animal heroes-第5节

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passing　smells　were　entered　and　left。　A　turn　in　the　course　was
made。　Then　a　roaring　of　many　feet；　more　swinging　of　the　basket；　a
short　pause；　another　change　of　direction；　then　some　clicks；　some
bangs；　a　long　shrill　whistle；　and　door…bells　of　a　very　big　front
door；　a　rumbling；　a　whizzing；　an　unpleasant　smell；　a　hideous
smell；　a　growing　horrible；　hateful　choking　smell；　a　deadly；
griping；　poisonous　stench；　with　roaring　that　drowned　poor　Kitty's
yowls；　and　just　as　it　neared　the　point　where　endurance　ceased；
there　was　relief。　She　heard　clicks　and　clacks。　There　was　light；
there　was　air。　Then　a　man's　voice　called；　〃All　out　for　125th
Street；〃　though　of　course　to　Kitty　it　was　a　mere　human　bellow。
The　roaring　almost　ceaseddid　cease。　Later　the　rackety…bang　was
renewed　with　plenty　of　sounds　and　shakes；　though　not　the
poisonous　gas；　a　long；　hollow；　booming　roar　with　a　pleasant　dock
smell　was　quickly　passed；　and　then　there　was　a　succession　of
jolts；　roars；　jars；　stops；　clicks；　clacks；　smells；　jumps；　shakes；
more　smells；　more　shakes；big　shakes；　little　shakes；gases；
smokes；　screeches；　door…bells；　tremblings；　roars；　thunders；　and
some　new　smells；　raps；　taps；　heavings；　rumblings；　and　more
smells；　but　all　without　any　of　the　feel　that　the　direction　is
changed。　When　at　last　it　stopped；　the　sun　came　twinkling　through
the　basket…lid。　The　Royal　Cat　was　lifted　into　a　Rumble…shaker　of
the　old　familiar　style；　and；　swerving　aside　from　their　past
course；　very　soon　the　noises　of　its　wheels　were　grittings　and
rattlings；　a　new　and　horrible　sound　was　addedthe　barking　of
Dogs；　big　and　little　and　dreadfully　close。　The　basket　was　lifted；
and　Slum　Kitty　had　reached　her　country　home。

Every　one　was　officiously　kind。　They　wanted　to　please　the　Royal
Cat；　but　somehow　none　of　them　did；　except；　possibly；　the　big；　fat
cook　that　Kitty　discovered　on　wandering　into　the　kitchen。　This
unctuous　person　smelt　more　like　a　slum　than　anything　she　had　met
for　months；　and　the　Royal　Analostan　was　proportionately
attracted。　The　cook；　when　she　learned　that　fears　were　entertained
about　the　Cat　staying；　said：　〃Shure；　she'd　'tind　to　thot；　wanst　a
Cat　licks　her　futs；　shure　she's　at　home。〃　So　she　deftly　caught
the　unapproachable　royalty　in　her　apron；　and　committed　the
horrible　sacrilege　of　greasing　the　soles　of　her　feet　with
pot…grease。　Of　course　Kitty　resented　itshe　resented　everything
in　the　place；　but　on　being　set　down　she　began　to　dress　her　paws
and　found　evident　satisfaction　in　that　grease。　She　licked　all
four　feet　for　an　hour；　and　the　cook　triumphantly　announced　that
now　〃shure　she'd　be　apt　to　shtay。〃　And　stay　she　did；　but　she
showed　a　most　surprising　and　disgusting　preference　for　the
kitchen；　the　cook；　and　the　garbage…pail。

