After some considerable amount of bargaining (in which amusing,
sometimes animated, not to say exciting exhibition of talent, Englishmen
generally get worsted by the Frenchmen, as was the case in the present
instance), Jacko became transferred, chain, tail and all, to his new
English master. Having arrived at the hotel, it became a question as to
what was to become of Jacko while his master was absent from home. A
little closet, opening into the wall of the bedroom, offered itself as a
temporary prison. Jacko was tied up _securely_--alas! how vain are the
thoughts of man!--to one of the row of pegs that were fastened against
the wall. As the door closed on him his wicked eyes seemed to say, "I'll
do some mischief now;" and sure enough he did, for when I came back to
release him, like Æneas,
"Obstupni, steteruntque comæ et vox fancibus hæsit[5]."
[Footnote 5:
"Aghast, astonished, and struck dumb with fear,
I stood; like bristles rose my stiffened hair."--DRYDEN.
]
The walls, that but half an hour previously were covered with a finely
ornamented paper, now stood out in the bold nakedness of lath and
plaster; the relics on the floor showed that the little wretch's fingers
had by no means been idle. The pegs were all loosened, the individual
peg to which his chain had been fastened, torn completely from its
socket, that the destroyer's movements might not be impeded, and an
unfortunate garment that happened to be hung up in the closet was torn
to a thousand shreds. If ever Jack Sheppard had a successor, it was this
monkey. If he had tied the torn bits of petticoat together and tried to
make his escape from the window, I don't think I should have been much
surprised....
It was, after Jacko's misdeeds, quite evident that he must no longer be
allowed full liberty; and a lawyer's blue bag, such as may be frequently
seen in the dreaded neighborhood of the Court of Chancery,--filled,
however, more frequently with papers and parchment than with
monkeys,--was provided for him; and this receptacle, with some hay
placed at the bottom for a bed, became his new abode. It was a movable
home, and therein lay the advantage; for when the strings of it were
tied there was no mode of escape. He could not get his hands through the
aperture at the end to unfasten them, the bag was too strong for him to
bite his way through, and his ineffectual efforts to get out only had
the effect of making the bag roll along the floor, and occasionally make
a jump up into the air; forming altogether an exhibition which if
advertised in the present day of wonders as "le bag vivant," would
attract crowds of delighted and admiring citizens.
In the bag aforesaid he traveled as far as Southampton on his road to
town. While taking the ticket at the railway station, Jacko, who must
needs see everything that was going on, suddenly poked his head out of
the bag and gave a malicious grin at the ticket-giver. This much
frightened the poor man, but with great presence of mind,--quite
astonishing under the circumstances,--he retaliated the insult: "Sir,
that's a dog; you must pay for it accordingly." In vain was the monkey
made to come out of the bag and exhibit his whole person; in vain were
arguments in full accordance with the views of Cuvier and Owen urged
eagerly, vehemently, and without hesitation (for the train was on the
point of starting), to prove that the animal in question was not a dog,
but a monkey. A dog it was in the peculiar views of the official, and
three-and-sixpence was paid. Thinking to carry the joke further (there
were just a few minutes to spare), I took out from my pocket a live
tortoise I happened to have with me, and showing it, said, "What must I
pay for this, as you charge for _all_ animals?" The employé adjusted his
specs, withdrew from the desk to consult with his superior; then
returning, gave the verdict with a grave but determined manner, "No
charge for them, sir: them be insects."