hard cash-第4节

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or　cloth　caps　of　bright　and　various　hues；　betting；　strolling；　laughing；　chaffing；　larking；　and　whirling　stunted　bludgeons　at　Aunt　Sally。

But　as　for　the　sport　itself　they　were　there　to　see；　the　center　of　all　these　bright　accessories；　〃The　Racing；〃　my　ladies　did　not　understand　it；　nor　try；　nor　care　a　hook…and…eye　about　it。　But　this　mild　dignified　indifference　to　the　main　event　received　a　shock　at　2　p。　m。：　for　then　the　first　heat　for　the　cup　came　on；　and　Edward　was　in　it。　So　then　Racing　became　all　in　a　moment　a　most　interesting　pastimean　appendage　to　Loving。　He　left　to　join　his　crew。　And；　soon　after；　the　Exeter　glided　down　the　river　before　their　eyes；　with　the　beloved　one　rowing　quietly　in　it：　his　jersey　revealed　not　only　the　working　power　of　his　arms；　as　sunburnt　below　the　elbow　as　a　gipsy's；　and　as　corded　above　as　a　blacksmith's；　but　also　the　play　of　the　great　muscles　across　his　broad　and　deeply　indented　chest：　his　oar　entered　the　water　smoothly；　gripped　it　severely；　then　came　out　clean；　and　feathered　clear　and　tunably　on　the　ringing　rowlock：　the　boat　jumped　and　then　glided；　at　each　neat；　easy；　powerful　stroke。　〃Oh；　how　beautiful　and　strong　he　is！〃　cried　Julia。　〃I　had　no　idea。

Presently　the　competitor　for　this　heat　came　down：　the　Cambridge　boat；　rowed　by　a　fine　crew　in　broad…striped　jerseys。　〃Oh；　dear　〃　said　Julia；　〃they　are　odious　and　strong　in　this　boat　too。　I　wish　I　was　in　itwith　a　gimlet；　he　_should_　win；　poor　boy。〃

Which　corkscrew　staircase　to　Honour　being　inaccessible；　the　race　had　to　be　decided　by　two　unfeminine　trifles　called　〃Speed〃　and　〃Bottom。〃


Few　things　in　this　vale　of　tears　are　more　worthy　a　pen　of　fire　than　an　English　boat…race　is；　as　seen　by　the　runners；　of　whom　I　have　often　been　one。　But　this　race　I　am　bound　to　indicate；　not　describe；　I　mean；　to　show　how　it　appeared　to　two　ladies　seated　on　the　Henley　side　of　the　Thames；　nearly　opposite　the　winning…post。　These　fair　novices　then　looked　all　down　the　river；　and　could　just　discern　two　whitish　streaks　on　the　water；　one　on　each　side　the　little　fairy　isle；　and　a　great　black　patch　on　the　Berkshire　bank。　The　threatening　streaks　were　the　two　racing　boats：　the　black　patch　was　about　a　hundred　Cambridge　and　Oxford　men；　ready　to　run　and　hallo　with　the　boats　all　the　way；　or　at　least　till　the　last　puff　of　wind　should　be　run　plus　halloed　out　of　their　young　bodies。　Others　less　fleet　and　enduring；　but　equally　clamorous；　stood　in　knots　at　various　distances；　ripe　for　a　shorter　yell　and　run　when　the　boats　should　come　up　to　them。　Of　the　natives　and　country　visitors；　those　who　were　not　nailed　down　by　bounteous　Fate　ebbed　and　flowed　up　and　down　the　bank；　with　no　settled　idea　but　of　getting　in　the　way　as　much　as　possible；　and　of　getting　knocked　into　the　Thames　as　little　as　might　be。

There　was　a　long　uneasy　suspense。

At　last　a　puff　of　smoke　issued　from　a　pistol　down　at　the　island；　two　oars　seemed　to　splash　into　the　water　from　each　white　streak；　and　the　black　patch　was　moving；　so　were　the　threatening　streaks。　Presently　was　heard　a　faint；　continuous；　distant　murmur；　and　the　streaks　began　to　get　larger；　and　larger；　and　larger；　and　the　eight　splashing　oars　looked　four　instead　of　two。

