animal heroes-第6节

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and　a　number　of　small　boys；　that　between　them　came　near　ending
her　career。　It　was　so　very　like　home；　but　she　had　no　idea　of
staying　there。　She　was　driven　by　the　old　craving；　and　next
evening　set　out　as　before。　She　had　seen　the　one…eyed
Thunder…rollers　all　day　going　by；　and　was　getting　used　to　them；
so　travelled　steadily　all　that　night。　The　next　day　was　spent　in　a
barn　where　she　caught　a　Mouse；　and　the　next　night　was　like　the
last；　except　that　a　Dog　she　encountered　drove　her　backward　on　her
trail　for　a　long　way。　Several　times　she　was　misled　by　angling
roads；　and　wandered　far　astray；　but　in　time　she　wandered　back
again　to　her　general　southward　course。　The　days　were　passed　in
skulking　under　barns　and　hiding　from　Dogs　and　small　boys；　and　the
nights　in　limping　along　the　track；　for　she　was　getting　foot…sore；
but　on　she　went；　mile　after　mile；　southward；　ever
southwardDogs；　boys；　Roarers；　hungerDogs；　boys；　Roarers；
hungeryet　on　and　onward　still　she　went；　and　her　nose　from　time
to　time　cheered　her　by　confidently　reporting；　〃There　surely　is　a
smell　we　passed　last　spring。〃


X

So　a　week　went　by；　and　Pussy；　dirty；　ribbon…less；　foot…sore；　and
weary；　arrived　at　the　Harlem　Bridge。　Though　it　was　enveloped　in
delicious　smells；　she　did　not　like　the　look　of　that　bridge。　For
half　the　night　she　wandered　up　and　down　the　shore　without
discovering　any　other　means　of　going　south；　excepting　some　other
bridges；　or　anything　of　interest　except　that　here　the　men　were　as
dangerous　as　the　boys。　Somehow　she　had　to　come　back　to　it；　not
only　its　smells　were　familiar；　but　from　time　to　time；　when　a
One…eye　ran　over　it；　there　was　that　peculiar　rumbling　roar　that
was　a　sensation　in　the　springtime　trip。　The　calm　of　the　late
night　was　abroad　when　she　leaped　to　the　timber　stringer　and
glided　out　over　the　water。　She　had　got　less　than　a　third　of　the
way　across　when　a　thundering　One…eye　came　roaring　at　her　from　the
opposite　end。　She　was　much　frightened；　but　knowing　their
stupidity　and　blindness；　she　dropped　to　a　low　side　beam　and　there
crouched　in　hiding。　Of　course　the　stupid　Monster　missed　her　and
passed　on；　and　all　would　have　been　well；　but　it　turned　back；　or
another　just　like　it　came　suddenly　spitting　behind　her。　Pussy
leaped　to　the　long　track　and　made　for　the　home　shore。　She　might
have　got　there　had　not　a　third　of　the　Red…eyed　Terrors　come
screeching　at　her　from　that　side。　She　was　running　her　hardest；
but　was　caught　between　two　foes。　There　was　nothing　for　it　but　a
desperate　leap　from　the　timbers　into…she　didn't　know　what。　Down；
down；　down…plop；　splash；　plunge　into　the　deep　water；　not　cold；
for　it　was　August；　but　oh；　so　horrible！　She　spluttered　and
coughed　when　she　came　to　the　top；　glanced　around　to　see　if　the
Monsters　were　swimming　after　her；　and　struck　out　for　shore。　She
had　never　learned　to　swim；　and　yet　she　swam；　for　the　simple
reason　that　a　Cat's　position　and　actions　in　swimming　are　the　same
as　her　position　and　actions　in　walking。　She　had　fallen　into　a
place　she　did　not　like；　naturally　she　tried　to　walk　out；　and　the
result　was　that　she　swam　ashore。　Which　shore？　The　home…love　never
fails：　the　south　side　was　the　only　shore　for　her；　the　one　nearest
home。　She　scrambled　out　all　dripping　wet；　up　the　muddy　bank　and
through　coal…piles　and　dust…heaps；　looking　as　black；　dirty；　and
unroyal　as　it　was　possible　for　a　Cat　to　look。

