michael, brother of jerry-第55部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

　ere　he　closed　them　again。　　Too　sour　on　the　human　world；　and　too　glum　in　his　own　soured　nature；　he　was　anything　save　his　old　courtly　self　to　chance　humans　who　broke　in　upon　him　to　pat　his　head；　and　say　silly　things；　and　go　their　way　never　to　be　seen　by　him　again。

Villa　Kennan；　with　a　pang　of　disappointment　at　such　rebuff；　forwent　her　overtures　for　the　moment；　and　listened　to　what　tale　Jacob　Henderson　could　tell　of　his　dog。　　Harry　Del　Mar；　a　trained…　animal　man；　had　picked　the　dog　up　somewhere　on　the　Pacific　Coast；　most　probably　in　San　Francisco；　she　learned；　but；　having　taken　the　dog　east　with　him；　Harry　Del　Mar　had　died　by　accident　in　New　York　before　telling　anybody　anything　about　the　animal。　　That　was　all；　except　that　Henderson　had　paid　two　thousand　dollars　to　one　Harris　Collins；　and　had　found　the　investment　the　finest　he　had　ever　made。

Villa　turned　back　to　the　dog。

〃Michael；〃　she　called；　caressingly；　almost　in　a　whisper。

And　Michael's　eyes　partly　opened；　the　base…muscles　of　his　ears　stiffened；　and　his　body　quivered。

〃Michael；〃　she　repeated。

This　time　raising　his　head；　the　eyes　open　and　the　ears　stiffly　erect；　Michael　looked　at　her。　　Not　since　on　the　beach　at　Tulagi　had　he　heard　that　name　uttered。　　Across　the　years　and　the　seas　the　word　came　to　him　out　of　the　past。　　Its　effect　was　electrical；　for　on　the　instant　all　the　connotations　of　〃Michael〃　flooded　his　consciousness。　　He　saw　again　Captain　Kellar；　of　the　Eugenie；　who　had　last　called　him　it；　and　MISTER　Haggin；　and　Derby；　and　Bob　of　Meringe　Plantation；　and　Biddy　and　Terrence；　and；　not　least　among　these　shades　of　the　vanished　past；　his　brother　Jerry。

But　was　it　the　vanished　past？　　The　name　which　had　ceased　for　years；　had　come　back。　　It　had　entered　the　room　along　with　this　man　and　woman。　　All　this　he　did　not　reason；　but　indubitably；　as　if　he　had　so　reasoned；　he　acted　upon　it。

He　jumped　from　the　chair　and　ran　to　the　woman。　　He　smelled　her　hand；　and　smelled　her　as　she　patted　him。　　Then；　as　he　recognized　her；　he　went　wild。　　He　sprang　away；　dashing　around　and　around　the　room；　sniffing　under　the　washstand　and　smelling　out　the　corners。　As　in　a　frenzy　he　was　back　to　the　woman；　whimpering　eagerly　as　she　strove　to　pet　him。　　The　next　moment；　stiff　in　a　frenzy；　he　was　away　again；　scurrying　about　the　room　and　still　whimpering。

Jacob　Henderson　looked　on　with　mild　disapproval。

〃He　never　cuts　up　that　way；〃　he　said。　　〃He　is　a　very　quiet　dog。　Maybe　it　is　a　fit　he　is　going　to　have；　though　he　never　has　fits。〃

No　one　understood；　not　even　Villa　Kennan。　　But　Michael　understood。　He　was　looking　for　that　vanished　world　which　had　rushed　back　upon　him　at　sound　of　his　old…time　name。　　If　this　name　could　come　to　him　out　of　the　Nothingness；　as　this　woman　had　whom　once　he　had　seen　treading　the　beach　at　Tulagi；　then　could　all　other　things　of　Tulagi　and　the　Nothingness　come　to　him。　　As　she　was　there；　before　him　in　the　living　flesh；　uttering　his　name；　so　might　Captain　Kellar；　and　MISTER　Haggin；　and　Jerry　be　there；　somewhere　in　the　very　room　or　just　outside　the　door。

