Adventures of a Bear, and a Great Bear Too Page 7

  DOWN HILL.

  Bruin, that great animal, was seated on a bank overhanging the river,which, being shallow at this spot, brawled loudly over its pebbly bed,some parts of which were dry. It was at such a distance from the city,that all the noises common to its streets were united into one buzz orhum, and the whole scene was well adapted to suggest meditations uponprivate matters, or the affairs of the world in general. Yet Bruin didnot seem influenced by any such reflections: if one might venture aguess from the appearance of his physiognomy, one would say that nothingin particular occupied his brains; true, his looks were black, his headwas cast down, his eyes, as usual, were cunning and ferocious, but thenthey were always so, and consequently presented no index of what waspassing within.

  Suddenly his features brightened, his face assumed an expression ofinterest, and he put his paw gently behind him to secure a stone, whilsthis gaze was intently fixed on a dry spot of the bed below. Followingthe direction of his look, one might have perceived an uncommonly fatfrog pulling with all his strength at the leg of another one whose bodywas hidden behind a heap of pebbles, and certainly the sight was one toamuse a wiser head than a bear's. The standing-place of the paunchylittle animal being very green and slippery, and the leg which he sotightly clasped belonging to a fellow creature of no ordinaryrobustness, the struggle was diversified every few seconds by the fatfellow toppling on to his nose or back, or being dragged behind theheap, and then suddenly reappearing, still holding with passionlessdetermination to that devoted leg, and tumbling about without uttering asyllable. It was when the greater part of his body was exposed to viewin a position more comical than dignified, so great were his exertions,that Bruin's stone, cast with unerring aim, descended upon theunfortunate frog. It hit him upon the softest and most projecting partof his back, and had the effect of raising him instantly into aperpendicular position, when looking round and observing the huge beastabove about to repeat the application, he clapped his broad hand overthe wounded place, and limped hastily away; nor could all theenticements of the bear, conveyed, it is true, in very unflatteringlanguage, induce him to expose his person to the chances of a secondthrow.

  Bruin's attention was shortly after aroused anew, by observing awretched old dog tottering under the weight of a large bundle, strappedupon his back, which he was conveying to the city. He came within a fewfeet of the bear, whom he knew slightly, and casting down his load,which he seemed to have brought from a distance, wiped his face with hisragged tail. Bruin was the first to speak.

  _Bruin_ (with a grunt).--Hard at work as usual, eh! Flip?

  _Flip._--Yes, Master Bruin, these are hard times; no bone to pickwithout it, you know.

  _Bruin_ (with a very emphatic grunt).--That depends; some have lots ofbones, and fine clothes, and warm beds, without doing anything harderfor them than picking the one, putting on the other, and sleeping on thethird;--but never mind that; what have you got there in your bundle, oldfellow?

  _Flip._--Why, songs, Master Bruin; and you, who are fond of music, mightmake mints of money by selling 'em, if you'd only choose to do it.

  _Bruin_ (pricking up his ears).--Ah, Master Flip! and in what way?

  _Flip._--Why, here are all the new songs that have been sung for thelast ten seasons by the Caterwaullic Society at their new Hall, and alot more besides, printed in half-a-dozen columns three times as long asmy tail, and all for a penny. Why, the very names of them are worthdouble the money. I'm going to take this package to old Powtry thebookseller, and, if you're in want of a job, I'll recommend you to himas one of the venders.

  CHEAP HARMONY.]

