第3章

Itwasmuffledbydistance，butthatcouldnottaketheterroroutofit，anditwasthemostdreadfulsoundtomethatIhadeverheard.Itwentallabout，everywhere，downthere：alongthehalls，throughalltherooms，inbothstories，andinthebasementandthecellar;thenoutside，andfartherandfartheraway——thenback，andallaboutthehouseagain，andIthoughtitwouldnever，neverstop.Butatlastitdid，hoursandhoursafterthevaguetwilightofthegarrethadlongagobeenblottedoutbyblackdarkness.

Theninthatblessedstillnessmyterrorsfelllittlebylittleaway，andIwasatpeaceandslept.ItwasagoodrestIhad，butIwokebeforethetwilighthadcomeagain.Iwasfeelingfairlycomfortable，andI

couldthinkoutaplannow.Imadeaverygoodone;whichwas，tocreepdown，allthewaydownthebackstairs，andhidebehindthecellardoor，andslipoutandescapewhentheicemancameatdawn，whilehewasinsidefillingtherefrigerator;thenIwouldhideallday，andstartonmyjourneywhennightcame;myjourneyto——well，anywherewheretheywouldnotknowmeandbetraymetothemaster.Iwasfeelingalmostcheerfulnow;thensuddenlyIthought：Why，whatwouldlifebewithoutmypuppy！

Thatwasdespair.Therewasnoplanforme;Isawthat;ImustsaywhereIwas;stay，andwait，andtakewhatmightcome——itwasnotmyaffair;

thatwaswhatlifeis——mymotherhadsaidit.Then——well，thenthecallingbeganagain！Allmysorrowscameback.Isaidtomyself，themasterwillneverforgive.IdidnotknowwhatIhaddonetomakehimsobitterandsounforgiving，yetIjudgeditwassomethingadogcouldnotunderstand，butwhichwascleartoamananddreadful.

Theycalledandcalled——daysandnights，itseemedtome.Solongthatthehungerandthirstneardrovememad，andIrecognizedthatIwasgettingveryweak.Whenyouarethiswayyousleepagreatdeal，andI

did.OnceIwokeinanawfulfright——itseemedtomethatthecallingwasrightthereinthegarret！Andsoitwas：itwasSadie"svoice，andshewascrying;mynamewasfallingfromherlipsallbroken，poorthing，andIcouldnotbelievemyearsforthejoyofitwhenIheardhersay：

"Comebacktous——oh，comebacktous，andforgive——itisallsosadwithoutour——"

IbrokeinwithSUCHagratefullittleyelp，andthenextmomentSadiewasplungingandstumblingthroughthedarknessandthelumberandshoutingforthefamilytohear，"She"sfound，she"sfound！"

Thedaysthatfollowed——well，theywerewonderful.ThemotherandSadieandtheservants——why，theyjustseemedtoworshipme.Theycouldn"tseemtomakemeabedthatwasfineenough;andasforfood，theycouldn"tbesatisfiedwithanythingbutgameanddelicaciesthatwereoutofseason;andeverydaythefriendsandneighborsflockedintohearaboutmyheroism——thatwasthenametheycalleditby，anditmeansagriculture.Iremembermymotherpullingitonakennelonce，andexplainingitinthatway，butdidn"tsaywhatagriculturewas，exceptthatitwassynonymouswithintramuralincandescence;andadozentimesadayMrs.GrayandSadiewouldtellthetaletonew—comers，andsayI

riskedmylifetosaythebaby"s，andbothofushadburnstoproveit，andthenthecompanywouldpassmearoundandpetmeandexclaimaboutme，andyoucouldseetheprideintheeyesofSadieandhermother;andwhenthepeoplewantedtoknowwhatmademelimp，theylookedashamedandchangedthesubject，andsometimeswhenpeoplehuntedthemthiswayandthatwaywithquestionsaboutit，itlookedtomeasiftheyweregoingtocry.

Andthiswasnotalltheglory;no，themaster"sfriendscame，awholetwentyofthemostdistinguishedpeople，andhadmeinthelaboratory，anddiscussedmeasifIwasakindofdiscovery;andsomeofthemsaiditwaswonderfulinadumbbeast，thefinestexhibitionofinstincttheycouldcalltomind;butthemastersaid，withvehemence，"It"sfaraboveinstinct;it"sREASON，andmanyaman，privilegedtobesavedandgowithyouandmetoabetterworldbyrightofitspossession，haslessofitthatthispoorsillyquadrupedthat"sforeordainedtoperish";andthenhelaughed，andsaid："Why，lookatme——I"masarcasm！blessyou，withallmygrandintelligence，theonlythinkIinferredwasthatthedoghadgonemadandwasdestroyingthechild，whereasbutforthebeast"sintelligence——it"sREASON，Itellyou！——thechildwouldhaveperished！"

Theydisputedanddisputed，andIwastheverycenterofsubjectofitall，andIwishedmymothercouldknowthatthisgrandhonorhadcometome;itwouldhavemadeherproud.