第1章

RichardHerrickwasayoungmanwithagentledisposition，muchmoney，andnosenseofhumor。HisobjectinlifewastomarryMissCatherweight。Forthreeyearsshehadtriedtopersuadehimthiscouldnotbe，andfinally，inordertoconvincehim，marriedsomeoneelse。Whenthewomanhelovesmarriesanotherman，therejectedoneispopularlysupposedtotaketodrinkortoforeigntravel。

Statisticsshowthat，instead，heinstantlyfallsinlovewiththebestfriendofthegirlwhorefusedhim。But，asHerricktrulylovedMissCatherweight，hecouldnotworshipanyotherwoman，andsohebecamealoverofnature。Nature，heassuredhismenfriends，doesnotdisappointyou。Themorethought，care，affectionyougivetonature，themoreshegivesyouinreturn，andwhile，soheadmitted，inwooingnaturetherearenogreatmoments，therearenoheart-aches。Jackson，oneofthemenfriends，andofafrivolousdisposition，saidthathealsocouldadmirealandscape，buthewouldratherlookatthebeautifuleyesofagirlheknewthanattheLakesofKillarney，withafullmoon，asettingsun，andtheauroraborealisforabackground。Herricksuggestedthat，whilethebeautifuleyesmightseekthoseofanotherman，theLakesofKillarneywouldalwaysremainwhereyoucouldfindthem。HerrickpursuedhisnewloveinConnecticutonanabandonedfarmwhichheconvertedintoa"model"one。Onitheestablishedmodeldairiesandmodelincubators。Helaidoutold-fashionedgardens，sunkengardens，Italiangardens，landscapegardens，andagamepreserve。

Thegamepreservewashisownespecialcareandpleasure。Itconsistedoftwohundredacresofdenseforestandhillsandridgesofrock。Itwasfilledwithmysteriouscaves，deepchasms，tinygurglingstreams，nestlingsprings，andwildlaurel。Itwasbarricadedwithfallentree-trunksandmoss-coveredrocksthathadneverfeltthefootofmansincethatfoothadwornamoccasin。

Aroundthepreservewasahighfencestoutenoughtokeeppoachersontheoutsideandtopersuadethewildanimalsthatinhabitedittolingerontheinside。Thesewildanimalsweresquirrels，rabbits，andraccoons。Everyday，insunshineorinrain，enteringthroughaprivategate，Herrickwouldexplorethisholyofholies。

Forsuchverminaswoulddestroythegentleranimalshecarriedagun。Butitwasturnedonlyonthosethatpreyeduponhisfavorites。Forhourshewouldclimbthroughthiswilderness，or，seatedonarock，watchabluebirdbuildinghernestorasquirrellayinginrationsagainstthecomingofthesnow。Intimehegrewtothinkheknewandunderstoodtheinhabitantsofthiswildplaceofwhichhewastheoverlord。Helookeduponthemnotashistenantsbutashisguests。Andwhentheyfledfromhiminterrortocavesandhollowtree-trunks，hewishedhemightcallthembackandexplainhewastheirfriend，thatitwasduetohimtheylivedinpeace。Hewasgladtheywerehappy。Hewasgladitwasthroughhimthat，undisturbed，theycouldlivethesimplelife。

Hisfallcamethroughambition。Herrickhimselfattributedittohistoogreatdevotiontonatureandnature\'schildren。Jackson，heofthefrivolousmind，attributedittothefactthatanymanissuretocometogriefwhoturnsfromtheworshipofGod\'snoblesthandiwork，bywhichJacksonmeantwoman，toworshipchipmunksandPlymouthRockhens。OnenightJacksonluredHerrickintoNewYorktoadinnerandamusichall。HeinvitedalsooneKelly，amutualfriendofacynicalandcombativedisposition。JacksonlikedtohearhimandHerrickabuseeachother，andalwaysintroducedsubjectsheknewwouldcauseeachtolosehistemper。

But，onthisnight，Herrickneedednogoading。Hewasinanungratefulmood。Accustomedtofoodfreshfromthesoilandthefarmyard，hesneeredathothouseasparagus，hothousegrapes，andcold-storagequail。Atthemusichallhewasevenmoredifficult。

