bruce-第7章

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spell　of　it。　If　I　had　my　way；　that　man　Halding　would　be　barred

from　every　dog…show　and　stuck　in　jail。　It's　an　old　trick　of　his；

to　buy　up　thoroughbreds；　cheap；　at　shows。　The　bigger　and　the

stronger　they　are；　the　more　he　pays　for　them。　He　seems　to　think

pedigreed　dogs　are　better　for　his　filthy　purposes　than　street

curs。　They　have　a　higher　nervous　organism；　I　suppose。　The　swine！〃



〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　the　Mistress；　puzzled　by　his　vehemence。

〃I　don't〃



〃You　must　have　heard　of　Halding　and　his　so…called　'research

work；'〃　the　superintendent　went　on。　〃He　is　one　of　the　most

notorious　vivisectionists　in〃



The　superintendent　got　no　further。　He　was　talking　to　empty　air。

The　Mistress　had　fled。　Her　determined　small　figure　made　a　tumbled

wake　through　the　crowd　as　she　sped　toward　Bruce's　bench。　The

puppy　was　no　longer　there。　In　another　second　the　Mistress　was　at

the　door　of　the　building。



A　line　of　parked　cars　was　stretched　across　the　opposite　side　of

the　village　street。　Into　one　of　these　cars　a　large　and　loose…

jointed　man　was　lifting　a　large　and　loose…jointed　dog。　The　dog

did　not　like　his　treatment；　and　was　struggling　pathetically　in

vain　awkwardness　to　get　free。



〃Bruce！〃　called　the　Mistress；　fiercely；　as　she　dashed　across　the

street。



The　puppy　heard　the　familiar　voice　and　howled　for　release。　Dr。

Halding　struck　him　roughly　over　the　head　and　scrambled　into　the

machine　with　him；　reaching　with　his　one　disengaged　hand　for　the

self…starter　button。　Before　he　could　touch　it；　the　Mistress　was

on　the　running…board　of　the　car。



As　she　ran；　she　had　opened　her　wristbag。　Now；　flinging　on　the

runabout's　seat　a　ten　and　a　five…dollar　bill；　she　demanded



〃Give　me　my　dog！　There　is　the　money　you　paid　for　him！〃



〃He　isn't　for　sale；〃　grinned　the　Doctor。　〃Stand　clear；　please。

I'm　starting。〃



〃You're　doing　nothing　of　the　sort；〃　was　the　hot　reply。　〃You'll

give　back　my　dog！　Do　you　understand？〃



For　answer　Halding　reached　again　toward　his　self…starter。　A

renewed　struggle　from　the　whimpering　puppy　frustrated　his　aim　and

forced　him　to　devote　both　hands　to　the　subduing　of　Bruce。　The　dog

was　making　frantic　writhings　to　get　to　the　Mistress。　She　caught

his　furry　ruff　and　raged　on；　sick　with　anger



〃I　know　who　you　are　and　what　you　want　this　poor　frightened　puppy

for。　You　shan't　have　him！　There　seems　to　be　no　law　to　prevent

human　devils　from　strapping　helpless　dogs　to　a　table　and

torturing　them　to　death　in　the　unholy　name　of　science。　But　if

there　isn't　a　corner　waiting　for　them；　below；　it's　only　because

Hades　can't　be　made　hot　enough　to　punish　such　men　as　they　ought

to　be　punished！　You're　not　going　to　torture　Bruce。　There's　your

money。　Let　go　of　him。〃



〃You　talk　like　all　silly；　sloppy　sentimentalists！〃　scoffed　the

Doctor；　his　slight　German　accent　becoming　more　noticeable　as　he

continued：　〃A　woman　can't　have　the　intellect　to　understand　our

services　to　humanity。　We〃



〃Neither　have　half　the　real　doctors！〃　she　flashed。　〃Fully　half　of

them　deny　that　vivisection　ever　helped　humanity。　And　half　the

remainder　say　they　are　in　doubt。　They　can't　point　to　a　single

definite　case　where　it　has　been　of　use。　Alienists　say　it's　a

distinct　form　of　mental　perversion；the　craving　to　torture　dumb

animals　to　death　and　to　make　scientific　notes　of　their

sufferings。〃



〃Pah！〃　he　sniffed。　〃I〃



She　hurried　on



〃If　humanity　can't　be　helped　without　cutting　live　dogs　and

kittens　to　shreds；　in　slow　agonythen　so　much　the　worse　for

humanity！　If　you　vivisectors　would　be　content　to　practice　on　one

