the song of the cardinal-第12节

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signal　if　any　danger　were　approaching；　how　proud　he　was　of　her；

what　a　perfect　nest　she　had　built；　how　beautiful　he　thought　her

eggs；　what　magnificent　babies　they　would　produce。　　Full　of

tenderness；　melting　with　love；　liquid　with　sweetness；　the

Cardinal　sang　to　his　patient　little　brooding　mate：　〃So　dear！　So

dear！〃



The　farmer　leaned　on　his　corn…planter　and　listened　to　him

intently。　　〃I　swanny！　　If　he　hasn't　changed　his　song　again；　an'

this　time　I'm　blest　if　I　can　tell　what　he's　saying！〃　　Every　time

the　Cardinal　lifted　his　voice；　the　clip　of　the　corn…planter

ceased；　and　Abram　hung　on　the　notes　and　studied　them　over。



One　night　he　said　to　his　wife：　〃Maria；　have　you　been　noticin'　the

redbird　of　late？　　He's　changed　to　a　new　tune；　an'　this　time　I'm

completely　stalled。　　I　can't　for　the　life　of　me　make　out　what

he's　saying。　　S'pose　you　step　down　to…morrow　an'　see　if　you　can

catch　it　for　me。　　I'd　give　a　pretty　to　know！〃



Maria　felt　flattered。　　She　always　had　believed　that　she　had　a

musical　ear。　　Here　was　an　opportunity　to　test　it　and　please　Abram

at　the　same　time。　　She　hastened　her　work　the　following　morning；

and　very　early　slipped　along　the　line　fence。　　Hiding　behind　the

oak；　with　straining　ear　and　throbbing　heart；　she　eagerly

listened。　　〃Clip；　clip；〃　came　the　sound　of　the　planter；　as

Abram's　dear　old　figure　trudged　up　the　hill。　　〃Chip！　Chip！〃　came

the　warning　of　the　Cardinal；　as　he　flew　to　his　mate。



He　gave　her　some　food；　stroked　her　wing；　and　flying　to　the

dogwood；　sang　of　the　love　that　encompassed　him。　　As　he　trilled

forth　his　tender　caressing　strain；　the　heart　of　the　listening

woman　translated　as　did　that　of　the　brooding　bird。



With　shining　eyes　and　flushed　cheeks；　she　sped　down　the　fence。

Panting　and　palpitating　with　excitement；　she　met　Abram　half…way

on　his　return　trip。　　Forgetful　of　her　habitual　reserve；　she　threw

her　arms　around　his　neck；　and　drawing　his　face　to　hers；　she

cried：　〃Oh；　Abram！　　I　got　it！　　I　got　it！　　I　know　what　he's

saying！　Oh；　Abram；　my　love！　　My　own！　　To　me　so　dear！　　So　dear！〃



〃So　dear！　　So　dear！〃　echoed　the　Cardinal。



The　bewilderment　in　Abram's　face　melted　into　comprehension。　　He

swept　Maria　from　her　feet　as　he　lifted　his　head。



〃On　my　soul！　　You　have　got　it；　honey！　　That's　what　he's　saying；

plain　as　gospel！　　I　can　tell　it　plainer'n　anything　he's　sung　yet；

now　I　sense　it。〃



He　gathered　Maria　in　his　arms；　pressed　her　head　against　his

breast　with　a　trembling　old　hand；　while　the　face　he　turned　to　the

morning　was　beautiful。



〃I　wish　to　God；〃　he　said　quaveringly；　〃'at　every　creature　on

earth　was　as　well　fixed　as　me　an'　the　redbird！〃　Clasping　each

other；　they　listened　with　rapt　faces；　as；　mellowing　across　the

corn　field；　came　the　notes　of　the　Cardinal：　〃So　dear！　So　dear！〃



After　that　Abram's　devotion　to　his　bird　family　became　a　mild

mania。　　He　carried　food　to　the　top　rail　of　the　line　fence　every

day；　rain　or　shine；　with　the　same　regularity　that　he　curried　and

