hard cash-第5节

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〃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；　knowledge；　and　authority。

〃The　Cambridge　men　pulled　faster　than　we　did。〃　（Puff。）

The　hearers　stared　and　then　laughed。

〃Come；　old　fellows；〃　said　Edward；　〃never　win　a　boat…race　on　dry　land！　That　is　such　a　_plain_　thing　to　do；　gives　the　other　side　the　laugh　as　well　as　the　race。　I　have　heard　a　stretcher　or　two　told；　but　I　saw　none　broken。　（Puff。）　Their　boat　is　the　worst　I　ever　saw；　it　dips　every　stroke。　（Puff。）　Their　strength　lies　in　the　crew。　It　was　a　good　race　and　a　fair　one。　Cambridge　got　a　lead　and　kept　it。　（Puff。）　They　beat　us　a　yard　or　two　at　rowing；　but　hang　it　all；　don't　let　them　beat　us　at　telling　the　truth；　not　by　an　inch。〃　（Puff。）

〃All　right；　old　fellow！〃　was　now　the　cry。　One　observed；　however；　that　Stroke　did　not　take　the　matter　so　coolly　as　Six；　for　he　had　shed　a　tear　getting　out　of　the　boat。

〃Shed　a　fiddlestick！〃　squeaked　a　little　sceptic。

〃No〃　said　another；　〃he　didn't　quite　shed　it；　his　pride　wouldn't　let　him。〃

〃So　he　decanted　it；　and　put　it　by　for　supper；　suggested　Edward；　and　puffed。

〃None　of　your　chaff；　Six。　He　had　a　gulp　or　two；　and　swallowed　the　rest　by　main　force。〃

〃Don't　you　talk：　you　can　swallow　anything；　it　seems。〃　（Puff。）

〃Well；　I　believe　it；〃　said　one　of　Hardie's　own　set。　〃Dodd　doesn't　know　him　as　we　do。　Taff　Hardie　can't　bear　to　be　beat。〃

When　they　were　gone；　Mrs。　Dodd　observed；　〃Dear　me！　what　if　the　young　gentleman　did　cry　a　little；　it　was　very　excusable；　after　such　great　exertions　it　_was_　disappointing；　mortifying。　I　pity　him　for　one；　and　wish　he　had　his　mother　alive　and　here；　to　dry　them。〃*

*Oh　where；　_and_　oh　where；　_was_　her　Lindley　Murray　gone？

〃Mamma；　it　is　you　for　reading　us；〃　cried　Edward；　slapping　his　thigh。　〃Well；　then；　since　you　can　feel　for　a　fellow；　Hardie　_was_　a　good　deal　cut　up。　You　know　the　university　was　in　a　manner　beaten；　and　he　took　the　blame。　He　never　cried；　that　was　a　cracker　of　those　fellows。　But　he　did　give　one　great　sob；　that　was　all；　and　hung　his　head　on　one　side　a　moment。　But　then　he　fought　out　of　it　directly；　like　a　man；　and　there　was　an　end　of　it；　or　ought　to　have　been。　Hang　chatterboxes！〃

〃And　what　did　you　say　to　console　him；　Edward？〃　inquired　Julia　warmly。

〃Whatme？　Console　my　senior；　and　my　Stroke？　No；　thank　you。〃

At　this　thunderbolt　of　etiquette　both　ladies　kept　their　countenances　this　was　_their_　muscular　feat　that　dayand　the　racing　for　the　sculls　came　on：　six　competitors。　two　Cambridge；　three　Oxford；　one　London。　The　three　heats　furnished　but　one　good　race；　a　sharp　contest　between　a　Cambridge　man　and　Hardie；　ending　in　favour　of　the　latter；　the　Londoner　walked　away　from　his　opponent　Sir　Imperturbable's　competitor　was　impetuous；　and　ran　into　him　in　the　first　hundred　yards；　Sir　I。　consenting　calmly。　The　umpire；　appealed　to　on　the　spot；　decided　that　it　was　a　foul；　Mr。　Dodd　being　in　his　own　water。　He　walked　over　the　course；　and　explained　the　matter　to　his　sister；　who　delivered　her　mind　thus

