第16章思念里的流浪狗(6)
&ahedoor。Therewasasmellthere;astrongsmelllikebeggarsasmelledlikeJenkins。It>
retginthehousewithmydearMissLaura?IthoughtIwouldgocrazy。Iscratchedatthedoor,andbarkedandyelped。Ispranguponit,andthoughIwasquiteaheavydogbythistime,Ifeltaslightasafeather。
&omethatIwouldgomadifIotgetthatdooropen。EveryfewsedsIstoppedandputmyheaddowntothedoorsilltolisten。Therewasarushingaboutiheroom,andachairfellover,andsomeoobegettingoutofthewindow。
Thismademeworsethanever。IdidnotstoptothinkthatIwasonlyamedium-sizeddog,andthatJenkinswouldprobablykillme,ifhegothishandsonme。IwassofuriousthatIthoughtoingholdofhim。
IoftheImade,therewasasgandarushingtoandfroupstairs。Iranupanddownthehall,andhalf-thestepsandba。IdidnotwantMissLauratoedown,buthowwasItomakeheruhereshewas,iegown,leaherailing,andholdingbaghair,herfaceapictureofsurpriseandalarm。
"Thedoghasgonemad,"screamedMissBessie。"Nurse,pourapitcherofwateronhim。"
Thenursewasmoresensible。Sherandownstairs,hernight-g,andablashehadseizedfromherbed,trailingbehi;Therearethievesinthehouse,"sheshoutedatthetopofhervoice,"andthedoghasfounditout。"
&gohedining-roomdoor,butthrewope,"Polian!Help,help,thieves,murder!"
Suchasgasthatoldwomanmade!ShewasworsethanIwas。Idashedbyher,hthehalldoor,andawaydowe,whereIheards。IgaveafewloudyelpstocallJim,aeasthemanbeforemehaddone。
Therewassomethihatnight。IthinkitmusthavebeenthesmellofJenkiasifIcouldtearhimtopieces。Ihavesowice。Iwashuntinghim,ashehadhuntedmeandmymother,agavemepleasure。
OldJimsooncaughtupwithme,andIgavehimapushwithmyhimknowIwasgladhehade。Werushedswiftlyon,andattheercaughtupwiththemiserablemanwhawayfromus。
Igaveanangrygroingup,bitathisleg。Heturnedaround,andthoughitwasnight,therewaslightenoughformetoseetheuglyfaaster。
HeseemedsoangrytothinkthatJimaosnapathim。Hecaughtupahandfulofstones,andwithsomebadwordsthrewthematus。Justthen,awayinfrontofus,wasaqueerwhistle,aherobehindus。Jerahroat,aorundow,awayfromthedireofthetwowhistles。
Iwasafraidthathewasgoiaway,andthoughIotholdhim,Ikeptspringinguponhim,arippedhimup。Oh,howfurioushewas!Hekickedmeagainstthesideofawall,ahreehardblowswithastickthathecaughtup,ahrowime。
IwouldhoughIcouldscarcelyseehimforthebloodthatwasrunningovermyeyes。OldJimgotsoangrywheouchedme,thatheranupbehindandnippedhisturnonhim。
SoonJeoahighwall,wherehestopped,andwithahurriedlookbehioclimboverit。Thewallwastoohighformetojump。Hewasgoingtoescape。WhatshallIdo?IbarkedasloudlyasIeohensprangupandheldhimbythelegashewasgettingover。
Ihadsuchagrip,thatIwehewallwithhim,aJimoherside。Jenkinsfelloheearth。Theup,andwithalookofdeadlyhatredonhisfae。Ifhelphadhinkhewouldhavedashedainstthewall,ashedashedoutmypoorlittlebrothers'againstthehorse'sstall。Butjustthentherewasarunningsound。Twomehestreetandspranguponthewall,justwhereJimanddownandbarkingindistress。
Isawatoheiruniformandthetheirhands,thattheywerepolioinstanttheyhadholdofJenkins。Hegaveuptheatmelikeanuglydog。"Ifithadn'tbeenforthatcur,I'd。Why—"aaggeredbadutteredabadword,"it'smeowndog。"
"Moreshametoyou,"saidohepoli,sternly;"whathaveyoubeenuptoatthistimeofnight,tohaveyaer'sspanieldogagyhthestreet?"
Jeoswearandwouldhemanything。Therewasahouseinthegarden,andjustatthisminutesomeoneopenedawindowa,"Hallo,there,whatareyoudoing?"
"We'regathief,sir,"saidohepoli,"leastwiseIthinkthat'swhathe'sbeenupto。Couldyouthrowusdownabitofrope?We'venohandcuffshere,andoneofushastogotothelodtheothertoWashi,wherethere'sawomanyellingbluemurder;andhurryup,please,sir。"
&lemanthree,andintwominutesJenkins'wristsweretiedtogether,andhewaswalkedthroughthegate,sayingbadwordsasfastashecouldtothepoliwhowasleadinghim。"Gooddogs,"saidtheotherpoliahehestreetandwefollowedhim。
AswehurriedalongWashi,andearourhouse,wesawlightsgleamingthroughthedarkness,andheardpetoandfro。Thenursehadalarmedtheneighborhood。TheMorrisboyswerealloutionlyhalfdshiveringwithdtheDrurys'an,withnohaton,andhishairstigupalloverhishead,wasrunningabout