fed　Nancy　in　the　barn。　　From　caring　for　and　so　loving　the

Cardinal；　there　grew　in　his　tender　old　heart　a　welling　flood　of

sympathy　for　every　bird　that　homed　on　his　farm。



He　drove　a　stake　to　mark　the　spot　where　the　killdeer　hen　brooded

in　the　corn　field；　so　that　he　would　not　drive　Nancy　over　the

nest。　　When　he　closed　the　bars　at　the　end　of　the　lane；　he　always

was　careful　to　leave　the　third　one　down；　for　there　was　a　chippy

brooding　in　the　opening　where　it　fitted　when　closed。　　Alders　and

sweetbriers　grew　in　his　fence　corners　undisturbed　that　spring　if

he　discovered　that　they　sheltered　an　anxious…eyed　little　mother。

He　left　a　square　yard　of　clover　unmowed；　because　it　seemed　to　him

that　the　lark；　singing　nearer　the　Throne　than　any　other　bird；　was

picking　up　stray　notes　dropped　by　the　Invisible　Choir；　and　with

unequalled　purity　and　tenderness；　sending　them　ringing　down　to

his　brooding　mate；　whose　home　and　happiness　would　be　despoiled　by

the　reaping　of　that　spot　of　green。　　He　delayed　burning　the

brush…heap　from　the　spring　pruning；　back　of　the　orchard；　until

fall；　when　he　found　it　housed　a　pair　of　fine　thrushes；　for　the

song　of　the　thrush　delighted　him　almost　as　much　as　that　of　the

lark。　　He　left　a　hollow　limb　on　the　old　red　pearmain　apple…tree；

because　when　he　came　to　cut　it　there　was　a　pair　of　bluebirds

twittering　around；　frantic　with　anxiety。



His　pockets　were　bulgy　with　wheat　and　crumbs；　and　his　heart　was

big　with　happiness。　　It　was　the　golden　springtime　of　his　later

life。　　The　sky　never　had　seemed　so　blue；　or　the　earth　so

beautiful。　　The　Cardinal　had　opened　the　fountains　of　his　soul；

life　took　on　a　new　colour　and　joy；　while　every　work　of　God

manifested　a　fresh　and　heretofore　unappreciated　loveliness。　　His

very　muscles　seemed　to　relax；　and　new　strength　arose　to　meet　the

demands　of　his　uplifted　spirit。　　He　had　not　finished　his　day's

work　with　such　ease　and　pleasure　in　years；　and　he　could　see　the

influence　of　his　rejuvenation　in　Maria。　　She　was　flitting　around

her　house　with　broken　snatches　of　song；　even　sweeter　to　Abram's

ears　than　the　notes　of　the　birds；　and　in　recent　days　he　had

noticed　that　she　dressed　particularly　for　her　afternoon's　sewing；

putting　on　her　Sunday　lace　collar　and　a　white　apron。　　He

immediately　went　to　town　and　bought　her　a　finer　collar　than　she

ever　had　owned　in　her　life。



Then　he　hunted　a　sign　painter；　and　came　home　bearing　a　number　of

pine　boards　on　which　gleamed　in　big；　shiny　black　letters：　　　　　　　　





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

｜　　NO　HUNTING　ALLOWED　　｜　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

｜　　　　　ON　THIS　FARM　　　　　｜　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　







He　seemed　slightly　embarrassed　when　he　showed　them　to　Maria。　　〃I

feel　a　little　mite　onfriendly；　putting　up　signs　like　that　'fore

my　neighbours；〃　he　admitted；　〃but　the　fact　is；　it　ain't　the

neighbours　so　much　as　it's　boys　that　need　raising；　an'　them　town

creatures　who　call　themselves　sportsmen；　an'　kill　a　hummin'…bird

