八喜电子书 > 经管其他电子书 > the riverman >

第29部分

the riverman-第29部分

小说: the riverman 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!




landing。  At length; bewildered more by the continuance than the 

violence of the attack; he dropped his ring tactics and closed in to 

straight slugging; blow against blow; stand up; give and take。



As he saw his opponent stand; Orde uttered a sound of satisfaction。  

He dropped slightly his right shoulder behind his next blow。  The 

glove crashed straight as a pile…driver through Murphy's upraised 

hands to his face; which it met with a smack。  The trainer; lifted 

bodily from the ground; was hurled through the air; to land doubled 

up against the supports of a parallel bars。  There he lay quite 

still; his palms up; his head sunk forward。



Orde stared at him a moment in astonishment; as though expecting him 

to arise。  When; however; he perceived that Murphy was in reality 

unconscious; he tore off the gloves and ran forward to kneel by the 

professional's side。



〃I didn't suppose one punch like that would hurt him;〃 he muttered 

to the men crowding around。  〃Especially with the gloves。  Do you 

suppose he's killed?〃



But already Murphy's arms were making aimless motions; and a deep 

breath raised his chest。



〃He's just knocked out;〃 reassured one of the men; examining the 

prostrate handler with a professional attention。  〃He'll be as good 

as ever in five minutes。  Here;〃 he commanded one of the gymnasium 

rubbers who had appeared; 〃lend a hand here with some water。〃



The clubmen crowded about; all talking at once。



〃You're a wonder; my friend;〃 said one。



〃By Jove; he's hardly breathing fast after all that rushing;〃 said a 

second。



〃So you didn't think one punch like that would hurt him;〃 quoted 

another with good…natured sarcasm。



〃No;〃 said Orde; simply。  〃I've hit men that hard before with my 

bare fist。〃



〃Did they survive?〃



〃Surely。〃



〃What kind of armour…plates were they; in heaven's name?〃



Orde had recovered his balance and humour。



〃Just plain ordinary rivermen;〃 said he with a laugh。



〃Gentlemen;〃 struck in Gerald; 〃I want to introduce you to my 

friend。〃  He performed the introductions。  It was necessary for him 

to explain apart that Orde was in reality his friend; an amateur; a 

chance visitor in the city。  All in all; the affair made quite a 

little stir; and went far to give Orde a standing with these sport…

loving youths。



Finally Gerald and Orde were permitted to finish their gymnasium 

practice。  Murphy had recovered; and came forward。



〃You have a strong punch; sir; and you're a born natural fighter; 

sir;〃 said he。  〃If you had a few lessons in boxing; sir; I'd put 

you against the best。〃



But later; when the young men were resting; each under his sheet 

after a rub…down; the true significance of the affair for Orde came 

out。  Since the fight; Gerald's customary lassitude of manner seemed 

quite to have left him。  His eye was bright; a colour mounted 

beneath the pale olive of his skin; the almost effeminate beauty of 

his countenance had animated。  He looked across at Orde several 

times; hesitated; and at last decided to speak。



〃Look here; Orde;〃 said he; 〃I want to confess something to you。  

When you first came here three days ago; I had lots of fun with 

myself about you。  You know your clothes aren't quite the thing; and 

I thought your manner was queer; and all that。  I was a cad。  I want 

to apologise。  You're a man; and I like you better than any fellow 

I've met for a long time。  And if there's any troublein the 

futurethat isoh; hang it; I'm on your sideyou know what I 

mean!〃



Orde smiled slowly。



〃Bishop;〃 was his unexpected reply; 〃you're not near so much of a 

dandy as you think you are。〃







XVIII





Affairs went thus for a week。  Orde was much at the Bishop 

residence; where he was cordially received by the general; where he 

gained an occasional half…hour with Carroll; and where he was almost 

ignored by Mrs。 Bishop in her complete self…absorption。  Indeed; it 

is to be doubted whether he attained any real individuality to that 

lady; who looked on all the world outside her family as useful or 

useless to the church。



In the course of the happy moments he had alone with Carroll; he 

arrived at a more intimate plane of conversation with her。  He came 

to an understanding of her unquestioning acceptance of Mrs。 Bishop's 

attitude。  Carroll truly believed that none but herself could 

perform for her mother the various petty offices that lady demanded 

from her next of kin; and that her practical slavery was due by 

every consideration of filial affection。  To Orde's occasional 

tentative suggestion that the service was of a sort better suited to 

a paid companion or even a housemaid; she answered quite seriously 

that it made mother nervous to have others about her; and that it 

was better to do these things than to throw her into a 〃spell。〃  

Orde chafed at first over seeing his precious opportunities thus 

filched from him; later he fretted because he perceived that Carroll 

was forced; however willingly; to labours beyond her strength; to 

irksome confinement; and to that intimate and wearing close 

association with the abnormal which in the long run is bound to 

deaden the spirit。  He lost sight of his own grievance in the 

matter。  With perhaps somewhat of exaggeration he came mightily to 

desire for her more of the open air; both of body and spirit。  Often 

when tramping back to his hotel he communed savagely with himself; 

