the song of the cardinal-第14章

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influence　of　his　rejuvenation　in　Maria。　　She　was　flitting　around

her　house　with　broken　snatches　of　song；　even　sweeter　to　Abram's

ears　than　the　notes　of　the　birds；　and　in　recent　days　he　had

noticed　that　she　dressed　particularly　for　her　afternoon's　sewing；

putting　on　her　Sunday　lace　collar　and　a　white　apron。　　He

immediately　went　to　town　and　bought　her　a　finer　collar　than　she

ever　had　owned　in　her　life。



Then　he　hunted　a　sign　painter；　and　came　home　bearing　a　number　of

pine　boards　on　which　gleamed　in　big；　shiny　black　letters：　　　　　　　　





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

｜　　NO　HUNTING　ALLOWED　　｜　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

｜　　　　　ON　THIS　FARM　　　　　｜　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　







He　seemed　slightly　embarrassed　when　he　showed　them　to　Maria。　　〃I

feel　a　little　mite　onfriendly；　putting　up　signs　like　that　'fore

my　neighbours；〃　he　admitted；　〃but　the　fact　is；　it　ain't　the

neighbours　so　much　as　it's　boys　that　need　raising；　an'　them　town

creatures　who　call　themselves　sportsmen；　an'　kill　a　hummin'…bird

to　see　if　they　can　hit　it。　　Time　was　when　trees　an'　underbrush

were　full　o'　birds　an'　squirrels；　any　amount　o'　rabbits；　an'　the

fish　fairly　crowdin'　in　the　river。　　I　used　to　kill　all　the　quail

an'　wild　turkeys　about　here　a　body　needed　to　make　an　appetizing

change；　It　was　always　my　plan　to　take　a　little　an'　leave　a

little。　　But　jest　look　at　it　now。　　Surprise　o'　my　life　if　I　get　a

two…pound　bass。　　Wild　turkey　gobblin'　would　scare　me　most　out　of

my　senses；　an'；　as　for　the　birds；　there　are　jest　about　a　fourth

what　there　used　to　be；　an'　the　crops　eaten　to　pay　for　it。　　I'd　do

all　I'm　tryin'　to　for　any　bird；　because　of　its　song　an'　colour；

an'　pretty　teeterin'　ways；　but　I　ain't　so　slow　but　I　see　I'm　paid

in　what　they　do　for　me。　　Up　go　these　signs；　an'　it　won't　be　a

happy　day　for　anybody　I　catch　trespassin'　on　my　birds。〃



Maria　studied　the　signs　meditatively。　　〃You　shouldn't　be　forced

to　put　'em　up；〃　she　said　conclusively。　　〃If　it's　been　decided　'at

it's　good　for　'em　to　be　here；　an'　laws　made　to　protect　'em；

people　ought　to　act　with　some　sense；　an'　leave　them　alone。　　I

never　was　so　int'rested　in　the　birds　in　all　my　life；　an'　I'll

jest　do　a　little　lookin'　out　myself。　　If　you　hear　a　spang　o'　the

dinner　bell　when　you're　out　in　the　field；　you'll　know　it　means

there's　some　one　sneakin'　'round　with　a　gun。〃



Abram　caught　Maria；　and　planted　a　resounding　smack　on　her　cheek；

where　the　roses　of　girlhood　yet　bloomed　for　him。　　Then　he　filled

his　pockets　with　crumbs　and　grain；　and　strolled　to　the　river　to

set　the　Cardinal's　table。　　He　could　hear　the　sharp　incisive

〃Chip！〃　and　the　tender　mellow　love…notes　as　he　left　the　barn；　and

all　the　way　to　the　sumac　they　rang　in　his　ears。



The　Cardinal　met　him　at　the　corner　of　the　field；　and　hopped　over

bushes　and　the　fence　only　a　few　yards　from　him。　　When　Abram　had

scattered　his　store　on　the　rail；　the　bird　came　tipping　and

tilting；　daintily　caught　up　a　crumb；　and　carried　it　to　the　sumac。

His　mate　was　pleased　to　take　it；　and　he　carried　her　one　morsel

after　another　until　she　refused　to　open　her　beak　for　more。　　He

made　a　light　supper　himself；　and　then　swinging　on　the　grape…vine；

he　closed　the　day　with　an　hour　of　music。　　He　repeatedly　turned　a

bright　questioning　eye　toward　Abram；　but　he　never　for　a　moment

lost　sight　of　the　nest　and　the　plump　gray　figure　of　his　little

mate。　　As　she　brooded　over　her　eggs；　he　brooded　over　her；　and

that　she　might　realize　the　depth　and　constancy　of　his　devotion；

he　told　her　repeatedly；　with　every　tender　inflection　he　could

throw　into　his　tones；　that　she　was　〃So　dear！　So　dear！〃



The　Cardinal　had　not　known　that　the　coming　of　the　mate　he　so

coveted　would　fill　his　life　with　such　unceasing　gladness；　and

yet；　on　the　very　day　that　happiness　seemed　at　fullest　measure；

there　was　trouble　in　the　sumac。　　He　had　overstayed　his　time；

chasing　a　fat　moth　he　particularly　wanted　for　his　mate；　and　she；

