bruce-第8节

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pup　back　to　his　allotted　bench。　Bruce　trotted　cheerily　along　with

a　maddening　air　of　having　done　something　to　be　proud　of。　Deaf　to

the　Mistress's　sympathy　and　to　her　timidly　voiced　protests；　the

Master　scrawled　on　an　envelope…back　the　words　〃For　Sale。　Name

Your　Own　Price；〃　and　pinned　it　on　the　edge　of　the　bench。



〃Here　endeth　the　first　lesson　in　collie…raising；　so　far　as　The

Place　is　concerned；〃　he　decreed；　stalking　back　to　the　ringside　to

watch　the　rest　of　the　judging。



The　Mistress　lingered　behind；　to　bestow　a　furtive　consolatory　pat

upon　the　disqualified　Bruce。　Then　she　joined　her　husband　beside

the　ring。



It　was　probably　by　accident　that　her　skirt　brushed　sharply

against　the　bench…edge　as　she　wentknocking　the　〃For　Sale〃　sign

down　into　the　litter　of　straw　below。



But　a　well…meaning　fellow…exhibitor；　across　the　aisle；　saw　the

bit　of　paper　flutter　floorward。　This　good　soul　rescued　it　from

the　straw　and　pinned　it　back　in　place。



（The　world　is　full　of　helpful　folk。　That　is　perhaps　one　reason

why　the　Millennium's　date　is　still　so　indefinite。）



An　hour　later；　a　man　touched　the　Master　on　the　arm。



〃That　dog　of　your；　on　Bench　48；〃　began　the　stranger；　〃the　big　pup

with　the　'For　Sale'　sign　on　his　bench。　What　do　you　want　for　him？〃



The　Mistress　was　several　feet　away；　talking　to　the　superintendent

of　the　show。　Guiltily；　yet　gratefully；　the　Master　led　the　would…

be　purchaser　back　to　the　benches；　without　attracting　his　wife's

notice。



A　few　minutes　afterward　he　returned　to　where　she　and　the

superintendent　were　chatting。



〃Well；〃　said　the　Master；　trying　to　steel　himself　against　his

wife's　possible　disappointment；　〃I　found　a　buyer　for　Brucea　Dr。

Halding；　from　New　York。　He　likes　the　pup。　Says　Bruce　looks　as　if

he　was　strong　and　had　lots　of　endurance。　I　wonder　if　he　wants　him

for　a　sledge…dog。　He　paid　me　fifteen　dollars　for　him；　and　it　was

a　mighty　good　bargain。　I　was　lucky　to　get　more　than　a　nickel　for

such　a　cur。〃



The　Master　shot　forth　this　speech　in　almost　a　single　rapid

breath。　Then；　before　his　wife　could　reply；and　without　daring　to

look　into　her　troubled　eyes；he　discovered　an　acquaintance　on

the　far　side　of　the　ring　and　bustled　off　to　speak　to　him。　The

Master；　you　see；　was　a　husband；　not　a　hero。



The　Mistress　turned　a　worried　gaze　on　the　superintendent。



〃It　was　best；　I　suppose；〃　she　said　bravely。　〃We　agreed　he　must　be

sold；　if　the　judge　decided　he　was　not　any　good。　But　I'm　sorry。

For　I'm　fond　of　him。　I'm　sorry　he　is　going　to　live　in　New　York；

too。　A　big　city　is　no　place　for　a　big　dog。　I　hope　this　Dr。

Halding　will　be　nice　to　the　poor　puppy。〃



〃Dr。WHO？〃　sharply　queried　the　superintendent；　who　had　not

caught　the　name　when　the　Master　had　spoken　it　in　his　rapid…fire

speech。　〃Dr。　Halding？　Of　New　York？　Huh！



〃You　needn't　worry　about　the　effect　of　city　life　on　your　dog；〃　he

went　on　with　venomous　bitterness。　〃The　pup　won't　have　a　very　long

spell　of　it。　If　I　had　my　way；　that　man　Halding　would　be　barred

from　every　dog…show　and　stuck　in　jail。　It's　an　old　trick　of　his；

to　buy　up　thoroughbreds；　cheap；　at　shows。　The　bigger　and　the

stronger　they　are；　the　more　he　pays　for　them。　He　seems　to　think

pedigreed　dogs　are　better　for　his　filthy　purposes　than　street

curs。　They　have　a　higher　nervous　organism；　I　suppose。　The　swine！〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　the　Mistress；　puzzled　by　his　vehemence。

