<h2 class='c006'>CHAPTER VIII<br/> <span class='large'>SERENA ASTONISHES US</span></h2></div>
<p class='c010'>Serena stood up. She was addressing the
audience, and her imaginary glasses were
more in evidence than ever.</p>
<p class='c000'>“Mr. Chairman, and ladies and gentlemen,”
she said with a slightly scornful
dwelling on “gentlemen,” as she turned for
an instant toward Jimmy Dory, “the subject
before us, as I look at it, is this. The
family is a sacred, collective body of persons,
or cats, who live in one house, and under one
head or manager,” and she gracefully
bowed to our father. “Now, has one member
of this body a right to violently and arrogantly
detach itself, without the consent
of the others?”</p>
<p class='c000'>“Yes, it has,” grumbled Jimmy Dory
under his breath. “Oh, meow! meow! Come
off the roof, pussy, and talk sense.”</p>
<p class='c000'><span class='pageno' id='Page_125'>125</span>I don't think Serena heard him, for she
drew a long breath and went on.</p>
<p class='c000'>“If such a thing should happen, that one
member of this sacred, collective body should
wish to withdraw, or form outside connections
of its own, methinks it would be most
compatible with reason for that member to
be one of the older members of this same
sacred family.”</p>
<p class='c000'>“Oho!” purred Jimmy Dory in my ear.
“The green-eyed monster has got our sister
by the tail. She's jealous of the youngest
member of the sacred collective body.”</p>
<p class='c000'>“To condescend to the present case,” pursued
Serena, steaming grandly along with
her speech, “should a young kitten undertake
all alone, a long and perilous journey
into the wilds of an unknown land?”</p>
<p class='c000'>Jimmy Dory clapped his paws together.
“Yes, yes, she should.”</p>
<p class='c000'>Serena glared at him. “No, a thousand
times no. Do not risk the Benjamin of the
family in any wild and impracticable search
for happiness. Rather let the young and
frivolous creature remain within the circle of
<span class='pageno' id='Page_126'>126</span>the sacred family. Let one of the older members
heroically and generously offer herself
on the altar of family affection. Let the kitten
stay and comfort the declining years of
its aged parents. Let the dear, sister cat
go.”</p>
<p class='c000'>She had to stop here. No one could hear a
word of what she was saying on account of
Jimmy Dory's actions. He suddenly fell
over on the heap of cushions. He just yelled
with delight. Serena glared angrily at him
for a few instants. Her speech was not half
done. Then, as he did not recover, she took
to slapping and pinching him. Finally, she
pushed him on the floor.</p>
<p class='c000'>Jimmy Dory rolled over and over, kicking
enjoyably, and just shrieking with laughter
and wickedness. He only controlled himself
when my father joined Serena, and they both
cuffed and beat him into submission.</p>
<p class='c000'>I never saw my father, the Piebald Prince,
in such an unprincelike rage. “Stand there,
sir,” he said, holding Jimmy Dory in a corner,
“and explain yourself,” and he gave
him another whack to bring him to.</p>
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<div class='group'>
<div class='line'><span class='pageno' id='Page_127'>127</span>“Oh! spare your wrath for mercy's sake,</div>
<div class='line'>And let me just a few breaths take,”</div>
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<p class='c000'>gasped Jimmy. “I will explain. I will electrify
you, my revered and honored sire.
You have been deluded, sir; basely deluded
and humbugged.”</p>
<p class='c000'>“What do you mean, you young villain?”
inquired our parent, still holding Jimmy in
the corner, and gazing suspiciously over one
shoulder toward the door, as if fearful that
some wicked stranger had entered the room.
“Nay, sir,” panted Jimmy Dory, with a
ludicrous imitation of Serena's grand manner,
“the danger lies not without, 'tis within.
We are all victims of a fraud, sir, a shameless,
lying fraud.”</p>
<p class='c000'>My poor father was so bewildered that he
did not know what to do, and yet he might
have known that it was only some of Jimmy
Dory's tricks.</p>
<p class='c000'>“If you don't explain yourself,” he said
furiously, “I will give you the greatest
mauling that you have ever had yet.”</p>
<p class='c000'>Jimmy Dory partly recovered himself.
