaker 1: the thought was very, very painful. Nothing before and around
• 1:45:17
  Speaker 1: but the salt waves, nothing above but the blue sky
• 1:45:21
  Speaker 1: and hot sun, not even a cloud on which to
• 1:45:24
  Speaker 1: rest my aching eyes. The want of water, which I
• 1:45:28
  Speaker 1: could drink, was now becoming terrible. When I thought of it,
• 1:45:32
  Speaker 1: my head began to turn, my brain seemed to be
• 1:45:35
  Speaker 1: on fire, and the public basins of Caneville, where only
• 1:45:39
  Speaker 1: the lowest curs used to quench their thirst, danced before
• 1:45:42
  Speaker 1: me to add to my torture. For I thought, though
• 1:45:46
  Speaker 1: I despised them once, how I could give treasures of
• 1:45:49
  Speaker 1: gold for one good draught at the worst of them
• 1:45:52
  Speaker 1: just then. There is not a misfortune happens to us
• 1:45:56
  Speaker 1: from which we may not derive good if our hearts
• 1:45:59
  Speaker 1: are not quite hardened and our minds not totally impenetrable.
• 1:46:04
  Speaker 1: Great as my sufferings were during this incident of my life,
• 1:46:07
  Speaker 1: I learned from it much that has been useful to
• 1:46:10
  Speaker 1: me in after years. But even if it had taught
• 1:46:13
  Speaker 1: me no other truth than that we should despise nothing
• 1:46:16
  Speaker 1: which is good and wholesome merely because it is ordinary,
• 1:46:19
  Speaker 1: I should not have passed through those sad hours in vain.
• 1:46:23
  Speaker 1: We dogs are so apt, when in prosperity, to pamper
• 1:46:27
  Speaker 1: our appetites, and, commonly speaking, to turn up our noses
• 1:46:31
  Speaker 1: at simple food, that we require from time to time
• 1:46:34
  Speaker 1: to be reminded on how little canine life can be preserved.
• 1:46:39
  Speaker 1: All have not had the advantage of the lesson which
• 1:46:41
  Speaker 1: I was blessed with, for it was a blessing. one
• 1:46:46
  Speaker 1: that has so impressed itself on my memory that sometimes
• 1:46:49
  Speaker 1: when I fancy I cannot eat anything that is put
• 1:46:52
  Speaker 1: before me because it is too much done or not
• 1:46:54
  Speaker 1: done enough or has some other real or supposed defect,
• 1:46:59
  Speaker 1: I say to myself, Job, Job, what would you have
• 1:47:02
  Speaker 1: given for a tiny bit of the worst part of
• 1:47:04
  Speaker 1: it when you were at sea? And then I take
• 1:47:07
  Speaker 1: it at once and find it excellent. As the sun
• 1:47:11
  Speaker 1: got lower... clouds in the same shape that had welcomed
• 1:47:14
  Speaker 1: him in the morning rose up from the sea as
• 1:47:17
  Speaker 1: if to show their pleasure at his return he sunk
• 1:47:20
  Speaker 1: into the midst of them and disappeared and then the
• 1:47:23
  Speaker 1: clouds came up and covered all the sky i suffered
• 1:47:26
  Speaker 1: less in the cool evening air and found with pleasure
• 1:47:30
  Speaker 1: that it was growing into a breeze my pleasure soon
• 1:47:33
  Speaker 1: got greater still for with the wind i felt some
• 1:47:36
  Speaker 1: drops of rain the first fell upon my burning nose
• 1:47:41
  Speaker 1: but the idea of fresh water was such a piece
• 1:47:44
  Speaker 1: of good fortune that I dared not give loose to
• 1:47:46
  Speaker 1: my joy until the drops began to fall thickly on
• 1:47:50
  Speaker 1: and around me, and there was a heavy shower. I
• 1:47:54
  Speaker 1: could scarcely give my rough coat time to get thoroughly
• 1:47:57
  Speaker 1: wet before I began sucking at it. It was not
• 1:48:00
  Speaker 1: nice at first, being mixed with the salt spray by
• 1:48:04
  Speaker 1: which I was so often covered, but as the rain
• 1:48:06
  Speaker 1: still came down, the taste was fresher every moment and
• 1:48:10
  Speaker 1: soon got most delicious. I seemed to recover strength as
• 1:48:15
  Speaker 1: I licked my dripping breast and shoulders, and though the
• 1:48:19
  Speaker 1: evening changed, to dark night and the rain was followed
• 1:48:22
  Speaker 1: by a strong wind which got more and more fierce
• 1:48:25
  Speaker 1: and appeared to drive me and my friendly log over
• 1:48:28
  Speaker 1: the waves as if we had been bits of straw
• 1:48:31
  Speaker 1: I felt no fear but clung to the timber and
• 1:48:34
  Speaker 1: actually gave way to hope I must have slept again
• 1:48:38
  Speaker 1: for daylight was once more in the sky when I
• 1:48:41
  Speaker 1: unclosed my eyes. Where was I now? My sight was dim,
• 1:48:45
  Speaker 1: and though I could see there was no longer darkness,
• 1:48:48
  Speaker 1: I could make out nothing else. Was I still on
• 1:48:51
  Speaker 1: the rolling water? Surely not, for I felt no motion.
