The Man Who Laughs


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the love of a wolf is more rare.  
Hence it was that Homo sufficed for Ursus. Homo was for Ursus more than  
a companion, he was an analogue. Ursus used to pat the wolf's empty  
ribs, saying: "I have found the second volume of myself!" Again he  
said, "When I am dead, any one wishing to know me need only study Homo.  
I shall leave a true copy behind me."  
The English law, not very lenient to beasts of the forest, might have  
picked a quarrel with the wolf, and have put him to trouble for his  
assurance in going freely about the towns: but Homo took advantage of  
the immunity granted by a statute of Edward IV. to servants: "Every  
servant in attendance on his master is free to come and go." Besides, a  
certain relaxation of the law had resulted with regard to wolves, in  
consequence of its being the fashion of the ladies of the Court, under  
the later Stuarts, to have, instead of dogs, little wolves, called  
adives, about the size of cats, which were brought from Asia at great  
cost.  
Ursus had communicated to Homo a portion of his talents: such as to  
stand upright, to restrain his rage into sulkiness, to growl instead of  
howling, etc.; and on his part, the wolf had taught the man what he  
knew--to do without a roof, without bread and fire, to prefer hunger in  
the woods to slavery in a palace.  
The van, hut, and vehicle in one, which traversed so many different  
roads, without, however, leaving Great Britain, had four wheels, with  
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