bruce(布鲁斯)-第8节
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loathe the sight and scent of chicken。 Stupid as he was； he learned this
lesson with absolute thoroughness；as will almost any chicken…killing
pup；and it seemed to be the only teaching that his unawakened young
brain had the power to grasp。
In looks； too； Bruce was a failure。 His yellowish…and…white body was
all but shapeless。 His coat was thick and heavy enough； but it showed a
tendency to curlalmost to kinkinstead of waving crisply； as a collie's
ought。 The head was coarse and blurred in line。 The body was gaunt； in
spite of its incessant feedings。 As for contour or style
It was when the Master； in disgust； pointed out these diverse failings of
the pup； that the Mistress was wont to draw on historic precedent for other
instances of slow development； and to take in vain the names of
Thackeray； Lincoln； Washington and Bismarck and the rest。
〃Give him time！〃 she urged once。 〃He isn't quite six months old yet；
and he has grown so terribly fast。 Why； he's over two feet tall； at the
shoulder； even nowmuch bigger than most full…grown collies。 Champion
Howgill Rival is spoken of as a 'big' dog； yet he is only twenty…four inches
at the shoulder； Mr。 Leighton says。 Surely it's something to own a dog that
is so big。〃
〃It IS 'something；'〃 gloomily conceded the Master。 〃In our case it is a
catastrophe。 I don't set up to be an expert judge of collies； so maybe I am
all wrong about him。 I'm going to get professional opinion； though。 Next
week they are going to have the spring dogshow at Hampton。 It's a little
hole…in…a…corner show； of course。 But Symonds is to be the all…around
judge； except for the toy breeds。 And Symonds knows collies； from the
ground up。 I am going to take Bruce over there and enter him for the
puppy class。 If he is any good； Symonds will know it。 If the dog is as
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worthless as I think he is； I'll get rid of him。 If Symonds gives any hope
for him； I'll keep him on a while longer。〃
〃But；〃 ventured the Mistress； 〃if Symonds says 'Thumbs down；' then
〃
〃Then I'll buy a pet armadillo or an ornithorhynchus instead；〃
threatened the Master。 〃Either of them will look more like a collie than
Bruce does。〃
〃II wonder if Mr。 Symonds smokes；〃 mused the Mistress under her
breath。
〃Smokes？〃 echoed the Master。 〃What's that got to do with it？〃
〃I was only wondering；〃 she made hesitant answer； 〃if a box of very
wonderful cigars； sent to him with our cards； mightn't perhaps〃
〃It's a fine sportsmanly proposition！〃 laughed the Master。 〃When
women get to ruling the world of sport； there'll be no need of comic
cartoons。 Genuine photographs will do as well。 If it's just the same to you；
dear girl； we'll let Symonds buy his own cigars； for the present。 The dog…
show game is almost the only one I know of where a judge is practically
always on the square。 People doubt his judgment； sometimes； but there is
practically never any doubt of his honesty。 Besides； we want to get the
exact dope on Bruce。 （Not that I haven't got it； already！） If Symonds 'gates'
him； I'm going to offer him for sale at the show。 If nobody buys him there；
I'm going〃
〃He hasn't been 'gated' yet；〃 answered the Mistress in calm confidence。
At the little spring show； at Hampton； a meager eighty dogs were
exhibited； of which only nine were collies。 This collie division contained
no specimens to startle the dog…world。 Most of the exhibits were pets。 And
like nearly all pets； they were 〃seconds〃in other words； the less desirable
dogs of thoroughbred litters。
Hampton's town hall auditorium was filled to overcrowding； with a
mass of visitors who paraded interestedly along the aisles between the
raised rows of stall…like benches where the dogs were tied； or who grouped
densely around all four sides of the roped judging…ring in the center of the
hall。
For a dogshow has a wel…nigh universal appeal to humanity at large；
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even as the love for dogs is one of the primal and firm… rooted human
emotions。 Not only the actual exhibitor and their countless friends flock to
such shows； but the public at large is drawn thither as to no other function
of the kind。
Horse…racing； it is true； brings out a crowd many times larger than does
a dogshow。 But only because of the thrill of winning or losing money。 For
where one's spare cash is； there is his heart and his all…absorbing interest。
Yet it is a matter of record that grass is growing high； on the race…tracks； in
such states as have been able to enforce the anti…betting laws。 The 〃sport
of kings〃 flourishes only where wagers may accompany it。 Remove the
betting element； and you turn your racetrack into a huge and untrodden lot。
There is practically no betting connected with any dogshow。 People go
there to see the dogs and to watch their judging； and for nothing else。 As a
rule； the show is not even a social event。 Nevertheless； the average
dogshow is thronged with spectators。 （Try to cross Madison Square
Garden； on Washington's Birthday afternoon； while the Westminster
Kennel Club's Show is in progress。 If you can work your way through the
press of visitors in less than half an hour； then Nature intended you for a
football champion。）
The fortunate absence of a betting…interest alone keeps such affairs
from becoming among the foremost sporting features of the world。 Many
of the dogs on view are fools； of course。 Because many of them have been
bred solely with a view to show…points。 And their owners and handlers
have done nothing to awaken in their exhibits the half…human brain and
heart that is a dog's heritage。 All has been sacrificed to 〃points〃to points
which are arbitrary and which change as freakily as do fashions in dress。
For example； a few years ago； a financial giant collected and exhibited
one of the finest bunches of collies on earth。 He had a competent manager
and an army of kennel…men to handle them。 He took inordinate pride in
these priceless collies of his。 Once I watched him； at the Garden Show；
displaying them to some Wall Street friends。 Three times he made errors in
naming his dogs。 Once； when he leaned too close to the star collie of his
kennels； the dog mistook him for a stranger and resented the intrusion by
snapping at him。 He did not know his own pets； one from another。 And
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they did not know their owner； by sight or by scent。
At the small shows； there is an atmosphere wholly different。 Few of
the big breeders bother to compete at such contests。 The dogs are for the
most part pets； for which their owners feel a keen personal affection； and
which have been brought up as members of their masters' households。
Thus； if small shows seldom bring forth a world…beating dog； they at least
are full of clever and humanized exhibits and of men and women to whom
the success or failure of their canine friends is a matter of intensest
personal moment。 Wherefore the small show often gives the beholder
something he can find but rarely in a larger exhibition。
A few dogs genuinely enjoy showsor are supposed to。 To many
others a dogshow is a horror。
Which windy digression brings us back by prosy degrees to Bruce and
to the Hampton dogshow。
The collies were the first breed to be judged。 And the puppy class； as
usual； was the first to be called to the ring。
There were but three collie pups； all males。 One was a rangy tri… color
of eleven months； with a fair head and a bad coat。 The second was an
exquisite six…months puppy； rich of coat； prematurely perfect of head； and
cowhocked。 These two and Bruce formed the puppy class which paraded
before Symonds in the oblong ring。
〃Anyhow；〃 whispered the Mistress as the Master led his s
