the song of the cardinal- 第7部分

Cardinal　struck　him　like　a　flashing　rocket；　and　then　red　war

waged　in　Rainbow　Bottom。　　The　females　scattered　for　cover　with

all　their　might。　　The　Cardinal　worked　in　a　kiss　on　one　poor

little　bird；　too　frightened　to　escape　him；　then　the　males　closed

in；　and　serious　business　began。　　The　Cardinal　would　have　enjoyed

a　fight　vastly　with　two　or　three　opponents；　but　a　half…dozen　made

discretion　better　than　valour。　　He　darted　among　them；　scattering

them　right　and　left；　and　made　for　the　sycamore。　　With　all　his

remaining　breath；　he　insolently　repeated　his　challenge；　and　then

headed　down　stream　for　the　sumac　with　what　grace　he　could

command。



There　was　an　hour　of　angry　recrimination　before　sweet　peace

brooded　again　in　Rainbow　Bottom。　　The　newly　mated　pair　finally

made　up；　the　females　speedily　resumed　their　coquetting；　and

forgot　the　captivating　strangerall　save　the　poor　little　one

that　had　been　kissed　by　accident。　　She　never　had　been　kissed

before；　and　never　had　expected　that　she　would　be；　for　she　was　a

creature　of　many　misfortunes　of　every　nature。



She　had　been　hatched　from　a　fifth　egg　to　begin　with；　and　every

one　knows　the　disadvantage　of　beginning　life　with　four　sturdy

older　birds　on　top　of　one。　　It　was　a　meager　egg；　and　a　feeble

baby　that　pipped　its　shell。　　The　remainder　of　the　family　stood

and　took　nearly　all　the　food　so　that　she　almost　starved　in　the

nest；　and　she　never　really　knew　the　luxury　of　a　hearty　meal　until

her　elders　had　flown。　　That　lasted　only　a　few　days；　for　the

others　went　then；　and　their　parents　followed　them　so　far　afield

that　the　poor　little　soul；　clamouring　alone　in　the　nest；　almost

perished。　Hunger…driven；　she　climbed　to　the　edge　and　exercised

her　wings　until　she　managed　some　sort　of　flight　to　a　neighbouring

bush。　　She　missed　the　twig　and　fell　to　the　ground；　where　she　lay

cold　and　shivering。



She　cried　pitifully；　and　was　almost　dead　when　a　brown…faced；

barefoot　boy；　with　a　fishing…pole　on　his　shoulder；　passed　and

heard　her。



〃Poor　little　thing；　you　are　almost　dead；〃　he　said。　　〃I　know　what

I'll　do　with　you。　　I'll　take　you　over　and　set　you　in　the　bushes

where　I　heard　those　other　redbirds；　and　then　your　ma　will　feed

you。〃



The　boy　turned　back　and　carefully　set　her　on　a　limb　close　to　one

of　her　brothers；　and　there　she　got　just　enough　food　to　keep　her

alive。



So　her　troubles　continued。　　Once　a　squirrel　chased　her；　and　she

saved　herself　by　crowding　into　a　hole　so　small　her　pursuer　could

not　follow。　　The　only　reason　she　escaped　a　big　blue　racer　when

she　went　to　take　her　first　bath；　was　that　a　hawk　had　his　eye　on

the　snake　and　snapped　it　up　at　just　the　proper　moment　to　save　the

poor；　quivering　little　bird。　　She　was　left　so　badly　frightened

that　she　could　not　move　for　a　long　time。



All　the　tribulations　of　birdland　fell　to　her　lot。　　She　was　so

frail　and　weak　she　lost　her　family　in　migration；　and　followed

with　some　strangers　that　were　none　too　kind。　　Life　in　the　South

had　been　full　of　trouble。　　Once　a　bullet　grazed　her　so　closely

she　lost　two　of　her　wing　quills；　and　that　made　her　more　timid

than　ever。　　Coming　North；　she　had　given　out　again　and　finally　had

wandered　into　Rainbow　Bottom；　lost　and　alone。



She　was　such　a　shy；　fearsome　little　body；　the　females　all　flouted