  The proposal in Bruin's state of finance was not to be despised, forsince his forced retirement from business, he had found his stomach andhis pockets, by a very natural sympathy, suffering from precisely thesame complaint--a degree of emptiness, namely--which there seemed nochance of finding a remedy for; but he had sundry doubts as to hiscapabilities for the new employment he was about seeking, particularlyas he was aware his reputation was more notorious than favourable. Tohis surprise, however, though his person was well known to theindividual Powtry, not the slightest objection seemed to be made on thescore of anything. The terms of his agreement, alas! not remarkablyliberal, were arranged; Bruin spent a couple of days in conning over histask, and forgetting to thank the poor dog who had procured him hissituation, he once more entered the busy streets of Caneville to add hisbass voice to the other cries of that populous city. His appearance,as he made his way into the centre of the most active thoroughfare,holding in one paw his lists of songs--longer than most of theinhabitants--whilst his other was thrust into his trowsers' pocket; theimpudent leer upon his face, as he surveyed his audience, and thecareless set of his clothes, which, big as he was, seemed a size toocapacious for him,--immediately attracted a crowd. A butcher's dog, whohad been ordered to make all speed to No. 10 in this same street with aleg of mutton in his basket, stayed to gape and listen, although he wasstanding opposite No. 9. A young pup from a neighbouring alley ran outat the sound of his voice to learn the news. A spaniel, with long curlyhair and medicine-basket on his arm, could not resist the temptation ofjust stopping to hear, though three servants of one of his master'spatients were scouring the streets in search of him; nor could aneminent vocalist of the feline tribe, la Signorina PussettaScracciolini, pass by without lending an ear to the wonderful list ofmelodies. There was another figure, too, who slackened her pace as shewas passing the group, and by an irresistible impulse seemed compelledto draw near and listen; she was richly dressed in mantle and hood,which, thrown gracefully back, displayed a head and neck of aristocraticproportions; she seemed ill, however, and weak, for her delicate pawswere resting on a stick, as though such aid were requisite, whilst hershort breathing seemed to hint that her sorrows were bringing her nearerto her doom. She must have been once possessed of considerable beauty,and even now there was enough remaining to distinguish the Hon. MissGreyhound.

  Thus surrounded, Bruin vociferated with all the power of his lungs,--

  "O ... O ... O ... O ... O ... Y ........... A! Never were such times!Here you are! only look! Double your own length of songs for one penny!Enough paper to make yourselves a coat to wrap yourselves in melody!Only one penny! Five hundred of the choicest songs of the Caterwaullicand Puppeeyan Amalgamated Harmonic Societies; and upwards of fivehundred more of the most popular ditties of Caneville, and all for onepenny!!"

  And then he croaked forth the following doggerel (the most acceptablepoetry, by the way, of the city), in which the titles of the songs weredragged in, without any regard to order, to make up a rhyme:

  "Here's 'What's a Clock?' And 'Like a rock He stood upon his dignity;' With 'Pups alive,' And 'We are Five,' And dozens more. Who'll buy? who'll buy? Here's 'Puss was out,' And 'Piggy's snout Was longer far than I can tell;' With 'Merry Dogs,' And 'Yellow Frogs' In scores, I'm ready here to sell. Here's 'Burning sighs,' And, 'Ah! those eyes!' And 'Songs for kittens newly born;' With 'Stay, oh, stay!' And 'Don't say nay,' And some no worse for being worn. Here's 'Love's an ass!' And 'Pass the glass,' And 'Jocky is the dog for me;' Here's 'Did you ever?' 'No, I never!' And 'I hope it yet may be,' And all for one penny!"

  And thus he went down the street disposing of his wares with wonderfulrapidity, and producing sundry forced accompaniments to his own wretchedsong by treading on the toes of all the pups who were attracted bycuriosity to his vicinity.

  A second and a third supply was exhausted before the canine and felinepublic of Caneville got tired of purchasing their own measure of song;whether a fourth would have been successful there was no chance ofdiscovering, for Old Powtry looked in vain for Bruin with the proceedsof the last lot. Day after day passed by and still he was absent, untilit was deemed necessary to have a search after him. For some time heeluded all inquiries, as he well knew his fate if his hiding-place werediscovered; for having appropriated the money of his master to his ownuse, he was fully aware that his person
would have to pay the penalty ofhis transgression. He skulked about the lowest purlieus of the city,among curs of the most degraded character, as dirty and negligent inbody as they were debased in mind, until, in hourly fear of beingbetrayed, he felt that the worst certainty would be preferable to such astate of suspense and alarm, so resolved to deliver himself up and bravethe worst. He was again cast into prison: for that he was prepared; buthe was _not_ prepared for the wretched place of confinement to which hewas now condemned. On being first thrust into it, he could not beholdall its horror; but when his eyes got accustomed to the semi-darkness,he found himself in a dismal cell under ground, half full of water fromthe overflowing of the river, and teeming with numerous crawling, slimythings. A little hole, half choked with earth and stones, let in all theplace possessed of light and air; and as the only air which could evervisit the place had to pass over a bed of stagnant mud ere it reachedthe spot, it possessed but few refreshing properties.

