the mahatma and the hare-第13章

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cruel；　torturing　man。〃

As　it　spoke　thus　the　Hare　grew　so　disturbed　that　it　nearly　vanished；
literally　it　seemed　to　melt　away　till　I　could　only　perceive　its
outline。　With　a　kind　of　shock　I　comprehended　all　the　horror　that　it
must　feel　at　such　a　prospect　as　I　had　suggested　to　it；　and　really　this
grasping　of　the　truth　hurt　my　human　pride。　It　had　never　come　home　to
me　before　that　the　circumstances　of　their　livesand　deathsmust
cause　some　creatures　to　see　us　in　strange　lights。

〃Oh！　I　have　no　doubt　I　was　mistaken；〃　I　said　hurriedly；　〃and　that　your
wishes　on　the　point　will　be　respected。　I　told　you　that　I　know
nothing。〃

At　these　words　the　Hare　became　quite　visible　again。

It　sat　up　and　very　reflectively　began　to　rub　its　still　shadowy　nose
with　a　shadowy　paw。　I　think　that　it　remembered　the　sting　of　the　salt
water　in　the　cut　made　by　the　glass　of　the　window　through　which　it　had
sprung。

Believing　that　its　remarkable　story　was　done；　and　that　presently　it
would　altogether　melt　away　and　vanish　out　of　my　knowledge；　I　looked
about　me。　First　I　looked　above　the　towering　Gates　to　see　whether　the
Lights　had　yet　begun　to　change。　Then　as　they　had　not　I　looked　down　the
Great　White　Road；　following　it　for　miles　and　miles；　until　even　to　my
spirit　sight　it　lost　itself　in　the　Nowhere。

Presently　coming　up　this　Road　towards　us　I　saw　a　man　dressed　in　a
green　coat；　riding…breeches　and　boots　and　a　peaked　cap；　who　held　in
his　hand　a　hunting…whip。　He　was　a　fine…looking　person　of　middle　age；
with　a　pleasant；　open　countenance；　bright　blue　eyes；　and　very　red
cheeks；　on　which　he　wore　light…coloured　whiskers。　In　short　a　jovial…
looking　individual；　with　whom　things　had　evidently　always　gone　well；
one　to　whom　sorrow　and　disappointment　and　mental　struggle　were　utter
strangers。　He；　at　least；　had　never　known　what　it　is　to　〃endure
hardness〃　in　all　his　life。

Studying　his　nature　as　one　can　do　on　the　Road；　I　perceived　also　that
in　him　there　was　no　guile。　He　was　a　good…minded；　God…fearing　man
according　to　his　simple　lights；　who　had　done　many　kindnesses　and
contributed　liberally　towards　the　wants　of　the　poor；　though　as　he　had
been　very　rich；　it　had　cost　him　little　thus　to　gratify　the　natural
promptings　of　his　heart。

Moreover　he　was　what　Jorsen　calls　a　〃young　soul；〃　quite　young　indeed；
by　which　I　mean　that　he　had　not　often　walked　the　Road　in　previous
states　of　life；　as　for　instance　that　Eastern　woman　had　done　who
accosted　me　before　the　arrival　of　the　Hare。　So　to　speak　his　crude
nature　had　scarcely　outgrown　the　primitive　human　condition　in　which
necessity　as　well　as　taste　make　it　customary　and　pleasant　to　men　to
kill；　that　condition　through　which　almost　every　boy　passes　on　his　way
to　manhood；　I　suppose　by　the　working　of　some　secret　law　of
reminiscence。

It　was　this　thought　that　first　led　me　to　connect　the　new…comer　with
the　Red…faced　Man　of　the　Hare's　story。　It　may　seem　strange　that　I
should　have　been　so　dense；　but　the　truth　is　that　it　never　occurred　to
me；　any　more　than　it　had　done　to　the　Hare；　that　such　a　person　would　be
at　all　likely　to　tread　the　Road　for　many　years　to　come。　I　had　gathered
that　he　was　comparatively　young；　and　although　I　had　argued　otherwise
with　the　Hare；　had　concluded　therefore　that　he　would　continue　to　live
his　happy　earth　life　until　old　age　brought　him　to　a　natural　end。　Hence
my　obtuseness。

The　man　was　drifting　towards　me　thoughtfully；　evidently　much
bewildered　by　his　new　surroundings　but　not　in　the　least　afraid。　Indeed
there　none　are　afraid；　when　they　glide　from　their　death…beds　to　the
Road　they　leave　fear　behind　them　with　the　other　terrors　of　our　mortal
lot。

Presently　he　became　conscious　of　the　presence　of　the　Hare；　and
thoughts　passed　through　his　mind　which　of　course　I　could　read。

〃My　word！〃　he　said　to　himself；　〃things　are　better　than　I　hoped。
There's　a　hare；　and　where　there　are　hares　there　must　be　hunting　and
shooting。　Oh！　if　only　I　had　a　gun；　or　the　ghost　of　a　gun！〃

Then　an　idea　struck　him。　He　lifted　his　hunting…crop　and　hurled　it　at
the　Hare。

As　it　was　only　the　shadow　of　a　crop　of　course　it　could　hurt　nothing。
Still　it　went　through　the　shadow　of　the　Hare　and　caused　it　to　twist
round　like　lightning。

