the mysterious stranger-第23节

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sesquipedalian　adjectives　to　whoop　up　a　thing　of　beauty；　it　was　time　for
suspicion。

It　was　easy　to　see　that　these　doubts　were　having　an　effect　upon　the
animals；　so　the　cat　went　off　offended。　　The　subject　was　dropped　for　a
couple　of　days；　but　in　the　meantime　curiosity　was　taking　a　fresh　start；
aid　there　was　a　revival　of　interest　perceptible。　　Then　the　animals
assailed　the　ass　for　spoiling　what　could　possibly　have　been　a　pleasure　to
them；　on　a　mere　suspicion　that　the　picture　was　not　beautiful；　without　any
evidence　that　such　was　the　case。　　The　ass　was　not；　troubled；　he　was　calm；
and　said　there　was　one　way　to　find　out　who　was　in　the　right；　himself　or
the　cat：　he　would　go　and　look　in　that　hole；　and　come　back　and　tell　what
he　found　there。　　The　animals　felt　relieved　and　grateful；　and　asked　him　to
go　at　oncewhich　he　did。

But　he　did　not　know　where　he　ought　to　stand；　and　so；　through　error；　he
stood　between　the　picture　and　the　mirror。　　The　result　was　that　the
picture　had　no　chance；　and　didn't　show　up。　　He　returned　home　and　said：

〃The　cat　lied。　　There　was　nothing　in　that　hole　but　an　ass。　　There　wasn't
a　sign　of　a　flat　thing　visible。　　It　was　a　handsome　ass；　and　friendly；　but
just　an　ass；　and　nothing　more。〃

The　elephant　asked：

〃Did　you　see　it　good　and　clear？　　Were　you　close　to　it？〃

〃I　saw　it　good　and　clear；　O　Hathi；　King　of　Beasts。　　I　was　so　close　that　I
touched　noses　with　it。〃

〃This　is　very　strange；〃　said　the　elephant；　〃the　cat　was　always　truthful
beforeas　far　as　we　could　make　out。　　Let　another　witness　try。　　Go；
Baloo；　look　in　the　hole；　and　come　and　report。〃

So　the　bear　went。　　When　he　came　back；　he　said：

〃Both　the　cat　and　the　ass　have　lied；　there　was　nothing　in　the　hole　but　a
bear。〃

Great　was　the　surprise　and　puzzlement　of　the　animals。　　Each　was　now
anxious　to　make　the　test　himself　and　get　at　the　straight　truth。　　The
elephant　sent　them　one　at　a　time。

First；　the　cow。　　She　found　nothing　in　the　hole　but　a　cow。

The　tiger　found　nothing　in　it　but　a　tiger。

The　lion　found　nothing　in　it　but　a　lion。

The　leopard　found　nothing　in　it　but　a　leopard。

The　camel　found　a　camel；　and　nothing　more。

Then　Hathi　was　wroth；　and　said　he　would　have　the　truth；　if　he　had　to　go
and　fetch　it　himself。　　When　he　returned；　he　abused　his　whole　subjectry
for　liars；　and　was　in　an　unappeasable　fury　with　the　moral　and　mental
blindness　of　the　cat。　　He　said　that　anybody　but　a　near…sighted　fool　could
see　that　there　was　nothing　in　the　hole　but　an　elephant。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　MORAL；　BY　THE　CAT

You　can　find　in　a　text　whatever　you　bring；　if　you　will　stand　between　it
and　the　mirror　of　your　imagination。　　You　may　not　see　your　ears；　but　they
will　be　there。