Every　head　was　now　turned　down　the　river。　Groups　hung　craning　over　it　like　nodding　bulrushes。

Next　the　runners　were　swelled　by　the　stragglers　they　picked　up；　so　were　their　voices；　and　on　came　the　splashing　oars　and　roaring　lungs。

Now　the　colours　of　the　racing　jerseys　peeped　distinct。　The　oarsmen's　heads　and　bodies　came　swinging　back　like　one；　and　the　oars　seemed　to　lash　the　water　savagely；　like　a　connected　row　of　swords；　and　the　spray　squirted　at　each　vicious　stroke。　The　boats　leaped　and　darted　side　by　side；　and；　looking　at　them　in　front；　Julia　could　not　say　which　was　ahead。　On　they　came　nearer　and　nearer；　with　hundreds　of　voices　vociferating　〃Go　it；　Cambridge　〃　〃Well　pulled；　Oxford！〃　〃You　are　gaining；　hurrah！〃　〃Well　pulled　Trinity！〃　〃Hurrah！〃　〃Oxford！〃　〃Cambridge！〃　〃Now　is　your　time；　Hardie；　pick　her　up！〃　〃Oh；　well　pulled；　Six！〃　〃Well　pulled；　Stroke！〃　〃Up；　up！　lift　her　a　bit！〃　〃Cambridge！〃　〃Oxford！〃　〃Hurrah！〃

At　this　Julia　turned　red　and　pale　by　turns。　〃O　mamma！〃　said　she；　clasping　her　hands　and　colouring　high；　〃would　it　be　very　wrong　if　I　was　to　_pray_　for　Oxford　to　win？〃

Mrs。　Dodd　had　a　monitory　finger；　it　was　on　her　left　hand；　she　raised　it；　and　that　moment；　as　if　she　had　given　a　signal；　the　boats；　fore…shortened　no　longer；　shot　out　to　treble　the　length　they　had　looked　hitherto；　and　came　broadside　past　our　palpitating　fair；　the　elastic　rowers　stretched　like　greyhounds　in　a　chase；　darting　forward　at　each　stroke　so　boldly　they　seemed　flying　out　of　the　boats；　and　surging　back　as　superbly；　an　eightfold　human　wave：　their　nostrils　all　open；　the　lips　of　some　pale　and　glutinous　their　white　teeth　all　clenched　grimly；　their　young　eyes　all　glowing；　their　supple　bodies　swelling；　the　muscles　writhing　beneath　their　jerseys；　and　the　sinews　starting　on　each　bare　brown　arm；　their　little　shrill　coxswains　shouting　imperiously　at　the　young　giants；　and　working　to　and　fro　with　them；　like　jockeys　at　a　finish；　nine　souls　and　bodies　flung　whole　into　each　magnificent　effort；　water　foaming　and　flying；　rowlocks　ringing；　crowd　running；　tumbling；　and　howling　like　mad；　and　Cambridge　a　boat's　nose　ahead。

They　had　scarcely　passed　our　two　spectators；　when　Oxford　put　on　a　furious　spurt；　and　got　fully　even　with　the　leading　boat。　There　was　a　louder　roar　than　ever　from　the　bank。　Cambridge　spurted　desperately　in　turn；　and　stole　those　few　feet　back；　and　so　they　went　fighting　every　inch　of　water。　Bang！　A　cannon　on　the　bank　sent　its　smoke　over　both　competitors；　it　dispersed　in　a　moment；　and　the　boats　were　seen　pulling　slowly　towards　the　bridgeCambridge　with　four　oars；　Oxford　with　six；　as　if　that　gum　had　winged　them　both。

The　race　was　over。

But　who　had　won　our　party　could　not　see；　and　must　wait　to　learn。


A　youth；　adorned　with　a　blue　and　yellow　rosette；　cried　out；　in　the　hearing　of　Mrs。　Dodd；　〃I　say；　they　are　properly　pumped；　both　crews　are：〃　then；　jumping　on　to　a　spoke　of　her　carriage…wheel；　with　a　slight　apology；　he　announced　that　two　or　three　were　shut　up　in　the　Exeter。