〃That　was　a　good　shot　anyway；〃　he　reflected；　with　a　satisfied　smile。

By　now　the　Hare　had　seen　him。

〃/The　Red…faced　Man！/〃　it　exclaimed；　〃Grampus　himself！〃　and　it　turned
to　flee　away。

〃Don't　be　frightened；〃　I　cried；　〃he　can't　hurt　you；　nothing　can　hurt
you　here。〃

The　Hare　halted　and　sat　up。　〃No；〃　it　said；　〃I　forgot。　But　you　saw；　he
tried　to。　Now；　Mahatma；　you　will　understand　what　a　bloodthirsty　brute
he　is。　Even　after　I　am　dead　he　has　tried　to　kill　me　again。〃

〃Well；　and　why　not？〃　interrupted　the　Man。　〃What　are　hares　for　except
to　be　killed？〃

〃There；　Mahatma；　you　hear　him。　Look　at　me；　Man；　who　am　I？〃

So　he　looked　at　the　Hare　and　the　Hare　looked　at　him。　Presently　his
face　grew　puzzled。

〃By　Jingo！〃　he　said　slowly；　〃you　are　uncommonly　likeyou　/are/　that
accursed　witch　of　a　hare　which　cost　me　my　life。　There　are　the　white
marks　on　your　back；　and　there　is　the　grey　splotch　on　your　ear。　Oh！　if
only　I　had　a　guna　real　gun！〃

〃You　would　shoot　me；　wouldn't　you；　or　try　to？〃　said　the　Hare。　〃Well；
you　haven't　and　you　can't。　You　say　I　cost　you　your　life。　What　do　you
mean？　It　was　my　life　that　was　sacrificed；　not　yours。〃

〃Indeed；〃　answered　the　Man；　〃I　thought　you　got　away。　Never　saw　any
more　of　you　after　you　jumped　through　the　French　window。　Never　had
time。　The　last　thing　I　remember　is　her　Ladyship　screaming　like　a　mad
cockatoo；　yes；　and　abusing　me　as　though　I　were　a　pickpocket；　with　the
drawing…room　all　on　fire。　Then　something　happened；　and　down　I　went
among　the　broken　china　and　hit　my　head　against　the　leg　of　a　table。
Next　came　a　kind　of　whirling　blackness　and　I　woke　up　here。〃

〃A　fit　or　a　stroke；〃　I　suggested。

〃Both；　I　think；　sir。　The　fit　firstI　have　had　'em　before；　and　the
stroke　afterwardsagainst　the　leg　of　the　table。　Anyway　they　finished
me　between　them；　thanks　to　that　little　beast。〃

Then　it　was　that　I　saw　a　very　strange　thing；　a　hare　in　a　rage。　It
seemed　to　go　mad；　of　course　I　mean　spiritually　mad。　Its　eyes　flashed
fire；　it　opened　its　mouth　and　shut　it　after　the　fashion　of　a
suffocating　fish。　At　last　it　spoke　in　its　own　wayI　cannot　stop　to
explain　in　further　detail　the　exact　manner　of　speech　or　rather　of　its
equivalent　upon　the　Road。

〃Man；　Man；〃　it　exclaimed；　〃you　say　that　I　finished　you。　But　what　did
you　do　to　me？　You　shot　me。　Look　at　the　marks　upon　my　back。　You　coursed
me　with　your　running　dogs。　You　hunted　me　with　your　hounds。　You　dragged
me　out　of　the　sea　into　which　I　swam　to　escape　you　by　death；　and　threw
me　living　to　the　pack；〃　and　the　Hare　stopped　exhausted　by　its　own
fury。

〃Well；〃　replied　the　Man　coolly；　〃and　suppose　I；　or　my　people；　did；
what　of　it？　Why　shouldn't　I？　You　were　a　beast；　I　was　a　man　with
dominion　over　you。　You　can　read　all　about　that　in　the　Book　of
Genesis。〃

〃I　never　heard　of　the　Book　of　Genesis；〃　said　the　Hare；　〃but　what　does
dominion　mean？　Does　this　Book　of　Genesis　say　that　it　means　the　right
to　torment　that　which　is　weaker　than　the　tormentor？〃

〃All　you　animals　were　made　for　us　to　eat；〃　commented　the　Man；　avoiding
an　answer　to　the　direct　question。

〃Very　good；〃　answered　the　Hare；　〃let　us　suppose　that　we　/were/　given
you　to　eat。　Was　it　in　order　to　eat　me　that　you　came　out　against　me
with　guns；　then　with　dogs　that　run　by　sight；　and　then　with　dogs　that
run　by　smell？〃

〃If　you　were　to　be　killed　and　eaten；　why　should　you　not　be　killed　in
one　of　these　ways；　Hare？〃

〃Why　should　I　be　killed　in　those　ways；　Man；　when　others　more　merciful
were　to　your　hand？　Indeed；　why　should　I　be　killed　at　all？　Moreover；　if
you　wished　to　satisfy　your　hunger　with　my　body；　why　at　the　last　was　I
thrown　to　the　dogs　to　devour？〃

〃I　don't　quite　know；　Hare。　Never　looked　at　the　matter　in　that　light
before。　Butah！　I've　got　you　now；〃　he　added　triumphantly。　〃If　it
hadn't　been　for　me　you　never　would　have　lived。　You　see　/I/　gave　you
the　gift　of　life。　Therefore；　instead　of　grumbling；　you　should　be　very
much　obliged　to　me。　Don't　you　understand？　I　preserved　hares；　so　that
without　me　you　would　never　ha