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upward； they had dwelt together； Nello and Patrasche； in the little hut on
the edge of the village； with the cathedral spire of Antwerp rising in the
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northeast； beyond the great green plain of seeding grass and spreading
corn that stretched away from them like a tideless； changeless sea。 It was
the hut of a very old man； of a very poor man of old Jehan Daas； who in
his time had been a soldier； and who remembered the wars that had
trampled the country as oxen tread down the furrows； and who had
brought from his service nothing except a wound； which had made him a
cripple。
When old Jehan Daas had reached his full eighty； his daughter had
died in the Ardennes； hard by Stavelot； and had left him in legacy her two…
year…old son。 The old man could ill contrive to support himself； but he
took up the additional burden uncomplainingly； and it soon became
welcome and precious to him。 Little Nello； which was but a pet diminutive
for Nicolas； throve with him； and the old man and the little child lived in
the poor little hut contentedly。
It was a very humble little mud hut indeed； but it was clean and white
as a sea…shell； and stood in a small plot of garden ground that yielded
beans and herbs and pumpkins。 They were very poor； terribly poor； many
a day they had nothing at all to eat。 They never by any chance had enough；
to have had enough to eat would have been to have reached paradise at
once。 But the old man was very gentle and good to the boy； and the boy
was a beautiful； innocent； truthful； tender… natured creature； and they were
happy on a crust and a few leaves of cabbage； and asked no more of earth
or heavensave indeed that Patrasche should be always with them； since
without Patrasche where would they have been？
For Patrasche was their alpha and omega； their treasury and granary；
their store of gold and wand of wealth； their bread…winner and minister；
their only friend and comforter。 Patrasche dead or gone from them； they
must have laid themselves down and died likewise。 Patrasche was body；
brains； hands； head； and feet to both of them； Patrasche was their very life；
their very soul。 For Jehan Daas was old and a cripple； and Nello was but a
child； and Patrasche was their dog。
A dog of Flandersyellow of hide； large of head and limb； with wolf…
like ears that stood erect； and legs bowed and feet widened in the muscular
development wrought in his breed by many generations of hard service。
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Patrasche came of a race which had toiled hard and cruelly from sire to
son in Flanders many a centuryslaves of slaves； dogs of the people；
beasts of the shafts and the harness； creatures that lived straining their
sinews in the gall of the cart； and died breaking their hearts on the flints of
the streets。
Patrasche had been born of parents who had labored hard all their days
over the sharp…set stones of the various cities and the long； shadowless；
weary roads of the two Flanders and of Brabant。 He had been born to no
other heritage than those of pain and of toil。 He had been fed on curses and
baptized with blows。 Why not？ It was a Christian country； and Patrasche
was but a dog。 Before he was fully grown he had known the bitter gall of
the cart and the collar。 Before he had entered his thirteenth month he had
become the property of a hardware dealer； who was accustomed to wander
over the land north and south； from the blue sea to the green mountains。
They sold him for a small price； because he was so young。
This man was a drunkard and a brute。 The life of Patrasche was a life
of hell。 To deal the tortures of hell on the animal creation is a way which
the Christians have of showing their belief in it。 His purchaser was a sullen；
ill…living； brutal Brabantois； who heaped his cart full with pots and pans
and flagons and buckets； and other wares of crockery and brass and tin；
and left Patrasche to draw the load as best he might； while he himself
lounged idly by the side in fat and sluggish ease； smoking his black pipe
and stopping at every wineshop or cafe on the road。
Happily for Patrasche； or unhappily； he was very strong； he came of an
iron race； long born and bred to such cruel travail； so that he did not die；
but managed to drag on a wretched existence under the brutal burdens； the
scarifying lashes； the hunger； the thirst； the blows； the curses； and the
exhaustion which are the only wages with which the Flemings repay the
most patient and laborious of all their four…footed victims。 One day； after
two years of this long and deadly agony； Patrasche was going on as usual
along one of the straight； dusty； unlovely roads that lead to the city of
Rubens。 It was full midsummer； and very warm。 His cart was very heavy；
piled high with goods in metal and in earthenware。 His owner sauntered
on without noticing him otherwise than by the crack of the whip as it
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curled round his quivering loins。 The Brabantois had paused to drink beer
himself at every wayside house； but he had forbidden Patrasche to stop a
moment for a draught from the canal。 Going along thus； in the full sun； on
a scorching highway； having eaten nothing for twenty…four hours； and；
which was far worse to him； not having tasted water for near twelve； being
blind with dust； sore with blows； and stupefied with the merciless weight
which dragged upon his loins； Patrasche staggered and foamed a little at
the mouth； and fell。
He fell in the middle of the white； dusty road； in the full glare of the
sun； he was sick unto death； and motionless。 His master gave him the only
medicine in his pharmacykicks and oaths and blows with a cudgel of oak；
which had been often the only food and drink； the only wage and reward；
ever offered to him。 But Patrasche was beyond the reach of any torture or
of any curses。 Patrasche lay； dead to all appearances； down in the white
powder of the summer dust。 After a while； finding it useless to assail his
ribs with punishment and his ears with maledictions； the Brabantois
deeming life gone in him； or going； so nearly that his carcass was forever
useless； unless； indeed； some one should strip it of the