further adventures of lad-第22节

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er　heard　of　before！〃

〃If　I　could　devote　five　busy　minutes　a　day　to　him；〃　grunted　the　Master；　〃with　an　axe…handle　or　perhaps　a　bale…stick〃

〃You　wouldn't　do　it！〃　denied　his　wife。　〃You　wouldn't　harm　him；　any　more　than　Lad　does。　That's　the　trouble。　If　Cyril　belonged　to　us；　we　could　punish　him。　Not　with　aa　balestick；　of　course。　But　he　needs　a　good　wholesome　spanking；　more　than　anyone　else　I　can　think　of。　That　or　some　other　kind　of　punishment　that　would　make　an　impression　on　him。　But　what　can　we　do？　He　isn't　ours〃

〃Thank　God！〃　interpolated　the　Master；　piously。

〃And　we　can't　punish　other　people's　child；〃　she　finished。　〃I　don't　know　what　we　CAN　do。　I　wouldn't　mind　half　so　much　about　the　other　sneaky　things　he　does；　if　it　wasn't　for　the　way　he　treats　Laddie。　I〃

〃Suppose　we　send　Lad　to　the　boarding　kennels；　at　Ridgewood；　till　the　brat　is　gone？　〃　suggested　the　Master。　〃I　hate　to　do　it。　And　the　good　old　chap　will　be　blue　with　homesickness　there。　But　at　least　he'll　get　kind　treatment。　When　he　comes　over　to　me　and　looks　up　into　my　eyes　in　that　terribly　appealing　way；　after　Cyril　has　done　some　rotten　thing　to　him；well；　I　feel　like　a　cur；　not　to　be　able　to　justify　his　faith　that　I　can　make　things　all　right　for　him。　Yes；　I　think　I'll　send　him　to　the　boarding　kennels。　And；　if　it　weren't　for　leaving　you　alone　to　face　things　here；　I'd　be　tempted　to　hire　a　stall　at　the　kennels　for　myself；　till　the　pest　is　gone。〃

The　next　day；　came　a　ray　of　light　in　the　bothered　gloom。　And　the　question　of　the　boarding　kennels　was　dropped。　The　Mistress　received　a　letter　from　Cyril's　mother。　The　European　trip　had　been　cut　short；　for　business　reasons；　and　the　two　travelers　expected　to　land　in　New　York　on　the　following　Friday。

〃Who　dares　say　Friday　is　an　unlucky　day？〃　chortled　the　Master　in　glee；　as　his　wife　reached　this　stage　of　the　letter。

〃And；〃　the　Mistress　read　on；　〃we　will　come　out　to　the　Place；　on　the　noon　train；　and　take　darling　Cyril　away　with　us。　I　wish　we　could　stay　longer　with　you；　but　Henry　must　be　in　Chicago　on　Saturday　night。　So　we　must　catch　a　late　afternoon　train　back　to　town；　and　take　the　night　train　West。　Now；　I〃

〃Most　letters　are　a　bore；〃　interpolated　the　Master。　〃Or　else　they're　a　bother。　But　this　one　is　a　pure　rapture。　Read　it　more　slowly；　won't；　you；　dear？　I　want　to　wallow　in　every　blessed　word　of　hope　it　contains。　Go　ahead。　I'm　sorry　I　interrupted。　Read　on。　You'll　never　have　such　another　enthusiastic　audience。〃

〃And　now；〃　the　Mistress　continued　her　reading；　〃I　am　going　to　ask　both　of　you　not　to　say　a　single　word　to　precious　Cyril　about　our　coming　home　so　soon。　We　want　to　surprise　him。　Oh；　to　think　what　his　lovely　face　will　be　like；　when　he　sees　us　walking　in！〃

〃And　to　think　what　MY　lovely　face　will　be　like；　when　I　see　him　walking　out！〃　exulted　the　Master。　〃Laddie；　come　over　here。　We've　got　the　gorgeousest　news　ever！　Come　over　and　be　glad！〃