HUNTING　THE　DECEITFUL　TURKEY

When　I　was　a　boy　my　uncle　and　his　big　boys　hunted　with　the　rifle；　the
youngest　boy　Fred　and　I　with　a　shotguna　small　single…barrelled　shotgun
which　was　properly　suited　to　our　size　and　strength；　it　was　not　much
heavier　than　a　broom。　　We　carried　it　turn　about；　half　an　hour　at　a　time。
I　was　not　able　to　hit　anything　with　it；　but　I　liked　to　try。　　Fred　and　I
hunted　feathered　small　game；　the　others　hunted　deer；　squirrels；　wild
turkeys；　and　such　things。　　My　uncle　and　the　big　boys　were　good　shots。
They　killed　hawks　and　wild　geese　and　such　like　on　the　wing；　and　they
didn't　wound　or　kill　squirrels；　they　stunned　them。　　When　the　dogs　treed　a
squirrel；　the　squirrel　would　scamper　aloft　and　run　out　on　a　limb　and
flatten　himself　along　it；　hoping　to　make　himself　invisible　in　that　way
and　not　quite　succeeding。　　You　could　see　his　wee　little　ears　sticking　up。
You　couldn't　see　his　nose；　but　you　knew　where　it　was。　　Then　the　hunter；
despising　a　〃rest〃　for　his　rifle；　stood　up　and　took　offhand　aim　at　the
limb　and　sent　a　bullet　into　it　immediately　under　the　squirrel's　nose；　and
down　tumbled　the　animal；　unwounded；　　but　unconscious；　the　dogs　gave　him　a
shake　and　he　was　dead。　　Sometimes　when　the　distance　was　great　and　the
wind　not　accurately　allowed　for；　the　bullet　would　hit　the　squirrel's
head；　the　dogs　could　do　as　they　pleased　with　that　onethe　hunter's　pride
was　hurt；　and　he　wouldn't　allow　it　to　go　into　the　gamebag。

In　the　first　faint　gray　of　the　dawn　the　stately　wild　turkeys　would　be
stalking　around　in　great　flocks；　and　ready　to　be　sociable　and　answer
invitations　to　come　and　converse　with　other　excursionists　of　their　kind。
The　hunter　concealed　himself　and　imitated　the　turkey…call　by　sucking　the
air　through　the　leg…bone　of　a　turkey　which　had　previously　answered　a　call
like　that　and　lived　only　just　long　enough　to　regret　it。　　There　is　nothing
that　furnishes　a　perfect　turkey…call　except　that　bone。　　Another　of
Nature's　treacheries；　you　see。　　She　is　full　of　them；　half　the　time　she
doesn't　know　which　she　likes　bestto　betray　her　chid　or　protect　it。
In　the　case　of　the　turkey　she　is　badly　mixed：　she　gives　it　a　bone　to　be
used　in　getting　it　into　trouble；　and　she　also　furnishes　it　with　a　trick
for　getting　itself　out　of　the　trouble　again。　　When　a　mamma…turkey　answers
an　invitation　and　finds　she　has　made　a　mistake　in　accepting　it；　she　does
as　the　mamma…partridge　doesremembers　a　previous　engagementand　goes
limping　and　scrambling　away；　pretending　to　be　very　lame；　and　at　the　same
time　she　is　saying　to　her　not…visible　children；　〃Lie　low；　keep　still；
don't　expose　yourselves；　I　shall　be　back　as　soon　as　I　have　beguiled　this
shabby　swindler　out　of　the　country。〃

