Seeing that I had made a mistake, I stared again at the table napkin, wondering what I was to do with it. Then I had an idea. I rolled it up and made a necktie for myself. More laughter from the General. Another fall from Capi, his paws in the air. Then, finally overcome with exasperation, the General dragged me from the chair, seated himself at my place, and ate up the meal that had been prepared for me. Ah! he knew how to use a table napkin! How gracefully he tucked it into his uniform, and spread it out upon his knees. And with what an elegant air he broke his bread and emptied his glass! The climax was reached when, luncheon over, he asked for a toothpick, which he quickly passed between his teeth. At this, applause broke out on all sides, and the performance ended triumphantly. What a fool of a servant and what a wonderful monkey! On our way back to the inn Vitalis complimented me, and I was already such a good comedian that I appreciated this praise from my master. CHAPTER VII CHILD AND ANIMAL LEARNING Vitalis' small group of actors were certainly very clever, but their talent was not very versatile. For this reason we were not able to remain long in the same town. Three days after our arrival in Ussel we were on our way again. Where were we going? I had grown bold enough to put this question to my master. "Do you know this part of the country?" he asked, looking at me. "No." "Then why do you ask where we are going?" "So as to know." "To know what?" I was silent. "Do you know how to read?" he asked, after looking thoughtfully at me for a moment. "No." "Then I'll teach you from a book the names and all about the towns through which we travel. It will be like having a story told to you." I had been brought up in utter ignorance. True, I had been sent to the village school for one month, but during this month I had never once had a book in my hand. At the time of which I write, there were many villages in France that did not even boast of a school, and in some, where there was a schoolmaster, either he knew nothing, or he had some other occupation and could give little attention to the children confided to his care. This was the case with the master of our village school. I do not mean to say that he was ignorant, but during the month that I attended his school, he did not give us one single lesson. He had something else to do. By trade he was a shoe-maker, or rather, a clog maker, for no one bought shoes from him. He sat at his bench all day, shaving pieces of beech wood into clogs. So I learnt absolutely nothing at school, not even my alphabet. "Is it difficult to read?" I asked, after we had walked some time in silence. "Have you got a hard head?" "I don't know, but I'd like to learn if you'll teach me." "Well, we'll see about that. We've plenty of time ahead of us."