the riverman-第32节

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he　seemed　to　be　awaiting　eagerly　the　beginning　of　the　next　round。



〃Time！〃　called　Gerald　for　the　third。



Orde　immediately　sprang　at　his　adversary；　repeating　the　headlong　

rush　with　which　the　previous　round　had　ended。　　Murphy　blocked；　

ducked；　and　kept　away；　occasionally　delivering　a　jolt　as　opportunity　

offered；　awaiting　the　time　when　Orde's　weariness　would　leave　him　at　

the　other's　mercy。　　That　moment　did　not　come。　　The　young　man　

hammered　away　tirelessly；　insistently；　delivering　a　hurricane　of　his　

two…handed　blows；　pressing　relentlessly　in　as　Murphy　shifted　and　

gave　ground；　his　head　up；　his　eyes　steady；　oblivious　to　the　return　

hammering　the　now　desperate　handler　opposed　to　him。　　Two　minutes　

passed　without　perceptible　slackening　in　this　terrific　pace。　　The　

gallery　was　in　an　uproar；　and　some　of　the　members　were　piling　down　

the　stairs　to　the　floor。　　Perspiration　stood　out　all　over　Murphy's　

body。　　His　blows　failed　of　their　effect；　and　some　of　Orde's　were　

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！　　Y