Every eye was strained to the wing. And here, with a sort of joyous canter, his mouth open, and a great red tongue lolling good humouredly out, as the habit of Newfoundland dogs is, entered the renowned dog Cæsar.
At last! Splendid creature, so noble, so grand, so massive. Black and white all over, shaggy, with his tail in a hairy and insolent cornucopia, and his hair, ears, and general person, swinging about him as he walked. We burst into a tumult of delight as he jogged across, utterly indifferent to the lights and intelligent audience who were regarding his movements, and, oh! wonder of wonders, reared himself on his hind-legs at the green gate, took a cord in his mouth, and rang the bell – at least appeared to perform that function. For how were we to know that the cord had been artfully rubbed with some substance of a rich and savoury nature (it may have been dripping), or that the bell was rung behind, by no other hand than that of his master, the wicked Lesparre! But wait. There was more to come.

[ A servant opens the door of the stage cottage, a candle in her hand. ]

The faithful and intelligent animal (on unseen invitation from the base Lesparre) seizes the familiar candlestick in his mouth, and ambles off with it (still lighted), all his coat swinging and shaking about him. Just at the end he stops a second (the base Lesparre has got round in time) and looks round over his shoulder by way of invitation, which motion has set the candle all awry, and has nearly lighted up his own tail – and then exit. Delightful creature!

Already there is an air of triumphant villany on his [Lesparre's] lips; when hark! once more to the familiar note at the side. The officers of the court look out anxiously in that direction; a lane is opened; and in comes, bounding, scampering, and his great red mouth opened with frightful ferocity, the noble DOG, making straight for the wretched criminal. The wretched criminal was seen to lift his two hands to his throat, no doubt for its protection (but in the days of later scepticism I knew it was actual invitation to the animal to attach itself promptly), and then followed a most distressing scene. The wretched criminal, when he found the dog was securely fixed in his handkerchief, sloped his back inward, held his arms out, as if in the natural agony of the moment, and began to turn round and round. The noble dog held on firmly, and by the motion was swung out in the air. Rounds of tumultuous applause from all sides. Still, strange to say, none of the court, or even of the soldiers in cocked-hats who were standing by, interfered, but all seemed anxious to allow canine justice to take its course. Finally, without apparent reason, the strength of the vile Lesparre gave way, and he tottered to the ground, while the noble brute got over him and burrowed at his throat, and barked furiously, and at the same time wagged the cornucopia, – although as if in apparent satisfaction. At the end of all, the music braying on mournfully, the green curtain slided down in sad folds; the members of the court formed in an exact semicircle round the dog and the vile Lesparre, now almost exhausted; and, with feelings of alarm and terror, we saw the soldiers in the cocked-hats pointing their muskets with deadly aim at the prostrate form of the murderer of Aubrey!

As the curtain fell, a feeling of deep grief settled on us, that we were never more to see the renowned dog, and that we were, as it were, parted from him for ever. But the audience began to raise discordant cries, which were understood as a desire to see the noble animal once more, in a sort of private capacity. And presently the curtain being drawn aside, to our speechless delight we saw him again; that is, his huge bluff head, and red jaws and tongue, which it seems constitutional with him to keep on view, for respiratory ends. He withdrew it in a second, but reappeared a little suddenly, giving the idea of having been propelled from behind. He then stepped forth gravely and deliberately, and trotted across, swinging his coat in measured beats, until he reached the other end. Then something appeared to irritate the huge flap of his ear, and with a delightful aplomb, he at once dropped into a sitting attitude, and with his hind paw proceeded diligently to alleviate this cutaneous affection. The ease, the absence of shyness, the happy air, with which this operation was accomplished, would have done credit to any man of the world, were he trained in the very best circles. When the work was accomplished to his satisfaction, he retired, pushing the curtain aside with his nose. I question if this act, performed in a private capacity, did not endear the noble animal to us, more than his more elaborate performances.

The noble creature, without any fault of his own, had departed under the odium of not being able to meet his engagements. For obvious reasons, the Delaval Family [the actors]had declined to leave its address. There was no hope. The noble dog was lost to us for ever.

After his first meal, consumed with a frightful greediness, the result of many days' abstinence, he at once showed a disposition to enter into the most cordial relations. He gained rapidly on all the members of the household. There was an honest bluntness, a plain straightforward manner, about him, that conciliated all. He kept his great mouth and red tongue always on view, and panted habitually, like a sort of canine steam-engine. He was so large and great and stately: so reasonable, and so quiet: that it was impossible to overlook him, or consider him other than one of the regular members of the family. He asserted himself firmly, yet not obtrusively.
Strange to say, he could never be got to go through any of his dramatic efforts: such as ringing bells, or carrying flat candlesticks in his mouth. Any approaches in this direction he seemed to shun as though it were a discreditable page in his life which he would willingly blot out. His connexion with the Delaval Family he would have the world forget; he showed his sense of the indelicacy of any allusion to the subject — which might take the shape of hanging an imitation bell-cord before his nose, or trying to encourage him to take up a flat candlestick in his mouth — by raising himself slowly on his feet, and walking slowly from the room.
But he had other fancies and accomplishments which were very pleasant, and which, as being of an unprofessional nature, he never had any objection to exhibit. On being invited to "Speak," he would gather himself up, simulate a certain ferocity, and finally deliver himself of a startling bark in a full deep key. Or, he would be shown, say a glove, or a whip, or other portable article capable of being conveniently carried in his mouth, and would be then brought away down into the street, round the corner, up past the square, for a quarter of a mile or more. His demeanour during this interval would be of a strange and mysterious sort; for he would walk with his great black eyes fixed steadily, and with a painfully earnest expression, on the face of the party directing the experiment. To smile, or even allow a muscle to stir, was fatal; he instantly interpreted it as a signal of acquiescence, and was off and away, bounding along in a sort of heavy gallop, his tongue lolling out, his great ears swinging like saddle-bags, and the momentum of his progress clearly dangerous to unguarded passers-by. The door being left open, he would come tearing up-stairs, dash in rudely and boisterously, seize the article, and disappear. It was dangerous to play any trick with him on these occasions, for he felt that it was a question of character, and he allowed no consideration to stand between him and duty. The flat candlestick was once tried to be palmed on him by an artifice — an insult which he resented by withdrawing himself from all friendly intercourse with the family for the space of nearly a day and a night.
The hours of joy and social entertainment I spent in the society of this noble creature are not to be described. He was positively a second brother to me; and I hope I shall not be considered wanting in fraternal love, if I say that I believe his mental powers were, if anything, more developed than those of my first brother. Our walks were delightful. In the house he enjoyed universal respect, as a sensible, well-bred, kind, generous, high-souled gentleman, who would not descend to a mean action for the world. From the housemaids, especially, not a breath ever came to tarnish his good name. His memory is still green, and — Ah! his memory! I must come to that now.

The large bright eyes were glazing very fast, and the eyelids were dropping down quietly over them. "Good dog!" I cried again, quite hysterically. "Poor fellow! Don't you know me? Dear old fellow, don't you?" The glazing eyes gave no sign; but the large bushy tail, which had been lying out quite straight and limp, began to move ever so softly – the motion was almost imperceptible, just as if a breeze was stirring the hair a little. That grateful recognition from the dying dog was inexpressibly sweet to think of, long, long afterwards.