第3章

Thebears，IkeyinonecageandBrunoandClarainanother，travelledbyexpresstothestationnearesttheHerrickestate。

Theretheyweretransferredtoafarmwagon，andgrumblingandgrowling，andwithIkeyhowlinglikeanunspankedchild，theywereconveyedtothegamepreserve。Attheonlygatethatenteredit，KellyandJacksonandaspeciallyinvitedhousepartyofyouthsandmaidensweregatheredtoreceivethem。Atagreaterdistancestoodalloftheservantsandfarmhands，andasthewagonbackedagainstthegate，withthedoorofIkey\'scageopeningagainstit，theentireaudience，withoneaccord，movedsolidlytotherear。

Herrick，withapleasedbutsomewhatnervoussmile，mountedthewagon。ButbeforehecouldunlockthecageKellydemandedtobeheard。Heinsistedthat，followingthecustomofallgreatartists，thebearsshouldgiveafarewellperformance。"

HebeggedthatBrunoandClaramightbepermittedtodancetogether。Hepointedoutthatthiswouldbethelasttimetheycouldlistentothestrainsofthe"MerryWidowWaltz。"Hecalleduponeverybodypresenttowhistleit。

Thesuggestionofanopen-airperformancewasreceivedcoldly。Atthemomentnooneseemedabletopuckerhislipsintoawhistle，andsomeevenexplainedthatwiththatfamouswaltztheywereunfamiliar。

Onegirlattainedaninstantpopularitybypointingoutthatthebearscouldwaltzjustaswellononesideofthefenceastheother。Kelly，cheatedofhisfreeperformance，thenbeggedthatbeforeHerrickcondemnedthebearstostarveonacorns，heshouldgivethemafarewelldrink，andHerrick，whowasslightlyrattled，repliedexcitedlythathehadnotransomedtheanimalsonlytodegradethem。TheargumentwasinterruptedbytheFrenchcheffallingoutofatree。Hehadclimbedit，heexplained，inordertoobtainabetterview。

When，inturn，itwasexplainedtohimthatabearalsocouldclimbatree，herememberedhehadlefthisovendooropen。Hisdepartureremindedotherservantsofdutiestheyhadneglected，andoneoftheguests，also，onrememberinghehadputinalong-distancecall，hastenedtothehouse。Jacksonsuggestedthatperhapstheyhadbetterallreturnwithhim，asthepresenceofsomanypeoplemightfrightenthebears。Atthemomenthespoke，Ikeyemittedahideoushowl，whetherofjoyorragenooneknew，andfewremainedtofindout。ItwasnotuntilHerrickhadinvestigatedandreportedthatIkeywasstillbehindthebarsthatthehousepartycautiouslyreturned。Thehousepartythenfiledavigorousprotest。Itsmembers，withJacksonasspokesman，complainedthatHerrickwasrelyingentirelytoomuchonhissuppositionthatthebearswouldbeanxioustoentertheforest。Jacksonpointedoutthat，shouldtheynotcaretodoso，therewasnothingtopreventthemfromdoublingbackunderthewagon；inwhichcasethehousepartyandalloftheUnitedStateslaybeforethem。Itwasnotuntilalawn-tennisnetandmuchchickenwirewasstretchedinintricatethicknessesacrossthelowerhalfofthegatethatHerrickwasallowedtoproceed。Unassisted，heslidbackthecagedoor，andwithoutamoment\'shesitationIkeyleapedfromthewagonthroughthegateandintothepreserve。Foraninstant，dazedbythesuddensunlight，heremainedmotionless，andthen，aftersniffingdelightedlyattheair，stuckhisnosedeepintotheautumnleaves。

Turningonhisback，heluxuriouslyandjoyfullykickedhislegs，androlledfromsidetoside。

Herrickgaveashoutofjoyandtriumph。"WhatdidItellyou！"

hecalled。"Seehowhelovesit！Seehowhappyheis。"

"Notatall，"protestedKelly。"Hethoughtyougavehimthesignto\'rollover。\'Tellhimto\'playdead，\'andhe\'lldothat。""TellALLthebearsto\'playdead，\'"beggedJackson，"untilI\'mbackinthebilliard-room。"

