greyfriars bobby-第12部分

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The　sheep…dogs　charged　the　cart　with　as　deafening　a　clamor　of　welcome　as　if　a　home…coming　had　never　happened　before；　and　raced　the　horse　across　the　level。　The　kitchen　door　flared　open；　a　sudden　beacon　to　shepherds　scattered　afar　on　these　upland　billows　of　heath。　In　a　moment　the　basket　was　in　the　house；　the　door　snecked；　and　Bobby　released　on　the　hearth。

It　was　a　beautiful；　dark　old　kitchen；　with　a　homely　fire　of　peat　that　glowed　up　to　smoke…stained　rafters。　Soon　it　was　full　of　shepherds；　come　in　to　a　supper　of　brose；　cheese；　milk　and　bannocks。　Sheep…dogs　sprawled　and　dozed　on　the　hearth；　so　that　the　gude　wife　complained　of　their　being　underfoot。　But　she　left　them　undisturbed　and　stepped　over　them；　for；　tired　as　they　were；　they　would　have　to　go　out　again　to　drive　the　sheep　into　the　fold。

Humiliated　by　being　brought　home　a　prisoner；　and　grieving　for　the　forsaken　grave　in　Greyfriars；　Bobby　crept　away　to　a　corner　bench；　on　which　Auld　Jock　had　always　sat　in　humble　self…effacement。　He　lay　down　under　it；　and　the　little　four　year…old　lassie　sat　on　the　floor　close　beside　him；　understanding；　and　sorry　with　him。　Her　rough　brother　Wattie　teased　her　about　wanting　her　supper　there　on　one　plate　with　Bobby。

〃I　wadna　gang　daft　aboot　a　bit　dog；　Elsie。〃

〃Leave　the　bairn　by　'er　lane；〃　commanded　the　farmer。　The　mither　patted　the　child's　bright　head；　and　wiped　the　tears　from　the　bluebell　eyes。　And　there　was　a　little　sobbing　confidence　poured　into　a　sympathetic　ear。

Bobby　refused　to　eat　at　first；　but　by　and　by　he　thought　better　of　it。　A　little　dog　that　has　his　life　to　live　and　his　work　to　do　must　have　fuel　to　drive　the　throbbing　engine　of　his　tiny　heart。　So　Bobby　very　sensibly　ate　a　good　supper　in　the　lassie's　company　and；　grateful　for　that　and　for　her　sympathy；　submitted　to　her　shy　petting。　But　after　the　shepherds　and　dogs　were　gone　and　the　farmer　had　come　in　again　from　an　overseeing　look　about　the　place　the　little　dog　got　up；　trotted　to　the　door；　and　lay　down　by　it。　The　lassie　followed　him。　With　two　small；　plump　hands　she　pushed　Bobby's　silver　veil　back；　held　his　muzzle　and　looked　into　his　sad；　brown　eyes。

〃Oh；　mither；　mither；　Bobby's　greetin'；〃　she　cried。

〃Nae；　bonny　wee；　a　sma'　dog　canna　greet。〃

〃Ay；　he's　greetin'　sair！〃　A　sudden；　sweet　little　sound　was　dropped　on　Bobby's　head。

〃Ye　shouldna　kiss　the　bit　dog；　bairnie。　He　isna　like　a　human　body。〃

〃Ay；　a　wee　kiss　is　gude　for　'im。　Faither；　he　greets　so　I　canna　thole　it。〃　The　child　fled　to　comforting　arms　in　the　inglenook　and　cried　herself　to　sleep。　The　gude　wife　knitted；　and　the　gude　mon　smoked　by　the　pleasant　fire。　The　only　sound　in　the　room　was　the　ticking　of　the　wag　at　the　wa'　clock；　for　burning　peat　makes　no　noise　at　all；　only　a　pungent　whiff　in　the　nostrils；　the　memory　of　which　gives　a　Scotch　laddie　abroad　a　fit　of　hamesickness。　Bobby　lay　very　still　and　watchful　by　the　door。　The　farmer　served　his　astonishing　news　in　dramatic　bits。

〃Auld　Jock's　deid。〃　Bobby　stirred　at　that；　and　flattened　out　on　the　floor。

〃Ay；　the　lassie　told　that；　an'　I　wad　hae　kenned　it　by　the　dog。　He　is　greetin'　by　the　ordinar'。〃

〃An'　he's　buried　i'　the　kirkyaird　o'　auld　Greyfriars。〃　Ah；　that　fetched　her！　The　gude　wife　dropped　her　knitting　and　stared　at　him。

