went round and round, restlessly, without stopping for
more than an instant at a time.

"Poor fellow, poor fellow!" was again Matilda's outcry. "He keeps doing
that all the time, Norton; see the places where his nose rubs."

"Don't say 'poor fellow' about a wolf," said Norton.

"Why not? He is only an animal."

"He is a wicked animal."

"Why Norton, he don't know any better than to be wicked. Do you think
some animals are really worse than others?"

"I'm certain of it," said Norton.

"But they only do what it is their nature to do."

"Yes, and different animals have different natures. Now look at that
wolf's eyes; see what cruel, sly, bad eyes they are. Think what
beautiful eyes a horse has; a good horse."

"And sheep have beautiful eyes," said Matilda.

"And pigs have little, ugly, dirty eyes; mean and wicked too. You need
not laugh; it is true."

"I don't know how pigs' eyes look," said Matilda. "But it is very
curious. For of course _they_ do not know any better; so how should
they be wicked? Those tigers, they looked as if they hadn't any heart
at all. Don't you think a dog has a heart, Norton?"

Norton laughed, and pulled her on to a cage at a little distance from
the wolf, where there were a party of monkeys. And next door to them
was a small ape in a cell alone. Matilda forgot everything else here.
These creatures were so inimitably odd, sly and comical; had such an
air of knowing what they were about, and expecting you to understand it
too; looking at you as though they could take you into their
confidence, if it were worth while; it was impossible to get away from
them. Norton had some nuts in his pocket; with these he and the monkeys
made great game; while the little ape raked in the straw litter of his
cage to find any stray seeds or bits of food which might have sifted
down through it to the floor, managing his long hand-like paw as
gracefully as the most elegant lady could move her dainty fingers.
Matilda and Norton staid with the monkeys, till the feeding hour had
arrived; then Norton hurried back to the tigers. A man was coming the
rounds with a basket full of great joints of raw meat; and it was
notable to see how carefully he had to manage to let the tiger have his
piece before the tigress got hers. He watched and waited, till he got a
chance to thrust the meat into the cage at the end where the tiger's
paw would the next instant be.

"Why?" Matilda asked Norton.

"There'd be an awful