a mortal antipathy-第10节

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practice　about　equal；　advantage　of　the　narrow　boat　equal　to　three

lengths；　whole　distance　allowed　the　Atalantas　eight　lengths；a　long

stretch　to　be　made　up　in　a　mile　and　a　half。



And　so　both　crews　began　practising　for　the　grand　trial。









II



THE　BOAT…RACE。



The　10th　of　June　was　a　delicious　summer　day；　rather　warm；　but　still

and　bright。　　The　water　was　smooth；　and　the　crews　were　in　the　best

possible　condition。　　All　was　expectation；　and　for　some　time　nothing

but　expectation。　　No　boat…race　or　regatta　ever　began　at　the　time

appointed　for　the　start。　　Somebody　breaks　an　oar；　or　somebody　fails

to　appear　in　season；　or　something　is　the　matter　with　a　seat　or　an

outrigger；　or　if　there　is　no　such　excuse；　the　crew　of　one　or　both　or

all　the　boats　to　take　part　in　the　race　must　paddle　about　to　get

themselves　ready　for　work；　to　the　infinite　weariness　of　all　the

spectators；　who　naturally　ask　why　all　this　getting　ready　is　not

attended　to　beforehand。　　The　Algonquins　wore　plain　gray　flannel　suits

and　white　caps。　　The　young　ladies　were　all　in　dark　blue　dresses；

touched　up　with　a　red　ribbon　here　and　there；　and　wore　light　straw

hats。　　The　little　coxswain　of　the　Atalanta　was　the　last　to　step　on

board。　　As　she　took　her　place　she　carefully　deposited　at　her　feet　a

white　handkerchief　wrapped　about　something　or　other；　perhaps　a

sponge；　in　case　the　boat　should　take　in　water。



At　last　the　Algonquin　shot　out　from　the　little　nook　where　she　lay；

long；　narrow；　shining；　swift　as　a　pickerel　when　he　darts　from　the

reedy　shore。　　It　was　a　beautiful　sight　to　see　the　eight　young　fellows

in　their　close…fitting　suits；　their　brown　muscular　arms　bare；　bending

their　backs　for　the　stroke　and　recovering；　as　if　they　were　parts　of　a

single　machine。



〃The　gals　can't　stan'　it　agin　them　fellers；〃　said　the　old　blacksmith

from　the　village。



〃You　wait　till　the　gals　get　a…goin'；〃　said　the　carpenter；　who　had

often　worked　in　the　gymnasium　of　the　Corinna　Institute；　and　knew

something　of　their　muscular　accomplishments。　　〃Y'　ought　to　see　'em

climb　ropes；　and　swing　dumb…bells；　and　pull　in　them　rowin'…machines。

Ask　Jake　there　whether　they　can't　row　a　mild　in　double…quick　time；

he　knows　all　abaout　it。〃



Jake　was　by　profession　a　fisherman；　and　a　freshwater　fisherman　in　a

country　village　is　inspector…general　of　all　that　goes　on　out…of…

doors；　being　a　lazy；　wandering　sort　of　fellow；　whose　study　of　the

habits　and　habitats　of　fishes　gives　him　a　kind　of　shrewdness　of

observation；　just　as　dealing　in　horses　is　an　education　of　certain

faculties；　and　breeds　a　race　of　men　peculiarly　cunning；　suspicious；

wary；　and　wide　awake；　with　a　rhetoric　of　appreciation　and

depreciation　all　its　own。



Jake　made　his　usual　preliminary　signal；　and　delivered　himself　to　the

following　effect：



〃Wahl；　I　don'　know　jest　what　to　say。　　I've　seed　'em　both　often　enough

when　they　was　practisin'；　an'　I　tell　ye　the'　wa'n't　no　slouch　abaout

neither　on　'em。　　But　them　bats　is　all…fired　long；　'n'　eight　on　'em

stretched　in　a　straight　line　eendways　makes　a　consid'able　piece　aout

'f　a　mile　'n'　a　haaf。　　I'd　bate　on　them　gals　if　it　wa'n't　that　them

fellers　is　naterally　longer　winded；　as　the　gals　'll　find　aout　by　the

time　they　git　raound　the　stake　'n'　over　agin　the　big　ellum。　　I'll　go

ye　a　quarter　on　the　pahnts　agin　the　petticoats。〃



The　fresh…water　fisherman　had　expressed　the　prevailing　belief　that

the　young　ladies　were　overmatched。　　Still　there　were　not　wanting

those　who　thought　the　advantage　allowed　the　〃Lantas；〃　as　they　called

the　Corinna　boatcrew；　was　too　great；　and　that　it　would　be　impossible

for　the　〃Quins〃　to　make　it　up　and　go　by　them。



The　Algonquins　rowed　up　and　down　a　few　times　before　the　spectators。

They　appeared　in　perfect　training；　neither　too　fat　nor　too　fine；

mettlesome　as　colts；　steady　as　draught…horses；　deep…breathed　as　oxen；

disciplined　to　work　together　as　symmetrically　as　a　single　sculler

pulls　his　pair　of　oars。　　The　fisherman　offered　to　make　his　quarter

fifty　cents。　　No　takers。



Five　minutes　passed；　and　all　eyes　were　strained　to　the　south；　looking

for　the　Atalanta。　　A　clump　of　trees　hid　the　edge　of　the　lake　along

which　the　Corinna's　boat　was　stealing　towards　the　starting…point。

Presently　the　long　shell　swept　into　view；　with　its　blooming　rowers；

who；　with　their　ample　dresses；　seemed　to　fill　it　almost　as　full　as

Raphael　fills　his　skiff　on　the　edge　of　the　Lake　of　Galilee。　　But　how

