第 11 节
作者:
丁格 更新:2021-02-20 15:03 字数:9322
across the sands till I came to the lip of the sea。
Just here there was a boat and by it stood Giles the keeper。 He had
come there to get out of the way of the hunting; which he hated as
much as he did the coursing。 The sight of him settled meinto the sea
I went。 The dogs wanted to follow me; but Jerry called and whipped
them off。
〃I won't have them caught in the current and drowned;〃 he said。 〃Let
the flea…bitten old devil go; she's brought trouble enough already。〃
〃Help me shove off the boat; Giles;〃 shouted Tom。 〃She shan't beat us;
we must have her for the hounds。 Come on; Ella。〃
〃Best leave her alone; Master Tom;〃 said Giles。 〃I think she's an
unlucky one; that I do。〃
Still the end of it was that he helped to float the little boat and
got into it with Tom and Ella。
Just after they had pushed off I saw a man running down the steps on
the cliff waving his arms while he called out something。 But of him
they took no heed。 I do not think they noticed him。 As for me; I swam
on。
I could not go very fast because I was so dreadfully tired; also I did
not like swimming; and the cold waves broke over my head; making the
cut in my nose smart and filling my eyes with something that stung
them。 I could not see far either; nor did I know where I was going。 I
knew nothing except I was about to die; and that soon everything would
be at an end; men; dogseverything; yes; even Tom。 I wanted things to
come to an end。 I had suffered so dreadfully; life was so horrible; I
was so very tired。 I felt that it was better to die and have done。
So I swam on a long way and began to forget things; indeed I thought
that I was playing in the big turnip field with my mother and sister。
But just as I was sinking exhausted a hand shot down into the water
and caught me by the ears; although from below the fingers looked as
though they were bending away from me。 I saw it coming and tried to
sink more quickly; but could not。
〃I've got her;〃 said the voice of Tom gleefully。 〃My! isn't she a
beauty? Over nine pounds if she is an ounce。 Only just in time;
though;〃 he went on; 〃for; look! she's drowning; her head wobbles as
though she were sea…sick。 Buck up; pussie; buck up! You mustn't cheat
the hounds at last; you know。 It wouldn't be sportsmanlike; and they
hate dead hares。〃
Then he held me by my hind legs to drain the water out of me; and
afterwards began to blow down my nose; I did not know why。
〃Don't do that; Tom;〃 said Ella sharply。 〃It's nasty。〃
〃Must keep the life in her somehow;〃 answered Tom; and went on
blowing。
〃Master Tom;〃 interrupted Giles; who was rowing the boat。 〃I ain't
particular; but I wish you'd leave that there hare alone。 Somehow I
thinks there's bad news in its eye。 Who knows? P'raps the little devil
feels。 Any way; it's a rum one; its swimming out to sea。 I never see'd
a hunted hare do that afore。〃
〃Bosh!〃 said Tom; and continued his blowing。
We reached the shore and Tom jumped out of the boat; holding me by the
ears。 The hounds were all on the beach; most of them lying down; for
they were very tired; but the men were standing in a knot at a
distance talking earnestly; Tom ran to the hounds; crying out
〃Here she is; my beauties; here she is!〃 whereon they got up and began
to bay。 Then he held me above them。
〃Master Tom;〃 I heard Jerry's voice say; 〃for God's sake let that hare
go and listen; Master Tom;〃 and the girl Ella; who of a sudden had
begun to sob; tried to pull him back。
But he was mad to see me bitten to death and eaten; and until he had
done so would attend to no one。 He only shouted; 〃Onetwothree!
