Pyg (4 page)

Looking back, it is Remarkable to me that we endured as long as we did. I had, of course, no notion of Numbers or Dates at that time, but I should say it was a
Fortnight
, and perhaps even
a few days more, before we finally stumbled upon that Place which was, for a time at least, to be a sort of Haven for us both. We had, so far as we were able, kept off the High roads, following a
crooked path across pasture, heath and marshland. Occasionally, when Sam was able, he would Hide me in a convenient place, then Nip across a farmer’s field and Glean a meagre meal for us
both. It was late in the Year, and Winter would soon be coming on, which meant the pickings were Scarce, and our Situation daily grew more Perilous. I lost a good deal of the Weight I had so
Famously acquired, and began, in Appearance at least, to resemble my Darker and Leaner ancestors. Sam, although never an especially Tidy lad, began to acquire such a Patina of dirt that you would
have taken him for a
Gypsy
, or one of those boys who labour all day in a Coal-pit. We were indeed a Capital pair—the Wild Boy and the Wild Boar, we might well have been
called—and our one comfort was that, if found, it would scarce be likely that anyone would Recognise us, or suspect our Origins.

It was while we were in this Dismal state that we came upon a large country farm which, even from a Distance, looked to be a step up from the rest. It was not just the well-kept buildings and
pastures, though these were certainly Picturesque, but rather the curious appearance of the Creatures who dwelt therein that captured our attention. The Horses, which we spied First, were most Odd
in their bearing: they walked with a certain deliberate trot, much as animals that have been trained for
Dressage
, and yet their manners seemed entirely Natural, as though they were
executing a Dance of their own Design. Some years after this, I read of the singular race of
Houyhnhnms
, as described by Dean Swift, and had I known of them before, I would have sworn these
were
They.
Coming closer, we beheld several dogs that appeared to have the run of the Place and yet—again, in an uncannily Human sort of way—exhibited a curious sort of courtesy.
When they passed, it seemed as though they did
Bow
to one another (that is, make a motion with their
Heads
not, as some delineate a dog’s hallo, to say ‘Bow Wow’),
and they did Often rise up on their hind Quarters, and place their Paws upon a Rail or a Wall, standing in this posture for some Minutes on End. We were the more Amazed to see a great number of
Cats, which appeared to dwell alongside the Dogs in perfect Harmony, as if there was no Reason in the World for any animosity between them.

Such a place stirred in us great Wonder, as well as (I must admit) a modicum of Fear. Had it not been for the extreme Lateness of the Season, the pinch of Winter being already at our
Heels
—and for the great Emptiness in our
Stomachs
—I doubt that we would have hazarded to draw nearer. And yet, by a sort of strange Fascination, nearer and nearer did we
draw, until at last we attracted the attention of several of the Dogs. These creatures did not, to our Amazement, bark at us or attempt to drive us away, but instead ran quickly back toward the
main House, emerging a few moments later in the company of the most singular Man I had then, or have ever since, Encountered.

This man—whose name, we would soon learn, was Mr Silas Bisset—seemed as much or even More at home among his Animal comrades as he would in any Human company. As he walked, he made a
strange variety of ticking and clicking noises with his mouth, in response to which the dogs all came quite close to him, and trotted as if called to Heel. He whistled a curious tune and at once,
as if summoned by their Maker, a great flurry of yellow Finches came and flew about his Head, with one almost Roosting inside the bald spot atop of it. After another whistle, they flew off, but
then came a parade of Cats such as I have never seen before or since. These animals, I knew well enough even then, are most reluctant to come to anyone’s call, or hurry upon an errand other
than their own—and yet here were at least a half-dozen of them, trotting along like
Kittens
after their Mother! As this strange confabulation of creatures drew near us, we could make
out still one more Member of the Assembly—a white Mouse peeped at us from the man’s Pocket!

