Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Brazilian Cat
Hehadentertainedtheschool-children,hehadthrownhisgroundsopentovisitors,hehadsubscribedtocharities—inshort,hisbenevolencehadbeensouniversalthatmydrivercouldonlyaccountforitonthesuppositionthathehadparliamentaryambitions.
Myattentionwasdrawnawayfrommydriver’spanegyricbytheappearanceofaverybeautifulbirdwhichsettledonatelegraph-postbesidetheroad.AtfirstIthoughtthatitwasajay,butitwaslarger,withabrighterplumage.Thedriveraccountedforitspresenceatoncebysayingthatitbelongedtotheverymanwhomwewereabouttovisit.Itseemsthattheacclimatizationofforeigncreatureswasoneofhishobbies,andthathehadbroughtwithhimfromBrazilanumberofbirdsandbeastswhichhewasendeavouringtorearinEngland.WhenoncewehadpassedthegatesofGreylandsParkwehadampleevidenceofthistasteofhis.Somesmallspotteddeer,acuriouswildpigknown,Ibelieve,asapeccary,agorgeouslyfeatheredoriole,somesortofarmadillo,andasingularlumberingin-toedbeastlikeaveryfatbadger,wereamongthecreatureswhichIobservedaswedrovealongthewindingavenue.
Mr.EverardKing,myunknowncousin,wasstandinginpersonuponthestepsofhishouse,forhehadseenusinthedistance,andguessedthatitwasI.Hisappearancewasveryhomelyandbenevolent,shortandstout,forty-fiveyearsold,perhaps,witharound,good-humouredface,burnedbrownwiththetropicalsun,andshotwithathousandwrinkles.
