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第5节

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


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