Section 188 The Favourite Hares. — II
Immediately commencing carpenter, I built1 them houses to sleep in. Each leveret had a separate apartment, so contrived2 that it could be kept perfectly sweet and clean3. In the daytime4 the animals had the range5 of the hall, and at night6 retired each to his own bed, never intruding into that of another7.
Puss grew presently familiar, would leap8 into my lap, raise himself9 upon his hinder feet, and bite the hair from my temples. He would suffer10 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, that11 they might not molest him (for, like many other wild animals, they persecute12 one of their own species that is sick), and by constant care13, and with a variety of herbs, restored him to perfect health14. No creature could be more grateful than (S. 104, N. 19) my patient after his recovery, a sentiment which he most significantly expressed by licking15 my hand, first the back of it16, then the palm, then every finger separately17, then18 between all the fingers, as if (S. 27, N. 7) anxious to leave no part of it unsaluted; a ceremony19 which he never performed but once again20 upon a similar occasion.
Notes
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.