the wheels of chance-第31章

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！



〃_I_　didn't　know　the　young　lady　would　hear　what　I　said；〃　said　Charlie。　〃　Surely　one　can　speak　friendly　to　one's　friends。　How　was　I　to　know　the　door　was　open〃

Hoopdriver　began　to　suspect　that　his　antagonist　was；　if　possible；　more　seriously　alarmed　at　the　prospect　of　violence　than　himself；　and　his　spirits　rose　again。　These　chaps　ought　to　have　a　thorough　lesson。　〃Of　COURSE　you　knew　the　door　was　open；〃　he　retorted　indignantly。　〃Of　COURSE　you　thought　we　should　hear　what　you　said。　Don't　go　telling　lies　about　it。　It's　no　good　your　saying　things　like　that。　You've　had　your　fun；　and　you　meant　to　have　your　fun。　And　I　mean　to　make　an　example　of　you；　Sir。〃

〃Ginger　beer；〃　said　the　little　man　with　the　beard；　in　a　confidential　tone　to　the　velveteen　jacket；　〃is　regular　up　this　'ot　weather。　Bustin'　its　bottles　it　is　everywhere。〃

〃What's　the　good　of　scrapping　about　in　a　publichouse？〃　said　Charlie；　appealing　to　the　company。　〃A　fair　fight　without　interruptions；　now；　I　WOULDN'T　mind；　if　the　gentleman's　so　disposed。〃

Evidently　the　man　was　horribly　afraid。　Mr。　Hoopdriver　grew　truculent。

〃Where　you　like；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver。　〃jest　wherever　you　like。〃

〃You　insulted　the　gent；〃　said　the　man　in　velveteen。

〃Don't　be　a　bloomin'　funk；　Charlie；〃　said　the　man　in　gaiters。　〃Why；　you　got　a　stone　of　him；　if　you　got　an　ounce。〃

〃What　I　say；　is　this；〃　said　the　gentleman　with　the　excessive　chins；　trying　to　get　a　hearing　by　banging　his　chair　arms。　〃If　Charlie　goes　saying　things；　he　ought　to　back　'em　up。　That's　what　I　say。　I　don't　mind　his　sayin'　such　things　't　all；　but　he　ought　to　be　prepared　to　back　'em　up。〃

〃I'll　BACK　'em　up　all　right；〃　said　Charlie；　with　extremely　bitter　emphasis　on　'back。'　〃If　the　gentleman　likes　to　come　Toosday　week〃

〃Rot！〃　chopped　in　Hoopdriver。　〃Now。〃

〃'Ear；　'ear；〃　said　the　owner　of　the　chins。

〃Never　put　off　till　to…morrow；　Charlie；　what　you　can　do　to…day；〃　said　the　man　in　the　velveteen　coat。

〃You　got　to　do　it；　Charlie；〃　said　the　man　in　gaiters。　〃It's　no　good。〃

〃It's　like　this；〃　said　Charlie；　appealing　to　everyone　except　Hoopdriver。　〃Here's　me；　got　to　take　in　her　ladyship's　dinner　to…morrow　night。　How　should　I　look　with　a　black　eye？　And　going　round　with　the　carriage　with　a　split　lip？〃　

〃If　you　don't　want　your　face　sp'iled；　Charlie；　why　don't　you　keep　your　mouth　shut？〃　said　the　person　in　gaiters。　

〃Exactly；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　driving　it　home　with　great　fierceness。　〃Why　don't　you　shut　your　ugly　mouth？〃

〃It's　as　much　as　my　situation's　worth；〃　protested　Charlie。

〃You　should　have　thought　of　that　before；〃　said　Hoopdriver。

〃There's　no　occasion　to　be　so　thunderin'　'ot　about　it。　I　only　meant　the　thing　joking；〃　said　Charlie。　〃AS　one　gentleman　to　another；　I'm　very　sorry　if　the　gentleman's　annoyed〃

Everybody　began　to　speak　at　once。　Mr。　Hoopdriver　twirled　his　moustache。　He　felt　that　Charlie's　recognition　of　his　gentlemanliness　was　at　any　rate　a　redeeming　feature。　But　it　became　his　pose　to　ride　hard　and　heavy　over　the　routed　fo　c。　He　shouted　some　insulting　phrase　over　the　tumult。

〃You're　regular　abject；〃　the　man　in　gaiters　was　saying　to　Charlie。

More　confusion。

〃Only　don't　think　I'm　afraid；not　of　a　spindle…legged　cuss　like　him　shouted　Charlie。　〃Because　I　ain't。〃

〃Change　of　front；〃　thought　Hoopdriver；　a　little　startled。　〃Where　are　we　going？〃

〃Don't　sit　there　and　be　abusive；〃　said　the　man　in　velveteen。　〃He's　offered　to　hit　you；　and　if　I　was　him；　I'd　hit　you　now。〃

〃All　right；　then；〃　said　Charlie；　with　a　sudden　change　of　front　and　springing　to　his　feet。　〃If　I　must；　I　must。　Now；　then！〃　At　that；　Hoopdriver；　the　child　of　Fate；　rose　too；　with　a　horrible　sense　that　his　internal　monitor　was　right。　Things　had　taken　a　turn。　He　had　made　a　mess　of　it；　and　now　there　was　nothing　for　it；　so　far　as　he　could　see；　but　to　hit　the　man　at　once。　He　and　Charlie　stood　six　feet　apart；　with　a　table　between；　both　very　breathless　and　fierce。　A　vulgar　fight　in　a　public…house；　and　with　what　was　only　too　palpably　a　footman！　Good　Heavens！　And　this　was　the　dignified；　scornful　remonstrance！　How　the　juice　had　it　all　happened？　Go　round　the　table　at　him；　I　suppose。　But　before　the　brawl　could　achieve　itself；　the　man　in　gaiters　intervened。　〃Not　here；〃　he　said；　stepping　between　the　antagonists。　Everyone　was　standing　up。

