michael, brother of jerry-第41章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
into time and the fellowship of the ancient pack。 As with Jerry； was it with Michael。 Music was a drug of dream。 He； too； remembered the lost pack and sought it； seeing the bare hills of snow and the stars glimmering overhead through the frosty darkness of night； hearing the faint answering howls from other hills as the pack assembled。 Lost the pack was； through the thousands of years Michael's ancestors had lived by the fires of men； yet remembered always it was when the magic of rhythm poured through him and flooded his being with visions and sensations of that Otherwhere which in his own life he had never known。
Compounded with the waking dream of Otherwhere； was the memory of Steward and the love of Steward； with whom he had learned to sing the very series of notes that now were being reproduced by the circus…rider violinist。 And Michael's jaw dropped down； his throat vibrated； his forefeet made restless little movements as if in the body he were running； as truly he was running in the mind； back to Steward； back through all the ages to the lost pack； and with the shadowy lost pack itself across the snowy wastes and through the forest aisles in the hunt of the meat。
The spectral forms of the lost pack were all about him as he sang and ran in open…eyed dream； the violinist paused in surprise； the men poked the monkey leader of the monkey orchestra and whirled him about wildly raging on his revolving stool； and Johnny laughed。 But Harris Collins took note。 He had heard Michael accurately follow the air。 He had heard him singnot merely howl； but SING。
Silence fell。 The monkey leader ceased revolving and chattering。 The men who had poked him held poles and wires suspended in their hands。 The rest of the monkey orchestra merely shivered in apprehension of what next atrocity should be perpetrated。 The violinist stared。 Johnny still heaved from his laughter。 But Harris Collins pondered； scratched his head； and continued to ponder。
〃You can't tell me 。 。 。 〃 he began vaguely。 〃I know it。 I heard it。 That dog carried the tune。 Didn't he now？ I leave it to all of you。 Didn't he？ The damned dog sang。 I'll stake my life on it。Hold on； you fellows； rest the monkeys off。 This is worth following up。Mr。 Violinist； play that over again； now； 'Home； Sweet Home；'let her go。 Press her strong； and loud； and slow。 Now watch； all of you； and listen； and tell me if I'm crazy； or if that dog ain't carrying the tune。There！ What d'ye call it？ Ain't it？〃
There was no discussion。 Michael's jaw dropped and his forefeet began their restless lifting after several measures had been played。 And Harris Collins stepped close to him and sang with him and in accord。
〃Harry Del Mar was right when he said that dog was the limit and sold his troupe。 He knew。 The dog's a dog Caruso。 No howling chorus of mutts such as Kingman used to carry around with him； but a real singer； a soloist。 No wonder he wouldn't learn tricks。 He had his specially all the time。 And just to think of it！ I as good as gave him away to that dog…killing Wilton Davis。 Only he came back。Johnny； take extra care of him after this。 Bring him up to the house this afternoon； and I'll give him a real try…out。 My daughter plays the violin。 We'll see what music he'll sing with her。 There's a mint of money in him； take it from me。〃
Thus was Michael discovered。 The afternoon's try…out was partially successful。 After vainly attempting strange music on him； Collins found that he could sing； and would sing； 〃God Save the King〃 and 〃Sweet Bye and Bye。〃 Many hours of many days were spent in the quest。 Vainly he tried to teach Michael new airs。 Michael put no heart of love in the effort and sullenly abstained。 But whenever one of the songs he had learned from Steward was played； he responded。 He could not help responding。 The magic was stronger than he。 In the end； Collins discovered five of the six songs he knew： 〃God Save the King；〃 〃Sweet Bye and Bye；〃 〃Lead； Kindly Light；〃 〃Home； Sweet Home；〃 and 〃Roll Me Down to Rio。〃 Michael never sang 〃Shenandoah；〃 because Collins and Collins's daughter did not know the old sea…chanty and therefore were unable to suggest it to him。
〃Five songs are enough； if he won't never learn another note；〃 Collins concluded。 〃They'll make him a bill…topper anywhere。 There's a mint in him。 Hang me if I wouldn't take him out on the road myself if only I was young and footloose。〃
CHAPTER XXXII
And so Michael was ultimately sold to one Jacob Henderson for two thousand dollars。 〃And I'm giving him away to you at that；〃 said Collins。 〃If you don't refuse five thousand for him before six months； I don't know anything about the show game。 He'll skin that last arithmetic dog of yours to a finish and you won't have to show yourself and work every minute of the turn。 And if you don't insure him for fifty thousand as soon as he's made good you'll be a fool。 Why； I wouldn't ask anything better； if I was young and footloose； than to take him out on the road myself。〃
Henderson proved totally different from any master Michael had had。 The man was a neutral sort of creature。 He was neither good nor evil。 He neither drank； smoked； nor swore； nor did he go to church or belong to the Y。M。C。A。 He was a vegetarian without being a bigoted one； liked moving pictures when they were concerned with travel； and spent most of his spare time in reading Swedenborg。 He had no temper whatever。 Nobody had ever witnessed anger in him； and all said he had the patience of Job。 He was even timid of policemen； freight agents； and conductors； though he was not afraid of them。 He was not afraid of anything； any more than was he enamoured of anything save Swedenborg。 He was as colourless of character as the neutral…coloured clothes he wore； as the neutral…coloured hair that sprawled upon his crown； as the neutral…coloured eyes with which he observed the world。 Nor was he a fool any more than was he a wise man or a scholar。 He gave little to life； asked little of life； and； in the show business； was a recluse in the very heart of life。
