"Puss passer-by, within this simple tomb
Lies one whose life fell Atropos hath shred;
The happiest cat on earth hath heard his doom,
And sleeps forever in a marble bed.
Alas! what long delicious days I've seen!
O cats of Egypt, my illustrious sires,
You who on altars, bound with garlands green,
Have melted hearts, and kindled fond desires;
Hymns in your praise were paid, and offerings too,
But I'm not jealous of those rites divine;
Since Ludovisa loved me, fond and true.
Your ancient glory was less proud than mine.
To live, a simple pussy, by her side,
Was nobler far than to be deified."
From Moncrif, too, we learn of Tata, the cat of Mme. la Marquise de Montglas; and of Dom Gris, the cat of Mme. la Duchesse de Béthune; and of the incomparable Ménine, "morte vierge au printemps de la vie," whom the young Duchesse de Lesdiguières cherished and lost.
"Ménine, qui jamais ne connut de Ménin,
Et qui fut, de son temps, des Chattes la Lucrèce;
Chatte pour tout le monde, et, pour les Chats, Tigresse."
When this fair Amazon died, Mme. de Lesdiguières built over the little corpse a noble mausoleum, with a marble pussy sleeping upon a marble pillow, whereon was engraved the following courtly epitaph:
"Ci git une Chatte jolie:
Sa Maitresse qui n'aima rien,
L'aima jusque à la folie;
Pourquoi le dire? On le voit bien."