turning the problem over and over in his mind until; like a 

snowball; it had gathered to itself colossal proportions。



And in his hotel room he brooded over the state of affairs until his 

thoughts took a very gloomy tinge indeed。  To begin with; in spite 

of his mother's assurance; he had no faith in his own cause。  His 

acquaintance with Carroll was but an affair of months; and their 

actual meetings comprised incredibly few days。  Orde was naturally 

humble…minded。  It did not seem conceivable to him that he could win 

her without a long courtship。  And superadded was the almost 

intolerable weight of Carroll's ideas as to her domestic duties。  

Although Orde held Mrs。 Bishop's exactions in very slight esteem; 

and was most sceptical in regard to the disasters that would follow 

their thwarting; nevertheless he had to confess to himself that all 

Carroll's training; life; the very purity and sweetness of her 

disposition lent the situation an iron reality for her。  He became 

much discouraged。



Nevertheless; at the very moment when he had made up his mind that 

it would be utterly useless even to indulge in hope for some years 

to come; he spoke。  It came about suddenly; and entirely without 

premeditation。



The two had escaped for a breath of air late in the evening。  

Following the conventions; they merely strolled to the end of the 

block and back; always within sight of the house。  Fifth Avenue was 

gay with illumination and the prancing of horses returning uptown or 

down to the Washington Square district。  In contrast the side 

street; with its austere rows of brownstone houses; each with its 

area and flight of steps; its spaced gas lamps; its deserted 

roadway; seemed very still and quiet。  Carroll was in a tired and 

pensive mood。  She held her head back; breathing deeply。



It's only a little strip; but it's the stars;〃 said she; looking up 

to the sky between the houses。  〃They're so quiet and calm and big。〃



She seemed to Orde for the first time like a little girl。  The 

maturer complexities which we put on with years; with experience; 

and with the knowledge of life had for the moment fallen from her; 

leaving merely the simple soul of childhood gazing in its eternal 

wonder at the stars。  A wave of tenderness lifted Orde from his 

feet。  He leaned over; his breath coming quickly。



〃Carroll!〃 he said。



She looked up at him; and shrank back。



〃No; no!  You mustn't;〃 she cried。  She did not pretend to 

misunderstand。  The preliminaries seemed in some mysterious fashion 

to have been said long ago。



〃It's life or death with me;〃 he said。



〃I must not;〃 she cried; fluttering like a bird。  〃I promised myself 

long ago that I must always; ALWAYS take care of mother。〃



〃Please; please; dear;〃 pleaded Orde。  He had nothing more to say 

than this; just the simple incoherent symbols of pleading; but in 

such crises it is rather the soul than the tongue that speaks。  His 

hand met hers and closed about it。  It did not respond to his grasp; 

nor did it draw away; but lay limp and warm and helpless in his own。



She shook her head slowly。



〃Don't you care for me; dear?〃 asked Orde very gently。



〃I have no right to tell you that;〃 answered she。  〃I have tried; 

oh; so hard; to keep you from saying this; for I knew I had no right 

to hear you。〃



Orde's heart leaped with a wild exultation。



〃You do care for me!〃 he cried。



They had mounted the steps and stood just within the vestibule。  

Orde drew her toward him; but she repulsed him gently。



〃No;〃 she shook her head。  〃Please be very good to me。  I'm very 

weak。〃



〃Carroll!〃 cried Orde。  〃Tell me that you love me!  Tell me that 

you'll marry me!〃



〃It would kill mother if I should leave her;〃 she said sadly。



〃But you must marry me; pleaded Orde。  〃We are made for each other。  

God meant us for each other。〃



〃It would have to be after a great many years;〃 she said doubtfully。



She pulled the bell; which jangled faintly in the depths of the 

house。



〃Good…night;〃 she said。  〃Come to me to…morrow。  No; you must not 

come in。〃  She cut short Orde's insistence and the eloquence that 

had just found its life by slipping inside the half…open door and 

closing it after her。



Orde stood for a moment uncertain; then turned away and walked up 

the street; his eyes so blinded by the gre

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的