the mahatma and the hare-第6部分

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have　I　told　you　that；　although　I　keep　harriers　and　not　fox…hounds；　you
are　never　to　touch　a　fox。　You　will　get　me　into　trouble　with　all　my
neighbours。　I　give　you　a　month's　notice。　You　will　leave　on　this　day
month。〃

〃Very　well；　Squire；〃　said　Giles；　〃I'll　leave；　and　I　hope　you'll　find
some　one　to　serve　you　better。　Meanwhile　I　didn't　shoot　the　dratted
fox。　At　least　I　only　shot　her　after　she'd　gone　and　got　herself　into　a
trap　which　I　had　set　for　that　there　Rectory　dog　what　you　told　me　to
make　off　with　on　the　quiet；　so　that　the　young　lady　might　never　know
what　become　of　it　and　cry　and　make　a　fuss　as　she　did　about　the　last。
Then　seeing　that　she　was　finished；　with　her　leg　half　chewed　off；　I
shot　her；　or　rather　I　didn't　shoot　her　as　well　as　I　should；　for　the
beggar　gave　a　twist　as　I　fired；　and　now　she's　bit　me　right　through　the
hand。　I　only　hopes　you　won't　have　to　pay　my　widow　for　it；　Squire；
under　the　Act；　as　foxes'　bites　is　uncommon　poisonous；　especially　when
they've　been　a…eating　of　rotten　rabbit。〃

〃Dear　me！〃　said　the　Red…faced　Man　softening；　〃dear　me；　the　beast　does
seem　to　have　bitten　you　very　badly。　You　must　go　and　be　cauterised　with
a　red…hot　iron。　It　is　painful　but　the　best　thing　to　do。　Meanwhile；
suck　it；　Giles；　suck　it！　I　daresay　that　will　draw　out　the　poison；　and
if　it　doesn't；　thank　my　stars！　I　am　insured。　Look　here；　a　minute　or
two　can　make　no　difference；　for　if　you　are　poisoned；　you　are　poisoned。
Where　can　we　put　this　brute？　I　wouldn't　have　it　seen　for　ten　pounds。〃

〃There's　an　old　pollard；　Squire；　about　five　yards　away　down　near　the
fence；　which　is　hollow　and　handy；〃　said　Giles。

〃Quite　so；〃　he　answered；　〃I　know　it　well。　Do　you　bring　thedog；
Giles。　Remember；　it　was　a　dog；　not　a　fox。〃

Then　they　went　to　the　pollard；　and　as　Giles's　hand　was　hurt　the　Red…
faced　Man　climbed　up　it；　though　Giles　tried　to　prevent　him。

〃Now　then；　Giles；〃　he　said；　〃give　me　the　foxI　mean　the　dog；　and　I
will　drop　it　down。　Great　Heavens！　how　this　tree　stinks。　Has　there　been
an　earth　here？〃

〃Not　as　I　knows　of；　Squire；〃　said　Giles　sullenly。

Grampus　stretched　his　hand　down　into　the　hollow　of　the　pollard　and
dragged　up　a　rotting　fox　by　its　tail。

〃Giles；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　been　killing　more　foxes　and　hiding　them　in
this　tree。　Giles；　I　dismiss　you　at　once　and　without　a　month's　wages。〃

〃All　right；　sir；〃　said　Giles；　〃I'll　go；　and　I　prays　you'll　find　some
one　what　will　keep　your　hares　which　you　must　have；　and　your　pheasants
which　you　must　have；　and　your　partridges　which　you　must　have；　without
killing　these　varmints　of　foxes　what　eats　the　lot。〃

The　Red…faced　Man　descended　from　the　tree　holding　his　nose　and　looked
at　Giles。　Giles　sucked　his　bleeding　hand　and　looked　at　him。

〃Foxes　are　very　destructive　animals；〃　said　the　Red…faced　Man　to　Giles；
〃especially　when　one　shoots　and　keeps　harriers。〃

〃They　are　that；　sir；〃　said　Giles　to　the　Red…faced　Man；　〃as　only　those
know　what　has　to　do　with　them。〃

〃Put　the　other　in；　Giles；〃　said　the　Red…faced　man；　〃and　when　you　have
time；　throw　some　soil　on　to　the　top　of　the　lot。　This　place　smells
horrible。　And　look　you　here；　Giles；〃　he　added　in　a　voice　of　thunder；
〃if　ever　I　find　you　killing　a　fox　upon　this　property；　you　will　be
dismissed　at　once；　as　I　have　often　told　you　before。　Do　you
understand？〃

