Page:The Writings of Prosper Merimee-Volume 5.djvu/48

30 " I think he will turn out a good dog with careful training," he said, after having examined him for some time with the eye of a connoisseur. Then he mounted his horse.

" Professor," he said, " when we were in the avenue leading from the chateau you saw that dog's fear. Please give me your honest opinion. In your capacity of savant you must learn to solve enigmas. . . . Why should animals be afraid of me? "

" Really, Your Excellency does me the honour of taking me for an CEdipus, whilst I am only a simple professor of comparative philology. There might "

" Observe," he interrupted me, " that I never beat either horses or dogs. I have a scruple against whipping a poor beast who commits a mistake through ignorance. But, nevertheless, you can hardly conceive the aversion that I in- spire in dogs and horses. It takes me double the time and trouble to accustom them to me that it would other people. It took me a long time before I could subdue the horse you are riding, but now he is as quiet as a lamb."

" I believe. Your Excellency, that animals are physiognomists, and detect at once if people whom they see for the first time like them or not. I expect you only like animals for the services