the song of the cardinal-第14部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



he's　a…drivin'　at　in　his　work；　an'　he'll　love　you　like　a　brother。

Whatever　anybody　succeeds　in；　it's　success　'cos　they　so　love　it

'at　they　put　the　best　o'　theirselves　into　it；　an'　so；　lovin'　what

they　do；　is　lovin'　them。



〃It　'ud　'bout　kill　a　painter…man　to　put　the　best　o'　himself　into

his　picture；　an'　then　have　some　fellow　like　you　come　'long　an'

pour　turpentine　on　it　jest　to　see　the　paint　run；　an'　I　think　it

must　pretty　well　use　God　up；　to　figure　out　how　to　make　an'　colour

a　thing　like　that　bird；　an'　then　have　you　walk　up　an'　shoot　the

little　red　heart　out　of　it；　jest　to　prove　'at　you　can！　He's　the

very　life　o'　this　river　bank。　　I'd　as　soon　see　you　dig　up　the

underbrush；　an'　dry　up　the　river；　an'　spoil　the　picture　they　make

against　the　sky；　as　to　hev'　you　drop　the　redbird。　　He's　the　red

life　o'　the　whole　thing！　　God　must　a…made　him　when　his　heart　was

pulsin'　hot　with　love　an'　the　lust　o'　creatin'　in…com…PAR…able

things；　an'　He　jest　saw　how　pretty　it　'ud　be　to　dip　his

featherin'　into　the　blood　He　was　puttin'　in　his　veins。



〃To　my　mind；　ain't　no　better　way　to　love　an'　worship　God；　'an　to

protect　an'　'preciate　these　fine　gifts　He's　given　for　our　joy　an'