〃Yes；　Squire；　I　understand；〃　answered　Giles；　〃and　I'll　see　to　the
burying　of　them　this　same　afternoon；　if　the　pain　in　my　hand　will
suffer　it。〃

〃Very　well；〃　said　the　Red…faced　Man；　〃that's　done　withexcept　the
cubs。　As　you　have　killed　the　vixen　you　had　better　stink　the　cubs　out
of　the　earth。　I　daresay　they　are　old　enough　to　look　after　themselves
at　any　rate　I　hope　so。　And　now；　Giles；　we　must　shoot　some　of　these
hares　when　we　begin　on　the　partridges　next　week。　There　are　too　many　of
them；　the　tenants　are　complaining；　ungrateful　beggars　as　they　are；
seeing　that　I　keep　them　for　their　sport。〃

At　this　point　I　thought　that　I　had　heard　enough；　and　slipped　away　when
their　backs　were　turned。　For；　friend　Mahatma；　I　had　just　seen　a　fox
shot；　and　now　I　knew　what　shooting　meant。

*****

About　a　week　later　I　knew　better　still。　It　came　about　thus。　By　that
time　the　turnips　I　have　mentioned；　those　that　grew　in　the　big　field；
had　swelled　into　fine；　large　bulbs　with　leafy　tops。　We　used　to　eat
them　at　nights；　and　in　the　daytime　to　lie　up　among　them　in　our　snug
forms。　You　know；　Mahatma；　don't　you；　that　a　form　is　a　little　hollow
which　a　hare　makes　in　the　ground　just　to　fit　itself？　No　hare　likes　to
sleep　in　another　hare's　form。　Do　you　understand？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　answered；　〃I　understand。　It　would　be　like　a　man　wearing
another　man's　boots。〃

〃I　don't　know　anything　about　boots　Mahatma；　except　that　they　are　hard
things　with　iron　on　them　which　kick　one　out　of　one's　form　if　one　sits
too　close。　Once　that　happened　to　me。　Well；　my　form　was　under　a
particularly　fine　turnip　that　had　some　dead　leaves　beneath　the　green
ones。　I　chose　it　because；　like　the　brown　earth；　they　just　matched　the
colour　of　my　back。　I　was　sleeping　there　quite　soundly　when　my　sister
came　and　woke　me。

〃There　are　men　in　the　field；〃　she　said；　her　eyes　nearly　starting　out
of　her　head　with　fear；　for　she　was　always　very　timid。

〃I'm　off。〃

〃Are　you？〃　I　answered。　〃Well；　I　think　I　shall　stop　here　where　I　shan't
be　noticed。　If　we　begin　jumping　over　those　turnips　they　will　see　us。〃

〃We　might　run　down　the　rows；　keeping　our　ears　close　to　our　backs；〃　she
remarked。

〃No；〃　I　said；　〃there　are　too　many　bare　patches。〃

At　this　moment　a　gun　went　'bang'　some　way　off；　and　my　sister；　like　a
wise　hare；　scuttled　away　at　full　speed　for　the　wood。　But　I　only　made
myself　smaller　than　usual　and　lay　watching　and　listening。

There　was　a　good　deal　to　see　and　hear；　for　instance；　a　covey　of
partridges；　troublesome　birds　that　come　scratching　and　fidgeting　about
when　one　wants　to　sleep；　were　running　to　and　fro　in　a　great　state　of
concern。

〃They　are　after　us；〃　said　the　old　cock。

〃I　remember　the　same　thing　last　year。　Come　on；　do。〃

〃How　can　I　with　all　these　young　ones　to　look　after？〃　answered　the　hen。
〃Why；　if　once　they　are　scattered　I　shall　never　find　them　again。〃

〃Just　as　you　like；　you　know　best；〃　said　the　cock。　〃Goodbye；〃　and　away
he　flew；　while　his　wife　and　the　rest　ran　to　a　little　distance；
scattered　and　squatted。

Presently；　looking　back　over　my　shoulders　without　turning　my　head；　as
a　hare　can；　I　saw　a　line　of　men　walking　towards　me。　There　was　the　Red…
faced　Man　whom　Giles　called　Grampus　behind　his　back　and　Squire　to　his
face。　There　was　Giles　himself；　with　his　hurt　hand　tied　up；　holding　a
kind　of　stick　with　a　slit　in　it　from　which　hung　a　lot　of　dead
partridges　whose　necks　were　in　the　slit。　One　of　them　was　not　dead　or
had　come　to　life　again；　for　it　flapped　in　the　stick　trying　to　fly
away。　He　held　these　in　the　hand　that　was　tied　up；　and　in　the　other；
oh；　horror！　was　a　dead　hare　bleeding　from　its　nose。　It　looked
uncommonly　like　my　mother；　but　whether　it　were　or　no　I　couldn't　be
quite　sure。　At　least　from　that　day　neither　my　sister　nor　I　ever　saw
her　again。　I　suppose　you　haven't　met　her　coming　up　this　big　white
Road；　have　you；　Mahatma？

