the song of the cardinal-第14节

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

From　the　number　and　size　of　them；　I　think　I　could　do　it；　old　man；

if　I　had　no　eyes。〃



The　scarcely　suppressed　sneer；　and　the　〃old　man〃　grated　on

Abram's　nerves　amazingly；　for　a　man　of　sixty　years　of　peace。　　The

gleam　in　his　eyes　grew　stronger；　and　there　was　a　perceptible　lift

of　his　shoulders　as　he　answered：



〃I　meant　'em　to　be　read　an'　understood！　　From　the　main　road

passin'　that　cabin　up　there　on　the　bank；　straight　to　the　river；

an'　from　the　furthermost　line　o'　this　field　to　the　same；　is　my

premises；　an'　on　every　foot　of　'em　the　signs　are　in　full　force。

They're　in　a　little　fuller　force　in　June；　when　half　the　bushes

an'　tufts　o'　grass　are　housin'　a　young　bird　family；　'an　at　any

other　time。　　They're　sort　o'　upholdin'　the　legislature's　act；

providing　for　the　protection　o'　game　an'　singin'　birds；　an'　maybe

it　'ud　be　well　for　you　to　notice　'at　I'm　not　so　old　but　I'm　able

to　stand　up　for　my　right　to　any　livin'　man。〃



There　certainly　was　an　added　tinge　of　respect　in　the　hunter's

tones　as　he　asked：　　〃Would　you　consider　it　trespass　if　a　man

simply　crossed　your　land；　following　the　line　of　the　fences　to

reach　the　farm　of　a　friend？〃



〃Certainly　not！〃　cried　Abram；　cordial　in　his　relief。　　〃To　be　sure

not！　　Glad　to　have　you　convenience　yourself。　　I　only　wanted　to

jest　call　to　your　notice　'at　the　BIRDS　are　protected　on　this

farm。〃



〃I　have　no　intention　of　interfering　with　your　precious　birds；　I

assure　you；〃　replied　the　hunter。　　〃And　if　you　require　an

explanation　of　the　gun　in　June；　I　confess　I　did　hope　to　be　able

to　pick　off　a　squirrel　for　a　very　sick　friend。　　But　I　suppose　for

even　such　cause　it　would　not　be　allowed　on　your　premises。〃



〃Oh　pshaw　now！〃　said　Abram。　　〃Man　alive！　I'm　not　onreasonable。　

O'　course　in　case　o'　sickness　I'd　be　glad　if　you　could　run　across

a　squirrel。　　All　I　wanted　was　to　have　a　clear　understandin'　about

the　birds。　　Good　luck；　an'　good　day　to　you！〃



Abram　started　across　the　field　to　Nancy；　but　he　repeatedly　turned

to　watch　the　gleam　of　the　gun…barrel；　as　the　hunter　rounded　the

corner　and　started　down　the　river　bank。　　He　saw　him　leave　the

line　of　the　fence　and　disappear　in　the　thicket。



〃Goin'　straight　for　the　sumac；〃　muttered　Abram。　　〃It's　likely　I'm

a　fool　for　not　stayin'　right　beside　him　past　that　point。　　An'

