the song of the cardinal-第7章

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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　down　there

among　the　ferns；　anemones　and　last　year's　dried　leaves；　she

tilted　her　sleek　crested　head　and　peered　at　him　with　frightened

wonder　and　silent　helplessness。



It　was　for　this　the　Cardinal　had　waited；　hoped；　and　planned　for

many　days。　　He　had　rehearsed　what　he　conceived　to　be　every　point

of　the　situation；　and　yet　he　was　not　prepared　for　the　thing　that

suddenly　happened　to　him。　　He　had　expected　to　reject　many

applicants　before　he　selected　one　to　match　his　charms；　but

instantly　this　shy　little　creature；　slipping　along　near　earth；

taking　a　surreptitious　peep　at　him；　made　him　feel　a　very　small

bird；　and　he　certainly　never　before　had　felt　small。　　The　crushing

possibility　that　somewhere　there　might　be　a　cardinal　that　was

larger；　brighter；　and　a　finer　musician　than　he；　staggered　him；

and　worst　of　all；　his　voice　broke　suddenly　to　his　complete

embarrassment。



Half　screened　by　the　flowers；　she　seemed　so　little；　so　shy；　so

delightfully　sweet。　　He　〃chipped〃　carefully　once　or　twice　to

steady　himself　and　clear　his　throat；　for　unaccountably　it　had

grown　dry　and　husky；　and　then　he　tenderly　tried　again。　　〃Come

here！　Come　here！〃　implored　the　Cardinal。　　He　forgot　all　about　his

dignity。　　He　knew　that　his　voice　was　trembling　with　eagerness　and

hoarse　with　fear。　　He　was　afraid　to　attempt　approaching　her；　but

he　leaned　toward　her；　begging　and　pleading。　　He　teased　and

insisted；　and　he　did　not　care　a　particle　if　he　did。　　It　suddenly

seemed　an　honour　to　coax　her。　　He　rocked　on　the　limb。　　He

side…stepped　and　hopped　and　gyrated　gracefully。　　He　fluffed　and

flirted　and　showed　himself　to　every　advantage。　　It　never　occurred

to　him　that　the　dove　and　the　woodpecker　might　be　watching；　though

he　would　not　have　cared　in　the　least　if　they　had　been；　and　as　for

any　other　cardinal；　he　would　have　attacked　the　combined　forces　of

the　Limberlost　and　Rainbow　Bottom。



He　sang　and　sang。　　Every　impulse　of　passion　in　his　big；　crimson；

palpitating　body　was　thrown　into　those　notes；　but　she　only　turned

her　head　from　side　to　side；　peering　at　him；　seeming　sufficiently

frightened　to　flee　at　a　breath；　and　answered　not　even　the

faintest　little　〃Chook！〃　of　encouragement。



The　Cardinal　rested　a　second　before　he　tried　again。　　That

steadied　him　and　gave　him　better　command　of　himself。　　He　could

tell　that　his　notes　were　clearing　and　growing　sweeter。　　He　was

improving。　　Perhaps　she　was　interested。　　There　was　some

encouragement　in　the　fact　that　she　was　still　there。　　The　Cardinal

felt　that　his　time　had　come。



〃Come　here！　Come　here！〃　He　was　on　his　mettle　now。　　Surely　no

cardinal　could　sing　fuller；　clearer；　sweeter　notes！　He　began　at

the　very　first；　and　rollicked　through　a　story　of　adventure；

colouring　it　with　every　wild；　dashing；　catchy　note　he　could

improvise。　　He　followed　that　with　a　rippling　song　of　the　joy　and

fulness　of　spring；　in　notes　as　light　and　airy　as　the　wind…blown

soul　of　melody；　and　with　swaying　body　kept　time　to　his　rhythmic

measures。　　Then　he　glided　into　a　song　of　love；　and　tenderly；

pleadingly；　passionately；　told　the　story　as　only　a　courting　bird

can　tell　it。　　Then　he　sang　a　song　of　ravishment；　a　song　quavering

with　fear　and　the　pain　tugging　at　his　heart。　　He　almost　had　run

the　gamut；　and　she　really　appeared　as　if　she　intended　to　flee

rather　than　to　come　to　him。　　He　was　afraid　to　take　even　one　timid

little　hop　toward　her。



