the mahatma and the hare-第9节

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the　borders　of　the　moor　I　heard　the　patter　of　their　feet　behind　me；
and　looking　back　saw　them　coming　up；　about　as　far　away　as　I　was　from
Tom　when　he　shot　me。

They　were　running　quite　close　together　and　behind　them　galloped　the
judge　and　other　men。　There　was　a　fence　here　and　I　bolted　through　a
hole　in　it。　The　greyhounds　jumped　over　and　for　a　moment　lost　sight　of
me；　for　I　had　turned　and　run　down　near　the　side　of　the　fence。　But　Tom；
who　had　come　through　a　gap；　saw　me　and　waved　his　arm　shouting；　and
next　instant　Jack　and　Jill　saw　me　too。

Then　as　the　going　was　rough　by　the　fence　I　took　to　the　open　moor；
always　trying；　however；　to　work　round　to　the　left　in　the　hope　that　I
might　win　the　shelter　of　the　wood。

On　we　went　like　the　wind；　and　now　Jack　and　Jill　were　quite　close
behind　me；　though　before　they　got　there　I　had　managed　to　circle　so
that　at　last　my　head　pointed　to　the　wood；　which　was　more　than　half　a
mile　away。　Their　speed　was　greater　than　mine；　and　I　knew　that　I　must
soon　be　caught。

At　last　they　were　not　more　than　two　yards　behind；　and　for　the　first
time　I　twisted　so　that　they　overshot　me；　which　gave　me　another　start。
Three　times　they　came　up　and　three　times　I　wrenched　or　twisted。　The
wood　was　not　so　far　away　now；　but　I　was　almost　spent。

What　was　I　to　do！　What　was　I　to　do！　I　saw　a　clump　of　furze　to　the
left；　a　big　clump　and　thick；　and　remembered　that　there　was　a　hare's
run　through　it。　I　reached　it　just　as　Jill　was　on　the　top　of　me；　and
once　more　they　lost　sight　of　me　for　a　while　as　they　ran　round　the
clump　staring　and　jumping。　When　they　saw　me　again　on　the　further　side
I　was　thirty　yards　ahead　of　them　and　the　wood　was　perhaps　two　hundred
and　fifty　yards　away。　But　now　I　could　only　run　more　slowly；　for　my
heart　seemed　to　be　bursting；　though　luckily　Jack　and　Jill　were　getting
tired　also。　Still　they　soon　came　up；　and　now　I　must　twist　every　few
yards；　or　be　caught　in　their　jaws。

I　can't　tell　you　what　I　felt；　Mahatma；　and　until　you　have　been　hunted
by　greyhounds　you　will　never　know。　It　was　horrible。　Yet　I　managed　to
twist　and　jump　so　that　always　Jack　and　Jill　just　missed　me。　The
farmers　on　the　horses　laughed　to　see　my　desperate　leaps　and　wrenches。

But　Tom　did　worse　than　laugh。　Noting　that　I　was　getting　quite　near　the
wood；　he　rode　between　me　and　it；　trying　to　turn　me　into　the　open；　for
he　wished　to　see　me　killed。

〃Don't　do　that！　It　isn't　sportsmanlike；〃　shouted　the　Red…faced　Man。
〃Give　the　poor　beast　a　chance。〃

I　don't　know　whether　he　obeyed　or　not；　as　just　then　I　made　my　last
double；　and　felt　Jill's　teeth　cut　through　the　fur　of　my　scut　and　heard
them　snap。　I　had　dodged　Jill；　but　Jack　was　right　on　to　me　and　the　wood
still　twenty　yards　away。

I　could　not　twist　any　more；　it　was　just　which　of　us　could　get　there
first。　I　gathered　all　my　remaining　strength；　for　I　was　mad；　mad　with
terror；　and　bounded　forward。

