the song of the cardinal-第9章

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morning　found　her　at　the　down　curve　of　the　horseshoe；　straining

her　ears　for　the　rarest　note　she　ever　had　heard。　　All　day　she　hid

and　waited；　and　the　following　days　were　filled　with　longing；　but

he　never　came　again。



So　one　morning；　possessed　with　courage　she　did　not　understand；

and　filled　with　longing　that　drove　her　against　her　will；　she

started　down　the　river。　　For　miles　she　sneaked　through　the

underbrush；　and　watched　and　listened；　until　at　last　night　came；

and　she　returned　to　Rainbow　Bottom。　　The　next　morning　she　set　out

early　and　flew　to　the　spot　from　which　she　had　turned　back　the

night　before。　　From　there　she　glided　through　the　bushes　and

underbrush；　trembling　and　quaking；　yet　pushing　stoutly　onward；

straining　her　ears　for　some　note　of　the　brilliant　stranger's。



It　was　mid…forenoon　when　she　reached　the　region　of　the　sumac；　and

as　she　hopped　warily　along；　only　a　short　distance　from　her；　full

and　splendid；　there　burst　the　voice　of　the　singer　for　whom　she

was　searching。　　She　sprang　into　air；　and　fled　a　mile　before　she

realized　that　she　was　flying。　　Then　she　stopped　and　listened；　and

rolling　with　the　river；　she　heard　those　bold　true　tones。　　Close

to　earth；　she　went　back　again；　to　see　if；　unobserved；　she　could

find　a　spot　where　she　might　watch　the　stranger　that　had　kissed

her。　When　at　last　she　reached　a　place　where　she　could　see　him

plainly；　his　beauty　was　so　bewildering；　and　his　song　so　enticing

that　she　gradually　hopped　closer　and　closer　without　knowing　she

was　moving。



High　in　the　sumac　the　Cardinal　had　sung　until　his　throat　was

parched；　and　the　fountain　of　hope　was　almost　dry。　　There　was

nothing　save　defeat　from　overwhelming　numbers　in　Rainbow　Bottom。

He　had　paraded；　and　made　all　the　music　he　ever　had　been　taught；

and　improvised　much　more。　　Yet　no　one　had　come　to　seek　him。　　Was

it　of　necessity　to　be　the　Limberlost　then？　This　one　day　more　he

would　retain　his　dignity　and　his　location。　　He　tipped；　tilted；

and　flirted。　　He　whistled；　and　sang；　and　trilled。　　Over　the

lowland　and　up　and　down　the　shining　river；　ringing　in　every

change　he　could　invent；　he　sent　for　the　last　time　his　prophetic

message；　〃Wet　year！　Wet　year！〃







Chapter　3



〃Come　here！　Come　here！〃　entreated　the　Cardinal





He　felt　that　his　music　was　not　reaching　his　standard　as　he　burst

into　this　new　song。　　He　was　almost　discouraged。　　No　way　seemed

open　to　him　but　flight　to　the　Limberlost；　and　he　so　disdained　the

swamp　that　love…making　would　lose　something　of　its　greatest　charm

if　he　were　driven　there　for　a　mate。　　The　time　seemed　ripe　for

stringent　measures；　and　the　Cardinal　was　ready　to　take　them；　but

how　could　he　stringently　urge　a　little　mate　that　would　not　come

on　his　imploring　invitations？　　He　listlessly　pecked　at　the

berries　and　flung　abroad　an　inquiring　〃Chip！〃　With　just　an　atom

of　hope；　he　frequently　mounted　to　his　choir…loft　and　issued　an

order　that　savoured　far　more　of　a　plea；　〃Come　here！　Come　here！〃

and　then；　leaning；　he　listened　intently　to　the　voice　of　the

river；　lest　he　fail　to　catch　the　faintest　responsive　〃Chook！〃　it

might　bear。



He　could　hear　the　sniffling　of　carp　wallowing　beside　the　bank。　　A

big　pickerel　slashed　around；　breakfasting　on　minnows。　　Opposite

the　sumac；　the　black　bass；　with　gamy　spring；　snapped　up；　before

it　struck　the　water；　every　luckless；　honey…laden　insect　that　fell

from　the　feast　of　sweets　in　a　blossom…whitened　wild　crab。　　The

sharp　bark　of　the　red　squirrel　and　the　low　of　cattle；　lazily

chewing　their　cuds　among　the　willows；　came　to　him。　　The　hammering

of　a　woodpecker　on　a　dead　sycamore；　a　little　above　him；　rolled　to

his　straining　ears　like　a　drum　beat。



The　Cardinal　hated　the　woodpecker　more　than　he　disliked　the　dove。



It　was　only　foolishly　effusive；　but　the　woodpecker　was　a

veritable　Bluebeard。　　The　Cardinal　longed　to　pull　the　feathers

from　his　back　until　it　was　as　red　as　his　head；　for　the　woodpecker