  Bruin, who had in his despair given himself quietly up to theauthorities, thinking probably that by the very act he might procuresome mitigation of his sentence, now that he perceived his doom, gaveway to one of those fearful bursts of rage which no experience hadsucceeded in teaching him to curb. He howled till the dirt stickingabout the vaulted ceiling, and the earth choking up the air-hole,dropped piecemeal to the ground, and every insect that had ears coveredthem up the best way it could to prevent its becoming instantaneouslydeafened by the horrid sound; then tearing round and round and round theconfined space of his cell, till there seemed to him fifty windowsinstead of one, and the single door appeared suddenly placed in everypart of the miserable vault,--he struck his head against the rugged wallof his prison, and toppled over senseless on to the ground.

  AT REST.

  It is not easy to say how long Bruin remained insensible, but it musthave been some time; for when he recovered himself, there was a feelingof weakness about him as though he had been fasting long. His head, too,felt sadly dizzy as he rose from his cold bed and pushed his noseagainst the hole of a window to procure a little air. From this hewithdrew to pace his narrow cell; and as the turning round increased hisgiddiness, on reaching the opposite wall he retraced his stepsbackwards, and so continued for a full hour, gently moving his headmeanwhile to the right and left, as was his wont. Then getting into thedriest corner, he threw himself of a heap on the ground, andmechanically resuming the old family practice of sucking his paw, triedto bring his mind to bear upon his situation. But this was a matter ofno little difficulty, for the late events of his life had tended veryconsiderably to weaken an intellect that was never remarkable forstrength; and so he sat, and relapsed into a dozy state, whereforgetfulness, for the most part, presided. At times, it is true, hewould wake up, and the old fire lighting in his eyes, he would dash hispaw on the ground as he observed the prison-walls close around him; butthe feeling was momentary, and it was evident that the indulgence of hisevil passions had so far clouded his reason, that a few weeks' solitaryconfinement would deprive him of all power of reflection for ever.

  Evening had come again, though it was dark night in Bruin's cell, andhad been so for hours; when suddenly he heard, or fancied he heard, hisname uttered in a loud whisper. A fear he had never before experienced,an apprehension of he knew not what, stole over him; and it was not tillthe voice, a little louder, exclaimed,--

  "Bruin! Bruin, I say!" that he dared venture a reply; when, after aneffort, he said,--

  "Who calls?"

  "A friend," was the ready answer.

  "A friend!" exclaimed Bruin, savagely; "then you can't be seeking _me_,for I have got no friends."

  "Come, come, Bruin," said the voice again, "don't be testy; it's I, theCaptain, and you know I never played you false."

  Bruin now, indeed, recognised the voice as that of, perhaps, the mostdesperate dog in Caneville. He was a bloodhound of large size andformidable strength, and such ferocity and daring, that few cared tocome into contact with him, lest by some chance they should be involvedin a quarrel which could only have a disastrous termination. Publicreport fixed more than one deep crime upon this canine desperado; butstill, somehow, he escaped the power of the law. Bruin felt flattered athis attention, and inquired what had brought him there.

  "Why," replied the Captain, "this is the third time I have been herealready; but though I have called out your name so loudly that Iexpected to alarm the guard, I have got no answer till to-night. Ishouldn't have come back again, for I thought you were dead."

  "So I have been nearly, Captain," answered Bruin; "but I am not quitegone yet, you hear. Now you _have_ found me alive, though, what is ityou want; and how can I, shut up here, be of any interest to you?"

  "Listen to me, Bruin," said the Captain, as he squeezed his nose intothe tiny window, and dropped his voice to a low whisper; "if you wereout, and at liberty, would you feel inclined to join me and one or twoothers in a job we intend to come off to-night?"

  Bruin hastened to reply, but the Captain interrupted him, saying,--

  "Don't be in a hurry to make a promise, until you know what it is; for,shut up here as you are, you can't betray the secret if you would, so Idon't mind revealing it. Four of us mean to break into old LordGreyhound's house to-night, where we hear there's money enough to enrichus for our lives; but as we're likely to have some hard work and stoutresistance, and think we are not strong enough yet for the business, weshould like you to join us, if you choose to do so."

