太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > the game >

第5节

the game-第5节

小说: the game 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!




being to her; and he accepted calmly her calm assumption of his life

and actions。



He was twenty; she was eighteen; boy and girl; the pair of them; and

made for progeny; healthy and normal; with steady blood pounding

through their bodies; and wherever they went together; even on

Sunday outings across the bay amongst people who did not know him;

eyes were continually drawn to them。  He matched her girl's beauty

with his boy's beauty; her grace with his strength; her delicacy of

line and fibre with the harsher vigor and muscle of the male。

Frank…faced; fresh…colored; almost ingenuous in expression; eyes

blue and wide apart; he drew and held the gaze of more than one

woman far above him in the social scale。  Of such glances and dim

maternal promptings he was quite unconscious; though Genevieve was

quick to see and understand; and she knew each time the pang of a

fierce joy in that he was hers and that she held him in the hollow

of her hand。  He did see; however; and rather resented; the men's

glances drawn by her。  These; too; she saw and understood as he did

not dream of understanding。







CHAPTER III







Genevieve slipped on a pair of Joe's shoes; light…soled and dapper;

and laughed with Lottie; who stooped to turn up the trousers for

her。  Lottie was his sister; and in the secret。  To her was due the

inveigling of his mother into making a neighborhood call so that

they could have the house to themselves。  They went down into the

kitchen where Joe was waiting。  His face brightened as he came to

meet her; love shining frankly forth。



〃Now get up those skirts; Lottie;〃 he commanded。  〃Haven't any time

to waste。  There; that'll do。  You see; you only want the bottoms of

the pants to show。  The coat will cover the rest。  Now let's see how

it'll fit。



〃Borrowed it from Chris; he's a dead sporty sportlittle; but oh;

my!〃 he went on; helping Genevieve into an overcoat which fell to

her heels and which fitted her as a tailor…made over…coat should fit

the man for whom it is made。



Joe put a cap on her head and turned up the collar; which was

generous to exaggeration; meeting the cap and completely hiding her

hair。  When he buttoned the collar in front; its points served to

cover the cheeks; chin and mouth were buried in its depths; and a

close scrutiny revealed only shadowy eyes and a little less shadowy

nose。  She walked across the room; the bottom of the trousers just

showing as the bang of the coat was disturbed by movement。



〃A sport with a cold and afraid of catching more; all right all

right;〃 the boy laughed; proudly surveying his handiwork。  〃How much

money you got?  I'm layin' ten to six。  Will you take the short

end?〃



〃Who's short?〃 she asked。



〃Ponta; of course;〃 Lottie blurted out her hurt; as though there

could be any question of it even for an instant。



〃Of course;〃 Genevieve said sweetly; 〃only I don't know much about

such things。〃



This time Lottie kept her lips together; but the new hurt showed on

her face。  Joe looked at his watch and said it was time to go。  His

sister's arms went about his neck; and she kissed him soundly on the

lips。  She kissed Genevieve; too; and saw them to the gate; one arm

of her brother about her waist。



〃What does ten to six mean?〃 Genevieve asked; the while their

footfalls rang out on the frosty air。



〃That I'm the long end; the favorite;〃 he answered。  〃That a man

bets ten dollars at the ring side that I win against six dollars

another man is betting that I lose。〃



〃But if you're the favorite and everybody thinks you'll win; how

does anybody bet against you?〃



〃That's what makes prize…fightingdifference of opinion;〃 he

laughed。  〃Besides; there's always the chance of a lucky punch; an

accident。  Lots of chance;〃 he said gravely。



She shrank against him; clingingly and protectingly; and he laughed

with surety。



〃You wait; and you'll see。  An' don't get scared at the start。  The

first few rounds'll be something fierce。  That's Ponta's strong

point。  He's a wild man; with an kinds of punches;a whirlwind;

and he gets his man in the first rounds。  He's put away a whole lot

of cleverer and better men than him。  It's up to me to live through

it; that's all。  Then he'll be all in。  Then I go after him; just

watch。  You'll know when I go after him; an' I'll get'm; too。〃



They came to the hall; on a dark street…corner; ostensibly the

quarters of an athletic club; but in reality an institution designed

for pulling off fights and keeping within the police ordinance。  Joe

drew away from her; and they walked apart to the entrance。



〃Keep your hands in your pockets whatever you do;〃 Joe warned her;

