the song of the cardinal-第10章

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He　sang　and　sang。　　Every　impulse　of　passion　in　his　big；　crimson；

palpitating　body　was　thrown　into　those　notes；　but　she　only　turned

her　head　from　side　to　side；　peering　at　him；　seeming　sufficiently

frightened　to　flee　at　a　breath；　and　answered　not　even　the

faintest　little　〃Chook！〃　of　encouragement。



The　Cardinal　rested　a　second　before　he　tried　again。　　That

steadied　him　and　gave　him　better　command　of　himself。　　He　could

tell　that　his　notes　were　clearing　and　growing　sweeter。　　He　was

improving。　　Perhaps　she　was　interested。　　There　was　some

encouragement　in　the　fact　that　she　was　still　there。　　The　Cardinal

felt　that　his　time　had　come。



〃Come　here！　Come　here！〃　He　was　on　his　mettle　now。　　Surely　no

cardinal　could　sing　fuller；　clearer；　sweeter　notes！　He　began　at

the　very　first；　and　rollicked　through　a　story　of　adventure；

colouring　it　with　every　wild；　dashing；　catchy　note　he　could

improvise。　　He　followed　that　with　a　rippling　song　of　the　joy　and

fulness　of　spring；　in　notes　as　light　and　airy　as　the　wind…blown

soul　of　melody；　and　with　swaying　body　kept　time　to　his　rhythmic

measures。　　Then　he　glided　into　a　song　of　love；　and　tenderly；

pleadingly；　passionately；　told　the　story　as　only　a　courting　bird

can　tell　it。　　Then　he　sang　a　song　of　ravishment；　a　song　quavering

with　fear　and　the　pain　tugging　at　his　heart。　　He　almost　had　run

the　gamut；　and　she　really　appeared　as　if　she　intended　to　flee

rather　than　to　come　to　him。　　He　was　afraid　to　take　even　one　timid

little　hop　toward　her。



In　a　fit　of　desperation　the　Cardinal　burst　into　the　passion　song。



He　arose　to　his　full　height；　leaned　toward　her　with　outspread

quivering　wings；　and　crest　flared　to　the　utmost；　and　rocking　from

side　to　side　in　the　intensity　of　his　fervour；　he　poured　out　a

perfect　torrent　of　palpitant　song。　　His　cardinal　body　swayed　to

the　rolling　flood　of　his　ecstatic　tones；　until　he　appeared　like　a

flaming　pulsing　note　of　materialized　music；　as　he　entreated；

coaxed；　commanded；　and　pled。　　From　sheer　exhaustion；　he　threw　up

his　head　to　round　off　the　last　note　he　could　utter；　and

breathlessly　glancing　down　to　see　if　she　were　coming；　caught

sight　of　a　faint　streak　of　gray　in　the　distance。　He　had　planned

so　to　subdue　the　little　female　he　courted　that　she　would　come　to

him；　he　was　in　hot　pursuit　a　half　day's　journey　away　before　he

remembered　it。



No　other　cardinal　ever　endured　such　a　chase　as　she　led　him　in　the

following　days。　　Through　fear　and　timidity　she　had　kept　most　of

her　life　in　the　underbrush。　　The　Cardinal　was　a　bird　of　the　open

fields　and　tree…tops。　　He　loved　to　rock　with　the　wind；　and　speed

arrow…like　in　great　plunges　of　flight。　　This　darting　and　twisting

over　logs；　among　leaves；　and　through　tangled　thickets；　tired；

tried；　and　exasperated　him　more　than　hundreds　of　miles　of　open

flight。　　Sometimes　he　drove　her　from　cover；　and　then　she　wildly

dashed　up…hill　and　down…dale；　seeking　another　thicket；　but

wherever　she　went；　the　Cardinal　was　only　a　breath　behind　her；　and

with　every　passing　mile　his　passion　for　her　grew。



There　was　no　time　to　eat；　bathe；　or　sing；　only　mile　after　mile　of

unceasing　pursuit。　　It　seemed　that　the　little　creature　could　not

stop　if　she　would；　and　as　for　the　Cardinal；　he　was　in　that　chase

to　remain　until　his　last　heart…beat。　　It　was　a　question　how　the

frightened　bird　kept　in　advance。　　She　was　visibly　the　worse　for

this　ardent　courtship。　　Two　tail　feathers　were　gone；　and　there

was　a　broken　one　beating　from　her　wing。　　Once　she　had　flown　too

low；　striking　her　head　against　a　rail　until　a　drop　of　blood　came；

and　she　cried　pitifully。　　Several　times　the　Cardinal　had　cornered

her；　and　tried　to　hold　her　by　a　bunch　of　feathers；　and　compel　her

by　force　to　listen　to　reason；　but　she　only　broke　from　his　hold

and　dashed　away　a　stricken　thing；　leaving　him　half　dead　with

longing　and　remorse。



But　no　matter　how　baffled　she　grew；　or　where　she　fled　in　her

