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！
ar yard； rolling through construction debris。 Splintery scraps of two…by…fours and chunks of concrete poked painfully into his legs and ribs。 He scrambled to his feet； spun toward the house； and emptied his revolver at the broken window in case the killer was in pursuit of him。
In the settling night； he saw no sign of the enemy。
Figuring he had not scored a hit； he wasted no time cursing his luck。 He sprinted around the house； along the side of it； and out to the street。 He had to get to the patrol car； where there was a radio…and a pump…action riot gun。
3
On Wednesday and Thursday； the second and third of June； Travis and Nora and Einstein searched diligently for a way to improve human…canine munications； and in the process man and dog had almost begun to chew up furniture in frustration。 However； Nora proved to have enough patience and confidence for all of them。 When the breakthrough came near sunset on Friday evening； the fourth of June； she was less surprised than either Travis or Einstein。
They had purchased forty magazines…everything from Time and Life to McCall's and Redbook…and fifty books of art and photography； and had brought them to the living room of Travis's rental house； where there was space to spread everything out on the floor。 They had put pillows on the floor as well； so they could work at the dog's level and be fortable。
Einstein had watched their preparations with interest。
Sitting on the floor with her back against the vinyl sofa； Nora took the retriever's head in both hands and； with her face close to his； their noses almost touching； she said； 〃Okay； now you listen to me； Einstein。 We want to know all sorts of things about you： where you came from； why you're smarter than an ordinary dog； what you were afraid of in the woods that day Travis found you； why you sometimes stare out the window at night as if you're frightened of something。 Lots more。 But you can't talk； can you？ No。 And so far as we know； you can't read。 And even if you can read； you can't write。 So we've got to do this with pictures； I think。〃
From where he sat near Nora； Travis could see that the dog's eyes never wavered from hers as she spoke。 Einstein was rigid。 His tail hung down； motionless。 He not only seemed to understand what she was telling him； but he appeared to be electrified by the experiment。
How much does the mutt really perceive； Travis wondered； and how many of his reactions am I imagining because of pure wishful thinking？
People have a natural tendency to anthropomorphize their pets； to ascribe human perceptions and intentions to the animals where none exist。 In Einstein's case； where there really was an exceptional intelligence at work； the temptation to see profound meaning in every meaningless doggy twitch was even greater than usual。
〃We're going to study all these pictures； looking for things that interest you； for things that'll help us understand where you came from and how you got to be what you are。 Every time you see something that'll help us put the puzzle together； you've got somehow to bring it to our attention。 Bark at it or put a paw on it or wag your tail。〃
〃This is nuts；〃 Travis said。
〃Do you understand me； Einstein？〃 Nora asked。
The retriever issued a soft woof。
〃This will never work；〃 Travis said。
〃Yes； it will；〃 Nora insisted。 〃He can't talk； can't write； but he can show us things。 If he points out a dozen pictures； we might not immediately understand what meaning they have for him； how they refer to his origins； but in time we'll find a way to relate them to one another and to him； and we'll know what he's trying to tell us。〃
The dog； his head still trapped firmly in Nora's hands； rolled his eyes toward Travis and woofed again。
〃We ready？〃 Nora asked Einstein。
His gaze flicked back to her； and he wagged his tail。
〃All right；〃 she said； letting go of his head。 〃Let's start。〃
Wednesday； Thursday； and Friday； for hours at a time； they leafed through scores of publications； showing Einstein pictures of all kinds of things… people； trees； flowers； dogs； other animals； machines； city streets； country lanes； cars； ships； planes； food； advertisements for a thousand products… hoping he would see something that would excite him。 The problem was that he saw many things that excited him； too many。 He barked at； pawed at； woofed at； put his nose to； or wagged his tail at perhaps a hundred out of the thousands of pictures； and his choices were of such variety that Travis could see no pattern to them； no way to link them and divine meaning from their association to one another。
Einstein was fascinated by an automobile ad in which the car； being pared to a powerful tiger； was shown locked in an iron cage。 Whether it was the car or the tiger that seized his interest was not clear。 He also responded to several puter advertisements； Alpo and Purina Dog Chow ads； an ad for a portable stereo cassette player； and pictures of books； butterflies； a parrot； a forlorn man in a prison cell； four young people playing with a striped beach ball； Mickey Mouse； a violin； a man on an exercise treadmill； and many other things。 He was tantalized by a photograph of a golden retriever like himself； and was downright excited by a picture of a cocker spaniel； but curiously he showed little or no interest in other breeds of dogs。
His strongest…and most puzzling…response was to a photo in a magazine article about an uping movie from 20th Century…Fox。 The film's story involved the supernatural…ghosts； poltergeists； demons risen from Hell… and the photo that agitated him was of a slab…jawed； wickedly fanged； lantern…eyed demonic apparition。 The creature was no more hideous than others in the film； less hideous than several of them； yet Einstein was affected by only that one demon。
The retriever barked at the photograph。 He scurried behind the sofa and peeked around the end of it as if he thought the creature in the picture might rise off the page and e after him。 He barked again； whined； and had to be coaxed back to the magazine。 Upon seeing the demon a second time； Einstein growled menacingly。 Frantically； he pawed at the magazine； turning its pages until； somewhat tattered； it was pletely closed。
〃What's so special about that picture？〃 Nora asked the dog。
Einstein just stared at her…and shivered slightly。
Patiently； Nora reopened the magazine to the same page。
Einstein closed it again。
Nora opened it。
Einstein closed it a third time； snatched it up in his jaws； and carried it out of the room。
Travis and Nora followed the retriever into the kitchen； where they watched him go straight to the trash can。 The can was one of those with a foot pedal that opened a hinged lid。 Einstein put a paw on the pedal； watched the lid open； dropped the magazine into the can； and released the pedal。
〃What's that all about？〃 Nora wondered。
〃I guess that's one movie he definitely doesn't want to see。〃
〃Our own four…footed； furry critic。〃
That incident occurred Thursday afternoon。 By early Friday evening； Travis's frustration…and that of the dog…were nearing critical mass。
Sometimes Einstein exhibited uncanny intelligence； but sometimes he behaved like an ordi