to　see　if　they　can　hit　it。　　Time　was　when　trees　an'　underbrush

were　full　o'　birds　an'　squirrels；　any　amount　o'　rabbits；　an'　the

fish　fairly　crowdin'　in　the　river。　　I　used　to　kill　all　the　quail

an'　wild　turkeys　about　here　a　body　needed　to　make　an　appetizing

change；　It　was　always　my　plan　to　take　a　little　an'　leave　a

little。　　But　jest　look　at　it　now。　　Surprise　o'　my　life　if　I　get　a

two…pound　bass。　　Wild　turkey　gobblin'　would　scare　me　most　out　of

my　senses；　an'；　as　for　the　birds；　there　are　jest　about　a　fourth

what　there　used　to　be；　an'　the　crops　eaten　to　pay　for　it。　　I'd　do

all　I'm　tryin'　to　for　any　bird；　because　of　its　song　an'　colour；

an'　pretty　teeterin'　ways；　but　I　ain't　so　slow　but　I　see　I'm　paid

in　what　they　do　for　me。　　Up　go　these　signs；　an'　it　won't　be　a

happy　day　for　anybody　I　catch　trespassin'　on　my　birds。〃



Maria　studied　the　signs　meditatively。　　〃You　shouldn't　be　forced

to　put　'em　up；〃　she　said　conclusively。　　〃If　it's　been　decided　'at

it's　good　for　'em　to　be　here；　an'　laws　made　to　protect　'em；

people　ought　to　act　with　some　sense；　an'　leave　them　alone。　　I

never　was　so　int'rested　in　the　birds　in　all　my　life；　an'　I'll

jest　do　a　little　lookin'　out　myself。　　If　you　hear　a　spang　o'　the

dinner　bell　when　you're　out　in　the　field；　you'll　know　it　means

there's　some　one　sneakin'　'round　with　a　gun。〃



Abram　caught　Maria；　and　planted　a　resounding　smack　on　her　cheek；

where　the　roses　of　girlhood　yet　bloomed　for　him。　　Then　he　filled

his　pockets　with　crumbs　and　grain；　and　strolled　to　the　river　to

set　the　Cardinal's　table。　　He　could　hear　the　sharp　incisive

〃Chip！〃　and　the　tender　mellow　love…notes　as　he　left　the　barn；　and

all　the　way　to　the　sumac　they　rang　in　his　ears。



The　Cardinal　met　him　at　the　corner　of　the　field；　and　hopped　over

bushes　and　the　fence　only　a　few　yards　from　him。　　When　Abram　had

scattered　his　store　on　the　rail；　the　bird　came　tipping　and

tilting；　daintily　caught　up　a　crumb；　and　carried　it　to　the　sumac。

His　mate　was　pleased　to　take　it；　and　he　carried　her　one　morsel

after　another　until　she　refused　to　open　her　beak　for　more。　　He

made　a　light　supper　himself；　and　then　swinging　on　the　grape…vine；

he　closed　the　day　with　an　hour　of　music。　　He　repeatedly　turned　a

bright　questioning　eye　toward　Abram；　but　he　never　for　a　moment

lost　sight　of　the　nest　and　the　plump　gray　figure　of　his　little

mate。　　As　she　brooded　over　her　eggs；　he　brooded　over　her；　and

that　she　might　realize　the　depth　and　constancy　of　his　devotion；

he　told　her　repeatedly；　with　every　tender　inflection　he　could

throw　into　his　tones；　that　she　was　〃So　dear！　So　dear！〃



The　Cardinal　had　not　known　that　the　coming　of　the　mate　he　so

coveted　would　fill　his　life　with　such　unceasing　gladness；　and

yet；　on　the　very　day　that　happiness　seemed　at　fullest　measure；

there　was　trouble　in　the　sumac。　　He　had　overstayed　his　time；

chasing　a　fat　moth　he　particularly　wanted　for　his　mate；　and　she；

growing　thirsty　past　endurance；　left　the　nest　and　went　to　the

river。　　Seeing　her　there；　he　made　all　poss