A bird who
takes his exercise indoors!
CHANTECLER
You must own he is intelligent!
PATOU
[_In a longer, more hesitant growl._] Ye-e-e-es! But not so very! For
his eye never brightens with wonder and admiration. He preserves before
the flower--of whose stalk he sees more than of its chalice--the glance
which deflowers, the tone which depreciates!
CHANTECLER
Taste, my dear fellow, he unmistakably has!
PATOU
Ye-e-e-es! But not much taste! To wear black is too easy a way of having
taste! One should have the courage of colours on his wing.
CHANTECLER
You will admit at least that he has an original fancy. No denying that
he is amusing.
PATOU
Ye-e-es--No! Why is it amusing to adopt a few stock phrases and make
them do service at every turn? Why amusing to miscall, exaggerate, and
vulgarise?
CHANTECLER
His mind has a diverting, unexpected turn--
PATOU
Ready but cheap! I cannot think it particularly brilliant to remark,
with a knowing wink, at sight of an innocent cow at pasture, "The simple
cow knows her way to the hay!" Nor do I regard it as evidence of notable
mental gifts to answer the greeting of the inoffensive duck, "The quack
shoots off his mouth!" No, the extravagances of that Blackbird, who
makes me bristle, no more constitute wit than his slang achieves style!
CHANTECLER
He is not altogether to blame. He wears the modern garb. See him there
in correct evening dress.
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