hard cash-第6部分

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〃Take　all　my　tin　and　lay　it　on；〃　sighed　the　sufferer。

〃Fork　it　out；　then。　Hallo！　eighteen　pounds？　Fancy　having　eighteen　pounds　at　the　end　of　term。　I'll　get　the　odds　up　at　the　bridge　directly。　Here's　a　lady　offering　you　her　smelling…bottle。〃

Hardie　rose　and　turned　round；　and　sure　enough　there　were　two　ladies　seated　in　their　carriage　at　some　distance；　one　of　whom　was　holding　him　out　three　pretty　little　things　enough；　a　little　smile；　a　little　blush；　and　a　little　cut…glass　bottle　with　a　gold　cork。　The　last　panegyric　on　Edward　had　turned　the　scale。

Hardie　went　slowly　up　to　the　side　of　the　carriage；　and　took　off　his　hat　to　them　with　a　half…bewildered　air。　Now　that　he　was　so　near；　his　face　showed　very　pale；　the　more　so　that　his　neck　was　a　good　deal　tanned；　his　eyelids　were　rather　swollen；　and　his　young　eyes　troubled　and　almost　filmy　with　the　pain。　The　ladies　saw；　and　their　gentle　bosoms　were　touched：　they　had　heard　of　him　as　a　victorious　young　Apollo　trampling　on　all　difficulties　of　mind　and　body；　and　they　saw　him　wan；　and　worn；　with　feminine　suffering：　the　contrast　made　him　doubly　interesting。

Arrived　at　the　side　of　the　carriage；　he　almost　started　at　Julia's　beauty。　It　was　sun…like；　and　so　were　her　two　lovely　earnest　eyes；　beaming　soft　pity　on　him　with　an　eloquence　he　had　never　seen　in　human　eyes　before；　for　Julia's　were　mirrors　of　herself；　they　did　nothing　by　halves。

He　looked　at　her　and　her　mother；　and　blushed；　and　stood　irresolute；　awaiting　their　commands。　This　sudden　contrast　to　his　petulance　with　his　own　sex　paved　the　way。　〃You　have　a　sad　headache；　sir；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd；　〃oblige　me　by　trying　my　salts。〃

He　thanked　her　in　a　low　voice。

〃And；　mamma；〃　inquired　Julia；　〃ought　he　to　sit　in　the　sun？〃

〃Certainly　not。　You　had　better　sit　there；　sir；　and　profit　by　our　shade　and　our　parasols。〃

〃Yes；　mamma；　but　you　know　the　real　place　where　he　ought　to　be　is　Bed。〃

〃Oh；　pray　don't　say　that；〃　implored　the　patient。

But　Julia　continued；　with　unabated　severity；　〃And　that　is　where　he　would　go　this　minute；　if　I　was　his　mamma。〃

〃Instead　of　his　junior；　and　a　stranger；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd；　somewhat　coldly；　dwelling　with　a　very　slight　monitory　emphasis　on　the　〃stranger。〃

Julia　said　nothing；　but　drew　in　perceptibly；　and　was　dead　silent　ever　after。

〃Oh；　madam！〃　said　Hardie　eagerly；　〃I　do　not　dispute　her　authority；　nor　yours。　You　have　a　right　to　send　me　where　you　please；　after　your　kindness　in　noticing　my　infernal　head；　and　doing　me　the　honour　to　speak　to　me；　and　lending　me　this。　But　if　I　go　to　bed；　my　head　will　be　my　master。　Besides；　I　shall　throw　away　what　little　chance　I　have　of　making　your　acquaintance；　and　the　race　just　coming　off！〃

〃We　will　not　usurp　authority；　sir；〃　said　Mrs。　Dodd　quietly；　〃but　we　know　what　a　severe　headache　is；　and　should　be　glad　to　see　you　sit　still　in　the　shade；　and　excite　yourself　as　little　as　possible。〃

〃Yes；　madam；〃　said　the　youth　humbly；　and　sat　down　like　a　lamb。　He　glanced　now　and　then　at　the　island；　and　now　and　then　peered　up　at　the　radiant　young　mute　beside　him。