In　a　fit　of　desperation　the　Cardinal　burst　into　the　passion　song。



He　arose　to　his　full　height；　leaned　toward　her　with　outspread

quivering　wings；　and　crest　flared　to　the　utmost；　and　rocking　from

side　to　side　in　the　intensity　of　his　fervour；　he　poured　out　a

perfect　torrent　of　palpitant　song。　　His　cardinal　body　swayed　to

the　rolling　flood　of　his　ecstatic　tones；　until　he　appeared　like　a

flaming　pulsing　note　of　materialized　music；　as　he　entreated；

coaxed；　commanded；　and　pled。　　From　sheer　exhaustion；　he　threw　up

his　head　to　round　off　the　last　note　he　could　utter；　and

breathlessly　glancing　down　to　see　if　she　were　coming；　caught

sight　of　a　faint　streak　of　gray　in　the　distance。　He　had　planned

so　to　subdue　the　little　female　he　courted　that　she　would　come　to

him；　he　was　in　hot　pursuit　a　half　day's　journey　away　before　he

remembered　it。



No　other　cardinal　ever　endured　such　a　chase　as　she　led　him　in　the

following　days。　　Through　fear　and　timidity　she　had　kept　most　of

her　life　in　the　underbrush。　　The　Cardinal　was　a　bird　of　the　open

fields　and　tree…tops。　　He　loved　to　rock　with　the　wind；　and　speed

arrow…like　in　great　plunges　of　flight。　　This　darting　and　twisting

over　logs；　among　leaves；　and　through　tangled　thickets；　tired；

tried；　and　exasperated　him　more　than　hundreds　of　miles　of　open

flight。　　Sometimes　he　drove　her　from　cover；　and　then　she　wildly

dashed　up…hill　and　down…dale；　seeking　another　thicket；　but

wherever　she　went；　the　Cardinal　was　only　a　breath　behind　her；　and

with　every　passing　mile　his　passion　for　her　grew。



There　was　no　time　to　eat；　bathe；　or　sing；　only　mile　after　mile　of

unceasing　pursuit。　　It　seemed　that　the　little　creature　could　not

stop　if　she　would；　and　as　for　the　Cardinal；　he　was　in　that　chase

to　remain　until　his　last　heart…beat。　　It　was　a　question　how　the

frightened　bird　kept　in　advance。　　She　was　visibly　the　worse　for

this　ardent　courtship。　　Two　tail　feathers　were　gone；　and　there

was　a　broken　one　beating　from　her　wing。　　Once　she　had　flown　too

low；　striking　her　head　against　a　rail　until　a　drop　of　blood　came；

and　she　cried　pitifully。　　Several　times　the　Cardinal　had　cornered

her；　and　tried　to　hold　her　by　a　bunch　of　feathers；　and　compel　her

by　force　to　listen　to　reason；　but　she　only　broke　from　his　hold

and　dashed　away　a　stricken　thing；　leaving　him　half　dead　with

longing　and　remorse。



But　no　matter　how　baffled　she　grew；　or　where　she　fled　in　her

headlong　flight；　the　one　thing　she　always　remembered；　was　not　to

lead　the　Cardinal　into　the　punishment　that　awaited　him　in　Rainbow

Bottom。　　Panting　for　breath；　quivering　with　fear；　longing　for

well…concealed　retreats；　worn　and　half　blinded　by　the　disasters

of　flight　through　strange　country；　the　tired　bird　beat　her

aimless　way；　but　she　would　have　been　torn　to　pieces　before　she

would　have　led　her　magnificent　pursuer　into　the　wrath　of　his

enemies。



Poor　little　feathered　creature！　　She　had　been　fleeing　some　kind

of　danger　all　her　life。　　She　could　not　realize　that　love　and

protection　had　come　in　this　splendid　guise；　and　she　fled　on　and

on。



Once　the　Cardinal；　aching　with　passion　and　love；　fell　behind　that

she　might　rest；　and　before　he　realized　that　another　bird　was

close；　an　impudent　big　relative　of　his；　straying　from　the

Limberlost；　entered　the　race　and　pursued　her　so　hotly　that　with　a

note　of　utter　panic　she　wheeled　and　darted　back　to　the　Cardinal

for　protection。　　When　to　the　rush　of　rage　that　possessed　him　at

the　sight　of　a　rival　was　added　the　knowledge　that　she　was　seeking

him　in　her　extremity；　such　a