bruce(布鲁斯)-第2部分
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〃The boss？〃 echoed the boy。 〃You mean the man who owns this place？
No； sir。 But when I've walked past； on the road； I've seen his 'Collies for
Sale' sign； lots of times。 Once I saw some of them being exercised。 They
were the wonderfulest dogs I ever saw。 So the minute I got the money for
the check； I came here。 I told the man in the front yard I wanted to buy a
dog。 He's the one who turned me over to you。 I wishOH！〃 he broke off in
rapture； coming to a halt in front of Lass's run。 〃Look！ Isn't he a dandy？〃
Lass had trotted hospitably forward to greet the guest。 Now she was
standing on her hind legs； her front paws alternately supporting her fragile
weight on the wire of the fence and waving welcomingly toward the boy。
Unknowingly； she was bidding for a master。 And her wistful friendliness
struck a note of response in the little fellow's heart。 For he； too； was
lonesome； much of the time； as is the fate of a sickly only child in an
overbusy home。 And he had the true craving of the lonely for dog
comradeship。
He thrust his none…too…clean hand through the wire mesh and patted
the puppy's silky head。 Lass wiggled ecstatically under the unfamiliar
caress。 All at once； in the boy's eyes； she became quite the most wonderful
animal and the very most desirable pet on earth；
〃He's great！〃 sighed the youngster in admiration； adding na 飗 ely： 〃Is
he Champion Rothsay Chiefthe one whose picture was in The Bulletin
last Sunday？〃
The kennel…man laughed noisily。 Then he checked his mirth； for
professional reasons； as he remembered the nature of the boy's quest and
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foresaw a bare possibility of getting rid of the unwelcome Lass。
〃Nope；〃 he said。 〃This isn't Chief。 If it was； I guess your Uncle Dick's
check would have to have four figures in it before you could make a deal。
But this is one of Chief's daughters。 This is Rothsay Lass。 A grand little
girl； ain't she？ Say；〃in a confidential whisper；〃since you've took a fancy
for her； maybe I could coax the old man into lettin' you have her at an easy
price。 He was plannin' to sell her for a hundred or so。 But he goes pretty
much by what I say。 He might let her go forHow much of a check did
you say your uncle sent you？〃
〃Twelve dollars；〃 answered the boy；〃one for each year。 Because I'm
named for him。 It's my birthday； you know。 Butbut a dollar of it went for
the chain and the collar。 How much do you suppose the gentleman would
want for Rothsay Lass？〃
The kennel…man considered for a moment。 Then he went back to the
house； leaving the lad alone at the gate of the run。 Eleven dollars； for a
high…pedigreed collie pup； was a joke price。 But no one else wanted Lass；
and her feed was costing more every day。 According to Rothsay standards；
the list of brood…females was already complete。 Even as a gift； the kennels
would be making money by getting rid of the prick…eared 〃second。〃
Wherefore he went to consult with the foreman。
Left alone with Lass； the boy opened the gate and went into the run。 A
little to his surprise Lass neither shrank from him nor attacked him。 She
danced about his legs in delight； varying this by jumping up and trying to
lick his excited face。 Then she thrust her cold nose into the cup of his hand
as a plea to be petted。
When the kennel…man came back； the boy was sitting on the dusty
ground of the run； and Lass was curled up rapturously in his lap； learning
how to shake hands at his order。 〃You can have her； the boss says；〃
vouchsafed the kennel…man。 〃Where's the eleven dollars？〃
By this graceless speech Dick Hazen received the key to the Seventh
Paradise； and a life…membership in the world…wide Order of Dog…Lovers。
The homeward walk； for Lass and her new master； was no walk at all；
but a form of spiritual levitation。 The half…mile pilgrimage consumed a full
hour of time。 Not that Lass hung back or rebelled at her first taste of collar
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and chain！ These petty annoyances went unfelt in the wild joy of a real
walk； and in the infinitely deeper happiness of knowing her friendship…
famine was appeased at last。
The walk was long for various reasonspartly because； in her frisking
