michael, brother of jerry-第42章

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er　wounded　by　the　leopard；　but　a　better　constitution　and　better　general　care　of　him　enabled　him　to　survive。

Compared　with　other　show　animals；　he　was　well　treated。　　And　much　of　the　ill…treatment　accorded　other　animals　on　the　same　turn　with　him　he　did　not　comprehend　or　guess。　　One　turn；　with　which　he　played　for　three　months；　was　a　scandal　amongst　all　vaudeville　performers。　　Even　the　hardiest　of　them　heartily　disliked　the　turn　and　the　man；　although　Duckworth；　and　Duckworth's　Trained　Cats　and　Rats；　were　an　invariable　popular　success。

〃Trained　cats！〃　sniffed　dainty　little　Pearl　La　Pearle；　the　bicyclist。　　〃Crushed　cats；　that's　what　they　are。　　All　the　cat　has　been　beaten　out　of　their　blood；　and　they've　become　rats。　　You　can't　tell　me。　　I　know。〃

〃Trained　rats！〃　Manuel　Fonseca；　the　contortionist；　exploded　in　the　bar…room　of　the　Hotel　Annandale；　after　refusing　to　drink　with　Duckworth。　　〃Doped　rats；　believe　me。　　Why　don't　they　jump　off　when　they　crawl　along　the　tight　rope　with　a　cat　in　front　and　a　cat　behind？　　Because　they　ain't　got　the　life　in　'm　to　jump。　　They're　doped；　straight　doped　when　they're　fresh；　and　starved　afterward　so　as　to　making　a　saving　on　the　dope。　　They　never　are　fed。　　You　can't　tell　me。　　I　know。　　Else　why　does　he　use　up　anywhere　to　forty　or　fifty　rats　a　week！　　I　know　his　express　shipments；　when　he　can't　buy　'm　in　the　towns。〃

〃My　Gawd！〃　protested　Miss　Merle　Merryweather；　the　Accordion　Girl；　who　looked　like　sixteen　on　the　stage；　but　who；　in　private　life　among　her　grand…children；　acknowledged　forty…eight。　　〃My　Gawd；　how　the　public　can　fall　for　it　gets　my　honest…to…Gawd　goat。　　I　looked　myself　yesterday　morning　early。　　Out　of　thirty　rats　there　were　seven　dead；starved　to　death。　　He　never　feeds　them。　　They're　dying　rats；　dying　of　starvation；　when　they　crawl　along　that　rope。　That's　why　they　crawl。　　If　they　had　a　bit　of　bread　and　cheese　in　their　tummies　they'd　jump　and　run　to　get　away　from　the　cats。　They're　dying；　they're　dying　right　there　on　the　rope；　trying　to　crawl　as　a　dying　man　would　try　to　crawl　away　from　a　tiger　that　was　eating　him。　　And　my　Gawd！　　The　bonehead　audience　sits　there　and　applauds　the　show　as　an　educational　act！〃

But　the　audience！　　〃Wonderful　things　kindness　will　do　with　animals；〃　said　a　member　of　one；　a　banker　and　a　deacon。　　〃Even　human　love　can　be　taught　to　them　by　kindness。　　The　cat　and　the　rat　have　been　enemies　since　the　world　began。　　Yet　here；　tonight；　we　have　seen　them　doing　highly　trained　feats　together；　and　neither　a　cat　committed　one　hostile　or　overt　act　against　a　rat；　nor　ever　a　rat　showed　it　was　afraid　of　a　cat。　　Human　kindness！　　The　power　of　human　kindness！〃

〃The　lion　and　the　lamb；〃　said　another。　　〃We　have　it　that　when　the　millennium　comes　the　lion　and　the　lamb　will　lie　down　togetherand　outside　each　other；　my　dear；　outside　each　other。　　And　this　is　a　forecast；　a　proving　up；　by　man；　ahead　of　the　day。　　Cats　and　rats！　Think　of　it。　　And　it　shows　conclusively　the　power　of　kindness。　　I　shall　see　to　it　at　once　that　we　get　pets　for　our　own　children；　our　palm　branches。　　They　shall　learn　kindness　early；　to　the　dog；　the　cat；　yes；　even　the　rat；　and　the　pretty　linnet　in　its　cage。〃

〃But；〃　said　his　dear；　beside　him；　〃you　remember　what　Blake　said：


〃'A　Robin　Redbreast　in　a　cage　Puts　all　heaven　in　a　rage。'〃


〃Ahbut　not　when　it　is　treated　truly　with　kindness；　my　dear。　　I　shall　immediately　order　some　rabbits；　and　a　canary　or　two；　and　what　sort　of　a　dog　would　you　prefer　our　dear　little　ones　to　have　to　play　with；　my　sweet？〃

