05-tiger,tiger-第4部分

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flew　thicker。



〃They　are　not　unlike　the　Pack；　these　brothers　of　thine；〃　said

Akela；　sitting　down　composedly。　　〃It　is　in　my　head　that；　if

bullets　mean　anything；　they　would　cast　thee　out。〃



〃Wolf！　　Wolf's　cub！　　Go　away！〃　shouted　the　priest；　waving　a

sprig　of　the　sacred　tulsi　plant。



〃Again？　　Last　time　it　was　because　I　was　a　man。　　This　time　it

is　because　I　am　a　wolf。　　Let　us　go；　Akela。〃



A　womanit　was　Messuaran　across　to　the　herd；　and　cried：

〃Oh；　my　son；　my　son！　　They　say　thou　art　a　sorcerer　who　can　turn

himself　into　a　beast　at　will。　　I　do　not　believe；　but　go　away　or

they　will　kill　thee。　　Buldeo　says　thou　art　a　wizard；　but　I　know

thou　hast　avenged　Nathoo's　death。〃



〃Come　back；　Messua！〃　shouted　the　crowd。　　〃Come　back；　or　we

will　stone　thee。〃



Mowgli　laughed　a　little　short　ugly　laugh；　for　a　stone　had　hit

him　in　the　mouth。　　〃Run　back；　Messua。　　This　is　one　of　the　foolish

tales　they　tell　under　the　big　tree　at　dusk。　　I　have　at　least　paid

for　thy　son's　life。　　Farewell；　and　run　quickly；　for　I　shall　send

the　herd　in　more　swiftly　than　their　brickbats。　　I　am　no　wizard；

Messua。　　Farewell！〃



〃Now；　once　more；　Akela；〃　he　cried。　　〃Bring　the　herd　in。〃



The　buffaloes　were　anxious　enough　to　get　to　the　village。　　They

hardly　needed　Akela's　yell；　but　charged　through　the　gate　like　a

whirlwind；　scattering　the　crowd　right　and　left。



〃Keep　count！〃　shouted　Mowgli　scornfully。　　〃It　may　be　that　I

have　stolen　one　of　them。　　Keep　count；　for　I　will　do　your　herding

no　more。　　Fare　you　well；　children　of　men；　and　thank　Messua　that　I

do　not　come　in　with　my　wolves　and　hunt　you　up　and　down　your

street。〃



He　turned　on　his　heel　and　walked　away　with　the　Lone　Wolf；　and

as　he　looked　up　at　the　stars　he　felt　happy。　　〃No　more　sleeping　in

traps　for　me；　Akela。　　Let　us　get　Shere　Khan's　skin　and　go　away。

No；　we　will　not　hurt　the　village；　for　Messua　was　kind　to　me。〃



When　the　moon　rose　over　the　plain；　making　it　look　all　milky；

the　horrified　villagers　saw　Mowgli；　with　two　wolves　at　his　heels

and　a　bundle　on　his　head；　trotting　across　at　the　steady　wolf's

trot　that　eats　up　the　long　miles　like　fire。　　Then　they　banged　the

temple　bells　and　blew　the　conches　louder　than　ever。　　And　Messua

cried；　and　Buldeo　embroidered　the　story　of　his　adventures　in　the

jungle；　till　he　ended　by　saying　that　Akela　stood　up　on　his　hind

legs　and　talked　like　a　man。



The　moon　was　just　going　down　when　Mowgli　and　the　two　wolves

came　to　the　hill　of　the　Council　Rock；　and　they　stopped　at　Mother

Wolf's　cave。



〃They　have　cast　me　out　from　the　Man…Pack；　Mother；〃　shouted

Mowgli；　〃but　I　come　with　the　hide　of　Shere　Khan　to　keep　my　word。〃



Mother　Wolf　walked　stiffly　from　the　cave　with　the　cubs　behind

her；　and　her　eyes　glowed　as　she　saw　the　skin。



〃I　told　him　on　that　day；　when　he　crammed　his　head　and

shoulders　into　this　cave；　hunting　for　thy　life；　Little　FrogI

told　him　that　the　hunter　would　be　the　hunted。　　It　is　well　done。〃



〃Little　Brother；　it　is　well　done；〃　said　a　deep　voice　in　the

thicket。　　〃We　were　lonely　in　the　jungle　without　thee；　and　Bagheera

came　running　to　Mowgli's　bare　feet。　　They　clambered　up　the　Council

Rock　together；　and　Mowgli　spread　the　skin　out　on　the　flat　stone

where　Akela　used　to　sit；　and　pegged　it　down　with　four　slivers　of

bamboo；　and　Akela　lay　down　upon　it；　and　called　the　old　call　to　the

Council；　〃Looklook　well；　O　Wolves；〃　exactly　as　he　had　called

when　Mowgli　was　first　brought　there。



Ever　since　Akela　had　been　deposed；　the　Pack　had　been　without　a

leader；　hunting　and　fighting　at　their　own　pleasure。　　But　they

answered　the　call　from　habit；　and　some　of　them　were　lame　from　the

traps　they　had　fallen　into；　and　some　limped　from　shot　wounds；　and

some　were　mangy　from　eating　bad　food；　and　many　were　missing。　　But

they　came　to　the　Council　Rock；　all　that　were　left　of　them；　and　saw

Shere　Khan's　striped　hide　on　the　rock；　and　the　huge　claws　dangling

at　the　end　of　the　empty　dangling　feet。　　It　was　then　that　Mowgli

made　up　a　song　that　came　up　into　his　throat　all　by　itself；　and　he

shouted　it　aloud；　leaping　up　and　down　on　the　rattling　skin；　and

beating　time　with　his　heels　till　he　had　no　more　breath　left；　while

Gray　Brother　and　Akela　howled　between　the　verses。



〃Look　well；　O　Wolves。　　Have　I　kept　my　word？〃　said　Mowgli。　　And

the　wolves　bayed　〃Yes；〃　and　one　tattered　wolf　howled：



〃Lead　us　again；　O　Akela。　　Lead　us　again；　O　Man…cub；　for　we　be

sick　of　this　lawlessness；　and　we　would　be　the　Free　People　once

more。〃



〃Nay；〃　purred　Bagheera；　〃that　may　not　be。　　When　ye　are

full…fed；　the　madness　may　come　upon　you　again。　　Not　for　nothing

are　ye　called　the　Free　People。　　Ye　fought　for　freedom；　and　it　is

yours。　　Eat　it；　O　Wolves。〃



〃Man…Pack　and　Wolf…Pack　have　cast　me　out；〃　said　Mowgli。　　〃Now

I　will　hunt　alone　in　the　jungle。〃



〃And　we　will　hunt　with　thee；〃　said　the　four　cubs。



So　Mowgli　went　away　and　hunted　with　the　four　cubs　in　the

jungle　from　that　day　on。　　But　he　was　not　always　alone；　because；

years　afterward；　he　became　a　man　and　married。



But　that　is　a　story　for　grown…ups。