the night-born-第5节

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wild　bull　in　conflict。　And　he　kills　with　a　sword；　a　slender

sword；　with　one　thrust；　so；　to　the　heart　of　the　great　beast。　It

is　delicious。　It　makes　the　heart　beat　to　beholdthe　small　man；

the　great　beast；　the　wide　level　sand；　the　thousands　that　look

on　without　breath；　the　great　beast　rushes　to　the　attack；　the

small　man　stands　like　a　statue；　he　does　not　move；　he　is

unafraid；　and　in　his　hand　is　the　slender　sword　flashing　like

silver　in　the　sun；　nearer　and　nearer　rushes　the　great　beast

with　its　sharp　horns；　the　man　does　not　move；　and　thensothe

sword　flashes；　the　thrust　is　made；　to　the　heart；　to　the　hilt；

the　bull　falls　to　the　sand　and　is　dead；　and　the　man　is　unhurt。

It　is　brave。　It　is　magnificent！　Ah！I　could　love　the　toreador。

But　the　man　of　the　prize…fighthe　is　the　brute；　the　human

beast；　the　savage　primitive；　the　maniac　that　receives　many

blows　in　his　stupid　face　and　rejoices。　Come　to　Quito　and　I　will

show　you　the　brave　sport　of　men；　the　toreador　and　the　bull。〃



But　John　Harned　did　not　go　to　Quito　for　the　bull…fight。　He　went

because　of　Maria　Valenzuela。　He　was　a　large　man；　more　broad　of

shoulder　than　we　Ecuadorianos；　more　tall；　more　heavy　of　limb

and　bone。　True；　he　was　larger　of　his　own　race。　His　eyes　were

blue；　though　I　have　seen　them　gray；　and；　sometimes；　like　cold

steel。　His　features　were　large；　toonot　delicate　like　ours；

and　his　jaw　was　very　strong　to　look　at。　Also；　his　face　was

smooth…shaven　like　a　priest's。　Why　should　a　man　feel　shame　for

the　hair　on　his　face？　Did　not　God　put　it　there？　Yes；　I　believe

in　GodI　am　not　a　pagan　like　many　of　you　English。　God　is　good。

He　made　me　an　Ecuadoriano　with　ten　thousand　slaves。　And　when　I

die　I　shall　go　to　God。　Yes；　the　priests　are　right。



But　John　Harned。　He　was　a　quiet　man。　He　talked　always　in　a　low

voice；　and　he　never　moved　his　hands　when　he　talked。　One　would

have　thought　his　heart　was　a　piece　of　ice；　yet　did　he　have　a

streak　of　warm　in　his　blood；　for　he　followed　Maria　Valenzuela

to　Quito。　Also；　and　for　all　that　he　talked　low　without　moving

his　hands；　he　was　an　animal；　as　you　shall　seethe　beast

primitive；　the　stupid；　ferocious　savage　of　the　long　ago　that

dressed　in　wild　skins　and　lived　in　the　caves　along　with　the

bears　and　wolves。



Luis　Cervallos　is　my　friend；　the　best　of　Ecuadorianos。　He　owns

three　cacao　plantations　at　Naranjito　and　Chobo。　At　Milagro　is

his　big　sugar　plantation。　He　has　large　haciendas　at　Ambato　and

Latacunga；　and　down　the　coast　is　he　interested　in　oil…wells。

Also　has　he　spent　much　money　in　planting　rubber　along　the

Guayas。　He　is　modern；　like　the　Yankee；　and；　like　the　Yankee；

full　of　business。　He　has　much　money；　but　it　is　in　many

ventures；　and　ever　he　needs　more　money　for　new　ventures　and　for

the　old　ones。　He　has　been　everywhere　and　seen　everything。　When

he　was　a　very　young　man　he　was　in　the　Yankee　military　academy

what　you　call　West　Point。　There　was　trouble。　He　was　made　to