And　his　dear　looked　at　him　in　all　his　imperturbable；　complacent　self…consciousness　of　kindness；　and　saw　herself　the　little　rural　school…teacher　who；　with　Ella　Wheeler　Wilcox　and　Lord　Byron　as　her　idols；　and　with　the　dream　of　herself　writing　〃Poems　of　Passion；〃　had　come　up　to　Topeka　Town　to　be　beaten　by　the　game　into　marrying　the　solid；　substantial　business　man　beside　her；　who　enjoyed　delight　in　the　spectacle　of　cats　and　rats　walking　the　tight…rope　in　amity；　and　who　was　blissfully　unaware　that　she　was　the　Robin　Redbreast　in　a　cage　that　put　all　heaven　in　a　rage。

〃The　rats　are　bad　enough；〃　said　Miss　Merle　Merryweather。　　〃But　look　how　he　uses　up　the　cats。　　He's　had　three　die　on　him　in　the　last　two　weeks　to　my　certain　knowledge。　　They're　only　alley…cats；　but　they've　got　feelings。　　It's　that　boxing　match　that　does　for　them。〃

The　boxing　match；　sure　always　of　a　great　hand　from　the　audience；　invariably　concluded　Duckworth's　turn。　　Two　cats；　with　small　boxing…gloves；　were　put　on　a　table　for　a　friendly　bout。　Naturally；　the　cats　that　performed　with　the　rats　were　too　cowed　for　this。　　It　was　the　fresh　cats　he　used；　the　ones　with　spunk　and　spirit　。　。　。　until　they　lost　all　spunk　and　spirit　or　sickened　and　died。　　To　the　audience　it　was　a　side…splitting；　playful　encounter　between　four…legged　creatures　who　thus　displayed　a　ridiculous　resemblance　to　superior；　two…legged　man。　　But　it　was　not　playful　to　the　cats。　　They　were　always　excited　into　starting　a　real　fight　with　each　other　off　stage　just　before　they　were　brought　on。　　In　the　blows　they　struck　were　anger　and　pain　and　bewilderment　and　fear。　　And　the　gloves　just　would　come　off；　so　that　they　were　ripping　and　tearing　at　each　other；　biting　as　well　as　making　the　fur　fly；　like　furies；　when　the　curtain　went　down。　　In　the　eyes　of　the　audience　this　apparent　impromptu　was　always　the　ultimate　scream；　and　the　laughter　and　applause　would　compel　the　curtain　up　again　to　reveal　Duckworth　and　an　assistant　stage…hand；　as　if　caught　by　surprise；　fanning　the　two　belligerents　with　towels。

But　the　cats　themselves　were　so　continually　torn　and　scratched　that　the　wounds　never　had　a　chance　to　heal　and　became　infected　until　they　were　a　mass　of　sores。　　On　occasion　they　died；　or；　when　they　had　become　too　abjectly　spiritless　to　attack　even　a　rat；　were　set　to　work　on　the　tight…rope　with　the　doped　starved　rats　that　were　too　near　dead　to　run　away　from　them。　　And；　as　Miss　Merle　Merryweather　said：　　the　bonehead　audiences；　tickled　to　death；　applauded　Duckworth's　Trained　Cats　and　Rats　as　an　educational　act！

A　big　chimpanzee　that　covered　one　of　the　circuits　with　Michael　had　an　antipathy　for　clothes。　　Like　a　horse　that　fights　the　putting　on　of　the　bridle；　and；　after　it　is　on；　takes　no　further　notice　of　it；　so　the　big　chimpanzee　fought　the　putting　on　the　clothes。　　Once　on；　it　was　ready　to　go　out　on　the　stage　and　through　its　turn。　　But　the　rub　was　in　putting　on　the　clothes。　　It　took　the　owner　and　two　stage…hands；　pulling　him　up　to　a　ring　in　the　wall　and　throttling　him；　to　dress　himand　this；　despite　the　fact　that　the　owner　had　long　since　knocked　out　his　incisors。

All　this　cruelty　Michael　sensed　without　knowing。　　And　he　accepted　it　as　the　way　of　life；　as　he　accepted　the　daylight　and　the　dark；　the　bite　of　the　frost　on　bleak　and　windy　station　platforms；　the　mysterious　land　of　Otherwhere　that　he　knew　in　dreams　and　song；　the　equally　mysterious　Nothingness　into　which　had　vanished　Meringe　Plantation　and　ships　and　oceans　and　men　and　Steward。



CHAPTER　XXXIII



For　two　years　Michael　sang　his　way　over　the　United　States；　to　fame　for　himself　and　to　fortune　for　Jacob　Henderson。　　There　was　never　any　time　off。　　So　great　was　his　success；　that　Henderson　refused　flattering　offers　to　cross　the　Atlantic　to　show　in　Europe。　　But　off…time　did　come　to　Michael　when　Henderson　fell　ill　of　typhoid　in　Chicago。

