the mahatma and the hare-第14章

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much　obliged　to　me。　Don't　you　understand？　I　preserved　hares；　so　that
without　me　you　would　never　have　been　a　hare。　Isn't　that　right；　Mr。
Mr。I　am　sorry　I　have　forgotten　your　name；〃　he　added；　turning　towards
me。

〃Mahatma；〃　I　said。

〃Oh！　yes；　I　remember　it　nowMr。ahMr。　Hatter。〃

〃There　is　something　in　the　argument；〃　I　replied　cautiously；　〃but　let
us　hear　our　friend's　answer。〃

〃Answermy　answer！　Well；　here　it　is。　What　are　you；　Man；　who　dare　to
say　that　you　give　life　or　withhold　it？　You　a　Lord　of　life；　/you！/　I
tell　you　that　I　know　little；　yet　I　am　sure　that　you　or　those　like　you
have　no　more　power　to　create　life　than　the　world　we　have　left　has　to
bid　the　stars　to　shine。　If　the　life　must　come；　it　will　come；　and　if　it
cannot　fulfil　itself　as　a　hare；　then　it　will　appear　as　something　else。
If　you　say　that　you　create　life；　I；　the　poor　beast　which　you　tortured；
tell　you　that　you　are　a　presumptuous　liar。〃

〃You　dare　to　lecture　me；〃　said　the　Man；　〃me；　the　heir　of　all　the　ages；
as　the　poet　called　me。　Why；　you　nasty　little　animal；　do　you　know　that
I　have　killed　hundreds　like　you；　and；〃　he　added；　with　a　sudden
afflatus　of　pride；　〃thousands　of　other　creatures；　such　as　pheasants；
to　say　nothing　of　deer　and　larger　game？　That　has　been　my　principal
occupation　since　I　was　a　boy。　I　may　say　that　I　have　lived　for　sport；
got　very　little　else　to　show　for　my　life；　so　to　speak。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　the　Hare；　〃have　you？　Well；　if　I　were　you；　I　shouldn't　boast
about　it　just　now。　You　see；　we　are　still　outside　of　those　Gates。　Who
knows　but　that　you　will　find　every　one　of　the　living　things　you　have
amused　yourself　by　slaughtering　waiting　for　you　within　them；　each
praying　for　justice　to　its　Maker　and　your　own？〃

〃My　word！〃　said　the　Man；　〃what　a　horrible　notion；　it's　like　a　bad
dream。〃

He　reflected　a　little；　then　added；　〃Well；　if　they　do；　I've　got　my
answer。　I　killed　them　for　food；　man　must　live。　Millions　of　pheasants
are　sold　to　be　eaten　every　year　at　a　much　smaller　price　than　they　cost
to　breed。　What　do　you　say　to　that；　Mr。　Hatter？　Finishes　him；　I　think。〃

〃I'm　not　arguing；〃　I　replied。　〃Ask　the　Hare。〃

〃Yes；　ask　me；　Man；　and　although　you　are　repeating　yourself；　I'll
answer　with　another　question；　knowing　that　here　you　must　tell　the
truth。　Did　you　really　rear　us　all　for　food？　Was　it　for　this　that　you
kept　your　keepers；　your　running　dogs　and　your　hunting　dogs；　that　you
might　kill　poor　defenceless　beasts　and　birds　to　fill　men's　stomachs？
If　this　was　so；　I　have　nothing　more　to　say。　Indeed；　if　our　deaths　or
sufferings　at　their　hands　really　help　men　in　any　way；　I　have　nothing
more　to　say。　I　admit　that　you　are　higher　and　stronger　than　we　are；　and
have　a　right　to　use　us　for　your　own　advantage；　or　even　to　destroy　us
altogether　if　we　harm　you。〃

The　Man　pondered；　then　replied　sullenly

〃You　know　very　well　that　it　was　not　so。　I　did　not　rear　up　pheasants
and　hares　merely　to　eat　them　or　that　others　might　eat　them。　Something
forces　me　to　tell　you　that　it　was　in　order　that　I　might　enjoy　myself
by　showing　my　skill　in　shooting　them；　or　to　have　the　pleasure　and
exercise　of　hunting　them　to　death。　Still；〃　he　added　defiantly；　〃I　who
am　a　Christian　man　maintain　that　my　religion　perfectly　justified　me　in
doing　all　these　things；　and　that　no　blame　attaches　to　me　on　this
account。〃

〃Very　good；〃　said　the　Hare；　〃now　we　have　a　clear　issue。　Friend
Mahatma；　when　those　Gates　open　presently　what　happens　beyond　them？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　I　answered；　〃I　have　never　been　there；　at　least　not
that　I　can　remember。〃

〃Still；　friend　Mahatma；　is　it　not　said　that　yonder　lives　some　Power
which　judges　righteously　and　declares　what　is　true　and　what　is　false？〃

〃I　have　heard　so；　Hare。〃

〃Very　well；　Man；　I　lay　my　cause　before　that　Powerdo　you　the　same。　If
I　am　wrong　I　will　go　back　to　earth　to　be　tortured　by　you　and　yours
again。　If；　however；　I　am　right；　you　shall　abide　the　judgment　of　the
Power；　and　I　ask　that　It　will　make　of　youa　hunted　hare！〃

Now　when　he　heard　these　awful　wordsfor　they　were　awfulno　less；　the
Red…faced　Man　grew　much　disturbed。　He　hummed　and　he　hawed；　and　shifted
his　feet　about。　At　last　he　said

