the night-born-第13节
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had the advantage； for Patsy came in wide open； swinging his
right in a perilous sweep。 All Watson had to do was to
straight…left him and escape。 But Watson had another advantage。
His boxing； and his experience in the slums and ghettos of the
world； had taught him restraint。
He pivoted on his feet； and； instead of striking； ducked the
other's swinging blow and went into a clinch。 But Patsy；
charging like a bull； had the momentum of his rush； while
Watson； whirling to meet him； had no momentum。 As a result； the
pair of them went down； with all their three hundred and sixty
pounds of weight； in a long crashing fall； Watson underneath。
He lay with his head touching the rear wall of the large room。
The street was a hundred and fifty feet away； and he did some
quick thinking。 His first thought was to avoid trouble。 He had
no wish to get into the papers of this； his childhood town；
where many of his relatives and family friends still lived。
So it was that he locked his arms around the man on top of him；
held him close； and waited for the help to come that must come
in response to the crash of the fall。 The help camethat is；
six men ran in from the bar and formed about in a semi…circle。
'Take him off； fellows；〃 Watson said。 〃I haven't struck him；
and I don't want any fight。〃
But the semi…circle remained silent。 Watson held on and waited。
Patsy； after various vain efforts to inflict damage； made an
overture。
〃Leggo o' me an' I'll get off o' yeh；〃 said he。
Watson let go； but when Patsy scrambled to his feet he stood
over his recumbent foe； ready to strike。
〃Get up；〃 Patsy commanded。
His voice was stern and implacable； like the voice of God
calling to judgment； and Watson knew there was no mercy there。
〃Stand back and I'll get up；〃 he countered。
〃If yer a gentleman； get up；〃 quoth Patsy； his pale blue eyes
aflame with wrath； his fist ready for a crushing blow。
At the same moment he drew his foot back to kick the other in
the face。 Watson blocked the kick with his crossed arms and
sprang to his feet so quickly that he was in a clinch with his
antagonist before the latter could strike。 Holding him； Watson
spoke to the onlookers：
〃Take him away from me； fellows。 You see I am not striking him。
I don't want to fight。 I want to get out of here。〃
The circle did not move nor speak。 Its silence was ominous and
sent a chill to Watson's heart。
Patsy made an effort to throw him； which culminated in his
putting Patsy on his back。 Tearing loose from him； Watson
sprang to his feet and made for the door。 But the circle of men
was interposed a wall。 He noticed the white； pasty faces； the
kind that never see the sun； and knew that the men who barred
his way were the nightprowlers and preying beasts of the city
jungle。 By them he was thrust back upon the pursuing；
bull…rushing Patsy。
Again it was a clinch； in which； in momentary safety； Watson
appealed to the gang。 And again his words fell on deaf ears。
Then it was that he knew of many similar knew fear。 For he had
known of many similar situations； in low dens like this； when
solitary men were man…handled； their ribs and features caved
in； themselves beaten and kicked to death。 And he knew；
further； that if he were to escape he must neither strike his
assailant nor any of the men who opposed him。
Yet in him was righteous indignation。 Under no circumstances
could seven to one be fair。 Also； he was angry； and there
stirred in him the fighting beast that is in all men。 But he
remembered his wife and children； his unfinished book； the ten
thousand rolling acres of the up…country ranch he loved so
well。 He even saw in flashing visions the blue of the sky； the
golden sun pouring down on his flower…spangled meadows； the
lazy cattle knee…deep in the brooks； and the flash of trout in
the riffles。 Life was good…too good for him to risk it for a
moment's sway of the beast。 In short； Carter Watson was cool
and scared。
His opponent； locked by his masterly clinch； was striving to
throw him。 Again Watson put him on the floor； broke away； and
was thrust back by the pasty…faced circle to duck Patsy's
swinging right and effect another clinch。 This happened many
times。 And Watson grew even cooler； while the baffled Patsy；
unable to inflict punishment； raged wildly and more wildly。 He
