the mahatma and the hare-第7节

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shot；　and　now　I　knew　what　shooting　meant。

*****

About　a　week　later　I　knew　better　still。　It　came　about　thus。　By　that
time　the　turnips　I　have　mentioned；　those　that　grew　in　the　big　field；
had　swelled　into　fine；　large　bulbs　with　leafy　tops。　We　used　to　eat
them　at　nights；　and　in　the　daytime　to　lie　up　among　them　in　our　snug
forms。　You　know；　Mahatma；　don't　you；　that　a　form　is　a　little　hollow
which　a　hare　makes　in　the　ground　just　to　fit　itself？　No　hare　likes　to
sleep　in　another　hare's　form。　Do　you　understand？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　answered；　〃I　understand。　It　would　be　like　a　man　wearing
another　man's　boots。〃

〃I　don't　know　anything　about　boots　Mahatma；　except　that　they　are　hard
things　with　iron　on　them　which　kick　one　out　of　one's　form　if　one　sits
too　close。　Once　that　happened　to　me。　Well；　my　form　was　under　a
particularly　fine　turnip　that　had　some　dead　leaves　beneath　the　green
ones。　I　chose　it　because；　like　the　brown　earth；　they　just　matched　the
colour　of　my　back。　I　was　sleeping　there　quite　soundly　when　my　sister
came　and　woke　me。

〃There　are　men　in　the　field；〃　she　said；　her　eyes　nearly　starting　out
of　her　head　with　fear；　for　she　was　always　very　timid。

〃I'm　off。〃

〃Are　you？〃　I　answered。　〃Well；　I　think　I　shall　stop　here　where　I　shan't
be　noticed。　If　we　begin　jumping　over　those　turnips　they　will　see　us。〃

〃We　might　run　down　the　rows；　keeping　our　ears　close　to　our　backs；〃　she
remarked。

〃No；〃　I　said；　〃there　are　too　many　bare　patches。〃

At　this　moment　a　gun　went　'bang'　some　way　off；　and　my　sister；　like　a
wise　hare；　scuttled　away　at　full　speed　for　the　wood。　But　I　only　made
myself　smaller　than　usual　and　lay　watching　and　listening。

There　was　a　good　deal　to　see　and　hear；　for　instance；　a　covey　of
partridges；　troublesome　birds　that　come　scratching　and　fidgeting　about
when　one　wants　to　sleep；　were　running　to　and　fro　in　a　great　state　of
concern。

〃They　are　after　us；〃　said　the　old　cock。

〃I　remember　the　same　thing　last　year。　Come　on；　do。〃

〃How　can　I　with　all　these　young　ones　to　look　after？〃　answered　the　hen。
〃Why；　if　once　they　are　scattered　I　shall　never　find　them　again。〃

〃Just　as　you　like；　you　know　best；〃　said　the　cock。　〃Goodbye；〃　and　away
he　flew；　while　his　wife　and　the　rest　ran　to　a　little　distance；
scattered　and　squatted。

Presently；　looking　back　over　my　shoulders　without　turning　my　head；　as
a　hare　can；　I　saw　a　line　of　men　walking　towards　me。　There　was　the　Red…
faced　Man　whom　Giles　called　Grampus　behind　his　back　and　Squire　to　his
face。　There　was　Giles　himself；　with　his　hurt　hand　tied　up；　holding　a
kind　of　stick　with　a　slit　in　it　from　which　hung　a　lot　of　dead
partridges　whose　necks　were　in　the　slit。　One　of　them　was　not　dead　or
had　come　to　life　again；　for　it　flapped　in　the　stick　trying　to　fly
away。　He　held　these　in　the　hand　that　was　tied　up；　and　in　the　other；
oh；　horror！　was　a　dead　hare　bleeding　from　its　nose。　It　looked
uncommonly　like　my　mother；　but　whether　it　were　or　no　I　couldn't　be
quite　sure。　At　least　from　that　day　neither　my　sister　nor　I　ever　saw
her　again。　I　suppose　you　haven't　met　her　coming　up　this　big　white
Road；　have　you；　Mahatma？