At last this strange party came to a Halt, and we instantly did the same. The man smiled, bowed deeply, and began to address us in the most mellifluous and enchanting of tones. I could not
understand his Speech, if by that one means the Words, but in the Tone of his Discourse there was such ease that I stood as if some strange Spell had been cast upon me. I was overcome by a desire
to Please this man, who was so
Pleasant
in himself, and who had such admirable Affinities with the Animal world. Sam, for his part, looked as dazed as I felt, and could hardly think how to
reply. At length, he did speak, and it was simply to lay out our situation as Plainly as could be, communicating with words and signs our Weariness, the length of our Journey, and our great hunger.
To this, the man replied with laughter, and further light words. At a gesture, he dismissed his entire entourage, which straightway dispersed about the grounds, and beckoned us within his singular
Abode.

I had not, at that time, been inside any Human Dwelling place, and so had nothing with which to compare the Wonders I beheld. Never the less, I was fairly Confident that no other House was made
as His was, with an eye to both the Human and Animal worlds. There were, at the level of my Eye, a number of doors and archways, perfectly accommodating the average Quadruped, and I passed by
similarly sized Alcoves, in which were placed bright Cushions and bowls of Food and
Water
. At the same time, at the Human altitude, there were Tables laden with fruit and fresh vegetables,
Couches of rich silk with Velvet draperies, and numerous benches upholstered with soft cloth and scattered with
Pillows
. The whole place seemed to have been built with such Double business
in mind, and all in such a sensible and Complete manner, that it would have seemed Absurd to imagine any
Other
.

Our host invited us into an inner Chamber, where a fine repast was laid out for us both, as though we had been Expected. For Sam there was a steaming bowl of Porridge, a variety of Fruits and a
large wedge of Cheese; for me, there was a large copper Basin, filled with the most tender grains and Vegetables, which had been cooked in Barley-water. I did not see any Meat upon the table that
day, nor on any Other, so although our Host was too gracious to mention it, I was certain that its Absence was due to his devotion to his Animals, and his Abhorrence of the idea of
Eating
any of them. After our feast, we were led to a pair of Beds—Sam’s furnished with a soft mattress and a cotton Coverlet, mine quite heaped with fresh clean Straw. I doubt that either of
us ever enjoyed such a Sleep as we did that day, for our weariness was as Profound as the relief we felt in discovering such a Friend. We must have slept the evening and night together, for we woke
at Dawn with the Cock’s-crow, and found again an ample Meal set before us. Our Host was not present—doubtless his many Duties on the estate did not permit him to Wait upon our rising,
but he would make his appearance shortly. Which indeed he did, within a little less than an hour; he once again bowed to us both, and directed Sam to a washroom where a large pail of warm water,
with ample Soap and Towels, awaited him.

On emerging from his Bath, my Benefactor was restored to his former self, shiny and Pink; Mr Bisset had also provided him fresh
Cloathes
from his own Closet, and although they hung quite
Loosely upon his small Frame, Sam did not seem to mind. We were again welcomed, with words of the
Kindest
tone, and I understood from Sam that we were to have the Run of the Place, and amuse
ourselves as we saw Fit. We did so quite happily, discovering on our Peregrinations much more about the Place that surprised us, and not a little that
Amazed
. The outbuildings had, like the
house, been outfitted for any sort of Animal or Man; the only exception being the Barn, which was, as with the more common sort, designed entirely on the scale of Horses; the only difference being
that their Stalls had no doors, nor was there any sign of Bits, Reins, saddles or Stirrups, such as would ordinarily be employed. I did, on closer inspection, discover a Whip—but as it was
quite old and dusty, and gave the appearance of having long lain idle, I thought nothing of it.