The　family；　though　distressed　by　these　distinguished
peculiarities；　were　glad　to　see　the　Royal　Analostan　more
contented　and　approachable。　They　gave　her　more　liberty　after　a
week　or　two。　They　guarded　her　from　every　menace。　The　Dogs　were
taught　to　respect　her。　No　man　or　boy　about　the　place　would　have
dreamed　of　throwing　a　stone　at　the　famous　pedigreed　Cat。　She　had
all　the　food　she　wanted；　but　still　she　was　not　happy。　She　was
hankering　for　many　things；　she　scarcely　knew　what。　She　had
everythingyes；　but　she　wanted　something　else。　Plenty　to　eat　and
drinkyes；　but　milk　does　not　taste　the　same　when　you　can　go　and
drink　all　you　want　from　a　saucer；　it　has　to　be　stolen　out　of　a
tin　pail　when　you　are　belly…pinched　with　hunger　and　thirst；　or　it
does　not　have　the　tangit　isn't　milk。

Yes；　there　was　a　junk…yard　back　of　the　house　and　beside　it　and
around　it　too；　a　big　one；　but　it　was　everywhere　poisoned　and
polluted　with　roses。　The　very　Horses　and　Dogs　had　the　wrong
smells；　the　whole　country　round　was　a　repellent　desert　of
lifeless；　disgusting　gardens　and　hay…fields；　without　a　single
tenement　or　smoke…stack　in　sight。　How　she　did　hate　it　all！　There
was　only　one　sweet…smelling　shrub　in　the　whole　horrible　place；
and　that　was　in　a　neglected　corner。　She　did　enjoy　nipping　that
and　rolling　in　the　leaves；　it　was　a　bright　spot　in　the　grounds；
but　the　only　one；　for　she　had　not　found　a　rotten　fish…head　nor
seen　a　genuine　garbage…can　since　she　came；　and　altogether　it　was
the　most　unlovely；　unattractive；　unsmellable　spot　she　had　ever
known。　She　would　surely　have　gone　that　first　night　had　she　had
the　liberty。　The　liberty　was　weeks　in　coming；　and；　meanwhile；　her
affinity　with　the　cook　had　developed　as　a　bond　to　keep　her；　but
one　day　after　a　summer　of　discontent　a　succession　of　things
happened　to　stir　anew　the　slum　instinct　of　the　royal　prisoner。

A　great　bundle　of　stuff　from　the　docks　had　reached　the　country
mansion。　What　it　contained　was　of　little　moment；　but　it　was　rich
with　a　score　of　the　most　piquant　and　winsome　of　dock　and　slum
smells。　The　chords　of　memory　surely　dwell　in　the　nose；　and
Pussy's　past　was　conjured　up　with　dangerous　force。　Next　day　the
cook　'left'　through　some　trouble　over　this　very　bundle。　It　was
the　cutting　of　cables；　and　that　evening　the　youngest　boy　of　the
house；　a　horrid　little　American　with　no　proper　appreciation　of
royalty；　was　tying　a　tin　to　the　blue…blooded　one's　tail；
doubtless　in　furtherance　of　some　altruistic　project；　when　Pussy
resented　the　liberty　with　a　paw　that　wore　five　big　fish…hooks　for
the　occasion。　The　howl　of　downtrodden　America　roused　America's
mother。　The　deft　and　womanly　blow　that　she　aimed　with　her　book
was　miraculously　avoided；　and　Pussy　took　flight；　up…stairs；　of
course。　A　hunted　Rat　runs　down…stairs；　a　hunted　Dog　goes　on　the
level；　a　hunted　Cat　runs　up。　She　hid　in　the　garret；　baffled
discovery；　and　waited　till　night　came。　Then；　gliding　down…stairs；
she　tried　each　screen…door　in　turn；　till　she　found　one　unlatched；
and　escaped　into　the　black　August　night。　Pitch…black　to　man's
eyes；　it　was　simply　gray　to　her；　and　she　glided　through　the
disgusting　shrubbery　and　flower…beds；　took　a　final　nip　at　that
one　little　bush　that　had　been　an　attractive　spot　in　the　garden；
and　boldly　took　her　back　track　of　the　spring。

