michael, brother of jerry-第49章

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d　be　springing　or　lashing　out　instead　of　yawning。　　He　knows　he's　licked；　and　that　yawn　of　his　merely　says：　　'I　quit。　　For　the　I　love　of　Mike　leave　me　alone。　　My　nose　is　awful　sore。　　I'd　like　to　get　you；　but　I　can't。　　I'll　do　anything　you　want；　and　I'll　be　dreadful　good；　but　don't　hit　my　poor　sore　nose。'

〃But　man　is　the　boss；　and　he　can't　afford　to　be　so　easy。　　Drive　the　lesson　home　that　you're　boss。　　Rub　it　in。　　Don't　stop　when　he　quits。　　Make　him　swallow　the　medicine　and　lick　the　spoon。　　Make　him　kiss　your　foot　on　his　neck　holding　him　down　in　the　dirt。　　Make　him　kiss　the　stick　that's　beaten　him。Watch！〃

And　Hannibal；　the　largest　lion　in　captivity；　with　all　his　teeth；　captured　out　of　the　jungle　after　he　was　full…grown；　a　veritable　king　of　beasts；　before　the　menacing　broomstick　in　the　hand　of　a　sliver　of　a　man；　backed　deeper　and　more　crumpled　together　into　the　corner。　　His　back　was　bowed　up；　the　very　opposite　muscular　position　to　that　for　a　spring；　while　he　drew　his　head　more　and　more　down　and　under　his　chest　in　utter　abjectness；　resting　his　weight　on　his　elbows　and　shielding　his　poor　nose　with　his　massive　paws；　a　single　stroke　of　which　could　have　ripped　the　life　of　Collins　quivering　from　his　body。

〃Now　he　might　be　tricky；〃　Collins　announced；　〃but　he's　got　to　kiss　my　foot　and　the　stick　just　the　same。　　Watch！〃

He　lifted　and　advanced　his　left　foot；　not　tentatively　and　hesitantly；　but　quickly　and　firmly；　bringing　it　to　rest　on　the　lion's　neck。　　The　stick　was　poised　to　strike；　one　act　ahead　of　the　lion's　next　possible　act；　as　Collins's　mind　was　one　thought　ahead　of　the　lion's　next　thought。

And　Hannibal　did　the　forecasted　and　predestined。　　His　head　flashed　up；　huge　jaws　distended；　fangs　gleaming；　to　sink　into　the　slender；　silken…hosed　ankle　above　the　tan　low…cut　shoes。　　But　the　fangs　never　sank。　　They　were　scarcely　started　a　fifth　of　the　way　of　the　distance；　when　the　waiting　broomstick　rapped　on　his　nose　and　made　him　sink　it　in　the　floor　under　his　chest　and　cover　it　again　with　his　paws。

〃He　ain't　crazy；〃　said　Collins。　　〃He　knows；　from　the　little　he　knows；　that　I　know　more　than　him　and　that　I've　got　him　licked　to　a　fare…you…well。　　If　he　was　crazy；　he　wouldn't　know；　and　I　wouldn't　know　his　mind　either；　and　I　wouldn't　be　that　one　jump　ahead　of　him；　and　he'd　get　me　and　mess　the　whole　cage　up　with　my　insides。〃

He　prodded　Hannibal　with　the　end　of　the　broom…handle；　after　each　prod　poising　it　for　a　stroke。　　And　the　great　lion　lay　and　roared　in　helplessness；　and　at　each　prod　exposed　his　nose　more　and　lifted　it　higher；　until；　at　the　end；　his　red　tongue　ran　out　between　his　fangs　and　licked　the　boot　resting　none　too　gently　on　his　neck；　and；　after　that；　licked　the　broomstick　that　had　administered　all　the　punishment。

〃Going　to　be　a　good　lion　now？〃　Collins　demanded；　roughly　rubbing　his　foot　back　and　forth　on　Hannibal's　neck。

Hannibal　could　not　refrain　from　growling　his　hatred。

〃Going　to　be　a　good　lion？〃　Collins　repeated；　rubbing　his　foot　back　and　forth　still　more　roughly。

And　Hannibal　exposed　his　nose　and　with　his　red　tongue　licked　again　the　tan　shoe　and　the　slender；　tan…silken　ankle　that　he　could　have　destroyed　with　one　crunch。



CHAPTER　XXVIII



One　friend　Michael　made　among　the　many　animals　he　encountered　in　the　Cedarwild　School；　and　a　strange；　sad　friendship　it　was。　　Sara　she　was　called；　a　small；　green　monkey　from　South　America；　who　seemed　to　have　been　born　hysterical　and　indignant；　and　with　no　appreciation　of　humour。　　Sometimes；　following　Collins　about　the　arena；　Michael　would　meet　her　while　she　waited　to　be　tried　out　on　some　new　turn。　　For；　unable　or　unwilling　to　try；　she　was　for　ever　being　tried　out　on　turns；　or；　with　little　herself　to　do；　as　a　filler…in　for　more　important　performers。

But　she　always　caused　confusion；　either　chattering　and　squealing　with　fright　or　bickering　at　the　other　animals。　　Whenever　they　attempted　to　make　her　do　anything；　she　protested　indignantly；　and　if　they　tried　force；　her　squalls　and　cries　excited　all　the　animals　in　the　arena　and　set　the　work　back。