• 1:48:56
  Speaker 1: I passed my paw quickly across my eyes to brush
• 1:48:59
  Speaker 1: away the mist which covered them. I roused myself. The
• 1:49:03
  Speaker 1: beam of wood was still beneath me, but my legs
• 1:49:07
  Speaker 1: surely touched the ground My sight came back to me
• 1:49:10
  Speaker 1: and showed me, true, the sea stretching on, on, on
• 1:49:15
  Speaker 1: in the distance, but showed me also that I, oh joy,
• 1:49:20
  Speaker 1: I had reached the shore. When my mind was able
• 1:49:24
  Speaker 1: to believe the truth, I sprang on to the solid
• 1:49:27
  Speaker 1: land with a cry which rings in my ears even now. What,
• 1:49:31
  Speaker 1: though my weakness was so great that I tumbled over
• 1:49:34
  Speaker 1: onto the beach and filled my mouth with sand, I
• 1:49:37
  Speaker 1: could have licked every blade of grass, every stone in
• 1:49:41
  Speaker 1: my ecstasy, and when forced to lie down from inability
• 1:49:45
  Speaker 1: to stand upon my legs, I drove my paws into
• 1:49:48
  Speaker 1: the earth and held up portions to my face to
• 1:49:51
  Speaker 1: convince myself that I was indeed on shore. I did
• 1:49:55
  Speaker 1: not trouble myself much with questions as to how I
• 1:49:58
  Speaker 1: got there. I did not puzzle my brain to inquire
• 1:50:01
  Speaker 1: whether the wind which had risen the evening before and
• 1:50:04
  Speaker 1: which I felt driving me on so freely was had
• 1:50:07
  Speaker 1: at length chased me to the land. All I seemed
• 1:50:11
  Speaker 1: to value was the fact that I was indeed there,
• 1:50:14
  Speaker 1: and all I could persuade myself to say or think
• 1:50:17
  Speaker 1: was the single blessed word, saved. I must have lain
• 1:50:22
  Speaker 1: some time upon the sand before I tried again to move,
• 1:50:26
  Speaker 1: for when I scrambled onto my legs, the sun was
• 1:50:29
  Speaker 1: high and hot, so hot that it had completely dried
• 1:50:33
  Speaker 1: my coat and made me wish for shelter. Dragging myself
• 1:50:37
  Speaker 1: with some trouble to a mound of earth, green and
• 1:50:40
  Speaker 1: sparkling with grass and flowers, I managed to get on
• 1:50:43
  Speaker 1: top of it, and when I had recovered from the effort,
• 1:50:46
  Speaker 1: for I was very weak, looked about me with curiosity
• 1:50:50
  Speaker 1: to observe the place where I had been thrown. The
• 1:50:53
  Speaker 1: ground was level close to where I stood, but at
• 1:50:56
  Speaker 1: a little distance it rose into the gentle grassy hills
• 1:51:00
  Speaker 1: with short bushes here and there, and just peeping over them,
• 1:51:04
  Speaker 1: were the tops of trees still farther off, with mountains beyond,
• 1:51:08
  Speaker 1: of curious forms and rich blue color. While considering this prospect,
• 1:51:13
  Speaker 1: I suddenly observed an animal on one of the hills
• 1:51:16
  Speaker 1: coming towards me, and I lay down at full length
• 1:51:19
  Speaker 1: on the grass to examine who he might be. As
• 1:51:23
  Speaker 1: he drew nearer, I was surprised at his form and look.
• 1:51:27
  Speaker 1: I afterwards learned that he was called an ape, and
• 1:51:31
  Speaker 1: thought I had never beheld so queer a being. He
• 1:51:34
  Speaker 1: had a stick in his right hand and a bundle
• 1:51:37
  Speaker 1: in his left, and kept his eyes fixed on the
• 1:51:40
  Speaker 1: ground as he was walking along. When he was quite close,
• 1:51:44
  Speaker 1: I rose again to ask him where I could procure
• 1:51:47
  Speaker 1: food and water, of which I felt great want. The
• 1:51:50
  Speaker 1: motion startled him, and, stepping back, he took his stick
• 1:51:54
  Speaker 1: in both hands as if to protect himself. The next
• 1:51:57
  Speaker 1: moment he put it down, and coming up to me,
• 1:52:00
  Speaker 1: to my surprise, addressed me in my own language by
• 1:52:03
  Speaker 1: inquiring how I came there. My astonishment was so great
• 1:52:07
  Speaker 1: at first that I could not reply, and when I
• 1:52:10
  Speaker 1: did speak, it was to ask him how it happened
• 1:52:13
  Speaker 1: that he used my language. To this he answered that
• 1:52:17
  Speaker 1: he had been a great traveler in his day, and
• 1:52:19
  Speaker 1: among other places had visited my city, where he had
• 1:52:23
  Speaker 1: studied and been treated kindly for a long time. THAT
• 1:52:27
  Speaker 1: HE LOVED DOGS, AND SHOULD BE ONLY TOO HAPPY NOW
• 1:52:30
  Speaker 1: TO RETURN SOME OF THE FAVORS HE HAD RECEIVED. THIS
• 1:52:33
  Speaker 1: SPEECH OPENED MY HEART, BUT BEFORE HE WOULD LET ME
• 1:52:37
  Speaker 1: SAY MORE, HE UNTIED HIS BUNDLE AND SPREAD WHAT IT
• 1:52:40
  Speaker 1: CONTAINED BEFORE ME. AS THERE WERE SEVERAL SAVORY MORSELS, YOU
• 1:52:44
  Speaker 1: MAY BELIEVE I DEVOURED THEM WITH GREAT APPETITE. INDEED, I
• 1:52:49
  Speaker 1: HOPE MASTER EXMEO'S OPINION OF ME WAS NOT FORMED FROM
• 1:52:52
  Speaker 1: THE GREEDINESS WITH WHICH I ATE UP HIS PROVISIONS. After
• 1:52:56
  Speaker 1: I had refreshed myself at a spring of water, we
• 1:52:59
  Speaker 1: sat down, and I told him my story. He heard
• 1:53:02
  Speaker 1: me patiently to the end, when, after a pause, he exclaimed, Come, Job,
• 1:53:08
  Speaker 1: come with me. A few days' rest will restore your strength,
• 1:53:12
  Speaker 1: and you can return to your own city. It is
• 1:53:14
  Speaker 1: not a long journey over land, and with stout limbs
• 1:53:17
  Speaker 1: like those, you will soon be able to get back
• 1:53:20
  Speaker 1: and lick old Nip again. I need not dwell upon
• 1:53:24
  Speaker 1: this part of my story, although I could fill many
• 1:53:27
  Speaker 1: pages with the narration of Master Xmeo's dwelling, and above all,
• 1:53:32
  Speaker 1: his kindness. He kept me two or three days at
• 1:53:35
  Speaker 1: his house, and would have detained me much longer, but,
• 1:53:39
  Speaker 1: besides that I was anxious to return to Nip, I
• 1:53:41
  Speaker 1: felt certain pains in my limbs, which made me wish
• 1:53:44
  Speaker 1: to get back to Caneville, as I did not like
• 1:53:47
  Speaker 1: the idea of troubling my good friend with the care
• 1:53:49
  Speaker 1: of a sick dog. He was so kind-hearted, however, and
• 1:53:53
  Speaker 1: showed me such attention that I was afraid to say
• 1:53:56
  Speaker 1: anything about my aches, lest he should insist on keeping me.
