michael, brother of jerry-第49部分

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　if　you　want　to；　and　I'll　lay　you　out　afterward。　　But　first　of　all　I'm　going　to　lay　out　that　dog。　Come　on　along　and　seedamn　him！　　How　was　I　to　know？　　He　was　a　new　one。　　He　never　peeped　in　rehearsal。　　How　was　I　to　know　he　was　going　to　yap　when　we　arranged　the　set　behind　you？〃

〃You've　raised　hell；〃　the　manager　of　the　theatre　greeted　Davis；　as　the　latter；　trailed　by　Dick　Bell；　came　upon　Michael　bristling　from　between　the　legs　of　the　stage…hand。

〃Nothing　to　what　I'm　going　to　raise；〃　Davis　retorted；　shortening　his　grip　on　the　iron　bar　and　raising　it。　　〃I'm　going　to　kill　'm。　I'm　going　to　beat　the　life　out　of　him。　　You　just　watch。〃

Michael　snarled　acknowledgment　of　the　threat；　crouched　to　spring；　and　kept　his　eyes　on　the　iron　weapon。

〃I　just　guess　you　ain't　goin'　to　do　anything　of　the　sort；〃　the　stage…hand　assured　Davis。

〃It's　my　property；〃　the　latter　asserted　with　an　air　of　legal　convincingness。

〃And　against　it　I'm　goin'　to　stack　up　my　common　sense；〃　was　the　stage…hand's　reply。　　〃You　tap　him　once；　and　see　what　you'll　get。　Dogs　is　dogs；　and　men　is　men；　but　I'm　damned　if　I　know　what　you　are。　　You　can't　pull　off　rough　stuff　on　that　dog。　　First　time　he　was　on　a　stage　in　his　life；　after　being　starved　and　thirsted　for　two　days。　　Oh；　I　know；　Mr。　Manager。〃

〃If　you　kill　the　dog　it'll　cost　you　a　dollar　to　the　garbage　man　to　get　rid　of　the　carcass；〃　the　manager　took　up。

〃I'll　pay　it　gladly；〃　Davis　said；　again　lifting　the　iron　bar。　〃I've　got　some　come…back；　ain't　I？〃

〃You　animal　guys　make　me　sick；〃　the　stage…hand　uttered。　　〃You　just　make　me　draw　the　line　somewheres。　　And　here　it　is：　　you　tap　him　once　with　that　baby　crowbar；　and　I'll　tap　you　hard　enough　to　lose　me　my　job　and　to　send　you　to　hospital。〃

〃Now　look　here；　Jackson　。　。　。　〃　the　manager　began　threateningly。

〃You　can't　say　nothin'　to　me；〃　was　the　retort。　　〃My　mind's　made　up。　　If　that　cheap　guy　lays　a　finger　on　that　dog　I'm　just　sure　goin'　to　lose　my　job。　　I'm　gettin　tired　anyway　of　seein'　these　skates　beatin'　up　their　animals。　　They've　made　me　sick　clean　through。〃

The　manager　looked　to　Davis　and　shrugged　his　shoulders　helplessly。

〃There's　no　use　pulling　off　a　rough…house；〃　he　counselled。　　〃I　don't　want　to　lose　Jackson　and　he'll　put　you　into　hospital　if　he　ever　gets　started。　　Send　the　dog　back　where　you　got　him。　　Your　wife's　told　me　about　him。　　Stick　him　into　a　box　and　send　him　back　collect。　　Collins　won't　mind。　　He'll　take　the　singing　out　of　him　and　work　him　into　something。〃

Davis；　with　another　glance　at　the　truculent　Jackson；　wavered。

〃I'll　tell　you　what；〃　the　manager　went　on　persuasively。　　〃Jackson　will　attend　to　the　whole　thing；　box　him　up；　ship　him；　everything　won't　you；　Jackson？〃

The　stage…hand　nodded　curtly；　then　reached　down　and　gently　caressed　Michael's　bruised　head。

〃Well；〃　Davis　gave　in；　turning　on　his　heel；　〃they　can　make　fools　of　themselves　over　dogs；　them　that　wants　to。　　But　when　they've　been　in　the　business　as　long　as　I　have　。　。　。　〃