〃Charlie's　artful；〃　said　the　little　man　with　the　beard。

〃Buller's　yard；〃　said　the　man　with　the　gaiters；　taking　the　control　of　the　entire　affair　with　the　easy　readiness　of　an　accomplished　practitioner。　〃If　the　gentleman　DON'T　mind。〃　Buller's　yard；　it　seemed；　was　the　very　place。　〃We'll　do　the　thing　regular　and　decent；　if　you　please。〃　And　before　he　completely　realized　what　was　happening；　Hoopdriver　was　being　marched　out　through　the　back　premises　of　the　inn；　to　the　first　and　only　fight　with　fists　that　was　ever　to　glorify　his　life。

Outwardly；　so　far　as　the　intermittent　moonlight　showed；　Mr。　Hoopdriver　was　quietly　but　eagerly　prepared　to　fight。　But　inwardly　he　was　a　chaos　of　conflicting　purposes。　It　was　extraordinary　how　things　happened。　One　remark　had　trod　so　closely　on　the　heels　of　another；　that　he　had　had　the　greatest　difficulty　in　following　the　development　of　the　business。　He　distinctly　remembered　himself　walking　across　from　one　room　to　the　other；a　dignified；　even　an　aristocratic　figure；　primed　with　considered　eloquence；　intent　upon　a　scathing　remonstrance　to　these　wretched　yokels；　regarding　their　manners。　Then　incident　had　flickered　into　incident　until　here　he　was　out　in　a　moonlit　lane；a　slight；　dark　figure　in　a　group　of　larger；　indistinct　figures；marching　in　a　quiet；　business…like　way　towards　some　unknown　horror　at　Buller's　yard。　Fists！　It　was　astonishing。　It　was　terrible！　In　front　of　him　was　the　pallid　figure　of　Charles；　and　he　saw　that　the　man　in　gaiters　held　Charles　kindly　but　firmly　by　the　arm。

〃It's　blasted　rot；〃　Charles　was　saying；　〃getting　up　a　fight　just　for　a　thing　like　that；　all　very　well　for　'im。　'E's　got　'is　'olidays；　'e　'asn't　no　blessed　dinner　to　take　up　to…morrow　night　like　I　'ave。No　need　to　numb　my　arm；　IS　there？〃

They　went　into　Buller's　yard　through　gates。　There　were　sheds　in　Buller's　yardsheds　of　mystery　that　the　moonlight　could　not　solvea　smell　of　cows；　and　a　pump　stood　out　clear　and　black；　throwing　a　clear　black　shadow　on　the　whitewashed　wall。　And　here　it　was　his　face　was　to　be　battered　to　a　pulp。　He　knew　this　was　the　uttermost　folly；　to　stand　up　here　and　be　pounded；　but　the　way　out　of　it　was　beyond　his　imagining。　Yet　afterwards？　Could　he　ever　face　her　again？　He　patted　his　Norfolk　jacket　and　took　his　ground　with　his　back　to　the　gate。　How　did　one　square？　So？　Suppose　one　were　to　turn　and　run　even　now；　run　straight　back　to　the　inn　and　lock　himself　into　his　bedroom？　They　couldn't　make；　him　come　outanyhow。　He　could　prosecute　them　for　assault　if　they　did。　How　did　one　set　about　prosecuting　for　assault？　He　saw　Charles；　with　his　face　ghastly　white　under　the　moon；　squaring　in　front　of　him。

He　caught　a　blow　on　the　arm　and　gave　ground。　Charles　pressed　him。　Then　he　hit　with　his　right　and　with　the　violence　of　despair。　It　was　a　hit　of　his　own　devising；an　impromptu；but　it　chanced　to　coincide　with　the　regulation　hook　hit　at　the　head。　He　perceived　with　a　leap　of　exultation　that　the　thing　his　fist　had　met　was　the　jawbone　of　Charles。　It　was　the　sole　gleam　of　pleasure　he　experienced　during　the　fight；　and　it　was　quite　momentary。　He　had　hardly　got　home　upon　Charles　before　he　was　struck　in　the　chest　and　whirled　backward。　He　had　the　greatest　difficulty　in　keeping　his　feet。　He　felt　that　his　heart　was　smashed　flat。　〃Gord　darm！〃　said　somebody；　dancing　toe　in　hand　somewhere　behind　him。　As　Mr。　Hoopdriver　staggered；　Charles　gave　a　loud　and　fear…compelling　cry。　He　seemed　to　tower　over　Hoopdriver　in　the　moonlight。　Both　his　fists　were　whirling。　It　was　annihilation　comingno　less。　Mr。　Hoopdriver　ducked　perhaps　and　certainly　gave　ground　to　the　right；　hit；　and　missed。　Charles　swept　round　to　the　left；　missing　generously。　A　blow　glanced　over　Mr。　Hoopdriver's　left　ear；　and　the　flanking　movement　was　completed。　Another　blow　behind　the　ear。　Heaven　and　earth　spun　furiously　round　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　and　then　he　became　aware　of　a　figure　in　a　light　suit　shooting　violently　through　an　open　gate　into　the　night。　The　man　in　gait