rudder grange-第23部分

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〃You　see；　sir；〃　said　Pomona；　〃it　took　me　so　long　to　write　out　the
chapters　about　my　birth；　my　parentage；　and　my　early　adventures；
that　I　hadn't　time　to　finish　up　the　rest。　　But　I　can　tell　you　what
happened　after　that　jus'　as　well　as　if　I　had　writ　it　out。〃　　And　so
she　went　on；　much　more　glibly　than　before；　with　the　account　of　the
doings　of　the　lightning…rod　man。

〃There　was　that　wretch　on　top　of　the　house；　a…fixin'　his　old　rods
and　hammerin'　away　for　dear　life。　　He'd　brought　his　ladder　over　the
side　fence；　where　the　dog；　a…barkin'　and　plungin'　at　the　boy
outside；　couldn't　see　him。　　I　stood　dumb　for　a　minute；　an'　then　I
know'd　I　had　him。　　I　rushed　into　the　house；　got　a　piece　of　well…
rope；　tied　it　to　the　bull…dog's　collar；　an'　dragged　him　out　and
fastened　him　to　the　bottom　rung　of　the　ladder。　　Then　I　walks　over
to　the　front　fence　with　Lord　Edward's　chain；　for　I　knew　that　if　he
got　at　that　bull…dog　there'd　be　times；　for　they'd　never　been
allowed　to　see　each　other　yet。　　So　says　I　to　the　boy；　'I'm　goin'　to
tie　up　the　dog；　so　you　needn't　be　afraid　of　his　jumpin'　over　the
fence；'which　he　couldn't　do；　or　the　boy　would　have　been　a　corpse
for　twenty　minutes；　or　may　be　half　an　hour。　　The　boy　kinder
laughed；　and　said　I　needn't　mind；　which　I　didn't。　　Then　I　went　to
the　gate；　and　I　clicked　to　the　horse　which　was　standin'　there；　an'
off　he　starts；　as　good　as　gold；　an'　trots　down　the　road。　　The　boy；
he　said　somethin'　or　other　pretty　bad；　an'　away　he　goes　after　him；
but　the　horse　was　a…trottin'　real　fast；　an'　had　a　good　start。〃

〃How　on　earth　could　you　ever　think　of　doing　such　things？〃　said
Euphemia。　　〃That　horse　might　have　upset　the　wagon　and　broken　all
the　lightning…rods；　besides　running　over　I　don't　know　how　many
people。〃

〃But　you　see；　ma'am；　that　wasn't　my　lookout；〃　said　Pomona。　　〃I　was
a…defendin'　the　house；　and　the　enemy　must　expect　to　have　things
happen　to　him。　　So　then　I　hears　an　awful　row　on　the　roof；　and　there
was　the　man　just　coming　down　the　ladder。　　He'd　heard　the　horse　go
off；　and　when　he　got　about　half…way　down　an'　caught　a　sight　of　the
bull…dog；　he　was　madder　than　ever　you　seed　a　lightnin'…rodder　in
all　your　born　days。　　'Take　that　dog　off　of　there！'　he　yelled　at　me。
'No；　I　wont；　says　I。　　'I　never　see　a　girl　like　you　since　I　was
born；'　he　screams　at　me。　　'I　guess　it　would　'a'　been　better　fur　you
if　you　had；'　says　I；　an'　then　he　was　so　mad　he　couldn't　stand　it
any　longer；　and　he　comes　down　as　low　as　he　could；　and　when　he　saw
just　how　long　the　rope　was；which　was　pretty　short；he　made　a
jump；　and　landed　clear　of　the　dog。　　Then　he　went　on　dreadful
because　he　couldn't　get　at　his　ladder　to　take　it　away；　and　I
wouldn't　untie　the　dog；　because　if　I　had　he'd　'a'　torn　the　tendons
out　of　that　fellow's　legs　in　no　time。　　I　never　see　a　dog　in　such　a
boiling　passion；　and　yet　never　making　no　sound　at　all　but　blood…
curdlin'　grunts。　　An'　I　don't　see　how　the　rodder　would　'a'　got　his
ladder　at　all　if　the　dog　hadn't　made　an　awful　jump　at　him；　and
jerked　the　ladder　down。　　It　just　missed　your　geranium…bed；　and　the
rodder；　he　ran　to　the　other　end　of　it；　and　began　pullin'　it　away；
dog　an'　all。　　'Look…a…here；'　says　I；　'we　can　fix　him　now；　and　so　he
cooled　down　enough　to　help　me；　and　I　unlocked　the　front　door；　and
we　pushed　the　bottom　end　of　the　ladder　in；　dog　and　all；　an'　then　I
shut　the　door　as　tight　as　it　would　go；　an'　untied　the　end　of　the
rope；　an'　the　rodder　pulled　the　ladder　out　while　I　held　the　door　to
keep　the　dog　from　follerin'；　which　he　came　pretty　near　doin'；
anyway。　　But　I　locked　him　in；　and　then　the　man　began　stormin'　again
about　his　wagon；　but　when　he　looked　out　an'　see　the　boy　comin'　back
with　it；for　somebody　must　'a'　stopped　the　horse；he　stopped
stormin'　and　went　to　put　up　his　ladder　ag'in。　　'No；　you　don't；'
says　I；　'I'll　let　the　big　dog　loose　next　time；　and　if　I　put　him　at
the　foot　of　your　ladder；　you'll　never　come　down。'　　'But　I　want　to
go　and　take　down　what　I　put　up；'　he　says；　'I　aint　a…goin'　on　with
this　job。'　　'　No；'　says　I；　'you　aint；　and　you　can't　go　up　there　to
wrench　off　them　rods　and　make　rain…holes　in　the　roof；　neither。'　　He
couldn't　get　no　madder　than　he　was　then；　an'　fur　a　minute　or　two　he
couldn't　speak；　an'　then　he　says；　'I'll　have　satisfaction　for
this。'　　An'　says　I；　'How？　　'An'　says　he；　'You'll　see　what　it　is　to
interfere　with　a　ordered　job。'　　An'　says　I；　'There　wasn't　no　order
about　it；'　an'　says　he；　'I'll　show　you　better　than　that；'　an'　he
goes　to　his　wagon　an'　gits　a　book。　　'There；'　says　he；　'read　that。'
'What　of　it？　'says　I　'there's　nobody　of　the　name　of　Ball　lives
here。'　　That　took　the　man　kinder　aback；　and　he　said　he　was　told　it
was　the　only　house　on　the　lane；　which　I　said　was　right；　only　it　was
the　next　lane　he　oughter　'a'　gone　to。　　He　said　no　more　after　that；
but　just　put　his　ladder　in　his　wagon；　and　went　off。　　But　I　was　not
altogether　rid　of　him。　　He　left　a　trail　of　his　baleful　presence
behind　him。