anotheror　on　condemned　murderers；instead　of　on　friendly　and

innocent　dogs；　there'd　be　no　complaint　from　any　one。　But　leave

our　pets　alone。　Let　go　of　my　puppy！〃



By　way　of　response　the　Doctor　grunted　in　lofty　contempt。　At　the

same　time　he　tucked　the　wriggling　dog　under　his　right　arm；

holding　him　thus　momentarily　safe；　and　pressed　the　self…starter

button。



There　was　a　subdued　whir。　A　move　of　Halding's　foot　and　a　release

of　the　brake；　and　the　car　started　forward。



〃Stand　clear！〃　he　ordered。　〃I'm　going。〃



The　jolt　of　the　sudden　start　was　too　much　for　the　Mistress's

balance　on　the　running…board。　Back　she　toppled。　Only　by　luck　did

she　land　on　her　feet　instead　of　her　head；　upon　the　greasy

pavement　of　the　street。



But　she　sprang　forward　again；　with　a　little　cry　of　indignant

dismay；　and　reached　desperately　into　the　moving　car　for　Bruce；

calling　him　eagerly　by　name。



Dr。　Halding　was　steering　with　his　left　hand；　while　his　viselike

right　arm　still　encircled　the　protesting　collie。　As　the　Mistress

ran　alongside　and　grasped　frantically　for　her　doomed　pet；　he　let

go　of　Bruce　for　an　instant；　to　fend　off　her　handor　perhaps　to

thrust　her　away　from　the　peril　of　the　fast…moving　mud…guards。　At

the　Mistress's　cryand　at　the　brief　letup　of　pressure　caused　by

the　Doctor's　menacing　gesture　toward　the　unhappy　womanBruce's

long…sleeping　soul　awoke。　He　answered　the　cry　and　the　man's　blow

at　his　deity　in　the　immemorial　fashion　of　all　dogs　whose　human

gods　are　threatened。



There　was　a　snarling　wild…beast　growl；　the　first　that　ever　had

come　from　the　clownlike　puppy's　throat；and　Bruce　flung　his

unwieldy　young　body　straight　for　the　vivisector's　throat。



Halding；　with　a　vicious　fist…lunge；　sent　the　pup　to　the　floor　of

the　car　in　a　crumpled　heap；　but　not　before　the　curving　white

eyeteeth　had　slashed　the　side　of　the　man's　throat　in　an　ugly

flesh…wound　that　drove　its　way　dangerously　close　to　the　jugular。



Half　stunned　by　the　blow；　and　with　the　breath　knocked　out　of　him；

Bruce　none　the　less　gathered　himself　together　with　lightning

speed　and　launched　his　bulk　once　more　for　Halding's　throat。



This　time　he　missed　his　markfor　several　things　happened　all　at

once。



At　the　dog's　first　onslaught；　Halding's　foot　had　swung　forward；

along　with　his　fist；　in　an　instinctive　kick。　The　kick　did　not

reach　Bruce。　But　it　landed；　full　and　effectively；　on　the

accelerator。



The　powerful　car　responded　to　the　touch　with　a　bound。　And　it　did

so　at　the　very　moment　that　the　flash　of　white　teeth　at　his　throat

made　Halding　snatch　his　own　left　hand　instinctively　from　the

steering…wheel；　in　order　to　guard　the　threatened　spot。



A　second　later　the　runabout　crashed　at　full　speed　into　the　wall

of　a　house　on　the　narrow　street's　opposite　side。



The　rest　was　chaos。



When　a　crowd　of　idlers　and　a　policeman　at　last　righted　the

wrecked　car；　two　bodies　were　found　huddled　inertly　amid　a　junk…

heap　of　splintered　glass　and　shivered　wood　and　twisted　metal。　The

local　ambulance　carried　away　one　of　these　limp　bodies。　The

Place's　car　rushed　the　smash…up's　other　senseless　victim　to　the

office　of　the　nearest　veterinary。　Dr。　Halding；　with　a　shattered

shoulder…blade　and　a　fractured　nose　and　jaw　and　a　mild　case　of

brain…concussion；was　received　as　a　guest　of　honor　at　the

village　hospital。



Bruce；　his　left　foreleg　broken　and　a　nasty　assortment　of　glass…

cuts　marring　the　fluffiness　of　his　fur；　was　skillfully　patched　up

by　the　vet'　and　carried　back　that　night　to　The　Place。



The　puppy　had　suddenly　taken　on　a　new　value　in　his　owners'　eyes

partly　for　his　gallantly　puny　effort　at　defending　the　Mistress；