The grounds were beautifully kept, though we could find no sign of any other Persons on the Property. There had, apparently, been a Mrs Bisset at some point, for a portrait of her with her
husband had a Prominent place in the Parlour, but if she were still
Extant
, there was no sign of her presence. Once or twice a Week, a wagon arrived with such Provisions as were required,
other than those which the Farm itself produced, and twice each day, without fail, we sat down to a fine meal which was set out for us. We had our own dining-table, as did the cats, and also the
Dogs, upon which was set every delicacy that each Animal might have desired—with the exception, as I have said, of Meat of any sort. Mr Bisset had developed a sort of concentrated Food, in
the form of Pellets of compressed vegetable matter, which were
Flavoured
in such a manner that all seemed to find them Palatable. Even the Mouse had his own sort of concentrated food, but he
alone was fed by
Hand
, as he rarely left his Master’s Pocket, save at night when he retired to a little suite of rooms that had been made for him in the manner of a child’s
Doll’s House
. This was placed on a high shelf, though whether to keep him Safe from the many Felines in the house, or simply because it was at a convenient Height for leaping in and
out of pockets, I could not tell.

The only other activity we could discern in the home took place each afternoon in what must have been the former Drawing-room. The Cats were often called to Attend, but what it was they did
therein I could not tell, as the door was kept closed at all times. The one Glimpse I caught was of a pair of brightly coloured Stools, between which a length of Cord had been tied, though what use
such an arrangement could be to the Cats I could not begin to
Imagine
. And yet, in that Sight, I sensed that some further Demand, some greater Expectation, was made of us, the Animal
residents of Mr Bisset’s Demesne, than simply to Live, and Frolic, and wander about his Grounds—indeed, that there was yet to be revealed some dread
Command
with which we all
must Comply or else Forfeit the many accommodations made for us in this his
House
. This feeling, during all my first Time there, was very closely associated with these Doors, and I was quite
convinced that, once they were to be Opened, all would be Revealed to me, for Better or for
Worse
.

And so one day it was. It began much like any other, in that a welcome
Meal
was all laid out upon Table and trough, such that both Sam and I were soon sated, and ready to set out upon our
daily
Rounds
about the estate. We were accustomed to seeing Mr Bisset strolling upon the large stone
Patio
that adjoined his home, and there indeed he
Was
, but so strangely
Dressed and Appointed that we scarce Knew him. He was attired in a complete suit,
cap-à-pie
, of Black silk, along with a Waistcoat of red
Satin
, a tall Hat of Beaver fur, and a
great bow Tie of some checked material. He looked for all the world like a Showman in want of a Show, and indeed this appearance was to be borne out in a moment far more absolute than I was then
capable of grasping. He strode into the Hall, and stood before the twin Doors of the occluded Room, then
Bowed
, most deeply, in my Direction. I did the same in Return, having many times
observed such Formalities, and then stood in Awe as the Doors of Perception were most suddenly thrown
Ope
, revealing, no concatenation of Cats but rather this simple Tableau: the twenty-six
letters of the
Alphabet
, and the eleven numerals from 0 to 10, which comprise the Alpha-numeric Range of these our
Numbers
. In that sight, I beheld at once the double path of my
Destiny, for by these Means I might give Utterance to my
Will
, and yet with these same Characters Mr Bisset could express
His
, and by them I would—as I am even as I write the
very words you see before you—henceforth be
Bound
.

5

I
n the time of the Spanish Inquisition—a History with which I later became Acquainted by these same means—it was customary, before
Torturing those accused of Heresy, to show to them the
Instruments
of their Agony. Many were so overcome by the mere
Thought
of these implements being used upon them that they at once
Confessed to whatever charges the Inquisitor might name, heedless of how by every Word they were thus Damned. Well I knew that Mr Bisset possessed the power of commanding Animals to do his will,
but the
Means
by which he obtained this power were yet a Mystery. The charm of his voice, his pleasant outward demeanour, the food he prepared and set before us, these were surely the chief
Rewards that he employed, but what were his
Punishments
? As these letters and numbers swirled before me, I Resolved, if it were Possible, never to discover what it was that my new Master
would do if I did
not
follow his Commands. And, of course, that was what all the other Animals before me had doubtless done, out of the same Conviction I presently felt, that such a
discovery must be as Terrible as the rewards were Pleasant—and that would have been Terrible indeed.