His keeper brought him some
sweetened apple and water, and some tea; for the monkey had quite lost
his appetite, and refused all ordinary diet. He came, however, quite
eagerly, and smelt of the tea and apple, the keeper exhorting him very
tenderly to eat. But the poor monkey shook his head slowly, and with the
most pitiable expression, at the same time extending his hand to take the
keeper's, as if claiming his sympathy and friendship. By and by the
keeper (who is rather a surly fellow) essayed harsher measures, and
insisted that the monkey should eat what had been brought for him, and
hereupon ensued somewhat of a struggle, and the tea was overturned upon
the straw of the bed. Then the keeper scolded him, and, seizing him by
one arm, drew him out of his little bedroom into the larger cage, upon
which the wronged monkey began a loud, dissonant, reproachful chatter,
more expressive of a sense of injury than any words could be.
Observing the spectators in front of the cage, he seemed to appeal to
them, and addressed his chatter thitherward, and stretched out his long,
lean arm and black hand between the bars, as if claiming the grasp of any
one friend he might have in the whole world. He was placable, however;
for when the keeper called him in a gentler tone, he hobbled towards him
with a very stiff and rusty movement, and the scene closed with their
affectionately hugging one another.
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