03-02-04-牙齿和爪子 [10]
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Then Tobermory entered the room and calmly walkedover to the tea table． The conversation stopped．Nobody knewwhat to say to a talking cat．At last Lady Blemley spoke：
'Would you like some milk，Tobermory？'she asked in ahigh，unnatural voice．
'I don't mind if I do，'answered Tobermory．Lady Blemley's hand shook with excitement and some of the milkwent onto the carpet．
'Oh dear！I'm so sorry，'she said．
'I don't mind．It isn't my carpet，after all，'replied To－bermory.
There was another silence，then Miss Resker asked politely，'Did you find it difficult to learn English，Tobermory？'
Tobermory looked straight through her with his brightgreen eyes．Clearly，he did not answer questions that did notinterest him．
'What do you think of the intelligence of people？'askedMavis Pellington．
'Which people's intelligence？'asked Tobermory coldly.
'Well，my intelligence，for example，'said Mavis with alittle laugh．
'You make things very uncomfortable for me，'said Tobermory，although he did not look at all uncomfortable.'WhenLady Blemley wanted to invite you here，Sir Wilfrid was notpleased．“Mavis Pellington is the stupidest woman I know，”he said．“That's why I want to invite her，”Lady Blemleyreplied．“I want her to buy my old car， and she's stupidenough to do that．”'
'It isn't true！'cried Lady Blemley．'Don't believe him，Mavis！'
'If it isn't true，'said Mavis coldly，'why did you saythis morning that your car would be just right for me？'
Major Barfield did his best to help．He tried to start anew conversation．'How are you getting on with your littleblack and white lady friend in the garden？'he asked Tobermory.
Everybody realized at once that this was a mistake．
Tobermory gave him an icy look．'We do not usually discuss these things in polite company，'he said．'But I havewatched you a little since you have been in this house．I thinkperhaps you would not like me to discuss your lady friends.'
The Major's face became very red，and all the otherguests began to look worried and uncomfortable．What was Tobermory going to say next？
'Would you like to go down to the kitchen now，Tobermory，'asked Lady Blemley politely，'and see if the cook hasgot your dinner ready？'
'No，thank you，'said Tobermory．'I 've only just hadmy tea．I don't want to make myself sick．'
'Cats have nine lives，you know，'said Sir Wilfrid with alaugh．
'Possibly，'answered Tobermory．'But only one stomach．'
'Lady Blemley！'cried Mrs Cornett，'Don't send thatcat to the kitchen.He will talk about us to the cook！'
Everyone was very worried now．They remembered uncomfortably that Tobermory moved freely all over the houseand gardens，at all hours of the day and night. He could lookinto any of the bedrooms if he wanted to．What had he seen？What had he heard？Nobody's secrets were safe now.
'Oh，why did I come here？'cried Agnes Resker，whocould never stay silent for long．
'You know very well why you came here，'said Tobermory immediately．'You came for the food，of course．I heardyou talking to Mrs Cornett in the garden．You said that the Blemleys were terribly boring people，but they had an excel-lent cook．'
'You mustn't believe him！'cried Agnes．'I never saidthat，did I，Mrs Cornett？'
'Later，Mrs Cornett repeated your words to Bertie vanTahn，'said Tobermory．'She said，“That Resker woman willgo anywhere for four good meals a day，”and Bertie said—'
Just then Tobermory looked out of the window and sawthe doctor's big yellow cat crossing the garden．Immediatelyhe disappeared through the open window．
Everyone started talking at once，and Mr Appin foundhimself in a storm of angry questions．
'You must stop this at once，'everyone said to him.'What will happen if Tobermory teaches other cats to talk？We shall never have a moment's peace！'
'It's possible that he has taught the gardener's cat，'replied Mr Appin thoughtfully，'but I don't believe he hashad time to teach any other cats．'
'Then，'said Mrs Cornett，'although Tobermory is avaluable cat，he and the gardener's cat must die．Don't youagree，Lady Blemley？'
'You're right，'said Lady Blemley sadly.'My husbandand I love Tobermory
Then Tobermory entered the room and calmly walkedover to the tea table． The conversation stopped．Nobody knewwhat to say to a talking cat．At last Lady Blemley spoke：
'Would you like some milk，Tobermory？'she asked in ahigh，unnatural voice．
'I don't mind if I do，'answered Tobermory．Lady Blemley's hand shook with excitement and some of the milkwent onto the carpet．
'Oh dear！I'm so sorry，'she said．
'I don't mind．It isn't my carpet，after all，'replied To－bermory.
