Tobermory the Talking Cat on The Literary Catcast Podcast (15 minute full episode)
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Do you really ask us to believe a serial food was saying that you have discovered a means for instructing animals in the art of human speech? And that dear old TOBA Murray has proved your first successful people. It is a problem, it which I have worked for the last 17 years, said Mr App in the Tenley. During the last eight or nine months have I've been rewarded with glimmerings of success. Of course, I have experimented with thousands of animals, but latterly only with cats, those wonderful creatures which have assimilated themselves so marvelously with our civilization while retaining other highly developed feral instincts here and there. Among cats, one comes across an outstanding superior intellect. Justice one does among the relic of human beings. And when I made the acquaintance of Tobermory a week ago, I saw it once. The tie wasn't contact with a beyond cat of extraordinary intelligence. I had gone far along the road to success in recent experiments with Tobermory is you call him. I have reached the goal. That's from the Edwardian era short story Tobermory by Hector Fuego. Munroe, born 18 70 died 1916. It's also known by the pen name sake. Welcome to the literary cat Cast a podcast that brings you vintage books that feature cats as main characters in the writing. I'm your host, Phoebe Phillips. With the release of downtown Abbey's movie, it seems appropriate to bring you a piece from the Edwardian era. So for this episode, I want you to envision a scene from the Abbey your they're walking through the formal dining room, drawing rooms, the library sterling silver polished crystal gleaming, each room filled with flowers fragrant from the estate. Gardens. Residents and guests sit with their backs, straightest boards and perfect posture, manners and protocol worn only as a second skin and thin. There's the cat. Tobermory, recently taught to talk by Mr App in Toby as he's finally called, doesn't speak in childish jibber. He's accomplished in both his language and observational skills. Out of the mouth of babes and this story, it's out of the mouth of the cat. This era covers the brief reign of Queen Victoria's son, Edward, Prince of whales, who became King Edward, the seventh at the time of her death in January 1901 Hence time goes from the Victorian era to the A Gordian era. King Edward had a brief reign from 1901 to 1910 although the period is considered not have ended in 1910 at his death. But at the outbreak of the first World War in 1914 as is true and downtown Abbey this period loved the luxuries of life, Formality was not saved for special occasions, it was daily. The author Hector Hugo Monroe HH, whom I refer to buys pin name sake for the rest of this podcast, was a British author whose writings sad, arised, Edwardian society and culture. He was considered a master at the short story at the start of the first World War. Monroe was 43 years old and officially over age to enlist, but he did so anyway and joined us. An ordinary trooper. He later rose to the rank of lance sergeant more than once. He returned to the battlefield when officially still too old, too sick or injured. In November 1916 he was sheltering in a shell crater in France when he was killed by a German sniper. After his death, his sister Ethel destroyed most of his papers. Tobermory was written in 1911. It's a masterpiece short story, Sad arising the pretentious nous and stupidity of Edwardian high society. And this story, a man named Cornelius App in has taught the blend lease cat Tobermory to talk. The guests are given more than they planned as he reveals their affairs, gossip and their dimwitted nous. At a House party in late August, Mr App in is invited us one of the guests to prove to high society that Tobermory is his first successful people. The party guests are in disbelief that a cat can talk, even comprehend simple sentences. As the guests await, Sir Wilford Brimley goes off in search of the cat. He finds him in another room. In a minute, Serb Lynley is back, exasperated with excitement. By God, it's true, he declares. I found him dozing in the smoking room and called out to him to come for his tea. He blinked at me in his usual way, and I said, Come on, Toby, don't keep us waiting! And by God, he drawled out in the most horrible natural voice that he had come when he dashed well, pleased. I nearly jumped out of my skin, said Serb Linley in the midst of this clan, er Tobermory entered the rim and made his way with velvet tread and studied unconcern across to the group seated round the tea table. A sudden hush of awkwardness and constraint fell on the company. Somehow there seemed an element of embarrassment in addressing on equal terms. A domestic cat ended that I bring you the cat cast. I'm only going to read a small portion to pique your interest. There are many beautiful readings on YouTube by British actors, so I cannot do it proper justice to find these actors, go to YouTube and type in Tobermory sake. T o b e r m o r y Tobermory sake s a k I. The story is told in about 18 minutes. Now I couldn't hear my tea kettle and my cat Harold is close by, so it means it's time for the cat cast story. Well, you have some milk Tobermory ask lady blandly and a rather strained voice. I don't mind if I do. Was the response couched in a tone of indifference. A shiver of suppressed excitement went through the listeners and lady blame. Lee might be excused for pouring out of the saucer full of milk, rather Unsteadily. I'm afraid of spelt a good deal of it, she said apologetically. After all, it's not my axe. Minster was Teva Nori's rejoinder. Another silence fell on the group, and then Miss Rescuer and her best district visitor manner. Ask if the human language had been difficult toe