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第33节

the night-born-第33节

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uppercut。 He succeeded only in staggering Rivera; but; in the

ensuing moment of defenseless helplessness; he smashed him with

another blow through the ropes。 Rivera's body bounced on the

heads of the newspaper men below; and they boosted him back to

the edge of the platform outside the ropes。 Here he rested on

one knee; while the referee raced off the seconds。 Inside the

ropes; through which he must duck to enter the ring; Danny

waited for him。 Nor did the referee intervene or thrust Danny

back。



The house was beside itself with delight。



〃Kill'm; Danny; kill'm!〃 was the cry。



Scores of voices took it up until it was like a war…chant of

wolves。



Danny did his best; but Rivera; at the count of eight; instead

of nine; came unexpectedly through the ropes and safely into a

clinch。 Now the referee worked; tearing him away so that he

could be hit; giving Danny every advantage that an unfair

referee can give。



But Rivera lived; and the daze cleared from his brain。 It was

all of a piece。 They were the hated Gringos and they were all

unfair。 And in the worst of it visions continued to flash and

sparkle in his brainlong lines of railroad track that

simmered across the desert; rurales and American constables;

prisons and calabooses; tramps at water tanksall the squalid

and painful panorama of his odyssey after Rio Blanca and the

strike。 And; resplendent and glorious; he saw the great; red

Revolution sweeping across his land。 The guns were there before

him。 Every hated face was a gun。 It was for the guns he fought。

He was the guns。 He was the Revolution。 He fought for all

Mexico。



The audience began to grow incensed with Rivera。 Why didn't he

take the licking that was appointed him? Of course he was going

to be licked; but why should he be so obstinate about it? Very

few were interested in him; and they were the certain; definite

percentage of a gambling crowd that plays long shots。 Believing

Danny to be the winner; nevertheless the y had put their money

on the Mexican at four to ten and one to three。 More than a

trifle was up on the point of how many rounds Rivera could

last。 Wild money had appeared at the ringside proclaiming that

he could not last seven rounds; or even six。 The winners of

this; now that their cash risk was happily settled; had joined

in cheering on the favorite。



Rivera refused to be licked。 Through the eighth round his

opponent strove vainly to repeat the uppercut。 In the ninth;

Rivera stunned the house again。 In the midst of a clinch he

broke the lock with a quick; lithe movement; and in the narrow

space between their bodies his right lifted from the waist。

Danny went to the floor and took the safety of the count。 The

crowd was appalled。 He was being bested at his own game。 His

famous right…uppercut had been worked back on him。 Rivera made

no attempt to catch him as he arose at 〃nine。〃 The referee was

openly blocking that play; though he stood clear when the

situation was reversed and it was Rivera who desired to rise。



Twice in the tenth; Rivera put through the right…uppercut;

lifted from waist to opponent's chin。 Danny grew desperate。 The

smile never left his face; but he went back to his man…eating

rushes。 Whirlwind as he would; be could not damage Rivera;

while Rivera through the blur and whirl; dropped him to the mat

three times in succession。 Danny did not recuperate so quickly

now; and by the eleventh round he was in a serious way。 But

from then till the fourteenth he put up the gamest exhibition

of his career。 He stalled and blocked; fought parsimoniously;

and strove to gather strength。 Also; he fought as foully as a

successful fighter knows how。 Every trick and device he

employed; butting in the clinches with the seeming of accident;

