bruce-第1节
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Bruce
by Albert Payson Terhune
TO MY TEN BEST FRIENDS：
Who are far wiser in their way and far better in every way； than
I； and yet who have not the wisdom to know it
Who do not merely think I am perfect； but who are calmly and
permanently convinced of my perfection；and this in spite of
fifty disillusions a day
Who are frantically happy at my coming and bitterly woebegone in
my absence
Who never bore me and never are bored by me
Who never talk about themselves and who always listen with
rapturous interest to anything I may say
Who； having no conventional standards； have no respectability；
and who； having no conventional consciences； have no sins
Who teach me finer lessons in loyalty； in patience； in true
courtesy； in unselfishness； in divine forgiveness； in pluck and
in abiding good spirits than do all the books I have ever read
and all the other models I have studied
Who have not deigned to waste time and eyesight in reading a word
of mine and who will not bother to read this verbose tribute to
themselves
In short； to the most gloriously satisfactory chums who ever
appealed to human vanity and to human desire for companionship
TO OUR TEN SUNNYBANK COLLIES MY STORY IS GRATEFULLY AND
AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED
CHAPTER I。 The Coming Of Bruce
She was beautiful。 And she had a heart and a soulwhich were a
curse。 For without such a heart and soul； she might have found
the tough life…battle less bitterly hard to fight。
But the world does queer thingsdamnable thingsto hearts that
are so tenderly all…loving and to souls that are so trustfully
and forgivingly friendly as hers。
Her 〃pedigree name〃 was Rothsay Lass。 She was a colliedaintily
fragile of build； sensitive of nostril； furrily tawny of coat。
Her ancestry was as flawless as any in Burke's Peerage。
If God had sent her into the world with a pair of tulip ears and
with a shade less width of brain…space she might have been
cherished and coddled as a potential bench…show winner； and in
time might even have won immortality by the title of 〃CHAMPION
Rothsay Lass。〃
But her ears pricked rebelliously upward； like those of her
earliest ancestors； the wolves。 Nor could manipulation lure their
stiff cartilages into drooping as bench show fashion demands。 The
average show…collie's ears have a tendency to prick。 By weights
and plasters； and often by torture； this tendency is overcome。
But never when the cartilage is as unyielding as was Lass's。
Her graceful head harked back in shape to the days when collies
had to do much independent thinking； as sheep…guards； and when
they needed more brainroom than is afforded by the borzoi skull
sought after by modern benchshow experts。
Wherefore； Lass had no hope whatever of winning laurels in the
show…ring or of attracting a high price from some rich fancier。
She was tabulated； from babyhood； as a 〃second〃in other words；
as a faulty specimen in a litter that should have been faultless。
These 〃seconds〃 are as good to look at； from a layman's view； as
is any international champion。 And their offspring are sometimes
as perfect as are those of the finest specimens。 But； lacking the
arbitrary 〃points〃 demanded by show…judges； the 〃seconds〃 are
condemned to obscurity； and to sell as pets。
If Lass had been a male dog； her beauty and sense and lovableness
would have found a ready purchaser for her。 For nine pet collies
out of ten are 〃seconds〃； and splendid pets they make for the
most part。
But Lass； at the very start； had committed the unforgivable sin
of being born a female。 Therefore； no pet…seeker wanted to buy
her。 Even when she was offered for sale at half the sum asked for
her less handsome brothers； no one wanted her。
A mareor the female of nearly any species except the canine
brings as high and as ready a price as does the male。 But never
the female dog。 Except for breeding； she is not wanted。
This prejudice had its start in Crusader days； some thousand
years ago。 Up to that time； all through the civilized world； a
female dog had been more popular as a pet than a male。 The
Mohammedans （to whom； by creed； all dogs are unclean） gave their
European foes the first hint that a female dog was the lowest
thing on earth。
The Saracens despised her； as the potential mother of future
dogs。 And they loathed her accordingly。 Back to Europe came the