“Sir, I would not have you soil your paws
<span class='pageno' id='Page_128'>128</span>with the fighting that you so much detest.
Now, listen, and your wrath will be diverted
from your hopeful kitten son, to your eldest
hopeful kitten daughter. Our Serena, sir,
our talented eldest sister, has ambitions outside
this same sacred family.”</p>
<p class='c000'>For answer, our father shook him.</p>
<p class='c000'>Jimmy Dory went on unconcernedly.
“You yourself, sir, have often pointed out to
me the fact that cat nature is full of contradictions.
Would you dream that cultured,
domestic, home-loving, sister Serena has ambitions
beyond our domestic hearth, that in
cat spirit she daily and nightly roams the
world, in search of adventure?”</p>
<p class='c000'>“You are a story-teller,” responded my
father excitedly. “Stop these aspersions on
your sister's character.”</p>
<p class='c000'>Jimmy Dory put up a protesting paw, and
went on, “A long time I have suspected it.
When sister Black-Face went out into the
world, I fancied that sister Serena slightly
envied her. Now my suspicions are verified.
Your eldest daughter, sir, is trying to pull
the hair over your venerable eyes. She wants
<span class='pageno' id='Page_129'>129</span>you to recall Black-Face, and let her take her
place at the Denvilles'.”</p>
<p class='c000'>My father was just about to shake him
again, when Jimmy Dory dexterously wriggled
himself away and cried, “Look at
her! Is not guilt painted on her shameless
face?”</p>
<p class='c000'>We did look at her, and if ever a cat looked
guilty Serena did. She stood with drooping
head—no words came to her.</p>
<p class='c000'>There was an awful silence, then my father
said to her, “Serena, do you wish to go out
into the world, and leave us?”</p>
<p class='c000'>“Meow!” she said faintly.</p>
<p class='c000'>“Then go!” he replied sternly, and he
turned his back on her.</p>
<p class='c000'>It was a fearful blow to my father. He
had so prided himself on Serena's beauty,
her accomplishments, her devotion to him, her
love for her home. Now she not only had
deceived and flattered him, but keenest pang
of all, she wished to leave him, and go in
search of those, as he calls them, vulgar adventures,
such as I am having.</p>
<p class='c000'>Serena felt dreadfully, and so did my
<span class='pageno' id='Page_130'>130</span>mother. Jimmy Dory did too, for he suddenly
stopped grinning, and making a goose
of himself, and went and lay down in a corner.</p>
<p class='c000'>“Come,” said Serena under her breath to
me, “let us depart.”</p>
<p class='c000'>“Do you really intend going away with
me?” I asked.</p>
<p class='c000'>“Yes,” she said sulkily and firmly.</p>
<p class='c000'>“Are you going to the Denvilles'?”</p>
<p class='c000'>“Of course,” she replied snappishly;
“where else should I go?”</p>
<p class='c000'>“Oh, very well!” I returned, “just as
you wish. Of course I have taken one cat
there already. I suppose there is a limit—”</p>
<p class='c000'>She pretended not to hear me, and walked
slowly toward the doorway. When we got
there, my mother stood in it. She gave Serena
a dreadful look, then she put her paws
round her neck.</p>
<p class='c000'>“Oh, get away, mother,” said Serena
peevishly pushing her aside. “You have
never understood me.”</p>
<p class='c000'>I went close up to my dear mother. I
rubbed against her, I licked her sad face, then
<span class='pageno' id='Page_131'>131</span>I said to Serena, “You go on—I am going
to stay at home.”</p>
<p class='c000'>“Do you suppose I will go to the Denvilles'
without you?” she said angrily.
“Come on, this very instant!” and she bit
me on the neck.</p>
<p class='c000'>“Go,” purred my mother softly, then she
turned her head away, and closed her eyes.