CHAPTER　XXXI



A　post　card　from　Davis　to　Collins　explained　the　reasons　for　Michael's　return。　　〃He　sings　too　much　to　suit　my　fancy；〃　was　Davis's　way　of　putting　it；　thereby　unwittingly　giving　the　clue　to　what　Collins　had　vainly　sought；　and　which　Collins　as　unwittingly　failed　to　grasp。　　As　he　told　Johnny：

〃From　the　looks　of　the　beatings　he's　got　no　wonder　he's　been　singing。　　That's　the　trouble　with　these　animal　people。　　They　don't　know　how　to　take　care　of　their　property。　　They　hammer　its　head　off　and　get　grouched　because　it　ain't　an　angel　of　obedience。Put　him　away；　Johnny。　　Wash　him　clean；　and　put　on　the　regular　dressing　wherever　the　skin's　broken。　　I　give　him　up　myself；　but　I'll　find　some　place　for　him　in　the　next　bunch　of　dogs。〃

Two　weeks　later；　by　sheerest　accident；　Harris　Collins　made　the　discovery　for　himself　of　what　Michael　was　good　for。　　In　a　spare　moment　in　the　arena；　he　had　sent　for　him　to　be　tried　out　by　a　dog　man　who　needed　several　fillers…in。　　Beyond　what　he　knew；　such　as　at　command　to　stand　up；　to　lie　down；　to　come　here　and　go　there；　Michael　had　done　nothing。　　He　had　refused　to　learn　the　most　elementary　things　a　show…dog　should　know；　and　Collins　had　left　him　to　go　over　to　another　part　of　the　arena　where　a　monkey　band；　on　a　sort　of　mimic　stage；　was　being　arranged　and　broken　in。

Frightened　and　mutinous；　nevertheless　the　monkeys　were　compelled　to　perform　by　being　tied　to　their　seats　and　instruments　and　by　being　pulled　and　jerked　from　off　stage　by　wires　fastened　to　their　bodies。　　The　leader　of　the　orchestra；　an　irascible　elderly　monkey；　sat　on　a　revolving　stool　to　which　he　was　securely　attached。　　When　poked　from　off　the　stage　by　means　of　long　poles；　he　flew　into　ecstasies　of　rage。　　At　the　same　time；　by　a　rope　arrangement；　his　chair　was　whirled　around　and　around。　　To　an　audience　the　effect　would　be　that　he　was　angered　by　the　blunders　of　his　fellow…　musicians。　　And　to　an　audience　such　anger　would　be　highly　ludicrous。　　As　Collins　said：

〃A　monkey　band　is　always　a　winner。　　It　fetches　the　laugh；　and　the　money's　in　the　laugh。　　Humans　just　have　to　laugh　at　monkeys　because　they're　so　similar　and　because　the　human　has　the　advantage　and　feels　himself　superior。　　Suppose　we're　walking　along　the　street；　you　and　me；　and　you　slip　and　fall　down。　　Of　course　I　laugh。　　That's　because　I'm　superior　to　you。　　I　didn't　fall　down。　Same　thing　if　your　hat　blows　off。　　I　laugh　while　you　chase　it　down　the　street。　　I'm　superior。　　My　hat's　still　on　my　head。　　Same　thing　with　the　monkey　band。　　All　the　fool　things　of　it　make　us　feel　so　superior。　　We　don't　see　ourselves　as　foolish。　　That's　why　we　pay　to　see　the　monkeys　behave　foolish。〃

It　was　scarcely　a　matter　of　training　the　monkeys。　　Rather　was　it　the　training　of　the　men　who　operated　the　concealed　mechanisms　that　made　the　monkeys　perform。　　To　this　Harris　Collins　was　devoting　his　effort。

〃There　isn't　any　reason　why　you　fellows　can't　make　them　play　a　real　tune。　　It's　up　to　you；　just　according　to　how　you　pull　the　wires。　　Come　on。　　It's　worth　going　in　for。　　Let's　try　something　you　all　know。　　And　remember；　the　regular　orchestra　will　always　help　you　out。　　Now；　what　do　you　all　know？　　Something　simple；　and　something　the　audience'll　know；　too？〃