〃There's　a　gairdener；　like　at　the　country…hooses　o'　the　gentry；　leevin'　in　a　bit　lodge　by　the　gate。　He　has　naethin'　to　do；　ava；　but　lock　the　gate　at　nicht；　put　the　dogs　oot；　an'　mak'　the　posies　bloom　i'　the　simmer。　Ay；　it's　a　bonny　place。〃

〃It's　ower　grand　for　Auld　Jock。〃

〃Ye　may　weel　say　that。　His　bit　grave　isna　so　far　frae　the　martyrs'　monument。〃　When　the　grandeur　of　that　had　sunk　in　he　went　on　to　other　incredibilities。

Presently　he　began　to　chuckle。　〃There's　a　bit　notice　on　the　gate　that　nae　dogs　are　admittet；　but　Bobby's　sleepit　on　Auld　Jock's　grave　anetwathreefower　nichts；　an'　the　gairdener　doesna　ken　it；　ava。　He's　a　canny　beastie。〃

〃Ay；　he　is。　Folk　wull　be　comin'　frae　miles　aroond　juist　to　leuk　at　thesperity　bit。　Ilka　body　aboot　kens　Auld　Jock。　It'll　be　maist　michty　news　to　tell　at　the　kirk　on　the　Sabbath；　that　he's　buried　i'　Greyfriars。〃

Through　all　this　talk　Bobby　had　lain　quietly　by　the　door；　in　the　expectation　that　it　would　be　unlatched。　Impatient　of　delay；　he　began　to　whimper　and　to　scratch　on　the　panel。　The　lassie　opened　her　blue　eyes　at　that；　scrambled　down；　and　ran　to　him。　Instantly　Bobby　was　up；　tugging　at　her　short　little　gown　and　begging　to　be　let　out。　When　she　clasped　her　chubby　arms　around　his　neck　and　tried　to　comfort　him　he　struggled　free　and　set　up　a　dreadful　howling。

〃Hoots；　Bobby；　stap　yer　havers！〃　shouted　the　farmer。

〃Eh；　lassie；　he'll　deave　us　a'。　We'll　juist　hae　to　put　'im　i'　the　byre　wi'　the　coos　for　the　nicht；〃　cried　the　distracted　mither。

〃I　want　Bobby　i'　the　bed　wi'　me。　I'll　cuddle　'im　an'　lo'e　'im　till　he　staps　greetin'。〃

〃Nae；　bonny　wee；　he　wullna　stap。〃　The　farmer　picked　the　child　up　on　one　arm；　gripped　the　dog　under　the　other；　and　the　gude　wife　went　before　with　a　lantern；　across　the　dark　farmyard　to　the　cow…barn。　When　the　stout　door　was　unlatched　there　was　a　smell　of　warm　animals；　of　milk；　and　cured　hay；　and　the　sound　of　full；　contented　breathings　that　should　have　brought　a　sense　of　companionship　to　a　grieving　little　creature。

〃Bobby　wullna　be　lanely　here　wi'　the　coos；　bairnie；　an'　i'　the　morn　ye　can　tak'　a　bit　rope　an'　haud　it　in　a　wee　hand　so　he　canna　brak　awa'；　an'　syne；　in　a　day　or　twa；　he'll　be　forgettin'　Auld　Jock。　Ay；　ye'll　hae　grand　times　wi'　the　sonsie　doggie；　rinnin'　an'　loupin'　on　the　braes。〃

This　argument　was　so　convincing　and　so　attractive　that　the　little　maid　dried　her　tears；　kissed　Bobby　on　the　head　again；　and　made　a　bed　of　heather　for　him　in　a　corner。　But　as　they　were　leaving　the　byre　fresh　doubts　assailed　her。

〃He'll　gang　awa'　gin　ye　dinna　tie　'im　snug　the　nicht；　faither。〃

〃Sic　a　fulish　bairn！　Wi'　fower　wa's　aroond　'im；　an'　a　roof　to　'is　heid；　an'　a　floor　to　'is　fut；　hoo　could　a　sma'　dog　mak'　a　way　oot？〃

It　was　a　foolish　notion；　bred　of　fond　anxiety；　and　so；　reassured；　the　child　went　happily　back　to　the　house　and　to　rosy　sleep　in　her　little　closet　bed。

Ah！　here　was　a　warm　place　in　a　cold　world　for　Bobby。　A　soft…hearted　little　mistress　and　merry　playmate　was　here；　generous　food；　and　human　society　of　a　kind　that　was　very　much　to　a　little　farm　dog's　liking。　Here　was　freedomwide　moors　to　delight　his　scampering　legs；　adventures　with　rabbits；　foxes；　hares　and　moor…fowl；　and　great　spaces　where　no　one's　ears　would　be　offended　by　his　loudest；　longest　barking。　Besides；　Auld　Jock　had　said；　with　his　last　breath；　〃Gangawa'hameladdie！〃　It　is　not　to　be　supposed　Bobby　had　forgotten　that；　since　he　remembered　and　obeyed　every　other　order　of　that　beloved　voice。　But　there；　self…interest；　love　of　liberty；　and　the　instinct　of　obedience；　even；　sank　into　the　abysses　of　the　little　creature's　mind。　Up　to　the　top　rose　the　overmastering　necessity　of　guarding　the　bit　of　sacred　earth　that　covered　his　master。