pinioning Rivera's glove between arm and body; heeling his

glove on Rivera's mouth to clog his breathing。 Often; in the

clinches; through his cut and smiling lips he snarled insults

unspeakable and vile in Rivera's ear。 Everybody; from the

referee to the house; was with Danny and was helping Danny。 And

they knew what he had in mind。 Bested by this surprise…box of

an unknown; he was pinning all on a single punch。 He offered

himself for punishment; fished; and feinted; and drew; for that

one opening that would enable him to whip a blow through with

all his strength and turn the tide。 As another and greater

fighter had done before him; he might do a right and left; to

solar plexus and across the jaw。 He could do it; for he was

noted for the strength of punch that remained in his arms as

long as he could keep his feet。



Rivera's seconds were not half…caring for him in the intervals

between rounds。 Their towels made a showing; but drove little

air into his panting lungs。 Spider Hagerty talked advice to

him; but Rivera knew it was wrong advice。 Everybody was against

him。 He was surrounded by treachery。 In the fourteenth round he

put Danny down again; and himself stood resting; hands dropped

at side; while the referee counted。 In the other corner Rivera

had been noting suspicious whisperings。 He saw Michael Kelly

make his way to Roberts and bend and whisper。 Rivera's ears

were a cat's; desert…trained; and he caught snatches of what

was said。 He wanted to hear more; and when his opponent arose

he maneuvered the fight into a clinch over against the ropes。



〃Got to;〃 he could hear Michael; while Roberts nodded。 〃Danny's

got to winI stand to lose a mintI've got a ton of money

coveredmy own。 If he lasts the fifteenth I'm bustthe boy'll

mind you。 Put something across。〃



And thereafter Rivera saw no more visions。 They were trying to

job him。 Once again he dropped Danny and stood resting; his

hands at his slide。 Roberts stood up。



〃That settled him;〃 he said。



〃Go to your corner。〃



He spoke with authority; as he had often spoken to Rivera at

the training quarters。 But Rivera looked hatred at him and

waited for Danny to rise。 Back in his corner in the minute

interval; Kelly; the promoter; came and talked to Rivera。



〃Throw it; damn you;〃 he rasped in; a harsh low voice。 〃You

gotta lay down; Rivera。 Stick with me and I'll make your

future。 I'll let you lick Danny next time。 But here's where you

lay down。〃



Rivera showed with his eyes that he heard; but he made neither

sign of assent nor dissent。



〃Why don't you speak?〃 Kelly demanded angrily。



〃You lose; anyway;〃 Spider Hagerty supplemented。 〃The

referee'll take it away from you。 Listen to Kelly; and lay

down。〃



〃Lay down; kid;〃 Kelly pleaded; 〃and I'll help you to the

championship。〃



Rivera did not answer。



〃I will; so help me; kid。〃



At the strike of the gong Rivera sensed something impending。

The house did not。 Whatever it was it was there inside the ring

with him and very close。 Danny's earlier surety seemed returned

to him。 The confidence of his advance frightened Rivera。 Some

trick was about to be worked。 Danny rushed; but Rivera refused

the encounter。 He side…stepped away into safety。 What the other

wanted was a clinch。 It was in some way necessary to the trick。

Rivera backed and circled away; yet he knew; sooner or later;

the clinch and the trick would come。 Desperately he resolved to

draw it。 He made as if to effect the clinch with Danny's next

rush。 Instead; at the last instant; just as their bodies should

have come together; Rivera darted nimbly back。 And in the same

instant Danny's corner raised a cry of foul。 Rivera had fooled

them。 The referee paused irresolutely。 The decision that

trembled on his lips was never uttered; for a shrill; boy's

voice from the gallery piped; 〃Raw work!〃



Danny cursed Rivera openly; and forced him; while Rivera danced

away。 Also; Rivera made up his mind to strike no more blows at

the body。 In this he threw away half his chance of winning; but

he knew if he was to win at all it was with the outfighting

that remained to him。 Given the least opportunity; they would

lie a foul on him。 Danny threw all caution to the winds。 For

two rounds he tore after and into the boy who dared not meet

him at close quarters。 Rivera was struck again and again; he

took blows by the dozens to avoid the perilous clinch。 During

this supreme final rally of Danny's the audience rose to its

feet and went mad。 It did not understand。 All it could see was

that its favorite was winning; after all。



〃Why don't you fight?〃 it demanded wrathfully of Rivera。 



〃You're yellow! You're yellow!〃 〃Open up; you cur! Open up!〃

〃Kill'm; Danny! Kill 'm!〃 〃You sure got 'm! Kill 'm!〃



In all the house; bar none; Rivera was the only cold man。 By

temperament and blood he was the hottest…passioned there; but

he had gone through such vastly greater heats that this

collective passion of ten thousand throats; rising surge on

surge; was to his brain no more than the velvet cool of a

summer twilight。



Into the seventeenth round Danny

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