animal heroes(动物英雄)-第7节
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along on the safe side。 The barking of the Dog grew into a low rumblea
louder rumble and roaringa terrifying thunder。 A light shone。 Kitty
glanced back to see； not the Dog； but a huge Black Thing with a blazing
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red eye coming on； yowling and spitting like a yard full of Cats。 She put
forth all her powers to run； made such time as she had never made before；
but dared not leap the fence。 She was running like a Dog； was flying； but
all in vain； the monstrous pursuer overtook her； but missed her in the
darkness； and hurried past to be lost in the night； while Kitty crouched
gasping for breath； half a mile nearer home since that Dog began to bark。
This was her first encounter with the strange monster； strange to her
eyes only； her nose seemed to know him and told her this was another
landmark on the home trail。 But Pussy lost much of her fear of his kind。
She learned that they were very stupid and could not find her if she slipped
quietly under a fence and lay still。 Before morning she had encountered
several of them； but escaped unharmed from all。
About sunrise she reached a nice little slum on her home trail； and was
lucky enough to find several unsterilized eatables in an ash…heap。 She
spent the day around a stable where were two Dogs and a number of small
boys； that between them came near ending her career。 It was so very like
home； but she had no idea of staying there。 She was driven by the old
craving； and next evening set out as before。 She had seen the one…eyed
Thunder…rollers all day going by； and was getting used to them； so
travelled steadily all that night。 The next day was spent in a barn where
she caught a Mouse； and the next night was like the last； except that a Dog
she encountered drove her backward on her trail for a long way。 Several
times she was misled by angling roads； and wandered far astray； but in
time she wandered back again to her general southward course。 The days
were passed in skulking under barns and hiding from Dogs and small boys；
and the nights in limping along the track； for she was getting foot…sore； but
on she went； mile after mile； southward； ever southwardDogs； boys；
Roarers； hungerDogs； boys； Roarers； hungeryet on and onward still she
went； and her nose from time to time cheered her by confidently reporting；
〃There surely is a smell we passed last spring。〃
X
So a week went by； and Pussy； dirty； ribbon…less； foot…sore； and weary；
arrived at the Harlem Bridge。 Though it was enveloped in delicious smells；
she did not like the look of that bridge。 For half the night she wandered up
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and down the shore without discovering any other means of going south；
excepting some other bridges； or anything of interest except that here the
men were as dangerous as the boys。 Somehow she had to come back to it；
not only its smells were familiar； but from time to time； when a One…eye
ran over it； there was that peculiar rumbling roar that was a sensation in
the springtime trip。 The calm of the late night was abroad when she leaped
to the timber stringer and glided out over the water。 She had got less than a
third of the way across when a thundering One…eye came roaring at her
from the opposite end。 She was much frightened； but knowing their
stupidity and blindness； she dropped to a low side beam and there
crouched in hiding。 Of course the stupid Monster missed her and passed
on； and all would have been well； but it turned back； or another just like it
came suddenly spitting behind her。 Pussy leaped to the long track and
made for the home shore。 She might have got there had not a third of the
Red…eyed Terrors come screeching at her from that side。 She was running
her hardest； but was caught between two foes。 There was nothing for it but
a desperate leap from the timbers into…she didn't know what。 Down； down；
down…plop； splash； plunge into the deep water； not cold； for it was August；
but oh； so horrible！ She spluttered and coughed when she came to the top；
glanced around to see if the Monsters were swimming after her； and struck
out for shore。 She had never learned to swim； and yet she swam； for the
simple reason that a Cat's position and actions in swimming are the same
as her position and actions in walking。 She had fallen into a place she did
not like； naturally she tried to walk out； and the result was that she swam
ashore。 Which shore？ The home…love never fails： the south side was the
only shore for her； the one nearest home。 She scrambled out all dripping
wet； up the muddy bank and through coal…piles and dust…heaps； looking as
black； dirty； and unroyal as it was possible for a Cat to look。
Once the shock was over； the Royal…pedigreed Slummer began to feel
better for the plunge。 A genial glow without from the bath； a genial sense
of triumph within； for had she not outwitted three of the big Terrors？
Her nose； her memory； and her instinct of direction inclined her to get
on the track again； but the place was infested with those Thunder…rollers；
and prudence led her to turn aside and follow the river…bank with its
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musky home…reminders； and thus she was spared the unspeakable horrors
of the tunnel。
She was over three days learning the manifold dangers and
complexities of the East River docks。 Once she got by mistake on a
ferryboat and was carried over to Long Island； but she took an early boat
back。 At length on the third night she reached familiar ground； the place
she had passed the night of her first escape。 From that her course was sure
and rapid。 She knew just where she was going and how to get there。 She
knew even the more prominent features in the Dog…scape now。 She went
faster； felt happier。 In a little while surely she would be curled up in her
native Orientthe old junk…yard。 Another turn； and the block was in sight。
Butwhat！ It was gone！ Kitty couldn't believe her eyes； but she must；
for the sun was not yet up。 There where once had stood or leaned or
slouched or straggled the houses of the block； was a great broken
wilderness of stone； lumber； and holes in the ground。
Kitty walked all around it。 She knew by the bearings and by the local
color of the pavement that she was in her home； that there had lived the
bird…man； and there was the old junk…yard； but all were gone； completely
gone； taking their familiar odors with them； and Pussy turned sick at heart
in the utter hopelessness of the case。 Her place…love was her master…mood。
She had given up all to come to a home that no longer existed； and for
once her sturdy little heart was cast down。 She wandered over the silent
heaps of rubbish and found neither consolation nor eatables。 The ruin had
taken in several of the blocks and reached back from the water。 It was not
a fire； Kitty had seen one of those things。 This looked more like the work
of a flock of the Red…eyed Monsters。 Pussy knew nothing of the great
bridge that was to rise from this very spot。
When the sun came up she sought for cover。 An adjoining block still
stood with little change； and the Royal Analostan retired to that。 She knew
some of its trails； but once there； was unpleasantly surprised to find the
place swarming with Cats that； like herself； were driven from their old
grounds； and when the garbage…cans came out there were several
Slummers at each。 It meant a famine in the land； and Pussy； after standing
it a few days； was reduced to seeking her other home on Fifth Avenue。 She
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got there to find it shut up and deserted。 She waited about for a day； had
an unpleasant experience with a big man in a blue coat； and next night
returned to the crowded slum。
September and October wore away。 Many of the Cats died