Flushedwithhappiness，HerricktossedIkey\'scageoutofthewagon，andopenedthedooroftheonethatheldBrunoandClara。

Ontheirpart，therewasamomentofdoubt。Asthoughsuspectingatrap，theymovedtotheedgeofthecage，andgazedcriticallyatthescreenoftreesandtangledvinesthatrosebeforethem。

"Theythinkit\'sanewbackdrop，"explainedKelly。

ButthedelightwithwhichIkeywasenjoyinghisbathintheautumnleaveswasnotlostuponhisparents。Slowlyandclumsilytheydroppedtotheground。Asthoughtheyexpectedtoberecalled，eachturnedtolookatthegroupofpeoplewhohadnowruntopeerthroughthewiremeshesofthefence。But，asnoonespokeandnoonesignalled，thethreebears，insinglefile，startedtowardtheedgeoftheforest。Theyhadofclearedspacetocoveronlyalittledistance，andateachstep，asthoughfearfultheywouldbestoppedandpunished，oneortheotherturnedhishead。Butnoonehaltedthem。Withquickeningfootstepsthebears，nowalmostatagallop，plungedforward。Thenextinstanttheywerelosttosight，andonlythecracklingoftheunderbrushtoldthattheyhadcomeintotheirown。

Herrickdroppedtothegroundandlockedhimselfinsidethepreserve。

"I\'mgoingafterthem，"hecalled，"toseewhatthey\'lldo。"

Therewasafranticchorusofentreaties。

"Don\'tbeanass！"beggedJackson。"They\'lleatyou。"Herrickwavedhishandreassuringly。

"Theywon\'tevenseeme，"heexplained。"Icanfindmywayaboutthisplacebetterthantheycan。AndI\'llkeeptowindwardofthem，andwatchthem。Gotothehouse，"hecommanded。"I\'llbewithyouinanhour，andreport。"

Itwaswithrealreliefthat，onassemblingfordinner，thehousepartyfoundHerrick，inhighspirits，withtheusualnumberoflimbs，andawaitingthem。Theexperimenthadprovedagreatsuccess。Hetoldhow，unheededbythebears，hehad，withoutdifficulty，followedintheirtracks。Foranhourhehadwatchedthem。Nohappyschool-children，letlooseatrecess，couldhaveembracedtheirfreedomwithmoreobviousdelight。Theydrankfromtherunningstreams，forhoneytheyexploredthehollowtree-trunks，theysharpenedtheirclawsonmoss-grownrocks，andamongthefallenoakleavesscratchedviolentlyforacorns。SosatisfiedwasHerrickwithwhathehadseen，withthesuccessofhisexperiment，andsogenuineandunselfishwasheinthethoughtofthehappinesshehadbroughttothebeastsoftheforests，thatforhimnodinnereverpassedmorepleasantly。MissWaring，whosatnexttoherhost，thoughtshehadseldommetamanwithsokindandsimpleanature。Sheratherresentedthefact，andshewasinwardlyindignantthatsomuchrightfeelingandaffectioncouldbewastedonfarmyardfowls，andfour-footedanimals。Shefeltsurethatsomenicegirl，seatedattheotherendofthetable，smilingthroughthelightofthewaxcandlesuponHerrick，wouldsoonmakehimforgethisloveof"NatureandNature\'schildren。"Sheevensawherselfthere，andthismayhavemadeherexhibitmoreinterestinHerrick\'sexperimentthanshereallyfelt。Inanyevent，Herrickfoundhermostsympathetic\'andwhendinnerwasovercarriedherofftoacorneroftheterrace。ItwasawarmnightinearlyOctober，andthegreatwoodsofthegamepreservethatstretchedbelowthemwerelitwithafullmoon。

Onhiswaytothelakeforamoonlightrowwithoneofthehousepartywhobelongedtothatsexthatdoesnotrow，butlookswellinthemoon-light，Kellyhalted，andjeeredmockingly。