The　exact　meaning　of　these　two　verbs　passive　was　not　clear　to　Mrs。　Dodd；　but　their　intensity　was。　She　fluttered；　and　wanted　to　go　to　her　boy　and　nurse　him；　and　turned　two　most　imploring　eyes　on　Julia；　and　Julia　straightway　kissed　her　with　gentle　vehemence；　and　offered　to　ruin　and　see。

〃What；　amongst　all　those　young　gentlemen；　love？　I　fear　that　would　not　be　proper。　See；　all　the　ladies　remain　apart。〃　So　they　kept　quiet　and　miserable；　after　the　manner　of　females。

Meantime　the　Cantab's　quick　eye　had　not　deceived　him；　in　each　racing　boat　were　two　young　gentlemen　leaning　collapsed　over　their　oars；　and　two　more；　who　were　in　a　cloud；　and　not　at　all　clear　whether　they　were　in　this　world　still；　or　in　their　zeal　had　pulled　into　a　better。　But　their　malady　was　not　a　rare　one　in　racing　boats；　and　the　remedy　always　at　hand：　it　combined　the　rival　systems；　Thames　was　sprinkled　in　their　faces　Homoeopathy：　and　brandy　in　a　teaspoon　trickled　down　their　throats　Allopathy：　youth　and　spirits　soon　did　the　rest；　and；　the　moment　their　eyes　opened；　their　mouths　opened；　and；　the　moment　their　mouths　opened；　they　fell　a　chaffing。

Mrs。　Dodd's　anxiety　and　Julia's　were　relieved　by　the　appearance　of　Mr。　Edward；　in　a　tweed　shooting…jacket　sauntering　down　to　them；　hands　in　his　pockets；　and　a　cigar　in　his　mouth；　placidly　unconscious　of　their　solicitude　on　his　account。　He　was　received　with　a　little　guttural　cry　of　delight；　the　misery　they　had　been　in　about　him　was　duly　concealed　from　him　by　both；　and　Julia　asked　him　warmly　who　had　won。

〃Oh；　Cambridge。〃

〃Cambridge！　Why；　then　you　are　beaten？〃

〃Rather。〃　（Puff。）

〃And　you　can　come　here　with　that　horrible　calm；　and　cigar；　owning　defeat；　and　puffing　tranquillity；　with　the　same　mouth。　Mamma；　we　are　beaten。　Beaten！　actually。〃

〃Never　mind；〃　said　Edward　kindly；　〃you　have　seen　a　capital　race；　the　closest　ever　known　on　this　river；　and　one　side　or　other　must　lose。〃

〃And　if　they　did　not　quite　win；　they　very　nearly　did；〃　observed　Mrs。　Dodd　composedly；　then；　with　heartfelt　content；　〃He　is　not　hurt；　and　that　is　the　main　thing。〃

〃Well；　my　Lady　Placid；　and　Mr。　Imperturbable；　I　am　glad　neither　of　your　equanimities　is　disturbed；　but　defeat　is　a　Bitter　Pill　to　me。

Julia　said　this　in　her　earnest　voice；　and　drawing　her　scarf　suddenly　round　her；　so　as　almost　to　make　it　speak；　digested　her　Bitter　Pill　in　silence。　During　which　process　several　Exeter　men　caught　sight　of　Edward；　and　came　round　him；　and　an　animated　discussion　took　place。　They　began　with　asking　him　how　it　had　happened；　and；　as　he　never　spoke　in　a　hurry；　supplied　him　with　the　answers。　A　stretcher　had　broken　in　the　Exeter？　No；　but　the　Cambridge　was　a　much　better　built　boat；　and　her　bottom　cleaner。　The　bow　oar　of　the　Exeter　was　ill；　and　not　fit　for　work。　Each　of　these　solutions　was　advanced　and　combated　in　turn；　and　then　all　together。　At　last　the　Babel　lulled；　and　Edward　was　once　more　appealed　to。

〃Well；　I　will　tell　you　the　real　truth；〃　said　he；　〃how　it　happened。〃　（Puff。）

There　was　a　pause　of　expectation；　for　the　young　man's　tone　was　that　of　conviction；　knowledg