-
清空 阅读记录
'" Andthen they repeated the former joke about "Portulak," and declared itwas most amusing. Then they all lay down to have a nap.
They had been lying asleep for some time, when suddenlysomething was thrown into the yard for them to eat. It came downwith such a bang, that the whole company started up and clappedtheir wings. The Portuguese awoke too, and rushed over to the otherside: in so doing she trod upon the little singing-bird.
"Tweet," he cried; "you trod very hard upon me, madam."
"Well, then, why do you lie in my way?" she retorted, "you mustnot be so touchy. I have nerves of my own, but I do not cry 'tweet.'"
"Don't be angry," said the little bird; "the 'tweet' slipped outof my beak unawares."
The Portuguese did not listen to him, but began eating as fastas she could, and made a good meal. When she had finished, she laydown again, and the little bird, who wished to be amiable, began tosing,-
"Chirp and twitter,
The dew-drops glitter,
In the hours of sunny spring,
I'll sing my best,
Till I go to rest,
With my head behind my wing."
"Now I want rest after my dinner," said the Portuguese; "youmust conform to the rules of the house while you are here. I want tosleep now."
The little bird was quite taken aback, for he meant it kindly.When madam awoke afterwards, there he stood before her with a littlecorn he had found, and laid it at her feet; but as she had not sleptwell, she was naturally in a bad temper. "Give that to a chicken," shesaid, "and don't be always standing in my way."
"Why are you angry with me?" replied the little singing-bird,"what have I done?"
"Done!" repeated the Portuguese duck, "your mode of expressingyourself is not very polite. I must call your attention to that fact."
"It was sunshine here yesterday," said the little bird, "butto-day it is cloudy and the air is close."
"You know very little about the weather, I fancy," she retorted,"the day is not over yet. Don't stand there, looking so stupid."
"But you are looking at me just as the wicked eyes looked when Ifell into the yard yesterday."
"Impertinent creature!" exclaimed the Portuguese duck: "wouldyou compare me with the cat- that beast of prey? There's not a drop ofmalicious blood in me. I've taken your part, and now I'll teach youbetter manners." So saying, she made a bite at the littlesinging-bird's head, and he fell dead on the ground. "Now whateveris the meaning of this?" "she said; "could he not bear even such alittle peck as I gave him? Then certainly he was not made for thisworld. I've been like a mother to him, I know that, for I've a goodheart."
Then the cock from the neighboring yard stuck his head in, andcrowed with steam-engine power.
"You'll kill me with your crowing," she cried, "it's all yourfault. He's lost his life, and I'm very near losing mine."
"There's not much of him lying there," observed the cock.
"Speak of him with respect," said the Portuguese duck, "for he hadmanners and education, and he could sing. He was affectionate andgentle, and that is as rare a quality in animals as in those whocall themselves human beings."
Then all the ducks came crowding round the little dead bird. Duckshave strong passions, whether they feel envy or pity. There wasnothing to envy here, so they all showed a great deal of pity, eventhe two Chinese. "We shall never have another singing-bird againamongst us; he was almost a Chinese," they whispered, and then theywept with such a noisy, clucking sound, that all the other fowlsclucked too, but the ducks went about with redder eyes afterwards. "Wehave hearts of our own," they said, "nobody can deny that."
"Hearts!"