He　ran　to　the　door；　whimpering　as　he　scratched　at　it。

〃Maybe　he　thinks　there　is　something　outside；〃　said　Jacob　Henderson；　opening　the　door　for　him。

And　Michael　did　so　think。　　As　a　matter　of　course；　through　that　open　door；　he　was　prepared　to　have　the　South…Pacific　Ocean　flow　in；　bearing　on　its　bosom　schooners　and　ships；　islands　and　reefs；　and　all　men　and　animals　and　things　he　once　had　known　and　still　remembered。

But　no　past　flowed　in　through　the　door。　　Outside　was　the　usual　present。　　He　came　back　dejectedly　to　the　woman；　who　still　called　him　Michael　as　she　petted　him。　　She；　at　any　rate；　was　real。　　Next　he　carefully　smelled　and　identified　the　man　with　the　beach　of　Tulagi　and　the　deck　of　the　Ariel；　and　again　his　excitement　began　to　mount。

〃Oh；　Harley；　I　know　it　is　he！〃　Villa　cried。　　〃Can't　you　test　him？　Can't　you　prove　him？〃

〃But　how？〃　Harley　pondered。　　〃He　seems　to　recognize　his　name。　　It　excites　him。　　And　though　he　never　knew　us　very　well；　he　seems　to　remember　us　and　to　be　excited　by　us；　too。　　If　only　he　could　talk　。　。　。　〃

〃Oh；　talk！　　Talk！〃　Villa　pleaded　with　Michael；　catching　both　sides　of　his　head　and　jaws　in　her　hands　and　swaying　him　back　and　forth。

〃Be　careful；　madam；〃　Jacob　Henderson　warned。　　〃He　is　a　very　sour　dog；　and　he　don't　let　people　take　such　liberties。〃

〃He　does　me；〃　she　laughed；　half…hysterically。　　〃Because　he　knows　me。　。　。　。　Harley！〃　　She　broke　off　as　the　great　idea　dawned　on　her。　〃I　have　a　test。　　Listen！　　Remember；　Jerry　was　a　nigger…chaser　before　we　got　him。　　And　Michael　was　a　nigger…chaser。　　You　talk　in　beche…de…mer。　　Appear　angry　with　some　black　boy；　and　see　how　it　will　affect　him。〃

〃I'll　have　to　remember　hard　to　resurrect　any　beche…de…mer；〃　Harley　said；　nodding　approval　of　the　suggestion。

〃At　the　same　time　I'll　distract　him；〃　she　rushed　on。

Sitting　down　and　bending　forward　to　Michael　so　that　his　head　was　buried　in　her　arms　and　breast；　she　began　swaying　him　and　crooning　to　him　as　was　her　wont　with　Jerry。　　Nor　did　he　resent　the　liberty　she　took；　and；　like　Jerry；　he　yielded　to　her　crooning　and　softly　began　to　croon　with　her。　　She　signalled　Harley　with　her　eyes。

〃My　word！〃　he　began　in　tones　of　wrath。　　〃What　name　you　fella　boy　stop　'm　along　this　fella　place？　　You　make　'm　me　cross　along　you　any　amount！〃

And　at　the　words　Michael　bristled；　dragged　himself　clear　of　the　woman's　detaining　hands；　and；　with　a　snarl；　whirled　about　to　get　a　look　at　the　black　boy　who　must　have　just　then　entered　the　room　and　aroused　the　white　god's　ire。　　But　there　was　no　black　boy。　　He　looked　on；　still　bristling；　to　the　door。　　Harley　transferred　his　own　gaze　to　the　door；　and　Michael　knew；　beyond　all　doubt；　that　outside　the　door　was　standing　a　Solomons　nigger。

〃Hey！　　Michael！〃　Harley　shouted。　　〃Chase　'm　that　black　fella　boy　overside！〃

With　a　roaring　snarl；　Michael　flung　himself　at　the　door。　　Such　was　the　fury　and　weight　of　his　onslaught　that　the　latch　flew　loose　and　the　door　swung　open。　　The　emptiness　of　the　space　which　he　had　expected　to　see　occupied；　was　appalling；　and　he　shrank　down；　sick　and　dizzy　with　the　baffling　apparitional　past　that　thus　vexed　his　consciousness。

