michael, brother of jerry-第44节

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And　Hannibal　exposed　his　nose　and　with　his　red　tongue　licked　again　the　tan　shoe　and　the　slender；　tan…silken　ankle　that　he　could　have　destroyed　with　one　crunch。



CHAPTER　XXVIII



One　friend　Michael　made　among　the　many　animals　he　encountered　in　the　Cedarwild　School；　and　a　strange；　sad　friendship　it　was。　　Sara　she　was　called；　a　small；　green　monkey　from　South　America；　who　seemed　to　have　been　born　hysterical　and　indignant；　and　with　no　appreciation　of　humour。　　Sometimes；　following　Collins　about　the　arena；　Michael　would　meet　her　while　she　waited　to　be　tried　out　on　some　new　turn。　　For；　unable　or　unwilling　to　try；　she　was　for　ever　being　tried　out　on　turns；　or；　with　little　herself　to　do；　as　a　filler…in　for　more　important　performers。

But　she　always　caused　confusion；　either　chattering　and　squealing　with　fright　or　bickering　at　the　other　animals。　　Whenever　they　attempted　to　make　her　do　anything；　she　protested　indignantly；　and　if　they　tried　force；　her　squalls　and　cries　excited　all　the　animals　in　the　arena　and　set　the　work　back。

〃Never　mind；〃　said　Collins　finally。　　〃She'll　go　into　the　next　monkey　band　we　make　up。〃

This　was　the　last　and　most　horrible　fate　that　could　befall　a　monkey　on　the　stage；　to　be　a　helpless　marionette；　compelled　by　unseen　sticks　and　wires；　poked　and　jerked　by　concealed　men；　to　move　and　act　throughout　an　entire　turn。

But　it　was　before　this　doom　was　passed　upon　her　that　Michael　made　her　acquaintance。　　Their　first　meeting；　she　sprang　suddenly　at　him；　a　screaming；　chattering　little　demon；　threatening　him　with　nails　and　teeth。　　And　Michael；　already　deep…sunk　in　habitual　moroseness　merely　looked　at　her　calmly；　not　a　ripple　to　his　neck…　hair　nor　a　prick　to　his　ears。　　The　next　moment；　her　fuss　and　fury　quite　ignored；　she　saw　him　turn　his　head　away。　　This　gave　her　pause。　　Had　he　sprung　at　her；　or　snarled；　or　shown　any　anger　or　resentment　such　as　did　the　other　dogs　when　so　treated　by　her；　she　would　have　screamed　and　screeched　and　raised　a　hubbub　of　expostulation；　crying　for　help　and　calling　all　men　to　witness　how　she　was　being　unwarrantably　attacked。

As　it　was；　Michael's　unusual　behaviour　seemed　to　fascinate　her。　She　approached　him　tentatively；　without　further　racket；　and　the　boy　who　had　her　in　charge　slacked　the　thin　chain　that　held　her。

〃Hope　he　breaks　her　back　for　her；〃　was　his　unholy　wish；　for　he　hated　Sara　intensely；　desiring　to　be　with　the　lions　or　elephants　rather　than　dancing　attendance　on　a　cantankerous　female　monkey　there　was　no　reasoning　with。

And　because　Michael　took　no　notice　of　her；　she　made　up　to　him。　　It　was　not　long　before　she　had　her　hands　on　him；　and；　quickly　after　that；　an　arm　around　his　neck　and　her　head　snuggled　against　his。　Then　began　her　interminable　tale。　　Day　after　day；　catching　him　at　odd　times　in　the　ring；　she　would　cling　closely　to　him　and　in　a　low　voice；　running　on　and　on；　never　pausing　for　breath；　tell　him；　for　all　he　knew；　the　story　of　her　life。　　At　any　rate；　it　sounded　like　the　story　of　her　woes　and　of　all　the　indignities　which　had　been　wreaked　upon　her。　　It　was　one　long　complaint；　and　some　of　it　might　have　been　about　her　health；　for　she　sniffed　and　coughed　a　great　deal　and　her　chest　seemed　always　to　hurt　her　from　the　way　she　had　of　continually　and　gingerly　pressing　the　palm　of　her　hand　to　it。　Sometimes；　however；　she　would　cease　her　complaining；　and　love　and　mother　him；　uttering　occasional　series　of　gentle　mellow　sounds　that　were　like　croonings。