Crusaders； bearing only three lasting memorials of their contact
with the Moslems。 One of the three was a sneering contempt for
all female dogs。
There is no other pet as loving； as quick of wit； as loyal； as
staunchly brave and as companionable as the female collie。 She
has all the male's best traits and none of his worst。 She has
more in common； too； with the highest type of woman than has any
other animal alive。 （This； with all due respect to womanhood。）
Prejudice has robbed countless dog…lovers of the joy of owning
such a pal。 In England the female pet dog has at last begun to
come into her own。 Here she has not。 The loss is ours。
And so back to Lass。
When would…be purchasers were conducted to the puppy…run at the
Rothsay kennels； Lass and her six brethren and sisters were wont
to come galloping to the gate to welcome the strangers。 For the
pups were only three months oldan age when every event is
thrillingly interesting； and everybody is a friend。 Three times
out of five； the buyer's eye would single Lass from the
rollicking and fluffy mass of puppyhood。
She was so pretty； so wistfully appealing； so free from fear （and
from bumptiousness as well） and carried herself so daintily； that
one's heart warmed to her。 The visitor would point her out。 The
kennel…man would reply； flatteringly
〃Yes； she sure is one fine pup！〃
The purchaser never waited to hear the end of the sentence；
before turning to some other puppy。 The pronoun； 〃she；〃 had
killed forever his dawning fancy for the little beauty。
The four males of the litter were soon sold； for there is a brisk
and a steady market for good collie pups。 One of the two other
females died。 Lass's remaining sister began to 〃shape up〃 with
show…possibilities； and was bought by the owner of another
kennel。 Thus； by the time she was five months old； Lass was left
alone in the puppy…run。
She mourned her playmates。 It was cold； at night； with no other
cuddly little fur…ball to snuggle down to。 It was stupid； with no
one to help her work off her five…months spirits in a romp。 And
Lass missed the dozens of visitors that of old had come to the
run。
The kennel…men felt not the slightest interest in her。 Lass meant
nothing to them； except the work of feeding her and of keeping an
extra run in order。 She was a liability； a nuisance。
Lass used to watch with pitiful eagerness for the attendants'
duty…visits to the run。 She would gallop joyously up to them；
begging for a word or a caress； trying to tempt them into a romp；
bringing them peaceofferings in the shape of treasured bones she
had buried for her own future use。 But all this gained her
nothing。
A careless word at besta grunt or a shove at worst were her
only rewards。 For the most part； the men with the feed…trough or
the water…pail ignored her bounding and wrigglingly eager welcome
as completely as though she were a part of the kennel
furnishings。 Her short daily 〃exercise scamper〃 in the open was
her nearest approach to a good time。
Then came a day when again a visitor stopped in front of Lass's
run。 He was not much of a visitor； being a pallid and rather
shabbily dressed lad of twelve； with a brand…new chain and collar
in his hand。
〃You see；〃 he was confiding to the bored kennel…man who had been
detailed by the foreman to take him around the kennels； 〃when I
got the check from Uncle Dick this morning； I made up my mind；
first thing； to buy a dog with it； even if it took every cent。
But then I got to thinking I'd need something to fasten him with；
so he wouldn't run away before he learned to like me and want to
stay with me。 So when I got the check cashed at the store； I got
this collar and chain。〃
〃Are you a friend of the boss？〃 asked the kennel…man。
〃The boss？〃 echoed the boy。 〃You mean the man who owns this
place？ No； sir。 But when I've walked past； on the road； I've seen
his 'Collies for Sale' sign； lots of times。 Once I saw some of
them being exercised。 They were the wonderfulest dogs I ever saw。
So the minute I got the money for the check； I came here。 I told
the man in the front yard I wanted to buy a dog。 He's the one who
turned me over to you。 I wishOH！〃 he broke off in rapture；
coming to a halt in front of Lass's run。 〃Look！ Isn't he a
dandy？〃
Lass had trotted hospitably forward to greet the guest。 Now she
was standing on her hind legs； her front paws alternately
supporting her f