〃I　don't〃



〃You　must　have　heard　of　Halding　and　his　so…called　'research

work；'〃　the　superintendent　went　on。　〃He　is　one　of　the　most

notorious　vivisectionists　in〃



The　superintendent　got　no　further。　He　was　talking　to　empty　air。

The　Mistress　had　fled。　Her　determined　small　figure　made　a　tumbled

wake　through　the　crowd　as　she　sped　toward　Bruce's　bench。　The

puppy　was　no　longer　there。　In　another　second　the　Mistress　was　at

the　door　of　the　building。



A　line　of　parked　cars　was　stretched　across　the　opposite　side　of

the　village　street。　Into　one　of　these　cars　a　large　and　loose…

jointed　man　was　lifting　a　large　and　loose…jointed　dog。　The　dog

did　not　like　his　treatment；　and　was　struggling　pathetically　in

vain　awkwardness　to　get　free。



〃Bruce！〃　called　the　Mistress；　fiercely；　as　she　dashed　across　the

street。



The　puppy　heard　the　familiar　voice　and　howled　for　release。　Dr。

Halding　struck　him　roughly　over　the　head　and　scrambled　into　the

machine　with　him；　reaching　with　his　one　disengaged　hand　for　the

self…starter　button。　Before　he　could　touch　it；　the　Mistress　was

on　the　running…board　of　the　car。



As　she　ran；　she　had　opened　her　wristbag。　Now；　flinging　on　the

runabout's　seat　a　ten　and　a　five…dollar　bill；　she　demanded



〃Give　me　my　dog！　There　is　the　money　you　paid　for　him！〃



〃He　isn't　for　sale；〃　grinned　the　Doctor。　〃Stand　clear；　please。

I'm　starting。〃



〃You're　doing　nothing　of　the　sort；〃　was　the　hot　reply。　〃You'll

give　back　my　dog！　Do　you　understand？〃



For　answer　Halding　reached　again　toward　his　self…starter。　A

renewed　struggle　from　the　whimpering　puppy　frustrated　his　aim　and

forced　him　to　devote　both　hands　to　the　subduing　of　Bruce。　The　dog

was　making　frantic　writhings　to　get　to　the　Mistress。　She　caught

his　furry　ruff　and　raged　on；　sick　with　anger



〃I　know　who　you　are　and　what　you　want　this　poor　frightened　puppy

for。　You　shan't　have　him！　There　seems　to　be　no　law　to　prevent

human　devils　from　strapping　helpless　dogs　to　a　table　and

torturing　them　to　death　in　the　unholy　name　of　science。　But　if

there　isn't　a　corner　waiting　for　them；　below；　it's　only　because

Hades　can't　be　made　hot　enough　to　punish　such　men　as　they　ought

to　be　punished！　You're　not　going　to　torture　Bruce。　There's　your

money。　Let　go　of　him。〃



〃You　talk　like　all　silly；　sloppy　sentimentalists！〃　scoffed　the

Doctor；　his　slight　German　accent　becoming　more　noticeable　as　he

continued：　〃A　woman　can't　have　the　intellect　to　understand　our

services　to　humanity。　We〃



〃Neither　have　half　the　real　doctors！〃　she　flashed。　〃Fully　half　of

them　deny　that　vivisection　ever　helped　humanity。　And　half　the

remainder　say　they　are　in　doubt。　They　can't　point　to　a　single

definite　case　where　it　has　been　of　use。　Alienists　say　it's　a

distinct　form　of　mental　perversion；the　craving　to　torture　dumb

animals　to　death　and　to　make　scientific　notes　of　their

sufferings。〃



〃Pah！〃　he　sniffed。　〃I〃



She　hurried　on



〃If　humanity　can't　be　helped　without　cutting　live　dogs　and

kittens　to　shreds；　in　slow　agonythen　so　much　the　worse　for

humanity！　If　you　vivisectors　would　be　content　to　practice　on　one

anotheror　on　condemned　murderers；instead　of　on　friendly　and

innocent　dogs；　there'd　be　no　complaint　from　any　one。　But　leave

our　pets　alone。　Let　go　of　my　puppy！〃



By　way　of　response　the　Doctor　grunted　in　lofty　contempt。　At　the

same　time　he　tucked　the　wriggling　dog　under　his　right　arm；

holding　him　thus　momentarily　safe；　and　pressed　the　self…starter

button。



There　was　a　subdued　whir。　A　move　of　Halding's　foot　and　a　release

of　the　brake；　and　the　car　started　forward。



〃Stand　clear！〃　he　ordered。　〃I'm　going。〃



The　jolt　of　the　sudden　start　was　too　much　for　the　Mistress's

balance　on　the　running…board。　Back　she　toppled。　Only　by　luck　did

she　land　on　her　feet　instead　of　her　head；　upon　the　greasy

pavement　of　the　street。



But　she　sprang　forward　again；　with　a　little　cry　of　indignant

dismay；　and　reached　desperately　into　the　moving　car　for　Bruce；

calling　him　eagerly　by　name。



Dr。　Halding　was　steering　with　his　left　hand；　while　his　viselike

right　arm　still　encircled　the　protesting　collie。　As　the　Mistress

ran　alongside　and　grasped　frantically　for　her　doomed　pet；　he　let

go　of　Bruce　for　an　instant；　to　fend　off　her　handor　perhaps　to

thrust　her　away　from　the　peril　of　the　fast…moving　mud…guards。　At

the　Mistress's　cryand　at　the　brief　letup　of　pressure　caused　by

the　Doctor's　menacing　gesture　toward　the　unhappy　womanBruce's

long…sleeping　soul　awoke。　He　answered　the　cry　and　the　man's　blow

at　his　deity　in　the　immemorial　fashion　of　all　dogs　whose　human

gods　are　threatened。



There　was　a　snarling　wild…beast　growl；　the　first　that　ever　had

come　from　the　clownlike　puppy's　throat；and　Bruce　flung　his

unwieldy　young　body　straight　for　the　vivisector's　throat。



Halding；　with　a　vicious　fist…lunge；　sent　the　pup　to　the　floor　of

the　car　in　a　crumpled　heap；　but　not　before　the　curving　white

eyeteeth　had　slashed　the　side　of　the　man's　throat　in　an　ugly

flesh…wound　that　drove　its　way　dangerously　close　to　the　jugular。



Half　stunned　by　the　blow；　and　with　the　breath　knocked　out　of　him；

Bruce　none　the　less　gathered　himself　together　with　lightning

speed　and　launched　his　bulk　once　more　for　Halding's　throat。



This　time　he　missed　his　markfor　several　things　happened　all　at

once。



At　the　dog's　first　onslaught；　Halding's　foot　had　swung　forward；

along　with　his　fist；　in　an　instinctive　kick。　The　kick　did　not

reach　Bruce。　But　it　landed；　full　and　effectively；　on　the

accelerator。