〃That　horrid　bull…dog　wouldn't　let　me　come　into　the　house！　　No
matter　what　door　I　tried；　there　he　was；　just　foamin'　mad。　　I　let
him　stay　till　nearly　night；　and　then　went　and　spoke　kind　to　him；
but　it　was　no　good。　　He'd　got　an　awful　spite　ag'in　me。　　I　found
something　to　eat　down　cellar；　and　I　made　a　fire　outside　an'　roasted
some　corn　and　potatoes。　　That　night　I　slep'　in　the　barn。　　I　wasn't
afraid　to　be　away　from　the　house；　for　I　knew　it　was　safe　enough；
with　that　dog　in　it　and　Lord　Edward　outside。　　For　three　days；
Sunday　an'　all；　I　was　kep'　out　of　this　here　house。　　I　got　along
pretty　well　with　the　sleepin'　and　the　eatin'；　but　the　drinkin'　was
the　worst。　　I　couldn't　get　no　coffee　or　tea；　but　there　was　plenty
of　milk。〃

〃Why　didn't　you　get　some　man　to　come　and　attend　to　the　dog？〃　I
asked。　　〃It　was　dreadful　to　live　that　way。〃

〃Well；　I　didn't　know　no　man　that　could　do　it；〃　said　Pomona。　　〃The
dog　would　'a'　been　too　much　for　Old　John；　and　besides；　he　was　mad
about　the　kerosene。　　Sunday　afternoon；　Captain　Atkinson　and　Mrs。
Atkinson　and　their　little　girl　in　a　push…wagon；　come　here；　and　I
told　'em　you　was　gone　away；　but　they　says　they　would　stop　a　minute；
and　could　I　give　them　a　drink；　an'　I　had　nothin'　to　give　it　to　them
but　an　old　chicken…bowl　that　I　had　washed　out；　for　even　the　dipper
was　in　the　house；　an'　I　told　'em　everything　was　locked　up；　which
was　true　enough；　though　they　must　'a'　thought　you　was　a　queer　kind
of　people；　but　I　wasn't　a…goin'　to　say　nothin'　about　the　dog；　fur；
to　tell　the　truth；　I　was　ashamed　to　do　it。　　So　as　soon　as　they'd
gone；　I　went　down　into　the　cellar；and　it's　lucky　that　I　had　the
key　for　the　outside　cellar　door；and　I　got　a　piece　of　fat　corn…
beef　and　the　meat…axe。　　I　unlocked　the　kitchen　door　and　went　in；
with　the　axe　in　one　hand　and　the　meat　in　the　other。　　The　dog　might
take　his　choice。　　I　know'd　he　must　be　pretty　nigh　famished；　for
there　was　nothin'　that　he　could　get　at　to　eat。　　As　soon　as　I　went
in；　he　came　runnin'　to　me；　but　I　could　see　he　was　shaky　on　his
legs。　　He　looked　a　sort　of　wicked　at　me；　and　then　he　grabbed　the
meat。　　He　was　all　right　then。〃