The　silence　continued　till　it　was　broken　bya　fish　out　of　water。　An　undergraduate　in　spectacles　came　mooning　along；　all　out　of　his　element。　It　was　Mr。　Kennet；　who　used　to　rise　at　four　every　morning　to　his　Plato；　and　walk　up　Shotover　Hill　every　afternoon；　wet　or　dry；　to　cool　his　eyes　for　his　evening　work。　With　what　view　he　deviated　to　Henley　has　not　yet　been　ascertained。　He　was　blind　as　a　bat；　and　did　not　care　a　button　about　any　earthly　boat…race；　except　the　one　in　the　AEneid；　even　if　he　could　have　seen　one。　However；　nearly　all　the　men　of　his　college　went　to　Henley；　and　perhaps　some　branch；　hitherto　unexplored；　of　animal　magnetism　drew　him　after。　At　any　rate；　there　was　his　body；　and　his　mind　at　Oxford　and　Athens；　and　other　venerable　but　irrelevant　cities。　He　brightened　at　sight　of　his　doge；　and　asked　him　warmly　if　he　had　heard　the　news。

〃No：　what？　Nothing　wrong；　I　hope？〃

〃Why；　two　of　our　men　are　ploughed；　that　is　all；〃　said　Kennet；　affecting　with　withering　irony　to　undervalue　his　intelligence。

〃Confound　it；　Kennet；　how　you　frightened　me！　I　was　afraid　there　was　some　screw　loose　with　the　crew。〃

At　this　very　instant；　the　smoke　of　the　pistol　was　seen　to　puff　out　from　the　island；　and　Hardie　rose　to　his　feet。　〃They　are　off！〃　cried　he　to　the　ladies；　and　after　first　putting　his　palms　together　with　a　hypocritical　look　of　apology；　he　laid　one　hand　on　an　old　barge　that　was　drawn　up　ashore；　and　sprang　like　a　mountain　goat　on　to　the　bow；　lighting　on　the　very　gunwale。　The　position　was　not　tenable　an　instant；　but　he　extended　one　foot　very　nimbly　and　boldly；　and　planted　it　on　the　other　gunwale；　and　there　he　was　in　a　moment；　headache　and　all；　in　an　attitude　as　large　and　inspired　as　the　boldest　gesture　antiquity　has　committed　to　marblehe　had　even　the　advantage　in　stature　over　most　of　the　sculptured　forms　of　Greece。　But　a　double　opera…glass　at　his　eye　〃spoiled　the　lot；〃　as　Mr。　Punch　says。

I　am　not　to　repeat　the　particulars　of　a　distant　race　coming　nearer　and　nearer。　The　main　features　are　always　the　same；　only　this　time　it　was　more　exciting　to　our　fair　friends；　on　account　of　Edward's　high　stake　in　it。　And　then　their　grateful　though　refractory　patient；　an　authority　in　their　eyes；　indeed　all　but　a　river…god；　stood　poised　in　air；　and　in　excited　whispers　interpreted　each　distant　and　unintelligible　feature　down　to　them：

〃Cambridge　was　off　quickest。〃

〃But　not　much。〃


〃Anybody's　race　at　present；　madam。〃


〃If　this　lasts　long　we　may　win。　None　of　them　can　stay　like　us。〃

〃Come；　the　favourite　is　not　so　very　dangerous。〃

〃Cambridge　looks　best。〃

〃I　wouldn't　change　with　either；　so　far。〃


〃Now；　in　forty　seconds　more；　I　shall　be　able　to　pick　out　the　winner。〃

Julia　went　up　this　ladder　of　thrills　to　a　high　state　of　excitement；　and；　indeed；　they　were　all　so　tuned　to　racing　pitch；　that　some　metal　nerve　or　other　seemed　to　jar　inside　all　three；　when　the　piercing；　grating　voice　of　Kennet　broke　in　suddenly　with

〃How　do　you　construe　＇Greek　text＇？〃

The　wretch　had　burrowed　in　the　intellectual　ruins　of　Greece　the　moment　the　pistol　went　off；　and　college　chat　ceased。　Hardie　raised　his　opera…glass；　and　his　first　impulse　was　to　brain　the　judicious　Kennet；　gazing　up　to　him　for　an　answer；　with　spectacles　goggling　like　supernatural　eyes　of　dead　sophists　in　the　sun。

〃How　do　you　construe　_'Hoc　age'_？　you　incongruous　dog。　Hold　your　tongue；　and　mind　the　race。〃


〃There；　I　thought　so。　Where's　your　three　to　one；　now？　The　Cockneys　are　out　of　this　event；　any　way。　Go　on；　Universities；　and　order　their　suppers！〃

〃But　which　is　first；　sir？〃　asked　Julia　imploringly。　〃Oh；　which　is　first　of　all？〃

〃Neither。　Never　mind；　it　looks　well。　London　is　pumped；　and　if　Cambridge　can't　lead　him　before　this　turn　in　the　river；　the　race　will　be　ours。　Now；　look　out！　By　Jove；　we　are　_ahead！_〃

