the song of the cardinal-第13章

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turning　somersaults　in　the　air；　and　screaming　with　bursting

exuberance：　〃Come　here！　Come　here！〃







Chapter　4



〃So　dear！　So　dear！〃　crooned　the　Cardinal





She　had　taken　possession　of　the　sumac。　　The　location　was　her

selection　and　he　loudly　applauded　her　choice。　　She　placed　the

first　twig；　and　after　examining　it　carefully；　he　spent　the　day

carrying　her　others　just　as　much　alike　as　possible。　　If　she　used

a　dried　grass　blade；　he　carried　grass　blades　until　she　began

dropping　them　on　the　ground。　　If　she　worked　in　a　bit　of　wild

grape…vine　bark；　he　peeled　grape…vines　until　she　would　have　no

more。　　It　never　occurred　to　him　that　he　was　the　largest　cardinal

in　the　woods；　in　those　days；　and　he　had　forgotten　that　he　wore　a

red　coat。　　She　was　not　a　skilled　architect。　　Her　nest　certainly

was　a　loose　ramshackle　affair；　but　she　had　built　it；　and　had

allowed　him　to　help　her。　　It　was　hers；　and　he　improvised　a　paean

in　its　praise。　　Every　morning　he　perched　on　the　edge　of　the　nest

and　gazed　in　songless　wonder　at　each　beautiful　new　egg；　and

whenever　she　came　to　brood　she　sat　as　if　entranced；　eyeing　her

treasures　in　an　ecstasy　of　proud　possession。



Then　she　nestled　them　against　her　warm　breast；　and　turned　adoring

eyes　toward　the　Cardinal。　　If　he　sang　from　the　dogwood；　she　faced

that　way。　　If　he　rocked　on　the　wild　grape…vine；　she　turned　in　her

nest。　　If　he　went　to　the　corn　field　for　grubs；　she　stood　astride

her　eggs　and　peered　down；　watching　his　every　movement　with

unconcealed　anxiety。　　The　Cardinal　forgot　to　be　vain　of　his

beauty；　she　delighted　in　it　every　hour　of　the　day。　　Shy　and　timid

beyond　belief　she　had　been　during　her　courtship；　but　she　made

reparation　by　being　an　incomparably　generous　and　devoted　mate。



And　the　Cardinal！　He　was　astonished　to　find　himself　capable　of　so

much　and　such　varied　feeling。　　It　was　not　enough　that　he　brooded

while　she　went　to　bathe　and　exercise。　　The　daintiest　of　every

morsel　he　found　was　carried　to　her。　　When　she　refused　to　swallow

another　particle；　he　perched　on　a　twig　close　by　the　nest　many

times　in　a　day；　and　with　sleek　feathers　and　lowered　crest；　gazed

at　her　in　silent　worshipful　adoration。



Up　and　down　the　river　bank　he　flamed　and　rioted。　　In　the　sumac　he

uttered　not　the　faintest　〃Chip！〃　that　might　attract　attention。　

He　was　so　anxious　to　be　inconspicuous　that　he　appeared　only　half

his　real　size。　　Always　on　leaving　he　gave　her　a　tender　little

peck　and　ran　his　beak　the　length　of　her　winga　characteristic

caress　that　he　delighted　to　bestow　on　her。



If　he　felt　that　he　was　disturbing　her　too　often；　he　perched　on

the　dogwood　and　sang　for　life；　and　love；　and　happiness。　　His

music　was　in　a　minor　key　now。　　The　high；　exultant；　ringing　notes

of　passion　were　mellowed　and　subdued。　　He　was　improvising　cradle

songs　and　lullabies。　　He　was　telling　her　how　he　loved　her；　how　he

would　fight　for　her；　how　he　was　watching　over　her；　how　he　would

signal　if　any　danger　were　approaching；　how　proud　he　was　of　her；

what　a　perfect　nest　she　had　built；　how　beautiful　he　thought　her

eggs；　what　magnificent　babies　they　would　produce。　　Full　of

tenderness；　melting　with　love；　liquid　with　sweetness；　the

Cardinal　sang　to　his　patient　little　brooding　mate：　〃So　dear！　So

dear！〃



The　farmer　leaned　on　his　corn…planter　and　listened　to　him

intently。　　〃I　swanny！　　If　he　hasn't　changed　his　song　again；　an'

