the song of the cardinal-第5部分

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that　slinked　as　if　he　had　a　theft　to　account　for；　could；　by

showing　himself　and　singing　for　an　hour；　win　a　mate；　why　should

not　he；　the　most　gorgeous　bird　of　the　woods；　openly　flaunting　his

charms　and　discoursing　his　music；　have　at　least　equal　success？　

Should　he；　the　proudest；　most　magnificent　of　cardinals；　be

compelled　to　go　seeking　a　mate　like　any　common　bird？　　Perish　the

thought！



He　went　to　the　river　to　bathe。　　After　finding　a　spot　where　the

water　flowed　crystal…clear　over　a　bed　of　white　limestone；　he

washed　until　he　felt　that　he　could　be　no　cleaner。　　Then　the

Cardinal　went　to　his　favourite　sun…parlour；　and　stretching　on　a

limb；　he　stood　his　feathers　on　end；　and　sunned；　fluffed　and

prinked　until　he　was　immaculate。



On　the　tip…top　antler　of　the　old　stag　sumac；　he　perched　and

strained　until　his　jetty　whiskers　appeared　stubby。　　He　poured　out

a　tumultuous　cry　vibrant　with　every　passion　raging　in　him。　　He

caught　up　his　own　rolling　echoes　and　changed　and　varied　them。　　He

improvised；　and　set　the　shining　river　ringing；　〃Wet　year！　Wet

year！〃



He　whistled　and　whistled　until　all　birdland　and　even　mankind

heard；　for　the　farmer　paused　at　his　kitchen　door；　with　his　pails

of　foaming　milk；　and　called　to　his　wife：



〃Hear　that；　Maria！　Jest　hear　it！　I　swanny；　if　that　bird　doesn't

stop　predictin'　wet　weather；　I'll　get　so　scared　I　won't　durst　put

in　my　corn　afore　June。　　They's　some　birds　like　killdeers　an'

bobwhites　'at　can　make　things　pretty　plain；　but　I　never　heard　a

bird　'at　could　jest　speak　words　out　clear　an'　distinct　like　that

fellow。　　Seems　to　come　from　the　river　bottom。　　B'lieve　I'll　jest

step　down　that　way　an'　see　if　the　lower　field　is　ready　for　the

plow　yet。〃



〃Abram　Johnson；〃　said　his　wife；　〃bein's　you　set　up　for　an　honest

man；　if　you　want　to　trapse　through　slush　an'　drizzle　a　half…mile

to　see　a　bird；　why　say　so；　but　don't　for　land's　sake　lay　it　on　to

plowin'　'at　you　know　in　all　conscience　won't　be　ready　for　a　week

yet　'thout　pretendin'　to　look。〃



Abram　grinned　sheepishly。　　〃I'm　willin'　to　call　it　the　bird　if

you　are；　Maria。　　I've　been　hearin'　him　from　the　barn　all　day；　an'

there's　somethin'　kind　o'　human　in　his　notes　'at　takes　me　jest　a

little　diffrunt　from　any　other　bird　I　ever　noticed。　　I'm　really

curious　to　set　eyes　on　him。　　Seemed　to　me　from　his　singin'　out　to

the　barn；　it　'ud　be　mighty　near　like　meetin'　folks。〃



〃Bosh！〃　exclaimed　Maria。　　〃I　don't　s'pose　he　sings　a　mite　better

'an　any　other　bird。　　It's　jest　the　old　Wabash　rollin'　up　the

echoes。　　A　bird　singin'　beside　the　river　always　sounds　twicet　as

fine　as　one　on　the　hills。　　I've　knowed　that　for　forty　year。

Chances　are　'at　he'll　be　gone　'fore　you　get　there。〃



As　Abram　opened　the　door；　〃Wet　year！　Wet　year！〃　pealed　the

flaming　prophet。



He　went　out；　closing　the　door　softly；　and　with　an　utter　disregard

for　the　corn　field；　made　a　bee　line　for　the　musician。



〃I　don't　know　as　this　is　the　best　for　twinges　o'　rheumatiz；〃　he

muttered；　as　he　turned　up　his　collar　and　drew　his　old　hat　lower

to　keep　the　splashing　drops　from　his　face。　　〃I　don't　jest　rightly

s'pose　I　should　go；　but　I'm　free　to　admit　I'd　as　lief　be　dead　as

not　to　answer　when　I　get　a　call；　an'　the　fact　is；　I'm　CALLED　down

beside　the　river。〃



〃Wet　year！　Wet　year！〃　rolled　the　Cardinal's　prediction。



〃Thanky；　old　fellow！　　Glad　to　hear　you！　　Didn't　jest　need　the

information；　but　I　got　my　bearin's　rightly　from　it！　I　can　about

pick　out　your　bush；　an'　it's　well　along　towards　evenin'；　too；　an'

