按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
week； it can no longer be called a blind error on their part。
When we have closed all our small hen…nurseries for the night；
there is still the large house inhabited by the thirty…two full…
grown chickens which Phoebe calls the broilers。 I cannot endure
the term； and will not use it。 〃Now for the April chicks；〃 I say
every evening。
〃Do you mean the broilers？〃 asks Phoebe。
〃I mean the big April chicks；〃 say I。
〃Yes； them are the broilers；〃 says she。
But is it not disagreeable enough to be a broiler when one's time
comes； without having the gridiron waved in one's face for weeks
beforehand？
The April chicks are all lively and desirous of seeing the world as
thoroughly as possible before going to roost or broil。 As a
general thing； we find in the large house sixteen young fowls of
the contemplative； flavourless； resigned…to…the…inevitable variety；
three more （the same three every night） perch on the roof and are
driven down； four （always the same four） cling to the edge of the
open door； waiting to fly off； but not in； when you attempt to
close it； nine huddle together on a place in the grass about forty
feet distant； where a small coop formerly stood in the prehistoric
ages。 This small coop was one in which they lodged for a fortnight
when they were younger； and when those absolutely indelible
impressions are formed of which we read in educational maxims。 It
was taken away long since； but the nine loyal （or stupid）
Casabiancas cling to the sacred spot where its foundations rested；
they accordingly have to be caught and deposited bodily in the
house； and this requires strategy； as they note our approach from a
considerable distance。
Finally all are housed but two； the little white cock and the black
pullet； who are still impish and of a wandering mind。 Though
headed off in every direction； they fly into the hedges and hide in
the underbrush。 We beat the hedge on the other side； but with no
avail。 We dive into the thicket of wild roses； sweetbrier； and
thistles on our hands and knees； coming out with tangled hair；
scratched noses； and no hens。 Then； when all has been done that
human ingenuity can suggest； Phoebe goes to her late supper and I
do sentry…work。 I stroll to a safe distance； and； sitting on one
of the rat…proof boxes； watch the bushes with an eagle eye。 Five
minutes go by； ten； fifteen； and then out steps the white cock；
stealthily tiptoeing toward the home into which he refused to go at
our instigation。 In a moment out creeps the obstinate little beast
of a black pullet from the opposite clump。 The wayward pair meet
at their own door； which I have left open a few inches。 When all
is still I walk gently down the field； and； warned by previous
experiences； approach the house from behind。 I draw the door to
softly and quickly； but not so quickly that the evil…minded and
suspicious black pullet hasn't time to spring out； with a make…
believe squawk of frightthat induces three other blameless
chickens to fly down from their perches and set the whole flock in
a flutter。 Then I fall from grace and call her a Broiler； and
when； after some minutes of hot pursuit； I catch her by falling
over her in the corner by the goose…pen； I address her as a fat；
juicy Broiler with parsley butter and a bit of bacon。
CHAPTER V
July 10th。
At ten thirty or so in the morning the cackling begins。 I wonder
exactly what it means！ Have the forest…lovers who listen so
respectfully to； and interpret so exquisitely； the notes of birds
have none of them made psychological investigations of the hen
cackle？ Can it be simple elation？ One could believe that of the
first few eggs； but a hen who has laid two or three hundred can
hardly feel the same exuberant pride and joy daily。 Can it be the
excitement incident to successful achievement？ Hardly； because the
task is so extremely simple。 Eggs are more or less alike； a little
larger or smaller； a trifle whiter or browner； and almost sure to
be quite right as to details； that is； the big end never gets
confused with the little end； they are always ovoid and never
spherical； and the yolk is always inside of the white。 As for a
soft…shelled egg； it is so rare an occurrence that the fear of
laying one could not set the whole race of hens in a panic； so
there really cannot be any intellectual or emotional agitation in
producing a thing that might be made by a machine。 Can it be
simply 〃fussiness〃； since the people who have the least to do
commonly make the most flutter about doing it？
Perhaps it is merely conversation。 〃Cut…cut…cut…cut…cut…DAHcut！ 。
。 。 I have finished my strictly fresh egg； have you laid yours？
Make haste； then； for the cock has found a gap in the wire…fence
and wants us to wander in the strawberry…bed。 。 。 。 Cut…cut…cut…
cut…cut…DAHcut 。 。 。 Every moment is precious； for the Goose Girl
will find us； when she gathers the strawberries for her luncheon 。
。 。 Cut…cut…cut…cut！ On the way out we can find sweet places to
steal nests 。 。 。 Cut…cut…cut！ 。 。 。 I am so glad I am not sitting
this heavenly morning； it IS a dull life。
A Lancashire poultry…man drifted into Barbury Green yesterday。 He
is an old acquaintance of Mr。 Heaven； and spent the night and part
of the next day at Thornycroft Farm。 He possessed a deal of fowl
philosophy； and tells many a good hen story； which； like fish
stories； draw rather largely on the credulity of the audience。 We
were sitting in the rickyard talking comfortably about laying and
cackling and kindred matters when he took his pipe from his mouth
and told us the following talenot a bad one if you can translate
the dialect：…
'Aw were once towd as； if yo' could only get th' hen's egg away
afooar she hed sin it； th' hen 'ud think it hed med a mistek an'
sit deawn ageean an' lay another。
'An' it seemed to me it were a varra sensible way o' lukkin' at it。
Sooa aw set to wark to mek a nest as 'ud tek a rise eawt o' th'
hens。 An' aw dud it too。 Aw med a nest wi' a fause bottom； th'
idea bein' as when a hen hed laid； th' egg 'ud drop through into a
box underneyth。
'Aw felt varra preawd o' that nest； too； aw con tell yo'； an' aw
remember aw felt quite excited when aw see an awd black Minorca；
th' best layer as aw hed； gooa an' settle hersel deawn i' th' nest
an' get ready for wark。 Th' hen seemed quite comfortable enough；
aw were glad to see； an' geet through th' operation beawt ony
seemin' trouble。
〃Well； aw darsay yo' know heaw a hen carries on as soon as it's
laid a egg。 It starts 〃chuckin'〃 away like a showman's racket； an'
after tekkin' a good Ink at th' egg to see whether it's a big 'un
or a little 'un； gooas eawt an' tells all t'other hens abeawt it。
〃Neaw； this black Minorca； as aw sed； were a owdish bird； an' maybe
knew mooar than aw thowt。 Happen it hed laid on a nest wi' a fause
bottom afooar； an' were up to th' trick； but whether or not； aw
never see a hen luk mooar disgusted i' mi life when it lukked i'
th' nest an' see as it hed hed all that trouble fer nowt。
〃It woked reawnd th' nest as if it couldn't believe its own eyes。
〃But it dudn't do as aw expected。 Aw expected as it '