michael, brother of jerry-第60部分

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that　it　is　paid　to　me　by　the　Government　and　not　robbed　from　me　by　the　men　with　the　guns。　　Just　because　I　kicked　the　man　in　the　head　who　was　like　a　mountain　lion！　　It　is　fortune。　　It　is　America。　　And　I　am　glad　that　I　have　left　Italy　and　come　to　chop　wood　on　Mister　Kennan's　ranch。　　And　I　start　this　hotel　in　Glen　Ellen　with　the　three　thousand　dollars。　　I　know　there　is　large　money　in　the　hotel　business。　　When　I　was　a　little　boy；　did　not　my　father　have　a　hotel　in　Napoli？　　I　have　now　two　daughters　in　high　school。　　Also　I　own　an　automobile。〃


〃Mercy　me；　the　whole　ranch　is　a　hospital！〃　cried　Villa　Kennan；　two　days　later；　as　she　came　out　on　the　broad　sleeping…porch　and　regarded　Harley　and　Jerry　stretched　out；　the　one　with　his　leg　in　splints；　the　other　with　his　leg　in　a　plaster　cast。　　〃Look　at　Michael；〃　she　continued。　　〃You're　not　the　only　ones　with　broken　bones。　　I've　only　just　discovered　that　if　his　nose　isn't　broken；　it　ought　to　be；　from　the　blow　he　must　have　received　on　it。　　I've　had　hot　compresses　on　it　for　the　last　hour。　　Look　at　it！〃

Michael；　who　had　followed　in　at　her　invitation；　betrayed　a　ridiculously　swollen　nose　as　he　sniffed　noses　with　Jerry；　wagged　his　bobtail　to　Harley　in　greeting；　and　was　greeted　in　turn　with　a　blissful　hand　laid　on　his　head。

〃Must　have　got　it　in　the　fight；〃　Harley　said。　　〃The　fellow　struck　him　with　the　whip　many　times；　so　Piccolomini　says；　and；　naturally；　it　would　be　right　across　the　nose　when　he　jumped　for　him。〃

〃And　Piccolomini　says　he　never　cried　out　when　he　was　struck；　but　went　on　running　and　jumping；〃　Villa　took　up　enthusiastically。　〃Think　of　it！　　A　dog　no　bigger　than　Michael　dragging　out　of　the　saddle　a　man…killing　outlaw　whom　scores　of　officers　could　not　catch！〃

〃So　far　as　we　are　concerned；　he　did　better　than　that；〃　Harley　commented　quietly。　　〃If　it　hadn't　been　for　Michael；　and　for　Jerry；　tooif　it　hadn't　been　for　the　pair　of　them；　I　do　verily　believe　that　that　lunatic　would　have　kicked　my　head　off　as　he　promised。〃

〃The　blessed　pair　of　them！〃　Villa　cried；　with　shining　eyes；　as　her　hand　flashed　out　to　her　husband's　in　a　quick　press　of　heart…　thankfulness。　　〃The　last　word　has　not　been　said　upon　the　wonder　of　dogs；〃　she　added；　as；　with　a　quick　winking　of　her　eyelashes　to　overcome　the　impending　moistness；　she　controlled　her　emotion。

〃The　last　word　of　the　wonder　of　dogs　will　never　be　said；〃　Harley　spoke；　returning　the　pressure　of　her　hand　and　releasing　it　in　order　to　help　her。

〃And　just　for　that　were　going　to　say　something　right　now；〃　she　smiled。　　〃Jerry；　and　Michael；　and　I。　　We've　been　practising　it　in　secret　for　a　surprise　for　you。　　You　just　lie　there　and　listen。　It's　the　Doxology。　　Don't　Laugh。　　No　pun　intended。〃

She　bent　forward　from　the　stool　on　which　she　sat；　and　drew　Michael　to　her　so　that　he　sat　between　her　knees；　her　two　hands　holding　his　head　and　jowls；　his　nose　half…buried　in　her　hair。

〃Now　Jerry！〃　she　called　sharply；　as　a　singing　teacher　might　call；　so　that　Jerry　turned　his　head　in　attention；　looked　at　her；　smiled　understanding　with　his　eyes；　and　waited。

It　was　Villa　who　started　and　pitched　the　Doxology；　but　quickly　the　two　dogs　joined　with　their　own　soft；　mellow　howling；　if　howling　it　may　be　called　when　it　was　so　soft　and　mellow　and　true。　　And　all　that　had　vanished　into　the　Nothingness　was　in　the　minds　of　the　two　dogs　as　they　sang；　and　they　sang　back　through　the　Nothingness　to　the　land　of　Otherwhere；　and　ran　once　again　with　the　Lost　Pack；　and　yet　were　not　entirely　unaware　of　the　present　and　of　the　indubitable　two…legged　god　who　was　called　Villa　and　who　sang　with　them　and　loved　them。

〃No　reason　we　shouldn't　make　a　quartette　of　it；〃　remarked　Harley　Kennan；　as　with　his　own　voice　he　joined　in。




End