must　be　mighty　near　your　bedtime。　　Looks　as　if　you　might　be

stayin'　round　these　parts！　　I'd　like　it　powerful　well　if　you'd

settle　right　here；　say　'bout　where　you　are。　　An'　where　are　you；

anyway？〃



Abram　went　peering　and　dodging　beside　the　fence；　peeping　into　the

bushes；　searching　for　the　bird。　　Suddenly　there　was　a　whir　of

wings　and　a　streak　of　crimson。



〃Scared　you　into　the　next　county；　I　s'pose；〃　he　muttered。



But　it　came　nearer　being　a　scared　man　than　a　frightened　bird；　for

the　Cardinal　flashed　straight　toward　him　until　only　a　few　yards

away；　and　then；　swaying　on　a　bush；　it　chipped；　cheered；　peeked；

whistled　broken　notes；　and　manifested　perfect　delight　at　the

sight　of　the　white…haired　old　man。　　Abram　stared　in　astonishment。



〃Lord　A'mighty！〃　he　gasped。　　〃Big　as　a　blackbird；　red　as　a　live

coal；　an'　a…comin'　right　at　me。　　You　are　somebody's　pet；　that's

what　you　are！　　An'　no；　you　ain't　either。　　Settin'　on　a　sawed

stick　in　a　little　wire　house　takes　all　the　ginger　out　of　any

bird；　an'　their　feathers　are　always　mussy。　　Inside　o'　a　cage

never　saw　you；　for　they　ain't　a　feather　out　o'　place　on　you。　　You

are　finer'n　a　piece　o'　red　satin。　　An'　you　got　that　way　o'

swingin'　an'　dancin'　an'　high…steppin'　right　out　in　God

A'mighty's　big　woods；　a　teeterin'　in　the　wind；　an'　a　dartin'

'crost　the　water。　　Cage　never　touched　you！　But　you　are　somebody's

pet　jest　the　same。　　An'　I　look　like　the　man；　an'　you　are　tryin'

to　tell　me　so；　by　gum！〃　



Leaning　toward　Abram；　the　Cardinal　turned　his　head　from　side　to

side；　and　peered；　〃chipped；〃　and　waited　for　an　answering　〃Chip〃

from　a　little　golden…haired　child；　but　there　was　no　way　for　the

man　to　know　that。



〃It's　jest　as　sure　as　fate；〃　he　said。　　〃You　think　you　know　me；

an'　you　are　tryin'　to　tell　me　somethin'。　　Wish　to　land　I　knowed

what　you　want！　　Are　you　tryin'　to　tell　me　‘Howdy'？　　Well；　I　don't

'low　nobody　to　be　politer　'an　I　am；　so　far　as　I　know。〃



Abram　lifted　his　old　hat；　and　the　raindrops　glistened　on　his

white　hair。　　He　squared　his　shoulders　and　stood　very　erect。



〃Howdy；　Mr。　　Redbird！　　How　d'ye　find　yerself　this　evenin'？　　I

don't　jest　riccolict　ever　seein'　you　before；　but　I'll　never　meet

you　agin　'thout　knowin'　you。　　When　d'you　arrive？　　Come　through　by

the　special　midnight　flyer；　did　you？　Well；　you　never　was　more

welcome　any　place　in　your　life。　　I'd　give　a　right　smart　sum　this

minnit　if　you'd　say　you　came　to　settle　on　this　river　bank。　　How

do　you　like　it？　　To　my　mind　it's　jest　as　near　Paradise　as　you'll

strike　on　earth。



〃Old　Wabash　is　a　twister　for　curvin'　and　windin'　round；　an'　it's

limestone　bed　half　the　way；　an'　the　water's　as　pretty　an'　clear

as　in　Maria's　springhouse。　　An'　as　for　trimmin'；　why　say；　Mr。

Redbird；　I'll　jest　leave　it　to　you　if　she　ain't　all　trimmed　up

like　a　woman's　spring　bunnit。　　Look　at　the　grass　a…creepin'　right

down　till　it's　a　trailin'　in　the　water！　　Did　you　ever　see　jest

quite　such　fine　fringy　willers？　　An'　you　wait　a　little；　an'　the

flowerin'　mallows　'at　grows　long　the　shinin'　old　river　are　fine

as　garden　hollyhocks。　　Maria　says　'at　thy'd　be　purtier　'an　hers

if　they　were　only　double；　but；　Lord；　Mr。　　Redbird；　they　are！　　See

'em　once　on　the　bank；　an'　agin　in　the　water！　　An'　back　a　little

an'　there's　jest　thickets　of　papaw；　an'　thorns；　an'　wild

grape…vines；　an'　crab；　an'　red　an'　black　haw；　an'　dogwood；　an'