steadily　the　Atalanta　came　on！…no　rocking；　no　splashing；　no

apparent　strain；　the　bow　oar　turning　to　look　ahead　every　now　and

then；　and　watching　her　course；　which　seemed　to　be　straight　as　an

arrow；　the　beat　of　the　strokes　as　true　and　regular　as　the　pulse　of

the　healthiest　rower　among　them　all。　　And　if　the　sight　of　the　other

boat　and　its　crew　was　beautiful；　how　lovely　was　the　look　of　this！

Eight　young　girls；young　ladies；　for　those　who　prefer　that　more

dignified　and　less　attractive　expression；all　in　the　flush　of　youth；

all　in　vigorous　health；　every　muscle　taught　its　duty；　each　rower

alert；　not　to　be　a　tenth　of　a　second　out　of　time；　or　let　her　oar

dally　with　the　water　so　as　to　lose　an　ounce　of　its　propelling　virtue；

every　eye　kindling　with　the　hope　of　victory。　　Each　of　the　boats　was

cheered　as　it　came　in　sight；　but　the　cheers　for　the　Atalanta　were

naturally　the　loudest；　as　the　gallantry　of　one　sex　and　the　clear；

high　voices　of　the　other　gave　it　life　and　vigor。



〃Take　your　places！〃　shouted　the　umpire；　five　minutes　before　the　half

hour。　　The　two　boats　felt　their　way　slowly　and　cautiously　to　their

positions；　which　had　been　determined　by　careful　measurement。　　After　a

little　backing　and　filling　they　got　into　line；　at　the　proper　distance

from　each　other；　and　sat　motionless；　their　bodies　bent　forward；　their

arms　outstretched；　their　oars　in　the　water；　waiting　for　the　word。



〃Go！〃　shouted　the　umpire。



Away　sprang　the　Atalanta；　and　far　behind　her　leaped　the　Algonquin；

her　oars　bending　like　so　many　long　Indian　bows　as　their　blades

flashed　through　the　water。



〃A　stern　chase　is　a　long　chase；〃　especially　when　one　craft　is　a　great

distance　behind　the　other。　　It　looked　as　if　it　would　be　impossible

for　the　rear　boat　to　overcome　the　odds　against　it。　　Of　course　the

Algonquin　kept　gaining；　but　could　it　possibly　gain　enough？　　That　was

the　question。　　As　the　boats　got　farther　and　farther　away；　it　became

more　and　more　difficult　to　determine　what　change　there　was　in　the

interval　between　them。　　But　when　they　came　to　rounding　the　stake　it

was　easier　to　guess　at　the　amount　of　space　which　had　been　gained。　　It

was　clear　that　something　like　half　the　distance；　four　lengths；　as

nearly　as　could　be　estimated；　had　been　made　up　in　rowing　the　first

three　quarters　of　a　mile。　　Could　the　Algonquins　do　a　little　better

than　this　in　the　second　half　of　the　race…course；　they　would　be　sure

of　winning。



The　boats　had　turned　the　stake；　and　were　coming　in　rapidly。　　Every

minute　the　University　boat　was　getting　nearer　the　other。



〃Go　it；　Quins！〃　shouted　the　students。



〃Pull　away；　Lantas！〃　screamed　the　girls；　who　were　crowding　down　to

the　edge　of　the　water。



Nearer；nearer；the　rear　boat　is　pressing　the　other　more　and　more

closely；a　few　more　strokes；　and　they　will　be　even；　for　there　is　but

one　length　between　them；　and　thirty　rods　will　carry　them　to　the　line。

It　looks　desperate　for　the　Atalantas。　　The　bow　oar　of　the　Algonquin

turns　his　head。　　He　sees　the　little　coxswain　leaning　forward　at　every

stroke；　as　if　her　trivial　weight　were　of　such　mighty　consequence；

but　a　few　ounces　might　turn　the　scale　of　victory。　　As　he　turned　he

got　a　glimpse　of　the　stroke　oar　of　the　Atalanta。　　What　a　flash　of

loveliness　it　was！　　Her　face　was　like　the　reddest　of　June　roses；　with

the　heat　and　the　strain　and　the　passion　of　expected　triumph。　　The

upper　button　of　her　close…fitting　flannel　suit　had　strangled　her　as

her　bosom　heaved　with　exertion；　and　it　had　given　way　before　the

fierce　clutch　she　made　at　it。　　The　bow　oar　was　a　staunch　and　steady

rower；　but　he　was　human。　　The　blade　of　his　oar　lingered　in　the　water；

a　little　more　and　he　would　have　caught　a　crab；　and　perhaps　lost　the

race　by　his　momentary　bewilderment。



The　boat；　which　seemed　as　if　it　had　all　the　life　and　nervousness　of　a

Derby　three…year…old；　felt　the　slight　check；　and　all　her　men　bent

more　vigorously　to　their　oars。　　The　Atalantas　saw　the　movement；　and

made　a　spurt　to　keep　their　lead　and　gain　upon　it　if　they　could。　　It

was　of　no　use。　　The　strong　arms　of　the　young　men　were　too　much　for

the　young　maidens；　only　a　few　lengths　remained　to　be　rowed；　and　they

would　certainly　pass　the　Atalanta　before　she　could　reach　the　line。



The　little　coxswain　saw　that　it　was　all　up　with　the　girls'　crew　if

she　could　not　save　them　by　some　strategic　device。



　　　　　〃Dolus　an　virtus　quis　in　hoste　requirat？〃



she　whispered　to　herself；for　The　Terror　remembered　her　Virgil　as

she　did　everything　else　she　ever　st