has purchased the mansion and its appurtenances but does not wish to
disturb the sitting tenants. It is his duty to sea that the premises are
properly cared for, but for the present he has no desire to take
possession. It is beautiful weather and the simple life out-of-doors
contents him.

He is a brown rat. I write of his sex with confidence because his urbanity
is that of a polished gentleman of the world; no feminine creature could
ever display it. A female rat who had bought the house would eagerly try to
get in and drive us forth. But not so my rat. He discharges the function of
a landlord as considerately as he can; after all, even a landlord must be
allowed the rights of inspection of his own property.

At first I regarded him as merely an ordinary intrusive brown rat. I laid
down poisonous pills composed of barium carbonate and flour. He did not
take offence; he understood our human limitations. He showed by a jaunty
cock of the eye that all to understand is all to pardon. His daily visits
continued without abatement.

It has been suggested to me that we should await his regular calls with
dogs, blood-thirsty terriers. I cannot take so scurvy an advantage of his
confidence.

* * * * *

I have sinned. The fault is less mine than that of the High Court of
Parliament. I was bidden to study the penalties laid down for those who do
not proceed to the destruction of their rats. When I weighed my landlord
rat against five treasury notes I confess that in an hour of meanness I
permitted the notes to tip the scale. I prepared phosphor paste and laid a