• 1:54:00
  Speaker 1: He seemed to think it was quite natural I should
• 1:54:03
  Speaker 1: desire to get home, and when he saw my impatience
• 1:54:06
  Speaker 1: to depart, he assisted to get me ready. Having supplied
• 1:54:10
  Speaker 1: me with everything I could want on my journey, and
• 1:54:13
  Speaker 1: pressed upon me many gifts besides, he led me by
• 1:54:17
  Speaker 1: a little path through the wood until we came to
• 1:54:19
  Speaker 1: the sea, Along this shore, he said, your road lies.
• 1:54:25
  Speaker 1: Follow the winding of the coast until you reach the
• 1:54:28
  Speaker 1: mouth of a broad river, the waters of which empty
• 1:54:31
  Speaker 1: themselves into the sea. That river is the same which
• 1:54:34
  Speaker 1: runs through your city. Keep along its banks, and you
• 1:54:38
  Speaker 1: will shortly arrive at Caneville, where I hope you may
• 1:54:40
  Speaker 1: find everything you wish. For I am sure you wish
• 1:54:44
  Speaker 1: nothing that is unreasonable. If pleasure awaits you there, do not,
• 1:54:48
  Speaker 1: in the midst of it, forget ex mio. If, against
• 1:54:52
  Speaker 1: my hopes, you should find yourself unhappy, remember there is
• 1:54:56
  Speaker 1: a home always open to you here, and a friend
• 1:54:58
  Speaker 1: who will do his best to make you forget sorrow. Farewell.
• 1:55:04
  Speaker 1: I was greatly moved at his words and the memory
• 1:55:07
  Speaker 1: of his kindness. We licked each other tenderly, murmured something
• 1:55:11
  Speaker 1: which meant a good deal more than it expressed, and
• 1:55:14
  Speaker 1: then we parted. i turned my head often as i
• 1:55:18
  Speaker 1: went and each time beheld xmeo waving his hand in
• 1:55:22
  Speaker 1: the air at last a dip in the ground hid
• 1:55:26
  Speaker 1: him from my sight and i continued my journey alone
• 1:55:30
  Speaker 1: it was fortunate i had been well furnished with provisions
• 1:55:33
  Speaker 1: by my good friend For as I proceeded, I found
• 1:55:36
  Speaker 1: the pains in my limbs so great that I could
• 1:55:39
  Speaker 1: scarce drag one leg after the other, and should probably
• 1:55:42
  Speaker 1: have died of hunger, as I had no strength left
• 1:55:45
  Speaker 1: to procure food, and did not meet with any more
• 1:55:48
  Speaker 1: ex-mios to assist me had I stood in need. With
• 1:55:53
  Speaker 1: long rests, from which I rose each time with greater difficulty,
• 1:55:57
  Speaker 1: with increasing anxiety as I drew near my home to
• 1:56:01
  Speaker 1: learn all that had taken place during my absence, and
• 1:56:04
  Speaker 1: yet with legs which almost refused to carry me. After
• 1:56:08
  Speaker 1: many days that seemed to have grown into months, they
• 1:56:11
  Speaker 1: were so full of care and suffering, I toiled up
• 1:56:15
  Speaker 1: a hill which had, I thought, the power of getting
• 1:56:18
  Speaker 1: steeper as I ascended. At length I reached the top,
• 1:56:22
  Speaker 1: and to my joy discovered the well-known city of Caneville
• 1:56:26
  Speaker 1: lying in the plain beneath me. The sight gave me
• 1:56:30
  Speaker 1: strength again. I at once resumed my journey and trotted
• 1:56:34
  Speaker 1: down the hill at a pace which surprised myself. As
• 1:56:38
  Speaker 1: I got warm with my exertions, the stiffness seemed by
• 1:56:41
  Speaker 1: degrees to leave my limbs. I ran, I bounded along,
• 1:56:46
  Speaker 1: over grass and stone, through broad patches of mud, which
• 1:56:50
  Speaker 1: showed too plainly to what height the river had lately risen.
• 1:56:55
  Speaker 1: Out of breath, yet with a spirit that would not
• 1:56:58
  Speaker 1: let me flag, I still flew on, nor slackened my
• 1:57:01
  Speaker 1: speed until I had got to the first few houses
• 1:57:04
  Speaker 1: of the town. There I stopped indeed, and fell, for
• 1:57:09
  Speaker 1: it then seemed as if my bones were all breaking asunder.
• 1:57:13
  Speaker 1: My eyes grew dim, strange noises sounded in my ears,
• 1:57:17
  Speaker 1: and though I fancied I could distinguish voices which I knew,
• 1:57:21
  Speaker 1: I could neither see nor speak. I thought it was
• 1:57:24
  Speaker 1: my dying hour. From the mouths of Nip and others,
• 1:57:29
  Speaker 1: I learned all which then occurred, and all that had
• 1:57:32
  Speaker 1: passed after my supposed loss on the night of the inundation.