〃No；　no；〃　I　answered　impatiently；　〃I　have　already　told　you　that　you
are　the　first　hare　I　have　ever　seen　upon　the　Road。　Please　get　on　with
your　story；　or　the　Lights　will　change　and　the　Gates　be　opened　before　I
hear　its　end。〃

Just　when　I　saw　her　I　was　thinking　of　running　away；　but　the　sight
terrified　me　so　much　that　I　could　not　stir。　You　see；　Mahatma；　I　really
loved　my　mother　as　much　as　a　hare　can　love　anything；　which　is　a　good
deal。

Well；　beyond　Giles　was；　who　do　you　think？　That　dreadful　boy；　Tom；　with
a　gun　in　his　hand　too。　Did　I　say　that　they　all　had　guns；　except　Giles
and　some　beater　men；　only　that　Tom's　was　single…barrelled？　Then　there
were　others　whom　I　need　not　describe；　stretching　to　left　and　right；
and　worst　of　all；　perhaps；　there　was　Giles's　great　black　dog；　a　silly…
looking　beast　which　always　seemed　to　have　its　mouth　open　and　its
tongue　hanging　out；　and　to　be　wagging　a　big　tail　like　the　fox's；　only
black　and　more　ragged。

As　I　watched；　up　got　the　old　hen　partridge　and　one　of　her　young　ones
and　flew　towards　me。　The　Red…faced　Man　lifted　his　gun　and　fired；　once；
twice；　and　down　came　first　the　mother　partridge　and　then　the　young
one。　I　forgot　to　say　that　Tom　fired　too　at　the　old　partridge；　which
fell　dead　quite　close　to　me；　leaving　a　lot　of　feathers　floating　in　the
air。　As　it　fell　Tom　screeched　out

〃I　killed　that；　father。〃

This　made　the　Red…faced　Man　very　angry。

〃You　young　scoundrel；〃　he　said；　〃how　often　have　I　told　you　not　to
shoot　at　my　birds　under　my　nose？　No　sportsman　shoots　at　another　man's
birds；　and　as　for　killing　it；　you　were　yards　under　the　thing。　If　you
do　it　again　I　will　send　you　home。〃

〃Sorry；　father；〃　said　Tom；　adding　in　a　low　voice　with　a　snigger；　〃I
did　kill　it　after　all。　Dad　thinks　no　one　can　hit　a　partridge　except
himself。〃

Just　then　up　jumped　my　father　near　to　Giles；　and　came　leaping　in　front
of　the　Red…faced　Man　about　twenty　yards　away　from　him。

〃Mark　hare！〃　shouted　Giles；　and　Grampus；　who　was　still　glowering　at
Tom　and　had　not　quite　finished　pushing　the　cartridges　into　his　gun；
shut　it　up　in　a　hurry　and　fired　first　one　barrel　and　then　the　other。
But　my　father；　who　was　very　cunning；　jumped　into　the　air　at　the　first
shot　and　ducked　at　the　second；　so　that　he　was　missed；　at　least　I
suppose　that　is　why　he　was　missed。

Giles　grinned　and　the　Red…faced　Man　said；　〃Damn！〃　What　does　'damn'
mean；　Mahatma？　It　was　a　very　favourite　word　with　the　Red…faced　Man；
but　even　now　I　can't　quite　understand　it。〃

〃Nor　can　I；〃　I　answered。　〃Go　on。〃

〃Well；　my　poor　father　next　ran　in　front　of　Tom；　who　shot　too　and　hit
him　in　the　hind　legs　so　that　he　rolled　over　and　over　in　the　turnips；
kicking　and　screaming。　Have　you　ever　heard　a　hare　scream；　Mahatma？〃

〃Yes；　yes；　it　makes　a　horrid　noise　like　a　baby。〃

〃Wiped　your　eye　that　time；　Dad；〃　cried　Tom　in　an　exultant　voice。

〃I　don't　know　about　wiping　my　eye；〃　answered　his　father；　turning　quite
purple　with　rage；　〃but　I　wish　you　would　be　good　enough；　Thomas；　not　to
shoot　my　hares　behind；　so　that　they　make　that　beastly　row　which　upsets
me〃　（I　think　that　the　Red…faced　Man　was　really　kind　at　the　bottom）
〃and　spoils　them　for　the　market。　If　you　can't　hit　a　hare　in　front；
miss　it　like　a　gentleman。〃

