the complete writings-3-第9章

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roggy　yet　on　its　legs；　and　whining　a　good　deal　because　its　mother　kept　always　moving　away　from　it。　　The　fawn　evidently　did　not　hear　the　hound：　the　little　innocent　would　even　have　looked　sweetly　at　the　dog；　and　tried　to　make　friends　with　it；　if　the　brute　had　been　rushing　upon　him。　　By　all　the　means　at　her　command　the　doe　urged　her　young　one　on；　but　it　was　slow　work。　　She　might　have　been　a　mile　away　while　they　were　making　a　few　rods。　　Whenever　the　fawn　caught　up；　he　was　quite　content　to　frisk　about。　　He　wanted　more　breakfast；　for　one　thing；　and　his　mother　wouldn't　stand　still。　　She　moved　on　continually；　and　his　weak　legs　were　tangled　in　the　roots　of　the　narrow　deer…path。

Shortly　came　a　sound　that　threw　the　doe　into　a　panic　of　terror；a　short；　sharp　yelp；　followed　by　a　prolonged　howl；　caught　up　and　reechoed　by　other　bayings　along　the　mountain…side。　　The　doe　knew　what　that　meant。　　One　hound　had　caught　her　trail；　and　the　whole　pack　responded　to　the　〃view…halloo。〃　The　danger　was　certain　now；　it　was　near。　　She　could　not　crawl　on　in　this　way：　the　dogs　would　soon　be　upon　them。　　She　turned　again　for　flight：　the　fawn；　scrambling　after　her；　tumbled　over；　and　bleated　piteously。　　The　baying；　emphasized　now　by　the　yelp　of　certainty；　came　nearer。　　Flight　with　the　fawn　was　impossible。　　The　doe　returned　and　stood　by　it；　head　erect；　and　nostrils　distended。　　She　stood　perfectly　still；　but　trembling。　Perhaps　she　was　thinking。　　The　fawn　took　advantage　of　the　situation；　and　began　to　draw　his　luncheon　ration。　　The　doe　seemed　to　have　made　up　her　mind。　　She　let　him　finish。　　The　fawn；　having　taken　all　he　wanted；　lay　down　contentedly；　and　the　doe　licked　him　for　a　moment。　Then；　with　the　swiftness　of　a　bird；　she　dashed　away；　and　in　a　moment　was　lost　in　the　forest。　　She　went　in　the　direction　of　the　hounds。

According　to　all　human　calculations；　she　was　going　into　the　jaws　of　death。　　So　she　was：　all　human　calculations　are　selfish。　　She　kept　straight　on；　hearing　the　baying　every　moment　more　distinctly。　　She　descended　the　slope　of　the　mountain　until　she　reached　the　more　open　forest　of　hard…wood。　　It　was　freer　going　here；　and　the　cry　of　the　pack　echoed　more　resoundingly　in　the　great　spaces。　　She　was　going　due　east；　when　（judging　by　the　sound；　the　hounds　were　not　far　off；　though　they　were　still　hidden　by　a　ridge）　she　turned　short　away　to　the　north；　and　kept　on　at　a　good　pace。　　In　five　minutes　more　she　heard　the　sharp；　exultant　yelp　of　discovery；　and　then　the　deep…mouthed　howl　of　pursuit。　　The　hounds　had　struck　her　trail　where　she　turned；　and　the　fawn　was　safe。

The　doe　was　in　good　running　condition；　the　ground　was　not　bad；　and　she　felt　the　exhilaration　of　the　chase。　　For　the　moment；　fear　left　her；　and　she　bounded　on　with　the　exaltation　of　triumph。　　For　a　quarter　of　an　hour　she　went　on　at　a　slapping　pace；　clearing　the　moose…bushes　with　bound　after　bound；　flying　over　the　fallen　logs；　pausing　neither　for　brook　nor　ravine。　　The　baying　of　the　hounds　grew　fainter　behind　her。　　But　she　struck　a　bad　piece　of　going；　a　dead…wood　slash。　　It　was　marvelous　to　see　her　skim　over　it；　leaping　among　its　intricacies；　and　not　breaking　her　slender　legs。　　No　other　living　animal　could　do　it。　　But　it　was　killing　work。　　She　began　to　pant　fearfully；　she　lost　ground。　　The　baying　of　the　hounds　was　nearer。　She　climbed　the　hard…wood　hill　at　a　slower　gait；　but；　once　on　more　level；　free　ground；　her　breath　came　back　to　her；　and　she　stretched　away　with　new　courage；　and　maybe　a　sort　of　contempt　of　her　heavy　pursuers。