After　me　came　Jack；　I　felt　his　hot　breath　on　my　flank。　I　jumped　the
ditch；　yes；　I　found　power　to　jump　that　ditch　where　there　was　a　rabbit
run　just　by　the　trunk　of　a　young　oak。　Jack　jumped　after　me；　we　must
both　have　been　in　the　air　at　the　same　time。　But　I　got　through　the
rabbit　run；　whereas　Jack　hit　his　sharp　nose　against　the　trunk　of　the
tree　and　broke　his　neck。　Yes；　he　fell　dead　into　the　ditch。

I　crawled　on　a　few　yards　to　a　thick　clump　and　squatted　down；　for　I
could　not　stir　another　inch。　So　it　came　about　that　I　heard　them　all
talking　on　the　other　side。

One　of　them　said　I　was　the　finest　hare　he　had　ever　coursed。　Others；
who　had　dragged　Jack　out　of　the　ditch；　lamented　his　death；　especially
the　owner；　who　vowed　that　he　was　worth　￡50　and　abused　Tom。　Tom；　he
said；　had　caused　him　to　be　killedI　don't　know　how；　but　I　suppose
because　he　had　ridden　forward　and　tried　to　turn　me。　The　Red…faced　Man
also　scolded　Tom。　Then　he　added

〃Well；　I　am　glad　she　got　off；　for　she'll　give　us　a　good　run　with　the
harriers　one　day。　I　shall　always　know　that　hare　again　by　the　white
marks　on　its　back；　also　it　is　the　biggest　I　have　seen　for　a　long
while。　Come　on；　my　friends；　the　dog　is　dead　and　there's　an　end　of　it。
At　least　we　have　had　a　good　morning's　sport；　so　let's　go　to　the　Hall
and　get　some　lunch。〃

*****

The　Hare　paused　for　a　little；　then　looked　up　at　me　in　its　comical
fashion　and　asked

〃Did　you　ever　course　hares；　Mahatma？〃

〃Not　I；　thank　goodness；〃　I　answered。

〃Well；　what　do　you　think　of　coursing？〃

〃I　would　rather　not　say；〃　I　replied。

〃Then　I　will；〃　said　the　Hare；　with　conviction。　〃I　think　it　horrible。〃

〃Yes；　but；　Hare；　you　do　not　remember　the　pleasure　this　sport　gives　to
the　men　and　the　dogs；　you　look　at　it　from　an　entirely　selfish　point　of
view。〃

〃And　so　would　you；　Mahatma；　if　you　had　felt　Jack's　hot　breath　on　your
back　and　Jill's　teeth　in　your　tail。〃



THE　HUNTING

The　Hare　sat　silent　for　a　time；　while　I　employed　myself　in　watching
certain　shadows　stream　past　us　on　the　Great　White　Road。　Among　them　was
that　of　a　politician　whom　I　had　much　admired　upon　the　earth。　In　this
land　of　Truth　I　was　grieved　to　observe　certain　characteristics　about
him　which　I　had　never　before　suspected。　It　seemed　to　me；　alas！　that　in
his　mundane　career　he　had　not　been　so　entirely　influenced　by　a　single…
hearted　desire　for　the　welfare　of　our　country　as　he　had　proclaimed　and
I　had　believed。　I　gathered　even　that　his　own　interests　had　sometimes
inspired　his　policy。

He　went　by；　leaving；　so　far　as　I　was　concerned；　a　somewhat　painful
impression　from　which　I　sought　relief　in　the　company　of　the　open…
souled　Hare。

〃Well；〃　I　said；　〃I　suppose　that　you　died　of　exhaustion　after　your
coursing　experience；　and　came　on　here。〃

〃Died　of　exhaustion；　Mahatma；　not　a　bit　of　it！　In　three　days　I　was　as
well　as　ever；　only　much　more　cunning　than　I　had　been　before。　In　the
night　I　fed　in　the　fields　upon　whatever　I　could　get；　but　in　the
daytime　I　always　lay　up　in　woods。　This　I　did　because　I　found　out　the
shooting　was　over；　and　I　knew　that　greyhounds；　which　run　by　sight；
would　never　come　into　woods。