He　became　absorbed　in　trying　out　the　idea；　and　even　borrowed　a　circus　rider　whose　act　was　to　play　the　violin　while　standing　on　the　back　of　a　galloping　horse　and　to　throw　somersaults　on　such　precarious　platform　while　still　playing　the　violin。　　This　man　he　got　merely　to　play　simple　airs　in　slow　time；　so　that　the　assistants　could　keep　the　time　and　the　air　and　pull　the　wires　accordingly。

〃Of　course；　if　you　make　a　howling　mistake；〃　Collins　told　them；　〃that's　when　you　all　pull　the　wires　like　mad　and　poke　the　leader　and　whirl　him　around。　　That　always　brings　down　the　house。　　They　think　he's　got　a　real　musical　ear　and　is　mad　at　his　orchestra　for　the　discord。〃

In　the　midst　of　the　work；　Johnny　and　Michael　came　along。

〃That　guy　says　he　wouldn't　take　him　for　a　gift；〃　Johnny　reported　to　his　employer。

〃All　right；　all　right；　put　him　back　in　the　kennels；〃　Collins　ordered　hurriedly。〃Now；　you　fellows；　all　ready！　　'Home；　Sweet　Home！'　　Go　to　it；　Fisher！　　Now　keep　the　time　the　rest　of　you！　。　。　。　That's　it。　　With　a　full　orchestra　you're　making　motions　like　the　tune。Faster；　you；　Simmons。　　You　drag　behind　all　the　time。〃

And　the　accident　happened。　　Johnny；　instead　of　immediately　obeying　the　order　and　taking　Michael　back　to　the　kennels；　lingered　in　the　hope　of　seeing　the　orchestra　leader　whirled　chattering　around　on　his　stool。　　The　violinist；　within　a　yard　of　where　Michael　sat　squatted　on　his　haunches；　played　the　notes　of　〃Home；　Sweet　Home〃　with　loud　slow　exactitude　and　emphasis。

And　Michael　could　not　help　it。　　No　more　could　he　help　it　than　could　he　help　responding　with　a　snarl　when　threatened　by　a　club；　no　more　could　he　help　it　than　when　he　had　spoiled　the　turn　of　Dick　and　Daisy　Bell　when　swept　by　the　strains　of　〃Roll　Me　Down　to　Rio〃；　no　more　could　he　help　it　than　could　Jerry；　on　the　deck　of　the　Ariel；　help　singing　when　Villa　Kennan　put　her　arms　around　him；　smothered　him　deliciously　in　her　cloud　of　hair；　and　sang　his　memory　back　into　time　and　the　fellowship　of　the　ancient　pack。　　As　with　Jerry；　was　it　with　Michael。　　Music　was　a　drug　of　dream。　　He；　too；　remembered　the　lost　pack　and　sought　it；　seeing　the　bare　hills　of　snow　and　the　stars　glimmering　overhead　through　the　frosty　darkness　of　night；　hearing　the　faint　answering　howls　from　other　hills　as　the　pack　assembled。　　Lost　the　pack　was；　through　the　thousands　of　years　Michael's　ancestors　had　lived　by　the　fires　of　men；　yet　remembered　always　it　was　when　the　magic　of　rhythm　poured　through　him　and　flooded　his　being　with　visions　and　sensations　of　that　Otherwhere　which　in　his　own　life　he　had　never　known。

Compounded　with　the　waking　dream　of　Otherwhere；　was　the　memory　of　Steward　and　the　love　of　Steward；　with　whom　he　had　learned　to　sing　the　very　series　of　notes　that　now　were　being　reproduced　by　the　circus…rider　violinist。　　And　Michael's　jaw　dropped　down；　his　throat　vibrated；　his　forefeet　made　restless　little　movements　as　if　in　the　body　he　were　running；　as　truly　he　was　running　in　the　mind；　back　to　Steward；　back　through　all　the　ages　to　the　lost　pack；　and　with　the　shadowy　lost　pack　itself　across