michael, brother of jerry-第51部分

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Much　Michael　learned　from　Jerry　of　the　varied　life　of　the　forest　and　fields。　　To　run　with　Jerry　seemed　the　one　pleasure　he　took；　for　he　never　played。　　Play　had　passed　out　of　him。　　He　was　not　precisely　morose　or　gloomy　from　his　years　on　the　trained…animal　stage　and　in　Harris　Collins's　college　of　pain；　but　he　was　sobered；　subdued。　　The　spring　and　the　spontaneity　had　gone　out　of　him。　Just　as　the　leopard　had　claw…marked　his　shoulder　so　that　damp　and　frosty　weather　made　the　pain　of　the　old　wound　come　back；　so　was　his　mind　marked　by　what　he　had　gone　through。　　He　liked　Jerry；　was　glad　to　be　with　him　and　to　run　with　him；　but　it　was　Jerry　who　was　ever　in　the　lead；　who　ever　raised　the　hue　and　cry　of　hunting　pursuit；　who　barked　indignation　and　eager　yearning　at　a　tree'd　squirrel　in　refuge　forty　feet　above　the　ground。　　Michael　looked　on　and　listened；　but　took　no　part　in　such　antics　of　enthusiasm。

In　the　same　way　he　looked　on　when　Jerry　fought　fearful　comic　battles　with　Norman　Chief；　the　great　Percheron　stallion。　　It　was　only　play；　for　Jerry　and　Norman　Chief　were　tried　friends；　and；　though　the　huge　horse；　ears　laid　back；　mouth　open　to　bite；　pursued　Jerry　in　mad　gyrations　all　about　the　paddock；　it　was　with　no　thought　of　inflicting　hurt；　but　merely　to　act　up　to　his　part　in　the　sham　battle。　　Yet　no　invitation　of　Jerry's　could　induce　Michael　to　join　in　the　fun。　　He　contented　himself　with　sitting　down　outside　the　rails　and　looking　on。

〃Why　play？〃　might　Michael　have　asked；　who　had　had　all　play　taken　out　of　him。

But　when　it　came　to　serious　work；　he　was　there　even　ahead　of　Jerry。　　On　account　of　foot…and…mouth　disease　and　of　hog…cholera；　strange　dogs　were　taboo　on　the　Kennan　ranch。　　It　did　not　take　Michael　long　to　learn　this；　and　stray　dogs　got　short　shrift　from　him。　　With　never　a　warning　bark　nor　growl；　in　deadly　silence；　he　rushed　them；　slashed　and　bit　them；　rolled　them　over　and　over　in　the　dust；　and　drove　them　from　the　place。　　It　was　like　nigger…　chasing；　a　service　to　perform　for　the　gods　whom　he　loved　and　who　willed　such　chasing。

No　wild　passion　of　love；　such　as　he　had　had　for　Steward；　did　he　bear　Villa　and　Harley；　but　he　did　develop　for　them　a　great；　sober　love。　　He　did　not　go　out　of　his　way　to　express　it　with　overtures　of　wrigglings　and　squirmings　and　whimpering　yelpings。　　Jerry　could　be　depended　upon　for　that。　　But　he　was　always　seriously　glad　to　be　with　Villa　and　Harley　and　to　receive　recognition　from　them　next　after　Jerry。　　Some　of　his　deepest　moments　of　content；　before　the　fireplace；　were　to　sit　beside　Villa　or　Harley　and　lean　his　head　against　a　knee　and　have　a　hand；　on　occasion；　drop　down　on　his　head　or　gently　twist　his　crinkled　ear。

Jerry　was　even　guilty　of　playing　with　children　who　happened　at　times　to　be　under　the　Kennan　aegis。　　Michael　endured　children　for　as　long　as　they　left　him　alone。　　If　they　waxed　familiar；　he　would　warn　them　with　a　bristling　of　his　neck…hair　and　a　throaty　rumbling　and　get　up　and　stalk　away。

〃I　can't　understand　it；〃　Villa　would　say。　　〃He　was　the　fullest　of　play；　and　spirits；　and　all　foolishness。　　He　was　much　sillier　and　much　more　excitable　than　Jerry　and　certainly　noisier。　　He　must　have　some　terrible　story　to　tell；　if　only　he　could；　of　all　that　happened　between　Tulagi　and　the　time　we　found　him　on　the　Orpheum　stage。〃

〃And　that　may　be　the　least　little　hint　of　it；〃　Harley　would　reply；　pointing　to　Michael's　shoulder　where　the　leopard　had　scarred　it　on　the　day　Jack；　the　Airedale；　and　Sara；　the　little　green　monkey；　had　died。

