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第9章 牧牛犬bg02（第1页）

lastthingscametosuchaassthatwheneverhefeltliketakingalittleexercise，orhadafewminutesofsaretime，orevenhaenedtothinkofit，Bingowouldsallyforthatracingseedoverthelainandafewminuteslaterreturn，drivingtheunhayyellowcowatfullgallobeforehim。

Atfirstthisdidnotseemverybad，asitketthecowfromstrayingtoofar;butsoonitwasseenthatithinderedherfeeding。Shebecamethinandgavelessmilk;itseemedtoweighonhermindtoo，asshewasalwayswatchingnervouslyforthathatefuldog，andinthemorningswouldhangaroundthestableasthoughafraidtoventureoffandsubjectherselfatoncetoanonset。

Thiswasgoingtoofar。AllattemtstomakeBingomoremoderateinhisleasurewerefailures，sohewascomelledtogiveitualtogether。Afterthis，thoughhedarednotbringherhome，hecontinuedtoshowhisinterestbylyingatherstabledoorwhileshewasbeingmilked。

Asthesummercameonthemosquitoesbecameadreadfullague，andtheconsequentviciousswitchingofDunne’stailatmilking-timewasevenmoreannoyingthanthemosquitoes。

Fred，thebrotherwhodidthemilking，wasofaninventiveaswellasanimatientturnofmind，andhedevisedasimlelantostotheswitching。Hefastenedabricktothecow’stail，thensetblithelyabouthisworkassuredofunusualcomfortwhiletherestofuslookedonindoubt。Suddenlythroughthemistofmosquitoescameadullwhackandanoutburstof“language”。ThecowwentonlacidlychewingtillFredgotonhisfeetandfuriouslyattackedherwiththemilking-stool。Itwasbadenoughtobewhackedontheearwithabrickbyastuidoldcow，buttheuroariousenjoymentandridiculeofthebystandersmadeitunendurable。

Bingo，hearingtheuroar，anddiviningthathewasneeded，rushedinandattackedDunneontheotherside。Beforetheaffairquieteddownthemilkwassilt，theailandstoolwerebroken，andthecowandthedogseverelybeaten。

PoorBingocouldnotunderstanditatall。Hehadlongagolearnedtodesisethatcow，andnowinutterdisgusthedecidedtoforsakeevenherstabledoor，andfromthattimeheattachedhimselfexclusivelytothehorsesandtheirstable。

Thecattleweremine，thehorsesweremybrother’s，andintransferringhisallegiancefromthecow-stabletothehorse-stableBingoseemedtogivemeutoo，andanythinglikedailycomanionshiceased，andyet，wheneveranyemergencyaroseBingoturnedtomeandItohim，andbothseemedtofeelthatthebondbetweenmananddogisonethatlastsaslongaslife。Bingo’sloyaltytothehorseswasquiteremarkable;bydayhetrottedbesidethem，andbynighthesletatthestabledoor。WheretheteamwentBingowent，andnothingkethimawayfromthem。Thisinterestingassumtionofownershilentthegreatersignificancetothefollowingcircumstance。

Iwasnotsuerstitious，andutothistimehadhadnofaithinomens，butwasnowdeelyimressedbyastrangeoccurrenceinwhichBingotookaleadingart。TherewerebuttwoofusnowlivingontheDeWintonFarm。OnemorningmybrothersetoutforBoggyCreekforaloadofhay。Itwasalongday’sjourneythereandback，andhemadeanearlystart。Strangetotell，Bingoforonceinhislifedidnotfollowtheteam。Mybrothercalledtohim，butstillhestoodatasafedistance，andeyingtheteamaskance，refusedtostir。Suddenlyheraisedhisnoseintheairandgaveventtoalong，melancholyhowl。Hewatchedthewagonoutofsight，andevenfollowedforahundredyardsorso，raisinghisvoicefromtimetotimeinthemostdolefulhowlings。Allthatdayhestayedaboutthebarn，theonlytimethathewaswillinglysearatedfromthehorses，andatintervalshowledaverydeathdirge。Iwasalone，andthedog’sbehaviorinsiredmewithanawfulforebodingofcalamity，thatweigheduonmemoreandmoreasthehoursassedaway。

Aboutsixo’clockBingo’showlingsbecameunbearable，sothatforlackofabetterthoughtIthrewsomethingathim，andorderedhimaway。Butoh，thefeelingofhorrorthatfilledme！WhydidIletmybrothergoawayaloneShouldIeveragainseehimaliveImighthaveknownfromthedog’sactionsthatsomethingdreadfulwasabouttohaen。

Atlengththehourforhisreturnarrived，andtherewasJohnonhisload。Itookchargeofthehorses，vastlyrelieved，andwithanairofassumedunconcern，asked，“Allright”

“Right，”wasthelaconicanswer。Whonowcansaythatthereisnothinginomens。

Andyetwhen，longafterward，Itoldthistooneskilledintheoccult，helookedgrave，andsaid，“Bingoalwaysturnedtoyouinacrisis”

“Yes。”

“Thendonotsmile。Itwasyouthatwereindangerthatday;hestayedandsavedyourlife，thoughyouneverknewfromwhat。”