English
Thehurtsthathardestaretobear
Comefromthoseforwhomwecare.
—Whitefoot.
Whitefootwashurt.Yes,sir,Whitefootwashurt.Hewasverymuchhurt.
Itwasn’tabodilyhurt;itwasaninsidehurt.Itwasahurtthatmadehisheartache.
Andtomakeitworse,hecouldn’tunderstanditatall.
OneeveninghehadbeenmetatthelittlerounddoorwaybylittleMrs.Whitefoot.
“Youcan’tcomein,”saidshe.
“Whycan’tI?”demandedWhitefoot,inthegreatestsurprise.
“Nevermindwhy.Youcan’t,andthatisallthereistoit,”repliedMrs.Whitefoot.
“YoumeanIcan’tevercomeinanymore?”askedWhitefoot.
“Idon’tknowaboutthat,”repliedMrs.Whitefoot,“butyoucan’tcomeinnow,norforsometime.Ithinkthebestthingyoucandoistogobacktoyouroldhomeinthehollowstub.”
WhitefootstaredatlittleMrs.Whitefootquiteasifhethoughtshehadgonecrazy.Thenhelosthistemper.
“IguessI’llcomeinifIwantto,”saidhe.
“Thishomeisquiteasmuchmyhomeasitisyours.Youhavenorighttokeepmeoutofit.Justyougetoutofmyway.”
ButlittleMrs.Whitefootdidn’tgetoutofhisway,anddowhathewould,Whitefootcouldn’tgetin.
Youseeshequitefilledthatlittlerounddoorway.Finally,hehadtogiveuptrying.
ThreetimeshecamebackandeachtimehefoundlittleMrs.Whitefootinthedoorway.Andeachtimeshedrovehimaway.
Finally,forlackofanyotherplacetogoto,hereturnedtohisoldhomeintheoldstub.
Oncehehadthoughtthisthefinesthomepossible,butnowsomehowitdidn’tsuithimatall.
ThetruthishemissedlittleMrs.Whitefoot,andsowhathadoncebeenahomewasnowonlyaplaceinwhichtohideandsleep.
Whitefoot’sangerdidnotlastlong.Itwasreplacedbythathurtfeeling.
HefeltthathemusthavedonesomethinglittleMrs.Whitefootdidnotlike,butthoughhethoughtandthoughthecouldn’trememberasinglething.
SeveraltimeshewentbacktoseeifMrs.Whitefootfeltanydifferently,butfoundshedidn’t.
Finallyshetoldhimrathersharplytogoawayandstayaway.
AfterthatWhitefootdidn’tventureovertothenewhome.
Hewouldsometimessitashortdistanceawayandgazeatitlongingly.
Allthejoyhadgoneoutofthebeautifulspringtimeforhim.
HewasquiteasunhappyashehadbeenbeforehemetlittleMrs.Whitefoot.
Yousee,hewasevenmorelonelythanhehadbeenthen.
Andaddedtothislonelinesswasthathurtfeeling,whichmadeiteverandeversomuchworse.Itwasveryhardtobear.
“IfIcouldunderstandit,itwouldn’tbesobad,”hekeptsayingoverandoveragaintohimself,“butIdon’tunderstandit.Idon’tunderstandwhyMrs.Whitefootdoesn’tlovemeanymore.”
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