  Bruin reflected a moment, where reflection was ruin. Had he at once andscornfully rejected the horrible temptation, there would still have beenhope for him; but, besides the prospect of liberty, though he did notyet know how that was to be effected, there was the chance of enrichinghimself once again; and, above all, there was a prospect of revengeagainst the dog who had once sought his life, because he had beenselected as an object of preference by his daughter. His meditations,therefore, were at once brought to an end, by his resolution to acceptthe proposal; but before he did so, the caution he had acquired byassociating with such beasts as the Captain made him say,--

  "Let us understand each other clearly. You said just now, 'if I were outand at liberty;' have you, then, the power to set me free?"

  "Provided you will be of the party, and agree to our terms," answeredthe Captain.

  "And how if I refuse?" pursued Bruin.

  "Why," replied the Captain, quickly and ferociously, "you'll stop theretill you starve."

  "I accept your offer," said Bruin, after the slightest possible pause;"and I would have done so without the alternative, for private reasonsof my own: so let me out, old fellow, as fast as you like."

  "And you give your word?" said the Captain.

  "The word of a bear," replied Bruin.

  The other exclaimed,--

  "All right! I shall see you again in half an hour."

  Never did half hour seem so long. As minute after minute flew by, therebroke upon Bruin's misty brain a notion that, perhaps, this was only atrick of the Captain's to get him to declare his willingness to join anydesperate deed in order to ruin him; but then, again, he could discoverno reason for such enmity, and could see no advantage accruing to thatindividual by such a course. At the very idea, however, of suchbetrayal, his teeth gnashed together, his eyes glared in that darknesslike two live coals, and he involuntarily crossed his huge paws over hischest as though hugging some imaginary enemy. But he recovered hisself-possession on hearing a grating noise at the other side of thecell, which gradually became louder, until at last a gust of air, whichrevived his spirits, came whistling round the vault, and told that hispath was open. The Captain, too, was in an instant by his side toconfirm it. He passed through an aperture, caused by an open iron door,preceded by his companion, who had, however, first cautiously reclosedand fastened up the secret entrance; and as they traversed a damp anddark tunnel, the Captain explained the mystery, by saying this place hadbeen known to him some time, though it was unsuspected by theauthorities; and that the exteri
or entrance was so covered up bybrambles, that no one ignorant of the spot could ever imagine what laybehind, or would care to explore the threatening passage, if by anychance they discovered it.

  As Bruin was exhausted for want of food, and it still wanted some hoursof the time appointed for their undertaking, they proceeded to one ofthe old resorts and regaled most heartily, the sense of liberty afterhis confinement raising the bear's spirits to the highest pitch. Atlength the time agreed on arrived, and the party, prepared for theirdesperate and wicked undertaking, set out.

  It has been mentioned in a previous part of this history, that LordGreyhound was one of the principal grandees in Caneville, both asregarded fortune and family, and that he lived in a palace befitting hiscondition. A crowd of domestics belonged to his household, but theCaptain was aware that their cribs were remote, and that but little inthe shape of resistance was to be feared from them, should they bearoused. Still great caution was requisite, for if they did not bitethey could bark, and that would be equally as fatal to their success onthis occasion. The only difficulty to be got over was the vigilance of aporter who slept below, whose fidelity to his master had been tried onmore than one occasion, although what made such attachment singular inthis instance was the fact that the said porter was one of the felinetribe,--a cat, in fact, of large dimensions, and peculiarly savagenature. Bruin, however, took upon himself the task of quieting thisservant and keeping watch below, whilst the others should ransack themansion, a place of rendezvous being appointed where they were to meetin case of alarm.

