the mahatma and the hare-第12节

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at　all　likely　to　tread　the　Road　for　many　years　to　come。　I　had　gathered
that　he　was　comparatively　young；　and　although　I　had　argued　otherwise
with　the　Hare；　had　concluded　therefore　that　he　would　continue　to　live
his　happy　earth　life　until　old　age　brought　him　to　a　natural　end。　Hence
my　obtuseness。

The　man　was　drifting　towards　me　thoughtfully；　evidently　much
bewildered　by　his　new　surroundings　but　not　in　the　least　afraid。　Indeed
there　none　are　afraid；　when　they　glide　from　their　death…beds　to　the
Road　they　leave　fear　behind　them　with　the　other　terrors　of　our　mortal
lot。

Presently　he　became　conscious　of　the　presence　of　the　Hare；　and
thoughts　passed　through　his　mind　which　of　course　I　could　read。

〃My　word！〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃things　are　better　than　I　hoped。
There's　a　hare；　and　where　there　are　hares　there　must　be　hunting　and
shooting。　Oh！　if　only　I　had　a　gun；　or　the　ghost　of　a　gun！〃

Then　an　idea　struck　him。　He　lifted　his　hunting…crop　and　hurled　it　at
the　Hare。

As　it　was　only　the　shadow　of　a　crop　of　course　it　could　hurt　nothing。
Still　it　went　through　the　shadow　of　the　Hare　and　caused　it　to　twist
round　like　lightning。

〃That　was　a　good　shot　anyway；〃　he　reflected；　with　a　satisfied　smile。

By　now　the　Hare　had　seen　him。

〃/The　Red…faced　Man！/〃　it　exclaimed；　〃Grampus　himself！〃　and　it　turned
to　flee　away。

〃Don't　be　frightened；〃　I　cried；　〃he　can't　hurt　you；　nothing　can　hurt
you　here。〃

The　Hare　halted　and　sat　up。　〃No；〃　it　said；　〃I　forgot。　But　you　saw；　he
tried　to。　Now；　Mahatma；　you　will　understand　what　a　bloodthirsty　brute
he　is。　Even　after　I　am　dead　he　has　tried　to　kill　me　again。〃

〃Well；　and　why　not？〃　interrupted　the　Man。　〃What　are　hares　for　except
to　be　killed？〃

〃There；　Mahatma；　you　hear　him。　Look　at　me；　Man；　who　am　I？〃

So　he　looked　at　the　Hare　and　the　Hare　looked　at　him。　Presently　his
face　grew　puzzled。

〃By　Jingo！〃　he　said　slowly；　〃you　are　uncommonly　likeyou　/are/　that
accursed　witch　of　a　hare　which　cost　me　my　life。　There　are　the　white
marks　on　your　back；　and　there　is　the　grey　splotch　on　your　ear。　Oh！　if
only　I　had　a　guna　real　gun！〃

〃You　would　shoot　me；　wouldn't　you；　or　try　to？〃　said　the　Hare。　〃Well；
you　haven't　and　you　can't。　You　say　I　cost　you　your　life。　What　do　you
mean？　It　was　my　life　that　was　sacrificed；　not　yours。〃

〃Indeed；〃　answered　the　Man；　〃I　thought　you　got　away。　Never　saw　any
more　of　you　after　you　jumped　through　the　French　window。　Never　had
time。　The　last　thing　I　remember　is　her　Ladyship　screaming　like　a　mad
cockatoo；　yes；　and　abusing　me　as　though　I　were　a　pickpocket；　with　the
drawing…room　all　on　fire。　Then　something　happened；　and　down　I　went
among　the　broken　china　and　hit　my　head　against　the　leg　of　a　table。
Next　came　a　kind　of　whirling　blackness　and　I　woke　up　here。〃

〃A　fit　or　a　stroke；〃　I　suggested。

〃Both；　I　think；　sir。　The　fit　firstI　have　had　'em　before；　and　the
stroke　afterwardsagainst　the　leg　of　the　table。　Anyway　they　finished
me　between　them；　thanks　to　that　little　beast。〃