The parting was too bitter for her.</p>
<p class='c000'>We had all been so used to Serena's domination,
that I stupidly followed her. When
we got to the hall door I paused. “Serena,”
I said, “I must wait till little Mary comes
for me.”</p>
<p class='c000'>“Goose,” she replied, “and how am I to
get to Beacon Street?”</p>
<p class='c000'>“Perhaps they will take you.”</p>
<p class='c000'>“That would be very likely,” she said
ironically, then she just screamed for Gerty
to come and open the hall door.</p>
<p class='c000'>Soon we found ourselves on the sidewalk.
Serena led the way. “Oh! isn't this glorious,”
she said, sniffing the fresh air. “How
delightful is liberty! This is what I have
been pining for in that dull house of ours. I
<span class='pageno' id='Page_132'>132</span>have been longing for freedom, for an opportunity
to preach the gospel of culture. How
I shall astonish those Maine cats!”</p>
<p class='c000'>I was so puzzled that I did not know what
to do. What would the Denvilles think of
me? I was a regular cat agent.</p>
<p class='c000'>“Don't go in the front door,” commanded
Serena when we got to the house. By the
way, we had several frights going down—two
dogs chased us, but as it was the middle
of the afternoon, the streets were full of
well-dressed people, and Serena and I were
sharp enough to keep near them, and they
soon drove the dogs away.</p>
<p class='c000'>“Why don't you want to go in the front
door?” I asked.</p>
<p class='c000'>“Because I want to see the dogs. Haven't
I had my curiosity excited on their subject?”</p>
<p class='c000'>Stupidly forgetting that Mona and Dolly
would be out for their daily walk with Mr.
Denville, I conducted her to the kennels.
Of course, they were vacant, so I led her in
the house, through the wash-room, kitchen
and store-rooms.</p>
<p class='c000'><span class='pageno' id='Page_133'>133</span>The cook met us in the lower hall. “Oh,
what a beauty cat!” she exclaimed when she
saw Serena. “I say, Rosy and Bridget,
come here.”</p>
<p class='c000'>Serena, in great gratification, purred
round the three women, and held aloft her
handsome tail.</p>
<p class='c000'>“She beats the little fellow hollow,” said
the cook, staring at me; “yet there is a look
of the beauty in the fright. Where do she
come from, I wonder.”</p>
<p class='c000'>Rosy, the house-maid, was laughing. “She
beats the Dutch—that little chappie Black-Face
does. She is always bringin' cats
home.”</p>
<p class='c000'>“Lead on to the upper regions,” said
Serena in my ear. “I am tired of this vulgar
admiration.”</p>
<p class='c000'>I did lead on. Serena glanced approvingly
in all the rooms as we passed. She
liked the dining-room, and reception-room,
but particularly the library.</p>
<p class='c000'>“There is culture for you,” she said surveying
the books. “Mrs. Darley hasn't half
as many tomes as these.”</p>
<p class='c000'><span class='pageno' id='Page_134'>134</span>“What do you mean by tomes?” I inquired.</p>
<p class='c000'>“A tome means as many writings as are
bound in a volume, and a volume means a
book, goosie—show me your bedroom.”</p>
<p class='c000'>To get to my room we had to pass Slyboots
in the hall.</p>
<p class='c000'>“Introduce me,” said Serena imperiously.</p>
<p class='c000'>Quaking on my velvet paws, I walked up
to the big sofa by the window. “Slyboots,”
I said, “my sister Serena wishes to be introduced
to you.”</p>
<p class='c000'>Slyboots shut her eyes, and pretended to
go to sleep.</p>
<p class='c000'>“What a charming vista,” remarked Serena
going close up, and peering out over her
shoulder at the long avenue of trees on the
Common.</p>
<p class='c000'>Like a flash, Slyboots put up her paw and
scratched her right down the nose.</p>
<p class='c000'>“You rude thing!” gasped Serena, and
she fell back.</p>
<p class='c000'>“Come in here,” I said, and rushed into
Mary's bedroom. Of course, as Serena was
my sister, I had to let her get up on my bed,
<span class='pageno' id='Page_135'>135</span>and for an hour she made me sit and lick her
nose. It was quite sore, but my licking kept
it from swelling, and making her look ugly.</p>
<p class='c000'>After a long time I heard the carriage stop
before the house, then little Mary ran up-stairs.
