his dog(狗儿莱德)-第8节
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Every line of Chum's splendid body told of reluctance to approach his
master。 The deep…set； dark eyes were eloquent of a frightened disgust。 He
looked at Ferris as at some loathely stranger。 The glad light of loyalty；
which always had transfigured his visage when Link called to him； was
woefully lacking。 Drunk as he was Ferris could not help noticing the
change。 And he marveled at it。
〃Whasser matter？〃 be demanded truculently。 〃What ails yer？ C'm here；
I'm tellin' you！〃
He stretched out his hand in rough caress to the slowly approaching
collie。 Chum shrank back from the touch as a child from a dose of castor
oil。 There was no fear now in his aspect。 Only disgust and a poignant
unhappiness。
And； all suddenly； Link Ferris understood。
He himself did not know how the knowledge came to him。 A canine
psychologist might perhaps have told him that there is always an occult
telepathy between the mind of a thoroughbred dog and its master； a power
which gives them a glimpse into each other's processes of thought。 But
there was no such psychologist there to explain the thing。 Nor did Link
need it explained。 It was enough for him that he knew。
He knew； as by revelation； that his adoring dog now shunned him
because Link was drunk。
From the first； Chum's look of utter worship and his eagerly happy
obedience had been a joy to Link。 The subtly complete change in his
worshiper's demeanor jarred sharply on the man's raw nerves。 He felt
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vaguely uncleanshamed。
The contempt of such of his pious human neighbors as had passed him
in the road during his sprees had affected Link not at all。 Nor now could
he understand the queer feeling of humiliation that swept over him at sight
of the horrified repugnance in the eyes of this mere brute beast。 It roused
him to a gust of hot vexation。
〃Shamed of me； are you？〃 he grunted fiercely。 〃A dirty four…legged
critter's 'shamed of a he…man； hey？ Well； we'll lick that out of you； dam'
soon！〃
Lurching to his feet； he snatched up a broom handle。 He waved it
menacingly over the dog。 Chum gave back not an inch。 Under the threat of
a beating he stood his ground； his brave eyes steadfast； and； lurking in
their mystic depths； that same glint of sorrowful wonder and disgust。
Up whirled the broomstick。 But when it fell it did not smite athwart
the shoul ders of the sorrowing dog。 Instead； it clattered harmlessly to the
board floor。 And to the floor also slumped Link Ferris； his nerve all gone；
his heart soggy with sudden remorse。
To his knees thudded the man； close beside the collie。 From Link's
throat were bursting great strangled sobs which tortured his whole body
and made his speech a tangled jumble that was not pretty to hear。
〃Chum！〃 he wailed brokenly； clutching the dog's huge ruff in both
shaky hands。 〃Chum； old friend！ Gawd forgive me！ You saved me from
drowndin' an' from goin' broke； this night！ You been the only friend that
ever cared a hang if I was alive or dead！ An'an' I was goin' to lick you！ I
was goin' to lambaste you。 Because I was a beastlier beast than YOU be。 I
was goin' to do it because you was so much better than me that you was
made sick by my bein' a hawg。 An' I was mad at you fer it。 I'moh； I'm
shameder than you are！ Chum！ Honest to Gawd； I am！ Won't you make
friends again？ PLEASE； Chum！〃
Now； of course； this was a most ridiculous and maudlin way to talk。
Moreover； no man belongs on his knees beside a dog； even though the
man be a sot and the dog a thoroughbred。 In his calmer moments Link
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Ferris would have known this。 A high…bred collie； too； has no use for
sloppy emotion； but shuns its exhibition well…nigh as disgustedly as he
shuns a drunkard。
Yet； for some illogical reason； Chum did not seek to withdraw his
aristocratic self from the shivering clutch of the repentant souse。 Instead；
the expression of misery and repugnance fled as if by magic from his
brooding eyes。 Into them in its place leaped a light of keen solicitude。 He
pressed closer to the swayingly kneeling man； and with upthrust muzzle
sought to kiss the blubbering face。
The whisky reek was as strong as ever。 But something in Chum's soul
was stronger。 He seemed to know that the maudlin Unknown had vanished；
and that his dear master was back againhis dear master who was in
grievous trouble and who must be comforted。
Wherefore； the sickening liquor fumes no longer held him aloof from
Link。 Just as the icy lake had not deterred him from springing into the
water after his drowning god； although； like most collies； Chum hated to
swim。
Link； through his own nervous collapse； recognized the instant change
in Chum's demeanor； and read it aright。 It strengthened the old bond
between himself and the dog。 It somehow gave him a less scornful opinion
of himself。
Presently he got to his feet； and with the collie at his side went back to
the table； where stood the threeparts…empty flask。 His face working； Link
opened the window and poured what was left of the whisky out on the
ground。 There was nothing dramatic about his action。 Rather it was tinged
by very visible regret。 Turning back to Chum； he said sheepishly：
〃There it goes。 An' I ain't sayin' I'm tickled at wastin' such good stuff。
Butsomehow I guess we've come to a showdown； Chum； you an' me。 If I
stick to booze； I'm li'ble to see you looking at me that queer way an' sidlin'
away from me all the time； till maybe at last you'd get plumb sick of me
for keeps； an' light out。 An'I'd rather have YOU than the booze； since I
can't have both of you。 Bein' only a dawg and never havin' tasted good red
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liquor； you can't know what a big bouquet I'm a…throwin' at you when I
say that； neither。 IOh； let's call it a day and go to sleep。〃
Next morning； in the course of nature； Link Ferris worked with a
splitting headache。 He carried it and a bad taste in his mouth； for the best
part of the day。
But it was the last drink headache which marred his labor； all that long
and happy summer。 His work showed the results of the change。 So did the
meager hill farm。 So did Link's system and his pocketbook。
As he was a real； live human and not a temperance tract hero； there
were times when he girded bitterly at his self…enforced abstinence。 Where
were times； toowhen he had a touch of malaria and again when the
cutworms slaughtered two rows of his early tomatoeswhen he yearned
unspeakably for the solace of an evening at the Hampton tavern。
He had never been a natural drinker。 Like many a better man he had
drunk less for what he sought to get than for what he sought to forget。 And
with the departure of loneliness and the new interest in his home； he felt
less the need for wet conviviality and for drugging his fits of melancholy。
The memory of Chum's grieving repulsion somehow stuck in Ferris's
mind。 And it served as a brake； more than once； to his tavernward
impulses。 Two or three times； also； when Link's babyish gusts of
destructive bad temper boiled to the surface at some setback or annoyance；
much the same wonderingly distressed look would creep into the collie's
glancea look as of one who is revolted by a dear friend's failure to play
up to form。 And to his own amused surprise； Ferris found himself trying to
curb these outbursts。
To the average human； a dog is only a dog。 To Ferris； this collie of his
was the one intimate friend of his life。 Unversed in the ways of dogs； he
overestimated Chum； of course； and valued his society and his good
opinion far more highly than the average man would have done。 Thus；
perhaps； his desire