had　dressed　his　suit　in　finest　style；　and　with　dulcet　tones　and

melting　tenderness　had　gone　acourting。　　Sweet　as　the　dove's　had

been　his　wooing；　and　one　more　pang　the　lonely　Cardinal　had

suffered　at　being　forced　to　witness　his　felicity；　yet　scarcely

had　his　plump；　amiable　little　mate　consented　to　his　caresses　and

approved　the　sycamore；　before　he　turned　on　her；　pecked　her

severely；　and　pulled　a　tuft　of　plumage　from　her　breast。　　There

was　not　the　least　excuse　for　this　tyrannical　action；　and　the

sight　filled　the　Cardinal　with　rage。　　He　fully　expected　to　see

Madam　Woodpecker　divorce　herself　and　flee　her　new　home；　and　he

most　earnestly　hoped　that　she　would；　but　she　did　no　such　thing。　

She　meekly　flattened　her　feathers；　hurried　work　in　a　lively

manner；　and　tried　in　every　way　to　anticipate　and　avert　her　mate's

displeasure。　　Under　this　treatment　he　grew　more　abusive；　and　now

Madam　Woodpecker　dodged　every　time　she　came　within　his　reach。　　It

made　the　Cardinal　feel　so　vengeful　that　he　longed　to　go　up　and

drum　the　sycamore　with　the　woodpecker's　head　until　he　taught　him

how　to　treat　his　mate　properly。



There　was　plently　of　lark　music　rolling　with　the　river；　and　that

morning　brought　the　first　liquid　golden　notes　of　the　orioles。

They　had　arrived　at　dawn；　and　were　overjoyed　with　their

homecoming；　for　they　were　darting　from　bank　to　bank　singing

exquisitely　on　wing。　　There　seemed　no　end　to　the　bird　voices　that

floated　with　the　river；　and　yet　there　was　no　beginning　to　the　one

voice　for　which　the　Cardinal　waited　with　passionate　longing。



The　oriole's　singing　was　so　inspiring　that　it　tempted　the

Cardinal　to　another　effort；　and　perching　where　he　gleamed　crimson

and　black　against　the　April　sky；　he　tested　his　voice；　and　when

sure　of　his　tones；　he　entreatingly　called：　〃Come　here！　Come

here！〃



Just　then　he　saw　her！　　She　came　daintily　over　the　earth；　soft　as

down　before　the　wind；　a　rosy　flush　suffusing　her　plumage；　a　coral

beak；　her　very　feet　pinkthe　shyest；　most　timid　little　thing

alive。　　Her　bright　eyes　were　popping　with　fear；　and　down　there

among　the　ferns；　anemones　and　last　year's　dried　leaves；　she

tilted　her　sleek　crested　head　and　peered　at　him　with　frightened

wonder　and　silent　helplessness。



It　was　for　this　the　Cardinal　had　waited；　hoped；　and　planned　for

many　days。　　He　had　rehearsed　what　he　conceived　to　be　every　point

of　the　situation；　and　yet　he　was　not　prepared　for　the　thing　that

suddenly　happened　to　him。　　He　had　expected　to　reject　many

applicants　before　he　selected　one　to　match　his　charms；　but

instantly　this　shy　little　creature；　slipping　along　near　earth；

taking　a　surreptitious　peep　at　him；　made　him　feel　a　very　small

bird；　and　he　certainly　never　before　had　felt　small。　　The　crushing

possibility　that　somewhere　there　might　be　a　cardinal　that　was

larger；　brighter；　and　a　finer　musician　than　he；　staggered　him；

and　worst　of　all；　his　voice　broke　suddenly　to　his　complete

embarrassment。



Half　screened　by　the　flowers；　she　seemed　so　little；　so　shy；　so

delightfully　sweet。　　He　〃chipped〃　carefully　once　or　twice　to

steady　himself　and　clear　his　throat；　for　unaccountably　it　had

grown　dry　and　husky；　and　then　he　tenderly　tried　again。　　〃Come

here！　Come　here！〃　implored　the　Cardinal。　　He　forgot　all　about　his

dignity。　　He　knew　that　his　voice　was　trembling　with　eagerness　and

hoarse　with　fear。　　He　was　afraid　to　attempt　approaching　her；　but

he　leaned　toward　her；　begging　and　pleading。　　He　teased　and

insisted；　and　he　did　not　care　a　particle　if　he　did。　　It　suddenly

seemed　an　honour　to　coax　her。　　He　rocked　on　the　limb。　　He

side…stepped　and　hopped　and　gyrated　gracefully。　　He　fluffed　and

flirted　and　showed　himself　to　every　advantage。　　It　never　occurred

to　him　that　the　dove　and　the　woodpecker　might　be　watching；　though

he　would　not　have　cared　in　the　least　if　they　had　been；　and　as　for

any　other　cardinal；　he　would　have　attacked　the　combined　forces　of

the　Limberlost　and　Rainbow　Bottom。



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

palpitating