She caught me in her arms, and
hugged me. “You darling thing, I was
afraid you were lost. Why did you not wait
for me?” Then her eye fell on Serena.
“Why, pussy dear,” she said, “how did
you get here?—Mamma, Mamma,” and she
ran in the hall, and met Mrs. Denville who
was just coming up-stairs. “Here is one of
Mrs. Darley's pussies. We must send her
right back.”</p>
<p class='c000'>Mrs. Denville looked puzzled. However,
she rang the bell in Mary's room, and sent
for Anthony. Serena did not resist. She
knew that this would probably happen. She
fawned on Mrs. Denville and Mary, and
purred round them, but they did not understand
her.</p>
<p class='c000'>Anthony took her home, and in an hour she
was back again.</p>
<p class='c000'>Mrs. Denville returned her once more, and
<span class='pageno' id='Page_136'>136</span>this time, Serena got back before Anthony
did. Then Mrs. Denville began to comprehend
the affair, and, smiling peculiarly, she
called Serena, and went into her own room.</p>
<p class='c000'>“Harold,” she said, “are you here?”</p>
<p class='c000'>Mr. Denville came out of his dressing-room
in his shirt sleeves, and stopped rubbing his
face with a towel to look at us as we stood
there, his wife, Serena and I.</p>
<p class='c000'>“Well!” he said expectantly, “do I see
double, or have you another Black-Face
there?”</p>
<p class='c000'>“It is Black-Face's sister,” replied Mrs.
Denville, “and she is acting so strangely.
She won't stay at home, and Anthony says
that Mrs. Darley is very much amused, and
sends word for us to keep her if we wish her.
I thought cats liked their homes.”</p>
<p class='c000'>“So they do,” said Mr. Denville, “as a
general thing, but there are cat cranks as
well as human cranks. Come here, runaway.”</p>
<p class='c000'>Serena glided up to him. Oh! the grace
and elegance of her motions! “Dear me!”
he said, “what style—what manners! We
<span class='pageno' id='Page_137'>137</span>have something pretty high-toned here,
Maud.”</p>
<p class='c000'>“But we don't want three cats,” said his
wife with a laugh.</p>
<p class='c000'>“Ship them to Maine,” he replied, and he
laughed too, and went back into his room.</p>
<p class='c000'>Serena was in an ecstasy. She posed, she
swam through the air, she threw out her
chest, she held up her head. She was addressing
an audience of country cats. She
was being hailed as the talented lecturer
from Boston. I really thought she would
expire from happiness.</p>
<p class='c000'>When we came to bed she swelled so, or
perhaps I should say, she expanded so enormously
with happiness, and gratified conceit,
that there was no room for me in the big
chair beside her. I crept to the foot of
Mary's bed, and here I lie, watching Serena's
pretty chest rise and fall in a gleam of
electric light that shines through the window.</p>
<p class='c000'>It seems like a dream that she should be
here, established in my bed. I am happy to
have my sister with me, and to see her so
<span class='pageno' id='Page_138'>138</span>happy, but I don't like her manner of leaving
home.</p>
<p class='c000'>Little Mary, by the way, does not seem to
take to Serena. She is very kind to her, but
she does not pet her as she does Slyboots and
me.</p>
<p class='c000'>I was thinking to-night as I lay here, that
I had had one sensation to-day in the thought
of going to Maine for the summer. I should
rather say I have had two, for Serena's being
here is just about as wonderful as my proposed
journey. I suppose I am to be allowed
to go. I know my father did not want
me to, but now that he is so annoyed with
Serena I have a feeling that he would not
let either of us return home.</p>
<p class='c000'>I am dreadfully sleepy. I wonder whether
I shall dream of Maine or Serena.</p>
<div class='chapter'>
<span class='pageno' id='Page_139'>139</span>
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