the song of the cardinal-第13节

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

river。　　Seeing　her　there；　he　made　all　possible　haste　to　take　his

turn　at　brooding；　so　he　arrived　just　in　time　to　see　a　pilfering

red　squirrel　starting　away　with　an　egg。



With　a　vicious　scream　the　Cardinal　struck　him　full　force。　　His

rush　of　rage　cost　the　squirrel　an　eye；　but　it　lost　the　father　a

birdling；　for　the　squirrel　dropped　the　egg　outside　the　nest。　　The

Cardinal　mournfully　carried　away　the　tell…tale　bits　of　shell；　so

that　any　one　seeing　them　would　not　look　up　and　discover　his

treasures。　　That　left　three　eggs；　and　the　brooding　bird　mourned

over　the　lost　one　so　pitifully　that　the　Cardinal　perched　close　to

the　nest　the　remainder　of　the　day；　and　whispered　over　and　over

for　her　comfort　that　she　was　〃So　dear！　So　dear！〃







Chapter　5



〃See　here！　See　here！〃　demanded　the　Cardinal





The　mandate　repeatedly　rang　from　the　topmost　twig　of　the　thorn

tree；　and　yet　the　Cardinal　was　not　in　earnest。　　He　was　beside

himself　with　a　new　and　delightful　excitement；　and　he　found　it

impossible　to　refrain　from　giving　vent　to　his　feelings。　　He　was

commanding　the　farmer　and　every　furred　and　feathered　denizen　of

the　river　bottom　to　see；　then　he　fought　like　a　wild　thing　if　any

of　them　ventured　close；　for　great　things　were　happening　in　the　sumac。



In　past　days　the　Cardinal　had　brooded　an　hour　every　morning　while

his　mate　went　to　take　her　exercise；　bathe；　and　fluff　in　the　sun

parlour。　　He　had　gone　to　her　that　morning　as　usual；　and　she

looked　at　him　with　anxious　eyes　and　refused　to　move。　　He　had

hopped　to　the　very　edge　of　the　nest　and　repeatedly　urged　her　to

go。　　She　only　ruffled　her　feathers；　and　nestled　the　eggs　she　was

brooding　to　turn　them；　but　did　not　offer　to　leave。　　The　Cardinal

reached　over　and　gently　nudged　her　with　his　beak；　to　remind　her

that　it　was　his　time　to　brood；　but　she　looked　at　him　almost

savagely；　and　gave　him　a　sharp　peck；　so　he　knew　she　was　not　to　be

bothered。　　He　carried　her　every　dainty　he　could　find　and　hovered

near　her；　tense　with　anxiety。



It　was　late　in　the　afternoon　before　she　went　after　the　drink　for

which　she　was　half　famished。　　She　scarcely　had　reached　a　willow

and　bent　over　the　water　before　the　Cardinal　was　on　the　edge　of

the　nest。　　He　examined　it　closely；　but　he　could　see　no　change。　

He　leaned　to　give　the　eggs　careful　scrutiny；　and　from　somewhere

there　came　to　him　the　faintest　little　〃Chip！〃　he　ever　had　heard。

Up　went　the　Cardinal's　crest；　and　he　dashed　to　the　willow。　　There

was　no　danger　in　sight；　and　his　mate　was　greedily　dipping　her

rosy　beak　in　the　water。　　He　went　back　to　the　cradle　and　listened

intently；　and　again　that　feeble　cry　came　to　him。　　Under　the　nest；

around　it；　and　all　through　the　sumac　he　searched；　until　at　last；

completely　baffled；　he　came　back　to　the　edge。　　The　sound　was　so

much　plainer　there；　that　he　suddenly　leaned；　caressing　the　eggs

with　his　beak；　then　the　Cardinal　knew！　　He　had　heard　the　first

faint　cries　of　his　shell…incased　babies！



With　a　wild　scream　he　made　a　flying　leap　through　the　air。　　His

heart　was　beating　to　suffocation。　　He　started　in　a　race　down　the

river。　　If　he　alighted　on　a　bush　he　took　only　one　swing；　and

springing　from　it　flamed　on　in　headlong　flight。　　He　flashed　to

the　top　of　the　tallest　tulip　tree；　and　cried　cloudward　to　the

lark：　〃See　here！　See　here！〃　　He　dashed　to　the　river　bank　and　told

the　killdeers；　and　then　visited　the　underbrush　and　informed　the

thrushes　and　wood　robins。　　Father…tender；　he　grew　so　delirious

with　joy　that　he　forgot　his　habitual　aloofness；　and　fraternized

with　every　bird　beside　the　shining　river。　　He　even　laid　aside　his

customary　caution；　went　chipping　into　the　sumac；　and　caressed　his

mate　so　boisterously　she　gazed　at　him　severely　and　gave　his　wing

a　savage　pull　to　recall　him　to　his　sober　senses。



That　night　the　Cardinal　slept　in　the　sumac；　very　close　to　his

mate；　and　he　shut　only　one　eye　at　a　time。　　Early　in　the　morning；

when　he　carried　her　the　first　food；　he　found　that　she　was　on　the

edge　of　the　nest；　dropping　bits　of　shell　outside；　and　creeping　to

peep；　he　saw　the　tiniest　coral　baby；　with　closed　eyes；　and　little

patches　of　soft　silky　down。　　Its　beak　was　wide　open；　and　though

his　heart　was　even　fuller　than　on　the　previous　day；　the　Cardinal

knew　what　that　meant；　and　instead　of　indulging　in　another

celebration；　he　assumed　the　duties　of　paternity；　and　began

