乐文小说网

第11部分（第2页）

fell　forward　on　my　face。　I　lay　very　still；　feeling　with　all　my　body。

After　a　while　my　sensations　seemed　to　be　concentrated　in　my　fingers；　and

I　perceived　that　the　grass　blades　were　sharp　as　knives；　and　hurt　my

hands　cruelly。　I　tried　to　get　up　cautiously；　so　as　not　to　cut　myself　on

the　sharp　grass。　I　put　down　a　tentative　foot；　much　as　my　kitten　treads

for　the　first　time　the　primeval　forest　in　the　backyard。　All　at　once　I

felt　the　stealthy　patter　of　something　creeping；　creeping；　creeping

purposefully　toward　me。　I　do　not　know　how　at　that　time　the　idea　was　in

my　mind；　I　had　no　words　for　intention　or　purpose。　Yet　it　was　precisely

the　evil　intent；　and　not　the　creeping　animal　that　terrified　me。　I　had

no　fear　of　living　creatures。　I　loved　my　fathers　dogs；　the　frisky　little

calf；　the　gentle　cows；　the　horses　and　mules　that　ate　apples　from　my

hand；　and　none　of　them　had　ever　harmed　me。　I　lay　low；　waiting　in

breathless　terror　for　the　creature　to　spring　and　bury　its　long　claws　in

my　flesh。　I　thought；　〃They　will　feel　like　turkey…claws。〃　Something　warm

and　wet　touched　my　face。　I　shrieked；　struck　out　frantically；　and　awoke。

Something　was　still　struggling　in　my　arms。　I　held　on　with　might　and　main

until　I　was　exhausted；　then　I　loosed　my　hold。　I　found　dear　old　Belle；

the　setter；　shaking　herself　and　looking　at　me　reproachfully。　She　and　I

had　gone　to　sleep　together　on　the　rug；　and　had　naturally　wandered　to　the

dream…forest　where　dogs　and　little　girls　hunt　wild　game　and　have

strange　adventures。　We　encountered　hosts　of　elfin　foes；　and　it　required

all　the　dog　tactics　at　Belles　mand　to　acquit　herself　like　the　lady

and　huntress　that　she　was。　Belle　had　her　dreams　too。　We　used　to　lie

under　the　trees　and　flowers　in　the　old　garden；　and　I　used　to　laugh　with

delight　when　the　magnolia　leaves　fell　with　little　thuds；　and　Belle

jumped　up；　thinking　she　had　heard　a　partridge。　She　would　pursue　the

leaf；　point　it；　bring　it　back　to　me　and　lay　it　at　my　feet　with　a

humorous　wag　of　her　tail　as　much　as　to　say；　〃This　is　the　kind　of　bird

that　waked　me。〃　I　made　a　chain　for　her　neck　out　of　the　lovely　blue

Paulownia　flowers　and　covered　her　with　great　heart…shaped　leaves。

Dear　old　Belle；　she　has　long　been　dreaming　among　the　lotus…flowers　and

poppies　of　the　dogs　paradise。

Certain　dreams　have　haunted　me　since　my　childhood。　One　which　recurs

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