the little white bird-第32节

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and　envies　every　ragged　boy　who　can　hit　to　leg。　　Whereas　Porthos

would　have　every　class　keep　its　place；　and　though　fond　of　going

down　into　the　kitchen；　always　barks　at　the　top　of　the　stairs　for

a　servile　invitation　before　he　graciously　descends。　　Most　of　the

servants　in　our　street　have　had　the　loan　of　him　to　be

photographed　with；　and　I　have　but　now　seen　him　stalking　off　for

that　purpose　with　a　proud　little　housemaid　who　is　looking　up　to

him　as　if　he　were　a　warrior　for　whom　she　had　paid　a　shilling。



〃Again；　when　David　and　Porthos　are　in　their　bath；　praise　is　due

to　the　one　and　must　be　withheld　from　the　other。　　For　David；　as　I

have　noticed；　loves　to　splash　in　his　bath　and　to　slip　back　into

it　from　the　hands　that　would　transfer　him　to　a　towel。　　But

Porthos　stands　in　his　bath　drooping　abjectly　like　a　shamed　figure

cut　out　of　some　limp　material。



〃Furthermore；　the　inventiveness　of　David　is　beyond　that　of

Porthos；　who　cannot　play　by　himself；　and　knows　not　even　how　to

take　a　solitary　walk；　while　David　invents　playfully　all　day　long。

Lastly；　when　David　is　discovered　of　some　offence　and　expresses

sorrow　therefor；　he　does　that　thing　no　more　for　a　time；　but　looks

about　him　for　other　offences；　whereas　Porthos　incontinently

repeats　his　offence；　in　other　words；　he　again　buries　his　bone　in

the　backyard；　and　marvels　greatly　that　I　know　it；　although　his

nose　be　crusted　with　earth。



〃Touching　these　matters；　therefore；　let　it　be　granted　that　David

excels　Porthos；　and　in　divers　similar　qualities　the　one　is　no

more　than　a　match　for　the　other；　as　in　the　quality　of　curiosity；

for；　if　a　parcel　comes　into　my　chambers　Porthos　is　miserable

until　it　is　opened；　and　I　have　noticed　the　same　thing　of　David。



〃Also　there　is　the　taking　of　medicine。　　For　at　production　of　the

vial　all　gaiety　suddenly　departs　from　Porthos　and　he　looks　the

other　way；　but　if　I　say　I　have　forgotten　to　have　the　vial

refilled　he　skips　joyfully；　yet　thinks　he　still　has　a　right　to　a

chocolate；　and　when　I　remarked　disparagingly　on　this　to　David　he

looked　so　shy　that　there　was　revealed　to　me　a　picture　of　a

certain　lady　treating　him　for　youthful　maladies。



〃A　thing　to　be　considered　of　in　both　is　their　receiving　of

punishments；　and　I　am　now　reminded　that　the　girl　Irene　（whom　I

take　in　this　matter　to　be　your　mouthpiece）　complains　that　I　am

not　sufficiently　severe　with　David；　and　do　leave　the　chiding　of

him　for　offences　against　myself　to　her　in　the　hope　that　he　will

love　her　less　and　me　more　thereby。　　Which　we　have　hotly　argued　in

the　Gardens　to　the　detriment　of　our　dignity。　　And　I　here　say　that

if　I　am　slow　to　be　severe　to　David；　the　reason　thereof　is　that　I

dare　not　be　severe　to　Porthos；　and　I　have　ever　sought　to　treat

the　one　the　same　with　the　other。



〃Now　I　refrain　from　raising　hand　or　voice　to　Porthos　because　his

great　heart　is　nigh　to　breaking　if　he　so　much　as　suspects　that

all　is　not　well　between　him　and　me；　and　having　struck　him　once

some　years　ago　never　can　I　forget　the　shudder　which　passed

through　him　when　he　saw　it　was　I　who　had　struck；　and　I　shall

strike　him；　ma'am；　no　more。　　But　when　he　is　detected　in　any

unseemly　act　now；　it　is　my　stern　practice　to　cane　my　writing

table　in　his　presence；　and　even　this　punishment　is　almost　more

than　he　can　bear。　Wherefore　if　such　chastisement　inflicted　on

David　encourages　him　but　to　enter　upon　fresh　trespasses　（as　the

girl　Irene　avers）；　the　reason　must　be　that　his　heart　is　not　like

unto　that　of　the　noble　Porthos。



〃And　if　you　retort　that　David　is　naturally　a　depraved　little　boy；

and　so　demands　harsher　measure；　I　have　still　my　answer；　to　wit；

what　is　the　manner　of　severity　meted　out　to　him　at　home？　　And

lest　you　should　shuffle　in　your　reply　I　shall　mention　a　notable

passage　that　has　come　to　my　ears。



〃As　thus；　that　David　having　heard　a　horrid　word　in　the　street；

uttered　it　with　unction　in　the　home。　　That　the　mother　threatened

corporal　punishment；　whereat　the　father　tremblingly　intervened。

That　David　continuing　to　rejoice　exceedingly　in　his　word；　the

father　spoke　darkly　of　a　cane；　but　the　mother　rushed　between　the

combatants。　　That　the　problematical　chastisement　became　to　David

an　object　of　romantic　interest。　　That　this　darkened　the　happy

home。　　That　casting　from　his　path　a　weeping　mother；　the　goaded

father　at　last　dashed　from　the　house　yelling　that　he　was　away　to

buy　a　cane。　　That　he　merely　walked　the　streets　white　to　the　lips

