and horror was ludicrous to behold.
Besides, he did not go.

Through Sigurd our circle of fellowship was widened for all time. Here
we had been living on, half stifled in biped society, well-nigh unaware
of the jubilant dog world bounding about our feet, but in a few months
our own collie had made us acquainted with a democratic variety of
canine types. And still I would almost rather meet a new dog than a new
poet. A certain Norwegian lake is twice as dear to memory for the
courteous Great Dane that did the honors of the bank and shared our tea
cakes there; the only duchess to whose boudoir, at the heart of a
frowning Border castle, we were ever invited, impressed us less than
the three pompous poodles, their snowy curls so absurdly like her own,
that squatted on the edges of her flowing heliotrope morning-gown and
were simultaneously upset whenever one of her Ladyship's energetic
impulses brought her to her feet.

Sigurd's acquaintances were legion. To only a few may space be given
here. There was Teddy, a black spaniel who aspired to the high standard
of manners held by his master, a retired army officer, and, following
example, would punctiliously rise as ladies entered or left the room.
There were twin dachshunds, who daily drove abroad in a limousine and
enraged Sigurd by looking down on him, short-legged that they were,
from the window opened hardly wide enough to let them thrust their
black noses through the crack. There was the lean, forlorn old hound
whom all the dog-clubs blackballed and who, in consequence, had to
satiate his yearning for fellowship by keeping company with the
minister's cow. Every summer morning a silver-headed saint whose pulpit
labors were done escorted his Mulley down our hill and tethered her in
the broad green pasture below. At a respectful distance would follow
the homeless hound, who had picked up during the night what sustenance
he could from the neighborhood garbage pails. And hard of heart we
deemed that neatest of our housewives who, to keep his meddling muzzle
away, used to scatter a profusion of red pepper over her garbage. All
day long the hound would stay in the meadow close to the cow, who,
uneasy at first under his attentions, came to accept them with bovine
placidity. Indeed, there was, we thought, a certain coquetry in her
carriage as, a person of importance, she came sedately stepping up the
hill at sunset, the old clergyman on one side and the old dog on the
other. He