resign。　He　does　not　like　Americans。　But　he　did　like　Maria

Valenzuela；　who　was　of　his　own　country。　Also；　he　needed　her

money　for　his　ventures　and　for　his　gold　mine　in　Eastern　Ecuador

where　the　painted　Indians　live。　I　was　his　friend。　It　was　my

desire　that　he　should　marry　Maria　Valenzuela。　Further；　much　of

my　money　had　I　invested　in　his　ventures；　more　so　in　his　gold

mine　which　was　very　rich　but　which　first　required　the　expense

of　much　money　before　it　would　yield　forth　its　riches。　If　Luis

Cervallos　married　Maria　Valenzuela　I　should　have　more　money

very　immediately。



But　John　Harned　followed　Maria　Valenzuela　to　Quito；　and　it　was

quickly　clear　to　usto　Luis　Cervallos　and　me　that　she　looked

upon　John　Harned　with　great　kindness。　It　is　said　that　a　woman

will　have　her　will；　but　this　is　a　case　not　in　point；　for　Maria

Valenzuela　did　not　have　her　willat　least　not　with　John

Harned。　Perhaps　it　would　all　have　happened　as　it　did；　even　if

Luis　Cervallos　and　I　had　not　sat　in　the　box　that　day　at　the

bull…ring　in　Quito。　But　this　I　know：　we　DID　sit　in　the　box　that

day。　And　I　shall　tell　you　what　happened。



The　four　of　us　were　in　the　one　box；　guests　of　Luis　Cervallos。　I

was　next　to　the　Presidente's　box。　On　the　other　side　was　the　box

of　General　Jose　Eliceo　Salazar。　With　him　were　Joaquiin　Endara

and　Urcisino　Castillo；　both　generals；　and　Colonel　Jacinto

Fierro　and　Captain　Baltazar　de　Echeverria。　Only　Luis　Cervallos

had　the　position　and　the　influence　to　get　that　box　next　to　the

Presidente。　I　know　for　a　fact　that　the　Presidente　himself

expressed　the　desire　to　the　management　that　Luis　Cervallos

should　have　that　box。



The　band　finished　playing　the　national　hymn　of　Ecuador。　The

procession　of　the　toreadors　was　over。　The　Presidente　nodded　to

begin。　The　bugles　blew；　and　the　bull　dashed　inyou　know　the

way；　excited；　bewildered；　the　darts　in　its　shoulder　burning

like　fire；　itself　seeking　madly　whatever　enemy　to　destroy。　The

toreadors　hid　behind　their　shelters　and　waited。　Suddenly　they

appeared　forth；　the　capadores；　five　of　them；　from　every　side；

their　colored　capes　flinging　wide。　The　bull　paused　at　sight　of

such　a　generosity　of　enemies；　unable　in　his　own　mind　to　know

which　to　attack。　Then　advanced　one　of　the　capadors　alone　to

meet　the　bull。　The　bull　was　very　angry。　With　its　fore…legs　it

pawed　the　sand　of　the　arena　till　the　dust　rose　all　about　it。

Then　it　charged；　with　lowered　head；　straight　for　the　lone

capador。



It　is　always　of　interest；　the　first　charge　of　the　first　bull。

After　a　time　it　is　natural　that　one　should　grow　tired；　trifle；

that　the　keenness　should　lose　its　edge。　But　that　first　charge

of　the　first　bull！　John　Harned　was　seeing　it　for　the　first

time；　and　he　could　not　escape　the　excitementthe　sight　of　the

man；　armed　only　with　a　piece　of　cloth；　and　of　the　bull　rushing

upon　him　across　the　sand　with　sharp　horns；　widespreading。



〃See！〃　cried　Maria　Valenzuela。　〃Is　it　not　superb？〃



John　Harned　nodded；　but　did　not　look　at　her。　His　eyes　were

