She had made up her mind to stay where she was, and it is very hard, indeed, to make a cat change its mind when it is once made up.
So she moved about gently, from one place to the other, purring softly and looking as mild as milk, her blue eye--for real Persian cats often have their eyes of different colours and one of them is always blue--ever so friendly, as if she were just longing to be picked up.
Only the very tip of her bushy tail swayed a little, and that is a sure sign that a cat is contrary.

And contrary Down was.

The very instant any one tried to pick her up--why! she was somewhere else! Head-nurse ere long joined in the chase, saying all the rest didn't understand cats.

But she soon lost patience and declaring that she had never been done by a dumb animal yet, started capture by force.

A circle was formed round the point where Down sat blinking in the sunlight, and shawls and veils were held up to make it complete.