the mahatma and the hare-第5章

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the　ass　talkwith　a　thick　stick。　No？　Well；　never　mind；　I　daresay　I
should　not　understand　about　him　if　you　told　me。　Now　for　my　story。〃

Then　the　Hare　sat　itself　down；　planting　its　forepaws　firmly　in　front
of　it；　as　these　animals　do　when　they　are　on　the　watch；　looked　up　at　me
and　began　to　pour　the　contents　of　its　mind　into　mine。

*****

I　was　born；　it　said；　or　rather　told　me　by　thought　transference；　in　a
field　of　growing　corn　near　to　a　big　wood。　At　least　I　suppose　I　was
born　there；　though　the　first　thing　I　remember　is　playing　about　in　the
wheat　with　two　other　little　ones　of　my　own　size；　a　brother　and　a
sister　that　were　born　with　me。　It　was　at　night；　for　a　great；　round；
shining　thing　which　I　now　know　was　the　moon；　hung　in　the　sky　above　us。
We　gambolled　together　and　were　very　happy；　till　presently　my　mother
cameI　remember　how　big　she　lookedand　cuffed　me　with　her　paw
because　I　had　led　the　others　away　from　the　place　where　she　had　told　us
to　stop；　and　given　her　a　great　hunt　to　find　us。　That　is　the　first
thing　I　remember　about　my　mother。　Afterwards　she　seemed　sorry　because
she　had　hurt　me；　and　nursed　us　all　three；　letting　me　have　the　most
milk。　My　mother　always　loved　me　the　best　of　us；　because　I　was　such　a
fine　leveret；　with　a　pretty　grey　patch　on　my　left　ear。　Just　as　I　had
finished　drinking　another　hare　came　who　was　my　father。　He　was　very
large；　with　a　glossy　coat　and　big　shining　eyes　that　always　seemed　to
see　everything；　even　when　it　was　behind　him。

He　was　frightened　about　something；　and　hustled　my　mother　and　us　little
ones　out　of　the　wheat…field　into　the　big　wood　by　which　it　is　bordered。
As　we　left　the　field　I　saw　two　tall　creatures　that　afterwards　I　came
to　know　were　men。　They　were　placing　wire…netting　round　the　fieldyou
see　I　understand　now　what　all　these　things　were；　although　of　course　I
did　not　at　the　time。　The　two　ends　of　the　wire　netting　had　nearly　come
together。　There　was　only　a　little　gap　left　through　which　we　could　run。
Another　young　hare；　or　it　may　have　been　a　rabbit；　had　got　entangled　in
it；　and　one　of　the　men　was　beating　it　to　death　with　a　stick。　I
remember　that　the　sound　of　its　screams　made　me　feel　cold　down　the
back；　for　I　had　never　heard　anything　like　that　before；　and　this　was
the　first　that　I　had　seen　of　pain　and　death。

The　other　man　saw　us　slipping　through　and　ran　at　us　with　his　stick。　My
mother　went　first　and　escaped　him。　Then　came　my　sister；　then　I；　then
my　brother。　My　father　was　last　of　all。　The　man　hit　with　his　stick　and
it　came　down　thud　along　side　of　me；　just　touching　my　fur。　He　hit　again
and　broke　the　foreleg　of　my　brother。　Still　we　all　managed　to　get
through　into　the　wood；　except　my　father　who　was　behind。

〃There's　the　old　buck！〃　cried　one　of　the　men　（I　understand　what　he
said　now；　though　at　the　time　it　meant　nothing　to　me）。　〃Knock　him　on
the　head！〃

So　leaving　us　alone　they　ran　at　him。　But　my　father　was　much　too　quick
for　them。　He　rushed　back　into　the　corn　and　afterwards　joined　us　in　the
wood；　for　he　had　seen　wire　before　and　knew　how　to　escape　it。　Still　he
was　terribly　frightened　and　made　us　keep　in　the　wood　till　the
following　evening；　not　even　allowing　my　mother　to　go　to　her　form　in
the　rough　pasture　on　its　other　side　and　lie　up　there。

Also　we　were　in　trouble　because　my　brother's　forepaw　was　broken。　It
gave　him　a　great　deal　of　pain；　so　that　he　could　not　rest　or　sleep。
After　a　while；　however；　it　mended　up　in　a　fashion；　but　he　was　never
able　to　run　as　fast　as　we　could；　nor　did　he　grow　so　big。　In　the　end
the　mother　fox　killed　him；　as　I　shall　tell。

My　mother　asked　my　father　what　the　men　with　the　sticks　were　doing
for；　you　know；　many　animals　can　talk　to　each　other　in　their　own　way；
even　if　they　are　of　different　kinds。　He　told　her　that　they　were
protecting　the　wheat　to　prevent　us　from　eating　it；　to　which　she
answered　angrily　that　hares　must　live　somehow；　especially　when　they
had　young　ones　to　nurse。　My　father　replied　that　men　did　not　seem　to
think　so；　and　perhaps　they　had　young　ones　also。　I　see　now　that　my
father　was　a　philosophic　hare。　But　are　you　tired　of　my　story？

〃Not　at　all；〃　I　answered；　〃go　on；　please。　It　is　very　interesting　to
hear　things　described　from　the　animal's　point　of　view；　especially　when
that　animal　has　grown　wise　and　learned　to　understand。〃