〃Oh！　if　races　are　to　be　won　by　going　slower　than　the　other；　we　may　shine　yet：　_only；_　I　call　it　Cheating；　not　Racing。〃

He　smiled　unmoved；　she　gave　her　scarf　the　irony　twist；　and　they　all　went　to　dinner。　The　business　recommenced　with　a　race　between　a　London　boat　and　the　winner'　of　yesterday's　heat；　Cambridge。　Here　the　truth　of　Edward's　remark　appeared。　The　Cambridge　boat　was　too　light　for　the　men；　and　kept　burying　her　hose；　the　London　craft；　under　a　heavy　crew；　floated　like　a　cork。　The　Londoners　soon　found　out　their　advantage；　and；　overrating　it；　steered　into　their　opponents　water　prematurely；　inn　spite　of　a　warning　voice　from　the　bank。　Cambridge　saw；　and　cracked　on　for　a　foul；　and　for　about　a　minute　it　was　anybody's　race。　But　the　Londoners　pulled　gallantly；　and　just　scraped　clear　ahead。　This　peril　escaped；　they　kept　their　backs　straight　and　a　clear　lead　to　the　finish。　Cambridge　followed　a　few　feet　in　their　wake；　pulling　wonderfully　fast　to　the　end；　but　a　trifle　out　of　form；　and　much　distressed。

At　this　both　universities　looked　blue；　their　humble　aspiration　being；　first　to　beat　off　all　the　external　world；　and　then　tackle　each　other　for　the　prize。

Just　before　Edward　left　his　friends　for　〃the　sculls；〃　the　final　heat；　a　note　was　brought　to　him。　He　ran　his　eye　over　it；　and　threw　it　open　into　his　sister's　lap。　The　ladies　read　it。　Its　writer　had　won　a　prize　poem；　and　so　now　is　our　time　to　get　a　hint　for　composition：


〃DEAR　SIR；Oxford　must　win　something。　Suppose　we　go　in　for　these　sculls。　You　are　a　horse　that　can　stay；　Silcock　is　hot　for　the　lead　at　starting；　I　hear；　so　I　mean　to　work　him　out　of　wind；　then　you　can　wait　on　us；　and　pick　up　the　race。　My　head　is　not　well　enough　to…day　to　win；　but　I　am　good　to　pump　the　Cockney；　he　is　quick；　but　a　little　staleYours　truly；

〃ALFRED　HARDIE〃


Mrs。　Dodd　remarked　that　the　language　was　sadly　figurative；　but　she　hoped　Edward　might　be　successful　in　spite　of　his　correspondent's　style。

Julia　said　she　did　not　dare　hope　it。　〃The　race　is　not　always　to　the　slowest　and　the　dearest。〃　This　was　in　allusion　to　yesterday's　〃foul。〃

The　skiffs　started　down　at　the　island；　and；　as　they　were　longer　coming　up　than　the　eight　oars；　she　was　in　a　fever　for　nearly　ten　minutes。　At　last；　near　the　opposite　bank；　up　came　the　two　leading　skiffs　struggling；　both　men　visibly　exhaustedSilcock　ahead；　but　his　rudder　overlapped　by　Hardie's　bow；　each　in　his　own　water。

〃We　are　third；〃　sighed　Julia；　and　turned　her　head　away　from　the　river　sorrowfully。　But　only　for　a　moment；　for　she　felt　Mrs。　Dodd　start　and　press　her　arm；　and　lo！　Edward's　skiff　was　shooting　swiftly　across　from　their　side　of　the　river。　He　was　pulling　Just　within　himself；　in　beautiful　forum；　and　with　far　more　elasticity　than　the　other　two　had　got　left。　As　line　passed　his　mother　and　sister；　his　eyes　seemed　to　strike　fire；　and　he　laid　out　all　his　powers；　and　went　at　the　leading　skiffs　hand　over　head　There　was　a　yell　of　astonishment　and　delight　from　both　sides　of　the　Thames。　He　passed　Hardie；　who　upon　that　relaxed　his　speed。　In　thirty　seconds　more　he　was　even　with　Silcock。　Then　came　a　keen　struggle：　but　the　new　comer　was　〃the　horse　that　could　stay：〃　he　drew　steadily　ahead；　and　the　stern　of　his　boat　was　in　a　line　with　Silcock's　person　when　the　gun　fired；　and　a　fearful　roar　from　the　bridge；　the　river；　and　the　banks；　announced　that　the　favourite　university　had　picked　up　the　sculls　in　the　person　of　Dodd　of　Exeter。