searching　for　food；　for　now　there　were　two　empty　crops　in　his

family。　　On　the　following　day　there　were　four。　　Then　he　really

worked。　　How　eagerly　he　searched；　and　how　gladly　he　flew　to　the

sumac　with　every　rare　morsel！　　The　babies　were　too　small　for　the

mother　to　leave；　and　for　the　first　few　days　the　Cardinal　was

constantly　on　wing。



If　he　could　not　find　sufficiently　dainty　food　for　them　in　the

trees　and　bushes；　or　among　the　offerings　of　the　farmer；　he

descended　to　earth　and　searched　like　a　wood　robin。　　He　forgot　he

needed　a　bath　or　owned　a　sun　parlour；　but　everywhere　he　went；

from　his　full　heart　there　constantly　burst　the　cry：



〃See　here！　See　here！〃



His　mate　made　never　a　sound。　　Her　eyes　were　bigger　and　softer

than　ever；　and　in　them　glowed　a　steady　lovelight。　　She　hovered

over　those　three　red　mites　of　nestlings　so　tenderly！　　She　was　so

absorbed　in　feeding；　stroking；　and　coddling　them　she　neglected

herself　until　she　became　quite　lean。



When　the　Cardinal　came　every　few　minutes　with　food；　she　was　a

picture　of　love　and　gratitude　for　his　devoted　attention；　and　once

she　reached　over　and　softly　kissed　his　wing。　　〃See　here！　See

here！〃　shrilled　the　Cardinal；　and　in　his　ecstasy　he　again　forgot

himself　and　sang　in　the　sumac。　　Then　he　carried　food　with　greater

activity　than　ever　to　cover　his　lapse。



The　farmer　knew　that　it　lacked　an　hour　of　noon；　but　he　was　so

anxious　to　tell　Maria　the　news　that　he　could　not　endure　the

suspense　another　minute。　　There　was　a　new　song　from　the　sumac。　

He　had　heard　it　as　he　turned　the　first　corner　with　the　shovel

plow。　He　had　listened　eagerly；　and　had　caught　the　meaning　almost

at　once〃See　here！　See　here！〃　　He　tied　the　old　gray　mare　to　the

fence　to　prevent　her　eating　the　young　corn；　and　went　immediately。

By　leaning　a　rail　against　the　thorn　tree　he　was　able　to　peer　into

the　sumac；　and　take　a　good　look　at　the　nest　of　handsome

birdlings；　now　well　screened　with　the　umbrella…like　foliage。　　It

seemed　to　Abram　that　he　never　could　wait　until　noon。　　He

critically　examined　the　harness；　in　the　hope　that　he　would　find　a

buckle　missing；　and　tried　to　discover　a　flaw　in　the　plow　that

would　send　him　to　the　barn　for　a　file；　but　he　could　not　invent　an

excuse　for　going。　　So；　when　he　had　waited　until　an　hour　of　noon；

he　could　endure　it　no　longer。



〃Got　news　for　you；　Maria；〃　he　called　from　the　well；　where　he　was

making　a　pretense　of　thirst。



〃Oh　I　don't　know；〃　answered　Maria；　with　a　superior　smile。　　〃If

it's　about　the　redbirds；　he's　been　up　to　the　garden　three　times

this　morning　yellin'；　'See　here！'　fit　to　split；　an'　I　jest

figured　that　their　little　ones　had　hatched。　　Is　that　your　news？〃



〃Well　I　be　durned！〃　gasped　the　astonished　Abram。



Mid…afternoon　Abram　turned　Nancy　and　started　the　plow　down　a　row

that　led　straight　to　the　sumac。　　He　intended　to　stop　there；　tie

to　the　fence；　and　go　to　the　river　bank；　in　the　shade；　for　a　visit

with　the　Cardinal。　　It　was　very　warm；　and　he　was　feeling　the　heat

so　much；　that　in　his　heart　he　knew　he　would　be　glad　to　reach　the

end　of　the　row　and　the　rest　he　had　promised　himself。



The　quick　nervous　strokes　of　the　dinner　bell；　〃Clang！　Clang！〃

came　cutting　the　air　clearly　and　sharply。　　Abram　stopped　Nancy

with　a　jerk。　　It　was　the　warning　Maria　had　promised　to　send　him

if　she　saw　prowlers　with　guns。　　He　shaded　his　eyes　with　his　hand

and　scanned　the　points　of　the　compass　through　narrowed　lids　with

concentrated　vision。　　He　first　caught　a　gleam　of　light　playing　on

a　gun…barrel；　and　then　he　could　discern　the　figure　of　a　man　clad

in　hunter's　outfit　leisurely　walking　down　the　lane；　toward　the

river。



Abram　hastily　hitched　Nancy　to　the　fence。　　By　making　the　best

time　he　could；　he　reached　the　opposite　corner；　and　was　nibbling

the　midrib　of　a　young　corn　blade　and　placidly　viewing　the

landscape　when　the　hunter　passed。



〃Howdy！〃　he　said　in　an　even　cordial　voice。



The　hunter　walked　on　without　lifting　his　eyes　or　making　audible

reply。　　To　Abram's　friendly　oldfashioned　heart　this　seemed　the

rankest　discourtesy；　and　there　was　a　flash　in　his　eye　and　a

certain　quality　in　his　voice　he　lifted　a　hand　for　parley。



〃Hold　a　minute；　my　friend；〃　he　said。　　〃Since　you　are　on　my

premises；　might　I　be　privileged　to　ask　if　you　have　seen　a　few

signs　'at　I　have　posted　pertainin'　to　the　use　of　a　gun？〃



〃I　am　not　blind；〃　replied　the　hunter；　〃and　my　education　has　been

looked　after　to　the　extent　that　I　can　make　out　your　notices。　

From　the　number　and　size　of　them；