When Marvin opened the kitchen door, he was surprised to find a cat with a flair for the dramatic.
Little Black stood by the window, gazing at the fiery sunrise on the horizon and spoke in a melancholic tone, "What is the purpose of my life? For what should I die?"
"What is the meaning of a kitty's existence?"
"Beneath a cute appearance, is there danger or purity hidden?"
Marvin glanced at the newspaper spread out on the table and immediately guessed that it had been influenced by the excerpted collection of Shakespeare plays above.
"Ah! Master, you've arrived! Meow! I was wrong! I won't dare again, meow!"
The moment Little Black saw Marvin, all artistic sensibilities and Shakespeare fled from its mind. It rushed to Marvin's feet, sobbing loudly, "Master is so cruel... knowing Little Black is scared of the dark, yet leaving Little Black in the kitchen all night... wuwuwu... without three small fish treats, this matter can't be settled, meow!"
Perhaps feeling that it had mastered the art of looking pitiful, Little Black instantly demonstrated a master class in face-changing, as if it had suffered great injustice.
"Hmph...."
Marvin scoffed, "Keep up that noise and be careful, or I might just castrate you."
"Meow meow meow?!"
Little Black was utterly shocked at the thought... Castration... what sort of cruel punishment was that?!
Without its bits, how could it go out and flirt with the other female cats!
Realizing this, Little Black immediately became completely obedient, not making a peep, let alone bothering about fish treats, for it was clearly more concerned about its bits than the present luxury of the mouth.
That was the long-term plan.
Fat Orange walked by without sparing a glance at it.
"Daddy, what are we having for breakfast?"
Yuniya climbed onto a high stool, looking expectant.
"Canned ham, green peas with buttered bread, plus a cup of Holy Water."
Marvin took out several cans from the cupboard, opened them with a can opener, poured the contents onto plates, and passed the buttered bread to Yuniya, "You must eat your vegetables, get plenty of vitamins. Last night I saw you didn't eat your tomatoes, being a picky eater is not a good habit, mommy doesn't like children who are fussy eaters...."
Despite this, Yuniya still found the green peas hard to swallow when she saw them on her plate. Eventually, when Marvin was engrossed in reading the newspaper, she quietly pushed the green peas towards Fat Orange.
"Good kitty, would you help me eat them...."
Yuniya gave it a kiss.
Fat Orange: "..."
As a carnivorous member of the feline family, Fat Orange's diet consisted mostly of meat and fish, with the occasional indulgence in some catnip, putting it at polar opposites with the undiscriminating Little Black.
If Marvin had asked it to eat green peas, it would have turned up its nose, not giving it a second thought, but...
Facing Yuniya's pleading, the normally aloof Fat Orange...
Finally lowered its noble head.
It wolfed down the green peas and then proceeded to beat up Little Black who kept trying to curry favor with Marvin on the side.
Marvin saw the whole episode.
He said nothing but thought to himself...
Yuniya, blessed with supernatural abilities, seemed as if she could live well even without him.
After breakfast, Marvin put the used dishes into the sink. At 9 o'clock, Mrs. Cecil would come over to clean and light the stove; this was included in the weekly expense of ten shillings.
"Master! Master, don't go, master!"
Little Black followed Marvin eagerly, "Your loving cat is still hungry! Meow!"
"Right, I almost forgot about that...."
As Marvin halted in his steps, Little Black's eyes brightened, "Master, you really do love me, meow! Little Black wants canned mackerel! Fish treats will do too!"
With a sly smile curling his lips, Marvin returned to the kitchen, took a box of mackerel can from the cupboard, opened it...
And placed it before Fat Orange.
Eager Little Black quickly interjected, "Master, the big guy here sorts out his meals outside three times a day, he never eats anything from home, meow!"
"That's right, this is what a good cat should be..." Marvin patted Fat Orange's head, "Never bothering his master, nor calling him a dumbass...."
"..."
"This can is a reward for obedient little kitties. Disobedient kitties get no food and might even get castrated."
"Little Black is obedient! Little Black is the most obedient, meow!"
"Can you promise to never speak in human tongue in front of strangers?"
Marvin finally spoke his mind.
A cat that speaks the human language?
Such a phenomenon was an utter fantasy, and if word got out, it would surely attract the prying eyes of numerous interested parties.
The issue had to be addressed sooner rather than later.
Little Black nodded vigorously, swearing that it wouldn't speak in front of strangers, and only then did Marvin open a can of mackerel for it.
Watching Little Black gobble down the food, Marvin felt himself a truly broad-minded, gentle, and kind-hearted master. Then he donned his hat, wrapped a brown woolen scarf around Yuniya, and stepped out of the house.
8 a.m., South Street, the orphanage.
"I wish you all the best, Priest."
The six Copper Penny 'clinked' as they were pocketed, the driver agilely hopped onto the back of the carriage and drove the Hansom Carriage away.
Unlike Bil Market, South Street was a relatively peaceful area. Although there were many thieves at night targeting drunken folks, it was quite safe during the day.
Marvin took Yuniya's little hand and knocked on the shabby door of the orphanage.
"Daddy, what is an orphanage?"
As they waited for someone to open the door, Yuniya, dressed in a white gown, curiously examined the decrepit building before her, tightly clutching Marvin's hand without leaving his side.
"An orphanage is a place that takes in orphans."