michael, brother of jerry-第45节

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ing　him？　　They　hated　him。　I've　seen　him；　right　here　in　the　cage　at　Cedarwild；　wade　into　them　with　a　club　and　whale　the　stuffing　impartially　out　of　all　of　them。　Sure；　they　loved　him　not。　　Just　a　bit　of　the　same　old　aniseed　was　what　he　used。　　He'd　soak　small　pieces　of　meat　in　aniseed　oil　and　stick　them　in　his　pockets。　　But　that　stunt　would　only　work　with　a　bunch　of　giant　dogs　like　his。　　It　was　their　size　that　got　it　across。　　Had　they　been　a　lot　of　ordinary　dogs　it　would　have　looked　silly。　　And；　besides；　they　didn't　do　their　regular　tricks　for　aniseed。　　They　did　it　for　Captain　Roberts's　club。　　He　was　a　tough　bird　himself。〃

〃He　used　to　say　that　the　art　of　training　animals　was　the　art　of　inspiring　them　with　fear。　　One　of　his　assistants　told　me　a　nasty　one　about　him　afterwards。　　They　had　an　off　month　in　Los　Angeles；　and　Captain　Roberts　got　it　into　his　head　he　was　going　to　make　a　dog　balance　a　silver　dollar　on　the　neck　of　a　champagne　bottle。　Now　just　think　that　over　and　try　to　see　yourself　loving　a　dog　into　doing　it。　　The　assistant　said　he　wore　out　about　as　many　sticks　as　dogs；　and　that　he　wore　out　half　a　dozen　dogs。　　He　used　to　get　them　from　the　public　pound　at　two　and　a　half　apiece；　and　every　time　one　died　he　had　another　ready　and　waiting。　　And　he　succeeded　with　the　seventh　dog。　　I'm　telling　you；　it　learned　to　balance　a　dollar　on　the　neck　of　a　bottle。　　And　it　died　from　the　effects　of　the　learning　within　a　week　after　he　put　it　on　the　stage。　　Abscesses　in　the　lungs；　from　the　stick。〃

〃There　was　an　Englishman　came　over　when　I　was　a　youngster。　　He　had　ponies；　monkeys；　and　dogs。　　He　bit　the　monkey's　ears；　so　that；　on　the　stage；　all　he　had　to　do　was　to　make　a　move　as　if　he　was　going　to　bite　and　they'd　quit　their　fooling　and　be　good。　　He　had　a　big　chimpanzee　that　was　a　winner。　　It　could　turn　four　somersaults　as　fast　as　you　could　count　on　the　back　of　a　galloping　pony；　and　he　used　to　have　to　give　it　a　real　licking　about　twice　a　week。　　And　sometimes　the　lickings　were　too　stiff；　and　the　monkey'd　get　sick　and　have　to　lay　off。　　But　the　owner　solved　the　problem。　　He　got　to　giving　him　a　little　licking；　a　mere　taste　of　the　stick；　regular；　just　before　the　turn　came　on。　　And　that　did　it　in　his　case；　though　with　some　other　case　the　monkey　most　likely　would　have　got　sullen　and　not　acted　at　all。〃

It　was　on　that　day　that　Harris　Collins　sold　a　valuable　bit　of　information　to　a　lion　man　who　needed　it。　　It　was　off　time　for　him；　and　his　three　lions　were　boarding　at　Cedarwild。　　Their　turn　was　an　exciting　and　even　terrifying　one；　when　viewed　from　the　audience；　for；　jumping　about　and　roaring；　they　were　made　to　appear　as　if　about　to　destroy　the　slender　little　lady　who　performed　with　them　and　seemed　to　hold　them　in　subjection　only　by　her　indomitable　courage　and　a　small　riding…switch　in　her　hand。

〃The　trouble　is　they're　getting　too　used　to　it；〃　the　man　complained。　　〃Isadora　can't　prod　them　up　any　more。　　They　just　won't　make　a　showing。〃

〃I　know　them；〃　Collins　nodded。　　〃They're　pretty　old　now；　and　they're　spirit…broken　besides。　　Take　old　Sark　there。　　He's　had　so　many　blank　cartridges　fired　into　his　ears　that　he's　stone　deaf。　And　Selimhe　lost　his　heart　with　his　teeth。　　A　Portuguese　fellow　who　was　handling　him　for　the　Barnum　and　Bailey　show　did　that　for　him。　　You've　heard？〃