because　of　the　terror　David　must　now　be　feeling。　　And　that　when

he　returned；　it　was　David　radiant　with　hope　who　opened　the　door

and　then　burst　into　tears　because　there　was　no　cane。　　Truly；

ma'am；　you　are　a　fitting　person　to　tax　me　with　want　of　severity。　

Rather　should　you　be　giving　thanks　that　it　is　not　you　I　am

comparing　with　Porthos。



〃But　to　make　an　end　of　this　comparison；　I　mention　that　Porthos　is

ever　wishful　to　express　gratitude　for　my　kindness　to　him；　so　that

looking　up　from　my　book　I　see　his　mournful　eyes　fixed　upon　me

with　a　passionate　attachment；　and　then　I　know　that　the　well…nigh

unbearable　sadness　which　comes　into　the　face　of　dogs　is　because

they　cannot　say　Thank　you　to　their　masters。　　Whereas　David　takes

my　kindness　as　his　right。　　But　for　this；　while　I　should　chide　him

I　cannot　do　so；　for　of　all　the　ways　David　has　of　making　me　to

love　him　the　most　poignant　is　that　he　expects　it　of　me　as　a

matter　of　course。　　David　is　all　for　fun；　but　none　may　plumb　the

depths　of　Porthos。　　Nevertheless　I　am　most　nearly　doing　so　when　I

lie　down　beside　him　on　the　floor　and　he　puts　an　arm　about　my

neck。　　On　my　soul；　ma'am；　a　protecting　arm。　　At　such　times　it　is

as　if　each　of　us　knew　what　was　the　want　of　the　other。



〃Thus　weighing　Porthos　with　David　it　were　hard　to　tell　which　is

the　worthier。　　Wherefore　do　you　keep　your　boy　while　I　keep　my

dog；　and　so　we　shall　both　be　pleased。〃





XXI



William　Paterson



We　had　been　together；　we　three；　in　my　rooms；　David　telling　me

about　the　fairy　language　and　Porthos　lolling　on　the　sofa

listening；　as　one　may　say。　　It　is　his　favourite　place　of　a　dull

day；　and　under　him　were　some　sheets　of　newspaper；　which　I　spread

there　at　such　times　to　deceive　my　housekeeper；　who　thinks　dogs

should　lie　on　the　floor。



Fairy　me　tribber　is　what　you　say　to　the　fairies　when　you　want

them　to　give　you　a　cup　of　tea；　but　it　is　not　so　easy　as　it　looks；

for　all　the　r's　should　be　pronounced　as　w's；　and　I　forget　this　so

often　that　David　believes　I　should　find　difficulty　in　making

myself　understood。



〃What　would　you　say；〃　he　asked　me；　〃if　you　wanted　them　to　turn

you　into　a　hollyhock？〃　　He　thinks　the　ease　with　which　they　can

turn　you　into　things　is　their　most　engaging　quality。



The　answer　is　Fairy　me　lukka；　but　though　he　had　often　told　me

this　I　again　forgot　the　lukka。



〃I　should　never　dream；〃　I　said　（to　cover　my　discomfiture）；　〃of

asking　them　to　turn　me　into　anything。　　If　I　was　a　hollyhock　I

should　soon　wither；　David。〃



He　himself　had　provided　me　with　this　objection　not　long　before；

but　now　he　seemed　to　think　it　merely　silly。　　〃Just　before　the

time　to　wither　begins；〃　he　said　airily；　〃you　say　to　them　Fairy　me

bola。〃



Fairy　me　bola　means　〃Turn　me　back　again；〃　and　David's　discovery

made　me　uncomfortable；　for　I　knew　he　had　hitherto　kept　his

distance　of　the　fairies　mainly　because　of　a　feeling　that　their

conversions　are　permanent。



So　I　returned　him　to　his　home。　　I　send　him　home　from　my　rooms

under　the　care　of　Porthos。　　I　may　walk　on　the　other　side　unknown

to　them；　but　they　have　no　need　of　me；　for　at　such　times　nothing

would　induce　Porthos　to　depart　from　the　care　of　David。　　If　anyone

addresses　them　he　growls　softly　and　shows　the　teeth　that　crunch

bones　as　if　they　were　biscuits。　　Thus　amicably　the　two　pass　on　to

Mary's　house；　where　Porthos　barks　his　knock…and…ring　bark　till

the　door　is　opened。　　Sometimes　he　goes　in　with　David；　but　on　this

occasion　he　said　good…bye　on　the　step。　　Nothing　remarkable　in

this；　but　he　did　not　return　to　me；　not　that　day　nor　next　day　nor

in　weeks　and　months。　　I　was　a　man　distraught；　and　David　wore　his

knuckles　in　his　eyes。　　Conceive　it；　we　had　lost　our　dear　Porthos

at　leastwellsomething　disquieting　happened。　　I　don't　quite　know

what　to　think　of　it　even　now。　　I　know　what　David　thinks。　

However；　you　shall　think　as　you　choose。



My　first　hope　was　that　Porthos　had　strolled　to　the　Gardens　and

got　locked　in　for　the　night；　and　almost　as　soon　as　Lock…out　was

over　I　was　there　to　make　inquiries。　　But　there　was　no　news　of

Porthos；　though　I　learned　that　someone　was　believed　to　have　spent

the　night　in　the　Gardens；　a　young　gentleman　who　walked　out

hastily　the　moment　the　gates　were　opened。　　He　had　said　nothing；

however；　of　having　seen　a　dog。　　I　feared　an　accident　now；　for　I

knew　no　thief　could　steal　him；　yet　even　an　accident　seemed

incredible；　he　was　always　so　cautious　at　crossings；　also　there

could　not　possibly　have　been　an　accident　to　Porth