short story

Tobermory the Cat

One August afternoon, Lady Blemley was in her sitting room. Some of her friends were with her. She liked to have her friends for the weekend. Their names were Miss Resker, Miss Pellington, Mrs Cornett, and Mr Cornelius Appin. Mr Appin was a young man.

He said, "I can teach English to animals."

"Can you?" said Lady Blemley.

"Yes. Your cat, Tobermory, can speak English now."

"No," they all said. "It's not true."

"Yes it is," said Mr Appin.

Lady Blemley said to her husband, "Wilfrid, get Tobermory, please."

Sir Wilfrid went out. He came back without Tobermory .

"It's true!" he said. "Tobermory was on my bed. I said, 'Tobermory, come with me!' And he answered me!"

"He didn't!" they all said.

"He did," said Sir Wilfrid. "He said, 'I'm not ready. Is my milk in the sitting room?' "

Then a girl came into the room with tea. Tobermory came too.

"Good afternoon, Tobermory," said Lady Blemley .

"Where's my milk?" said Tobermory.

Lady Blemley put some milk on the floor for him .

They all looked at him.

"Must you look at me?" he said. "More milk."

Lady Blemley put down some more milk.

Miss Resker said, "Tobermory, can I ask you a question?"

"Must you?"

" Tobermory, do you like me?" said Miss Resker.

"I don't think about you much," said Tobermory. "Sir Wilfrid likes you. I saw you two in the garden this morning."

Miss Resker's face was red. Sir Wilfrid's was, too.

"But you like me, Tobermory," said Miss Pellington .

"Lady Blemley doesn't like you," said Tobermory.

'Tobermory ¡' said Lady Blemley. "She's my old friend!"

"Perhaps," said Tobermory "She's going to buy your car, isn't she? It's no good. Too old, like her."

Lady Blemley's face was red. Miss Pellington's was, too.

"Tobermory," said Mrs Cornett. "Lady Blemley and Sir Wilfrid are buying your food."

"They're buying yours, too," said Tobermory.

"You said, 'I don't like the Blemleys much, but  the food is good.' "

Mrs Cornett's face was red.

"Tobermory," said Sir Wilfrid, "out."

Tobermory looked out of the window.

"Out now," said Sir Wilfrid.

Tobermory went out of the room.

"Mr Appin," said Lady Blemley, "can Tobermory teach how English to all his cat friends?"

"Yes," said Mr Appin.

"Then, Wilfrid, we must...."

"Yes," said Sir Wilfrid. "Tonight."

But Tobermory listened at the door. He went away and didn't come back again. Where is Tobermory now? They don't know. Is he in your house?