The　weeks　went　by　and　the　days　began　to　lengthen。　Pretty　yellow
flowers　that　I　had　not　seen　before　appeared　in　the　woods；　and　I　ate
plenty　of　them；　they　have　a　nice　flavour。　Then　I　met　another　hare　and
loved　her；　because　she　reminded　me　of　my　sister。　We　used　to　play　about
together　and　were　very　happy。　I　wonder　what　she　will　do　now　that　I　am
gone。〃

〃Console　herself　with　somebody　else；〃　I　suggested　sarcastically。

〃No；　she　won't　do　that；　Mahatma；　because　the　hounds　'chopped'　her　just
outside　the　Round　Plantation。　I　mean　they　caught　and　ate　her。　You
think　that　I　am　contradicting　myself；　but　I　am　not。　I　mean　I　wonder
what　she　will　do　without　me　in　whatever　world　she　has　reached；　for　I
don't　see　her　here。　Well；　I　went　to　the　little　Round　Plantation
because　I　found　that　Giles　seldom　came　there　and　I　thought　it　would　be
safer；　but　as　it　proved　I　made　a　great　mistake。　One　day　there　appeared
the　Red…faced　Man　and　Tom　and　the　girl；　Ella；　and　a　lot　of　other
people　mounted　on　horses；　some　of　them　dressed　in　green　coats　with
ridiculous…looking　caps　on　their　heads。

Also　with　them　were　I　don't　know　how　many　spotted　dogs　whose　tails
curled　over　their　backs；　not　like　greyhounds　whose　tails　curl　between
their　legs。　Outside　of　the　Plantation　those　dogs　caught　and　ate　my
future　wife；　as　I　have　said。　It　was　her　own　fault；　for　I　had　warned
her　not　to　go　there；　but　she　was　a　very　self…willed　character。　As　it
was　she　never　even　gave　them　a　run；　for　they　were　all　round　her　in　a
minute。　Then　they　made　a　kind　of　cartwheel；　their　heads　were　in　the
centre　of　this　cartwheel　and　their　tails　pointed　out。　In　its　exact
middle　was　my　future　wife。

When　the　wheel　broke　up　there　was　nothing　of　her　left　except　her　scut；
which　lay　upon　the　ground。

I　had　seen　so　many　of　such　things　that　I　was　not　so　much　shocked　as
you　might　suppose。　After　all　a　fine　hare　like　myself　could　always　get
another　wife；　and　as　I　have　told　you　she　was　very　self…willed。

So　I　lay　still；　thinking　that　those　men　and　dogs　would　go　away。

But　what　do　you　think　Mahatma？　Just　as　they　were　going　the　boy　Tom
called　out

〃I　say；　Dad；　I　think　we　might　as　well　knock　through　the　Round
Plantation。　Giles　tells　me　that　the　old　speckle…backed　buck　lies　up
here。〃

〃Does　he？〃　said　Grampus。　〃Well；　if　so；　that's　the　hare　I　want　to　see；
for　I　know　he'd　give　us　a　good　run。　Here；　Jerry〃　（Jerry　was　the
huntsman）；　〃just　put　the　hounds　into　that　place。〃

So　Jerry　put　the　hounds　in；　making　dreadful　noises　to　encourage　them；
and　of　course　I　came　out；　as　I　did　not　wish　to　share　the　fate　of　my
future　wife。

〃That's　him！〃　screeched　Tom。　〃Look　at　the　grey　marks　on　his　back。〃

〃Yes；　that's　he　right　enough；〃　shouted　the　Red…faced　Man。　〃Lay　them
on；　Jerry；　lay　them　on；　we're　in　for　a　rattling　run　now；　I'll
warrant。〃

So　they　were　laid　on　and　I　went　away　as　hard　as　my　legs　would　carry
me。　Very　soon　I　found　that　I　had　left　all　those　curly…tailed　dogs　a
long　way　behind。

〃Ah！〃　I　said　to　myself　proudly；　〃these　beasts　are　not　greyhounds；　they
are　like　Giles's　retriever　and　the　sheep　dog。　They'll　never　see　me
again。　So　I　looped　along　saving　my　breath　and　heading　for　a　wood　which
was　quite　five　miles　off　that