〃As　you　do；　Dad；〃　said　Tom；　sniggering　again。　〃All　right；　I'll　try。〃

〃Giles；〃　roared　Grampus；　pretending　not　to　hear；　〃send　your　dog　and
fetch　that　hare。　I　can't　bear　its　screeching。〃

So　that　great　black　dog　rushed　forward　and　caught　my　poor　father　in
its　big　mouth；　although　he　tried　to　drag　himself　away　on　his　front
paws；　and　after　that　I　shut　my　eyes。

Then　a　lot　of　partridges　got　up　and　there　was　any　amount　of　banging；
though　most　of　them　were　missed。　This　made　the　Red…faced　Man　angrier
than　ever。　He　took　off　his　hat　and　waved　it；　bellowing

〃Call　back　that　brute　of　a　dog　of　yours；　Giles。　Call　it　back　at　once
or　I'll　shoot　it。〃

So　Giles　called；　〃Nigger。　Come　you　'ere；　Nigger！　Nigg；　Nigg；　Nigg！〃

But　Nigger　rushed　about　putting　up　partridges　all　over　the　place　while
Grampus　stamped　and　shouted　and　every　one　missed　everything；　till　at
last　Tom　sat　down　on　the　turnips　and　roared　with　laughter。

At　length；　after　Giles　had　beaten　Nigger　till　he　broke　a　stick　over
him；　making　him　howl　terribly；　order　was　restored；　and　the　line　having
reformed；　began　to　march　down　on　me。　For；　Mahatma；　I　was　so　frightened
by　what　had　happened　to　my　father；　and　I　think　my　mother；　that　I
didn't　remember　what　he；　I　mean　my　dead　father；　had　told　me；　always　to
run　away　when　there　is　a　chance；　as　poor　hares　can　only　protect
themselves　by　flight。

So　as　I　had　lost　the　chance　I　thought　that　I　would　just　sit　tight；
hoping　that　they　would　not　see　me。　Nor　indeed　would　they　if　it　hadn't
been　for　that　horrible　Tom。

During　the　confusion　the　mother　partridge　which　the　Red…faced　Man　had
shot　had　been　forgotten　by　everybody　except　Tom。　Tom；　you　see；　was
certain　that　he　had　shot　it　himself；　being　a　very　obstinate　boy；　and
was　determined　to　retrieve　it　as　his　own。

Now　that　partridge　had　fallen　within　a　yard　of　me；　with　its　beak　and
claws　pointing　to　the　sky；　and　when　the　line　had　passed　where　we　lay
Tom　lagged　behind　to　look　for　it。　He　did　not　find　it　then；　whether　he
ever　found　it　afterwards　I　am　sure　I　don't　know。　But　he　found　me。

〃By　Jove！　here's　a　hare；〃　he　said；　and　made　a　grab　at　me　just　as　he
had　done　in　the　furze　bush。

Well；　I　went。　Tom　shot　when　I　wasn't　more　than　four　yards　from　him；
and　the　whole　charge　passed　like　a　bullet　between　my　hind　legs　and
struck　the　ground　under　my　stomach；　sending　up　such　a　shower　of　earth
and　stones　that　I　was　knocked　right　over。

〃I've　hit　it！〃　yelled　Tom；　as　he　crammed　another　cartridge　into　his
single…barrelled　gun。

By　the　time　that　it　was　loaded　I　was　quite　thirty　yards　away　and　going
like　the　wind。　Tom　lifted　the　gun。

〃Don't　shoot！〃　roared　the　Red…faced　Man。

〃Mind　that　there　boy！〃　bellowed　Giles。

I　was　running　down　between　two　rows　of　turnips　and　presently　butted
into　a　lad　who　was　bending　over；　I　suppose　to　pick　up　a　partridge。　At
any　rate　his　taildo　you　call　it　his　tail；　Ma