The　byre　was　no　sooner　locked　than　Bobby　began；　in　the　pitch　darkness；　to　explore　the　walls。　The　single　promise　of　escape　that　was　offered　was　an　inch…wide　crack　under　the　door；　where　the　flooring　stopped　short　and　exposed　a　strip　of　earth。　That　would　have　appalled　any　but　a　desperate　little　dog。　The　crack　was　so　small　as　to　admit　but　one　paw；　at　first；　and　the　earth　was　packed　as　hard　as　wood　by　generations　of　trampling　cattle。

There　he　began　to　dig。　He　came　of　a　breed　of　dogs　used　by　farmers　and　hunters　to　dig　small；　burrowing　animals　out　of　holes；　a　breed　whose　courage　and　persistence　know　no　limit。　He　dug　patiently；　steadily；　hour　after　hour；　enlarging　the　hole　by　inches。　Now　and　then　he　had　to　stop　to　rest。　When　he　was　able　to　use　both　forepaws　he　made　encouraging　progress；　but　when　he　had　to　reach　under　the　door；　quite　the　length　of　his　stretched　legs；　and　drag　every　bit　of　earth　back　into　the　byre；　the　task　must　have　been　impossible　to　any　little　creature　not　urged　by　utter　misery。　But　Skye　terriers　have　been　known　to　labor　with　such　fury　that　they　have　perished　of　their　own　exertions。　Bobby's　nose　sniffed　liberty　long　before　he　could　squeeze　his　weasel…like　body　through　the　tunnel。　His　back　bruised　and　strained　by　the　struggle　through　a　hole　too　small；　he　stood；　trembling　with　exhaustion；　in　the　windy　dawn。

An　opening　door；　a　barking　sheep…dog；　the　shuffle　of　the　moving　flock；　were　signs　that　the　farm　day　was　beginning；　although　all　the　stars　had　not　faded　out　of　the　sky。　A　little　flying　shadow；　Bobby　slipped　out　of　the　cow…yard；　past　the　farm…house；　and　literally　tumbled　down　the　brae。　From　one　level　to　another　he　dropped；　several　hundred　feet　in　a　very　few　minutes；　and　from　the　clear　air　of　the　breezy　hilltop　to　a　nether　world　that　was　buried　fathoms　deep　in　a　sea…fog　as　white　as　milk。

Hidden　in　a　deep　fold　of　the　spreading　skirts　of　the　range；　and　some　distance　from　the　road；　lay　a　pool；　made　by　damming　a　burn；　and　used；　in　the　shearing　season；　for　washing　sheep。　Surrounded　by　brushy　woods；　and　very　damp　and　dark；　at　other　seasons　it　was　deserted。　Bobby　found　this　secluded　place　with　his　nose；　curled　up　under　a　hazel　thicket　and　fell　sound　asleep。　And　while　he　slept；　a　nipping　wind　from　the　far；　northern　Highlands　swooped　down　on　the　mist　and　sent　it　flying　out　to　sea。　The　Lowlands　cleared　like　magic。　From　the　high　point　where　Bobby　lay　the　road　could　be　seen　to　fall；　by　short　rises　and　long　descents；　all　the　way　to　Edinburgh。　From　its　crested　ridge　and　flanking　hills　the　city　trailed　a　dusky　banner　of　smoke　out　over　the　fishing　fleet　in　the　Firth。

A　little　dog　cannot　see　such　distant　views。　Bobby　could　only　read　and　follow　the　guide…posts　of　odors　along　the　way。　He　had　begun　the　ascent　to　the　toll…bar　when　he　heard　the　clatter　of　a　cart　and　the　pounding　of　hoofs　behind　him。　He　did　not　wait　to　learn　if　this　was　the　Cauldbrae　farmer　in　pursuit。　Certain　knowledge　on　that　point　was　only　to　be　gained　at　his　peril。　He　sprang　into　the　shelter　of　a　stone　wall；　scrambled　over　it；　worked　his　way　along　it　a　short　distance；　and　disappeared　into　a　brambly　path　that　skirted　a　burn　in　a　woody　dell。

Immediately　the　little　dog　was　lost　in　an　unexplored　country。　The　narrow　glen　was　musical　with　springs；　and　the　low　growth　was　undercut　with　a　maze　of　rabbit　runs；