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THE CAT<br />
her turn to be helped, behaving with a gentleness<br />
and decency which might be imitated by many chil-<br />
dren. She is very punctual, coming as soon as she<br />
hears <strong>the</strong> bell ; and, when I enter <strong>the</strong> dining-room,<br />
I find her already in her place, her paws folded on<br />
<strong>the</strong> tablecloth, her smooth forehead held up to be<br />
kissed, like a well-bred little girl who is politely<br />
affectionate to relatives and old people.<br />
Eponine is passionately fond of fish, and some-<br />
times, when by careful investigation in <strong>the</strong> kitchen<br />
she has ascertained that <strong>the</strong>re is fish to come, she<br />
refuses, after <strong>the</strong> fashion of children eager for<br />
dessert, to touch her plate of soup. On such occa-<br />
sions I say to her coldly : " Mademoiselle, a<br />
young lady who is not hungry for soup is not ex-<br />
pected to have any appetite for fish," and <strong>the</strong> dish<br />
is carried pitilessly past her eager little nose.<br />
Once convinced that I am in earnest, Eponine, like<br />
<strong>the</strong> glutton that she is, laps up her soup hastily,<br />
swallows every crumb of bread, and <strong>the</strong>n looks at<br />
me with <strong>the</strong> complacent air of one who has acquit-<br />
ted herself of her duty, and whose conscience is<br />
free from reproach. Her portion of fish is <strong>the</strong>n<br />
served to her, and she eats it with well-merited<br />
enjoyment, finishing her repast with a little drink<br />
of water.<br />
When I am giving a dinner, Eponine does not<br />
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