partly　because　of　his　pitiful　condition。　And　he　was　nursed；　right

zealously；　back　to　life　and　health。



In　a　few　weeks；　the　plaster　cast　on　the　convalescent's　broken

foreleg　had　been　replaced　by　a　bandage。　In　another　week　or　two

the　vet'　pronounced　Bruce　as　well　as　ever。　The　dog；　through

habit；　still　held　the　mended　foreleg　off　the　ground；　even　after

the　bandage　was　removed。　Whereat；　the　Master　tied　a　bandage

tightly　about　the　uninjured　foreleg。



Bruce　at　once　decided　that　this；　and　not　the　other；　was　the　lame

leg；　and　he　began　forthwith　to　limp　on　it。　As　it　was　manifestly

impossible　to　keep　both　forelegs　off　the　ground　at　the　same　time

when　he　was　walking；　he　was　forced　to　make　use　of　the　once…broken

leg。　Finding；　to　his　amaze；　that　he　could　walk　on　it　with　perfect

ease；　he　devoted　his　limping　solely　to　the　well　leg。　And　as　soon

as　the　Master　took　the　bandage　from　that；　Bruce　ceased　to　limp　at

all。



Meanwhile；　a　lawyer；　whose　name　sounded　as　though　it　had　been

culled　from　a　Rhine　Wine　list；　had　begun　suit；　in　Dr。　Halding's

name；　against　the　Mistress；　as　a　〃contributory　cause〃　of　his

client's　accident。　The　suit　never　came　to　trial。　It　was　dropped；

indeed；　with　much　haste。　Not　from　any　change　of　heart　on　the

plaintiff's　behalf；　but　because；　at　that　juncture；　Dr。　Halding

chanced　to　be　arrested　and　interned　as　a　dangerous　Enemy　Alien。

Our　country　had　recently　declared　war　on　Germany；　and　the　belated

spy…hunt　was　up。



During　the　Federal　officers'　search　of　the　doctor's　house；　for

treasonable　documents　（of　which　they　found　an　ample　supply）；　they

came　upon　his　laboratory。　No　fewer　than　five　dogs；　in　varying

stages　of　hideous　torture；　were　found　strapped　to　tables　or

hanging　to　wall…hooks。　The　vivisector　bewailed；　loudly　and

gutturally；　this　cruel　interruption　to　his　researches　in

Science's　behalf。



One　day；　two　months　after　the　accident；　Bruce　stood　on　all　four

feet　once　more；　with　no　vestige　left　of　scars　or　of　lameness。　And

then；　for　the　first　time；　a　steady　change　that　had　been　so　slow

as　to　escape　any　one's　notice　dawned　upon　the　Mistress　and　the

Master。　It　struck　them　both　at　the　same　moment。　And　they　stared

dully　at　their　pet。



The　shapeless；　bumptious；　foolish　Pest　of　two　months　ago　had

vanished。　In　his　place；　by　a　very　normal　process　of　nature…magic；

stood　a　magnificently　stately　thoroughbred　collie。



The　big　head　had　tapered　symmetrically；　and　had　lost　its　puppy

formlessness。　It　was　now　a　head　worthy　of　Landseer's　own　pencil。

The　bonily　awkward　body　had　lengthened　and　had　lost　its　myriad

knobs　and　angles。　It　had　grown　massively　graceful。



The　former　thatch　of　half…curly　and　indeterminately　yellowish

fuzz　had　changed　to　a　rough　tawny　coat；　wavy　and　unbelievably

heavy；　stippled　at　the　ends　with　glossy　black。　There　was　a

strange　depth　and　repose　and　Soul　in　the　dark　eyesyes；　and　a

keen　intelligence；　too。



It　was　the　old　story　of　the　Ugly　Duckling；　all　over　again。



〃Why！〃　gasped　the　Mistress。　〃He'she's　BEAUTIFUL！　And　I　never

knew　it。〃



At　her　loved　voice　the　great　dog　moved　across　to　where　she　sat。

Lightly　he　laid　one　little　white　paw　on　her　knee　and　looked

gravely　up　into　her　eyes。



〃He's　got　sense；　too；〃　chimed　in　the　Master。　〃Look　at　those　eyes；

if　you　doubt　it。　They're　alive　with　intelligence。　It'sit's　a

miracle！　He　can't　be　the　same　worthless　whelp　I　wanted　to　get　rid

of！　He　CAN'T！〃



And　he　was　not。　The　long　illness；　at　the　most　formative　time　of

the　dog's　growth；　had　done　its　work　in　developing　what；　all　the

time；　had　lain　latent。　The　same　illnessand　the　long…enforced

personal　touch　with　humanshad　done　an　equally　transforming　wo