bruce-第25部分

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〃Yes；　and　he　knew　he　was　risking　it；　too。　There's　blame　little　he

didn't　know。　He　saw　war…dogs；　all　around　him；　choking　to　death

from　gas；　or　screaming　their　lives　out；　in　No　Man's　Land；　when　a

bit　of　shell　had　disemboweled　'em　or　a　bullet　had　cracked　their

backbones。　He　saw　'em　starve　to　death。　He　saw　'em　one　bloody　mass

of　scars　and　sores。　He　saw　'em　die　of　pneumonia　and　mange　and

every　rotten　trench　disease。　And　he　knew　it　might　be　his　turn；

any　time　at　all；　to　die　as　they　were　dying；　and　he　knew　the

humans　was　too　busy　nursing　other　humans；　to　have　time　to　spare

on　caring　for　tortured　dogs。　（Though　those　same　dogs　were　dying

for　the　humans；　if　it　comes　to　that。）



〃Yes；　Bruce　knew　what　the　end　was　bound　to　be。　He　knew　it。　And　he

kept　on；　as　gay　and　as　brave　as　if　he　was　on　a　day's　romp。　He

never　flinched。　Not　even　that　time　the　K。O。　sent　him　up　the　hill

for　reenforcements　at　Rache；　when　every　sharpshooter　in　the　boche

trenches　was　laying　for　him；　and　when　the　machine　guns　were

trained　on　him；　too。　Bruce　knew　he　was　running　into　death；then

and　a　dozen　other　times。　And　he　went　at　it　like　a　white　man。



〃I'mI'm　getting　longwinded。　And　I'll　stop。　Butmaybe　if　you

boys　will　remember　the　Big　Dogand　what　he　did　for　us；when　you

get　back　home；if　you'll　remember　him　and　what　he　did　and　what

thousands　of　other　war…dogs　have　done；then　maybe　you'll　be　men

enough　to　punch　the　jaw　of　any　guy　who　gets　to　saying　that　dogs

are　nuisances　and　that　vivisection's　a　good　thing；　and　all　that。

If　you'll　just　do　that　much；　thenwell；　then　Bruce　hasn't　lived

and　died　for　nothing！



〃Brucie；　old　boy；〃　bending　to　lift　the　tawny　body　and　lower　it

into　the　grave；　〃it's　good…by。　It's　good…by　to　the　cleanest；

whitest　pal　that　a　poor　dub　of　a　doughboy　ever　had。　I〃



Mahan　glowered　across　at　the　clump　of　silent　men。



〃If　anybody　thinks　I'm　crying；〃　he　continued　thickly；　〃he's　a

liar。　I　got　a　cold；　and〃



〃Sacre　bon　Dieu！〃　yelled　old　Vivier；　insanely。　〃Regarde…donc！　Nom

d'une　pipe！〃



He　knelt　quickly　beside　the　body；　in　an　ecstasy　of　excitement。

The　others　craned　their　necks　to　see。　Then　from　a　hundred　throats

went　up　a　gasp　of　amazement。



Bruce；　slowly　and　dazedly；　was　lifting　his　magnificent　head！



〃Chase　off　for　the　surgeon！〃　bellowed　Mahan；　plumping　down　on　his

knees　beside　Vivier　and　examining　the　wound　in　the　dog's　scalp。

〃The　bullet　only　creased　his　skull！　It　didn't　go　through！　It's

just　put　him　out　for　a　few　hours；　like　I've　seen　it　do　to　men。

Get　the　surgeon！　If　that　bullet　in　his　body　didn't　hit　something

vital；　we'll　pull　him　around；　yet！　GLORY　BE！〃



　　　*　　　*　　　*　　　*　　　*　　　*　　　*　　　*　　　*　　　*　　　*



It　was　late　summer　again　at　The　Place；　late　opulent　summer；　with

the　peace　of　green　earth　and　blue　sky；　the　heavy　droning　of　bees

and　the　promise　of　harvest。　The　long　shadows　of　late　afternoon

stretched　lovingly　across　the　lawn；　from　the　great　lakeside

trees。　Over　everything　brooded　a　dreamy　amber　light。　The　war

seemed　a　million　miles　away。



The　Mistress　and　the　Master　came　down　from　the　vine…shaded

veranda　for　their　sunset　walk　through　the　grounds。　At　sound　of

their　steps　on　the　gravel；　a　huge　dark…brown…and…white　collie

emerged　from　his　resting…place　under　the　wistaria…arbor。



He　stretched　himself　lazily；　fore　and　aft；　in　collie…fashion。

Then　he　trotted　up　to　his　two　deities　and　thrust　his　muzzle

playfully　into　the　Mistress's　palm；　as　he　fell　into　step　with　the

promenaders。



He　walked　with　a　stiffness　in　one　foreleg。　His　gait　was　not　a

limp。　But　the　leg's　strength　could　no　longer　be　relied　on　for　a

ten…mile　gallop。　Along　his　forehead　was　a　new…healed　bullet…

crease。　And　the　fur　on　his　sides　had　scarcely　yet　grown　over　the

mark　of　the　high…powered　ball　which　had　gone　clear　through　him

without　touching　a　mortal　spot。



Truly；　the　regimental　surgeon　of　the　〃Here…We…Comes〃　had　done　a

job　worthy　of　his　own　high　fame！　And　the　dog's　wonderful

condition　had　done　the　rest。



Apart　from　scars　and　stiffness；　Bruce　was　none　the　worse　for　his

year　on　the　battle…front。　He　could　serve　no　longer　as　a　dashing

courier。　But　his　life　as　a　pet　was　in　no　way　impaired。



〃Here's　something　that　came　by　the　afternoon　mail；　Bruce；〃　the

Master　greeted　him；　as　the　collie　ranged　alongside。　〃It　belongs

to　you。　Take　a　look　at　it。〃



The　Master　drew　from　his　pocket　a　leather　box；　and　opened　it。　On

the　oblong　of　white　satin；　within　the　cover；　was　pinned　a　very

small　and　very　thin　gold　medal。　But；　light　as　it　was；　it　had

represented　much　abstinence　from　estaminets　and　tobacco…shops；　on

the　part　of　its　donors。



〃Listen；〃　the　Master　said；　holding　the　medal　in　front　of　the

collie。　〃Listen；　while　I　read　you　the　inscription：　'To　Bruce。

From　some　of　the　boys　he　saved　from　the　boches。'〃



Bruce　was　sniffing　the　thin　gold　lozenge　interestedly。　The

inscription　meant　nothing　to　him。　Butstrong　and　vivid　to　his

trained　nostrilshe　scented　on　the　medal　the　loving　finger…

touch　of　his　old　friend　and　admirer；　Top　Sergeant　Mahan。












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