It was a relief to me when she turned her back on Bill.
"'For a few minutes she sat very still, and seemed to be wrestling with
herself like. I never saw a cat more set on controlling its feelings, or
that seemed to suffer more in silence. It made my heart ache to watch
it.
"'At last Bill came to the point where he and the captain between 'em
hold the shark's mouth open while the cabin-boy dives in head foremost,
and fetches up, undigested, the gold watch and chain as the bo'sun was a-
wearing when he fell overboard; and at that the old cat giv'd a screech,
and rolled over on her side with her legs in the air.
"'I thought at first the poor thing was dead, but she rallied after a
bit, and it seemed as though she had braced herself up to hear the thing
out.
"'But a little further on, Bill got too much for her again, and this time
she owned herself beat. She rose up and looked round at us: "You'll
excuse me, gentlemen," she said--leastways that is what she said if looks
go for anything--"maybe you're used to this sort of rubbish, and it don't
get on your nerves. With me it's different. I guess I've heard as much
of this fool's talk as my constitution will stand, and if it's all the
same to you I'll get outside before I'm sick."
"'With that she walked up to the door, and I opened it for her, and she
went out.
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