Page 28 - Fables volume 1

How the Cats Took Care of Complaints

Fiedler swiveled around to the desk and began stuffing tobacco into
a short briar pipe. “Oh,” he said offhandedly, “I haven’t been in touch
with him personally for quite some time. But I heard about it, so to
speak, through the grapevine.”
And Fiedler smiled and glanced down at the carpet between the two
men. Bertrand followed his gaze, and noticed for the first time a small
black cat sitting on its haunches. It must have some percentage of
Korat in it, Bertrand observed, with those long legs and big ears. The
cat had been looking at Fiedler, but swung its head around to regard
Bertrand intently when he began to speak.
“Well, ah, be that as it may, I have taken over his desk, and in
clearing up the loose papers he left behind, I found a few things I felt
it was my responsibility to follow up on.”
He did not meet the eyes of Fiedler—or of the cat—after those
words, but rather busied himself with opening his briefcase.
“Though not the tidiest man, Mr. Sorenson did keep almost
everything that came to him, even when he took no action. I found
these—” he brandished a bulging document folder—“stuffed way in
the back of his top drawer. The oldest dates back four years. The most
recent—well, here it is, received only three months ago.”
Bertrand snapped his briefcase closed and looked across at Fiedler,
who had gotten his pipe going.
“And what is the nature of these documents, if I may ask?” he said,
his features obscured briefly by a pungent puff of smoke.
“They are complaints, sir,” replied Bertrand stiffly, “received from
neighbors who charge that you are mistreating animals—cats,
specifically. And cats are all that I have seen here. I know,” he added
hastily, “that you are outside the city limits and there is no law against
you keeping as many animals as you like. But if you are harming any of
them, it is well within the jurisdiction of the Society—”
Fiedler held up his hand, silencing the other man.
“Please, Mr. Bertrand, please. Before we get into these
accusations—which I assure you are completely false, and let me
assure you that I share your concern for the well-being of our fellow-
creatures—first let me tell you about the foundation. Perhaps while
we are talking, some of the cats will come in and show you for
yourself that they are in excellent condition. Mrr-mrr waorr.”

27