sparkling；　and　they　were　only　for　the　bull…ring。　The　capador

stepped　to　the　side；　with　a　twirl　of　the　cape　eluding　the　bull

and　spreading　the　cape　on　his　own　shoulders。



〃What　do　you　think？〃　asked　Maria　Venzuela。　〃Is　it　not

awhat…you…callsporting　propositionno？〃



〃It　is　certainly；〃　said　John　Harned。　〃It　is　very　clever。〃



She　clapped　her　hands　with　delight。　They　were　little　hands。　The

audience　applauded。　The　bull　turned　and　came　back。　Again　the

capadore　eluded　him；　throwing　the　cape　on　his　shoulders；　and

again　the　audience　applauded。　Three　times　did　this　happen。　The

capadore　was　very　excellent。　Then　he　retired；　and　the　other

capadore　played　with　the　bull。　After　that　they　placed　the

banderillos　in　the　bull；　in　the　shoulders；　on　each　side　of　the

back…bone；　two　at　a　time。　Then　stepped　forward　Ordonez；　the

chief　matador；　with　the　long　sword　and　the　scarlet　cape。　The

bugles　blew　for　the　death。　He　is　not　so　good　as　Matestini。

Still　he　is　good；　and　with　one　thrust　he　drove　the　sword　to　the

heart；　and　the　bull　doubled　his　legs　under　him　and　lay　down　and

died。　It　was　a　pretty　thrust；　clean　and　sure；　and　there　was

much　applause；　and　many　of　the　common　people　threw　their　hats

into　the　ring。　Maria　Valenzuela　clapped　her　hands　with　the

rest；　and　John　Harned；　whose　cold　heart　was　not　touched　by　the

event；　looked　at　her　with　curiosity。



〃You　like　it？〃　he　asked。



〃Always；〃　she　said；　still　clapping　her　hands。



〃From　a　little　girl；〃　said　Luis　Cervallos。　〃I　remember　her

first　fight。　She　was　four　years　old。　She　sat　with　her　mother；

and　just　like　now　she　clapped　her　hands。　She　is　a　proper

Spanish　woman。



〃You　have　seen　it；〃　said　Maria　Valenzuela　to　John　Harned；　as

they　fastened　the　mules　to　the　dead　bull　and　dragged　it　out。

〃You　have　seen　the　bull…fight　and　you　like　itno？　What　do　you

think？



〃I　think　the　bull　had　no　chance；〃　he　said。　〃The　bull　was　doomed

from　the　first。　The　issue　was　not　in　doubt。　Every　one　knew；

before　the　bull　entered　the　ring；　that　it　was　to　die。　To　be　a

sporting　proposition；　the　issue　must　be　in　doubt。　It　was　one

stupid　bull　who　had　never　fought　a　man　against　five　wise　men

who　had　fought　many　bulls。　It　would　be　possibly　a　little　bit

fair　if　it　were　one　man　against　one　bull。〃



〃Or　one　man　against　five　bulls；〃　said　Maria　Valenzuela；　and　we

all　laughed；　and　Luis　Ceryallos　laughed　loudest。



〃Yes；〃　said　John　Harned；　〃against　five　bulls；　and　the　man；　like

the　bulls；　never　in　the　bull　ring　beforea　man　like　yourself；

Senor　Crevallos。〃



〃Yet　we　Spanish　like　the　bull…fight；〃　said　Luis　Cervallos；　and

I　swear　the　devil　was　whispering　then　in　his　ear；　telling　him

to　do　that　which　I　shall　relate。



〃Then　must　it　be　a　cultivated　taste；〃　John　Harned　made　answer。

〃We　kill　bulls　by　the　thousand　every　day　in　Chicago；　yet　no　one

cares　to　pay　admittance　to　see。〃



〃That　is　butchery；〃　said　I；　〃but　thisah；　this　is　an　art。　It

is　delicate。　It　is　fine。　It　is　rare。〃



〃Not　always；〃　said　Luis　Cervallos。　〃I　have　seen　clumsy