〃No；　no；〃　I　answered　impatiently；　〃I　have　already　told　you　that　you
are　the　first　hare　I　have　ever　seen　upon　the　Road。　Please　get　on　with
your　story；　or　the　Lights　will　change　and　the　Gates　be　opened　before　I
hear　its　end。〃

Just　when　I　saw　her　I　was　thinking　of　running　away；　but　the　sight
terrified　me　so　much　that　I　could　not　stir。　You　see；　Mahatma；　I　really
loved　my　mother　as　much　as　a　hare　can　love　anything；　which　is　a　good
deal。

Well；　beyond　Giles　was；　who　do　you　think？　That　dreadful　boy；　Tom；　with
a　gun　in　his　hand　too。　Did　I　say　that　they　all　had　guns；　except　Giles
and　some　beater　men；　only　that　Tom's　was　single…barrelled？　Then　there
were　others　whom　I　need　not　describe；　stretching　to　left　and　right；
and　worst　of　all；　perhaps；　there　was　Giles's　great　black　dog；　a　silly…
looking　beast　which　always　seemed　to　have　its　mouth　open　and　its
tongue　hanging　out；　and　to　be　wagging　a　big　tail　like　the　fox's；　only
black　and　more　ragged。

As　I　watched；　up　got　the　old　hen　partridge　and　one　of　her　young　ones
and　flew　towards　me。　The　Red…faced　Man　lifted　his　gun　and　fired；　once；
twice；　and　down　came　first　the　mother　partridge　and　then　the　young
one。　I　forgot　to　say　that　Tom　fired　too　at　the　old　partridge；　which
fell　dead　quite　close　to　me；　leaving　a　lot　of　feathers　floating　in　the
air。　As　it　fell　Tom　screeched　out

〃I　killed　that；　father。〃

This　made　the　Red…faced　Man　very　angry。

〃You　young　scoundrel；〃　he　said；　〃how　often　have　I　told　you　not　to
shoot　at　my　birds　under　my　nose？　No　sportsman　shoots　at　another　man's
birds；　and　as　for　killing　it；　you　were　yards　under　the　thing。　If　you
do　it　again　I　will　send　you　home。〃

〃Sorry；　father；〃　said　Tom；　adding　in　a　low　voice　with　a　snigger；　〃I
did　kill　it　after　all。　Dad　thinks　no　one　can　hit　a　partridge　except
himself。〃

Just　then　up　jumped　my　father　near　to　Giles；　and　came　leaping　in　front
of　the　Red…faced　Man　about　twenty　yards　away　from　him。

〃Mark　hare！〃　shouted　Giles；　and　Grampus；　who　was　still　glowering　at
Tom　and　had　not　quite　finished　pushing　the　cartridges　into　his　gun；
shut　it　up　in　a　hurry　and　fired　first　one　barrel　and　then　the　other。
But　my　father；　who　was　very　cunning；　jumped　into　the　air　at　the　first
shot　and　ducked　at　the　second；　so　that　he　was　missed；　at　least　I
suppose　that　is　why　he　was　missed。

Giles　grinned　and　the　Red…faced　Man　said；　〃Damn！〃　What　does　'damn'
mean；　Mahatma？　It　was　a　very　favourite　word　with　the　Red…faced　Man；
but　even　now　I　can't　quite　understand　it。〃

〃Nor　can　I；〃　I　answered。　〃Go　on。〃

〃Well；　my　poor　father　next　ran　in　front　of　Tom；　who　shot　too　and　hit
him　in　the　hind　legs　so　that　he　rolled　over　and　over　in　the　turnips；
kicking　and　screaming。　Have　you　ever　heard　a　hare　scream；　Mahatma？〃

〃Yes；　yes；　it　makes　a　horrid　noise　like　a　baby。〃

〃Wiped　your　eye　that　time；　Dad；〃　cried　Tom　in　an　exultant　voice。

〃I　don't　know　about　wiping　my　eye；〃　answered　his　father；　turning　quite
purple　with　rage；　〃but　I　wish　you　would　be　good　enough；　Thomas；　not　to
shoot　my　hares　behind；　so　that　they　make　that　beastly　row　which　upsets
me〃　（I　think