the game-第5节
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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