〃And　now；〃　said　Harley　to　Jacob　Henderson；　〃we　will　talk　business　。　。　。　〃



CHAPTER　XXXV



When　the　train　arrived　at　Glen　Ellen；　in　the　Valley　of　the　Moon；　it　was　Harley　Kennan　himself；　at　the　side…door　of　the　baggage…car；　who　caught　hold　of　Michael　and　swung　him　to　the　ground。　　For　the　first　time　Michael　had　performed　a　railroad　journey　uncrated。　Merely　with　collar　and　chain　had　he　travelled　up　from　Oakland。　　In　the　waiting　automobile　he　found　Villa　Kennan；　and；　chain　removed；　sat　beside　her　and　between　her　and　Harley

As　the　machine　purred　along　the　two　miles　of　road　that　wound　up　the　side　of　Sonoma　Mountain；　Michael　scarcely　looked　at　the　forest…trees　and　vistas　of　wandering　glades。　　He　had　been　in　the　United　States　three　years；　during　which　time　he　had　been　kept　a　close　prisoner。　　Cage　and　crate　and　chain　had　been　his　portion；　and　narrow　rooms；　baggage　cars；　and　station　platforms。　　The　nearest　he　had　come　to　the　country　was　when　chained　to　benches　in　the　various　parks　while　Jacob　Henderson　studied　Swedenborg。　　So　that　trees　and　hills　and　fields　had　ceased　to　mean　anything。　　They　were　something　inaccessible；　as　inaccessible　as　the　blue　of　the　sky　or　the　drifting　cloud…fleeces。　　Thus　did　he　regard　the　trees　and　hills　and　fields；　if　the　negative　act　of　not　regarding　a　thing　at　all　can　be　considered　a　state　of　mind。

〃Don't　seem　to　be　enthusiastic　over　the　ranch；　eh；　Michael？〃　Harley　remarked。

He　looked　up　at　sound　of　his　old　name；　and　made　acknowledgment　by　flattening　his　ears　a　quivering　trifle　and　by　touching　his　nose　against　Harley's　shoulder。

〃Nor　does　he　seem　demonstrative；〃　was　Villa's　judgment。　　〃At　least；　nothing　like　Jerry；〃

〃Wait　till　they　meet；〃　Harley　smiled　in　anticipation。　　〃Jerry　will　furnish　enough　excitement　for　both　of　them。〃

〃If　they　remember　each　other　after　all　this　time；〃　said　Villa。　　〃I　wonder　if　they　will。〃

〃They　did　at　Tulagi；〃　he　reminded　her。　　〃And　they　were　full　grown　and　hadn't　seen　each　other　since　they　were　puppies。　　Remember　how　they　barked　and　scampered　all　about　the　beach。　　Michael　was　the　hurly…burly　one。　　At　least　he　made　twice　as　much　noise。〃

〃But　he　seems　dreadfully　grown…up　and　subdued　now。〃

〃Three　years　ought　to　have　subdued　him；〃　Harley　insisted。

But　Villa　shook　her　head。

As　the　machine　drew　up　at　the　house　and　Kennan　first　stepped　out；　a　dog's　whimperingly　joyous　bark　of　welcome　struck　Michael　as　not　altogether　unfamiliar。　　The　joyous　bark　turned　to　a　suspicious　and　jealous　snarl　as　Jerry　scented　the　other　dog's　presence　from　Harley's　caressing　hand。　　The　next　moment　he　had　traced　the　original　source　of　the　scent　into　the　limousine　and　sprung　in　after　it。　　With　snarl　and　forward　leap　Michael　met　the　snarling　rush　less　than　half…way；　and　was　rolled　over　on　the　bottom　of　the　car。

The　Irish　terrier；　under　all　circumstances　amenable　to　the　control　of　the　master　as　are　few　breeds　of　dogs；　was　instantly　manifest　in　Jerry　and　Michael　an　Harley　Kennan's　voice　rang　out。　　They　separated；　and；　despite　the　rumbling　of　low　growling　in　their　throats；　ref