After　running　at　high　speed　perhaps　half　a　mile　farther；　it　occurred　to　her　that　it　would　be　safe　now　to　turn　to　the　west；　and；　by　a　wide　circuit；　seek　her　fawn。　　But；　at　the　moment；　she　heard　a　sound　that　chilled　her　heart。　　It　was　the　cry　of　a　hound　to　the　west　of　her。　The　crafty　brute　had　made　the　circuit　of　the　slash；　and　cut　off　her　retreat。　　There　was　nothing　to　do　but　to　keep　on；　and　on　she　went；　still　to　the　north；　with　the　noise　of　the　pack　behind　her。　　In　five　minutes　more　she　had　passed　into　a　hillside　clearing。　　Cows　and　young　steers　were　grazing　there。　　She　heard　a　tinkle　of　bells。　　Below　her；　down　the　mountain　slope；　were　other　clearings；　broken　by　patches　of　woods。　　Fences　intervened；　and　a　mile　or　two　down　lay　the　valley；　the　shining　Au　Sable；　and　the　peaceful　farmhouses。　　That　way　also　her　hereditary　enemies　were。　　Not　a　merciful　heart　in　all　that　lovely　valley。　　She　hesitated：　it　was　only　for　an　instant。　　She　must　cross　the　Slidebrook　Valley　if　possible；　and　gain　the　mountain　opposite。　She　bounded　on；　she　stopped。　　What　was　that？　　From　the　valley　ahead　came　the　cry　of　a　searching　hound。　　All　the　devils　were　loose　this　morning。　　Every　way　was　closed　but　one；　and　that　led　straight　down　the　mountain　to　the　cluster　of　houses。　　Conspicuous　among　them　was　a　slender　white　wooden　spire。　　The　doe　did　not　know　that　it　was　the　spire　of　a　Christian　chapel。　　But　perhaps　she　thought　that　human　pity　dwelt　there；　and　would　be　more　merciful　than　the　teeth　of　the　hounds。

　　　　　　　　　　〃The　hounds　are　baying　on　my　track：　　　　　　　　　　　O　white　man！　will　you　send　me　back？〃

In　a　panic；　frightened　animals　will　always　flee　to　human…kind　from　the　danger　of　more　savage　foes。　　They　always　make　a　mistake　in　doing　so。　　Perhaps　the　trait　is　the　survival　of　an　era　of　peace　on　earth；　perhaps　it　is　a　prophecy　of　the　golden　age　of　the　future。　　The　business　of　this　age　is　murder；the　slaughter　of　animals；　the　slaughter　of　fellow…men；　by　the　wholesale。　　Hilarious　poets　who　have　never　fired　a　gun　write　hunting…songs；Ti…ra…la：　and　good　bishops　write　war…songs；；Ave　the　Czar！

The　hunted　doe　went　down　the　〃open；〃　clearing　the　fences　splendidly；　flying　along　the　stony　path。　　It　was　a　beautiful　sight。　　But　consider　what　a　shot　it　was！　　If　the　deer；　now；　could　only　have　been　caught　I　No　doubt　there　were　tenderhearted　people　in　the　valley　who　would　have　spared　her　life；　shut　her　up　in　a　stable；　and　petted　her。　　Was　there　one　who　would　have　let　her　go　back　to　her　waiting…fawn？　It　is　the　business　of　civilization　to　tame　or　kill。

The　doe　went　on。　　She　left　the　sawmill　on　John's　Brook　to　her　right；　she　turned　into　a　wood…path。　　As　she　approached　Slide　Brook；　she　saw　a　boy　standing　by　a　tree　with　a　raised　rifle。　　The　dogs　were　not　in　sight；　but　she　could　hear　them　coming　down　the　hill。　　There　was　no　time　for　hesitation。　　With　a　tremendous　burst　of　speed　she　cleared　the　stream；　and；　as　she　touched　the　bank；　heard　the　〃ping〃　of　a　rifle　bullet　in　the　air　above　her。　　The　cruel　sound　gave　wings　to　the　poor　thing。　　In　a　moment　more　she　was　in　the　opening：　she　leaped　into　the　traveled　road。　　Which　way？　　Below　her　in　the　wood　was　a　load　of　hay：　a　man　and　a　boy；　with　pitchforks　in　their　hands；　were　running　towards　her。　　She　turned　south；　and　flew　along　the　street。　　The　town　was　up。　Women　and　children　ran　to　the　doors　and　windows；　men　snatched　their　rifles；　shots　were　fired；　at　the　big　boarding…houses；　the　summer　boarders；　who　never　have　anything　to　do；　came　out　and　cheered；　a　campstool　was　thrown　from　a　veranda。　　Some　young　fellows　shooting　at　a　mark　in　the　meadow　saw　the　flying　deer；　and　popped　away　at　her；　but　they　were　accustomed　to　a　mark　that　stood　still。　　It　was　all　so　sudden！　　There　were　twenty　people　who　were　just　going　to　shoot　her；　when　the　doe　leaped　the　road　fence；　and　went　away　across　a　marsh　toward　the　foothills。　　It　was　a　fearful　gauntlet　to　run。　　But　nobody　except　the　deer　considered　it　in　that　light。　　Everybody　told　what　he　was　just　going　to　do；　everybody　who　had　seen　the　performance　was　a　kind　of　hero；everybody　except　the　deer。　　For　days　and　days　it　was　the　subject　of　conversation；　and　the　summer　boarders　kept　their　guns　at　hand；　expecting　another　deer　would　come　to　be　shot　at。

The　doe　went　away　to　the　foothills；　going　now　slower；　and　evidently　fatigued；　if　not　frightened　half　to　death。　　Nothing　is　so　appalling　to　a　recluse　as　half　a　mile　of　summer　boarders。　　As　the　deer　entered　the　thin　woods；　she　saw　a　rabble　of　people　start　across　the　meadow　in　pursuit。　　By　this　time；　the　dogs；　panting；　and　lolling　out　their　tongues；　came　swinging　along；　keeping　the　trail；　like　stupids；　and　consequently　losing　ground　when　the　deer　doubled。　　But；　when　the　doe　had　got　into　the　timber；　she　heard　the　savage　brutes　howl