The　leading　boats　came　on；　Oxford　pulling　a　long；　lofty；　sturdy　stroke；　that　seemed　as　if　it　never　could　compete　with　the　quick　action　of　its　competitor。　Yet　it　was　undeniably　ahead；　and　gaining　at　every　swing。

Young　Hardie　writhed　on　his　perch。　He　screeched　at　them　across　the　Thames；　〃Well　pulled；　Stroke！　Well　pulled　all！　Splendidly　pulled；　Dodd！　You　are　walking　away　from　them　altogether。　Hurrah；　Oxford　for　ever；　hurrah！〃　The　gun　went　off　over　the　heads　of　the　Oxford　crew　in　advance；　and　even　Mrs。　Dodd　and　Julia　could　see　the　race　was　theirs。

〃We　have　won　at　last；〃　cried　Julia；　all　on　fire；　〃and　fairly；　only　think　of　that！〃

Hardie　turned　round；　grateful　to　beauty　for　siding　with　his　university。　〃Yes；　and　the　fools　may　thank　me；　or　rather　my　man；　Dodd。　Dodd　for　ever！　Hurrah！〃

At　this　climax　even　Mrs。　Dodd　took　a　gentle　share　in　the　youthful　enthusiasm　that　was　boiling　around　her；　and　her　soft　eyes　sparkled；　and　she　returned　the　fervid　pressure　of　her　daughter's　hand；　and　both　their　faces　were　flushed　with　gratified　pride　and　affection。

〃Dodd！〃　broke　in　〃the　incongruous　dog；〃　with　a　voice　just　like　a　saw's。　〃Dodd？　Ah；　that's　the　man　who　is　just　ploughed　for　smalls。〃


Ice　has　its　thunderbolts。


CHAPTER　II

WINNING　boat…races　was　all　very　fine；　but　a　hundred　such　victories　could　not　compensate　Mr。　Kennet's　female　hearers　for　one　such　defeat　as　he　had　announceda　defeat　that；　to　their　minds；　carried　disgrace。　Their　Edward　plucked！　At　first　they　were　benumbed；　and　sat　chilled；　with　red　cheeks；　bewildered　between　present　triumph　and　mortification　at　hand。　Then　the　colour　ebbed　out　of　their　faces；　and　they　encouraged　each　other　feebly　in　whispers；　〃Might　it　not　be　a　mistake？〃

But　unconscious　Kennet　robbed　them　of　this　timid　hope。　He　was　now　in　his　element；　knew　all　about　it；　rushed　into　details；　and　sawed　away　all　doubt　from　their　minds。　The　sum　was　this。　Dodd's　general　performance　was　mediocre；　but　passable；　he　was　plucked　for　his　Logic。　Hardie　said　he　was　very　sorry　for　it。　〃What　does　it　matter？〃　answered　Kennet；　〃he　is　a　boating…man。

〃Well；　and　I　am　a　boating…man。　Why；　you　told　me　yourself；　the　other　day；　poor　Dodd　was　anxious　about　it　on　account　of　his　friends。　And；　by…the…bye；　that　reminds　me　they　say　he　has　got　two　pretty　sisters　here。〃

Says　Kennet　briskly；　〃I'll　go　and　tell　him；　I　know　him　just　to　speak　to。〃

〃What！　doesn't　he　know？〃

〃How　can　he　know　？〃　said　Kennet　jealously；　〃the　testamumrs　were　only　just　out　as　I　came　away。〃　And　within　this　line　started　on　his　congenial　errand。

Hardie　took　two　or　three　of　his　long　strides；　and　fairly　collared　him。　〃You　will　do　nothing　of　the　kind。〃

〃What；　not　tell　a　man　when　he's　ploughed？　That　is　a　good　joke。〃

〃No。　There's　time　enough。　Tell　him　after　chapel　to…morrow；　or　in　chapel　if　you　must；　but　why　poison　his　triumphal　cup？　And　his　sisters；　too；　why　spoil　their　pleasure？　Hang　it　all；　not　a　word　about　'ploughing'　to　any　living　soul　to…day。

To　his　surprise；　Kennet's　face　expressed　no　sympathy；　nor　even　bare　assent。　At　this　Hardie　lost　patience；　and　burst　out　impetuously；　〃Take　care　how　you　refuse　me；　take　care　how　you　thwart　me　in　this。　He　is　the　best…natured　fellow　in　college。　It　doesn't　matter　to　you；　and　it　does　to　him；　and　if　you　_do；_　then　take　my　name　off　the　list　of　your　acquaintance；　for　I'll　never　speak　a　word　to　you　again　in　this　world；　no；　not　on　my　death…bed；　by　Heaven！〃