• 1:57:36
  Speaker 1: How my noble conduct, for so they were kind enough
• 1:57:39
  Speaker 1: to call it, though I only tried to do my
• 1:57:42
  Speaker 1: duty and failed, had been made known to the great
• 1:57:45
  Speaker 1: dogs of Caneville, and how they sought after me to
• 1:57:48
  Speaker 1: thank me for it. How they had offered rewards to
• 1:57:51
  Speaker 1: those who assisted in my recovery. How, when it was
• 1:57:54
  Speaker 1: supposed that I was dead, they took Nip from our
• 1:57:57
  Speaker 1: modest home and placed him in this present house, fitted
• 1:58:01
  Speaker 1: with everything that could make him comfortable for life. How,
• 1:58:05
  Speaker 1: when all hope was gone, my unexpected appearance brought a
• 1:58:09
  Speaker 1: crowd about me. each one anxious to assist me in
• 1:58:12
  Speaker 1: my distress, though some maliciously said, in order to lay
• 1:58:16
  Speaker 1: claim to the reward. And how I was finally brought
• 1:58:19
  Speaker 1: again to my senses through the care of our clever
• 1:58:22
  Speaker 1: canine doctors and the kind nursing of dear old Nip.
• 1:58:27
  Speaker 1: It was long, however. before I recovered my legs sufficiently
• 1:58:31
  Speaker 1: to be able to use them without support. My long
• 1:58:34
  Speaker 1: exposure at sea, the want of food, and the trouble
• 1:58:38
  Speaker 1: I had gone through during my involuntary voyage had all
• 1:58:42
  Speaker 1: assisted to weaken me. But my anxiety to enjoy the
• 1:58:45
  Speaker 1: fresh air again took me out into the streets directly
• 1:58:49
  Speaker 1: it was thought safe for me to do so, and
• 1:58:52
  Speaker 1: with a pair of crutches beneath my arms, I managed
• 1:58:55
  Speaker 1: to creep about. Never shall I forget the first time
• 1:58:59
  Speaker 1: this pleasure was allowed me. The morning was so fresh
• 1:59:03
  Speaker 1: and bright. The sun shone so gaily upon the houses.
• 1:59:07
  Speaker 1: The river, now reduced to its usual size, ran so
• 1:59:11
  Speaker 1: cheerily along that I got into my old habit and
• 1:59:14
  Speaker 1: began to think they were all talking to me and
• 1:59:17
  Speaker 1: bidding me welcome after my long illness. Kind words were
• 1:59:21
  Speaker 1: soon said to me in right earnest. For before I
• 1:59:24
  Speaker 1: had got halfway down the street, with old Nip just
• 1:59:27
  Speaker 1: behind me, his hat still adorned with the band which
• 1:59:31
  Speaker 1: he had unwillingly put on when he thought me dead
• 1:59:33
  Speaker 1: and gone, and which he had forgotten to take off again,
• 1:59:37
  Speaker 1: the puppies ran from different quarters to look up in
• 1:59:40
  Speaker 1: my face and say, How do you do, Job? I
• 1:59:43
  Speaker 1: hope you are better, Job. MANY A POLITE DOG TOOK
• 1:59:47
  Speaker 1: OFF HIS HAT TO BID ME A GOOD MORROW, AND
• 1:59:50
  Speaker 1: PRAISES MORE THAN I DESERVED, BUT WHICH I HEARD WITH
• 1:59:53
  Speaker 1: PLEASURE CAME SO SOFTLY TO MY EAR AS I HOBBLED
• 1:59:56
  Speaker 1: SLOWLY ALONG. NIP TOLD ME AFTERWARDS THAT THERE HAD BEEN
• 2:00:00
  Speaker 1: ANOTHER IN THE CROWD WHO KEPT A LITTLE BACK, AND WHO,
• 2:00:04
  Speaker 1: THOUGH SHE SAID NOTHING, SEEMED TO BE MORE GLAD TO
• 2:00:07
  Speaker 1: SEE ME THAN THE REST. I HAD NOT SEEN HER,
• 2:00:10
  Speaker 1: NOR DID HE MENTION HER NAME, BUT THAT WAS NOT NECESSARY.
• 2:00:14
  Speaker 1: My heart seemed to tell me that it could have
• 2:00:16
  Speaker 1: only been Fida. End of section four. Section five of
• 2:00:29
  Speaker 1: The Adventures of a Dog and a Good Dog Too
• 2:00:31
  Speaker 1: by Alfred Elves. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain.
• 2:00:36
  Speaker 1: Recorded by Allison Hester. Section five, Duty. The idle life
• 2:00:44
  Speaker 1: which I was compelled to spend gave me time for reflection,
• 2:00:48
  Speaker 1: and I believe my mind was more active during the
• 2:00:51
  Speaker 1: few months my body was on crutches than it had
• 2:00:54
  Speaker 1: been for years previous. My thoughts received little interruption from Nip, who,
• 2:01:00
  Speaker 1: after having recounted the events which had taken place during
• 2:01:04
  Speaker 1: my absence, had little more to say. The kindness of
• 2:01:08
  Speaker 1: the great city dogs, having removed all fear of want
• 2:01:12
  Speaker 1: or even the necessity of labor from our comfortable home,
• 2:01:16
  Speaker 1: produced at first a pleasing effect upon me. But as
• 2:01:20
  Speaker 1: my strength returned and I managed to walk about the
• 2:01:23
  Speaker 1: room without assistance, a desire for active employment became quite
• 2:01:27
  Speaker 1: necessary to my happiness. What have I done, Nip? I
• 2:01:32
  Speaker 1: would often say, as I took my usual exercise in
• 2:01:35
  Speaker 1: our modest parlor. What have I done, Nip, that I
• 2:01:39
  Speaker 1: should be clothed and fed and housed without laboring for
• 2:01:43
  Speaker 1: such advantages like the rest of dog kind? These paws,
• 2:01:48
  Speaker 1: large and strong as they are, were never intended for idleness.