There was another silence，then Miss Resker asked politely，'Did you find it difficult to learn English，Tobermory？'
Tobermory looked straight through her with his brightgreen eyes．Clearly，he did not answer questions that did notinterest him．
'What do you think of the intelligence of people？'askedMavis Pellington．
'Which people's intelligence？'asked Tobermory coldly.
'Well，my intelligence，for example，'said Mavis with alittle laugh．
'You make things very uncomfortable for me，'said Tobermory，although he did not look at all uncomfortable.'WhenLady Blemley wanted to invite you here，Sir Wilfrid was notpleased．“Mavis Pellington is the stupidest woman I know，”he said．“That's why I want to invite her，”Lady Blemleyreplied．“I want her to buy my old car， and she's stupidenough to do that．”'
'It isn't true！'cried Lady Blemley．'Don't believe him，Mavis！'
'If it isn't true，'said Mavis coldly，'why did you saythis morning that your car would be just right for me？'
Major Barfield did his best to help．He tried to start anew conversation．'How are you getting on with your littleblack and white lady friend in the garden？'he asked Tobermory.
Everybody realized at once that this was a mistake．
Tobermory gave him an icy look．'We do not usually discuss these things in polite company，'he said．'But I havewatched you a little since you have been in this house．I thinkperhaps you would not like me to discuss your lady friends.'
The Major's face became very red，and all the otherguests began to look worried and uncomfortable．What was Tobermory going to say next？
'Would you like to go down to the kitchen now，Tobermory，'asked Lady Blemley politely，'and see if the cook hasgot your dinner ready？'
'No，thank you，'said Tobermory．'I 've only just hadmy tea．I don't want to make myself sick．'
'Cats have nine lives，you know，'said Sir Wilfrid with alaugh．
'Possibly，'answered Tobermory．'But only one stomach．'
'Lady Blemley！'cried Mrs Cornett，'Don't send thatcat to the kitchen.He will talk about us to the cook！'
Everyone was very worried now．They remembered uncomfortably that Tobermory moved freely all over the houseand gardens，at all hours of the day and night. He could lookinto any of the bedrooms if he wanted to．What had he seen？What had he heard？Nobody's secrets were safe now.
'Oh，why did I come here？'cried Agnes Resker，whocould never stay silent for long．
'You know very well why you came here，'said Tobermory immediately．'You came for the food，of course．I heardyou talking to Mrs Cornett in the garden．You said that the Blemleys were terribly boring people，but they had an excel-lent cook．'
'You mustn't believe him！'cried Agnes．'I never saidthat，did I，Mrs Cornett？'
'Later，Mrs Cornett repeated your words to Bertie vanTahn，'said Tobermory．'She said，“That Resker woman willgo anywhere for four good meals a day，”and Bertie said—'
Just then Tobermory looked out of the window and sawthe doctor's big yellow cat crossing the garden．Immediatelyhe disappeared through the open window．
Everyone started talking at once，and Mr Appin foundhimself in a storm of angry questions．
'You must stop this at once，'everyone said to him.'What will happen if Tobermory teaches other cats to talk？We shall never have a moment's peace！'
'It's possible that he has taught the gardener's cat，'replied Mr Appin thoughtfully，'but I don't believe he hashad time to teach any other cats．'
'Then，'said Mrs Cornett，'although Tobermory is avaluable cat，he and the gardener's cat must die．Don't youagree，Lady Blemley？'
'You're right，'said Lady Blemley sadly.'My husbandand I love Tobermory