headlong　flight；　the　one　thing　she　always　remembered；　was　not　to

lead　the　Cardinal　into　the　punishment　that　awaited　him　in　Rainbow

Bottom。　　Panting　for　breath；　quivering　with　fear；　longing　for

well…concealed　retreats；　worn　and　half　blinded　by　the　disasters

of　flight　through　strange　country；　the　tired　bird　beat　her

aimless　way；　but　she　would　have　been　torn　to　pieces　before　she

would　have　led　her　magnificent　pursuer　into　the　wrath　of　his

enemies。



Poor　little　feathered　creature！　　She　had　been　fleeing　some　kind

of　danger　all　her　life。　　She　could　not　realize　that　love　and

protection　had　come　in　this　splendid　guise；　and　she　fled　on　and

on。



Once　the　Cardinal；　aching　with　passion　and　love；　fell　behind　that

she　might　rest；　and　before　he　realized　that　another　bird　was

close；　an　impudent　big　relative　of　his；　straying　from　the

Limberlost；　entered　the　race　and　pursued　her　so　hotly　that　with　a

note　of　utter　panic　she　wheeled　and　darted　back　to　the　Cardinal

for　protection。　　When　to　the　rush　of　rage　that　possessed　him　at

the　sight　of　a　rival　was　added　the　knowledge　that　she　was　seeking

him　in　her　extremity；　such　a　mighty　wave　of　anger　swept　the

Cardinal　that　he　appeared　twice　his　real　size。　　Like　a　flaming

brand　of　vengeance　he　struck　that　Limberlost　upstart；　and　sent

him　rolling　to　earth；　a　mass　of　battered　feathers。　　With　beak　and

claw　he　made　his　attack；　and　when　he　so　utterly　demolished　his

rival　that　he　hopped　away　trembling；　with　dishevelled　plumage

stained　with　his　own　blood；　the　Cardinal　remembered　his　little

love　and　hastened　back；　confidently　hoping　for　his　reward。



She　was　so　securely　hidden；　that　although　he　went　searching；

calling；　pleading；　he　found　no　trace　of　her　the　remainder　of　that

day。　　The　Cardinal　almost　went　distracted；　and　his　tender

imploring　cries　would　have　moved　any　except　a　panic…stricken

bird。　　He　did　not　even　know　in　what　direction　to　pursue　her。　

Night　closed　down；　and　found　him　in　a　fever　of　love…sick　fear；

but　it　brought　rest　and　wisdom。　　She　could　not　have　gone　very

far。　　She　was　too　worn。　　He　would　not　proclaim　his　presence。　

Soon　she　would　suffer　past　enduring　for　food　and　water。



He　hid　in　the　willows　close　where　he　had　lost　her；　and　waited

with　what　patience　he　could；　and　it　was　a　wise　plan。　　Shortly

after　dawn；　moving　stilly　as　the　break　of　day；　trembling　with

fear；　she　came　slipping　to　the　river　for　a　drink。　　It　was　almost

brutal　cruelty；　but　her　fear　must　be　overcome　someway；　and　with　a

cry　of　triumph　the　Cardinal；　in　a　plunge　of　flight；　was　beside

her。　　She　gave　him　one　stricken　look；　and　dashed　away。　　The　chase

began　once　more　and　continued　until　she　was　visibly　breaking。



There　was　no　room　for　a　rival　that　morning。　　The　Cardinal　flew

abreast　of　her　and　gave　her　a　caress　or　attempted　a　kiss　whenever

he　found　the　slightest　chance。　　She　was　almost　worn　out；　her

flights　were　wavering　and　growing　shorter。　　The　Cardinal　did　his

utmost。　　If　she　paused　to　rest；　he　crept　close　as　he　dared；　and

piteously　begged：　〃Come　here！　Come　here！〃



When　she　took　wing；　he　so　dexterously　intercepted　her　course　that

several　time　she　found　refuge　in　his　sumac　without　realizing

where　she　was。　　When　she　did　that；　he　perched　just　as　closely　as

he　dared；　and　while　they　both　rested；　he　sang　to　her　a　soft

little　whispered　love　song；　deep　in　his　throat；　and　with　every

note　he　gently　edged　nearer。　　She　turned　her　head　from　him；　and

although　she　was　panting　for　breath　and　palpitant　with　fear；　the

Cardinal　knew　that　he　dared　not　go　closer；　or　she　would　dash　away

like　the　wild　thing　she　was。　　The　next　time　she　took　wing；　she

found　him　so　persistently　in　her　course　that　she　turned　sharply

and　fled　panting　to　the　sumac。　　When　this　had　happened　so　often

that　she　seemed　to　recognize　the　sumac　as　a　place　of　refuge；　the

Cardinal　slipped　aside　and　spent　all　his　remaining　breath　in　an

exultant　whistle　of　triumph；　for　now　he　was　beginning　to　see　his

way。　　He　dashed　into　mid…air；　and　with　a　gyration　that　would　have

done　credit　to　a　flyca