• 2:01:53
  Speaker 1: This back, broad as it is, was meant for some
• 2:01:57
  Speaker 1: other purpose than to show off a fine coat. This brain,
• 2:02:01
  Speaker 1: which can reflect and admire and resolve, had not such
• 2:02:05
  Speaker 1: capabilities given to it in order that they might be
• 2:02:09
  Speaker 1: wasted in a life of ease. Work, Nip, work. Such
• 2:02:14
  Speaker 1: work as a dog can do should be sought after
• 2:02:17
  Speaker 1: and done, for nothing can be more shocking than to
• 2:02:21
  Speaker 1: see an animal's powers, either of body or mind, wasted
• 2:02:26
  Speaker 1: away in idleness. Nip replied but little, although he winked
• 2:02:31
  Speaker 1: his eyes very vigorously. I was used to his manner
• 2:02:35
  Speaker 1: by now, and could understand his meaning without the necessity
• 2:02:38
  Speaker 1: of words. Both his looks and gestures told me that
• 2:02:42
  Speaker 1: he thought as I did, and I only waited till
• 2:02:45
  Speaker 1: I could use my own legs freely to set about
• 2:02:48
  Speaker 1: a resolution I had been forming in my mind. It
• 2:02:52
  Speaker 1: was a happy day when I could again mix in
• 2:02:55
  Speaker 1: the bustle of the streets and find my strength once
• 2:02:58
  Speaker 1: more restored. The first use I made of it was
• 2:03:02
  Speaker 1: to go to the great house where the chief dogs
• 2:03:05
  Speaker 1: of Caneville are accustomed to sit during a time of
• 2:03:09
  Speaker 1: the day to judge matters relating to the city. When
• 2:03:13
  Speaker 1: I arrived, they were almost done, and I was therefore
• 2:03:16
  Speaker 1: able to present myself without delay and explain my business.
• 2:03:21
  Speaker 1: I began by thanking them for what they had done
• 2:03:23
  Speaker 1: for me and my old friend Nip in providing us
• 2:03:26
  Speaker 1: with a house and with so many comforts. I told them,
• 2:03:30
  Speaker 1: although the goodness of Nip rendered him worthy of every attention,
• 2:03:34
  Speaker 1: as he had grown old in a useful and laborious life,
• 2:03:37
  Speaker 1: I had no such claims. I was still young. My
• 2:03:41
  Speaker 1: strength had come back to me. I had no right
• 2:03:44
  Speaker 1: to eat the food of idleness, where so many dogs,
• 2:03:47
  Speaker 1: more deserving than I, were often in want of a bone,
• 2:03:52
  Speaker 1: but whose modesty prevented them making known their necessities. I
• 2:03:56
  Speaker 1: would still thankfully enjoy the home, which the kindness of
• 2:03:59
  Speaker 1: the great animals of Caneville had furnished me, but they
• 2:04:02
  Speaker 1: must permit me to work for it. They must permit
• 2:04:06
  Speaker 1: me to do something which might be useful to the
• 2:04:09
  Speaker 1: city in return, for I should devour the fare provided
• 2:04:13
  Speaker 1: for me with a great deal more appetite if I
• 2:04:15
  Speaker 1: could say to myself when I felt hungry, Job, brother Job,
• 2:04:20
  Speaker 1: eat your dinner, for you have earned it. The assembly
• 2:04:24
  Speaker 1: of dogs heard me with great attention to the end.
• 2:04:28
  Speaker 1: Not a bark interrupted my little speech, not a movement
• 2:04:32
  Speaker 1: disturbed my attention. I was pleased to see that tails
• 2:04:36
  Speaker 1: wagged with approbation when I had concluded, and was charmed
• 2:04:40
  Speaker 1: to hear the chief among them, who was white with age,
• 2:04:43
  Speaker 1: express himself delighted. Yes, that was the word, delighted with
• 2:04:48
  Speaker 1: my spirit. We are pleased, Job, he said at the
• 2:04:53
  Speaker 1: end of his reply. We are pleased to observe that
• 2:04:57
  Speaker 1: there are yet true dogs in Caneville. There have been
• 2:05:00
  Speaker 1: animals calling themselves so, whose character was so base, and
• 2:05:04
  Speaker 1: whose manner was so cringing, that they have bought disrepute
• 2:05:08
  Speaker 1: among the name. And we are sorry to say that
• 2:05:12
  Speaker 1: in many countries the title of a dog is given
• 2:05:15
  Speaker 1: to the vilest and most worthless creatures. All the finer
• 2:05:19
  Speaker 1: qualities of our race have been lost sight of, because
• 2:05:23
  Speaker 1: a few among us have been mean or wicked, and
• 2:05:26
  Speaker 1: a whole nation has been pointed at with scorn because
• 2:05:30
  Speaker 1: some of its members have acted badly. We are happy, Job,
• 2:05:34
  Speaker 1: to find in you a worthy subject, and we shall
• 2:05:37
  Speaker 1: be glad to give you all assistance in choosing an
• 2:05:41
  Speaker 1: occupation in which you may want to employ your time
• 2:05:44
  Speaker 1: and be of use to your fellow creatures. I should
• 2:05:48
  Speaker 1: not have repeated this to you, as it is not, perhaps,
• 2:05:51
  Speaker 1: necessary for my story, but that I wished to correct
• 2:05:54
  Speaker 1: an error which many have made concerning the character of
• 2:05:58
  Speaker 1: this very dog. He has been described by several as
• 2:06:01
  Speaker 1: cold and proud and sometimes cruel, and yet to me
• 2:06:05
  Speaker 1: he was warm and friendly and most kind. Do not
• 2:06:09
  Speaker 1: you think when we hear animals grumbling against their fellows,
• 2:06:13
  Speaker 1: it would be just as well to think who the
• 2:06:15
  Speaker 1: grumblers are before we form our opinions? Or at least
• 2:06:20
  Speaker 1: hear the opinions of many before we decide ourselves? I
• 2:06:24
  Speaker 1: need not tell you all that passed between us and
• 2:06:27
  Speaker 1: what was said by this dog and by that about
• 2:06:30
  Speaker 1: the choice of my occupation. It was agreed at last
• 2:06:34
  Speaker 1: that I should be appointed chief of the Caneville police
• 2:06:37
  Speaker 1: as the place had become vacant through the death of
• 2:06:40
  Speaker 1: a fine old mastiff some days previous. I wonder whether
• 2:06:45
  Speaker 1: he was a relation of my own. For I have
• 2:06:47
  Speaker 1: already told you my mother belonged to that great family.