Then　it　was　that　I　saw　a　very　strange　thing；　a　hare　in　a　rage。　It
seemed　to　go　mad；　of　course　I　mean　spiritually　mad。　Its　eyes　flashed
fire；　it　opened　its　mouth　and　shut　it　after　the　fashion　of　a
suffocating　fish。　At　last　it　spoke　in　its　own　wayI　cannot　stop　to
explain　in　further　detail　the　exact　manner　of　speech　or　rather　of　its
equivalent　upon　the　Road。

〃Man；　Man；〃　it　exclaimed；　〃you　say　that　I　finished　you。　But　what　did
you　do　to　me？　You　shot　me。　Look　at　the　marks　upon　my　back。　You　coursed
me　with　your　running　dogs。　You　hunted　me　with　your　hounds。　You　dragged
me　out　of　the　sea　into　which　I　swam　to　escape　you　by　death；　and　threw
me　living　to　the　pack；〃　and　the　Hare　stopped　exhausted　by　its　own
fury。

〃Well；〃　replied　the　Man　coolly；　〃and　suppose　I；　or　my　people；　did；
what　of　it？　Why　shouldn't　I？　You　were　a　beast；　I　was　a　man　with
dominion　over　you。　You　can　read　all　about　that　in　the　Book　of
Genesis。〃

〃I　never　heard　of　the　Book　of　Genesis；〃　said　the　Hare；　〃but　what　does
dominion　mean？　Does　this　Book　of　Genesis　say　that　it　means　the　right
to　torment　that　which　is　weaker　than　the　tormentor？〃

〃All　you　animals　were　made　for　us　to　eat；〃　commented　the　Man；　avoiding
an　answer　to　the　direct　question。

〃Very　good；〃　answered　the　Hare；　〃let　us　suppose　that　we　/were/　given
you　to　eat。　Was　it　in　order　to　eat　me　that　you　came　out　against　me
with　guns；　then　with　dogs　that　run　by　sight；　and　then　with　dogs　that
run　by　smell？〃

〃If　you　were　to　be　killed　and　eaten；　why　should　you　not　be　killed　in
one　of　these　ways；　Hare？〃

〃Why　should　I　be　killed　in　those　ways；　Man；　when　others　more　merciful
were　to　your　hand？　Indeed；　why　should　I　be　killed　at　all？　Moreover；　if
you　wished　to　satisfy　your　hunger　with　my　body；　why　at　the　last　was　I
thrown　to　the　dogs　to　devour？〃

〃I　don't　quite　know；　Hare。　Never　looked　at　the　matter　in　that　light
before。　Butah！　I've　got　you　now；〃　he　added　triumphantly。　〃If　it
hadn't　been　for　me　you　never　would　have　lived。　You　see　/I/　gave　you
the　gift　of　life。　Therefore；　instead　of　grumbling；　you　should　be　very
much　obliged　to　me。　Don't　you　understand？　I　preserved　hares；　so　that
without　me　you　would　never　have　been　a　hare。　Isn't　that　right；　Mr。
Mr。I　am　sorry　I　have　forgotten　your　name；〃　he　added；　turning　towards
me。

〃Mahatma；〃　I　said。

〃Oh！　yes；　I　remember　it　nowMr。ahMr。　Hatter。〃

〃There　is　something　in　the　argument；〃　I　replied　cautiously；　〃but　let
us　hear　our　friend's　answer。〃

〃Answermy　answer！　Well；　here　it　is。　What　are　you；　Man；　who　dare　to
say　that　you　give　life　or　withhold　it？　You　a　Lord　of　life；　/you！/　I
tell　you　that　I　know　little；　yet　I　am　sure　that　you　or　those　like　you
have　no　more　power　to　create　life　than　the　world　we　have　left　has　to
bid　the　stars　to　shine。　If　the　life　must　come；　it　will　come；　and　if　it
cannot　fulfil　itself　as　a　hare；　then　it　will　appear　as　something　else。
If　you　say　that　you　create　life；　I；　the　poor　beast　which　you　tortured；
tell　you　that　you　are　a　presumptuous　liar。〃

