hard cash-第5章

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s　at　a　finish；　nine　souls　and　bodies　flung　whole　into　each　magnificent　effort；　water　foaming　and　flying；　rowlocks　ringing；　crowd　running；　tumbling；　and　howling　like　mad；　and　Cambridge　a　boat's　nose　ahead。

They　had　scarcely　passed　our　two　spectators；　when　Oxford　put　on　a　furious　spurt；　and　got　fully　even　with　the　leading　boat。　There　was　a　louder　roar　than　ever　from　the　bank。　Cambridge　spurted　desperately　in　turn；　and　stole　those　few　feet　back；　and　so　they　went　fighting　every　inch　of　water。　Bang！　A　cannon　on　the　bank　sent　its　smoke　over　both　competitors；　it　dispersed　in　a　moment；　and　the　boats　were　seen　pulling　slowly　towards　the　bridgeCambridge　with　four　oars；　Oxford　with　six；　as　if　that　gum　had　winged　them　both。

The　race　was　over。

But　who　had　won　our　party　could　not　see；　and　must　wait　to　learn。


A　youth；　adorned　with　a　blue　and　yellow　rosette；　cried　out；　in　the　hearing　of　Mrs。　Dodd；　〃I　say；　they　are　properly　pumped；　both　crews　are：〃　then；　jumping　on　to　a　spoke　of　her　carriage…wheel；　with　a　slight　apology；　he　announced　that　two　or　three　were　shut　up　in　the　Exeter。

The　exact　meaning　of　these　two　verbs　passive　was　not　clear　to　Mrs。　Dodd；　but　their　intensity　was。　She　fluttered；　and　wanted　to　go　to　her　boy　and　nurse　him；　and　turned　two　most　imploring　eyes　on　Julia；　and　Julia　straightway　kissed　her　with　gentle　vehemence；　and　offered　to　ruin　and　see。

〃What；　amongst　all　those　young　gentlemen；　love？　I　fear　that　would　not　be　proper。　See；　all　the　ladies　remain　apart。〃　So　they　kept　quiet　and　miserable；　after　the　manner　of　females。

Meantime　the　Cantab's　quick　eye　had　not　deceived　him；　in　each　racing　boat　were　two　young　gentlemen　leaning　collapsed　over　their　oars；　and　two　more；　who　were　in　a　cloud；　and　not　at　all　clear　whether　they　were　in　this　world　still；　or　in　their　zeal　had　pulled　into　a　better。　But　their　malady　was　not　a　rare　one　in　racing　boats；　and　the　remedy　always　at　hand：　it　combined　the　rival　systems；　Thames　was　sprinkled　in　their　faces　Homoeopathy：　and　brandy　in　a　teaspoon　trickled　down　their　throats　Allopathy：　youth　and　spirits　soon　did　the　rest；　and；　the　moment　their　eyes　opened；　their　mouths　opened；　and；　the　moment　their　mouths　opened；　they　fell　a　chaffing。

Mrs。　Dodd's　anxiety　and　Julia's　were　relieved　by　the　appearance　of　Mr。　Edward；　in　a　tweed　shooting…jacket　sauntering　down　to　them；　hands　in　his　pockets；　and　a　cigar　in　his　mouth；　placidly　unconscious　of　their　solicitude　on　his　account。　He　was　received　with　a　little　guttural　cry　of　delight；　the　misery　they　had　been　in　about　him　was　duly　concealed　from　him　by　both；　and　Julia　asked　him　warmly　who　had　won。

〃Oh；　Cambridge。〃

〃Cambridge！　Why；　then　you　are　beaten？〃

〃Rather。〃　（Puff。）

〃And　you　can　come　here　with　that　horrible　calm；　and　cigar；　owning　defeat；　and　puffing　tranquillity；　with　the　same　mouth。　Mamma；　we　are　beaten。　Beaten！　actually。〃

〃Never　mind；〃　said　Edward　kindly；　〃you　have　seen　a　capital　race；　the　closest　ever　known　on　this　river；　and　one　side　or　other　must　lose。〃

〃And　if　they　did　not　quite　win；　they　very　nearly　did；〃　observed　Mrs。　Dodd　composedly；　then；　with　heartfelt　content；　〃He　is　not　hurt；　and　that　is　the　main　thing。〃

〃Well；　my　Lady　Placid；　and　Mr。　Imperturbable；　I　am　glad　neither　of　your　equanimities　is　disturbed；　but　defeat　is　a　Bitter　Pill　to　me。

Julia　said　this　in　her　earnest　voice；　and　drawing　her　scarf　suddenly　round　her；　so　as　almost　to　make　it　speak；　digested　her　Bitter　Pill　in　silence。　During　which　process　several　Exeter　men　caught　sight　of　Edward；　and　came　round　him；　and　an　animated　discussion　took　place。　They　began　with　asking　him　how　it　had　happened；　and；　as　he　never　spoke　in　a　hurry；　supplied　him　with　the　answers。　A　stretcher　had　broken　in　the　Exeter？　No；　but　the　Cambridge　was　a　much　better　built　boat；　and　her　bottom　cleaner。　The　bow　oar　of　the　Exeter　was　ill；　and　not　fit　for　work。　Each　of　these　solutions　was　advanced　and　combated　in　turn；　and　then　all　together。　At　last　the　Babel　lulled；　and　Edward　was　once　more　appealed　to。

〃Well；　I　will　tell　you　the　real　truth；〃　said　he；　〃how　it　happened。〃　（Puff。）

There　was　a　pause　of　expectation；　for　the　young　man's　tone　was　that　of　conviction；　knowledge；　and　authority。