• 2:06:51
  Speaker 1: He had received some severe wounds when trying to capture
• 2:06:56
  Speaker 1: a fierce beast of the name of Lupo, the terror
• 2:06:59
  Speaker 1: of the city, and he had died from the effects
• 2:07:02
  Speaker 1: of them in spite of all the care of the doctors.
• 2:07:06
  Speaker 1: What made the matter worse was the fact that Lupo
• 2:07:09
  Speaker 1: was yet at liberty and many dogs were afraid to
• 2:07:12
  Speaker 1: go out at night for fear of meeting with this
• 2:07:14
  Speaker 1: terrible animal. To tell the truth, I was rather pleased
• 2:07:19
  Speaker 1: than otherwise that Lupo had still to be taken. It
• 2:07:22
  Speaker 1: was agreeable to me to think that the work, difficult work,
• 2:07:26
  Speaker 1: was to be done, and that I was called upon
• 2:07:29
  Speaker 1: to do it. I felt proud at the idea that
• 2:07:32
  Speaker 1: the animals of the great city of Caneville would look
• 2:07:35
  Speaker 1: up to me, to me, poor Job, as the dog
• 2:07:39
  Speaker 1: chosen to relieve them of their fears and restore security
• 2:07:43
  Speaker 1: to their streets. Job? I cried out to myself in
• 2:07:47
  Speaker 1: a firm tone, Job, here is a chance of being
• 2:07:51
  Speaker 1: useful to your country. Let no danger, no fear, even
• 2:07:55
  Speaker 1: of death, stop you in the good work. Job, you
• 2:07:58
  Speaker 1: are called upon to perform. a duty. Let nothing, mind nothing,
• 2:08:03
  Speaker 1: turn you from it. After I had become acquainted with
• 2:08:07
  Speaker 1: all the dogs who were under my command, I spent
• 2:08:10
  Speaker 1: much time each day in exercising them and in endeavoring
• 2:08:14
  Speaker 1: by kind words and by my own example to make
• 2:08:18
  Speaker 1: them attend strictly to their work. I was pleased to
• 2:08:22
  Speaker 1: observe that I succeeded. Some who were pointed out to
• 2:08:25
  Speaker 1: me as difficult to manage became my most faithful followers,
• 2:08:30
  Speaker 1: and I had not been two months in my employment
• 2:08:33
  Speaker 1: before all were so devoted to me that I believed
• 2:08:36
  Speaker 1: they would have died to serve me. In all this time,
• 2:08:41
  Speaker 1: nothing had been heard of the terrible Lupo, and all
• 2:08:45
  Speaker 1: my inquiries procured no information concerning where he was to
• 2:08:49
  Speaker 1: be found. I learned that he was not a native
• 2:08:52
  Speaker 1: of Caneville, although his father once belonged to the city.
• 2:08:56
  Speaker 1: He was born in a country beyond the Great Wood,
• 2:08:59
  Speaker 1: and his mother came from a fierce tribe of wolves who,
• 2:09:03
  Speaker 1: although they a little resemble dogs in appearance and speak
• 2:09:07
  Speaker 1: a very similar language, are much more ferocious and seem
• 2:09:10
  Speaker 1: to look upon the whole canine family as natural enemies.
• 2:09:17
  Speaker 1: The opinion began to spread in Caneville that Lupo had
• 2:09:20
  Speaker 1: at length left the city, and the inhabitants, by degrees,
• 2:09:24
  Speaker 1: recovered their usual quiet, when suddenly the alarm spread more
• 2:09:29
  Speaker 1: widely than before, as two nights in succession some rich
• 2:09:34
  Speaker 1: dogs were robbed and ill-treated, and one of them was
• 2:09:37
  Speaker 1: lamed by the ferocity of the chief of the terrible
• 2:09:40
  Speaker 1: band who had attacked them, and whose description convinced me
• 2:09:45
  Speaker 1: it was Lupo. These accounts caused me much pain, as
• 2:09:50
  Speaker 1: I had neither been able to prevent the attacks nor
• 2:09:53
  Speaker 1: discover the animals who had made them. In my desire
• 2:09:56
  Speaker 1: to find out and capture the robbers, I could scarcely
• 2:09:59
  Speaker 1: take food or rest. I managed to sleep a little
• 2:10:03
  Speaker 1: in the daytime, and at night, dressed in the simplest
• 2:10:06
  Speaker 1: manner so as to excite no attention, I wandered quietly
• 2:10:10
  Speaker 1: from street to street, stopping to listen to the slightest
• 2:10:14
  Speaker 1: noise and going in any direction that I heard a murmur.
• 2:10:18
  Speaker 1: One or two of my dogs generally followed at a distance,
• 2:10:22
  Speaker 1: ready to assist me if I called for help. It
• 2:10:25
  Speaker 1: was a fine night. The moon and stars were brilliant
• 2:10:29
  Speaker 1: in the sky, and made the blue all the deeper
• 2:10:32
  Speaker 1: from their own bright rays. I had been already two
• 2:10:36
  Speaker 1: hours crawling through the lower parts of the city, and
• 2:10:39
  Speaker 1: was mounting the hill which led to a fine building,
• 2:10:43
  Speaker 1: where my steps often carried me, sometimes without my intending it,
• 2:10:47
  Speaker 1: in order to watch over the safety of those who
• 2:10:50
  Speaker 1: slept within. It was the house of Fida, that Fida
• 2:10:54
  Speaker 1: who had been to me so kind, so tender, that
• 2:10:59
  Speaker 1: Fida who so patiently softened down my rudeness and had
• 2:11:03
  Speaker 1: tried to teach me to know what was good by
• 2:11:06
  Speaker 1: letting me become her friend. I had nearly reached the
• 2:11:10
  Speaker 1: top of the hill, and paused an instant to observe
• 2:11:13
  Speaker 1: the bright light and dark shadows which the house displayed
• 2:11:17
  Speaker 1: as the moon fell upon it, or some portion of
• 2:11:20
  Speaker 1: the building interposed. Profound sleep had fallen upon the city.