yetI　made　it　fair　an'　plain；　an'　he　passed　his　word　'at　he

wouldn't　touch　the　birds。〃



He　untied　Nancy；　and　for　the　second　time　started　toward　the

sumac。　　He　had　been　plowing　carefully；　his　attention　divided

between　the　mare　and　the　corn；　but　he　uprooted　half　that　row；　for

his　eyes　wandered　to　the　Cardinal's　home　as　if　he　were

fascinated；　and　his　hands　were　shaking　with　undue　excitement　as

he　gripped　the　plow　handles。　　At　last　he　stopped　Nancy；　and　stood

gazing　eagerly　toward　the　river。



〃Must　be　jest　about　the　sumac；〃　he　whispered。　　〃Lord！　but　I'll　be

glad　to　see　the　old　gun…barrel　gleamin'　safe　t'other　side　o'　it。〃



There　was　a　thin　puff　of　smoke；　and　a　screaming　echo　went　rolling

and　reverberating　down　the　Wabash。　　Abram's　eyes　widened；　and　a

curious　whiteness　settled　on　his　lips。　　He　stood　as　if　incapable

of　moving。　　〃Clang！　Clang！〃　came　Maria's　second　warning。



The　trembling　slid　from　him；　and　his　muscles　hardened。　　There　was

no　trace　of　rheumatic　stiffness　in　his　movements。　　With　a　bound

he　struck　the　chain…traces　from　the　singletree　at　Nancy's　heels。　

He　caught　the　hames；　leaped　on　her　back；　and　digging　his　heels

into　her　sides；　he　stretched　along　her　neck　like　an　Indian　and

raced　across　the　corn　field。　　Nancy's　twenty　years　slipped　from

her　as　her　master's　sixty　had　from　him。　　Without　understanding

the　emergency；　she　knew　that　he　required　all　the　speed　there　was

in　her；　and　with　trace…chains　rattling　and　beating　on　her　heels；

she　stretched　out　until　she　fairly　swept　the　young　corn；　as　she

raced　for　the　sumac。　　Once　Abram　straightened；　and　slipping　a

hand　into　his　pocket；　drew　out　a　formidable　jack…knife；　opening

it　as　he　rode。　　When　he　reached　the　fence；　he　almost　flew　over

Nancy's　head。　　He　went　into　a　fence　corner；　and　with　a　few

slashes　severed　a　stout　hickory　withe；　stripping　the　leaves　and

topping　it　as　he　leaped　the　fence。



He　grasped　this　ugly　weapon；　his　eyes　dark　with　anger　as　he

appeared　before　the　hunter；　who　supposed　him　at　the　other　side　of

the　field。



〃Did　you　shoot　at　that　redbird？〃　he　roared。



As　his　gun　was　at　the　sportman's　shoulder；　and　he　was　still

peering　among　the　bushes；　denial　seemed　useless。　　〃Yes；　I　did；〃

he　replied；　and　made　a　pretense　of　turning　to　the　sumac　again。



There　was　a　forward　impulse　of　Abram's　body。　　〃Hit　'im？〃　he

demanded　with　awful　calm。



〃Thought　I　had；　but　I　guess　I　only　winged　him。〃



Abram's　fingers　closed　around　his　club。　　At　the　sound　of　his

friend's　voice；　the　Cardinal　came　darting　through　the　bushes　a

wavering　flame；　and　swept　so　closely　to　him　for　protection　that　a

wing　almost　brushed　his　cheek。



〃See　here！　See　here！〃　shrilled　the　bird　in　deadly　panic。　　There

was　not　a　cut　feather　on　him。



Abram's　relief　was　so　great　he　seemed　to　shrink　an　inch　in

height。



〃Young　man；　you　better　thank　your　God　you　missed　that　bird；〃　he

said　solemnly；　〃for　if　you'd　killed　him；　I'd　a…mauled　this　stick

to　ribbons　on　you；　an'　I'm　most　afraid　I　wouldn't　a…knowed　when

to　quit。〃



He　advanced　a　step　in　his　eagerness；　and　the　hunter；　mistaking

his　motive；　levelled　his　gun。



〃Drop　that！〃　shouted　Abram；　as　he　broke　through　the　bushes　that

clung　to　him；　tore　the　clothing　from　his　shoulders；　and　held　him

back。　　〃Drop　that！　　Don't　you　dare　point　a　weapon　at　me；　on　my

own　premises；　an'　after　you　passed　your　word。



〃Your　word！〃　repeated　Abram；　with　withering　scorn；　his　white；

quivering　old　face　terrible　to　see。　　〃Young　man；　I　got　a　couple

o'　things　to　say　to　you。　　You'r'　shaped　like　a　man；　an'　you'r'