Michael neither liked nor disliked him； but； rather； merely accepted him。 They travelled the United States over together； and they never had a quarrel。 Not once did Henderson raise his voice sharply to Michael； and not once did Michael snarl a warning at him。 They simply endured together； existed together； because the currents of life had drifted them together。 Of course； there was no heart…bond between them。 Henderson was master。 Michael was Henderson's chattel。 Michael was as dead to him as he was himself dead to all things。
Yet Jacob Henderson was fair and square； business…like and methodical。 Once each day； when not travelling on the interminable trains； he gave Michael a thorough bath and thoroughly dried him afterward。 He was never harsh nor hasty in the bathing。 Michael never was aware whether he liked or disliked the bathing function。 It was all one； part of his own fate in the world as it was part of Henderson's fate to bathe him every so often。
Michael's own work was tolerably easy； though monotonous。 Leaving out the eternal travelling； the never…ending jumps from town to town and from city to city； he appeared on the stage once each night for seven nights in the week and for two afternoon performances in the week。 The curtain went up； leaving him alone on the stage in the full set that befitted a bill…topper。 Henderson stood in the wings； unseen by the audience； and looked on。 The orchestra played four of the pieces Michael had been taught by Steward； and Michael sang them； for his modulated howling was truly singing。 He never responded to more than one encore； which was always 〃Home； Sweet Home。〃 After that； while the audience clapped and stamped its approval and delight of the dog Caruso； Jacob Henderson would appear on the stage； bowing and smiling in stereotyped gladness and gratefulness； rest his right hand on Michael's shoulders with a play…acted assumption of comradeliness； whereupon both Henderson and Michael would bow ere the final curtain went down。
And yet Michael was a prisoner； a life…prisoner。 Fed well； bathed well； exercised well； he never knew a moment of freedom。 When travelling； days and nights he spent in the cage； which； however； was generous enough to allow him to stand at full height and to turn around without too uncomfortable squirming。 Sometimes； in hotels in country towns； out of the crate he shared Henderson's room with him。 Otherwise； unless other animals were hewing on the same circuit time； he had； outside his cage； the freedom of the animal room attached to the particular theatre where he performed for from three days to a week。
But there was never a chance； never a moment； when he might run free of a cage about him； of the walls of a room restricting him； of a chain shackled to the collar about his throat。 In good weather； in the afternoons； Henderson often took him for a walk。 But always it was at the end of a chain。 And almost always the way led to some park； where Henderson fastened the other end of the chain to the bench on which he sat and browsed Swedenborg。 Not one act of free agency was left to Michael。 Other dogs ran free； playing with one another； or behaving bellicosely。 If they approached him for purposes of investigation or acquaintance； Henderson invariably ceased from his reading long enough to drive them away。
A life prisoner to a lifeless gaoler； life was all grey to Michael。 His moroseness changed to a deep…seated melancholy。 He ceased to be interested in life and in the freedom of life。 Not that he regarded the play of life about him with a jaundiced eye； but； rather； that his eyes became unseeing。 Debarred from life； he ignored life。 He permitted himself to become a sheer puppet slave； eating； taking his baths； travelling in his cage； performing regularly； and sleeping much。
He had pridethe pride of the thoroughbred； the pride of the North American Indian enslaved on the plantations of the West Indies who died uncomplaining and unbroken。 So Michael。 He submitted to the cage and the iron of the chain because they were too strong for his muscles and teeth。 He did his slave…task of performance and rendered obedience to Jacob Henderson； but he neither loved nor feared that master。 And because of this his spirit turned in on itself。 He slept much； brooded much； and suffered unprotestingly a great loneliness。 Had Henderson made a bid for his heart； he would surely have responded； but Henderson had a heart only for the fantastic mental gyrations of Swedenborg； and merely made his living out of Michael。
Sometimes there were hardships。 Michael accepted them。 Especially hard did he find railroad travel in winter…time； when； on occasion； fresh from the last night's performance in a town； he remained for hours in his crate on a truck waiting for the train that would take him to the next town of performance。 There was a night on a station platform in Minnesota； when two dogs of a troupe； on the next truck to his； froze to death。 He was himself well frosted； and the cold bit abominably into his shoulder wounded by the leopard； but a better constitution and better general care of him enabled him to s