〃Never　mind；〃　said　Collins　finally。　　〃She'll　go　into　the　next　monkey　band　we　make　up。〃

This　was　the　last　and　most　horrible　fate　that　could　befall　a　monkey　on　the　stage；　to　be　a　helpless　marionette；　compelled　by　unseen　sticks　and　wires；　poked　and　jerked　by　concealed　men；　to　move　and　act　throughout　an　entire　turn。

But　it　was　before　this　doom　was　passed　upon　her　that　Michael　made　her　acquaintance。　　Their　first　meeting；　she　sprang　suddenly　at　him；　a　screaming；　chattering　little　demon；　threatening　him　with　nails　and　teeth。　　And　Michael；　already　deep…sunk　in　habitual　moroseness　merely　looked　at　her　calmly；　not　a　ripple　to　his　neck…　hair　nor　a　prick　to　his　ears。　　The　next　moment；　her　fuss　and　fury　quite　ignored；　she　saw　him　turn　his　head　away。　　This　gave　her　pause。　　Had　he　sprung　at　her；　or　snarled；　or　shown　any　anger　or　resentment　such　as　did　the　other　dogs　when　so　treated　by　her；　she　would　have　screamed　and　screeched　and　raised　a　hubbub　of　expostulation；　crying　for　help　and　calling　all　men　to　witness　how　she　was　being　unwarrantably　attacked。

As　it　was；　Michael's　unusual　behaviour　seemed　to　fascinate　her。　She　approached　him　tentatively；　without　further　racket；　and　the　boy　who　had　her　in　charge　slacked　the　thin　chain　that　held　her。

〃Hope　he　breaks　her　back　for　her；〃　was　his　unholy　wish；　for　he　hated　Sara　intensely；　desiring　to　be　with　the　lions　or　elephants　rather　than　dancing　attendance　on　a　cantankerous　female　monkey　there　was　no　reasoning　with。

And　because　Michael　took　no　notice　of　her；　she　made　up　to　him。　　It　was　not　long　before　she　had　her　hands　on　him；　and；　quickly　after　that；　an　arm　around　his　neck　and　her　head　snuggled　against　his。　Then　began　her　interminable　tale。　　Day　after　day；　catching　him　at　odd　times　in　the　ring；　she　would　cling　closely　to　him　and　in　a　low　voice；　running　on　and　on；　never　pausing　for　breath；　tell　him；　for　all　he　knew；　the　story　of　her　life。　　At　any　rate；　it　sounded　like　the　story　of　her　woes　and　of　all　the　indignities　which　had　been　wreaked　upon　her。　　It　was　one　long　complaint；　and　some　of　it　might　have　been　about　her　health；　for　she　sniffed　and　coughed　a　great　deal　and　her　chest　seemed　always　to　hurt　her　from　the　way　she　had　of　continually　and　gingerly　pressing　the　palm　of　her　hand　to　it。　Sometimes；　however；　she　would　cease　her　complaining；　and　love　and　mother　him；　uttering　occasional　series　of　gentle　mellow　sounds　that　were　like　croonings。

Hers　was　the　only　hand　of　affection　that　was　laid　on　him　at　Cedarwild；　and　she　was　ever　gentle；　never　pinching　him；　never　pulling　his　ears。　　By　the　same　token；　he　was　the　only　friend　she　had；　and　he　came　to　look　forward　to　meeting　her　in　the　course　of　the　morning　workand　this；　despite　that　every　meeting　always　concluded　in　a　scene；　when　she　fought　with　her　keeper　against　being　taken　away。　　Her　cries　and　protests　would　give　way　to　whimperings　and　wailings；　while　the　men　about　laughed　at　the　strangeness　of　the　love…affair　between　her　and　the　Irish　terrier。

But　Harris　Collins　tolerated；　even　encouraged；　their　friendship。

〃The　two　sour…balls　get　along　best　together；〃　he　said。　　〃And　it　does　them　good。　　Gives　them　something　to　live　for；　and　that　way　lies　health。　　But　some　day；　mark　my　words；　she'll　turn　on　him　and　give　him　what　for；　and　their　friendship　will　get　a　terrible　smash。〃

And　half　of　it　he　spoke　with　the　voice　of　prophecy；　and；　though　she　never　turned　on　Michael；　the　day　in　the　world　was　written　when　their　friendship　would　truly　receive　a　terrible　smash。

〃Now　seals　are　too　wise；〃　Collins　explained　one　day；　in　a　sort　of　extempore　lecture　to　several　of　his　apprentice　trainers。　　〃You've　just　got　to　toss　fish　to　them　when　they　perform。　　If　you　don't；　they　won't；　and　there's　an　end　of　it。　　But　you　can't　depend　on　feeding　dainties　to　dogs；　for　instance；　though　you　can　make　a　young；　untrained　pig　perform　creditably　by　means　of　a　nursing　bottle　hidden　up　your　sleeve。〃

〃All　you　have　to　do　is　think　it　over。　　Do　you　think　you　can　make　those　greyhounds　extend　themselves　with　the　promise　of　a　bite　of　meat？　　It's　the　whip　that　makes　them　extend。Look　over　there　at　Billy　Green。　　There　ain't　another　way　to　teach　that　dog　that　trick。　　You　can't　love　her