the game-第6章

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〃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　against　the　ring。

She　could　see　the　whole　of　it；　though　part　of　the　audience　was　shut

off。　　The　ring　was　well　lighted　by　an　overhead　cluster　of　patent

gas…burners。　　The　front　row　of　the　men　she　had　squeezed　past；

because　of　their　paper　and　pencils；　she　decided　to　be　reporters　from

the　local　papers　up…town。　　One　of　them　was　chewing　gum。　　Behind

them；　on　the　other　two　rows　of　seats；　she　could　make　out　firemen

from　the　near…by　engine…house　and　several　policemen　in　uniform。　　In

the　middle　of　the　front　row；　flanked　by　the　reporters；　sat　the　young

chief　of　police。　　She　was　startled　by　catching　sight　of　Mr。　Clausen

on　the　opposite　side　of　the　ring。　　There　he　sat；　austere；　side…

whiskered；　pink　and　white；　close　up　against　the　front　of　the　ring。

Several　seats　farther　on；　in　the　same　front　row；　she　discovered

Silverstein；　his　weazen　features　glowing　with　anticipation。



A　few　cheers　heralded　the　advent　of　several　young　fellows；　in　shirt…

sleeves；　carrying　buckets；　bottles；　and　towels；　who　crawled　through

the　ropes　and　crossed　to　the　diagonal　corner　from　her。　　One　of　them

sat　down　on　a　stool　and　leaned　back　against　the　ropes。　　She　saw　that

he　was　bare…legged；　with　canvas　shoes　on　his　feet；　and　that　his　body

was　swathed　in　a　heavy　white　sweater。　　In　the　meantime　another　group

had　occupied　the　corner　directly　against　her。　　Louder　cheers　drew

her　attention　to　it；　and　she　saw　Joe　seated　on　a　stool　still　clad　in

the　bath　robe；　his　short　chestnut　curls　within　a　yard　of　her　eyes。



A　young　man；　in　a　black　suit；　with　a　mop　of　hair　and　a

preposterously　tall　starched　collar；　walked　to　the　centre　of　the

ring　and　held　up　his　hand。



〃Gentlemen　will　please　stop　smoking；〃　he　said。



His　effort　was　applauded　by　groans　and　cat…calls；　and　she　noticed

with　indignation　that　nobody　stopped　smoking。　　Mr。　Clausen　held　a

burning　match　in　his　fingers　while　the　announcement　was　being　made；

and　then　calmly　lighted　his　cigar。　　She　felt　that　she　hated　him　in

that　moment。　　How　was　her　Joe　to　fight　in　such　an　atmosphere？　　She

could　scarcely　breathe　herself；　and　she　was　only　sitting　down。



The　announcer　came　over　to　Joe。　　He　stood　up。　　His　bath　robe　fell

away　from　him；　and　he　stepped　forth　to　the　centre　of　the　ring；　naked

save　for　the　low　canvas　shoes　and　a　narrow　hip…cloth　of　white。

Genevieve's　eyes　dropped。　　She　sat　alone；　with　none　to　see；　but　her

face　was　burning　with　shame　at　sight　of　the　beautiful　nakedness　of

her　lover。　　But　she　looked　again；　guiltily；　for　the　joy　that　was

hers　in　beholding　what　she　knew　must　be　sinful　to　behold。　　The　leap

of　something　within　her　and　the　stir　of　her　being　toward　him　must　be

sinful。　　But　it　was　delicious　sin；　and　she　did　not　deny　her　eyes。

In　vain　Mrs。　Grundy　admonished　her。　　The　pagan　in　her；　original　sin；

and　all　nature　urged　her　on。　　The　mothers　of　all　the　past　were

whispering　through　her；　and　there　was　a　clamour　of　the　children

unborn。　　But　of　this　she　kn