Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Brazilian Cat
"Youcan’twonderthatIamfondofhim,canyou?"saidmyhost,aswelefttheroom,"especiallywhenyouconsiderthatIhavehadtherearingofhim.ItwasnojokebringinghimoverfromthecentreofSouthAmerica;buthereheissafeandsound—and,asIhavesaid,farthemostperfectspecimeninEurope.ThepeopleattheZooaredyingtohavehim,butIreallycan’tpartwithhim.Now,IthinkthatIhaveinflictedmyhobbyuponyoulongenough,sowecannotdobetterthanfollowTommy’sexample,andgotoourlunch."
MySouthAmericanrelativewassoengrossedbyhisgroundsandtheircuriousoccupants,thatIhardlygavehimcreditatfirstforhavinganyinterestsoutsidethem.Thathehadsome,andpressingones,wassoonborneinuponmebythenumberoftelegramswhichhereceived.Theyarrivedatallhours,andwerealwaysopenedbyhimwiththeutmosteagernessandanxietyuponhisface.SometimesIimaginedthatitmustbetheTurf,andsometimestheStockExchange,butcertainlyhehadsomeveryurgentbusinessgoingforwardswhichwasnottransactedupontheDownsofSuffolk.Duringthesixdaysofmyvisithehadneverfewerthanthreeorfourtelegramsaday,andsometimesasmanyassevenoreight.
Ihadoccupiedthesesixdayssowell,thatbytheendofthemIhadsucceededingettinguponthemostcordialtermswithmycousin.Everynightwehadsatuplateinthebilliard-room,hetellingmethemostextraordinarystoriesofhisadventuresinAmerica—storiessodesperateandreckless,thatIcouldhardlyassociatethemwiththebrownlittle,chubbymanbeforeme.