gyrations； Lass was forever tangling the new chain around Dick's thin
ankles； partly because he stopped； every block or so； to pat her or to give
her further lessons in the art of shaking hands。 Also there were admiring
boy…acquaintances along the way； to whom the wonderful pet must be
exhibited。
At last Dick turned in at the gate of a cheap bungalow on a cheap
streeta bungalow with a discouraged geranium plot in its pocket…
handkerchief front yard； and with a double line of drying clothes in the no
larger space behind the house。
As Dick and his chum rounded the house； a woman emerged from
between the two lines of flapping sheets； whose hanging she had been
superintending。 She stopped at sight of her son and the dog。
〃Oh！〃 she commented with no enthusiasm at all。 〃Well； you did it； hey？
I was hoping you'd have better sense； and spend your check on a nice new
suit or something。 He's kind of pretty； though；〃 she went on； the puppy's
friendliness and beauty wringing the word of grudging praise from her。
〃What kind of a dog is he？ And you're sure he isn't savage； aren't you？〃
〃Collie；〃 answered Dick proudly。 〃Pedigreed collie！ You bet she isn't
savage； either。 Why； she's an angel。 She minds me already。 Seeshake
hands； Lass！〃 〃Lass！〃 ejaculated Mrs。 Hazen。 〃'SHE！' Dick； you don't
mean to tell me you've gone and bought yourself aa FEMALE dog？〃
The woman spoke in the tone of horrified contempt that might well
have been hers had she found a rattlesnake and a brace of toads in her
son's pocket。 And she lowered her voice； as is the manner of her kind
when forced to speak of the unspeakable。 She moved back from the
puppy's politely out…thrust forepaw as from the passing of a garbage cart。
〃A female dog！〃 she reiterated。 〃Well； of all the chuckle…heads！ A
nasty FEMALE dog； with your birthday money！〃
〃She's not one bit nasty！〃 flamed Dick； burying the grubby fingers of
his right hand protectively in the fluffy mass of the puppy's half…grown
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ruff。 〃She's the dandiest dog ever！ She〃
〃Don't talk back to me！〃 snapped Mrs。 Hazen。 〃Here！ Turn right
around and take her to the cheats who sold her to you。 Tell them to keep
her and give you the good money you paid for her。 Take her out of my
yard this minute！ Quick！〃
A hot mist of tears sprang into the boy's eyes。 Lass； with the queer
intuition that tells a female collie when her master is unhappy； whined
softly and licked his clenched hand。
〃Iaw； PLEASE； Ma！〃 he begged chokingly。 〃PLEASE！ It'sit's my
birthday； and everything。 Please let me keep her。 II love her better than
'most anything there is。 Can't I please keep her？ Please！〃
〃You heard what I said；〃 returned his mother curtly。
The washerwoman； who one day a week lightened Mrs。 Hazen's
household labors； waddled into view from behind the billows of wind…
swirled clothes。 She was an excellent person； and was built for endurance
rather than for speed。 At sight of Lass she paused in real interest。
〃My！〃 she exclaimed with flattering approval。 〃So you got your dog；
did you？ You didn't waste no time。 And he's sure a handsome little critter。
Whatcher goin' to call him？〃
〃It's not a him； Irene；〃 contradicted Mrs。 Hazen； with another modest
lowering of her strong voice。 〃It's a HER。 And I'm sending Dick back with
her； to where she came from。 I've got my opinion of people who will take
advantage of a child's ignorance； by palming off a horrid female dog on
him； too。 Take her away； Dick。 I won't have her here another minute。 You
hear me？〃
〃Please； Ma！〃 stammered Dick； battling with his desire to cry。 〃Aw；
PLEASE！ II〃
〃Your ma's right； Dick；〃 chimed in the washerwoman； her first
interested glance at the puppy changing to one of refined and lofty scorn。
〃Take her back。 You don't want any female dogs around。 No nice folks
do。〃
〃Why not？〃 demanded the boy in sudden hopeless anger as he pressed
lovingly the nose Lass thrust so comfortingly into his hand。 〃WHY don't
we want a female dog around？ Folks have female cats around them； and
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female women。 Why isn't a female dog〃
〃That will do； Dick！〃 broke in his shocked mother。 〃Take her away。〃
〃I won't；〃 said the boy； speaking very slowly； and with no excitement
at all。
A slap on the side of his head； from his mother's punitive palm
