the mahatma and the hare-第10节

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again。　So　I　looped　along　saving　my　breath　and　heading　for　a　wood　which
was　quite　five　miles　off　that　I　had　once　visited　from　the　Marsh　on　the
sea…shore　where　I　lay　sick；　for　I　was　sure　they　would　never　follow　me
there。

You　can　imagine；　then；　Mahatma；　how　surprised　I　was　when　I　drew　near
that　wood　to　hear　a　hideous　noise　of　dogs　all　barking　together　behind
me；　and　on　looking　back；　to　see　those　spotted　brutes；　with　their
tongues　hanging　out；　coming　along　quite　close　to　each　other　and　not
more　than　a　quarter　of　a　mile　away。

Moreover　they　were　coming　after　me。　I　was　sure　of　that；　for　the　first
of　them　kept　setting　its　nose　to　the　ground　just　where　I　had　run；　and
then　lifting　up　its　head　to　bay。　Yes；　they　were　coming　on　my　scent。
They　could　smell　me　as　Giles's　curly　dog　smells　the　wounded
partridges。　My　heart　sank　at　the　thought；　but　presently　I　remembered
that　the　wood　was　quite　close；　and　that　there　I　should　certainly　give
them　the　slip。

So　I　went　on　quite　cheerfully；　not　even　running　as　fast　as　I　could。
But　fortune　was　against　me；　as　everything　has　always　been；　for　I　never
found　a　friend。　I　ran　along　the　side　of　a　hedgerow　which　went　quite　up
to　the　wood；　not　knowing　that　at　the　end　of　it　three　men　were　engaged
in　cutting　down　an　oak　tree。　You　see；　Mahatma；　they　had　caught　sight
of　the　hunt　and　stopped　from　their　work；　so　that　I　did　not　hear　the
sound　of　their　axes　upon　the　tree。　Nor；　as　my　head　was　so　near　the
ground；　did　I　see　them　until　I　was　right　on　to　them；　at　which　moment
also　they　saw　me。

〃Here　she　is！〃　yelled　one　of　them。　〃Keep　her　out　of　covert　or　they'll
lose　her；〃　and　he　threw　out　his　arms　and　began　to　jump　about；　as　did
the　other　two。

I　pulled　up　short　within　three　or　four　yards　of　them。　Behind　were　the
dogs　and　the　people　galloping　upon　horses　and　in　front　were　the　three
men。　What　was　I　to　do？　Now　I　had　stopped　exactly　in　a　gateway；　for　a
lane　ran　alongside　the　wood。　After　a　moment's　pause　I　bolted　through
the　gateway；　thinking　that　I　would　get　into　the　wood　beyond。　But　one
of　the　men；　who　of　course　wanted　to　see　me　killed；　was　too　quick　for
me　and　there　headed　me　again。

Then　I　lost　my　senses。　Instead　of　running　on　past　him　and　leaping　into
the　wood；　I　swung　right　round　and　rushed　back；　still　clinging　to　the
hedgerow。　Indeed　as　I　went　down　one　side　of　it　the　hounds　and　the
hunters　came　up　on　the　other；　so　that　there　were　only　a　few　sticks
between　us；　though　fortunately　the　wind　was　blowing　from　them　to　me。
Fearing　lest　they　should　see　me　I　jumped　into　the　ditch　and　ran　for
quite　two　hundred　yards　through　the　mud　and　water　that　was　gathered
there。　Then　I　had　to　come　out　of　it　again　as　it　ended　but　here　was　a
fall　in　the　ground；　so　still　I　was　not　seen。

Meanwhile　the　hunt　had　reached　the　three　men　and　I　heard　them　all
talking　together。　The　end　of　it　was　that　the　men　explained　which　way　I
had　gone；　and　once　more　the　hounds　were　laid　on　to　me。　In　a　minute
they　got　to　where　I　had　entered　the　ditch；　and　there　grew　confused
because　my　footmarks　did　not　smell　in　the　water。　For　quite　a　long　time
they　looked　about　till　at　length；　taking　a　wide　cast；　the　hounds　found
my　smell　again　at　the　end　of　the　ditch。