〃He　used　to　bark；　I　know　he　used　to　bark；〃　Villa　would　continue。　〃Why　doesn't　he　bark　now？〃

And　Harley　would　point　to　the　scarred　shoulder　and　say；　〃That　may　account　for　it；　and　most　possibly　a　hundred　other　things　like　it　of　which　we　cannot　see　the　marks。〃

But　the　time　was　to　come　when　they　were　to　hear　him　bark　again　not　once；　but　twice。　　And　both　times　were　to　be　but　an　earnest　of　another　and　graver　time　when；　without　barking　at　all；　he　would　express　in　action　the　measure　of　his　love　and　worship　of　them　who　had　taken　him　from　the　crate　and　the　footlights　and　given　him　the　freedom　of　the　Valley　of　the　Moon。

And　in　the　meantime；　running　endlessly　with　Jerry　over　the　ranch；　he　learned　all　the　ways　of　it　and　all　the　life　of　it　from　the　chickenyards　and　the　duck…ponds　to　the　highest　pitch　of　Sonoma　Mountain。　　He　learned　where　the　wild　deer；　in　their　season；　were　to　be　found；　when　they　raided　the　prune…orchard；　the　vineyards；　and　the　apple…trees；　when　they　sought　the　deepest　canyons　and　most　secret　coverts；　and　when　they　stamped　out　in　open　glades　and　on　bare　hillsides　and　crashed　and　clattered　their　antlers　together　in　combat。　　Under　Jerry's　leadership；　always　running　second　and　after　on　the　narrow　trails　as　a　subdued　dog　should；　he　learned　the　ways　and　habits　of　the　foxes；　the　coons；　the　weasels；　and　the　ring…tail　cats　that　seemed　compounded　of　cat　and　coon　and　weasel。　　He　came　to　know　the　ground…nesting　birds　and　the　difference　between　the　customs　of　the　valley　quail；　the　mountain　quail；　and　the　pheasants。　　The　traits　and　lairs　of　the　domestic　cats　gone　wild　he　also　learned；　as　did　he　learn　the　wild　loves　of　mountain　farm…dogs　with　the　free…roving　coyotes。

He　knew　of　the　presence　of　the　mountain　lion；　adrift　down　from　Mendocino　County；　ere　the　first　shorthorn　calf　was　slain；　and　came　home　from　the　encounter；　torn　and　bleeding；　to　attest　what　he　had　discovered　and　to　be　the　cause　of　Harley　Kennan　riding　trail　next　day　with　a　rifle　across　his　pommel。　　Likewise　Michael　came　to　know　what　Harley　Kennan　never　did　know　and　always　denied　as　existing　on　his　ranchthe　one　rocky　outcrop；　in　the　dense　heart　of　the　mountain　forest；　where　a　score　of　rattlesnakes　denned　through　the　winters　and　warmed　themselves　in　the　sun。



CHAPTER　XXXVI



Winter　came　on　in　its　delectable　way　in　the　Valley　of　the　Moon。　The　last　Mariposa　lily　vanished　from　the　burnt　grasses　as　the　California　Indian　summer　dreamed　itself　out　in　purple　mists　on　the　windless　air。　　Soft　rain…showers　first　broke　the　spell。　　Snow　fell　on　the　summit　of　Sonoma　Mountain。　　At　the　ranch　house　the　morning　air　was　crisp　and　brittle；　yet　midday　made　the　shade　welcome；　and　in　the　open；　under　the　winter　sun；　roses　bloomed　and　oranges；　grape…fruit；　and　lemons　turned　to　golden　yellow　ripeness。　　Yet；　a　thousand　feet　beneath；　on　the　floor　of　the　valley；　the　mornings　were　white　with　frost。

And　Michael　barked　twice。　　The　first　time　was　when　Harley　Kennan；　astride　a　hot…blooded　sorrel　colt；　tried　to　make　it　leap　a　narrow　stream。　　Villa　reined　in　her　steed　at　the　crest　beyond；　and；　looking　back　into　the　little　valley；　waited　for　the　colt　to　receive　its　lesson。　　Michael　waited；　too；　but　closer　at　hand。　　At　first　he　lay　down；　panting　from　his　run；　by　the　stream…edge。　　But　he　did　not　know　horses　very　well；　and　soon　his　anxiety　for　the　welfare　of　Harley　Kennan　brought　him　to　his　feet。