• 2:11:25
  Speaker 1: The river might be seen from the spot where I
• 2:11:27
  Speaker 1: was standing, running swiftly along. And so deep was the
• 2:11:31
  Speaker 1: silence that you could even hear the gush of the
• 2:11:34
  Speaker 1: water as it fretted round some large stones in the
• 2:11:37
  Speaker 1: center of the stream. Suddenly, there rose into the air
• 2:11:42
  Speaker 1: from the ground above me the sharp, clear howl of
• 2:11:45
  Speaker 1: a female voice. And, at the same instant, the sound
• 2:11:50
  Speaker 1: of a rattle broke upon my ear as a signal
• 2:11:53
  Speaker 1: of alarm. I sprang up the few feet which were
• 2:11:57
  Speaker 1: between me and the house with the speed of lightning
• 2:12:00
  Speaker 1: and turning rapidly the corner of the building, reached the
• 2:12:04
  Speaker 1: principal entrance. One look told me everything. At an upper window,
• 2:12:10
  Speaker 1: in a loose dress, was Fighter herself, springing the rattle
• 2:12:15
  Speaker 1: which she held in her paw with a strength that
• 2:12:18
  Speaker 1: fear alone could have given her. And below, where I
• 2:12:21
  Speaker 1: myself stood, were four or five dogs differently engaged, but
• 2:12:26
  Speaker 1: evidently trying to get into the house. A kick from
• 2:12:30
  Speaker 1: my right leg sent one of them to the ground,
• 2:12:33
  Speaker 1: and with my clenched paw, I struck a blow at
• 2:12:36
  Speaker 1: the second. Never do I remember feeling such strength within me,
• 2:12:40
  Speaker 1: such a resolution to attack twenty dogs if it were necessary,
• 2:12:44
  Speaker 1: although the next minute I might be torn in pieces.
• 2:12:48
  Speaker 1: I have sometimes asked myself whether the presence of Fida
• 2:12:51
  Speaker 1: had anything to do with it, or if a sense
• 2:12:54
  Speaker 1: of duty only inspired me. I have never been able
• 2:12:58
  Speaker 1: to reply to the question in a satisfactory manner. I
• 2:13:02
  Speaker 1: only know that the fact was as I say, and
• 2:13:05
  Speaker 1: that the blow I gave was surprising even to myself.
• 2:13:09
  Speaker 1: My paw caught the animal precisely under his chin and
• 2:13:13
  Speaker 1: sent him flying backwards with his nose in the air
• 2:13:16
  Speaker 1: and his hat behind him. And as the moon shone
• 2:13:19
  Speaker 1: brilliantly upon his upturned face, I recognized the features described
• 2:13:24
  Speaker 1: to me as those of Lupo, He lay so still
• 2:13:28
  Speaker 1: upon the ground that I thought he must be killed.
• 2:13:31
  Speaker 1: So leaving him for a moment, I pursued some of
• 2:13:34
  Speaker 1: the others who were running off in the distance, but
• 2:13:37
  Speaker 1: did not succeed in catching them. I said a few
• 2:13:40
  Speaker 1: cheering words to Fida at the window and returned to
• 2:13:44
  Speaker 1: the spot of my encounter with Lupo. But instead of
• 2:13:47
  Speaker 1: that terrible beast... found some of my own followers the
• 2:13:51
  Speaker 1: father of fida and one or two servants who had
• 2:13:54
  Speaker 1: been roused by the tumult who had come out to
• 2:13:57
  Speaker 1: learn the cause lupo was nowhere to be seen he
• 2:14:02
  Speaker 1: had either partly recovered from the blow and managed to
• 2:14:05
  Speaker 1: crawl away or had been dragged off by some of
• 2:14:08
  Speaker 1: his troop nothing could have been more fortunate to me
• 2:14:12
  Speaker 1: than this night's adventure The father of Fida, who had
• 2:14:16
  Speaker 1: seen the attack from his window, was the head of
• 2:14:18
  Speaker 1: one of the best families of dogs in Caneville, and being, besides,
• 2:14:23
  Speaker 1: very rich, he enjoyed great power. He was so pleased
• 2:14:28
  Speaker 1: with what I had done that he not only took
• 2:14:30
  Speaker 1: a great liking to me himself, but he spoke of
• 2:14:33
  Speaker 1: my conduct in the highest terms to the great assembly.
• 2:14:37
  Speaker 1: I received public thanks. I was admitted to the honor
• 2:14:40
  Speaker 1: which I now hold, that of forming one of the
• 2:14:43
  Speaker 1: second assembly of the city. I was loaded with rich
• 2:14:47
  Speaker 1: presents and equally rich praise. And I may also date
• 2:14:52
  Speaker 1: from that night the obtaining of the richest gift of all,
• 2:14:56
  Speaker 1: the gift which has made the happiness of my best years.
• 2:15:00
  Speaker 1: I mean the possession of my wife, the beautiful Theda.
• 2:15:06
  Speaker 1: It is true that I did not procure that felicity
• 2:15:09
  Speaker 1: at once. There were many difficulties to be got over
• 2:15:13
  Speaker 1: before the noble spaniel would think of allowing his daughter
• 2:15:16
  Speaker 1: to become the wife of plain Mr. Job. His son, also,
• 2:15:21
  Speaker 1: of whom I have spoken previously, could not bear at
• 2:15:24
  Speaker 1: first the idea of his sister not marrying someone as
• 2:15:28
  Speaker 1: noble as herself, and thought, very naturally, that she was
• 2:15:33
  Speaker 1: far too good to have her fortunes united with mine.