During　this　check　I　was　making　the　best　of　my　way　back　towards　my　own
home；　indeed　had　it　not　been　for　it　I　should　have　been　caught　and　torn
to　pieces　much　sooner　than　I　was。　Thus　it　happened　that　I　had　covered
quite　three　miles　before　once　more　I　heard　those　hounds　baying　behind
me。　This　was　just　as　I　got　on　to　the　moorland；　at　that　edge　of　it
which　is　about　another　three　miles　from　the　great　house　called　the
Hall；　which　stands　on　the　top　of　a　cliff　that　slopes　down　to　the　beach
and　the　sea。

I　had　thought　of　making　for　the　other　wood；　that　in　which　I　had　saved
myself　from　the　greyhounds　when　the　beast　Jack　broke　its　neck　against
the　tree；　but　it　was　too　far　off；　and　the　ground　was　so　open　that　I
did　not　dare　to　try。

So　I　went　straight　on；　heading　towards　the　cliff。　Another　mile　and
they　viewed　me；　for　I　heard　Tom　yell　with　delight　as　he　stood　up　in
his　stirrups　on　the　black　cob　he　was　riding　and　waved　his　cap。　Jerry
the　huntsman　also　stood　up　in　his　stirrups　and　waved　his　cap；　and　the
last　awful　hunt　began。

I　ranoh！　how　I　ran。　Once　when　they　were　nearly　on　me　I　managed　to
check　them　for　a　minute　in　a　hollow　by　getting　among　some　sheep。　But
they　soon　found　me　again；　and　came　after　me　at　full　tear　not　more　than
a　hundred　yards　behind。　In　front　of　me　I　saw　something　that　looked
like　walls　and　bounded　towards　them　with　my　last　strength。　My　heart
was　bursting；　my　eyes　and　mouth　seemed　to　be　full　of　blood；　but　the
terror　of　being　torn　to　pieces　still　gave　me　power　to　rush　on　almost
as　quickly　as　though　I　had　just　been　put　off　my　form。　For　as　I　have
told　you；　Mahatma；　I　am；　or　rather　was；　a　very　strong　and　swift　hare。

I　reached　the　walls；　there　was　an　open　doorway　in　them　through　which　I
fled；　to　find　myself　in　a　big　garden。　Two　gardeners　saw　me　and　shouted
loudly。　I　flew　on　through　some　other　doors；　through　a　yard；　and　into　a
passage　where　I　met　a　woman　carrying　a　pail；　who　shrieked　and　fell　on
to　her　back。　I　jumped　over　her　and　got　into　a　big　room；　where　was　a
long　table　covered　with　white　on　which　were　all　sorts　of　things　that　I
suppose　men　eat。　Out　of　that　room　I　went　into　yet　another；　where　a　fat
woman　with　a　hooked　nose　was　seated　holding　something　white　in　front
of　her。　I　bolted　under　the　thing　on　which　she　was　seated　and　lay
there。　She　saw　me　come　and　began　to　shriek　also；　and　presently　a　most
terrible　noise　arose　outside。

All　the　spotted　dogs　were　in　the　house；　baying　and　barking；　and
everybody　was　yelling。　Then　for　a　minute　the　dogs　stopped　their
clamour；　and　I　heard　a　great　clatter　of　things　breaking　and　of　teeth
crunching　and　of　the　Red…faced　Man　shouting

〃Those　cursed　brutes　are　eating　the　hunt　lunch。　Get　them　out；　Jerry；
you　idiot！　Get　them　out！　Great　heavens！　what's　the　matter　with　her
Ladyship？　Is　any　one　murdering　her？〃

I　suppose　that　they　couldn't　get　them　out；　or　at　least　when　they　did
they　all　came　into　the　other　room　where　I　was　under　the　seat　on　which
the　fat　woman　was　now　standing。

