bruce(布鲁斯)-第1节
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Bruce
Bruce
Albert Payson Terhune
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Bruce
Who are far wiser in their way and far better in every way； than I； and
yet who have not the wisdom to know it Who do not merely think I am
perfect； but who are calmly and permanently convinced of my perfection；…
…and this in spite of fifty disillusions a day Who are frantically happy at
my coming and bitterly woebegone in my absence Who never bore me and
never are bored by me Who never talk about themselves and who always
listen with rapturous interest to anything I may say Who； having no
conventional standards； have no respectability； and who； having no
conventional consciences； have no sins Who teach me finer lessons in
loyalty； in patience； in true courtesy； in unselfishness； in divine forgiveness；
in pluck and in abiding good spirits than do all the books I have ever read
and all the other models I have studied Who have not deigned to waste
time and eyesight in reading a word of mine and who will not bother to
read this verbose tribute to themselves In short； to the most gloriously
satisfactory chums who ever appealed to human vanity and to human
desire for companionship
TO OUR TEN SUNNYBANK COLLIES MY STORY IS
GRATEFULLY AND AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED
BRUCE by Albert Payson Terhune
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Bruce
CHAPTER I。
The Coming Of Bruce
She was beautiful。 And she had a heart and a soulwhich were a curse。
For without such a heart and soul； she might have found the tough life…
battle less bitterly hard to fight。
But the world does queer thingsdamnable thingsto hearts that are so
tenderly all…loving and to souls that are so trustfully and forgivingly
friendly as hers。
Her 〃pedigree name〃 was Rothsay Lass。 She was a colliedaintily
fragile of build； sensitive of nostril； furrily tawny of coat。 Her ancestry
was as flawless as any in Burke's Peerage。
If God had sent her into the world with a pair of tulip ears and with a
shade less width of brain…space she might have been cherished and
coddled as a potential bench…show winner； and in time might even have
won immortality by the title of 〃CHAMPION Rothsay Lass。〃
But her ears pricked rebelliously upward； like those of her earliest
ancestors； the wolves。 Nor could manipulation lure their stiff cartilages
into drooping as bench show fashion demands。 The average show…collie's
ears have a tendency to prick。 By weights and plasters； and often by
torture； this tendency is overcome。 But never when the cartilage is as
unyielding as was Lass's。
Her graceful head harked back in shape to the days when collies had to
do much independent thinking； as sheep…guards； and when they needed
more brainroom than is afforded by the borzoi skull sought after by
modern benchshow experts。
Wherefore； Lass had no hope whatever of winning laurels in the show…
ring or of attracting a high price from some rich fancier。 She was tabulated；
from babyhood； as a 〃second〃in other words； as a faulty specimen in a
litter that should have been faultless。
These 〃seconds〃 are as good to look at； from a layman's view； as is any
international champion。 And their offspring are sometimes as perfect as
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are those of the finest specimens。 But； lacking the arbitrary 〃points〃
demanded by show…judges； the 〃seconds〃 are condemned to obscurity； and
to sell as pets。
If Lass had been a male dog； her beauty and sense and lovableness
would have found a ready purchaser for her。 For nine pet collies out of ten
are 〃seconds〃； and splendid pets they make for the most part。
But Lass； at the very start； had committed the unforgivable sin of being
born a female。 Therefore； no pet…seeker wanted to buy her。 Even when she
was offered for sale at half the sum asked for her less handsome brothers；
no one wanted her。
A mareor the female of nearly any species except the canine brings
as high and as ready a price as does the male。 But never the female dog。
Except for breeding； she is not wanted。
This prejudice had its start in Crusader days； some thousand years ago。
Up to that time； all through the civilized world； a female dog had been
more popular as a pet than a male。 The Mohammedans （to whom； by creed；
all dogs are unclean） gave their European foes the first hint that a female
dog was the lowest thing on earth。
The Saracens despised her； as the potential mother of future dogs。 And
they loathed her accordingly。 Back to Europe came the Crusaders； bearing
only three lasting memorials of their contact with the Moslems。 One of the
three was a sneering contempt for all female dogs。
There is no other pet as loving； as quick of wit； as loyal； as staunchly
brave and as companionable as the female collie。 She has all the male's
best traits and none of his worst。 She has more in common； too； with the
highest type of woman than has any other animal alive。 （This； with all due
respect to womanhood。）
Prejudice has robbed countless dog…lovers of the joy of owning such a
pal。 In England the female pet dog has at last begun to come into her own。
Here she has not。 The loss is ours。
And so back to Lass。
When would…be purchasers were conducted to the puppy…run at the
Rothsay kennels； Lass and her six brethren and sisters were wont to come
galloping to the gate to welcome the strangers。 For the pups were only
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three months oldan age when every event is thrillingly interesting； and
everybody is a friend。 Three times out of five； the buyer's eye would single
Lass from the rollicking and fluffy mass of puppyhood。
She was so pretty； so wistfully appealing； so free from fear （and from
bumptiousness as well） and carried herself so daintily； that one's heart
warmed to her。 The visitor would point her out。 The kennel…man would
reply； flatteringly
〃Yes； she sure is one fine pup！〃
The purchaser never waited to hear the end of the sentence； before
turning to some other puppy。 The pronoun； 〃she；〃 had killed forever his
dawning fancy for the little beauty。
The four males of the litter were soon sold； for there is a brisk and a
steady market for good collie pups。 One of the two other females died。
Lass's remaining sister began to 〃shape up〃 with show…possibilities； and
was bought by the owner of another kennel。 Thus； by the time she was five
months old； Lass was left alone in the puppy…run。
She mourned her playmates。 It was cold； at night； with no other cuddly
little fur…ball to snuggle down to。 It was stupid； with no one to help her
work off her five…months spirits in a romp。 And Lass missed the dozens of
visitors that of old had come to the run。
The kennel…men felt not the slightest interest in her。 Lass meant
nothing to them； except the work of feeding her and of keeping an extra
run in order。 She was a liability； a nuisance。
Lass used to watch with pitiful eagerness for the attendants' duty…visits
to the run。 She would gallop joyously up to them； begging for a word or a
caress； trying to tempt them into a romp； bringing them peaceofferings in
the shape of treasured bones she had buried for her own future use。 But all
this gained her nothing。
A careless word at besta grunt or a shove at worst were her only
rewards。 For the most part； the men with the feed…trough or the water…pail
ignored her bounding and wrigglingly eager welcome as completely as
though she were a part of the kennel furnishings。 Her short daily 〃exercise
scamper〃 in the open was her nearest approach to a good time。
Then came a day when again a visitor stopped in
