michael, brother of jerry-第53节

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　within　certain　leaping　distance；　he　crouched　lower；　gathered　himself　for　the　leap；　then　turned　his　head　to　regard　the　men　at　his　back　outside　the　cage。　　The　trailing　rope　in　their　hands；　to　his　neck；　he　had　forgotten。

〃Now　you　might　as　well　be　good；　old　man；〃　Mulcachy　addressed　him　in　soft；　caressing　tones；　taking　a　step　toward　him　and　holding　in　advance　the　iron　fork。

This　merely　incensed　the　huge；　magnificent　creature。　　He　rumbled　a　low；　tense　growl；　flattened　his　ears　back；　and　soared　into　the　air；　his　paws　spread　so　that　the　claws　stood　out　like　talons；　his　tail　behind　him　as　stiff　and　straight　as　a　rod。　　Neither　did　the　man　crouch　or　flee；　nor　did　the　beast　attain　to　him。　　At　the　height　of　his　leap　the　rope　tightened　taut　on　his　neck；　causing　him　to　describe　a　somersault　and　fall　heavily　to　the　floor　on　his　side。

Before　he　could　regain　his　feet；　Mulcachy　was　upon　him；　shouting　to　his　small　audience：　　〃Here's　where　we　pound　the　argument　out　of　him！〃　　And　pound　he　did；　on　the　nose　with　the　butt　of　the　whip；　and　jab　he　did；　with　the　iron　fork　to　the　ribs。　　He　rained　a　hurricane　of　blows　and　jabs　on　the　animal's　most　sensitive　parts。　Ever　Ben　Bolt　leaped　to　retaliate；　but　was　thrown　by　the　ten　men　tailed　on　to　the　rope；　and；　each　time；　even　as　he　struck　the　floor　on　his　side；　Mulcachy　was　upon　him；　pounding；　smashing；　jabbing。　His　pain　was　exquisite；　especially　that　of　his　tender　nose。　　And　the　creature　who　inflicted　the　pain　was　as　fierce　and　terrible　as　he；　even　more　so　because　he　was　more　intelligent。　　In　but　few　minutes；　dazed　by　the　pain；　appalled　by　his　inability　to　rend　and　destroy　the　man　who　inflicted　it；　Ben　Bolt　lost　his　courage。　　He　fled　ignominiously　before　the　little；　two…legged　creature　who　was　more　terrible　than　himself　who　was　a　full…grown　Royal　Bengal　tiger。　　He　leaped　high　in　the　air　in　sheer　panic；　he　ran　here　and　there；　with　lowered　head；　to　avoid　the　rain　of　pain。　　He　even　charged　the　sides　of　the　arena；　springing　up　and　vainly　trying　to　climb　the　slippery　vertical　bars。

Ever；　like　an　avenging　devil；　Mulcachy　pursued　and　smashed　and　jabbed；　gritting　through　his　teeth：　　〃You　will　argue；　will　you？　I'll　teach　you　what　argument　is！　　There！　　Take　that！　　And　that！　And　that！〃

〃Now　I've　got　him　afraid　of　me；　and　the　rest　ought　to　be　easy；〃　he　announced；　resting　off　and　panting　hard　from　his　exertions；　while　the　great　tiger　crouched　and　quivered　and　shrank　back　from　him　against　the　base　of　the　arena…bars。　　〃Take　a　five…minute　spell；　you　fellows；　and　we'll　got　our　breaths。〃

Lowering　one　of　the　iron　chairs；　and　attaching　it　firmly　in　its　place　on　the　floor；　Mulcachy　prepared　for　the　teaching　of　the　first　trick。　　Ben　Bolt；　jungle…born　and　jungle…reared；　was　to　be　compelled　to　sit　in　the　chair　in　ludicrous　and　tragic　imitation　of　man…creatures。　　But　Mulcachy　was　not　quite　ready。　　The　first　lesson　of　fear　of　him　must　be　reiterated　and　driven　home。

