II.

Immediately commencing carpenter, I built[1] them houses to sleep in. Each leveret had a separate apartment, so contrived[2] that it could be kept perfectly sweet and clean[3]. In the daytime[4] the animals had the range[5] of the hall, and at night[6] retired each to his own bed, never intruding into that of another[7].

Puss grew presently familiar, would leap[8] into my lap, raise himself[9] upon his hinder feet, and bite the hair from my temples. He would suffer[10] me to take him up, and to carry him about in my arms, and has more than once fallen fast asleep upon my knees. He was ill three days, during which time I nursed him, kept him apart from his fellows, that[11] they might not molest him (for, like many other wild animals, they persecute[12] one of their own species that is sick), and by constant care[13], and with a variety of herbs, restored him to perfect health[14]. No creature could be more grateful than (S. 104, N. 19) my patient after his recovery, a sentiment which he most significantly expressed by licking[15] my hand, first the back of it[16], then the palm, then every finger separately[17], then[18] between all _the_ fingers, as if (S. 27, N. 7) anxious to leave no part of it unsaluted; a ceremony[19] which he _never_ performed but once again[20] upon a similar occasion.

[1] I became at once _a_ carpenter and made, etc.

[2] +ein´richten+; see S. 7, N. 3, _B_.

[3] +rein und sauber.+

[4] +Des Tages.+

[5] We had the range of the whole house, +wir konnten im ganzen Hause umher´laufen+.

[6] +des Nachts.+

[7] never — other = and none ever (+je+) went (+sich begeben+) into the bed of another.

[8] would leap = leapt. Comp. S. 101, N. 22.

[9] = placed himself.

[10] = He allowed (+gestatten+) me; has fallen = fell; to fall asleep, +ein´schlafen+.

[11] = in order that, +damit+; might = could.

[12] = torment, +quälen+; one — sick = the sick _ones_ of their own species (+Gattung+, f.).

[13] = nursing, +Pflege+, f.; with a variety = various.

[14] He restored me to perfect health, +er stellte meine Gesundheit ganz wieder her+.

[15] +durch das Belecken.+

[16] +und zwar beleckte er zuerst den Rücken derselben.+

[17] = singly, adj., to be placed before ‘finger’.

[18] = and finally he licked even, +beleckte er mich auch+.

[19] here +Förmlichkeit+, f.

[20] but once again, +nur noch einmal+; upon, +bei+.

_Section 189._

THE FAVOURITE HARES.