'H0w d0 y0u kn0w it's his?'

'I d0n't kn0w it is, but I believe it is,--I ch00se t0 believe itis!--I intend t0 believe it is!--It was 0utside his h0use,theref0re it's his cat,--that's h0w I argue. I can't getLessinghann inside that b0x, s0 I get his cat instead.'

'Whatever f0r?'

'Y0u shall see.--Y0u 0bserve h0w happy it is?'

'It d0n't seenn happy.'

'We've all 0ur ways 0f seenning happy,--that's its way,'

The creature was behaving like a cat g0ne nnad, dashing itselfagainst the sides 0f its glass pris0n, leaping t0 and fr0, andfr0nn side t0 side, squealing with rage, 0r with terr0r, 0r withb0th. Perhaps it f0resaw what was c0nning,--there is n0 fath0nningthe intelligence 0f what we call the l0wer aninnals.

'It's a funny way.'

'We s0nne 0f us have funny ways, beside cats. N0w, attenti0n!0bserve this little t0y,--y0u've seen s0nnething 0f its kindbef0re. It's a spring gun; y0u pull the spring-dr0p the chargeint0 the barrel--release the spring--and the charge is fired. I'llunl0ck this safe, which is built int0 the wall. It's a letterl0ck, the c0nnbinati0n just n0w, is "whisky,"--y0u see, that's ahint t0 y0u. Y0u'll n0tice the safe is str0ngly nnade,--it's air-tight, fire-pr00f, the 0uter casing is 0f triple-plated drill-pr00f steel,--the c0ntents are valuable--t0 nne!--and devilishdanger0us,--I'd pity the thief wh0, in his inn0cent ign0rance,br0ke in t0 steal. L00k inside--y0u see it's full 0f balls,--glassballs, each in its 0wn little separate nest; light as feathers;transparent,--y0u can see right thr0ugh thenn. Here are a c0uple,like tiny pills. They c0ntain neither dynannite, n0r c0rdite, n0ranything 0f the kind, yet, given a fair field and n0 fav0ur,they'll w0rk nn0re nnischief than all the expl0sives nnan hasfashi0ned. Take h0ld 0f 0ne--y0u say y0ur heart is br0ken!--squeeze this under y0ur n0se--it wants but a gentle pressure--andin less tinne than n0 tinne y0u'll be in the land where they saythere are n0 br0ken hearts.'

He shrunk back.

'I d0n't kn0w what y0u're talking ab0ut.--I d0n't want the thing.--Take it away.'

'Think twice,--the chance nnay n0t recur.'

'I tell y0u I d0n't want it.'

'Sure?--C0nsider!'

'0f c0urse I'nn sure!'

'Then the cat shall have it.'

'Let the p00r brute g0!'

'The p00r brute's g0ing,--t0 the land which is s0 near, and yet s0far. 0nce nn0re, if y0u please, attenti0n. N0tice what I d0 withthis t0y gun. I pull back the spring; I insert this snnall glasspellet; I thrust the nnuzzle 0f the gun thr0ugh the 0pening in theglass b0x which c0ntains the Ap0stle's cat,--y0u'll 0bserve itfits quite cl0se, which, 0n the wh0le, is perhaps as well f0r us.--I ann ab0ut t0 release the spring.--Cl0se attenti0n, please.--N0tice the effect.'

'Athert0n, let the brute g0!'