onquer
a fortress, and the smallest intelligence from within is often more
efficacious than the most terrible machines of war, D'Harmental resolved
to commence opening communications with the greyhound; and with the most
caressing tone he could give to his voice, he called Mirza. Mirza, who
was indolently lying on the cushion, raised her head quickly, with an
expression of unmistakable astonishment; and, indeed, it must have
appeared strange to the intelligent little animal, that a man so
perfectly unknown to her as the chevalier should address her by her
Christian name. She contented herself with fixing on him her uneasy
eyes, which, in the half-light where she was placed, sparkled like two
carbuncles, and uttering a little dull sound which might pass for a
growl.

D'Harmental remembered that the Marquis d'Uxelle had tamed the spaniel
of Mademoiselle Choin, which was a much more peevish beast than any
greyhound in the world, with roast rabbits' heads; and that he had
received for this delicate attention the baton of Marechal de France;
and he did not despair of being able to soften by the same kind of
attention the surly reception which Mademoiselle Mirza had given to his
advances: so he went toward the sugar-basin; then returned to the
window, armed with two pieces of sugar, large enough to be divided ad
infinitum.

The chevalier was not mistaken; at the first piece of sugar which fell
near her, Mirza negligently advanced her head; then, being by the aid of
smell made aware of the nature of the temptation offered to her, she
extended her paw toward it, drew it toward her, took it in her teeth,
and began to eat it with that languid air peculiar to the race to which
she belonged. This operation finished, she passed over her mouth a
little red tongue, which showed, that in spite of her apparent
indifference, which was owing, no doubt, to her excellent education, she
was not insensible to the surprise her neighbor had prepared for her;
instead of lying down again on the cushion as she had done the first
time, she remained seated, yawning languidly, but wagging her tail, to
show that she would wake entirely, after two or three such little
attentions as she had just had paid to her.

D'Harmental, who was well acquainted with the habits of all the King
Charles' dogs of the pretty women of the day, understood the amiable
intentions of Mirza, and not wishing to give her time to change her
mind, threw a second piece of suga