his dog(狗儿莱德)-第15节
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〃A thousan'？〃 repeated Ferris； scared at the magnitude of the sum
then； rallying； he asked：
〃What WILL you let me have him fer； then？ Set a price； can't you？〃
〃The dog is not for sale；〃 curtly replied Gault； busying himself with
the lighting of a cigarette。
〃Take Mr。 Gault's check and go；〃 commanded Marden； thrusting the
slip of paper at Link。 〃I think there is nothing more to say。 I have an
appointment at〃
He hesitated。 Regardless of the others' presence； Ferris dropped to one
knee beside the uncomprehending dog。 With his arm about Chum's neck；
he bent close to the collie's ear and whispered：
〃Good…by； Chummie！ It's good…by； fer keeps； too。 Don't you get to
thinkin' I've gone an' deserted you； nor got tired of you； nor nothnn'； Chum。
Because I'd a dam' sight ruther leave one of my two legs here than to leave
you。 II guess only Gawd rightly knows all you done fer me； Chum。 But I
ain't a…goin' to ferget none of it。 Lord； but it's goin' to be pretty turrible； to
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home； without you！〃 He got to his feet； winking back a mist from his red
eyes； and turning blindly toward the door。
〃Here！〃 boomed Marden after him。 〃You've forgotten your check。〃
〃I don't aim to take no measly money fer givin' up the only friend I
got！〃 snarled Link over his shoulder。 〃Keep itfer a tip！〃
It was a good exit line。 But it was spoiled。 Because； as Ferris reached
the door and groped for its knob； Chum was beside himglad to get out of
this uncongenial assembly and to be alone with the master who seemed so
unhappy and so direly in need of consolation。 Link stiffened to his full
height。 With one hand lovingly laid on the collie's silken head； he
mumbled：
〃No； Chum； you can't come along。 Back； boy！ Stay HERE！〃
Lowering at Gault； he added：
〃He ain't never been hit； nor yet swore at。 An' he don't need to be。
Treat him nice； like he's used to bein' treated。 An' don't get sore on him if
he mopes fer me； jes' at fust。 Because he's sure to。 Dogs ain't like folks。
They got hearts。 Folks has only got souls。 I guess dogs has the best of it； at
that。〃
Ferris swung open the door and stumbled out； not trusting himself for
a backward glance at the wistfully grieved dog he had left behind。
Lurchingly he made off； across the lawn and out through the wicket。
He was numb and sick。 He moved mechanically and with no conscious
power of thought or of locomotion。
Out in the highroad； a homing instinct guided his leaden feet in the
direction of Hampton。 And he plodded dazedly the interminable four
miles that separated him from his desolate farm。
As he turned in at his own gate； he was aware of a poignant dread that
pierced his numbness。 And he knew it for a dread of entering the house
and of finding no one to welcome him。 Setting his teeth he went forward；
unlocked the door and stamped into the silent kitchen。
Upon the table he dumped the paper…swathed cup he had been carrying
unnoticed under his arm。 Beside it he threw the little purse full of gold
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pieces and the wad of prize ribbons。 Stepping back； his foot struck
something。 He looked down and saw it was a gay…colored rubber ball he
had bought； months ago； for Chumthe dog's favorite plaything。
His face twisting； Link snatched up the ball and went out onto the
steps to throw it far out of sight； that it might no more remind him of the
pet who had so often coaxed him to toss it for retrieval。
Ferris hurled the ball far out into the garden。 As the missile left his
hand an exultant bark re…echoed through the silence of the sunset。 Chum；
who had been trotting demurely up the walk； sprang gleefully in pursuit of
the ball； and presently came galloping back to the dazedly incredulous
Link； with the many…colored sphere of rubber between his jaws。
Chum had had no trouble at all in catching his master's trail and
following it home。 He would have overtaken the slow…slouching Ferris；
had he been able to slip out of the clubhouse sooner。 And now it pleased
him to be welcomed by this evident invitation to a game of ball。
Link gave a gulping cry and buried both hands in the collie's ruff；
staring down at the dancing dog in an agony of rapture。 Then； all at once；
his muscles tensed； and his newly flushed face went green…white again。
〃II guess we got to play it square； Chum！〃 he muttered aloud； with
something like a groan。 〃I was blattin' to 'em； up there； how you'd made a
white man of me。 An' a reg'lar white man don't keep what ain't his own
prop'ty。 Come along； Chummie！〃
His jaw very tense； his back painfully stiff； Link strode heavily down
the lane and out into the highroad。 Chum； always eager for a walk with his
god； frisked about him in delight。
He had traversed the bulk of the distance to Craigswold； the dog
beside him； when he remembered that he had left his horse and buggy at
the livery stable there in the morning。 Well； that would save his aching feet
a four…mile walk home。 In the meantime
He and Chum stepped to the roadside to avoid a fast…traveling little
motor car which was bearing down on them from the direction of
Craigswold。
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The car did not pass them。 Instead； it came to a gear…racking halt close
beside Ferris。 Link； glancing up in dull lack of interest； beheld Gault and
the latter's daughter staring down at him。
〃Chum came home；〃 said Ferris； scowling at them。 〃He trailed me。
Don't lick him fer it！ He's only a dog； an' he didn't know no better。 I was
bringin' him back to you。〃
The girl looked sharply at her father。 Gault fidgeted uneasily； as he had
done once or twice that afternoon in the clubhouse。 And he avoided his
daughter's gaze。 So she turned her level eyes on Link。
〃Mr。 Ferris；〃 she said very quietly； 〃do you mean to say； when this dog
came back to you； you were actually going to return him to us； instead of
hiding him somewhere till the search was over？〃
〃I'm here； ain't I？〃 countered Ferris defiantly。
〃But why？〃 she insisted。 〃WHY？〃
〃Because I'm a fool； I s'pose；〃 he growled。 〃I guess Chum wouldn't
care much 'bout livin' with a thief。 Take him up there with you on the seat。
Don't let him fall out。 An'〃his voice scaling a half octave in its pain
〃keep him to home after this。 I ain't no measly angel。 I can't swear I'd have
the grit to fetch him back another time。〃
He stopped； to note a curious phenomenon。 There were actually tears
in the girl's big grave eyes。 Link wondered why。 Then she said：
〃Cavalier isn't my father's dog。 He is mine。 My father gave him to me
when he bought him； last spring。 Colonel Marden seemed to have
forgotten that to…day。 And I didn't want to start a squabble by reminding
him of it。 After all； it's my father's affair； and mine。 Nobody else's。 My
father got me another collie last spring to take Cavalier's place。 A collie
I'm ever so fond of。 So I don't need Cavalier。 I don't want him。 I tried to
find you to tell you so。 But you had gone。 So I got my father to drive me to
your place。 We'd have started sooner； but Cavalier got away。 And we
waited to look for himto bring him along。〃
〃Bring him along？〃 mutteringly echoed the blankbrained Link。 〃What
fer？〃
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〃Why；〃 laughed the girl； 〃because your house is where he belongs and
where he is going to live。 Just as he has been living all summer。
Ferris caught his breath in a choked wheeze of unbelieving ecstasy。
〃Gawd！〃 he breathed。 〃GAWD！〃
Then； he stammered brokenly
〃Theythey don't seem no right words toto thank you in； Ma'am。 But
maybe you und'stand what I'd want to say if I could？〃
〃Yes；〃 she said gently。