Stepping　to　a　near　safe　distance；　he　lashed　Ben　Bolt　on　the　nose。　He　repeated　it。　　He　did　it　a　score　of　times；　and　scores　of　times。　Turn　his　head　as　he　would；　ever　Ben　Bolt　received　the　bite　of　the　whip　on　his　fearfully　bruised　nose；　for　Mulcachy　was　as　expert　as　a　stage…driver　in　his　manipulation　of　the　whip；　and　unerringly　the　lash　snapped　and　cracked　and　stung　Ben　Bolt's　nose　wherever　Ben　Bolt　at　the　moment　might　have　it。

When　it　became　maddeningly　unendurable；　he　sprang；　only　to　be　jerked　back　by　the　ten　strong　men　who　held　the　rope　to　his　neck。　And　wrath；　and　ferocity；　and　intent　to　destroy；　passed　out　utterly　from　the　tiger's　inflamed　brain；　until　he　knew　fear；　again　and　again；　always　fear　and　only　fear；　utter　and　abject　fear；　of　this　human　mite　who　searched　him　with　such　pain。

Then　the　lesson　of　the　first　trick　was　taken　up。　　Mulcachy　tapped　the　chair　sharply　with　the　butt　of　the　whip　to　draw　the　animal's　attention　to　it；　then　flicked　the　whip…lash　sharply　on　his　nose。　At　the　same　moment；　an　attendant；　through　the　bars　behind；　drove　an　iron　fork　into　his　ribs　to　force　him　away　from　the　bars　and　toward　the　chair。　　He　crouched　forward；　then　shrank　back　against　the　side…bars。　　Again　the　chair　was　rapped；　his　nose　was　lashed；　his　ribs　were　jabbed；　and　he　was　forced　by　pain　toward　the　chair。　This　went　on　interminablyfor　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　for　half　an　hour；　for　an　hour；　for　the　men…animals　had　the　patience　of　gods　while　he　was　only　a　jungle…brute。　　Thus　tigers　are　broken。　　And　the　verb　means　just　what　it　means。　　A　performing　animal　is　BROKEN。　Something　BREAKS　in　an　animal　of　the　wild　ere　such　an　animal　submits　to　do　tricks　before　pay…audiences。

Mulcachy　ordered　an　assistant　to　enter　the　arena　with　him。　　Since　he　could　not　compel　the　tiger　directly　to　sit　in　the　chair；　he　must　employ　other　means。　　The　rope　about　Ben　Bolt's　neck　was　passed　up　through　the　bars　and　rove　through　the　block…and…tackle。　At　signal　from　Mulcachy；　the　ten　men　hauled　away。　　Snarling；　struggling；　choking；　in　a　fresh　madness　of　terror　at　this　new　outrage；　Ben　Bolt　was　slowly　hoisted　by　his　neck　up　from　the　floor；　until；　quite　clear　of　it；　whirling；　squirming；　battling；　suspended　by　his　neck　like　a　man　being　hanged；　his　wind　was　shut　off　and　he　began　to　suffocate。　　He　coiled　and　twisted；　the　splendid　muscles　of　his　body　enabling　him　almost　to　tie　knots　in　it。

The　block…and…tackle；　running　like　a　trolley　on　the　overhead　track；　made　it　possible　for　the　assistant　to　seize　his　tail　and　drag　him　through　the　air　till　he　was　above　the　chair。　　His　helpless　body　guided　thus　by　the　tail；　his　chest　jabbed　by　the　iron　fork　in　Mulcachy's　hands；　the　rope　was　suddenly　lowered；　and　Ben　Bolt；　with　swimming　brain；　found　himself　seated　in　the　chair。　On　the　instant　he　leaped　for　the　floor；　received　a　blow　on　the　nose　from　the　heavy　whip…handle；　and　had　a　blank　cartridge　fired　straight　into　his　nostril。　　His　madness　of　pain　and　fear　was　multiplied。　　He　sprang　away　in　flight；　but　Mulcachy's　voice　rang　out；　〃Hoist　him！〃　and　he　slowly　rose　in　the　air　again；　hanging　by　his　neck；　and　began　to　strangle。