  To avoid suspicion they proceeded alone to the scene of their intendedcrime, and, favoured by darkness, they reached it unchallenged. Havinggently tried the fastenings in one or two places, they resolved to makethe attempt at a small door at the back, which seemed the most weaklyguarded. Bruin pushed it first quietly with his huge shoulder, andfinding it gradually yielding, without farther ado he placed his kneeagainst the lower panel, and, with less noise than might have beenexpected, sent the door flying from its fastenings. He was the first toenter, though the others were close behind; but he had not taken twosteps within the house than he saw, as he thought, two balls of fire onthe floor before him,--it was his last look of worldly things,--for atthe same moment the porter Cat, for it was he, sprang at the huge giantlike a fury, and dug his long and pointed talons into Bruin's eyes. Witha howl so dreadful, so awful in its intense agony and rage, that itseemed to spring from a supernatural source, the affrighted beast rolledover and over in his pain, crushing the Cat to death in his struggles;then feeling, even amidst his suffering, the necessity of safety, herose to his feet, and ran on, on, on, he knew not whither, till he felthimself in the midst of water and heard the rushing which it made. Soinstantaneous had been the whole transaction that the truth was neverrightly known. The family--nay, the neighbourhood--aroused by the horridnoise, rushed to the spot, to find the faithful porter dead, with everybone shattered; the door was open, but no creature was there to tell thetale. One alone suspected it--one to whom that cry of agony was thedeath-blow; for, two days after the event, the Hon. Miss Greyhoundslept with her fathers, the victim of a misplaced and unworthyattachment.

  And Bruin, where was he? Alas! poor beast! Three days after this eventhe was discovered by the authorities, half dead with pain, and led backto prison, which he had left with so little ceremony. His senses,however, were so bewildered by his situation, that he could neitherexplain how he had escaped from his dungeon, nor the cause of hispresent deplorable condition; perhaps, too, he deemed it more prudentto be silent on both these matters. His judges, nevertheless, takinginto consideration his now helpless state, and rightly thinking hispowers of mischief were much abated by the loss of his eyes, pardonedhis previous offence, and thrust him alone and helpless on the world.

  For many a long year did the ill-fated animal drag on his wearisomeexistence, living on the charity--the scanty charity--of Caneville.Deprived of sight, no longer able to acquire a livelihood by his labour,weary, and full of remorse, he daily took his round through the publicstreets, soliciting a penny for the "poor blind." A dog, induced for aweekly trifle and the prospect of an extra bone or two thrown to him,sometimes by the compassionate as they went their melancholy way, ledhim in his wanderings. At first, however, either from ignorance orcarelessness, or a currish malice, he would often guide his helplessmaster into positions of difficulty and danger, from which he couldscarce have extricated himself but for the assistance of some benevolentpassers-by; though his situation in such cases--be it said to the shameof the inferior population of Caneville--too often excited derision andlaughter, instead of aid and consolation. Once, indeed, he was seriouslyhurt by the wilful inattention of his guide; for, tottering along asusual, one fine morning with his staff in one hand, the string attachedto the dog's collar in the other, and his head with the sightlesseyes raised sadly in the air, whilst he uttered his plaintive cry of"Have pity on the poor blind!" the last word was suddenly converted froma doleful whine to a howl of pain as his body came in contact with apost which stood right across his path. Time, which cures all things,brought at last an effectual remedy to his sufferings, and that remedywas Death! Ere that great foe or friend relieved poor Bruin, he hadlearnt to be repentant of his former life, and was often known toreprove in others any tendency to those faults of temper or dispositionwhich had been his own ruin. If he could have recovered the use of hiseyes and have mingled once more with the business of life, it is aquestion whether he would have acted up to the precepts which he nowinculcated; but as the experiment was never tried, nor could be, it isbut charitable to think the best.

  THE LAST LEAD.]

  Months after he had departed this sinful world, a sturdy traveller, witha particularly wide mouth and short address, entered the city ofCaneville. He stated that he was a native of the place, and had beenwandering far away in other lands. He made various inquiries concerningformer inhabitants of the town, and among others asked for Bruin. Hislife, much as I have recounted it, was told to him, and long did thestranger ruminate over the details. Many portions of it were, indeed,known to him, for the traveller was no other than our old acquaintanceTom; but all was interesting. When he had heard it to the end, heuttered these only words, which might, indeed, serve for moral and poorBruin's epitaph:--

  "Ah! he was a Great Bear!"

  London:--Printed by G. BARCLAY, Castle St. Leicester Sq.