InfrontofhimsatastoutladywhowhensheshookwithlaughtershedpatchouliandamanwhosmokedAmericancigarettes。Attheseandthesteamheat，thenostrilsofHerrick，trainedtotheodorofbalsamandthesmokeofopenwoodfires，tookoffense。Herefusedtobeamused。Themonologueartist，inwhomJacksonfounddelight，causedHerrickonlytogroan；theknockaboutcomedianshehopedwouldbreaktheircollar-bones；theladywhodancedSalome，andwhofascinatedKelly，Herrickprayedwouldcatchpneumoniaanddieofit。AndwhenthedroproseupontheCountessZichy\'sbears，hisdissatisfactionreachedaclimax。

Therewerethreebears——alargepapabear，amammabear，andthebabybear。OntheprogrammetheyweredescribedasBruno，Clara，andIkey。Theywereofadustybrown，withlong，curlingnosestippedwithwhite，andfat，tan-coloredbellies。WhenfatherBruno，onhishindlegsandbarefeet，waddleddownthestage，heresembledaHebrewgentlemaninabrownbathingsuitwhohadlosthiswaist-line。Ashetrippeddoubtfullyforward，withmincingsteps，hecontinuallyandmournfullywaggedhishead。Heseemedtobesaying:"Thiswaterismuchtoocoldforme。"Themammabearwasdressedinapokebonnetandwhiteapron，andresembledthewolfwhofrightenedLittleRedRiding-Hood，andIkey，thebabybear，worerakishlyoveroneeyethepointedcapofaclown。Tothosewhoknewtheirvaudeville，thiswasindisputableevidencethatIkeywouldfurnishthecomicrelief。NordidIkeydisappointthem。Hewasawaywardson。Whenhisparentswerelaboriouslyengagedinaboxing-match，ordancingtothe"MerryWidowWaltz，"orbalancingonstep-ladders，Ikey，onallfours，wouldscampertothefoot-lightsand，leaningover，makeaswiftgrabattheheadofthefirsttrombone。AndwhentheCountessZichy，apprisedbytheshoutsoftheaudienceofIkey\'smisconduct，wavedatoywhip，Ikeywouldgallopbacktohispedestalandhowlather。Toeveryone，exceptHerrickandthefirsttrombone，thisplayfulnessonthepartofIkeyfurnishedgreatdelight。

TheperformancesofthebearsendedwithBrunoandClaradancingheavilytotherefrainofthe"MerryWidowWaltz，"whileIkeypretendedtoconductthemusicoftheorchestra。Onthefinalcall，MadameZichythrewtoeachoftheanimalsabeerbottlefilledwithmilk；andthegustowithwhichthesavage-lookingbeastsuncorkedthebottlesanddrankfromthemgreatlyamusedtheaudience。

Ikey，standingonhishindlegs，hisheadthrownback，withbothpawsclaspingthebaseofthebottle，shovedtheneckfardownhisthroat，andthen，hurlingitfromhim，andcockinghisclown\'shatoverhiseyes，gaveamasterfulimitationofaveryintoxicatedbear。

"That，"exclaimedHerrickhotly，"isadegradingspectacle。Itdegradesthebearanddegradesmeandyou。"

"No，itboresme，"saidKelly。

"Ifyouunderstoodnature，"retortedHerrick，"andnature\'schildren，itwouldinfuriateyou。"

"Idon\'tgotoamusichalltogetinfuriated，"saidKelly。

"TraineddogsIdon\'tmind，"exclaimedHerrick。"Dogsarenotwildanimals。Thethingsthey\'retrainedtodoareofUSE。Theycanguardthehouse，orherdsheep。Butabearisawildbeast。

Alwayswillbeawildbeast。Youcan\'ttrainhimtobeofuse。It\'sdegradingtomakehimrideabicycle。Ihateit！IfI\'dknownthereweretobeperformingbearsto-night，Iwouldn\'thavecome！"

"AndifI\'dknownyouweretobehereto-night，Iwouldn\'thavecome！"saidKelly。"Wheredowegotonext？"

Theywentnexttoarestaurantinagaylydecoratedcellar。Intothisyoungmenlikethemselvesandbeautifulladiesweresoanxioustohurlthemselvesthattorestrainthemaropewasswungacrosstheentranceandpageboysstoodonguard。Whenayoungmanbecametooanxioustospendhismoney，thepageboyspushedinhisshirtfront。Aftertheyhadfoughttheirwaytoatable，Herrickungraciouslyremarkedhewouldprefertosupinasubwaystation。

Thepeople，hepointedout，wouldbemorehuman，thedecorationsweremuchofthesameTurkish-bathschoolofart，andtheairwasnoworse。

"Cheerup，Clarence！"beggedJackson，"you\'llsoonbedead。