Lad；　at　the　summons；　came　trotting　out　of　his　cave；　and　across　the　room。　Like　every　good　dog　who　has　been　much　talked　to；　he　was　as　adept　as　any　dead…beat　in　reading　the　varying　shades　of　the　human　voice。　The　voices　and　faces　alike　of　his　two　adored　deities　told　him　something　wonderful　had　happened。　And；　as　ever；　he　rejoiced　in　their　gladness。　Lifting　his　magnificent　head；　he　broke　into　a　salvo　of　trumpeting　barks；　the　oddly　triumphant　form　of　racket　he　reserved　for　great　moments。

〃What's　Laddie　doing？〃　asked　Cyril；　from　the　threshold。　〃He　sounds　as　if　he　was　going　mad　or　something。〃

〃He's　happy；〃　answered　the　Mistress。

〃Why's　he　happy？〃　queried　the　child。

〃Because　his　Master　and　I　are　happy；〃　patiently　returned　the　Mistress。

〃Why　are　YOU　happy？〃　insisted　Cyril。

〃Because　today　is　Thursday；〃　put　in　the　Master。　〃And　that　means　tomorrow　will　be　Friday。〃

〃And　on　Friday；〃　added　the　Mistress；　〃there's　going　to　be　a　beautiful　surprise　for　you；　Cyril。　We　can't　tell　you　what　it　is；　but〃

〃Why　can't　you　tell　me？〃　urged　the　child。　〃Aw；　go　ahead　and　tell　me！　I　think　you　might。〃

The　Master　had　gone　over　to　the　nearest　window；　and　was　staring　out　into　the　gray…black　dusk。　Mid…winter　gripped　the　dead　world；　and　the　twilight　air　was　deathly　chill。　The　tall　naked　treetops　stood　gaunt　and　wraithlike　against　a　leaden　sky。

To　the　north；　the　darkness　was　deepest。　Evil　little　puffs　of　gale　stirred　the　powdery　snow　into　myriads　of　tiny　dancing　white　devils。　It　had　been　a　fearful　winter；　thus　far；　colder　than　for　a　score　of　years；　so　cold　that　many　a　wild　woodland　creature；　which　usually　kept　far　back　in　the　mountains；　had　ventured　down　nearer　to　civilization　for　forage　and　warmth。

Deer　tracks　a…plenty　had　been　seen；　close　up　to　the　gates　of　the　Place。　And；　two　days　ago；　in　the　forest；　half　a　mile　away；　the　Master　had　come　upon　the　half…human　footprints　of　a　young　bear。　Starvation　stalked　abroad；　yonder　in　the　white　hills。　And　need　for　provender　had　begun　to　wax　stronger　among　the　folk　of　the　wilderness　than　their　inborn　dread　of　humans。

〃There's　a　big　snowstorm　coming　up；〃　ruminated　the　Master；　as　he　scanned　the　grim　weather…signs。　〃A　blizzard；　perhaps。　II　hope　it　won't　delay　any　incoming　steamers。　I　hope　at　least　one　of　them　will　dock　on　schedule。　It〃

He　turned　back　from　his　musings；　aware　for　the　first　time　that　a　right　sprightly　dialogue　was　going　on。　Cyril　was　demanding　for　the　eighth　time：

〃WHY　won't　you　tell　me？　Aw；　I　think　you　might！　What's　going　to　happen　that's　so　nice；　Friday？〃

〃Wait　till　Friday　and　see；〃　laughed　the　Mistress。

〃Shucks！〃　he　snorted。　〃You　might　tell　me；　now。　I　don't　want　to　wait　and　get　s'prised。　I　want　to　know；　NOW。　Tell　me！〃

Under　her　tolerant　smile；　the　youngster's　voice　scaled　to　an　impatient　whine。　He　was　beginning　to　grow　red。

〃Let　it　go　at　that！〃　ordained　the　Master。　〃Don't　spoil　your　own　fun；　by　trying　to　find　out；　beforehand。　Be　a　good　sportsman。〃

〃Fun！〃　snarled　Cyril。　〃What's　the　fun　of　secrets？　I　want　to　know〃

〃It's　snowing；〃　observed　the　Mistress；　as　a　handful　of　flakes　began　to　drift　past　the　windows；　tossed　along　on　a　puff　of　wind。

