novel notes-第7节

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　you　about　that　dog　we　had　when　we　lived　in　Norwood？〃

〃It's　not　that　one　about　the　bull…dog；　is　it？〃　queried　Jephson　anxiously。

〃Well；　it　was　a　bull…dog；〃　admitted　MacShaughnassy；　〃but　I　don't　think　I've　ever　told　it　you　before。〃

We　knew；　by　experience；　that　to　argue　the　matter　would　only　prolong　the　torture；　so　we　let　him　go　on。

〃A　great　many　burglaries　had　lately　taken　place　in　our　neighbourhood；〃　he　began；　〃and　the　pater　came　to　the　conclusion　that　it　was　time　he　laid　down　a　dog。　　He　thought　a　bull…dog　would　be　the　best　for　his　purpose；　and　he　purchased　the　most　savage　and　murderous…looking　specimen　that　he　could　find。

〃My　mother　was　alarmed　when　she　saw　the　dog。　　'Surely　you're　not　going　to　let　that　brute　loose　about　the　house！'　she　exclaimed。　'He'll　kill　somebody。　　I　can　see　it　in　his　face。'

〃'I　want　him　to　kill　somebody；'　replied　my　father；　'I　want　him　to　kill　burglars。'

〃'I　don't　like　to　hear　you　talk　like　that；　Thomas；'　answered　the　mater；　'it's　not　like　you。　　We've　a　right　to　protect　our　property；　but　we've　no　right　to　take　a　fellow　human　creature's　life。'

〃'Our　fellow　human　creatures　will　be　all　rightso　long　as　they　don't　come　into　our　kitchen　when　they've　no　business　there；'　retorted　my　father；　somewhat　testily。　　'I'm　going　to　fix　up　this　dog　in　the　scullery；　and　if　a　burglar　comes　fooling　aroundwell；　that's　HIS　affair。'

〃The　old　folks　quarrelled　on　and　off　for　about　a　month　over　this　dog。　　The　dad　thought　the　mater　absurdly　sentimental；　and　the　mater　thought　the　dad　unnecessarily　vindictive。　　Meanwhile　the　dog　grew　more　ferocious…looking　every　day。

〃One　night　my　mother　woke　my　father　up　with：　　'Thomas；　there's　a　burglar　downstairs；　I'm　positive。　　I　distinctly　heard　the　kitchen　door　open。'

〃'Oh；　well；　the　dog's　got　him　by　now；　then；'　murmured　my　father；　who　had　heard　nothing；　and　was　sleepy。

〃'Thomas；'　replied　my　mother　severely；　'I'm　not　going　to　lie　here　while　a　fellow…creature　is　being　murdered　by　a　savage　beast。　　If　you　won't　go　down　and　save　that　man's　life；　I　will。'

〃'Oh；　bother；'　said　my　father；　preparing　to　get　up。　　'You're　always　fancying　you　hear　noises。　　I　believe　that's　all　you　women　come　to　bed　forto　sit　up　and　listen　for　burglars。'　　Just　to　satisfy　her；　however；　he　pulled　on　his　trousers　and　socks；　and　went　down。

〃Well；　sure　enough；　my　mother　was　right；　this　time。　　There　WAS　a　burglar　in　the　house。　　The　pantry　window　stood　open；　and　a　light　was　shining　in　the　kitchen。　　My　father　crept　softly　forward；　and　peeped　through　the　partly　open　door。　　There　sat　the　burglar；　eating　cold　beef　and　pickles；　and　there；　beside　him；　on　the　floor；　gazing　up　into　his　face　with　a　blood…curdling　smile　of　affection；　sat　that　idiot　of　a　dog；　wagging　his　tail。

〃My　father　was　so　taken　aback　that　he　forgot　to　keep　silent。

〃'Well；　I'm；'　and　he　used　a　word　that　I　should　not　care　to　repeat　to　you　fellows。

〃The　burglar；　hearing　him；　made　a　dash；　and　got　clear　off　by　the　window；　and　the　dog　seemed　vexed　with　my　father　for　having　driven　him　away。