growing　thirsty　past　endurance；　left　the　nest　and　went　to　the

river。　　Seeing　her　there；　he　made　all　possible　haste　to　take　his

turn　at　brooding；　so　he　arrived　just　in　time　to　see　a　pilfering

red　squirrel　starting　away　with　an　egg。



With　a　vicious　scream　the　Cardinal　struck　him　full　force。　　His

rush　of　rage　cost　the　squirrel　an　eye；　but　it　lost　the　father　a

birdling；　for　the　squirrel　dropped　the　egg　outside　the　nest。　　The

Cardinal　mournfully　carried　away　the　tell…tale　bits　of　shell；　so

that　any　one　seeing　them　would　not　look　up　and　discover　his

treasures。　　That　left　three　eggs；　and　the　brooding　bird　mourned

over　the　lost　one　so　pitifully　that　the　Cardinal　perched　close　to

the　nest　the　remainder　of　the　day；　and　whispered　over　and　over

for　her　comfort　that　she　was　〃So　dear！　So　dear！〃







Chapter　5



〃See　here！　See　here！〃　demanded　the　Cardinal





The　mandate　repeatedly　rang　from　the　topmost　twig　of　the　thorn

tree；　and　yet　the　Cardinal　was　not　in　earnest。　　He　was　beside

himself　with　a　new　and　delightful　excitement；　and　he　found　it

impossible　to　refrain　from　giving　vent　to　his　feelings。　　He　was

commanding　the　farmer　and　every　furred　and　feathered　denizen　of

the　river　bottom　to　see；　then　he　fought　like　a　wild　thing　if　any

of　them　ventured　close；　for　great　things　were　happening　in　the　sumac。



In　past　days　the　Cardinal　had　brooded　an　hour　every　morning　while

his　mate　went　to　take　her　exercise；　bathe；　and　fluff　in　the　sun

parlour。　　He　had　gone　to　her　that　morning　as　usual；　and　she

looked　at　him　with　anxious　eyes　and　refused　to　move。　　He　had

hopped　to　the　very　edge　of　the　nest　and　repeatedly　urged　her　to

go。　　She　only　ruffled　her　feathers；　and　nestled　the　eggs　she　was

brooding　to　turn　them；　but　did　not　offer　to　leave。　　The　Cardinal

reached　over　and　gently　nudged　her　with　his　beak；　to　remind　her

that　it　was　his　time　to　brood；　but　she　looked　at　him　almost

savagely；　and　gave　him　a　sharp　peck；　so　he　knew　she　was　not　to　be

bothered。　　He　carried　her　every　dainty　he　could　find　and　hovered

near　her；　tense　with　anxiety。



It　was　late　in　the　afternoon　before　she　went　after　the　drink　for

which　she　was　half　famished。　　She　scarcely　had　reached　a　willow

and　bent　over　the　water　before　the　Cardinal　was　on　the　edge　of

the　nest。　　He　examined　it　closely；　but　he　could　see　no　change。　

He　leaned　to　give　the　eggs　careful　scrutiny；　and　from　somewhere

there　came　to　him　the　faintest　little　〃Chip！〃　he　ever　had　heard。

Up　went　the　Cardinal's　crest；　and　he　dashed　to　the　willow。　　There

was　no　danger　in　sight；　and　his　mate　was　greedily　dipping　her

rosy　beak　in　the　water。　　He　went　back　to　the　cradle　and　listened

intently；　and　again　that　feeble　cry　came　to　him。　　Under　the　nest；

around　it；　and　all　through　the　sumac　he　searched；　until　at　last；

completely　baffled；　he　came　back　to　the　edge。　　The　sound　was　so

much　plainer　there；　that　he　suddenly　leaned；　caressing　the　eggs

with　his　beak；　then　the　Cardinal　knew！　　He　had　heard　the　first

faint　cries　of　his　shell…incased　babies！



With　a　wild　scream　he　made　a　flying　leap　through　the　air。　　His

heart　was　beating　to　suffocation。　　He　started　in　a　race　down　the

river。　　If　he　alighted　on　a　bush　he　took　only　one　swing；　and

springing　from　it　flamed　on　in　headlong　flight。　　He　flashed　to

the　top　of　the　tallest　tulip　tree；　and　cried　cloudward　to　the

lark：　〃See　here！　See　here！〃　　He　dashed　to　the　river　bank　and　told

the　killdeers；　and　then　visited　the　underbrush　and　informed　the

thrushes　and　wood　robins。　　Father…tender；　he　grew　so　delirious

with　joy　that　he　forgot　his　habitual　aloofness；　and　fraternized

with　every　bird　beside　the　shining　river。　　He　even　laid　aside　his

customary　caution；　went　chipping　into　the　sumac；　and　caressed　his

mate　so　boisterously　she　gazed　at　him　severely　and　gave　his　wing

a　savage　pull　to　recall　him　to　his　sober　senses。



That　night　the　Cardinal　slept　in　the　sumac；　very　close　to　his

mate；　and　he　shut　only　one　eye　at　a　time。　　Early　in　the　morning；

when　he　carried　her　the　first　food；　he　found　that　she　was　on　the

edg