〃I　want　to　KNOW！〃　half…wept　the　child；　angry　at　the　change　of　subject；　and　noting　that　the　Mistress　was　moving　toward　the　next　room；　with　Lad　at　her　heels。　〃Come　back　and　tell　me！〃

He　stamped　after　her　to　bar　her　way。　Lad　was　between　the　irate　Cyril　and　the　Mistress。　In　babyish　rage　at　the　dog's　placid　presence　in　his　path；　he　drew　back　one　ungainly　foot　and　kicked　the　astonished　collie　in　the　ribs。

At　the　outrage；　Lad　spun　about；　a　growl　in　his　throat。　But　he　forbore　to　bite　or　even　to　show　his　teeth。　The　growl　had　been　of　indignant　protest　at　such　unheard…of　treatment；　not　a　menace。　Then　the　dog　stalked　haughtily　to　his　cave；　and　lay　down　there。

But　the　human　witnesses　to　the　scene　were　less　forbearing；being　only　humans。　The　Mistress　cried　out；　in　sharp　protest　at　the　little　brute's　action。　And　the　Master　leaned　forward；　swinging　Cyril　clear　of　the　ground。　Holding　the　child　firmly；　but　with　no　roughness；　the　Master　steadied　his　own　voice　as　best　he　could；　and　said：

〃This　time　you've　not　even　bothered　to　wait　till　our　backs　were　turned。　So　don't　waste　breath　by　crying　and　saying　you　didn't　do　it。　You're　not　my　child；　so　I　have　no　right　to　punish　you。　And　I'm　not　going　to。　But　I　want　you　to　know　you've　just　kicked　something　that's　worth　fifty　of　you。〃

〃You　let　me　down！〃　Cyril　snarled。

〃Lad　is　too　white　and　clean　and　square　to　hurt　anything　that　can't　hit　back；〃　continued　the　Master。　〃And　you　are　not。　That's　the　difference　between　you。　One　of　the　several　million　differences；all　of　them　in　Lad's　favor。　When　a　child　begins　life　by　being　cruel　to　dumb　animals；　it's　a　pretty　bad　sign　for　the　way　he's　due　to　treat　his　fellow…humans　in　later　years；if　ever　any　of　them　are　at　his　mercy。　For　your　own　sake；　learn　to　behave　at　least　as　decently　as　a　dog。　If〃

〃You　let　me　down；　you　big　bully！〃　squalled　Cyril；　bellowing　with　impotent　fury。　〃You　let　me　down！　I〃

〃Certainly；〃　assented　the　Master；　lowering　him　to　the　floor。　〃I　didn't　hurt　you。　I　only　held　you　so　you　couldn't　run　out　of　the　room；　before　I'd　finished　speaking；　as　you　did；　the　time　I　caught　you　putting　red　pepper　on　Lad's　food。　He〃

〃You　wouldn't　dare　touch　me；　if　my　folks　were　here；　you　big　bully！〃　screeched　the　child；　in　a　veritable　mania　of　rage；　jumping　up　and　down　and　actually　foaming　at　the　mouth。　〃But　I'll　tell　'em　on　you！　See　if　I　don't！　I'll　tell　'em　how　you　slung　me　around　and　said　I　was　worsen　a　dirty　dog　like　Lad。　And　Daddy'll　lick　you　for　it。　See　if　he　don't！　He〃

The　Master　could　not　choke　back　a　laugh；　though　the　poor　Mistress　looked　horribly　distressed　at　the　maniac　outburst；　and　strove　soothingly　to　check　it。　She；　like　the　Master；　remembered　now　that　Cyril's　doting　mother　had　spoken　of　the　child's　occasional　fits　of　red　wrath。　But　this　was　the　first　glimpse　either　of　them　had　had　of　these。　Hitherto；　craft　had　served　Cyril's　turn　better　than　fury。

At　sound　of　the　Master's　unintentional　laugh　the　unfortunate　child　went　quite　beside　himself　in　his　transport　of　rage。

〃I　won't　stay　in　your　nasty　old　house！〃　he　shrieked。　〃I'm　going　to　the　very　first　house　I　can　find。　And　I'm　going　to　tell　'em　how　you　hammered　a　little　feller　that　hasn't　any　folks　here　to　stick　up　for　him。　And　I'll　get　'em　to　t