〃Next　morning　we　took　the　dog　back　to　the　trainer　from　whom　we　had　bought　it。

〃'What　do　you　think　I　wanted　this　dog　for？'　asked　my　father；　trying　to　speak　calmly。

〃'Well；'　replied　the　trainer；　'you　said　you　wanted　a　good　house　dog。'

〃'Exactly　so；'　answered　the　dad。　　'I　didn't　ask　for　a　burglar's　companion；　did　I？　　I　didn't　say　I　wanted　a　dog　who'd　chum　on　with　a　burglar　the　first　time　he　ever　came　to　the　house；　and　sit　with　him　while　he　had　supper；　in　case　he　might　feel　lonesome；　did　I？'　　And　my　father　recounted　the　incidents　of　the　previous　night。

〃The　man　agreed　that　there　was　cause　for　complaint。　　'I'll　tell　you　what　it　is；　sir；'　he　said。　　'It　was　my　boy　Jim　as　trained　this　'ere　dawg；　and　I　guess　the　young　beggar's　taught　'im　more　about　tackling　rats　than　burglars。　　You　leave　'im　with　me　for　a　week；　sir；　I'll　put　that　all　right。'

〃We　did　so；　and　at　the　end　of　the　time　the　trainer　brought　him　back　again。

〃'You'll　find　'im　game　enough　now；　sir；'　said　the　man。　　''E　ain't　what　I　call　an　intellectual　dawg；　but　I　think　I've　knocked　the　right　idea　into　'im。'

〃My　father　thought　he'd　like　to　test　the　matter；　so　we　hired　a　man　for　a　shilling　to　break　in　through　the　kitchen　window　while　the　trainer　held　the　dog　by　a　chain。　　The　dog　remained　perfectly　quiet　until　the　man　was　fairly　inside。　　Then　he　made　one　savage　spring　at　him；　and　if　the　chain　had　not　been　stout　the　fellow　would　have　earned　his　shilling　dearly。

〃The　dad　was　satisfied　now　that　he　could　go　to　bed　in　peace；　and　the　mater's　alarm　for　the　safety　of　the　local　burglars　was　proportionately　increased。

〃Months　passed　uneventfully　by；　and　then　another　burglar　sampled　our　house。　　This　time　there　could　be　no　doubt　that　the　dog　was　doing　something　for　his　living。　　The　din　in　the　basement　was　terrific。　The　house　shook　with　the　concussion　of　falling　bodies。

〃My　father　snatched　up　his　revolver　and　rushed　downstairs；　and　I　followed　him。　　The　kitchen　was　in　confusion。　　Tables　and　chairs　were　overturned；　and　on　the　floor　lay　a　man　gurgling　for　help。　　The　dog　was　standing　over　him；　choking　him。

〃The　pater　held　his　revolver　to　the　man's　ear；　while　I；　by　superhuman　effort；　dragged　our　preserver　away；　and　chained　him　up　to　the　sink；　after　which　I　lit　the　gas。

〃Then　we　perceived　that　the　gentleman　on　the　floor　was　a　police　constable。

〃'Good　heavens！'　exclaimed　my　father；　dropping　the　revolver；　'however　did　you　come　here？'

〃''Ow　did　I　come　'ere？'　retorted　the　man；　sitting　up　and　speaking　in　a　tone　of　bitter；　but　not　unnatural；　indignation。　　'Why；　in　the　course　of　my　dooty；　that's　'ow　I　come　'ere。　　I　see　a　burglar　getting　in　through　the　window；　so　I　just　follows　and　slips　in　after　'im。'

〃'Did　you　catch　him？'　asked　my　father。

〃'Did　I　catch　'im！'　almost　shrieked　the　man。　　〃Ow　could　I　catch　'im　with　that　blasted　dog　of　yours　'olding　me　down　by　the　throat；　while　'e　lights　'is　pipe　and　walks　out　by　the　back　door？'