〃You　must　admit　that　while　you　lived　you　had　a　first…class　time　under
my　protection。　Lots　of　turnips　to　eat　and　so　forth。〃

〃A　first…class　time！〃　the　Hare　answered　with　withering　scorn。　〃What
sort　of　a　time　would　you　have　had　if　some　one　had　shot　you　all　over
the　back　and　you　must　creep　away　to　die　of　pain　and　starvation？　How
would　you　have　enjoyed　it　if；　from　day　to　day；　you　had　been　forced　to
live　in　terror　of　cunning　monsters；　who　at　any　hour　might　appear　to
hurt　you　in　some　new　fashion？　Do　you　suppose　that　animals　cannot　feel
fear；　and　is　continual　fear　the　kind　of　friend　that　gives　them　a
'first…class　time'？〃

To　this　last　argument　the　Man　seemed　able　to　find　no　answer。

〃Mr。　Hare；〃　he　said　humbly；　〃we　are　all　fallible。　Although　I　never
thought　to　find　myself　in　the　position　of　having　to　do　so；　I　will
admit　that　I　may　possibly　have　been　mistaken　in　my　views　and　treatment
of　you　and　your　kind；　and　indeed　of　other　creatures。　If　so；　I
apologise　for　any；　ahtemporary　inconvenience　I　may　have　caused　you。
I　can　do　no　more。〃

〃Come；　Hare；〃　I　interposed；　〃that's　handsome；　perhaps　you　might　let
bygones　be　bygones。〃

〃Apologise！〃　exclaimed　the　Hare。　〃After　all　I　have　suffered　I　do　not
think　it　is　enough。　At　the　very　least；　Mahatma；　he　should　say　that　he
is　heartily　ashamed　and　sorry。〃

〃Well；　well；〃　said　the　Man；　〃it's　no　use　making　two　bites　of　a　cherry。
I　am　sorry；　truly　sorry　for　all　the　pain　and　terror　I　have　brought　on
you。　If　that　won't　do　let's　go　up　and　settle　the　matter；　and　if　I've
been　wrong　I'll　try　to　bear　the　consequences　like　a　gentleman。　Only；
Mr。　Hare；　I　hope　that　you　will　not　wish　to　put　your　case　more　strongly
against　me　than　you　need。〃

〃Not　I；　Man。　I　know　now　that　you　only　erred　because　the　truth　had　not
been　revealed　to　youbecause　you　did　not　understand。　All　that　I　will
ask；　if　I　can；　is　that　you　may　be　allowed　to　tell　this　truth　to　other
men。〃

〃Well；　I　am　glad　to　say　I　can't　do　that；　Hare。〃

〃Don't　be　so　sure；〃　I　broke　in；　〃it's　just　the　kind　of　thing　which
might　be　decreeda　generation　or　two　hence　when　the　world　is　fit　to
listen　to　you。〃

But　he　took　no　heed；　or　did　not　comprehend　me；　and　went　on

〃It　is　an　impossibility；　and　if　I　did　they　would　think　me　a　lunatic　or
a　snivelling；　sentimental　humbug。　I　believe　that　lots　of　my　old
friends　would　scarcely　speak　to　me　again。　Why；　putting　aside　the
pleasures　of　sport；　if　the　views　you　preach　were　to　be　accepted；　what
would　become　of　keepers　and　beaters　and　huntsmen　and　dog…breeders；　and
of　thousands　of　others　who　directly　or　indirectly　get　their　living　out
of　hunting　and　shooting？　Where　would　game　rents　be　also？〃

〃I　don't　know；　I　am　sure；〃　replied　the　Hare　wearily。　〃I　suppose　that
they　would　earn　their　living　in　some　other　way；　as　they　must　in
countries　where　there　is　no　sport；　and　that　you　would　have　to　make　up
for　shooting　rents　by　growing　more　upon　the　land。　You　know　that　after
all　we　hares　and　the　other　game　eat　a　great　deal　which　might　be　saved
if　there　were　not　so　many　of　us。　But　I　am　not　wise；　and　I　have　never
looked　at　the　question　from　that　point　of　view。　It　may　seem　selfish；
but　I　have　to　consider　myself　and　the　creatures　whose　cause　I　plead；
for　something　inside　me　is　telling　me　nowyes；　nowthat　all　of　them
are　speaking　through　my　mouth。　It　says　that　is　why　I　am　allowed　to　be
here　and　to　talk　with　you　both；　for　their　sakes　rather　than　for　my
own。〃

〃If　you　have　more　to　say　you　had　better　say　it　quickly；〃　I
interrupted；　addressing　the　Red…faced　Man。　〃I　see　that　the　Lights　are
beginning　to　change；　which　means　that　soon　the　Road　will　be　closed　and
the　Gates　opened。〃

〃I　can't　remember　anything；〃　he　answered。　〃Yes；　there　is　one　matter；〃
he　added　nervously。　〃I　see；　Mr。　Hare；　that　you　are　thinking　of　my　boy
Tom；　not　very　kindly　I　am　afraid。　As　you　have　been　so　good　as　to
forgive　me　I　hope　that　you　won't　be　hard　on　Tom。　He　is　not　at　all　a
bad　sort　of　a　lad　if　a　little　thoughtless；　like　many　other　young
people。〃

〃I　don't　like　Tom；〃　said　the　Hare；　with　decision。　〃Tom　shot　me　when
you　tol