〃You　dare　to　lecture　me；〃　said　the　Man；　〃me；　the　heir　of　all　the　ages；
as　the　poet　called　me。　Why；　you　nasty　little　animal；　do　you　know　that
I　have　killed　hundreds　like　you；　and；〃　he　added；　with　a　sudden
afflatus　of　pride；　〃thousands　of　other　creatures；　such　as　pheasants；
to　say　nothing　of　deer　and　larger　game？　That　has　been　my　principal
occupation　since　I　was　a　boy。　I　may　say　that　I　have　lived　for　sport；
got　very　little　else　to　show　for　my　life；　so　to　speak。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　the　Hare；　〃have　you？　Well；　if　I　were　you；　I　shouldn't　boast
about　it　just　now。　You　see；　we　are　still　outside　of　those　Gates。　Who
knows　but　that　you　will　find　every　one　of　the　living　things　you　have
amused　yourself　by　slaughtering　waiting　for　you　within　them；　each
praying　for　justice　to　its　Maker　and　your　own？〃

〃My　word！〃　said　the　Man；　〃what　a　horrible　notion；　it's　like　a　bad
dream。〃

He　reflected　a　little；　then　added；　〃Well；　if　they　do；　I've　got　my
answer。　I　killed　them　for　food；　man　must　live。　Millions　of　pheasants
are　sold　to　be　eaten　every　year　at　a　much　smaller　price　than　they　cost
to　breed。　What　do　you　say　to　that；　Mr。　Hatter？　Finishes　him；　I　think。〃

〃I'm　not　arguing；〃　I　replied。　〃Ask　the　Hare。〃

〃Yes；　ask　me；　Man；　and　although　you　are　repeating　yourself；　I'll
answer　with　another　question；　knowing　that　here　you　must　tell　the
truth。　Did　you　really　rear　us　all　for　food？　Was　it　for　this　that　you
kept　your　keepers；　your　running　dogs　and　your　hunting　dogs；　that　you
might　kill　poor　defenceless　beasts　and　birds　to　fill　men's　stomachs？
If　this　was　so；　I　have　nothing　more　to　say。　Indeed；　if　our　deaths　or
sufferings　at　their　hands　really　help　men　in　any　way；　I　have　nothing
more　to　say。　I　admit　that　you　are　higher　and　stronger　than　we　are；　and
have　a　right　to　use　us　for　your　own　advantage；　or　even　to　destroy　us
altogether　if　we　harm　you。〃

The　Man　pondered；　then　replied　sullenly

〃You　know　very　well　that　it　was　not　so。　I　did　not　rear　up　pheasants
and　hares　merely　to　eat　them　or　that　others　might　eat　them。　Something
forces　me　to　tell　you　that　it　was　in　order　that　I　might　enjoy　myself
by　showing　my　skill　in　shooting　them；　or　to　have　the　pleasure　and
exercise　of　hunting　them　to　death。　Still；〃　he　added　defiantly；　〃I　who
am　a　Christian　man　maintain　that　my　religion　perfectly　justified　me　in
doing　all　these　things；　and　that　no　blame　attaches　to　me　on　this
account。〃

〃Very　good；〃　said　the　Hare；　〃now　we　have　a　clear　issue。　Friend
Mahatma；　when　those　Gates　open　presently　what　happens　beyond　them？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　I　answered；　〃I　have　never　been　there；　at　least　not
that　I　can　remember。〃

〃Still；　friend　Mahatma；　is　it　not　said　that　yonder　lives　some　Power
which　judges　righteously　and　declares　what　is　true　and　what　is　false？〃

〃I　have　heard　so；　Hare。〃

〃Very　well；　Man；　I　lay　my　cause　before　that　Powerdo　you　the　same。　If
I　am　wrong　I　will　go　back　to　earth　to　be　tortured　by　you　and　yours
again。　If；　however；　I　am　right；　you　shall　abide　the　judgment　of　the
Power；　and　I　ask　that　It　will　make　of　youa　hunted　hare！〃

Now　when　he　heard　these　awful　wordsfor　they　were　awfulno　less；　the
Red…faced　Man　grew　much　disturbed。　He　hummed　and　he　hawed；　and　shifted
his　feet　about。　At　last　he　said

〃You　must　admit　that　while　you