〃I've　often　wondered；〃　the　man　shook　his　head。　　〃It　must　have　been　a　smash。〃

〃It　was。　　The　Portuguese　did　it　with　an　iron　bar。　　Selim　was　sulky　and　took　a　swipe　at　him　with　his　paw；　and　he　whopped　it　to　him　full　in　the　mouth　just　as　he　opened　it　to　let　out　a　roar。　　He　told　me　about　it　himself。　　Said　Selim's　teeth　rattled　on　the　floor　like　dominoes。　　But　he　shouldn't　have　done　it。　　It　was　destroying　valuable　property。　　Anyway；　they　fired　him　for　it。〃

〃Well；　all　three　of　them　ain't　worth　much　to　me　now；〃　said　their　owner。　　〃They　won't　play　up　to　Isadora　in　that　roaring　and　rampaging　at　the　end。　　It　really　made　the　turn。　　It　was　our　finale；　and　we　always　got　a　great　hand　for　it。　　Say；　what　am　I　going　to　do　about　it　anyway？　　Ditch　it？　　Or　get　some　young　lions？〃

〃Isadora　would　be　safer　with　the　old　ones；〃　Collins　said。

〃Too　safe；〃　Isadora's　husband　objected。　　〃Of　course；　with　younger　lions；　the　work　and　responsibility　piles　up　on　me。　　But　we've　got　to　make　our　living；　and　this　turn's　about　busted。〃

Harris　Collins　shook　his　head。

〃What　d'ye　mean？what's　the　idea？〃　the　man　demanded　eagerly。

〃They'll　live　for　years　yet；　seeing　how　captivity　has　agreed　with　them；〃　Collins　elucidated。　　〃If　you　invest　in　young　lions　you　run　the　risk　of　having　them　pass　out　on　you。　　And　you　can　go　right　on　pulling　the　trick　off　with　what　you've　got。　　All　you've　got　to　do　is　to　take　my　advice　。　。　。　〃

The　master…trainer　paused；　and　the　lion　man　opened　his　mouth　to　speak。

〃Which　will　cost　you；〃　Collins　went　on　deliberately；　〃say　three　hundred　dollars。〃

〃Just　for　some　advice？〃　the　other　asked　quickly。

〃Which　I　guarantee　will　work。　　What　would　you　have　to　pay　for　three　new　lions？　　Here's　where　you　make　money　at　three　hundred。　And　it's　the　simplest　of　advice。　　I　can　tell　it　to　you　in　three　words；　which　is　at　the　rate　of　a　hundred　dollars　a　word；　and　one　of　the　words　is　'the。'〃

〃Too　steep　for　me；〃　the　other　objected。　　〃I've　got　a　make　a　living。〃

〃So　have　I；〃　Collins　assured　him。　　〃That's　why　I'm　here。　　I'm　a　specialist；　and　you're　paying　a　specialist's　fee。　　You'll　be　as　mad　as　a　hornet　when　I　tell　you；　it's　that　simple；　and　for　the　life　of　me　I　can't　understand　why　you　don't　already　know　it。〃

〃And　if　it　don't　work？〃　was　the　dubious　query。

〃If　it　don't　work；　you　don't　pay。〃

〃Well；　shoot　it　along；〃　the　lion　man　surrendered。

〃WIRE　THE　CAGE；〃　said　Collins。

At　first　the　man　could　not　comprehend；　then　the　light　began　to　break　on　him。

〃You　mean　。　。　。　？〃

〃Just　that；〃　Collins　nodded。　　〃And　nobody　need　be　the　wiser。　　Dry　batteries　will　do　it　beautifully。　　You　can　install　them　nicely　under　the　cage　floor。　　All　Isadora　has　to　do　when　she's　ready　is　to　step　on　the　button；　and　when　the　electricity　shoots　through　their　feet；　if　they　don't　go　up　in　the　air　and　rampage　and　roar　around　to　beat　the　band；　not　only　can　you　keep　the　three　hundred；　but　I'll　give　you　three　hundred　more。　　I　know。　　I've　seen　it　done；　and　it　never　misses　fire。　　It's　just　as　though　they　were　dancing　on　a　red…hot　stove。　　Up　they　go；　and　every　time　they　come　down　they　burn　their　feet　again。