learn Tober. Moray looked squarely at her for a moment and then fixed his *** serenely on the middle distance. It was obvious that boring questions lay outside his scheme of life. What do you think of human intelligence? Ask Mavis Pellington, lamely of whose intelligence in particular asked Tobermory and coldly. Oh, well, uh, mine mine, For instance, said Mavis with a feeble laugh. You put me in an embarrassing position, said Tobermory, whose tone and attitude certainly did not suggest a shred of embarrassment. When you're inclusion in this House, party was suggested, Sir Wilfred protested that you were the most brainless woman of his acquaintance, and that there was a wide distinction between hospitality and the care of the feebleminded. Lady blame, Lee replied that your lack of brain power was the precise quality which had earned you your invitation as you are the only person she could think of who might be idiotic enough to buy their old car. You know, the one they call the envy of CIS office, because it goes quite nicely uphill, if you push it lady blend. Lease protestations would have had greater effect if she had not casually suggested to Mavis only that morning that the car in question would be just the thing she needed down at her Devonshire home, Major bar filled, plunged in heavily to affect a diversion. How about your carryings on with the tortoiseshell? Puts up with stables, eh? The moment he had said it, everyone realize the blunder. One does not usually discuss these matters in public, said Tobermory frigidly from a slight observation of your ways. Since you've been in this house, I should imagine you'd find it inconvenient if I were to shift the conversation onto your own little affairs. The panic, which ensued was not confined to the major. Would you like to go see if Cook has your dinner ready? Ask lady, blandly hurriedly affecting to ignore the fact that it was at least two hours to Tober Mori's dinner time. Thanks, said Tobermory, not quite so soon after my tea. I don't want to die of indigestion. Pots of nine lives, you know, said Sir Wilfred Heartily possibly answered Tobermory, But only one liver Adelaide, said Mrs Cornett. Do you mean to encourage that cat to go out and gossip about us? In the servants hall, the panic had indeed become general. A narrow ornamental bolus straight ran in front of most of the bedroom windows at the towers. Then it was recalled with dismay that this had formed a favorite promenade for Tobermory at all hours when she could watch the pigeons and haven't knew what else. Besides, if he intended to become reminiscent and his present outspoken strange, the effect would be something more than disconcerting. Mrs. Cornett has spent much time at her toilet table and whose complexion was reputed to be of a nomadic, though punctual disposition, looked as ill. It eases the major Miss Scroll and who wrote fiercely sensuous poetry and led a blameless life, nearly displayed irritation. If you are methodical in virtuous and private, you don't necessarily want everyone to know it. Burti van Thanh, who was so depraved at 17 that he had long ago given up trying to be any worse, turned a dull shade of gardenia wide. But he did not commit the error of dashing out of the room. Like Odo Finsbury, a young gentleman who was understood to be reading for the church and who was possibly disturbed at the thought of scandals he might hear concerning other people. Clovis had the presence of mind to maintain a composed exterior. Privately, he was calculating how long it would take to procure a box of fancy mice through the agency of Exchange and Mart as a species of hush money, even in a delicate situation like the present Agnes rescuer cannot endure to remain too long in the background. Why did I ever come down here? She asked Dramatically. Tube of Mori immediately accepted the opening. Judging by what you said to Mrs Cornett on the croquet lawn yesterday, you were out for food. You describe the blend Liza's the dullest people to stay with that you knew, but said they were clever enough to employ a first rate cook. Otherwise, that find it difficult to get anyone to come down a second time. There's not a word of truth in it. I appeal to, Mrs Cornett! Exclaimed the discomfited Agnes. Mrs. Cornett repeated your remark afterwards to Birdie. Van Thanh continued Tobermory and said, That woman is a regular hunger marcher should go anywhere for four square meals a day on Dvir TBA, Anton said. At this point, the Chronicle mercifully ceased. Tobermory had caught a glimpse of the big yellow Tom from the rectory, working his way through the shrubbery towards the stable wing. In a flash, he had vanished through the open French window. With the disappearance of his two brilliant people, Cornelius Happen found himself beset by hurricane of bitter up rating, an anxious inquiry. They were frightened. The responsibility for the situation lay with him, and he must prevent matters from becoming worse. Could Tobermory impart his dangerous gift? Other cats was the first question he had to answer. It was possible, he replied, that he might have initiated his intimate friend. The stable put us into his new accomplishment that it was unlikely that his teaching could have taken a wider range is of yet. And with that, I end the reading of Tobermory and you can continue it on YouTube. Just put in Tobermory sake and you will hear wonderful British actors. The literary cat cast is recorded in my Holland Avenue studio in Dallas, Texas. It is my great joy to bring you this podcast, and we can stay in touch in two ways. On Facebook, at the page of the literary cat cast podcast and on Instagram, where you can see all of the cats that voice the episodes, it's addresses the literary cat cast podcast, Underscore Cats and now stay for the final Sound of the Cats. Thanks for listening. I'll see you next time.