Once　the　shock　was　over；　the　Royal…pedigreed　Slummer　began　to
feel　better　for　the　plunge。　A　genial　glow　without　from　the　bath；
a　genial　sense　of　triumph　within；　for　had　she　not　outwitted　three
of　the　big　Terrors？

Her　nose；　her　memory；　and　her　instinct　of　direction　inclined　her
to　get　on　the　track　again；　but　the　place　was　infested　with　those
Thunder…rollers；　and　prudence　led　her　to　turn　aside　and　follow
the　river…bank　with　its　musky　home…reminders；　and　thus　she　was
spared　the　unspeakable　horrors　of　the　tunnel。

She　was　over　three　days　learning　the　manifold　dangers　and
complexities　of　the　East　River　docks。　Once　she　got　by　mistake　on
a　ferryboat　and　was　carried　over　to　Long　Island；　but　she　took　an
early　boat　back。　At　length　on　the　third　night　she　reached
familiar　ground；　the　place　she　had　passed　the　night　of　her　first
escape。　From　that　her　course　was　sure　and　rapid。　She　knew　just
where　she　was　going　and　how　to　get　there。　She　knew　even　the　more
prominent　features　in　the　Dog…scape　now。　She　went　faster；　felt
happier。　In　a　little　while　surely　she　would　be　curled　up　in　her
native　Orientthe　old　junk…yard。　Another　turn；　and　the　block　was
in　sight。

Butwhat！　It　was　gone！　Kitty　couldn't　believe　her　eyes；　but　she
must；　for　the　sun　was　not　yet　up。　There　where　once　had　stood　or
leaned　or　slouched　or　straggled　the　houses　of　the　block；　was　a
great　broken　wilderness　of　stone；　lumber；　and　holes　in　the
ground。

Kitty　walked　all　around　it。　She　knew　by　the　bearings　and　by　the
local　color　of　the　pavement　that　she　was　in　her　home；　that　there
had　lived　the　bird…man；　and　there　was　the　old　junk…yard；　but　all
were　gone；　completely　gone；　taking　their　familiar　odors　with
them；　and　Pussy　turned　sick　at　heart　in　the　utter　hopelessness　of
the　case。　Her　place…love　was　her　master…mood。　She　had　given　up
all　to　come　to　a　home　that　no　longer　existed；　and　for　once　her
sturdy　little　heart　was　cast　down。　She　wandered　over　the　silent
heaps　of　rubbish　and　found　neither　consolation　nor　eatables。　The
ruin　had　taken　in　several　of　the　blocks　and　reached　back　from　the
water。　It　was　not　a　fire；　Kitty　had　seen　one　of　those　things。
This　looked　more　like　the　work　of　a　flock　of　the　Red…eyed
Monsters。　Pussy　knew　nothing　of　the　great　bridge　that　was　to　rise
from　this　very　spot。

When　the　sun　came　up　she　sought　for　cover。　An　adjoining　block
still　stood　with　little　change；　and　the　Royal　Analostan　retired
to　that。　She　knew　some　of　its　trails；　but　once　there；　was
unpleasantly　surprised　to　find　the　place　swarming　with　Cats　that；
like　herself；　were　driven　from　their　old　grounds；　and　when　the
garbage…cans　came　out　there　were　several　Slummers　at　each。　It
meant　a　famine　in　the　land；　and　Pussy；　after　standing　it　a　few
days；　was　reduced　to　seeking　her　other　home　on　Fifth　Avenue。　She
got　there　to　find　it　shut　up　and　deserted。　She　waited　about　for　a
day；　had　an　unpleasant　experience　with　a　big　man　in　a　blue　coat；
and　next　night　returned　to　the　crowded　slum。