In　due　course　he　brought　the　little　silver　sculls；　and　pinned　them　on　his　mother。

While　she　and　Julia　were　telling　him　how　proud　they　were；　and　how　happy　they　should　be；　but　for　their　fears　that　he　would　hurt　himself；　beating　gentlemen　ever　so　much　older　than　himself；　came　two　Exeter　men　with　wild　looks　hunting　for　him。

〃Oh；　Dodd！　Hardie　wants　you　directly。〃

〃Don't　you　go；　Edward；〃　whispered　Julia；　〃why　should　you　be　at　Mr。　Hardie's　beck　and　call？　I　never　heard　of　such　a　thing。　That　youth　_will_　make　me　hate　him。〃

〃Oh；　I　think　I　had　better　just　go　and　see　what　it　is　about；〃　replied　Edward：　〃I　shall　be　back　directly。〃　And　on　this　understanding　he　went　off　with　the　men。

Half…an…hour　passed；　an　hour；　two　hours；　and　he　did　not　return。　Mrs。　Dodd　and　Julia　sat　wondering　what　had　become　of　him；　and　were　looking　all　around；　and　getting　uneasy；　when　at　last　they　did　hear　something　about　him；　but　indirectly；　and　from　an　unexpected　quarter。　A　tall　young　man　in　a　jersey　and　flannel　trousers；　and　a　little　straw　hat；　with　a　purple　rosette；　came　away　from　the　bustle　to　the　more　secluded　part　where　they　sat；　and　made　eagerly　for　the　Thames　as　if　he　was　a　duck；　and　going　in。　But　at　the　brink　line　flung　himself　into　a　sitting　posture；　and　dipped　his　white　handkerchief　into　the　stream；　then　tied　it　viciously　round　his　brow；　doubled　himself　up　with　his　head　in　his　hands；　and　rocked　himself　hike　an　old　womanminus　the　patience；　of　course。

Mrs。　Dodd　and　Julia；　sitting　but　a　few　paces　behind　him；　interchanged。　a　look　of　intelligence。　The　young　gentleman　was　a　stranger；　but　they　had　recognised　a　faithful　old　acquaintance　at　the　bottom　of　his　pantomime。　They　discovered；　too；　that　the　afflicted　one　was　a　personage：　for　line　had　not　sat　there　long　when　quite　a　little　band　of　men　came　after　him。　Observing　his　semi…circularity　and　general　condition；　they　hesitated　a　moment；　and　then　one　of　them　remonstrated　eagerly。：　〃For　Heaven's　sake　come　back　to　the　boat！　There　is　a　crowd　of　all　the　colleges　come　round　us；　and　they　all　say　Oxford　is　being　sold。　We　had　a　chance　for　the　four…oared　race；　and　you　are　throwing　it　away。〃

〃What　do　I　care　what　they　all　say？〃　was　the　answer；　delivered　with　a　kind　of　plaintive　snarl。

〃But　we　care。〃

〃Care　then！　I　pity　you。〃　And　he　turned　his　back　fiercely　on　them；　and　then　groaned　by　way　of　half　apology。　Another　tried　him：　〃Come；　give　us　a　civil　answer；　please。〃

〃People　that　intrude　upon　a　man's　privacy；　racked　with　pain；　have　no　right　to　demand　civility；〃　replied　the　sufferer；　more　gently；　but　sullenly　enough。

〃Do　you　call　this　privacy？〃

〃It　was；　a　minute　ago；　Do　you　think　I　left　the　boat；　and　came　here　among　the　natives；　for　company？　and　noise？　With　my　head　splittin