• 2:15:37
  Speaker 1: Fida herself, however, was so firm and yet so tender,
• 2:15:42
  Speaker 1: so straightforward and yet so modest that she finally broke
• 2:15:46
  Speaker 1: down all opposition. She persuaded her father that no title
• 2:15:51
  Speaker 1: could be more noble than the one I had acquired,
• 2:15:54
  Speaker 1: that of Honest Job. She won over her brother by
• 2:15:58
  Speaker 1: slyly asking him which among his grand companions could have
• 2:16:02
  Speaker 1: met a whole band of fierce dogs with Lupo at
• 2:16:06
  Speaker 1: their head and, single-pawed, could have conquered them all. By degrees,
• 2:16:11
  Speaker 1: every objection was cleared away, and Fida became mine. The
• 2:16:17
  Speaker 1: chief interest of my life terminates here, for although, in
• 2:16:21
  Speaker 1: my position as head of police, I had many other adventures,
• 2:16:25
  Speaker 1: they were too much alike, and of too common an
• 2:16:28
  Speaker 1: order to be worth relating. Before I close, however, I
• 2:16:32
  Speaker 1: must mention a circumstance which occurred shortly after my battle
• 2:16:36
  Speaker 1: with the robbers, as it is curious in itself and
• 2:16:39
  Speaker 1: refers to an animal of whom I have before spoken.
• 2:16:43
  Speaker 1: I was quietly walking along a by street of Caneville
• 2:16:46
  Speaker 1: when a miserable, thin little puppy came behind me and
• 2:16:50
  Speaker 1: gently pulled my coat. On turning round to ask him
• 2:16:54
  Speaker 1: what he wanted, he begged me in the most imploring
• 2:16:57
  Speaker 1: tone to come see his father, who was very ill.
• 2:17:01
  Speaker 1: And who was your father, little pup? I inquired. His
• 2:17:05
  Speaker 1: name is Lupo, said the thin dog in a trembling voice. Lupo,
• 2:17:12
  Speaker 1: I cried out in surprise. But do you not know
• 2:17:16
  Speaker 1: who I am, that I am forced to be your
• 2:17:19
  Speaker 1: father's greatest enemy? I know, I know, the pup replied.
• 2:17:25
  Speaker 1: But father told me to come and seek you, for
• 2:17:28
  Speaker 1: that you were good and would not harm him if
• 2:17:31
  Speaker 1: you knew he was so miserable. And here the little
• 2:17:35
  Speaker 1: dog began howling in a way which moved me. Go on,
• 2:17:40
  Speaker 1: I said after a moment. Go on and I will
• 2:17:43
  Speaker 1: follow you. As the little dog ran before, through some
• 2:17:47
  Speaker 1: of the low and miserable parts of the city the
• 2:17:50
  Speaker 1: idea once came into my head that perhaps this was
• 2:17:54
  Speaker 1: a scheme of Lupo's to get me into his power
• 2:17:57
  Speaker 1: but the puppy's grief had been too real to allow
• 2:18:00
  Speaker 1: me to believe young as he was that he could
• 2:18:03
  Speaker 1: be acting a part so with a stout resolution I
• 2:18:07
  Speaker 1: went forward We arrived at a low and dirty kennel,
• 2:18:12
  Speaker 1: where only the greatest misery could bear to live. We
• 2:18:15
  Speaker 1: passed through a hole, for it so appeared, rather than
• 2:18:18
  Speaker 1: a doorway, and I found myself in a little room,
• 2:18:22
  Speaker 1: lit by a break in the wall. On the single
• 2:18:25
  Speaker 1: poor bed lay a wretched object, gasping for breath, while
• 2:18:29
  Speaker 1: a ragged pup, somewhat older than my little guide, had
• 2:18:33
  Speaker 1: buried his face in the clothes at the bottom of
• 2:18:35
  Speaker 1: the bed. three other tiny creatures, worn to the bone
• 2:18:39
  Speaker 1: with poverty and want of food, came crowding round me
• 2:18:43
  Speaker 1: in a way that was piteous to behold, and with
• 2:18:46
  Speaker 1: their looks, not words, for they said nothing, asked me
• 2:18:50
  Speaker 1: to do something for their miserable parent. I procured from
• 2:18:55
  Speaker 1: a neighbouring tavern a basin of broth, with which I
• 2:18:58
  Speaker 1: succeeded in reviving the once terrible Lupo, but it was
• 2:19:03
  Speaker 1: only a flash before life departed for ever. In broken words,
• 2:19:08
  Speaker 1: he recommended to my care the poor little objects round.
• 2:19:12
  Speaker 1: Bad as he was, he still had feeling for them,
• 2:19:16
  Speaker 1: and it was easy to observe that at this sad moment,
• 2:19:19
  Speaker 1: his thoughts were more of them than of himself. For
• 2:19:24
  Speaker 1: when I promised to protect them, he pressed my paw
• 2:19:27
  Speaker 1: with his remaining strength to his hot lips, moaned faintly,
• 2:19:32
  Speaker 1: then expired. My tale is over. Would that it had
• 2:19:38
  Speaker 1: been more entertaining, more instructive, but the incidents of my
• 2:19:42
  Speaker 1: career have been few, and my path, with one or
• 2:19:46
  Speaker 1: two exceptions I have described, has been a smooth one.
• 2:19:50
  Speaker 1: I have heard it said that no history of a life,
• 2:19:54
  Speaker 1: however simple, is without its lesson. If it be so,
• 2:19:58
  Speaker 1: then perhaps some good may be derived from mine, if
• 2:20:02
  Speaker 1: it teach the way to avoid an error or correct
• 2:20:05
  Speaker 1: a fault. if any portion of it win a smile
• 2:20:08
  Speaker 1: from a sad heart, or awake a train of serious
• 2:20:12
  Speaker 1: thought in a gay one, my dog's tale will not
• 2:20:16
  Speaker 1: have been unfolded in vain. The End End of Section
• 2:20:26
  Speaker 1: 5 And End of The Adventures of a Dog and
• 2:20:31
  Speaker 1: a Good Dog Too by Alfred Ells Read by Allison
• 2:20:36
  Speaker 1: Hester from Athens, Georgia.