use。　　Worshipin'　that　bird's　a　kind　o'　religion　with　me。　　Getting

the　beauty　from　the　sky；　an'　the　trees；　an'　the　grass；　an'　the

water　'at　God　made；　is　nothin'　but　doin'　Him　homage。　　Whole

earth's　a　sanctuary。　　You　can　worship　from　sky　above　to　grass

under　foot。



〃Course；　each　man　has　his　particular　altar。　　Mine's　in　that　cabin

up　at　the　bend　o'　the　river。　　Maria　lives　there。　　God　never　did

cleaner　work；　'an　when　He　made　Maria。　　Lovin；　her's　sacrament。　　

She's　so　clean；　an'　pure；　an'　honest；　an'　big…hearted！　　In　forty

year　I've　never　jest　durst　brace　right　up　to　Maria　an'　try　to　put

in　words　what　she　means　to　me。　　Never　saw　nothin'　else　as

beautiful；　or　as　good。　　No　flower's　as　fragrant　an'　smelly　as　her

hair　on　her　pillow。　　Never　tapped　a　bee　tree　with　honey　sweet　as

her　lips　a…twitchin'　with　a　love　quiver。　　Ain't　a　bird　'long　the

ol'　Wabash　with　a　voice　up　to　hers。　　Love　o'　God　ain't　broader'n

her　kindness。　　When　she's　been　home　to　see　her　folks；　I've　been

so　hungry　for　her　'at　I've　gone　to　her　closet　an'　kissed　the　hem

o'　her　skirts　more'n　once。　　I've　never　yet　dared　kiss　her　feet；

but　I've　always　wanted　to。　　I've　laid　out　'at　if　she　dies　first；

I'll　do　it　then。　　An'　Maria　'ud　cry　her　eyes　out　if　you'd　a…hit

the　redbird。　　Your　trappin's　look　like　you　could　shoot。　　I　guess

'twas　God　made　that　shot　fly　the　mark。　　I　guess〃



〃If　you　can　stop；　for　the　love　of　mercy　do　it！〃　cried　the　hunter。



His　face　was　a　sickly　white；　his　temples　wet　with　sweat；　and　his

body　trembling。　　〃I　can't　endure　any　more。　　I　don't　suppose　you

think　I've　any　human　instincts　at　all；　but　I　have　a　few；　and　I

see　the　way　to　arouse　more。　　You　probably　won't　believe　me；　but

I'll　never　kill　another　innocent　harmless　thing；　and　I　will　never

lie　again　so　long　as　I　live。〃



He　leaned　his　gun　against　the　thorn　tree；　and　dropped　the

remainder　of　his　hunter's　outfit　beside　it　on　the　ground。



〃I　don't　seem　a　fit　subject　to　‘have　dominion；'〃　he　said。　　〃I'll

leave　those　thing　for　you；　and　thank　you　for　what　you　have　done

for　me。〃



There　was　a　crash　through　the　bushes；　a　leap　over　the　fence；　and

Abram　and　the　Cardinal　were　alone。



The　old　man　sat　down　suddenly　on　a　fallen　limb　of　the　sycamore。

He　was　almost　dazed　with　astonishment。　　He　held　up　his　shaking

hands；　and　watched　them　wonderingly；　and　then　cupped　one　over

each　trembling　knee　to　steady　himself。　　He　outlined　his　dry　lips

with　the　tip　of　his　tongue；　and　breathed　in　heavy　gusts。　　He

glanced　toward　the　thorn　tree。



〃Left　his　gun；〃　he　hoarsely　whispered；　〃an'　it's　fine　as　a

fiddle。　　Lock；　stock；　an'　barrel　just　a…shinin'。　　An'　all　that

heap　o'　leather　fixin's。　　Must　a…cost　a　lot　o'　money。　　Said　he

wasn't　fit　to　use　'em！　　Lept　the　fence　like　a　panther；　an'　cut

dirt　across　the　corn　field。　　An'　left　me　the　gun！　　Well！　Well！

Well！　Wonder　what　I　said？　I　must　a…been　almost　FIERCE。〃



〃See　here！　See　here！〃　shrilled　the　Cardinal。



Abram　looked　him　over　carefully。　　He　was　quivering　with　fear；　but

in　no　way　injured。



〃My！　but　that　was　a　close　call；　ol'　fellow〃　said；　Abram。　　〃Minute

later；　an'　our　fun　'ud　a…been　over；　an'　the　summer　jest　spoiled。

Wonder　if　you　knew　what　it　meant；　an'　if　you'll　be　gun…shy　after

this。　　Land　knows；　I　hope　so；　for　a　few　more　such　doses　'ull　jest

lay　me　up。〃



He　gathered　himself　together　at　last；　set　the　gun　over　the　fence；

and　climbing　after　it；　caught　Nancy；　who　had　feasted　to　plethora

on　young　corn。　　He　fastened　up　the　trace…chains；　and　climbing　to

her　back；　laid　the　gun　across　his　lap　and　rode　to　the　barn。　　He

attended　the　mare　with　particular　solicitude；　and　bathed　his　face

and　hands　in　the　water　trough　to　make　himself　a　little　more

presentable　to　Maria。　　He　started　to　the　house；　but　had　only　gone

a　short　way　when　he　stopped；　and　after　standing　in　thought　for　a

time；　turned　back　to　the　barn　and　gave　Nancy　another　ear　of　corn。



〃After　all；　it　was　all　you；　ol'　girl；〃　he　said；　patting　her

shoulder；　〃I　never　on　earth　could　a…made　it　on　time　afoot。〃



He　was　so　tired　he　leaned　for　support　against　her；　for　the

unusual　exertion　and　intense　excitement　were　telling　on　him

sorely；　and　as　he　rested　he　confided　to　her：　〃I　don't　know　as　I

ever　in　my　life　was　so　riled；　Nancy。　　I'm　afraid　I　was　a　little

mite　fierce。〃



He　exhibited　the　gun；　and　told　the　story　very　soberly　at　supper

