By the man's side, on a long black board, lay something white and furry
which Johannes could not see very clearly.
'Good-morning, doctor,' said Pluizer; but the doctor did not move.
But Johannes was startled, for the white object which he was watching
intently, suddenly began to move convulsively. What he had seen was the
white fur of a rabbit lying on its back. The head, with the mobile nose,
was fixed in an iron clamp, and its four little legs were firmly bound
to its body. The hopeless effort to get free was soon over, then the
little creature lay still again, and only the rapid movement of its
bleeding throat showed that it was still alive. And Johannes saw its
round, gentle eye staring wide in helpless terror, and he felt as if he
recognised the poor little beast. Was not that the soft little body
against which he had slept that first delightful night with the elves?
Old memories crowded in his mind; he flew to the rabbit.
'Wait, wait! Poor rabbit! I will release you!' and he hastily tried to
cut the cords which bound the tender little paws. But his hands were
tightly clutched, and a sharp laugh sounded in his ear.
'What do you mean by this, Johannes? Are you still such a baby? What
must the doctor think of you?'
'What does the boy want? What brings him here?' asked the doctor in
surprise.
'He wants to become a man, so I have brought him to you. But he is still
young and childish. That is not the way to find what you are seeking,
Johannes.'
'No, that is not the way,' said the doctor. 'Doctor, set the rabbit
free!'
But Pluizer held him by both hands till he hurt him.
'What did we agree on, little man?' he whispered in his ear. 'To seek
diligently, was it not? We are not on the sand-hills now, with Windekind
and the dumb brutes. We are to be men--men. Do you understand? If you
mean to remain a child, if you are not strong enough to help me, I will
send you about your business and you may seek by yourself.'
Johannes was silent, and believed him. He would be strong. He shut his
eyes so that he might not see the rabbit.
'My dear boy,' said the doctor, 'you seem still too tender-hearted to
begin. To be sure--the first time it is horrible to look on. I myself,
for some time, was most averse to it, and avoided it as far as
possible. But it is indispensable; and you must remember we are men and
not brutes, and the advancement of mankind and of science is of more
importance than a few rabbits.'
'Do you hear?' said Pluizer,--'science and mankind.'
'The man of science,' the doctor went on, 'stands far above all other
men. But he must make all the smaller feelings which are common to the
vulgar give way to the one grand idea of science. Will you be such a
man? Is that your vocation, my boy?'
Johannes hesitated; he did not know justly what a vocation might be--any
more than the cockchafer.
'I want to find the book of which Wistik spoke,' said he.