"Howcanyousitthere，"hedemanded，"whilethosepoorbeastsarefreezinginacave，withnotevenasilkcoverletorapillow-sham。

Youandyourvaletoughttobedowntherenowcarryingthempajamas。"

"Kelly，"declaredHerrick，unruffledinhismomentoftriumph，"I

hatetosay，\'Itoldyouso，\'butyouforceme。Goaway，"hecommanded。"Youhaveneitherimaginationnorsoul。"

"Andthat\'strue，"heassuredMissWaring，asKellyandhiscompanionleftthem。"Now，IseenothinginwhatIaccomplishedthatisridiculous。HadyouwatchedthosebearsasIdid，youwouldhavefeltthatsympathythatexistsbetweenallwholovetheout-of-doorlife。Adoglovestoseehismasterpickuphisstickandhishattotakehimforawalk，andthemanenjoysseeingthedogleapingandquarteringthefieldsbeforehim。Theyareboththehappier。AtleastIamhappierto-night，knowingthosebearsareatpeaceandathome，thanIwouldbeifIthoughtofthembeingwhippedthroughtheirtricksinadirtytheatre。"Herrickpointedtothegreatforesttreesofthepreserve，theirtopsshowingdimlyinthemistofmoonlight。"Somewhere，downinthatvalley，hemurmured，"arethreehappyanimals。Theyarenolongerslavesandpuppets——theyaretheirownmasters。Fortherestoftheirlivestheycansleeponpineneedlesanddineonnutsandhoney。Nooneshallmolestthem，nooneshallforcethemthroughdegradingtricks。Hereaftertheycanchoosetheirlife，andtheirownhomeamongtherocks，andthe——"Herrick\'swordswerefrozenonhistongue。Fromtheotherendoftheterracecameascreamsofierce，solong，sofullofhumansuffering，thatatthesoundthebloodofallthathearditturnedtowater。Itwassoappallingthatforaninstantnoonemoved，andthenfromeverypartofthehouse，alongthegardenwalks，fromtheservants\'quarters，camethesoundofpoundingfeet。Herrick，withMissWaringclutchingathissleeve，racedtowardtheotherendoftheterrace。Theyhadnotfartogo。

Directlyinfrontofthemtheysawwhathaddraggedfromtheverysoulofthewomanthescreamofterror。

Thedrawing-roomopenedupontheterrace，and，seatedatthepiano，Jacksonhadbeenplayingforthoseintheroomtodance。Thewindowstotheterracewereopen。Theterraceitselfwasfloodedwithmoonlight。Seekingthefreshair，oneofthedancerssteppedfromthedrawing-roomtotheflagsoutside。Shehadthenraisedthecryofterrorandfalleninafaint。Whatshehadseen，Herrickamomentlateralsosaw。Ontheterraceinthemoon-light，BrunoandClara，ontheirhindlegs，weresolemnlywaltzing。Neitherthescreamnorthecessationofthemusicdisturbedthem。

Contentedly，proudly，theycontinuedtorevolveinhopsandleaps。Fromtheirhappyexpression，itwasevidenttheynotonlywereenjoyingthemselves，butthattheyfelttheyweregreatlyaffordingimmeasurabledelighttoothers。Sickatheart，furious，bitterlyhurt，withroarsofmockinglaughterinhisears，Herrickrantowardthestablesforhelp。Atthefartherendoftheterracethebutlerhadplacedatrayofliqueurs，whiskeys，andsodabottles。

Hisbackhadbeenturnedforonlyafewmoments，butthetimehadsufficed。

Lollingwithhislegsout，stretchedinawickerchair，HerrickbeheldtheformofIkey。Betweenhisupliftedpawsheheldaloofthebaseofadecanter；betweenhisteeth，andwelljammeddownhisthroat，wasthelongneckofthebottle。Fromitissuedthesoundofgentlegurgling。Herrickseizedthedecanterandhurleditcrashingupontheterrace。WithdifficultyIkeyrose。Swayingandshakinghisheadreproachfully，hegaveHerrickaperfectlyaccurateimitationofanintoxicatedbear。