〃The　dog　was　for　sale　the　next　day。　　The　mater；　who　had　grown　to　like　him；　because　he　let　the　baby　pull　his　tail；　wanted　us　to　keep　him。　　The　mistake；　she　said；　was　not　the　animal's　fault。　　Two　men　broke　into　the　house　almost　at　the　same　time。　　The　dog　could　not　go　for　both　of　them。　　He　did　his　best；　and　went　for　one。　　That　his　selection　should　have　fallen　upon　the　policeman　instead　of　upon　the　burglar　was　unfortunate。　　But　still　it　was　a　thing　that　might　have　happened　to　any　dog。

〃My　father；　however；　had　become　prejudiced　against　the　poor　creature；　and　that　same　week　he　inserted　an　advertisement　in　The　Field；　in　which　the　animal　was　recommended　as　an　investment　likely　to　prove　useful　to　any　enterprising　member　of　the　criminal　classes。〃

MacShaughnassy　having　had　his　innings；　Jephson　took　a　turn；　and　told　us　a　pathetic　story　about　an　unfortunate　mongrel　that　was　run　over　in　the　Strand　one　day　and　its　leg　broken。　　A　medical　student；　who　was　passing　at　the　time；　picked　it　up　and　carried　it　to　the　Charing　Cross　Hospital；　where　its　leg　was　set；　and　where　it　was　kept　and　tended　until　it　was　quite　itself　again；　when　it　was　sent　home。

The　poor　thing　had　quite　understood　what　was　being　done　for　it；　and　had　been　the　most　grateful　patient　they　had　ever　had　in　the　hospital。　　The　whole　staff　were　quite　sorry　when　it　left。

One　morning；　a　week　or　two　later；　the　house…surgeon；　looking　out　of　the　window；　saw　the　dog　coming　down　the　street。　　When　it　came　near　he　noticed　that　it　had　a　penny　in　its　mouth。　　A　cat's…meat　barrow　was　standing　by　the　kerb；　and　for　a　moment；　as　he　passed　it；　the　dog　hesitated。

But　his　nobler　nature　asserted　itself；　and；　walking　straight　up　to　the　hospital　railings；　and　raising　himself　upon　his　hind　legs；　he　dropped　his　penny　into　the　contribution　box。

MacShaughnassy　was　much　affected　by　this　story。　　He　said　it　showed　such　a　beautiful　trait　in　the　dog's　character。　　The　animal　was　a　poor　outcast；　vagrant　thing；　that　had　perhaps　never　possessed　a　penny　before　in　all　its　life；　and　might　never　have　another。　　He　said　that　dog's　penny　seemed　to　him　to　be　a　greater　gift　than　the　biggest　cheque　that　the　wealthiest　patron　ever　signed。

The　other　three　were　very　eager　now　to　get　to　work　on　the　novel；　but　I　did　not　quite　see　the　fairness　of　this。　　I　had　one　or　two　dog　stories　of　my　own。

I　knew　a　black…and…tan　terrier　years　ago。　　He　lodged　in　the　same　house　with　me。　　He　did　not　belong　to　any　one。　　He　had　discharged　his　owner　（if；　indeed；　he　had　ever　permitted　himself　to　possess　one；　which　is　doubtful；　having　regard　to　his　aggressively　independent　character）；　and　was　now　running　himself　entirely　on　his　own　account。　He　appropriated　the　front　hall　for　his　sleeping…apartment；　and　took　his　meals　with　the　other　lodgerswhenever　they　happened　to　be　having　meals。

At　five　o'clock　he　would　take　an　early　morning　snack　with　young　Hollis；　an　engineer's　pupil；　who　had　to　get　up　at　half…past　four　and　make　his　own　coffee；　so　as　to　be　down　at　the　works　by　six。　　At　eight…thirty　he　would　breakfast　in　a　more　sensible　fashion　with　Mr。　Blair；　on　the　first　floor；　and　on　occasions　would　join　Jack　Gadbut；　who　was　a　late　riser；　in　a　devilled　kidney　at　eleven。

From　then　till　about　five；　when　I　generally　had　a　cup　of　tea　and　a　chop；　he　regularly　disappeared。　　Where　h