Harley　was　gentle　and　persuasive　and　all　patience　as　he　strove　to　make　the　colt　take　the　leap。　　The　urge　of　voice　and　rein　was　of　the　mildest；　but　the　animal　balked　the　take…off　each　time；　and　the　hot　thoroughbredness　in　its　veins　made　it　sweat　and　lather。　　The　velvet　of　young　grass　was　torn　up　by　its　hoofs；　and　its　terror　of　the　stream　was　such；　that；　when　fetched　to　the　edge　at　a　canter；　it　stiffened　and　crouched　to　an　abrupt　stop；　then　reared　on　its　hind…legs。　　Which　was　too　much　for　Michael。

He　sprang　at　the　horse's　head　as　it　came　down　with　fore…feet　to　earth；　and　as　he　sprang　he　barked。　　In　his　bark　was　censure　and　menace；　and；　as　the　horse　reared　again；　he　leaped　into　the　air　after　it；　his　teeth　clipping　together　as　he　just　barely　missed　its　nose。

Villa　rode　back　down　the　slope　to　the　opposite　bank　of　the　stream。

〃Mercy！〃　she　cried。　　〃Listen　to　him！　　He's　actually　barking。〃

〃He　thinks　the　colt　is　trying　to　do　some　damage　to　me；〃　Harley　said。　　〃That's　his　provocation。　　He　hasn't　forgotten　how　to　bark。　He's　reading　the　colt　a　lecture。〃

〃If　he　gets　him　by　the　nose　it　will　be　more　than　a　lecture；〃　Villa　warned。　　〃Be　careful；　Harley；　or　he　will。〃

〃Now；　Michael；　lie　down　and　be　good；〃　Harley　commanded。　　〃It's　all　right；　I　tell　you。　　It's　an　right。　　Lie　down。〃

Michael　sank　down　obediently；　but　protestingly；　and　he　had　eyes　only　for　the　horse's　antics；　while　all　his　muscles　were　gathered　tensely　to　spring　in　case　the　horse　threatened　injury　to　Harley　again。

〃I　can't　give　in　to　him　now；　or　he　never　will　jump　anything；〃　Harley　said　to　his　wife；　as　he　whirled　about　to　gallop　back　to　a　distance。　　〃Either　I　lift　him　over　or　I　take　a　cropper。〃

He　came　back　at　full　speed；　and　the　colt；　despite　himself；　unable　to　stop；　lifted　into　the　leap　that　would　avoid　the　stream　he　feared；　so　that　he　cleared　it　with　a　good　two　yards　to　spare　on　the　other　side。

The　next　time　Michael　barked　was　when　Harley；　on　the　same　hot…　blood　mount；　strove　to　close　a　poorly　hung　gate　on　the　steep　pitch　of　a　mountain　wood…road。　　Michael　endured　the　danger　to　his　man…　god　as　long　as　he　could；　then　flew　at　the　colt's　head　in　a　frenzy　of　barking。

〃Anyway；　his　barking　helped；〃　Harley　conceded；　as　he　managed　to　close　the　gate。　　〃Michael　must　certainly　have　told　the　colt　that　he'd　give　him　what…for　if　he　didn't　behave。〃

〃At　any　rate；　he's　not　tongue…tied；〃　Villa　laughed；　〃even　if　he　isn't　very　loquacious。〃

And　Michael's　loquacity　never　went　farther。　　Only　on　these　two　occasions；　when　his　master…god　seemed　to　be　in　peril；　was　he　known　to　bark。　　He　never　barked　at　the　moon；　nor　at　hillside　echoes；　nor　at　any　prowling　thing。　　A　particular　echo；　to　be　heard　directly　from　the　ranch…house；　was　an　unfailing　source　of　exercise　for　Jerry's　lungs。　　At　such　times　that　Jerry　barked；　Michael；　with　a　bored　expression；　would　lie　down　and　wait　until　the　duet　was　over。　Nor　did　he　bark　when　he　attacked　strange　dogs　that　strayed　upon　the　ranch。

〃He　fights　like　a　veteran；〃　Harley　remarked；　after　witnessing　one　such　encounter。　　〃He's　cold…blooded。　　There's　no　excitement　in　him。〃

〃He's　old　before　his　time；〃　Villa　said。　　〃There　is　no　heart　of　play　left　in　him；　and　no　desire　for　speech。　　Just　the　same　I　know　he　loves　me；　and　you〃

〃Without　having　to　be　voluble　about　it；〃　her　husband　completed　for　her。

〃You　can　see　it　shining　in　those　quiet　eyes　of　his；〃　she　supplemented。