this　time　I'm　blest　if　I　can　tell　what　he's　saying！〃　　Every　time

the　Cardinal　lifted　his　voice；　the　clip　of　the　corn…planter

ceased；　and　Abram　hung　on　the　notes　and　studied　them　over。



One　night　he　said　to　his　wife：　〃Maria；　have　you　been　noticin'　the

redbird　of　late？　　He's　changed　to　a　new　tune；　an'　this　time　I'm

completely　stalled。　　I　can't　for　the　life　of　me　make　out　what

he's　saying。　　S'pose　you　step　down　to…morrow　an'　see　if　you　can

catch　it　for　me。　　I'd　give　a　pretty　to　know！〃



Maria　felt　flattered。　　She　always　had　believed　that　she　had　a

musical　ear。　　Here　was　an　opportunity　to　test　it　and　please　Abram

at　the　same　time。　　She　hastened　her　work　the　following　morning；

and　very　early　slipped　along　the　line　fence。　　Hiding　behind　the

oak；　with　straining　ear　and　throbbing　heart；　she　eagerly

listened。　　〃Clip；　clip；〃　came　the　sound　of　the　planter；　as

Abram's　dear　old　figure　trudged　up　the　hill。　　〃Chip！　Chip！〃　came

the　warning　of　the　Cardinal；　as　he　flew　to　his　mate。



He　gave　her　some　food；　stroked　her　wing；　and　flying　to　the

dogwood；　sang　of　the　love　that　encompassed　him。　　As　he　trilled

forth　his　tender　caressing　strain；　the　heart　of　the　listening

woman　translated　as　did　that　of　the　brooding　bird。



With　shining　eyes　and　flushed　cheeks；　she　sped　down　the　fence。

Panting　and　palpitating　with　excitement；　she　met　Abram　half…way

on　his　return　trip。　　Forgetful　of　her　habitual　reserve；　she　threw

her　arms　around　his　neck；　and　drawing　his　face　to　hers；　she

cried：　〃Oh；　Abram！　　I　got　it！　　I　got　it！　　I　know　what　he's

saying！　Oh；　Abram；　my　love！　　My　own！　　To　me　so　dear！　　So　dear！〃



〃So　dear！　　So　dear！〃　echoed　the　Cardinal。



The　bewilderment　in　Abram's　face　melted　into　comprehension。　　He

swept　Maria　from　her　feet　as　he　lifted　his　head。



〃On　my　soul！　　You　have　got　it；　honey！　　That's　what　he's　saying；

plain　as　gospel！　　I　can　tell　it　plainer'n　anything　he's　sung　yet；

now　I　sense　it。〃



He　gathered　Maria　in　his　arms；　pressed　her　head　against　his

breast　with　a　trembling　old　hand；　while　the　face　he　turned　to　the

morning　was　beautiful。



〃I　wish　to　God；〃　he　said　quaveringly；　〃'at　every　creature　on

earth　was　as　well　fixed　as　me　an'　the　redbird！〃　Clasping　each

other；　they　listened　with　rapt　faces；　as；　mellowing　across　the

corn　field；　came　the　notes　of　the　Cardinal：　〃So　dear！　So　dear！〃



After　that　Abram's　devotion　to　his　bird　family　became　a　mild

mania。　　He　carried　food　to　the　top　rail　of　the　line　fence　every

day；　rain　or　shine；　with　the　same　regularity　that　he　curried　and

fed　Nancy　in　the　barn。　　From　caring　for　and　so　loving　the

Cardinal；　there　grew　in　his　tender　old　heart　a　welling　flood　of

sympathy　for　every　bird　that　homed　on　his　farm。



He　drove　a　stake　to　mark　the　spot　where　the　killdeer　hen　brooded

in　the　corn　field；　so　that　he　would　not　drive　Nancy　over　the

nest。　　When　he　closed　the　bars　at　the　end　of　the　lane；　he　always

was　careful　to　leave　the　third　one　down；　for　there　was　a　chippy

brooding　in　the　opening　where　it　fitted　when　closed。　　Alders　and

sweetbriers　grew　in　his　fence　corners　undisturbed　that　spring　if

he　discovered　that　they　sheltered　an　anxious…eyed　little　mother。

He　left　a　square　yard　of　clover　unmowed；　because　it　seemed　to　him

that　the　lark；　singing　nearer　the　Throne　than　any　other　bird；　was

picking　up　stray　notes　dropped　by　the　Invisible　Choir；　and　with

unequalled　purity　and　tenderness；　sending　them　ringing　down　to

his　brooding　mate；　whose　home　and　happiness　would　be　despoiled　by

the　reaping　of　that　spot　of　green。　　He　delayed　burning　the

brush…heap　from　the　spring　pruning；　back　of　the　orchard；　until

fall；　when　he　found　it　housed　a　pair　of　fine　thrushes；　for　the

song　of　the　thrush　delighted　him　almost　as　much　as　that　of　the

lark。　　He　left　a　hollow　limb　on　the　old　red　pearmain　apple…tree；

because　when　he　came　to　cut　it　there　was　a　pair　of　bluebirds

twittering　around；　frantic　with　anxiety。



His　pockets　were　bulgy　with　wheat　and　crumbs；　and　his　heart　was

big　with　happiness。　　It　was　the　golden　springtime　of　his　later

life。　　The　sky　never　had　seemed　so　blue；　or　the　earth　so

beautiful。　　The　Cardinal　had　opened　the　fountains　of　his　soul；

life　took　on　a　new　colour　and　joy；　while　every　work　of　God

manifested　a　fresh　and　heretofore　unappreciated　loveliness。　　His

very　muscles　seemed　to　relax；　and　new　strength　arose　to　meet　the

demands　of　his　uplifted　spirit。　　He　had　not　finished　his　day's

work　with　such　ease　and　pleasure　in　years；　and　he　could　see　the

influence　of　his　rejuvenation　in　Maria。　　She　was　flitting　around

her　house　with　broken　snat