She knew quite well that she must not harm the parrot nor the canaries, and she never tried to catch them, even though she was left alone in the room with them.
I have seen her lying in the sun, blinking sleepily, and listening with great pleasure to Dick's singing.

Miss Laura even taught her not to hunt the birds outside.
For a long time she had tried to get it into Malta's head that it was cruel to catch the little sparrows that came about the door, and just after I came, she succeeded in doing so, Malta was so fond of Miss Laura, that whenever she caught a bird, she came and laid it at her feet.

Miss Laura always picked up the little, dead creature, pitied it and stroked it, and scolded Malta till she crept into a corner.

Then Miss Laura put the bird on a limb of a tree, and Malta watched her attentively from her corner.
One day Miss Laura stood at the window, looking out into the garden.
Malta was lying on the platform, staring at the sparrows that were picking up crumbs from the ground.

She trembled, and half rose every few minutes, as if to go after them.