〃What　is　it；　mother？〃　I　heard　Tom　say。

〃An　animal！〃　she　screamed。　〃An　animal　under　the　sofa！〃

〃All　right；〃　he　said；　〃that's　only　the　hare。　Here；　hounds；　out　with
her；　hounds！〃

The　dogs　rushed　about；　some　of　them　with　great　lumps　of　food　still　in
their　mouths。　But　they　were　confused；　and　all　went　into　the　wrong
places。　Everything　began　to　fall　with　dreadful　crashes；　the　fat　woman
shrieked　piercingly；　and　her　shriek　was

〃China！　Oh！　my　china…a。　John；　you　wretch！　Help！　Help！　Help！〃

To　which　the　Red…faced　Man　roared　in　answer

〃Don't　be　an　infernal　fool；　Eliza…a。　I　say；　don't　be　such　an　infernal
fool。〃

Also　there　were　lots　of　other　noises　that　I　cannot　remember；　except
one　which　a　dog　made。

This　silly　dog　had　thrust　its　head　up　the　hole　over　a　fire　such　as　the
stops　make　outside　the　coverts　when　men　are　going　to　shoot；　either　to
hide　something　or　to　look　for　me　there。　When　it　came　down　again
because　the　Red…faced　Man　kicked　it；　the　dog　put　its　paws　into　the
fire　and　pulled　it　all　out　over　the　floor。　Also　it　howled　very
beautifully。　Just　then　another　hound；　that　one　which　generally　led　the
pack；　began　to　sniff　about　near　me　and　finally　poked　its　nose　under
the　stuff　which　hid　me。

It　jumped　back　and　bayed；　whereon　I　jumped　out　the　other　side。　Tom
made　a　rush　at　me　and　knocked　the　fat　woman　off　the　thing　she　was
standing　on；　so　that　she　fell　among　the　dogs；　which　covered　her　up　and
began　to　sniff　her　all　over。　Flying　from　Tom　I　found　myself　in　front
of　something　filmy；　beyond　which　I　saw　grass。　It　looked　suspicious；
but　as　nothing　in　the　world　could　be　so　bad　as　Tom；　no；　not　even　his
dogs；　I　jumped　at　it。

There　was　a　crash　and　a　sharp　point　cut　my　nose；　but　I　was　out　upon
the　grass。　Then　there　were　twenty　other　crashes；　and　all　the　hounds
were　out　too；　for　Tom　had　cheered　them　on。　I　ran　to　the　edge　of　the
lawn　and　saw　a　steep　slope　leading　to　the　sands　and　the　sea。　Now　I
knew　what　the　sea　was；　for　after　Tom　had　shot　me　in　the　back　I　lived
by　it　for　a　long　while；　and　once　swam　across　a　little　creek　to　get　to
my　form；　from　which　it　cut　me　off。

While　I　ran　down　that　slope　fast　as　my　aching　legs　would　carry　me；　I
made　up　my　mind　that　I　would　swim　out　into　the　sea　and　drown　there；
since　it　is　better　to　drown　than　to　be　torn　to　pieces。　But　why　are　you
laughing；　friend　Mahatma。〃

〃I　am　not　laughing；〃　I　said。　〃In　this　state；　without　a　body；　I　have
nothing　to　laugh　with。　Still　you　are　right；　for　you　see　that　I　should
be　laughing　if　I　could。　Your　story　of　the　stout　lady　and　the　dogs　and
the　china　is　very　amusing。〃

〃Perhaps；　friend；　but　it　did　not　amuse　me。　Nothing　is　amusing　when　one
is　going　to　be　eaten　alive。〃

〃Of　course　it　isn't；〃　I　answered。　〃Please　forgive　me　and　go　on。〃

〃Well；　I　tumbled　down　that　cliff；　followed　by　some　of　the　dogs　and　Tom
and　the　girl　Ella　and　the　huntsman　Jerry　on　foot；　and　dragged　myself
across　the　sands　till　I　came　to　the　lip　of　the　sea。

Just　here　there　was　a　boat　and　by　it　stood　Giles　the　keeper。　He　had
come　there　to　get　out