took to batting with his head in the clinches。 The first time；
he landed his forehead flush on Watson's nose。 After that； the
latter； in the clinches； buried his face in Patsy's breast。 But
the enraged Patsy batted on； striking his own eye and nose and
cheek on the top of the other's head。 The more he was thus
injured； the more and the harder did Patsy bat。
This one…sided contest continued for twelve or fifteen minutes。
Watson never struck a blow； and strove only to escape。
Sometimes； in the free moments； circling about among the tables
as he tried to win the door； the pasty…faced men gripped his
coat…tails and flung him back at the swinging right of the
on…rushing Patsy。 Time upon time； and times without end； he
clinched and put Patsy on his back； each time first whirling
him around and putting him down in the direction of the door
and gaining toward that goal by the length of the fall。
In the end； hatless； disheveled； with streaming nose and one
eye closed； Watson won to the sidewalk and into the arms of a
policeman。
〃Arrest that man；〃 Watson panted。
〃Hello； Patsy；〃 said the policeman。 〃What's the mix…up？〃
〃Hello； Charley；〃 was the answer。 〃This guy comes in〃
〃Arrest that man； officer；〃 Watson repeated。
〃G'wan！ Beat it！〃 said Patsy。
〃Beat it！〃 added the policeman。 〃If you don't； I'll pull you
in。〃
〃Not unless you arrest that man。 He has committed a violent and
unprovoked assault on me。〃
〃Is it so； Patsy？〃 was the officer's query。
〃Nah。 Lemme tell you； Charley； an' I got the witnesses to prove
it； so help me God。 I was settin' in me kitchen eatin' a bowl
of soup； when this guy comes in an' gets gay wid me。 I never
seen him in me born days before。 He was drunk〃
〃Look at me； officer；〃 protested the indignant sociologist。 〃Am
I drunk？〃
The officer looked at him with sullen； menacing eyes and nodded
to Patsy to continue。
〃This guy gets gay wid me。 'I'm Tim McGrath；' says he； 'an' I
can do the like to you；' says he。 'Put up yer hands。' I smiles；
an' wid that； biff biff； he lands me twice an' spills me soup。
Look at me eye。 I'm fair murdered。〃
〃What are you going to do； officer？〃 Watson demanded。
〃Go on； beat it；〃 was the answer； 〃or I'll pull you sure。〃
The civic righteousness of Carter Watson flamed up。
〃Mr。 Officer； I protest〃
But at that moment the policeman grabbed his arm with a savage
jerk that nearly overthrew him。
〃Come on； you're pulled。〃
〃Arrest him； too；〃 Watson demanded。
〃Nix on that play；〃 was the reply。
〃What did you assault him for； him a peacefully eatin' his
soup？〃
II
Carter Watson was genuinely angry。 Not only had he been
wantonly assaulted； badly battered； and arrested； but the
morning papers without exception came out with lurid accounts
of his drunken brawl with the proprietor of the notorious
Vendome。 Not one accurate or truthful line was published。 Patsy
Horan and his satellites described the battle in detail。 The
one incontestable thing was that Carter Watson had been drunk。
Thrice he had been thrown out of the place and into the gutter；
and thrice he had come back； breathing blood and fire and
announcing that he was going to clean out the place。 〃EMINENT
SOCIOLOGIST JAGGED AND JUGGED；〃 was the first head…line he
read； on the front page； accompanied by a large portrait of
himself。 Other headlines were： 〃CARTER WATSON ASPIRED TO
CHAMPIONSHIP HONORS〃； 〃CARTER WATSON GETS HIS〃； 〃NOTED
SOCIOLOGIST ATTEMPTS TO CLEAN OUT A TENDERLOIN CAFE〃； and
〃CARTER WATSON KNOCKED OUT BY PATSY HORAN IN THREE ROUNDS。〃
At the police court； next morning； under bail； appeared Carter
Watson to answer the complaint of the People Versus Carter
Watson； for the latter's assault and battery on one Patsy
Horan。 But first； the Prosecuting Attorney； who was paid to
prosecute all offenders against the People； drew him aside and
talked with him privately。
〃Why not let it drop！〃 said the Prosecuting Attorney。 〃I tell
you what you do； Mr。 Watson： Shake hands with Mr。 Horan and
make it up； and we'll drop the case right here。 A word to the
Judge； and the case against you will be dismissed。〃
〃But I don't want it dismissed；〃 was the answer。 〃Your office
being what it is； you should be prosecuting me instead of
asking me to make up with thisthis fellow。〃
〃Oh； I'll prosecute you all right；〃 retorted the Prosecuting
Attorney。
〃Also you will have to prosecute this Patsy Horan；〃 Watson
advised； 〃for I shall now have him arr