Once　more　he　was　swung　into　position　by　his　tail；　jabbed　in　the　chest；　and　lowered　suddenly　on　the　runbut　so　suddenly；　with　a　frantic　twist　of　his　body　on　his　part；　that　he　fell　violently　across　the　chair　on　his　belly。　　What　little　wind　was　left　him　from　the　strangling；　seemed　to　have　been　ruined　out　of　him　by　the　violence　of　the　fall。　　The　glare　in　his　eyes　was　maniacal　and　swimming。　　He　panted　frightfully；　and　his　head　rolled　back　and　forth。　　Slaver　dripped　from　his　mouth；　blood　ran　from　his　nose。

〃Hoist　away！〃　Mulcachy　shouted。

And　again；　struggling　frantically　as　the　tightening　collar　shut　off　his　wind；　Ben　Bolt　was　slowly　lifted　into　the　air。　　So　wildly　did　he　struggle　that；　ere　his　hind　feet　were　off　the　floor；　he　pranced　back　and　forth；　so　that　when　he　was　heaved　clear　his　body　swung　like　a　huge　pendulum。　　Over　the　chair；　he　was　dropped；　and　for　a　fraction　of　a　second　the　posture　was　his　of　a　man　sitting　in　a　chair。　　Then　he　uttered　a　terrible　cry　and　sprang。

It　was　neither　snarl；　nor　growl；　nor　roar；　that　cry；　but　a　sheer　scream；　as　if　something　had　broken　inside　of　him。　　He　missed　Mulcachy　by　inches；　as　another　blank　cartridge　exploded　up　his　other　nostril　and　as　the　men　with　the　rope　snapped　him　back　so　abruptly　as　almost　to　break　his　neck。

This　time；　lowered　quickly；　he　sank　into　the　chair　like　a　half…　empty　sack　of　meal；　and　continued　so　to　sink；　until；　crumpling　at　the　middle；　his　great　tawny　head　falling　forward；　he　lay　on　the　floor　unconscious。　　His　tongue；　black　and　swollen；　lolled　out　of　his　mouth。　　As　buckets　of　water　were　poured　on　him　he　groaned　and　moaned。　　And　here　ended　the　first　lesson。

〃It's　all　right；〃　Mulcachy　said；　day　after　day；　as　the　teaching　went　on。　　〃Patience　and　hard　work　will　pull　off　the　trick。　　I've　got　his　goat。　　He's　afraid　of　me。　　All　that's　required　is　time；　and　time　adds　to　value　with　an　animal　like　him。〃

Not　on　that　first　day；　nor　on　the　second；　nor　on　the　third；　did　the　requisite　something　really　break　inside　Ben　Bolt。　　But　at　the　end　of　a　fortnight　it　did　break。　　For　the　day　came　when　Mulcachy　rapped　the　chair　with　his　whip…butt；　when　the　attendant　through　the　bars　jabbed　the　iron　fork　into　Ben　Bolt's　ribs；　and　when　Ben　Bolt；　anything　but　royal；　slinking　like　a　beaten　alley…cat；　in　pitiable　terror；　crawled　over　to　the　chair　and　sat　down　in　it　like　a　man。　　He　now　was　an　〃educated〃　tiger。　　The　sight　of　him；　so　sitting；　tragically　travestying　man；　has　been　considered；　and　is　considered；　〃educative〃　by　multitudinous　audiences。

The　second　case；　that　of　St。　Elias；　was　a　harder　one；　and　it　was　marked　down　against　Mulcachy　as　one　of　his　rare　failures；　though　all　admitted　that　it　was　an　unavoidable　failure。　　St。　Elias　was　a　huge　monster　of　an　Alaskan　bear；　who　was　good…natured　and　even　facetious　and　humorous　after　the　way　of　bears。　　But　he　had　a　will　of　his　own　that　was　correspondingly　as　stubborn　as　his　bulk。　　He　could　be　persuaded　to　do　things；　but　he　would　not　tolerate　being　compelled　to　do　things。　　And　in　the　trained…animal　world；　where　turns　must　go　off　like　clockwork；　is　little　or　no　space　for　persuasion。　　An　animal　must　do　its　turn；　and　do　it　promptly。　Audiences　will　not　brook　the　delay　of　waiting　while　a　trainer　tries　to　persuade　a　crusty　o