Now; hounds! /Worry; worry; worry!/〃
Then he threw me into the air above the red throats and gnashing teeth
which leapt up towards me。
*****
The Hare paused; but added; 〃Did you tell me; friend Mahatma; that you
had never been torn to pieces by hounds; 'broken up;' I believe they
call it?〃
〃Yes; I did;〃 I answered; 〃and what is more I shall be obliged if you
will not dwell upon the subject。〃
THE COMING OF THE RED…FACED MAN
〃As you like;〃 said the Hare。 〃Certainly it was very dreadful。 It
seemed to last a long time。 But I don't mind it so much now; for I
feel that it can never happen to me again。 At least I hope it can't;
for I don't know what I have done to deserve such a fate; any more
than I know why it should have happened to me once。〃
〃Something you did in a previous existence; perhaps;〃 I answered。 〃You
see then you may have hunted other creatures so cruelly that at last
your turn came to suffer what you had made them suffer。 I often think
that because of what we have done before we men are also really being
hunted by something we cannot see。〃
〃Ah!〃 exclaimed the Hare; 〃I never thought of that。 I hope it is true;
for it makes things seem juster and less wicked。 But I say; friend
Mahatma; what am I doing here now; where you tell me poor creatures
with four feet never; or hardly ever come?〃
〃I don't know; Hare。 I am not wise; to whom it is only granted to
visit the Road occasionally to search for some one。〃
〃I understand; Mahatma; but still you must know a great deal or you
would not be allowed in such a place before your time; or at any rate
you must be able to guess a great deal。 So tell me; why do you think
that I am here?〃
〃I can't say; Hare; I can't indeed。 Perhaps after the Gates are open
and your Guardian has given you to drink of the Cup; you will go to
sleep and wake up again as something else。〃
〃To drink of the cup; Mahatma? I don't drink; at least I didn't;
though I can't tell what may happen here。 But what do you mean about
waking up as something else? Please be more plain。 As what else?〃
〃Oh! who can know? Possibly as you are on the human Road you might
even become a man some day; though I should not advise you to build on
such a hope as that。〃
〃What do you say; Mahatma? A man! One of those two…legged beasts that
hunt hares; a thing like Giles and Tomyes; Tom? Oh! not thatnot
that! I'd almost rather go through everything again than become a
cruel; torturing man。〃
As it spoke thus the Hare grew so disturbed that it nearly vanished;
literally it seemed to melt away till I could only perceive its
outline。 With a kind of shock I comprehended all the horror that it
must feel at such a prospect as I had suggested to it; and really this
grasping of the truth hurt my human pride。 It had never come home to
me before that the circumstances of their livesand deathsmust
cause some creatures to see us in strange lights。
〃Oh! I have no doubt I was mistaken;〃 I said hurriedly; 〃and that your
wishes on the point will be respected。 I told you that I know
nothing。〃
At these words the Hare became quite visible again。
It sat up and very reflectively began to rub its still shadowy nose
with a shadowy paw。 I think that it remembered the sting of the salt
water in the cut made by the glass of the window through which it had
sprung。
Believing that its remarkable story was done; and that presently it
would altogether melt away and vanish out of my knowledge; I looked
about me。 First I looked above the towering Gates to see whether the
Lights had yet begun to change。 Then as they had not I looked down the
Great White Road; following it for miles and miles; until even to my
spirit sight it lost itself in the Nowhere。
Presently coming up this Road towards us I saw a man dressed in a
green coat; riding…breeches and boots and a peaked cap; who held in
his hand a hunting…whip。 He was a fine…looking person of middle age;
with a pleasant; open countenance; bright blue eyes; and very red
cheeks; on which he wore light…coloured whiskers。 In short a jovial…
looking individual; with whom things had evidently always gone well;
one to whom sorrow and disappointment and mental struggle were utter
strangers。 He; at least; had never known what it is to 〃endure
hardness〃 in all his life。
Studying his nature as one can do on the Road; I perceived also that
in him there was no guile。 He was a good…minded; God…fearing man
according to his simple lights; who had done many kindnesses and
contributed liberally towards the wants of the poor; though as he had
been very rich; it had cost him little thus to gratify the natural
promptings of his heart。
Moreover he was what Jorsen calls a 〃young soul;〃 quite young indeed;
by which I mean that he had not often walked the Road in previous
states of life; as for instance that Eastern woman had done who
accosted me before the arrival of the Hare。 So to speak his crude
nature had scarcely outgrown the primitive human condition in which
necessity as well as taste make it customary and pleasant to men to
kill; that condition through which almost every boy passes on his way
to manhood; I suppose by the working of some secret law of
reminiscence。
It was this thought that first led me to connect the new…comer with
the Red…faced Man of the Hare's story。 It may seem strange that I
should have been so dense; but the truth is that it never occurred to
me; any more than it had done to the Hare; that such a person would be
at all likely to tread the Road for many years to come。 I had gathered
that he was comparati