〃and it'll be all right。  Only a couple of minutes of it。〃



〃He's with me;〃 Joe said to the door…keeper; who was talking with a

policeman。



Both men greeted him familiarly; taking no notice of his companion。



〃They never tumbled; nobody'll tumble;〃 Joe assured her; as they

climbed the stairs to the second story。  〃And even if they did; they

wouldn't know who it was and they's keep it mum for me。  Here; come

in here!〃



He whisked her into a little office…like room and left her seated on

a dusty; broken…bottomed chair。  A few minutes later he was back

again; clad in a long bath robe; canvas shoes on his feet。  She

began to tremble against him; and his arm passed gently around her。



〃It'll be all right; Genevieve;〃 he said encouragingly。  〃I've got

it all fixed。  Nobody'll tumble。〃



〃It's you; Joe;〃 she said。  〃I don't care for myself。  It's you。〃



〃Don't care for yourself!  But that's what I thought you were afraid

of!〃



He looked at her in amazement; the wonder of woman bursting upon him

in a more transcendent glory than ever; and he had seen much of the

wonder of woman in Genevieve。  He was speechless for a moment; and

then stammered:…



〃You mean me?  And you don't care what people think? or anything?

or anything?〃



A sharp double knock at the door; and a sharper 〃Get a move on

yerself; Joe!〃 brought him back to immediate things。



〃Quick; one last kiss; Genevieve;〃 he whispered; almost holily。

〃It's my last fight; an' I'll fight as never before with you lookin'

at me。〃



The next she knew; the pressure of his lips yet warm on hers; she

was in a group of jostling young fellows; none of whom seemed to

take the slightest notice of her。  Several had their coats off and

their shirt sleeves rolled up。  They entered the hall from the rear;

still keeping the casual formation of the group; and moved slowly up

a side aisle。



It was a crowded; ill…lighted hall; barn…like in its proportions;

and the smoke…laden air gave a peculiar distortion to everything。

She felt as though she would stifle。  There were shrill cries of

boys selling programmes and soda water; and there was a great bass

rumble of masculine voices。  She heard a voice offering ten to six

on Joe Fleming。  The utterance was monotonoushopeless; it seemed

to her; and she felt a quick thrill。  It was her Joe against whom

everybody was to bet。



And she felt other thrills。  Her blood was touched; as by fire; with

romance; adventurethe unknown; the mysterious; the terribleas

she penetrated this haunt of men where women came not。  And there

were other thrills。  It was the only time in her life she had dared

the rash thing。  For the first time she was overstepping the bounds

laid down by that harshest of tyrants; the Mrs。 Grundy of the

working class。  She felt fear; and for herself; though the moment

before she had been thinking only of Joe。



Before she knew it; the front of the hall had been reached; and she

had gone up half a dozen steps into a small dressing…room。  This was

crowded to suffocationby men who played the Game; she concluded;

in one capacity or another。  And here she lost Joe。  But before the

real personal fright could soundly clutch her; one of the young

fellows said gruffly; 〃Come along with me; you;〃 and as she wedged

out at his heels she noticed that another one of the escort was

following her。



They came upon a sort of stage; which accommodated three rows of

men; and she caught her first glimpse of the squared ring。  She was

on a level with it; and so near that she could have reached out and

touched its ropes。  She noticed that it was covered with padded

canvas。  Beyond the ring; and on either side; as in a fog; she could

see the crowded house。



The dressing…room she had left abutted upon one corner of the ring。

Squeezing her way after her guide through the seated men; she

crossed the end of the hall and entered a similar dressing…room at

the other corner of the ring。



〃Now don't make a noise; and stay here till I come for you;〃

instructed her guide; pointing out a peep…hole arrangement in the

wall of the room。







CHAPTER IV







She hurried to the peep…hole; and found herself aga

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的