sumac；　an'　spicebush；　an'　trees！　Lord！　Mr。　Redbird；　the

sycamores；　an'　maples；　an'　tulip；　an'　ash；　an'　elm　trees　are　so

bustin'　fine　'long　the　old　Wabash　they　put　'em　into　poetry　books

an'　sing　songs　about　'em。　　What　do　you　think　o'　that？　Jest　back

o'　you　a　little　there's　a　sycamore　split　into　five　trunks；　any

one　o'　them　a　famous　big　tree；　tops　up　'mong　the　clouds；　an'

roots　diggin'　under　the　old　river；　an'　over　a　little　farther's　a

maple　'at's　eight　big　trees　in　one。　　Most　anything　you　can　name；

you　can　find　it　'long　this　ole　Wabash；　if　you　only　know　where　to

hunt　for　it。



〃They's　mighty　few　white　men　takes　the　trouble　to　look；　but　the

Indians　used　to　know。　　They'd　come　canoein'　an'　fishin'　down　the

river　an'　camp　under　these　very　trees；　an'　Ma　'ud　git　so　mad　at

the　old　squaws。　　Settlers　wasn't　so　thick　then；　an'　you　had　to　be

mighty　careful　not　to　rile　'em；　an'　they'd　come　a…trapesin'　with

their　wild　berries。　　Woods　full　o'　berries！　　Anybody　could　get

'em　by　the　bushel　for　the　pickin'；　an'　we　hadn't　got　on　to

raisin'　much　wheat；　an'　had　to　carry　it　on　horses　over　into　Ohio

to　get　it　milled。　　Took　Pa　five　days　to　make　the　trip；　an'　then

the　blame　old　squaws　'ud　come；　an'　Ma　'ud　be　compelled　to　hand

over　to　'em　her　big　white　loaves。　　Jest　about　set　her　plumb

crazy。　　Used　to　get　up　in　the　night；　an'　fix　her　yeast；　an'　bake；

an'　let　the　oven　cool；　an'　hide　the　bread　out　in　the　wheat　bin；

an'　get　the　smell　of　it　all　out　o'　the　house　by　good　daylight；

so's　'at　she　could　say　there　wasn't　a　loaf　in　the　cabin。　　Oh！　　if

it's　good　pickin'　you're　after；　they's　berries　for　all　creation

'long　the　river　yet；　an'　jest　wait　a　few　days　till　old　April　gets

done　showerin'　an'　I　plow　this　corn　field！〃



Abram　set　a　foot　on　the　third　rail　and　leaned　his　elbows　on　the

top。　　The　Cardinal　chipped　delightedly　and　hopped　and　tilted

closer。



〃I　hadn't　jest　'lowed　all　winter　I'd　tackle　this　field　again。

I've　turned　it　every　spring　for　forty　year。　　Bought　it　when　I　was

a　young　fellow；　jest　married　to　Maria。　　Shouldered　a　big　debt　on

it；　but　I　always　loved　these　slopin'　fields；　an'　my　share　of　this

old　Wabash　hasn't　been　for　sale　nor　tradin'　any　time　this　past

forty　year。　　I've　hung　on　to　it　like　grim　death；　for　it's　jest

that　much　o'　Paradise　I'm　plumb　sure　of。　　First　time　I　plowed

this　field；　Mr。　Redbird；　I　only　hit　the　high　places。　　Jest

married　Maria；　an'　I　didn't　touch　earth　any　too　frequent　all　that

summer。　I've　plowed　it　every　year　since；　an'　I've　been　'lowin'

all　this　winter；　when　the　rheumatiz　was　gettin'　in　its　work；　'at

I'd　give　it　up　this　spring　an'　turn　it　to　medder；　but　I　don't

know。　　Once　I　got　started；　b'lieve　I　could　go　it　all　right　an'

not　feel　it　so　much；　if　you'd　stay　to　cheer　me　up　a　little　an'

post　me　on　the　weather。　　Hate　the　doggondest　to　own　I'm　worsted；

an'　if　you　say　it's　stay；　b'lieve　I'll　try　it。　　Very　sight　o'　you

kinder　warms　the　cockles　o'　my　heart　all　up；　an'　every　skip　you

take　sets　me　a…wantin'　to　be　jumpin'；　too。



〃What　on　earth　are　yo