How　could　she　take　a　back　track　that　she　never　saw？　There　is　in
all　animals　some　sense　of　direction。　It　is　very　low　in　man　and
very　high　in　Horses；　but　Cats　have　a　large　gift；　and　this
mysterious　guide　took　her　westward；　not　clearly　and　definitely；
but　with　a　general　impulse　that　was　made　definite　simply　because
the　road　was　easy　to　travel。　In　an　hour　she　had　covered　two　miles
and　reached　the　Hudson　River。　Her　nose　had　told　her　many　times
that　the　course　was　true。　Smell　after　smell　came　back；　just　as　a
man　after　walking　a　mile　in　a　strange　street　may　not　recall　a
single　feature；　but　will　remember；　on　seeing　it　again；　〃Why；　yes；
I　saw　that　before。〃　So　Kitty's　main　guide　was　the　sense　of
direction；　but　it　was　her　nose　that　kept　reassuring　her；　〃Yes；
now　you　are　rightwe　passed　this　place　last　spring。〃

At　the　river　was　the　railroad。　She　could　not　go　on　the　water；　she
must　go　north　or　south。　This　was　a　case　where　her　sense　of
direction　was　clear；　it　said；　〃Go　south；〃　and　Kitty　trotted　down
the　foot…path　between　the　iron　rails　and　the　fence。


LIFE　III

IX

Cats　can　go　very　fast　up　a　tree　or　over　a　wall；　but　when　it　comes
to　the　long　steady　trot　that　reels　off　mile　after　mile；　hour
after　hour；　it　is　not　the　　　cat…hop；　but　the　dog…trot；　that
counts。　Although　the　travelling　was　good　and　the　path　direct；　an
hour　had　gone　before　two　more　miles　were　put　between　her　and　the
Hades　of　roses。　She　was　tired　and　a　little　foot…sore。　She　was
thinking　of　rest　when　a　Dog　came　running　to　the　fence　near　by；
and　broke　out　into　such　a　horrible　barking　close　to　her　ear　that
Pussy　leaped　in　terror。　She　ran　as　hard　as　she　could　down　the
path；　at　the　same　time　watching　to　see　if　the　Dog　should　succeed
in　passing　the　fence。　No；　not　yet！　but　he　ran　close　by　it；
growling　horribly；　while　Pussy　skipped　along　on　the　safe　side。
The　barking　of　the　Dog　grew　into　a　low　rumblea　louder　rumble
and　roaringa　terrifying　thunder。　A　light　shone。　Kitty　glanced
back　to　see；　not　the　Dog；　but　a　huge　Black　Thing　with　a　blazing
red　eye　coming　on；　yowling　and　spitting　like　a　yard　full　of　Cats。
She　put　forth　all　her　powers　to　run；　made　such　time　as　she　had
never　made　before；　but　dared　not　leap　the　fence。　She　was　running
like　a　Dog；　was　flying；　but　all　in　vain；　the　monstrous　pursuer
overtook　her；　but　missed　her　in　the　darkness；　and　hurried　past　to
be　lost　in　the　night；　while　Kitty　crouched　gasping　for　breath；
half　a　mile　nearer　home　since　that　Dog　began　to　bark。

This　was　her　first　encounter　with　the　strange　monster；　strange　to
her　eyes　only；　her　nose　seemed　to　know　him　and　told　her　this　was
another　landmark　on　the　home　trail。　But　Pussy　lost　much　of　her
fear　of　his　kind。　She　learned　that　they　were　very　stupid　and
could　not　find　her　if　she　slipped　quietly　under　a　fence　and　lay
still。　Before　morning　she　had　encountered　several　of　them；　but
escaped　unharmed　from　all。

About　sunrise　she　reached　a　nice　little　slum　on　her　home　trail；
and　was　lucky　enough　to　find　several　unsterilized　eatables　in　an
ash…heap。　She　spent　the　day　around　a　stable　where　were　two　Dogs
and　a　number　of　small　boys；　that　between　them　came　near　ending
her　career。　It　was　so　very　like　home；　but