idle ideas in 1905-第33节
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might be more correct to say the disturbance came across me： it
swept down upon me； enveloped me before I knew that I was in it。 A
fox…terrier it was； belonging to a very young ladyit was when the
disturbance was to a certain extent over that we discovered he
belonged to this young lady。 She arrived towards the end of the
disturbance； very much out of breath： she had been running for a
mile； poor girl； and shouting most of the way。 When she looked round
and saw all the things that had happened； and had had other things
that she had missed explained to her； she burst into tears。 An
English owner of that fox…terrier would have given one look round and
then have jumped upon the nearest tram going anywhere。 But； as I
have said； the foreigner is born good。 I left her giving her name
and address to seven different people。
But it was about the dog I wished to speak more particularly。 He had
commenced innocently enough； trying to catch a sparrow。 Nothing
delights a sparrow more than being chased by a dog。 A dozen times he
thought he had the sparrow。 Then another dog had got in his way。 I
don't know what they call this breed of dog； but abroad it is
popular： it has no tail and looks like a pigwhen things are going
well with it。 This particular specimen； when I saw him； looked more
like part of a doormat。 The fox…terrier had seized it by the scruff
of the neck and had rolled it over into the gutter just in front of a
motor cycle。 Its owner； a large lady； had darted out to save it； and
had collided with the motor cyclist。 The large lady had been thrown
some half a dozen yards against an Italian boy carrying a tray load
of plaster images。
I have seen a good deal of trouble in my life； but never one yet that
did not have an Italian image…vendor somehow or other mixed up in it。
Where these boys hide in times of peace is a mystery。 The chance of
being upset brings them out as sunshine brings out flies。 The motor
cycle had dashed into a little milk…cart and had spread it out neatly
in the middle of the tram lines。 The tram traffic looked like being
stopped for a quarter of an hour； but the idea of every approaching
tram driver appeared to be that if he rang his bell with sufficient
vigor this seeming obstruction would fade away and disappear。
In an English town all this would not have attracted much attention。
Somebody would have explained that a dog was the original cause； and
the whole series of events would have appeared ordinary and natural。
Upon these foreigners the fear descended that the Almighty； for some
reason； was angry with them。 A policeman ran to catch the dog。
The delighted dog rushed backwards； barking furiously； and tried to
throw up paving stones with its hind legs。 That frightened a
nursemaid who was wheeling a perambulator； and then it was that I
entered into the proceedings。 Seated on the edge of the pavement；
with a perambulator on one side of me and a howling baby on the
other； I told that dog what I thought of him。
Forgetful that I was in a foreign landthat he might not understand
meI told it him in English； I told it him at length； I told it very
loud and clear。 He stood a yard in front of me； listening to me with
an expression of ecstatic joy I have never before or since seen
equalled on any face； human or canine。 He drank it in as though it
had been music from Paradise。
〃Where have I heard that song before？〃 he seemed to be saying to
himself； 〃the old familiar language they used to talk to me when I
was young？〃
He approached nearer to me； there were almost tears in his eyes when
I had finished。
〃Say it again！〃 he seemed to be asking of me。 〃Oh！ say it all over
again； the dear old English oaths and curses that in this God…
forsaken land I never hoped to hear again。〃
I learnt from the young lady that he was an English…born fox…terrier。
That explained everything。 The foreign dog does not do this sort of
thing。 The foreigner is born good： that is why we hate him。
End
