by A. Vimar
2
THE CAPTURE OF CLOWN
Generally Clown slept late and did not leave Bertha's room, where hehad his bed, until he was ready for the public eye--that is to say,until he was combed and brushed, beribboned and perfumed.
Clown goes out of the door]
One morning, I don't exactly know why, the maid entered Bertha's roomlong before getting-up time, and going out again she forgot to shutthe door. Clown, once awakened, did not go to sleep again. What he wasthinking about I can't tell you. Anyhow he yawned, stretched himselfslowly, then crept slyly toward the half-open door, pushed it softlywith his nose, and there he was in the hall. It was not far to thekitchen and the pantry door which opened onto the back steps leadinginto the street was not shut either.
Clown]
"'Tis opportunity makes the thief," so they say. After a moment'shesitation, after looking carefully at the steps to be sure no onewould see and stop him, Clown thought that it would be rather pleasantto take a morning stroll through the streets; he felt proud for oncenot to be held in leash, and was delighted at the thought of beingable to rout at his own sweet will amongst the heaps of garbage, theone thing of all others strictly forbidden him.
Dogs following man with parcel]
Nobody saw him, nobody stopped him. He reached the door; a glance, asniff here and there, and he was free.
Once outside he walked quietly for a hundred yards or so, nose in air.
Man with parcel catches Clown]
Soon, however, he was ready to come back and was just thinking of goingin again when he saw at the corner of the street five or six other dogsfollowing a man who was carrying a parcel. This made him curious; therewas a queer smell, too, which attracted him. In a trice he had joinedthe group.
"After all," he said to himself pretty soon, "though the smell isappetizing enough, I have better than that at home. Good-bye, myfriends, and good luck. I am going home to breakfast."
Whereupon, giving up the chase, he turned to go home. Alas! it was toolate. The man had just thrown a lasso, which caught Clown around theneck. He tried to get away, to cry out, to struggle, to bite; the knottightened, choking him. He was muzzled, and forced by kicks--the firsthe ever received in his life--to go, willy-nilly, with the dog-thief.For that was what the man was, and one of the very worst of his kind,too.
Man with parcel carries away Clown]
Clown in the kennel]
It was a fine day, and Paris began to awaken. In the streets therewere more and more passers-by, and the man walked faster and faster;Clown, full of sad thoughts, let himself be dragged along. With hanginghead he was thinking of his little mistress, how probably at this veryminute she had discovered his flight. He saw her despair, and big tearsrolled from his eyes; he trembled from head to foot. Perhaps he wouldnever see her again! At this, heart-rending sobs burst from his poorlittle throat. Sometimes he tried to drive away these sad thoughts byimagining he would soon have a chance to escape from his torturer. Ifonly they did not take him too far from Paris, his native town, hecould find his way home again easily enough with his eyes shut.
After a long and painful walk through streets and avenues, the manstopped at last in front of a wretched hut. At the end of a yard, ina corner, there was a horrible kennel, with no cover, surrounded by astrong wooden fence.
Clown, although worn out in mind and body, pulled back with disgustfrom the door of this evil-smelling hole. The man pushed him inbrutally with his foot, and with another well-directed kick shut thedoor to behind him. Then Clown gave himself up to despair. He feltutterly lost. He would never see his dear ones again. How foolish hehad been! How miserable he was!
Attracted by his cries and tears, three beautiful setters, who had beenstolen the day before, came out of the back of the kennel and groupedthemselves around the newcomer. They did their best to comfort andconsole him.
Clown and three setters]
After telling one another their sad stories, they talked over ways ofescape. The very idea of getting away cheered them up a lot.
It was clear that they were all to be sold.
Dogs at the dog market]
Next morning they were all tightly chained to one another and the man,whip in hand, led them to the dog-market.
This market was held in a large square, slightly shaded by big elmtrees. Ragged old women, squatting on their heels, or crouching on oldchairs or baskets, held little dogs on their knees, petting them,cleaning them, offering them for sale to anyone who stopped to look.Some people had dogs on leashes. Suspicious-looking men walked dogs toand fro.
Women selling dogs at the dog market]
In front there was a long line of hunting dogs of every kind and breed;farther on, a line of pet-dogs; then a group of poodles--newly shavedand beribboned. Here and there were cats, monkeys, parrots, birds ofall kinds, and, lastly, guinea-pigs and white rats.
All these creatures barked, whined, mewed, chattered, screamed. The dinwas beyond description.
Clown, confused, a white poodle on either side of him, was silent. Withhanging head he pretended that he had quite given up the thought ofescape, but just the same, when no one was looking, he turned his eyesquickly from side to side, ready to seize the first chance to get away.
Clown at the dog market]