her；　and　the　males　never　seemed　to　notice　that　there　was　material

in　her　for　a　very　fine　mate。　　Every　other　female　cardinal　in

Rainbow　Bottom　had　several　males　courting　her；　but　this　poor；

frightened；　lonely　one　had　never　a　suitor；　and　she　needed　love　so

badly！　　Now　she　had　been　kissed　by　this　magnificent　stranger！



Of　course；　she　knew　it　really　was　not　her　kiss。　　He　had　intended

it　for　the　bold　creature　that　had　answered　his　challenge；　but

since　it　came　to　her；　it　was　hers；　in　a　way；　after　all。　　She　hid

in　the　underbrush　for　the　remainder　of　the　day；　and　was　never　so

frightened　in　all　her　life。　　She　brooded　over　it　constantly；　and

morning　found　her　at　the　down　curve　of　the　horseshoe；　straining

her　ears　for　the　rarest　note　she　ever　had　heard。　　All　day　she　hid

and　waited；　and　the　following　days　were　filled　with　longing；　but

he　never　came　again。



So　one　morning；　possessed　with　courage　she　did　not　understand；

and　filled　with　longing　that　drove　her　against　her　will；　she

started　down　the　river。　　For　miles　she　sneaked　through　the

underbrush；　and　watched　and　listened；　until　at　last　night　came；

and　she　returned　to　Rainbow　Bottom。　　The　next　morning　she　set　out

early　and　flew　to　the　spot　from　which　she　had　turned　back　the

night　before。　　From　there　she　glided　through　the　bushes　and

underbrush；　trembling　and　quaking；　yet　pushing　stoutly　onward；

straining　her　ears　for　some　note　of　the　brilliant　stranger's。



It　was　mid…forenoon　when　she　reached　the　region　of　the　sumac；　and

as　she　hopped　warily　along；　only　a　short　distance　from　her；　full

and　splendid；　there　burst　the　voice　of　the　singer　for　whom　she

was　searching。　　She　sprang　into　air；　and　fled　a　mile　before　she

realized　that　she　was　flying。　　Then　she　stopped　and　listened；　and

rolling　with　the　river；　she　heard　those　bold　true　tones。　　Close

to　earth；　she　went　back　again；　to　see　if；　unobserved；　she　could

find　a　spot　where　she　might　watch　the　stranger　that　had　kissed

her。　When　at　last　she　reached　a　place　where　she　could　see　him

plainly；　his　beauty　was　so　bewildering；　and　his　song　so　enticing

that　she　gradually　hopped　closer　and　closer　without　knowing　she

was　moving。



High　in　the　sumac　the　Cardinal　had　sung　until　his　throat　was

parched；　and　the　fountain　of　hope　was　almost　dry。　　There　was

nothing　save　defeat　from　overwhelming　numbers　in　Rainbow　Bottom。

He　had　paraded；　and　made　all　the　music　he　ever　had　been　taught；

and　improvised　much　more。　　Yet　no　one　had　come　to　seek　him。　　Was

it　of　necessity　to　be　the　Limberlost　then？　This　one　day　more　he

would　retain　his　dignity　and　his　location。　　He　tipped；　tilted；

and　flirted。　　He　whistled；　and　sang；　and　trilled。　　Over　the

lowland　and　up　and　down　the　shining　river；　ringing　in　every

change　he　could　invent；　he　sent　for　the　last　time　his　prophetic

message；　〃Wet　year！　Wet　year！〃







Chapter　3



〃Come　here！　Come　here！〃　entreated　the　Cardinal





He　felt　that　his　music　was　not　reaching　his　standard　as　he　burst

into　this　new　song。　　He　was　almost　discouraged。　　No　way　seemed

open　to　him　but　flight　to　the　Limberlost；　and　he　so　disdained　the

swamp　that　love…making　would　lose　something　of　its　greatest　charm

if　he　were　driven　there　for　a　mate。　　The　time　seemed　ripe　for

stringent　measures；　and　the　Cardinal　was　ready　to　take　them；　but