〃Ah；〃　answered　the　Hare。　〃I　see　what　you　mean。　And　it　is　odd；　but　I　do
understand。　All　has　become　clear　to　me。　I　don't　know　what　happened
when　I　died；　but　there　came　a　change；　and　I　knew　that　I　who　was　but　a
beast　always　have　been　and　still　am　a　necessary　part　of　everything　as
much　as　you　are；　though　more　helpless　and　humble。　Yes；　I　am　as　ancient
and　as　far…reaching　as　yourself；　but　how　I　began　and　how　I　shall　end
is　dark　to　me。　Well；　I　will　go　on　with　my　story。

It　must　have　been　a　moon　or　so　later；　after　my　mother　had　given　up
nursing　me；　that　I　went　to　lie　out　by　myself。　There　was　a　big　house　on
the　hillside　overlooking　the　sea；　and　near　to　it　were　gardens
surrounded　by　a　wall。　Also　outside　of　this　wall　was　another　patch　of
garden　where　cabbages　grew。　I　found　a　way　to　those　cabbages　and　kept
it　secret；　for　I　was　greedy　and　wanted　them　all　for　myself。　I　used　to
creep　in　at　night　and　eat　them；　also　some　flowers　with　spiky　leaves
that　grew　round　them　which　had　a　very　fine　flavour。　Then　after　the
dawn　came　I　went　to　a　form　which　I　had　made　under　a　furze　bush　on　the
slope　that　ran　down　to　the　sea；　and　slept　there。

One　day　I　was　awakened　by　something　white；　hard；　and　round　which
rolled　gently　and　stopped　still　quite　close　to　me。　It　was　not　alive；
although　it　had　a　queer　smell；　and　I　wondered　why　it　moved　at　all。
Presently　I　heard　voices　and　there　appeared　a　little　man；　and　with　him
somebody　who　was　not　a　man　because　it　was　differently　dressed　and
spoke　in　a　higher　voice。　I　saw　that　they　had　sticks　in　their　hands　and
thought　of　running　away；　then　that　it　would　be　safer　to　lie　quite
close。　They　came　up　to　me　and　the　little　man　said

〃There's　the　ball；　pick　it　up；　Ella；　the　lie　is　too　bad。〃

She；　for　now　I　know　it　was　what　is　called　a　girl；　stooped　to　obey　and
saw　my　back。

〃Tom；〃　she　said　in　a　whisper；　〃here's　a　young　hare　on　its　form。〃

〃Get　out　of　the　light；〃　he　answered；　〃and　I'll　kill　it；〃　and　he　lifted
the　stick　he　held；　which　had　a　twisted　iron　end。

〃No；〃　she　said；　〃catch　it　alive；　I　want　a　hare　to　be　a　friend　to　my
rabbit；　which　has　lost　all　its　little　ones。〃

〃Lost　them？　Eaten　them；　you　mean；　because　you　would　always　go　and
stare　at　it；〃　said　Tom。　〃Where's　the　leveret？　Oh！　I　see。　Now；　look
out！〃

A　moment　later　and　I　was　in　darkness。　Tom　had　thrown　himself　upon　the
top　of　me　and　was　grabbing　at　me　with　his　hands。　I　nearly　got　away；
but　as　my　head　poked　up　under　his　arm　the　girl　caught　hold　of　it。

〃Oh！　it's　scratching；〃　she　cried；　as　indeed　I　was　with　all　my　might。
〃Hold　it；　Tom；　hold　it！〃

〃Hold　it　yourself；〃　said　Tom；　〃my　face　is　full　of　furze　prickles。〃　So
she　held　and　presently　he　helped　her；　till　in　the　end　I　was　tied　up　in
a　pocket…handkerchief　and　carried　I　knew　not　whither。　Indeed　I　was
almost　mad　with　fear。

When　I　came　to　myself　I　found　that　I　was　within　a　kind　of　wire　run
which　smelt　foully；　as　though　hundreds　of　things　had　lived　in　it　for
years。　There　was　a　hutch　at　the　end　of　the　run　in　which　sat　an
enormous　she…rabbit；　quite　as　big　as　my　mother；　a　fierce…looking　brute
with　long　yellow　teeth。　I　was　afraid　of　that　rabbit　and　got　as　far
from　it　as　I　could。　Presently　it　hopped　out　and　looked　at　me。

〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　it　asked。　〃Can't　you　talk？　Well；　it　doesn't
matter。　If　I　get　hungry　I'll　eat　you！　Do　you　hear　that？　I'll　eat　you；
as　I　did　all　the　others；〃　and　it　showed　its　big　yellow　teeth　and
hopped　back　into　the　hutch。

After　that　Tom　and　the　girl　came　and　gave　us　plenty　of　food　which　the
big　rabbit　ate；　for　I　could　touch　nothing。　For　two　days　they　came；　and
then　I　think　they　forgot　all　about　us。　I　grew　very　hungry；　and　at
night　filled　myself　with　some　of　the　remaining　food；　such　as　stale
cabbage　leaves。　By　next　morning　all　was　gone；　and　the　big　rabbit　grew
hungry　also。　All　that　day　it　hopped　about　sniffing　at　me　and　showing
its　yellow　teeth。

〃I　shall　eat　you　to…night；〃　it　said。

I