September　and　October　wore　away。　Many　of　the　Cats　died　of
starvation　or　were　too　weak　to　escape　their　natural　enemies。　But
Kitty；　young　and　strong；　still　lived。

Great　changes　had　come　over　the　ruined　blocks。　Though　silent　on
the　night　when　she　first　saw　them；　they　were　crowded　with　noisy
workmen　all　day。　A　tall　building；　well　advanced　on　her　arrival；
was　completed　at　the　end　of　October；　and　Slum　Kitty；　driven　by
hunger；　went　sneaking　up　to　a　pail　that　a　negro　had　set　outside。
The　pail；　unfortunately；　was　not　for　garbage；　it　was　a　new　thing
in　that　region：　a　scrubbing…pail。　A　sad　disappointment；　but　it
had　a　sense　of　comfortthere　were　traces　of　a　familiar　touch　on
the　handle。　While　she　was　studying　it；　the　negro　elevator…boy
came　out　again。　In　spite　of　his　blue　clothes；　his　odorous　person
confirmed　the　good　impression　of　the　handle。　Kitty　had　retreated
across　the　street。　He　gazed　at　her。

〃Sho　ef　dat　don't　look　like　de　Royal　Ankalostan！　Hyar；　Pussy；
Pussy；　　　　Pu…s…s…s…s…y！　Co…o…o…o…m…e；　Pu…u…s…s…sy；　hyar！　I'spec's
she's　sho　hungry。〃

Hungry！　She　hadn't　　had　a　real　meal　for　months。　The　negro　went
into　the　building　and　reappeared　with　a　portion　of　his　own　lunch。

〃Hyar；　Pussy；　Puss；　Puss；　Puss！〃　It　seemed　very　good；　but　Pussy
had　her　doubts　of　the　man。　At　length　he　laid　the　meat　on　the
pavement；　and　went　back　to　the　door。　Slum　Kitty　came　forward　very
warily；　sniffed　at　the　meat；　seized　it；　and　fled　like　a　little
Tigress　to　eat　her　prize　in　peace。


LIFE　IV

XI

This　was　the　beginning　of　a　new　era。　Pussy　came　to　the　door　of
the　building　now　whenever　pinched　by　hunger；　and　the　good　feeling
for　the　negro　grew。　She　had　never　understood　that　man　before。　He
had　always　seemed　hostile。　Now　he　was　her　friend；　the　only　one
she　had。

One　week　she　had　a　streak　of　luck。　Seven　good　meals　on　seven
successive　days；　and　right　on　the　top　of　the　last　meal　she　found
a　juicy　dead　Rat；　the　genuine　thing；　a　perfect　windfall。　She　had
never　killed　a　full…grown　Rat　in　all　her　lives；　but　seized　the
prize　and　ran　off　to　hide　it　for　future　use。　She　was　crossing　the
street　in　front　of　the　new　building　when　an　old　enemy　appeared；　　
the　Wharf　Dog；and　Kitty　retreated；　naturally　enough；　to　the
door　where　she　had　a　friend。　Just　as　she　neared　it；　he　opened　the
door　for　a　well…dressed　man　to　come　out；　and　both　saw　the　Cat
with　her　prize。

〃Hello！　Look　at　that　for　a　Cat！〃
　
〃Yes；　sah；〃　answered　the　negro。　〃Dat's　ma　Cat；　sah；　she's　a
terror　on　Rats；　sah！　hez　'em　about　cleaned　up；　sah；　dat's　why
she's　so　thin。〃

〃Well；　don't　let　her　starve；〃　said　the　man　with　the　air　of　the
landlord。　〃Can't　you　feed　her？

〃De　liver　meat…man　comes　reg'lar；　sah；　quatah　dollar　a　week；
sah；〃　said　the　negro；　fully　realizing　that　he　was　entitled　to　the
extra　fifteen　cents　for　〃the　idea。〃

〃That's　all　right。　I'll　stand　it。〃


XII

〃M…e…a…t！　M…e…a…t！〃　is　he