Hers　was　the　only　hand　of　affection　that　was　laid　on　him　at　Cedarwild；　and　she　was　ever　gentle；　never　pinching　him；　never　pulling　his　ears。　　By　the　same　token；　he　was　the　only　friend　she　had；　and　he　came　to　look　forward　to　meeting　her　in　the　course　of　the　morning　workand　this；　despite　that　every　meeting　always　concluded　in　a　scene；　when　she　fought　with　her　keeper　against　being　taken　away。　　Her　cries　and　protests　would　give　way　to　whimperings　and　wailings；　while　the　men　about　laughed　at　the　strangeness　of　the　love…affair　between　her　and　the　Irish　terrier。

But　Harris　Collins　tolerated；　even　encouraged；　their　friendship。

〃The　two　sour…balls　get　along　best　together；〃　he　said。　　〃And　it　does　them　good。　　Gives　them　something　to　live　for；　and　that　way　lies　health。　　But　some　day；　mark　my　words；　she'll　turn　on　him　and　give　him　what　for；　and　their　friendship　will　get　a　terrible　smash。〃

And　half　of　it　he　spoke　with　the　voice　of　prophecy；　and；　though　she　never　turned　on　Michael；　the　day　in　the　world　was　written　when　their　friendship　would　truly　receive　a　terrible　smash。

〃Now　seals　are　too　wise；〃　Collins　explained　one　day；　in　a　sort　of　extempore　lecture　to　several　of　his　apprentice　trainers。　　〃You've　just　got　to　toss　fish　to　them　when　they　perform。　　If　you　don't；　they　won't；　and　there's　an　end　of　it。　　But　you　can't　depend　on　feeding　dainties　to　dogs；　for　instance；　though　you　can　make　a　young；　untrained　pig　perform　creditably　by　means　of　a　nursing　bottle　hidden　up　your　sleeve。〃

〃All　you　have　to　do　is　think　it　over。　　Do　you　think　you　can　make　those　greyhounds　extend　themselves　with　the　promise　of　a　bite　of　meat？　　It's　the　whip　that　makes　them　extend。Look　over　there　at　Billy　Green。　　There　ain't　another　way　to　teach　that　dog　that　trick。　　You　can't　love　her　into　doing　it。　　You　can't　pay　her　to　do　it。　　There's　only　one　way；　and　that's　MAKE　her。〃

Billy　Green；　at　the　moment；　was　training　a　tiny；　nondescript；　frizzly…haired　dog。　　Always；　on　the　stage；　he　made　a　hit　by　drawing　from　his　pocket　a　tiny　dog　that　would　do　this　particular　trick。　　The　last　one　had　died　from　a　wrenched　back；　and　he　was　now　breaking　in　a　new　one。　　He　was　catching　the　little　mite　by　the　hind…legs　and　tossing　it　up　in　the　air；　where；　making　a　half…flip　and　descending　head　first；　it　was　supposed　to　alight　with　its　fore…feet　on　his　hand　and　there　balance　itself；　its　hind　feet　and　body　above　it　in　the　air。　　Again　and　again　he　stooped；　caught　her　hind…legs　and　flung　her　up　into　the　half…turn。　　Almost　frozen　with　fear；　she　vainly　strove　to　effect　the　trick。　　Time　after　time；　and　every　time；　she　failed　to　make　the　balance。　　Sometimes　she　fell　crumpled；　several　times　she　all　but　struck　the　ground：　　and　once；　she　did　strike；　on　her　side　and　so　hard　as　to　knock　the　breath　out　of　her。　　Her　master；　taking　advantage　of　the　moment　to　wipe　the　sweat　from　his　streaming　face；　nudged　her　about　with　his　toe　till　she　staggered　weakly　to　her　feet。

