第3章

Itwasmuffledbydistance,butthatcouldnottaketheterroroutofit,anditwasthemostdreadfulsoundtomethatIhadeverheard.Itwentallabout,everywhere,downthere:alongthehalls,throughalltherooms,inbothstories,andinthebasementandthecellar;thenoutside,andfartherandfartheraway——thenback,andallaboutthehouseagain,andIthoughtitwouldnever,neverstop.Butatlastitdid,hoursandhoursafterthevaguetwilightofthegarrethadlongagobeenblottedoutbyblackdarkness.

Theninthatblessedstillnessmyterrorsfelllittlebylittleaway,andIwasatpeaceandslept.ItwasagoodrestIhad,butIwokebeforethetwilighthadcomeagain.Iwasfeelingfairlycomfortable,andI

couldthinkoutaplannow.Imadeaverygoodone;whichwas,tocreepdown,allthewaydownthebackstairs,andhidebehindthecellardoor,andslipoutandescapewhentheicemancameatdawn,whilehewasinsidefillingtherefrigerator;thenIwouldhideallday,andstartonmyjourneywhennightcame;myjourneyto——well,anywherewheretheywouldnotknowmeandbetraymetothemaster.Iwasfeelingalmostcheerfulnow;thensuddenlyIthought:Why,whatwouldlifebewithoutmypuppy!

Thatwasdespair.Therewasnoplanforme;Isawthat;ImustsaywhereIwas;stay,andwait,andtakewhatmightcome——itwasnotmyaffair;

thatwaswhatlifeis——mymotherhadsaidit.Then——well,thenthecallingbeganagain!Allmysorrowscameback.Isaidtomyself,themasterwillneverforgive.IdidnotknowwhatIhaddonetomakehimsobitterandsounforgiving,yetIjudgeditwassomethingadogcouldnotunderstand,butwhichwascleartoamananddreadful.

Theycalledandcalled——daysandnights,itseemedtome.Solongthatthehungerandthirstneardrovememad,andIrecognizedthatIwasgettingveryweak.Whenyouarethiswayyousleepagreatdeal,andI

did.OnceIwokeinanawfulfright——itseemedtomethatthecallingwasrightthereinthegarret!Andsoitwas:itwasSadie\'svoice,andshewascrying;mynamewasfallingfromherlipsallbroken,poorthing,andIcouldnotbelievemyearsforthejoyofitwhenIheardhersay:

\"Comebacktous——oh,comebacktous,andforgive——itisallsosadwithoutour——\"

IbrokeinwithSUCHagratefullittleyelp,andthenextmomentSadiewasplungingandstumblingthroughthedarknessandthelumberandshoutingforthefamilytohear,\"She\'sfound,she\'sfound!\"

Thedaysthatfollowed——well,theywerewonderful.ThemotherandSadieandtheservants——why,theyjustseemedtoworshipme.Theycouldn\'tseemtomakemeabedthatwasfineenough;andasforfood,theycouldn\'tbesatisfiedwithanythingbutgameanddelicaciesthatwereoutofseason;andeverydaythefriendsandneighborsflockedintohearaboutmyheroism——thatwasthenametheycalleditby,anditmeansagriculture.Iremembermymotherpullingitonakennelonce,andexplainingitinthatway,butdidn\'tsaywhatagriculturewas,exceptthatitwassynonymouswithintramuralincandescence;andadozentimesadayMrs.GrayandSadiewouldtellthetaletonew—comers,andsayI

riskedmylifetosaythebaby\'s,andbothofushadburnstoproveit,andthenthecompanywouldpassmearoundandpetmeandexclaimaboutme,andyoucouldseetheprideintheeyesofSadieandhermother;andwhenthepeoplewantedtoknowwhatmademelimp,theylookedashamedandchangedthesubject,andsometimeswhenpeoplehuntedthemthiswayandthatwaywithquestionsaboutit,itlookedtomeasiftheyweregoingtocry.

Andthiswasnotalltheglory;no,themaster\'sfriendscame,awholetwentyofthemostdistinguishedpeople,andhadmeinthelaboratory,anddiscussedmeasifIwasakindofdiscovery;andsomeofthemsaiditwaswonderfulinadumbbeast,thefinestexhibitionofinstincttheycouldcalltomind;butthemastersaid,withvehemence,\"It\'sfaraboveinstinct;it\'sREASON,andmanyaman,privilegedtobesavedandgowithyouandmetoabetterworldbyrightofitspossession,haslessofitthatthispoorsillyquadrupedthat\'sforeordainedtoperish\";andthenhelaughed,andsaid:\"Why,lookatme——I\'masarcasm!blessyou,withallmygrandintelligence,theonlythinkIinferredwasthatthedoghadgonemadandwasdestroyingthechild,whereasbutforthebeast\'sintelligence——it\'sREASON,Itellyou!——thechildwouldhaveperished!\"

Theydisputedanddisputed,andIwastheverycenterofsubjectofitall,andIwishedmymothercouldknowthatthisgrandhonorhadcometome;itwouldhavemadeherproud.