Page:Carroll - Notes by an Oxford Chiel.djvu/64

14 &apos;Concilium Hebdomadale&apos; must, Consumed and conquered, be consigned to dust !
 * And here I must relate a little fable

I heard last Saturday at our high table:— The cats, it seems, were masters of the house, And held their own against the rat and mouse: Of course the others couldn't stand it long, So held a caucus, (not, in their case, wrong:) And, when they were assembled to a man, Uprose an aged rat, and thus began:—
 * 'Brothers in bondage! Shall we bear to be

For ever left in a minority? With what "fell unity of purpose" cats Oppress the trusting innocence of rats! So unsuspicious are we of disguise, Their machinations take us by surprise — Insulting and tyrannical absurdities ! It is too bad by half—upon my word it is!