It　was　a　three…months'　vacation　for　Michael；　who；　well　treated　but　still　a　prisoner；　spent　it　in　a　caged　kennel　in　Mulcachy's　Animal　Home。　　Mulcachy；　one　of　Harris　Collins's　brightest　graduates；　had　emulated　his　master　by　setting　up　in　business　in　Chicago；　where　he　ran　everything　with　the　same　rigid　cleanliness；　sanitation；　and　scientific　cruelty。　　Michael　received　nothing　but　the　excellent　food　and　the　cleanliness；　but；　a　solitary　and　brooding　prisoner　in　his　cage；　he　could　not　help　but　sense　the　atmosphere　of　pain　and　terror　about　him　of　the　animals　being　broken　for　the　delight　of　men。

Mulcachy　had　originated　aphorisms　of　his　own　which　he　continually　enunciated；　among　which　were：

〃Take　it　from　me；　when　an　animal　won't　give　way　to　pain；　it　can't　be　broke。　　Pain　is　the　only　school…teacher。〃

〃Just　as　you　got　to　take　the　buck　out　of　a　broncho；　you've　got　to　take　the　bite　out　of　a　lion。〃

〃You　can't　break　animals　with　a　feather　duster。　　The　thicker　the　skull　the　thicker　the　crowbar。〃

〃They'll　always　beat　you　in　argument。　　First　thing　is　to　club　the　argument　out　of　them。〃

〃Heart…bonds　between　trainers　and　animals！　　Son；　that's　dope　for　the　newspaper　interviewer。　　The　only　heart…bond　I　know　is　a　stout　stick　with　some　iron　on　the　end　of　it。〃

〃Sure　you　can　make　'm　eat　outa　your　hand。　　But　the　thing　to　watch　out　for　is　that　they　don't　eat　your　hand。　　A　blank　cartridge　in　the　nose　just　about　that　time　is　the　best　preventive　I　know。〃

There　were　days　when　all　the　air　was　vexed　with　roars　and　squalls　of　ferocity　and　agony　from　the　arena；　until　the　last　animal　in　the　cages　was　excited　and　ill　at　ease。　　In　truth；　since　it　was　Mulcachy's　boast　that　he　could　break　the　best　animal　living；　no　end　of　the　hardest　cases　fell　to　his　hand。　　He　had　built　a　reputation　for　succeeding　where　others　failed；　and；　endowed　with　fearlessness；　callousness；　and　cunning；　he　never　let　his　reputation　wane。　　There　was　nothing　he　dared　not　tackle；　and；　when　he　gave　up　an　animal；　the　last　word　was　said。　　For　it；　remained　nothing　but　to　be　a　cage…animal；　in　solitary　confinement；　pacing　ever　up　and　down；　embittered　with　all　the　world　of　man　and　roaring　its　bitterness　to　the　most　delicious　enthrillment　of　the　pay…　spectators。

During　the　three　months　spent　by　Michael　in　Mulcachy's　Animal　Home；　occurred　two　especially　hard　cases。　　Of　course；　the　daily　chant　of　ordinary　pain　of　training　went　on　all　the　time　through　the　working　hours；　such　as　of　〃good〃　bears　and　lions　and　tigers　that　were　made　amenable　under　stress；　and　of　elephants　derricked　and　gaffed　into　making　the　head…stand　or　into　the　beating　of　a　bass　drum。　　But　the　two　cases　that　were　exceptional；　put　a　mood　of　depression　and　fear　into　all　the　listening　animals；　such　as　humans　might　experience　in　an　ante…room　of　hell；　listening　to　the　flailing　and　the　flaying　of　their　fellows　who　had　preceded　them　into　the　torture…chamber。

The　first　was　of　the　big　Indian　tiger。　　Free…born　in　the　jungle；　and　free　all　his　days；　master；　according　to　his　nature　and　prowess；　of　all　other　living　creatures　including　his　fellow…　tigers；　he　had　come　to　grief　in　the　end；　and；　from　the　trap　to　the　cramped　cage；　by　elephant…back　and　railroad　and　steamship；　ever　in　the　cramped　cage；　he　had　journeyed　across　seas　and　continents　to　Mulcachy's　Animal　Home。　　Prospective　buyers　had　examined　but　not　dared　to　purchase。　　But　Mulcachy　had　been　undeterred。　　His　own　fighting　blood　leapt　hot　at　sight　of　the　magnificent　striped　cat。　It　was　a　challenge　of　the　brute　in　him　to　excel。　　And；　two　weeks　of　hell；　for　the　great　tiger　and　for　all　the　other　animals；　were　required　to　teach　him　his　first　lesson。

Ben　Bolt　he　had　been　named；　and　he　arrived　indomitable　and　irreconcilable；　though　almost　paralysed　from　eight　weeks　of　cramp　in　his　narrow　cage　which　had　restricted　all　movement。　　Mulcachy　should　have　undertaken　the　job　immediately；　but　two　weeks　were　lost　by　the　fact　that　he　had　got　married　and