how　could　he　stringently　urge　a　little　mate　that　would　not　come

on　his　imploring　invitations？　　He　listlessly　pecked　at　the

berries　and　flung　abroad　an　inquiring　〃Chip！〃　With　just　an　atom

of　hope；　he　frequently　mounted　to　his　choir…loft　and　issued　an

order　that　savoured　far　more　of　a　plea；　〃Come　here！　Come　here！〃

and　then；　leaning；　he　listened　intently　to　the　voice　of　the

river；　lest　he　fail　to　catch　the　faintest　responsive　〃Chook！〃　it

might　bear。



He　could　hear　the　sniffling　of　carp　wallowing　beside　the　bank。　　A

big　pickerel　slashed　around；　breakfasting　on　minnows。　　Opposite

the　sumac；　the　black　bass；　with　gamy　spring；　snapped　up；　before

it　struck　the　water；　every　luckless；　honey…laden　insect　that　fell

from　the　feast　of　sweets　in　a　blossom…whitened　wild　crab。　　The

sharp　bark　of　the　red　squirrel　and　the　low　of　cattle；　lazily

chewing　their　cuds　among　the　willows；　came　to　him。　　The　hammering

of　a　woodpecker　on　a　dead　sycamore；　a　little　above　him；　rolled　to

his　straining　ears　like　a　drum　beat。



The　Cardinal　hated　the　woodpecker　more　than　he　disliked　the　dove。



It　was　only　foolishly　effusive；　but　the　woodpecker　was　a

veritable　Bluebeard。　　The　Cardinal　longed　to　pull　the　feathers

from　his　back　until　it　was　as　red　as　his　head；　for　the　woodpecker

had　dressed　his　suit　in　finest　style；　and　with　dulcet　tones　and

melting　tenderness　had　gone　acourting。　　Sweet　as　the　dove's　had

been　his　wooing；　and　one　more　pang　the　lonely　Cardinal　had

suffered　at　being　forced　to　witness　his　felicity；　yet　scarcely

had　his　plump；　amiable　little　mate　consented　to　his　caresses　and

approved　the　sycamore；　before　he　turned　on　her；　pecked　her

severely；　and　pulled　a　tuft　of　plumage　from　her　breast。　　There

was　not　the　least　excuse　for　this　tyrannical　action；　and　the

sight　filled　the　Cardinal　with　rage。　　He　fully　expected　to　see

Madam　Woodpecker　divorce　herself　and　flee　her　new　home；　and　he

most　earnestly　hoped　that　she　would；　but　she　did　no　such　thing。　

She　meekly　flattened　her　feathers；　hurried　work　in　a　lively

manner；　and　tried　in　every　way　to　anticipate　and　avert　her　mate's

displeasure。　　Under　this　treatment　he　grew　more　abusive；　and　now

Madam　Woodpecker　dodged　every　time　she　came　within　his　reach。　　It

made　the　Cardinal　feel　so　vengeful　that　he　longed　to　go　up　and

drum　the　sycamore　with　the　woodpecker's　head　until　he　taught　him

how　to　treat　his　mate　properly。



There　was　plently　of　lark　music　rolling　with　the　river；　and　that

morning　brought　the　first　liquid　golden　notes　of　the　orioles。

They　had　arrived　at　dawn；　and　were　overjoyed　with　their

homecoming；　for　they　were　darting　from　bank　to　bank　singing

exquisitely　on　wing。　　There　seemed　no　end　to　the　bird　voices　that

floated　with　the　river；　and　yet　there　was　no　beginning　to　the　one

voice　for　which　the　Cardinal　waited　with　passionate　longing。



The　oriole's　singing　was　so　inspiring　that　it　tempted　the

Cardinal　to　another　effort；　and　perching　where　he　gleamed　crimson

and　black　against　the　April　sky；　he　tested　his　voice；　and　when

sure　of　his　tones；　he　entreatingly　called：　〃Come　here！　Come

here！〃



Just　then　he　saw　her！　　She　came　daintily　over　the　earth；　soft　as

down　before　the　wind；　a　rosy　flush　suffusing　her　plumage；　a　coral

beak；　her　very　feet　pinkthe　shyest；　most　timid　little　thing

alive。　　Her　bright　eyes　were　popping　with　fear；　and　d