When　a　person　is　ignorant　and　confiding；　this　immoral　device　can　have
tiresome　results。　　I　followed　an　ostensibly　lame　turkey　over　a
considerable　part　of　the　United　States　one　morning；　because　I　believed　in
her　and　could　not　think　she　would　deceive　a　mere　boy；　and　one　who　was
trusting　her　and　considering　her　honest。　　I　had　the　single…barrelled
shotgun；　but　my　idea　was　to　catch　her　alive。　　I　often　got　within　rushing
distance　of　her；　and　then　made　my　rush；　but　always；　just　as　I　made　my
final　plunge　and　put　my　hand　down　where　her　back　had　been；　it　wasn't
there；　it　was　only　two　or　three　inches　from　there　and　I　brushed　the　tail…
feathers　as　I　landed　on　my　stomacha　very　close　call；　but　still　not
quite　close　enough；　that　is；　not　close　enough　for　success；　but　just　close
enough　to　convince　me　that　I　could　do　it　next　time。　　She　always　waited
for　me；　a　little　piece　away；　and　let　on　to　be　resting　and　greatly
fatigued；　which　was　a　lie；　but　I　believed　it；　for　I　still　thought　her
honest　long　after　I　ought　to　have　begun　to　doubt　her；　suspecting　that
this　was　no　way　for　a　high…minded　bird　to　be　acting。　　I　followed；　and
followed；　and　followed；　making　my　periodical　rushes；　and　getting　up　and
brushing　the　dust　off；　and　resuming　the　voyage　with　patient　confidence；
indeed；　with　a　confidence　which　grew；　for　I　could　see　by　the　change　of
climate　and　vegetation　that　we　were　getting　up　into　the　high　latitudes；
and　as　she　always　looked　a　little　tireder　and　a　little　more　discouraged
after　each　rush；　I　judged　that　I　was　safe　to　win；　in　the　end；　the
competition　being　purely　a　matter　of　staying　power　and　the　advantage
lying　with　me　from　the　start　because　she　was　lame。

Along　in　the　afternoon　I　began　to　feel　fatigued　myself。　　Neither　of　us
had　had　any　rest　since　we　first　started　on　the　excursion；　which　was
upwards　of　ten　hours　before；　though　latterly　we　had　paused　awhile　after
rushes；　I　letting　on　to　be　thinking　about　something　else；　but　neither　of
us　sincere；　and　both　of　us　waiting　for　the　other　to　call　game　but　in　no
real　hurry　about　it；　for　indeed　those　little　evanescent　snatches　of　rest
were　very　grateful　to　the　feelings　of　us　both；　it　would　naturally　be　so；
skirmishing　along　like　that　ever　since　dawn　and　not　a　bite　in　the
meantime；　at　least　for　me；　though　sometimes　as　she　lay　on　her　side
fanning　herself　with　a　wing　and　praying　for　strength　to　get　out　of　this
difficulty　a　grasshopper　happened　along　whose　time　had　come；　and　that　was
well　for　her；　and　fortunate；　but　I　had　nothingnothing　the　whole　day。

More　than　once；　after　I　was　very　tired；　I　gave　up　taking　her　alive；　and
was　going　to　shoot　her；　but　I　never　did　it；　although　it　was　my　right；　for
I　did　not　believe　I　could　hit　her；　and　besides；　she　always　stopped　and
posed；　when　I　raised　the　gun；　and　this　made　me　suspicious　that　she　knew
about　me　and　my　marksmanship；　and　so　I　did　not　care　to　expose　myself　to
remarks。

I　did　not　get　her；　at　all。　　When　she　got　tired　of　the　game　at　last；　she
rose　from　almost　under　my　hand　and　flew　aloft　with　the　rush　and　whir　of　a
shell　and　lit　on　the　highest　limb　of　a　great　tree　and　sat　down　and
crossed　her　legs　and　smiled　down　at　me；　and　seemed　gratified　to　see　me　so
astonished。

I　was　ashamed；　and　also　lost；　and　it　was　while　wandering　the　woods
hunting　for　myself　that　I　found　a　deserted　log　cabin　and　had　one　of　the
best　meals　there　that　in　my　life…days　I　have　eaten。　　The　weed…grown
garden　was　full　of　ripe　tomatoes；　and　I　ate　them　ravenously；　though　I　had
never　liked　them　before。　　Not　more　than　two　or　three　times　since　have　I
tasted　anything　that　was　so　delicious　as　those　tomatoes。　　I　surfeited
myself　with　them；　and　did　not　taste　another　one　until　I　was　in　middle
life。　　I　can　eat　them　now；　but　I　do　not　like　the　look　of　them。　　I　suppose
we　have　all　experienced