the portuguese duck-第2部分

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〃what　have　I　done？〃

　　　　〃Done！〃　repeated　the　Portuguese　duck；　〃your　mode　of　expressing

yourself　is　not　very　polite。　I　must　call　your　attention　to　that　fact。〃

　　　　〃It　was　sunshine　here　yesterday；〃　said　the　little　bird；　〃but

to…day　it　is　cloudy　and　the　air　is　close。〃

　　　　〃You　know　very　little　about　the　weather；　I　fancy；〃　she　retorted；

〃the　day　is　not　over　yet。　Don't　stand　there；　looking　so　stupid。〃

　　　　〃But　you　are　looking　at　me　just　as　the　wicked　eyes　looked　when　I

fell　into　the　yard　yesterday。〃

　　　　〃Impertinent　creature！〃　exclaimed　the　Portuguese　duck：　〃would

you　compare　me　with　the　cat…　that　beast　of　prey？　There's　not　a　drop　of

malicious　blood　in　me。　I've　taken　your　part；　and　now　I'll　teach　you

better　manners。〃　So　saying；　she　made　a　bite　at　the　little

singing…bird's　head；　and　he　fell　dead　on　the　ground。　〃Now　whatever

is　the　meaning　of　this？〃　〃she　said；　〃could　he　not　bear　even　such　a

little　peck　as　I　gave　him？　Then　certainly　he　was　not　made　for　this

world。　I've　been　like　a　mother　to　him；　I　know　that；　for　I've　a　good

heart。〃

　　　　Then　the　cock　from　the　neighboring　yard　stuck　his　head　in；　and

crowed　with　steam…engine　power。

　　　　〃You'll　kill　me　with　your　crowing；〃　she　cried；　〃it's　all　your

fault。　He's　lost　his　life；　and　I'm　very　near　losing　mine。〃

　　　　〃There's　not　much　of　him　lying　there；〃　observed　the　cock。

　　　　〃Speak　of　him　with　respect；〃　said　the　Portuguese　duck；　〃for　he　had

manners　and　education；　and　he　could　sing。　He　was　affectionate　and

gentle；　and　that　is　as　rare　a　quality　in　animals　as　in　those　who

call　themselves　human　beings。〃

　　　　Then　all　the　ducks　came　crowding　round　the　little　dead　bird。　Ducks

have　strong　passions；　whether　they　feel　envy　or　pity。　There　was

nothing　to　envy　here；　so　they　all　showed　a　great　deal　of　pity；　even

the　two　Chinese。　〃We　shall　never　have　another　singing…bird　again

amongst　us；　he　was　almost　a　Chinese；〃　they　whispered；　and　then　they

wept　with　such　a　noisy；　clucking　sound；　that　all　the　other　fowls

clucked　too；　but　the　ducks　went　about　with　redder　eyes　afterwards。　〃We

have　hearts　of　our　own；〃　they　said；　〃nobody　can　deny　that。〃

　　　　〃Hearts！〃　repeated　the　Portuguese；　〃indeed　you　have；　almost　as

tender　as　the　ducks　in　Portugal。〃

　　　　〃Let　us　think　of　getting　something　to　satisfy　our　hunger；〃　said

the　drake；　that's　the　most　important　business。　If　one　of　our　toys　is

broken；　why　we　have　plenty　more。〃





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　END

。