〃Oh；　my！〃　said　Euphemia；　〃I　am　so　glad　to　hear　that。　　I　was　afraid
you　never　got　in。　　But　we　saw　the　dogis　he　as　savage　yet？〃

〃Oh　no！〃　said　Pomona；　〃nothin'　like　it。〃

〃Look　here；　Pomona；〃　said　I；　〃I　want　to　know　about　those　taxes。
When　do　they　come　into　your　story？〃

〃Pretty　soon；　sir；〃　said　she；　and　she　went　on：

〃After　that；　I　know'd　it　wouldn't　do　to　have　them　two　dogs　so　that
they'd　have　to　be　tied　up　if　they　see　each　other。　　Just　as　like　as
not　I'd　want　them　both　at　once；　and　then　they'd　go　to　fightin'；　and
leave　me　to　settle　with　some　blood…thirsty　lightnin'…rodder。　　So；
as　I　know'd　if　they　once　had　a　fair　fight　and　found　out　which　was
master；　they'd　be　good　friends　afterwards；　I　thought　the　best　thing
to　do　would　be　to　let　'em　fight　it　out；　when　there　was　nothin'　else
for　'em　to　do。　　So　I　fixed　up　things　for　the　combat。〃

〃Why；　Pomona！〃　cried　Euphemia；　〃I　didn't　think　you　were　capable　of
such　a　cruel　thing。〃

〃It　looks　that　way；　ma'am；　but　really　it　aint；〃　replied　the　girl。
〃It　seemed　to　me　as　if　it　would　be　a　mercy　to　both　of　'em　to　have
the　thing　settled。　　So　I　cleared　away　a　place　in　front　of　the　wood…
shed　and　unchained　Lord　Edward；　and　then　I　opened　the　kitchen　door
and　called　the　bull。　　Out　he　came；　with　his　teeth　a…showin'；　and
his　blood…shot　eyes；　and　his　crooked　front　legs。　　Like　lightnin'
from　the　mount'in　blast；　he　made　one　bounce　for　the　big　dog；　and
oh！　what　a　fight　there　was！　　They　rolled；　they　gnashed；　they
knocked　over　the　wood…horse　and　sent　chips　a…flyin'　all　ways　at
wonst。　　I　thought　Lord　Edward　would　whip　in　a　minute　or　two；　but　he
didn't；　for　the　bull　stuck　to　him　like　a　burr；　and　they　was　havin'
it；　ground　and　lofty；　when　I　hears　some　one　run　up　behind　me；　and
turnin'　quick；　there　was　the　'Piscopalian　minister；　'My！　my！　my！'
he　hollers；　'what　a　awful　spectacle！　　Aint　there　no　way　of　stoppin'
it？'　　'　No；　sir；'　says　I；　and　I　told　him　how　I　didn't　want　to　stop
it；　and　the　reason　why。　　Then　says　he；　'Where's　your　master？'　and　I
told　him　how　you　was　away。　　'Isn't　there　any　man　at　all　about？'
says　he。　　'No；'　says　I。　　'Then；'　says　he；　'if　there's　nobody　else
to　stop　it；　I　must　do　it　myself。'　　An'　he　took　off　his　coat。　　'No；'
says　I；　'you　keep　back；　sir。　　If　there's　anybody　to　plunge　into
that　erena；　the　blood　be　mine；'　an'　I　put　my　hand；　without
thinkin'；　ag'in　his　black　shirt…bosom；　to　hold　him　back；　but　he
didn't　notice；　bein'　so　excited。　　'Now；'　says　I；　'jist　wait　one
minute；　and　you'll　see　that　bull's　tail　go　between　his　legs。　　He's
weakenin'。'　　An'　sure　enough；　Lord　Edward　got　a　good　grab　at　him；
and　was　a…shakin'　the　very　life　out　of　him；　when　I　run　up　and　took
Lord　Edward　by　the　collar。　　'Drop　it！'　says　I；　and　he　dropped　it；
for　he　know'd　he'd　whipped；　and　he　was　pretty　tired　hisself。　　Then
the　bull…dog；　he　trotted　off　with　his　tail　a…hangin'　down。　　'Now；
then；'　says　I；　'them　dogs　will　be　bosom　friends　forever　after
this。'　　'Ah　me！'　says　he；　'I'm　sorry　indeed　that　your　employer；　for
who　I've　always　had　a　great　respect；　should　allow　you　to　get　into
such　habits。'　　That　made　me　feel　real　bad；　and　I　told　him；　mighty
quick；　that　you　was　the　last　man　in　the　world　to