time；　and　Maria　was　so　filled　with　solicitude　for　him　and　the

bird；　and　so　indignant　at　the　act　of　the　hunter；　that　she　never

said　a　word　about　Abram's　torn　clothing　and　the　hours　of　patching

that　would　ensue。　　She　sat　looking　at　the　gun　and　thinking

intently　for　a　long　time；　and　then　she　said　pityingly：



〃I　don't　know　jest　what　you　could　a…said　'at　'ud　make　a　man　go

off　an'　leave　a　gun　like　that。　　Poor　fellow！　　I　do　hope；　Abram；

you　didn't　come　down　on　him　too　awful　strong。　　Maybe　he　lost　his

mother　when　he　was　jest　a　little　tyke；　an'　he　hasn't　had　much

teachin'。〃



Abram　was　completely　worn　out；　and　went　early　to　bed。　　Far　in　the

night　Maria　felt　him　fumbling　around　her　face　in　an　effort　to

learn　if　she　were　covered；　and　as　he　drew　the　sheet　over　her

shoulder　he　muttered　in　worn　and　sleepy　tones：　〃I'm　afraid　they's

no　use　denyin'　it；　Maria；　I　WAS　JEST　MORTAL　FIERCE。〃



In　the　sumac　the　frightened　little　mother　cardinal　was　pressing

her　precious　babies　close　against　her　breast；　and　all　through　the

night　she　kept　calling　to　her　mate；　〃Chook！　Chook！〃　and　was

satisfied　only　when　an　answering　〃Chip！〃　came。　　As　for　the

Cardinal；　he　had　learned　a　new　lesson。　　He　had　not　been　under

fire　before。　　Never　again　would　he　trust　any　one　carrying　a

shining　thing　that　belched　fire　and　smoke。　　He　had　seen　the

hunter　coming；　and　had　raced　home　to　defend　his　mate　and　babies；

thus　making　a　brilliant　mark　of　himself；　and　as　he　would　not　have

deserted　them；　only　the　arrival　of　the　farmer　had　averted　a

tragedy　in　the　sumac。　　He　did　not　learn　to　use　caution　for

himself；　but　after　that；　if　a　gun　came　down　the　shining　river；　he

sent　a　warning　〃Chip！〃　to　his　mate；　telling　her　to　crouch　low　in

her　nest　and　keep　very　quiet；　and　then；　in　broken　waves　of

flight；　and　with　chirp　and　flutter；　he　exposed　himself　until　he

had　lured　danger　from　his　beloved　ones。



When　the　babies　grew　large　enough　for　their　mother　to　leave　them

a　short　time；　she　assisted　in　food　hunting；　and　the　Cardinal　was

not　so　busy。　　He　then　could　find　time　frequently　to　mount　to　the

top　of　the　dogwood；　and　cry　to　the　world；　〃See　here！　See　here！〃

for　the　cardinal　babies　were　splendid。　　But　his　music　was　broken

intermittent　vocalizing　now；　often　uttered　past　a　beakful　of

food；　and　interspersed　with　spasmodic　〃chips〃　if　danger

threatened　his　mate　and　nestlings。



Despite　all　their　care；　it　was　not　so　very　long　until　trouble

came　to　the　sumac；　and　it　was　all　because　the　first…born　was

plainly　greedy；　much　more　so　than　either　his　little　brother　or

his　sister；　and　he　was　one　day　ahead　of　them　in　strength。　　He

always　pushed　himself　forward；　cried　the　loudest　and　longest；　and

so　took　the　greater　part　of　the　food　carried　to　the　nest；　and　one

day；　while　he　was　still　quite　awkward　and　uncertain；　he　climbed

to　the　edge　and　reached　so　far　that　he　fell。　　He　rolled　down　the

river　bank；　splash！　into　the　water；　and　a　hungry　old　pickerel；

sunning　in　the　weeds；　finished　him　at　a　snap。　　He　made　a　morsel

so　fat；　sweet；　and　juicy　that　the　pickerel　lingered　close　for　a

week；　waiting　to　see　if　there　would　be　any　more　accidents。



The　Cardinal；　hunting　grubs　in　the　corn　field；　heard　the

frightened　cries　of　his　mate；　and　dashed　to　the　sumac　in　time　to

see　the　poor　little　ball　of　brightly　tinted　feathers　disappear　in

the　water　and　to　hear　the　splash　of　the　fish。　　He　called　in

helpless　panic　and　fluttered　over　the　spot。　　He　watched　and

waited　until　there　was　no　hope　of　the　nestling　coming　up；　then　he

went　to　the　sumac　to　try　to　comfort　his　mate。　　She　could　not　be

convinced　that　her　young　one　was　gone；　and　for　the　remainder　of

the　day　filled　the　air　with　alarm　cries　and　notes　of　wailing。



The　two　that　remained　were　surely　the　envy　of　Birdland。　　The　male

baby　was　a　perfect　copy　of　his　big　crimson　father；　only　his

little　coat　was　gray；　but　it　was　so　highly　tinged　with　red　that

it　was　brilliant；　and　his　beak　and　feet　were　really　red；　and　how

his　crest　did　flare；　and　how　proud　and　important　he　felt；　when　he

found　he　could　raise　and　lower　it　at　will。　　His　sister　was　not

nearly　so　bright　as　he；　and　she　was　almost　as　greedy　as　the　lost

brother。　　With　his　father's　chivalry　he　allowed　her　to　crowd　in

and　take　the　most　of　the　seeds　and　berries；　so　that　she

continually　appeared　as　if　she　could　swallow　no　more；　yet　she　was

constantly　calling　for　food。



Sh