the nature faker-第3部分

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〃Don't　be　an　ass！〃　begged　Jackson。　〃They'll　eat　you。〃　Herrick
waved
his　hand　reassuringly。

〃They　won't　even　see　me；〃　he　explained。　〃I　can　find　my　way　about
this　place　better　than　they　can。　And　I'll　keep　to　windward　of
them；
and　watch　them。　Go　to　the　house；〃　he　commanded。　〃I'll　be　with　you
in　an　hour；　and　report。〃

It　was　with　real　relief　that；　on　assembling　for　dinner；　the　house
party　found　Herrick；　in　high　spirits；　with　the　usual　number　of
limbs；　and　awaiting　them。　The　experiment　had　proved　a　great
success。　He　told　how；　unheeded　by　the　bears；　he　had；　without
difficulty；　followed　in　their　tracks。　For　an　hour　he　had　watched
them。　No　happy　school…children；　let　loose　at　recess；　could　have
embraced　their　freedom　with　more　obvious　delight。　They　drank　from
the　running　streams；　for　honey　they　explored　the　hollow
tree…trunks；　they　sharpened　their　claws　on　moss…grown　rocks；　and
among　the　fallen　oak　leaves　scratched　violently　for　acorns。　So
satisfied　was　Herrick　with　what　he　had　seen；　with　the　success　of
his　experiment；　and　so　genuine　and　unselfish　was　he　in　the
thought
of　the　happiness　he　had　brought　to　the　beasts　of　the　forests；
that
for　him　no　dinner　ever　passed　more　pleasantly。　Miss　Waring；　who
sat
next　to　her　host；　thought　she　had　seldom　met　a　man　with　so　kind
and
simple　a　nature。　She　rather　resented　the　fact；　and　she　was
inwardly
indignant　that　so　much　right　feeling　and　affection　could　be
wasted
on　farmyard　fowls；　and　four…footed　animals。　She　felt　sure　that
some
nice　girl；　seated　at　the　other　end　of　the　table；　smiling　through
the　light　of　the　wax　candles　upon　Herrick；　would　soon　make　him
forget　his　love　of　〃Nature　and　Nature's　children。〃　She　even　saw
herself　there；　and　this　may　have　made　her　exhibit　more　interest
in
Herrick's　experiment　than　she　really　felt。　In　any　event；　Herrick
found　her　most　sympathetic'　and　when　dinner　was　over　carried　her
off　to　a　corner　of　the　terrace。　It　was　a　warm　night　in　early
October；　and　the　great　woods　of　the　game　preserve　that　stretched
below　them　were　lit　with　a　full　moon。

On　his　way　to　the　lake　for　a　moonlight　row　with　one　of　the　house
party　who　belonged　to　that　sex　that　does　not　row；　but　looks　well
in
the　moon…light；　Kelly　halted；　and　jeered　mockingly。

〃How　can　you　sit　there；〃　he　demanded；　〃while　those　poor　beasts
are
freezing　in　a　cave；　with　not　even　a　silk　coverlet　or　a
pillow…sham。
You　and　your　valet　ought　to　be　down　there　now　carrying　them
pajamas。〃

〃Kelly；〃　declared　Herrick；　unruffled　in　his　moment　of　triumph；　〃I
hate　to　say；　'I　told　you　so；'　but　you　force　me。　Go　away；〃　he
commanded。　〃You　have　neither　imagination　nor　soul。〃

〃And　that's　true；〃　he　assured　Miss　Waring；　as　Kelly　and　his
companion　left　them。　〃Now；　I　see　nothing　in　what　I　accomplished
that　is　ridiculous。　Had　you　watched　those　bears　as　I　did；　you
would
have　felt　that　sympathy　that　exists　between　all　who　love　the
out…of…door　life。　A　dog　loves　to　see　his　master　pick　up　his　stick
and　his　hat　to　take　him　for　a　walk；　and　the　man　enjoys　seeing　the
dog　leaping　and　quartering　the　fields　before　him。　They　are　both
the
happier。　At　least　I　am　happier　to…night；　knowing　those　bears　are
at
peace　and　at　home；　than　I　would　be　if　I　thought　of　them　being
whipped　through　their　tricks　in　a　dirty　theatre。〃　Herrick　pointed
to　the　great　forest　trees　of　the　preserve；　their　tops　showing
dimly
in　the　mist　of　moonlight。　〃Somewhere；　down　in　that　valley；　he
murmured；　〃are　three　happy　animals。　They　are　no　longer　slaves　and
puppetsthey　are　their　own　masters。　For　the　rest　of　their　lives
they　can　sleep　on　pine　needles　and　dine　on　nuts　and　honey。　No　one
shall　molest　them；　no　one　shall　force　them　through　degrading
tricks。　Hereafter　they　can　choose　their　life；　and　their　own　home
among　the　rocks；　and　the　〃　Herrick's　words　were　frozen　on　his
tongue。　From　the　other　end　of　the　terrace　came　a　scream　so
fierce；
so　long；　so　full　of　human　suffering；　that　at　the　sound　the　blood
of
all　that　heard　it　turned　to　water。　It　was　so　appalling　that　for
an
instant　no　one　moved；　and　then　from　every　part　of　the　house；
along
the　garden　walks；　from　the　servants'　quarters；　came　the　sound　of
pounding　feet。　Herrick；　with　Miss　Waring　clutching　at　his　sleeve；
raced　toward　the　other　end　of　the　terrace。　They　had　not　far　to
go。
Directly　in　front　of　them　they　saw　what　had　dragged　from　the　very
soul　of　the　woman　the　scream　of　terror。

The　drawing…room　opened　upon　the　terrace；　and；　seated　at　the
piano；
Jackson　had　been　playing　for　those　in　the　room　to　dance。　The
windows　to　the　terrace　were　open。　The　terrace　itself　was　flooded
with　moonlight。　Seeking　the　fresh　air；　one　of　the　dancers　stepped
from　the　drawing…room　to　the　flags　outside。　She　had　then　raised
the
cry　of　terror　and　fallen　in　a　faint。　What　she　had　seen；　Herrick　a
moment　later　also　saw。　On　the　terrace　in　the　moon…light；　Bruno
and
Clara；　on　their　hind　legs；　were　solemnly　waltzing。　Neither　the
scream　nor　the　cessation　of　the　music　disturbed　them。
Contentedly；
proudly；　they　continued　to　revolve　in　hops　and　leaps。　From　their
happy　expression；　it　was　evident　they　not　only　were　enjoying
themselves；　but　that　they　felt　they　were　greatly　affording
immeasurable　delight　to　others。　Sick　at　heart；　furious；　bitterly
hurt；　with　roars　of　mocking　laughter　in　his　ears；　Herrick　ran
toward　the　stables　for　help。　At　the　farther　end　of　the　terrace
the
butler　had　placed　a　tray　of　liqueurs；　whiskeys；　and　soda　bottles。
His　back　had　been　turned　for　only　a　few　moments；　but　the　time　had
sufficed。

Lolling　with　his　legs　out；　stretched　in　a　wicker　chair；　Herrick
beheld　the　form　of　Ikey。　Between　his　uplifted　paws　he　held　aloof
the　base　of　a　decanter；　between　his　teeth；　and　well　jammed　down
his
throat；　was　the　long　neck　of　the　bottle。　From　it　issued　the　sound
of　gentle　gurgling。　Herrick　seized　the　decanter　and　hurled　it
crashing　upon　the　terrace。　With　difficulty　Ikey　rose。　Swaying　and
shaking　his　head　reproachfully；　he　gave　Herrick　a　perfectly
accurate　imitation　of　an　intoxicated　bear。






End