The Cat Who Knew Shakespeare, Braun, Lilian J.
Vocal Characteristics
Language
EnglishVoice Age
Middle Aged (35-54)Accents
North American (General)Transcript
Note: Transcripts are generated using speech recognition software and may contain errors.
the Cat Who Knew Shakespeare by Lilian Jackson Braun. Chapter one then moves county 400 miles north of everywhere. It always starts to snow in November, and it snows and snows and snows first. All the front steps disappear under two feet of snow, then shrubs and fences are no longer visible. Utility poles keep getting shorter until the lines are low enough for limbo dancing. Listening to the hourly weather reports on the radio is everyone's winter hobby and moose County and snowplowing becomes the chief industry. Plows and blowers throw up mountains of white that hide whole buildings and require the occupants to tunnel through to the street in Pickax City, the county seat, it's not unusual to see cross country skis in the downtown shopping area if the airport closes down and it often does moves. County is an island of snow and ice. It all starts in November with a storm that the residents call the Big One. On the evening of November 5th, Jim Quill Aerin was relaxing in his comfortable library on the In the company of friends, a mood of contentment prevailed. They had dined well, the housekeeper having prepared clam chowder and a scallop is a veal chasm Here. The houseman had piled fragrant logs of apple wood in the fireplace, and the blaze projected dancing highlights on the leather bound books that filled four walls of library shelves. From softly shaded lamps came a golden glow that warmed the leather furniture and baccarat rugs. Quil Aerin, a large middle aged man with a bushy mustache, Saturn his antique English desk and tuned in to the nine o'clock weather report on the radio, one of the numerous small portables deployed about the house for this purpose colder tonight, with lows about 25 degrees, the P hit WPK X meteorologists predicted high winds and a good chance of snow. Tonight and tomorrow, Quillen slipped off the radio. If you guys don't object, he said to the other two, I'd like to leave town for a few days. It's six months since my last trip down below, and my cronies at the newspaper think I'm dead. Mrs. Kabul serve you your meals and I'll be back before the snow flies. I hope. Just keep your paws crossed. Four. Brown, a year's swivelled alertly at the announcement to brown masks with long white whiskers and incredibly blue eyes turned away from the blazing logs and toward the man seated at the desk. The more you talk to cats, Quill Aerin had been told, the smarter they become on occasional nice kitty will have no measurable effect. Intelligent conversation is required. The system he had found seemed to be working. The pair of Siamese on the hearth rug reacted as if they knew exactly what he was saying. Yum Yum! The affectionate little female gazed at him with an expression that looked like reproach. Cocoa, the handsome and muscular male rows from the spot where he had been lounging in via nine Majesty walked stiffly to the desk and scolded with earsplitting owls. Now oh, I was expecting a little more understanding and consideration, the man told them. Quillon, at the age of 50 or so, was coping with a unique midlife crisis. After a lifetime of living in large metropolitan areas, he was now a resident of Pickaxe City, population 3000 after a career of a hard work aching journalist getting by with a modest salary. He was now a millionaire or billionaire. He was not quite sure. At any rate, he was the sole heir to the clinging Shane fortune. Founded in Moose County in the 19th century. The bequest included a mansion on Main Street, a staff of three, a four car garage and a limousine. Even after a year or more, he found his new lifestyle strange. As a newsman, he had been concerned chiefly with getting the story, checking the fax, meeting the deadline and protecting his sources. Now, his chief concern, like that of every other moves county adult, seem to be the weather, especially in November.