Part 9 (1/2)
”Still, friend Mahates righteously and declares what is true and what is false?”
”I have heard so, Hare”
”Very well, Man, I layI will go back to earth to be tortured by you and yours again
If, however, I ament of the Power, and I ask that It will make of you--a hunted hare!”
Nohen he heard these aords--for they were awful--no less, the Red-faced Man grew much disturbed He hummed and he hawed, and shi+fted his feet about At last he said--
”You must admit that while you lived you had a first-class time under my protection Lots of turnips to eat and so forth”
”A first-class ti scorn ”What sort of a time would you have had if some one had shot you all over the back and you must creep away to die of pain and starvation? Hoould you have enjoyed it if, fro ht appear to hurt you in some new fashi+on? Do you suppose that animals cannot feel fear, and is continual fear the kind of friend that gives theument the Man seemed able to find no answer
”Mr Hare,” he said huht to findto do so, I will admit that I may possibly have been mistaken in my views and treatment of you and your kind, and indeed of other creatures If so, I apologise for any, ah--temporary inconvenience I may have caused you I can do no more”
”Coht let bygones be bygones”
”Apologise!” exclaimed the Hare ”After all I have suffered I do not think it is enough At the very least, Mahatma, he should say that he is heartily ashamed and sorry”
”Well, well,” said the Man, ”it's no usetwo bites of a cherry I aht on you
If that won't do let's go up and settle theI'll try to bear the consequences like a gentleman Only, Mr
Hare, I hope that you will not wish to put your case ainst me than you need”
”Not I, Man I kno that you only erred because the truth had not been revealed to you--because you did not understand All that I will ask, if I can, is that you may be allowed to tell this truth to other lad to say I can't do that, Hare”
”Don't be so sure,” I broke in; ”it's just the kind of thing which eneration or two hence when the world is fit to listen to you”
But he took no heed, or did not comprehend me, and went on--
”It is an impossibility, and if I did they would thinkI believe that lots ofaside the pleasures of sport, if the views you preach were to be accepted, ould beco-breeders, and of thousands of others who directly or indirectly get their living out of hunting and shooting? Where would game rents be also?”
”I don't know, I am sure,” replied the Hare wearily ”I suppose that they would earn their living in some other way, as they must in countries where there is no sport, and that you would have tomore upon the land You know that after all we hares and the other gaht be saved if there were not so many of us But I am not wise, and I have never looked at the question from that point of view It may seem selfish, but I have to considerinsidethrough my mouth It says that is why I am allowed to be here and to talk with you both; for their sakes rather than for my own”
”If you have more to say you had better say it quickly,” I interrupted, addressing the Red-faced Man ”I see that the Lights are beginning to change, which means that soon the Road will be closed and the Gates opened”