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