〃But　you'll　have　to　put　the　juice　into　them　slowly；〃　Collins　warned。　　〃I'll　show　you　how　to　do　the　wiring。　　Just　a　weak　battery　first；　so　as　they　can　work　up　to　it；　and　then　stronger　and　stronger　to　the　curtain。　　And　they　never　get　used　to　it。　　As　long　as　they　live　they'll　dance　just　as　lively　as　the　first　time。　　What　do　you　think　of　it？〃

〃It's　worth　three　hundred　all　right；〃　the　man　admitted。　　〃I　wish　I　could　make　my　money　that　easy。〃



CHAPTER　XXIX



〃Guess　I'll　have　to　wash　my　hands　of　him；〃　Collins　told　Johnny。　〃I　know　Del　Mar　must　have　been　right　when　he　said　he　was　the　limit；　but　I　can't　get　a　clue　to　it。〃

This　followed　upon　a　fight　between　Michael　and　Collins。　　Michael；　more　morose　than　ever；　had　become　even　crusty…tempered；　and；　scarcely　with　provocation　at　all；　had　attacked　the　man　he　hated；　failing；　as　ever；　to　put　his　teeth　into　him；　and　receiving；　in　turn；　a　couple　of　smashing　kicks　under　his　jaw。

〃He's　like　a　gold…mine　all　right　all　right；〃　Collins　meditated；　〃but　I'm　hanged　if　I　can　crack　it；　and　he's　getting　grouchier　every　day。　　Look　at　him。　　What'd　he　want　to　jump　me　for？　　I　wasn't　rough　with　him。　　He's　piling　up　a　sour…ball　that'll　make　him　fight　a　policeman　some　day。〃

A　few　minutes　later；　one　of　his　patrons；　a　tow…headed　young　man　who　was　boarding　and　rehearsing　three　performing　leopards　at　Cedarwild；　was　asking　Collins　for　the　loan　of　an　Airedale。

〃I've　only　got　one　left　now；〃　he　explained；　〃and　I　ain't　safe　without　two。〃

〃What's　happened　to　the　other　one？〃　the　master…trainer　queried。

〃Alphonsothat's　the　big　buck　leopardgot　nasty　this　morning　and　settled　his　hash。　　I　had　to　put　him　out　of　his　misery。　　He　was　gutted　like　a　horse　in　the　bull…ring。　　But　he　saved　me　all　right。　If　it　hadn't　been　for　him　I'd　have　got　a　mauling。　　Alphonso　gets　these　bad　streaks　just　about　every　so　often。　　That's　the　second　dog　he's　killed　for　me。〃

Collins　shook　his　head。

〃Haven't　got　an　Airedale；〃　he　said；　and　just　then　his　eyes　chanced　to　fall　on　Michael。　　〃Try　out　the　Irish　terrier；〃　he　suggested。　〃They're　like　the　Airedale　in　disposition。　　Pretty　close　cousins；　at　any　rate。〃

〃I　pin　my　faith　on　the　Airedale　when　it　comes　to　lion　dogs；〃　the　leopard　man　demurred。

〃So's　an　Irish　terrier　a　lion　dog。　　Take　that　one　there。　　Look　at　the　size　and　weight　of　him。　　Also；　take　it　from　me；　he's　all　spunk。　　He'll　stand　up　to　anything。　　Try　him　out。　　I'll　lend　him　to　you。　　If　he　makes　good　I'll　sell　him　to　you　cheap。　　An　Irish　terrier　for　a　leopard　dog　will　be　a　novelty。〃

〃If　he　gets　fresh　with　them　cats　he'll　find　his　finish；〃　Johnny　told　Collins；　as　Michael　was　led　away　by　the　leopard　man。

〃Then；　maybe；　the　stage　will　lose　a　star；〃　Collins　answered；　with　a　shrug　of　shoulders。　　〃But　I'll　have　him　off　my　chest　anyway。　When　a　dog　gets　a　perpetual　sour…ball　like　that　he's　finished。　Never　can　do　a