〃The　dog　was　never　born　that'd　learn　that　trick　for　the　promise　of　a　bit　of　meat；〃　Collins　went　on。　　〃Any　more　than　was　the　dog　ever　born　that'd　walk　on　its　fore…legs　without　having　its　hind…legs　rapped　up　in　the　air　with　the　stick　a　thousand　times。　　Yet　you　take　that　trick　there。　　It's　always　a　winner；　especially　with　the　womenso　cunning；　you　know；　so　adorable　cute；　to　be　yanked　out　of　its　beloved　master's　pocket　and　to　have　such　trust　and　confidence　in　him　as　to　allow　herself　to　be　tossed　around　that　way。　　Trust　and　confidence　hell！　　He's　put　the　fear　of　God　into　her；　that's　what。〃

〃Just　the　same；　to　dig　a　dainty　out　of　your　pocket　once　in　a　while　and　give　an　animal　a　nibble；　always　makes　a　hit　with　the　audience。　That's　about　all　it's　good　for；　yet　it's　a　good　stunt。　　Audiences　like　to　believe　that　the　animals　enjoy　doing　their　tricks；　and　that　they　are　treated　like　pampered　darlings；　and　that　they　just　love　their　masters　to　death。　　But　God　help　all　of　us　and　our　meal　tickets　if　the　audiences　could　see　behind　the　scenes。　　Every　trained…animal　turn　would　be　taken　off　the　stage　instanter；　and　we'd　be　all　hunting　for　a　job。〃

〃Yes；　and　there's　rough　stuff　no　end　pulled　off　on　the　stage　right　before　the　audience's　eyes。　　The　best　fooler　I　ever　saw　was　Lottie's。　　She　had　a　bunch　of　trained　cats。　　She　loved　them　to　death　right　before　everybody；　especially　if　a　trick　wasn't　going　good。　　What'd　she　do？　　She'd　take　that　cat　right　up　in　her　arms　and　kiss　it。　　And　when　she　put　it　down　it'd　perform　the　trick　all　right　all　right；　while　the　audience　applauded　its　silly　head　off　for　the　kindness　and　humaneness　she'd　shown。　　Kiss　it？　　Did　she？　I'll　tell　you　what　she　did。　　She　bit　its　nose。〃

〃Eleanor　Pavalo　learned　the　trick　from　Lottie；　and　used　it　herself　on　her　toy　dogs。　　And　many　a　dog　works　on　the　stage　in　a　spiked　collar；　and　a　clever　man　can　twist　a　dog's　nose　and　nobody　in　the　audience　any　the　wiser。　　But　it's　the　fear　that　counts。　　It's　what　the　dog　knows　he'll　get　afterward　when　the　turn's　over　that　keeps　most　of　them　straight。〃

〃Remember　Captain　Roberts　and　his　great　Danes。　　They　weren't　pure…　breds；　though。　　He　must　have　had　a　dozen　of　themtoughest　bunch　of　brutes　I　ever　saw。　　He　boarded　them　here　twice。　　You　couldn't　go　among　them　without　a　club　in　your　hand。　　I　had　a　Mexican　lad　laid　up　by　them。　　He　was　a　tough　one；　too。　　But　they　got　him　down　and　nearly　ate　him。　　The　doctors　took　over　forty　stitches　in　him　and　shot　him　full　of　that　Pasteur　dope　for　hydrophobia。　　And　he　always　will　limp　with　his　right　leg　from　what　the　dogs　did　to　him。　I　tell　you；　they　were　the　limit。　　And　yet；　every　time　the　curtain　went　up；　Captain　Roberts　brought　the　house　down　with　the　first　stunt。　　Those　dogs　just　flocked　all　over　him；　loving　him　to　death；　from　the　looks　of　it。　　And　were　they　loving　him？　　They　hated　him。　I've　seen　him；　right　here　in　the　cage