dressed　like　a　man；　an'　yet　the　smartest　person　livin'　would

never　take　you　for　anything　but　an　egg…suckin'　dog；　this　minute。

All　the　time　God　ever　spent　on　you　was　wasted；　an'　your　mother's

had　the　same　luck。　　I　s'pose　God's　used　to　having　creatures　'at

He's　made　go　wrong；　but　I　pity　your　mother。　　Goodness　knows　a

woman　suffers　an'　works　enough　over　her　children；　an'　then　to

fetch　a　boy　to　man's　estate　an'　have　him；　of　his　own　free　will

an'　accord；　be　a　liar！　　Young　man；　truth　is　the　cornerstone　o'

the　temple　o'　character。　　Nobody　can　put　up　a　good　buildin'

without　a　solid　foundation；　an'　you　can't　do　solid　character

buildin'　with　a　lie　at　the　base。　　Man　'at's　a　liar　ain't　fit　for

anything！　　Can't　trust　him　in　no　sphere　or　relation　o'　life；　or

in　any　way；　shape；　or　manner。　　You　passed　out　your　word　like　a

man；　an'　like　a　man　I　took　it　an'　went　off　trustin'　you；　an'　you

failed　me。　　Like　as　not　that　squirrel　story　was　a　lie；　too！　　Have

you　got　a　sick　friend　who　is　needin'　squirrel　broth？〃



The　hunter　shook　his　head。



〃No？　　That　wasn't　true　either？　　I'll　own　you　make　me　curious。　

'Ud　you　mind　tellin'　me　what　was　your　idy　in　cookin'　up　that

squirrel　story？〃



The　hunter　spoke　with　an　effort。　　〃I　suppose　I　wanted　to　do

something　to　make　you　feel　small；〃　he　admitted；　in　a　husky　voice。



〃You　wanted　to　make　me　feel　small；〃　repeated　Abram；　wonderingly。　

〃Lord！　　Lord！　　Young　man；　did　you　ever　hear　o'　a　boomerang？　　It's

a　kind　o'　weapon　used　in　Borneo；　er　Australy；　er　some　o'　them

furrin　parts；　an'　it's　so　made　'at　the　heathens　can　pitch　it；　an'

it　cuts　a　circle　an'　comes　back　to　the　fellow；　at　throwed。　　I

can't　see　myself；　an'　I　don't　know　how　small　I'm　lookin'；　but　I'd

rather　lose　ten　year　o'　my　life　'an　to　have　anybody　catch　me

lookin'　as　little　as　you　do　right　now。　　I　guess　we　look　about　the

way　we　feel　in　this　world。　　I'm　feelin'　near　the　size　o'　Goliath

at　present；　but　your　size　is　such　'at　it　hustles　me　to　see　any

MAN　in　you　at　all。　　An'　you　wanted　to　make　me　feel　small！　　My；

oh；　my！　　An'　you　so　young　yet；　too！



〃An'　if　it　hadn't　a…compassed　a　matter　o'　breakin'　your　word；

what　'ud　you　want　to　kill　the　redbird　for；　anyhow？　Who　give　you

rights　to　go　'round　takin'　such　beauty　an'　joy　out　of　the　world？　

Who　do　you　think　made　this　world　an'　the　things　'at's　in　it？

Maybe　it's　your　notion　'at　somebody　about　your　size　whittled　it

from　a　block　o'　wood；　scattered　a　little　sand　for　earth；　stuck　a

few　seeds　for　trees；　an'　started　the　oceans　with　a　waterin'　pot！　

I　don't　know　what　paved　streets　an'　stall　feedin'　do　for　a　man；

but　any　one　'at's　lived　sixty　year　on　the　ground　knows　'at　this

whole　old　earth　is　jest　teemin'　with　work　'at's　too　big　for

anything　but　a　God；　an'　a　mighty　BIG　God　at　that！



〃You　don't　never　need　bother　none　'bout　the　diskivries　o'

science；　for　if　science　could　prove　'at　the　earth　was　a　red　hot

slag　broken　from　the　sun；　'at　balled　an'　cooled　flyin'　through

space　until　the　force　o'　gravity　caught　an'　he