'Good day,' said the keeper to him, 'here's a pair of boots for you! put
outside the door to be blacked every morning, for five francs a day.
It's the dearest job I ever undertook...and the boots are ungrateful!
Here, Pierre,' he continued to the man who helped him, 'he shines
enough; take away the breshes, and bring me the sand-paper to rub up his
tusks. Talk about polished beasts! I believe, myself, that we beat all
other shows to pieces on this 'ere point. Some beasts are more knowing
than others; for example, them monkeys in that cage there. Give that big
fool of a shimpanzy that bresh, Pierre, and let the gentleman see him
operate on tother monkeys.'

Pierre gave the large monkey a brush, and, to Caper's astonishment, he
saw the animal seize it with one paw, then springing forward, catch a
small monkey with the other paw, and holding him down, in spite of his
struggles, administer so complete a brushing over his entire body that
every hair received a touch. The other monkeys in the cage were in the
wildest state of excitement, evidently knowing from experience that they
would all have to pass under the large one's hands; and when he had
given a final polish to the small one, he commenced a vigorous chase for
his mate, an aged female, who, evidently disliking the ordeal, commenced
a series of ground and lofty tumblings that would have made the fortune
of even the distinguished--Léotard. In vain: after a prolonged chase, in
which the inhabitants of the cage flew round so fast that it appeared to
be full of flying legs, tails, and fur, the large monkey seized the
female and, regardless of her attempts to liberate herself, he brushed
her from head to foot, to the great delight of a Swiss soldier, an
infantry corporal, who had entered the menagerie a few minutes before
the grand hunt commenced.