〃The　Cambridge　men　pulled　faster　than　we　did。〃　（Puff。）

The　hearers　stared　and　then　laughed。

〃Come；　old　fellows；〃　said　Edward；　〃never　win　a　boat…race　on　dry　land！　That　is　such　a　_plain_　thing　to　do；　gives　the　other　side　the　laugh　as　well　as　the　race。　I　have　heard　a　stretcher　or　two　told；　but　I　saw　none　broken。　（Puff。）　Their　boat　is　the　worst　I　ever　saw；　it　dips　every　stroke。　（Puff。）　Their　strength　lies　in　the　crew。　It　was　a　good　race　and　a　fair　one。　Cambridge　got　a　lead　and　kept　it。　（Puff。）　They　beat　us　a　yard　or　two　at　rowing；　but　hang　it　all；　don't　let　them　beat　us　at　telling　the　truth；　not　by　an　inch。〃　（Puff。）

〃All　right；　old　fellow！〃　was　now　the　cry。　One　observed；　however；　that　Stroke　did　not　take　the　matter　so　coolly　as　Six；　for　he　had　shed　a　tear　getting　out　of　the　boat。

〃Shed　a　fiddlestick！〃　squeaked　a　little　sceptic。

〃No〃　said　another；　〃he　didn't　quite　shed　it；　his　pride　wouldn't　let　him。〃

〃So　he　decanted　it；　and　put　it　by　for　supper；　suggested　Edward；　and　puffed。

〃None　of　your　chaff；　Six。　He　had　a　gulp　or　two；　and　swallowed　the　rest　by　main　force。〃

〃Don't　you　talk：　you　can　swallow　anything；　it　seems。〃　（Puff。）

〃Well；　I　believe　it；〃　said　one　of　Hardie's　own　set。　〃Dodd　doesn't　know　him　as　we　do。　Taff　Hardie　can't　bear　to　be　beat。〃

When　they　were　gone；　Mrs。　Dodd　observed；　〃Dear　me！　what　if　the　young　gentleman　did　cry　a　little；　it　was　very　excusable；　after　such　great　exertions　it　_was_　disappointing；　mortifying。　I　pity　him　for　one；　and　wish　he　had　his　mother　alive　and　here；　to　dry　them。〃*

*Oh　where；　_and_　oh　where；　_was_　her　Lindley　Murray　gone？

〃Mamma；　it　is　you　for　reading　us；〃　cried　Edward；　slapping　his　thigh。　〃Well；　then；　since　you　can　feel　for　a　fellow；　Hardie　_was_　a　good　deal　cut　up。　You　know　the　university　was　in　a　manner　beaten；　and　he　took　the　blame。　He　never　cried；　that　was　a　cracker　of　those　fellows。　But　he　did　give　one　great　sob；　that　was　all；　and　hung　his　head　on　one　side　a　moment。　But　then　he　fought　out　of　it　directly；　like　a　man；　and　there　was　an　end　of　it；　or　ought　to　have　been。　Hang　chatterboxes！〃

〃And　what　did　you　say　to　console　him；　Edward？〃　inquired　Julia　warmly。

〃Whatme？　Console　my　senior；　and　my　Stroke？　No；　thank　you。〃

At　this　thunderbolt　of　etiquette　both　ladies　kept　their　countenances　this　was　_their_　muscular　feat　that　dayand　the　racing　for　the　sculls　came　on：　six　competitors。　two　Cambridge；　three　Oxford；　one　London。　The　three　heats　furnished　but　one　good　race；　a　sharp　contest　between　a　Cambridge　man　and　Hardie；　ending　in　favour　of　the　latter；　the　Londoner　walked　away　from　his　opponent　Sir　Imperturbable's　competitor　was　impetuous；　and　ran　into　him　in　the　first　hundred　yards；　Sir　I。　consenting　calmly。　The　umpire；　appealed　to　on　the　spot；　decided　that　it　was　a　foul；　Mr。　Dodd　being　in　his　own　water。　He　walked　over　the　course；　and　explained　the　matter　to　his　sister；　who　delivered　her　mind　thus

〃Oh！　if　races　are　to　be　won　by　going　slower　than　the　other；　we　may　shine　yet：　_only；_　I　call　it　Cheating；　not　Racing。〃

He　smiled　unmoved；　she　gave　her　scarf　the　irony　twist；　and　they　all　went　to　dinner。　The　business　recommenced　with　a　race　between　a　London　boat　and　the　winner'　of　yesterday's　heat；　Cambridge。　Here　the　truth　of　Edward's　remark　appeared。　The　Cambridge　boat　was　too　light　for　the　men；　and　kept　burying　her　hose；　the　London　craft；　under　a　heavy　crew；　floated　like　a　cork。　The　Londoners　soon　found　out　their　advantage；　and；　overrating　it；　steered　into　their　opponents　water　prematurely；　inn　spite　of　a　warning　voice　from　the　bank。　Cambridge　saw；　and　cracked　on　for　a　foul；　and　for　about　a　minute　it　was　anybody's　race。　But　the　Londoners　pulled　gallantly；　and　just　scraped　clear　ahead。　This　peril　escaped；　they　kept　their　backs　straight　and　a　clear　lead　to　the　finish。　Cambridge　followed　a　few　feet　in　their　wake；　pulling　wonderfully　fast　to　the　end；　but　a　trifle　out　of　form；　and　much　distressed。

At　this　both　universities　looked　blue；　their　humble　aspiration　being；　first　to　beat　off　all　the　external　world；　and　then　tackle　each　other　fo