hard cash-第6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！



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

Just　before　Edward　left　his　friends　for　〃the　sculls；〃　the　final　heat；　a　note　was　brought　to　him。　He　ran　his　eye　over　it；　and　threw　it　open　into　his　sister's　lap。　The　ladies　read　it。　Its　writer　had　won　a　prize　poem；　and　so　now　is　our　time　to　get　a　hint　for　composition：


〃DEAR　SIR；Oxford　must　win　something。　Suppose　we　go　in　for　these　sculls。　You　are　a　horse　that　can　stay；　Silcock　is　hot　for　the　lead　at　starting；　I　hear；　so　I　mean　to　work　him　out　of　wind；　then　you　can　wait　on　us；　and　pick　up　the　race。　My　head　is　not　well　enough　to…day　to　win；　but　I　am　good　to　pump　the　Cockney；　he　is　quick；　but　a　little　staleYours　truly；

〃ALFRED　HARDIE〃


Mrs。　Dodd　remarked　that　the　language　was　sadly　figurative；　but　she　hoped　Edward　might　be　successful　in　spite　of　his　correspondent's　style。

Julia　said　she　did　not　dare　hope　it。　〃The　race　is　not　always　to　the　slowest　and　the　dearest。〃　This　was　in　allusion　to　yesterday's　〃foul。〃

The　skiffs　started　down　at　the　island；　and；　as　they　were　longer　coming　up　than　the　eight　oars；　she　was　in　a　fever　for　nearly　ten　minutes。　At　last；　near　the　opposite　bank；　up　came　the　two　leading　skiffs　struggling；　both　men　visibly　exhaustedSilcock　ahead；　but　his　rudder　overlapped　by　Hardie's　bow；　each　in　his　own　water。

〃We　are　third；〃　sighed　Julia；　and　turned　her　head　away　from　the　river　sorrowfully。　But　only　for　a　moment；　for　she　felt　Mrs。　Dodd　start　and　press　her　arm；　and　lo！　Edward's　skiff　was　shooting　swiftly　across　from　their　side　of　the　river。　He　was　pulling　Just　within　himself；　in　beautiful　forum；　and　with　far　more　elasticity　than　the　other　two　had　got　left。　As　line　passed　his　mother　and　sister；　his　eyes　seemed　to　strike　fire；　and　he　laid　out　all　his　powers；　and　went　at　the　leading　skiffs　hand　over　head　There　was　a　yell　of　astonishment　and　delight　from　both　sides　of　the　Thames。　He　passed　Hardie；　who　upon　that　relaxed　his　speed。　In　thirty　seconds　more　he　was　even　with　Silcock。　Then　came　a　keen　struggle：　but　the　new　comer　was　〃the　horse　that　could　stay：〃　he　drew　steadily　ahead；　and　the　stern　of　his　boat　was　in　a　line　with　Silcock's　person　when　the　gun　fired；　and　a　fearful　roar　from　the　bridge；　the　river；　and　the　banks；　announced　that　the　favourite　university　had　picked　up　the　sculls　in　the　person　of　Dodd　of　Exeter。

In　due　course　he　brought　the　little　silver　sculls；　and　pinned　them　on　his　mother。

While　she　and　Julia　were　telling　him　how　proud　they　were；　and　how　happy　they　should　be；　but　for　their　fears　that　he　would　hurt　himself；　beating　gentlemen　ever　so　much　older　than　himself；　came　two　Exeter　men　with　wild　looks　hunting　for　him。

〃Oh；　Dodd！　Hardie　wants　you　directly。〃

〃Don't　you　go；　Edward；〃　whispered　Julia；　〃why　should　you　be　at　Mr。　Hardie's　beck　and　call？　I　never　heard　of　such　a　thing。　That　youth　_will_　make　me　hate　him。〃

〃Oh；　I　think　I　had　better　just　go　and　see　what　it　is　about；〃　replied　Edward：　〃I　shall　be　back　directly。〃　And　on　this　understanding　he　went　off　with　the　men。

Half…an…hour　passed；　an　hour；　two　hours；　and　he　did　not　return。　Mrs。　Dodd　and　Julia　sat　wondering　what　had　become　of　him；　and　were　looking　all　around；　and　getting　uneasy；　when　at　last　they　did　hear　something　about　him；　but　indirectly；　and　from　an　unexpected　quarter。　A　tall　young　man　in　a　jersey　and　flannel　trousers；　and　a　little　straw　hat；　with　a　purple　rosette；　came　away　from　the　bustle　to　the　more　secluded　part　where　they　sat；　and　made　eagerly　for　the　Thames　as　if　he　was　a　duck；　and　going　in。　But　at　the　brink　line　flung　himself　into　a　sitting　posture；　and　dipped　his　white　handkerchief　into　the　stream；　then　tied　it　viciously　round　his　brow；　doubled　himself　up　with　his　head　in　his　hands；　and　rocked　himself　hike　an　old　womanminus　the　patience；　of　course。

Mrs。　Dodd　and　Julia；　sitting　but　a　few　paces　behind　him；　interchanged。　a　look　of　intelligence。　The　young　gentleman　was　a　stranger；　but　they　had　recognised　a　faithful　old　acquaintance　at　the　bottom　of　his　pantomime。　They　discovered；　too；　that　the　afflicted　one　was　a　personage：　for　line　had　not　sat　there　long　when　quite　a　little　band　of　men　came　after　him。　Observing　his　semi…circularity　and　general　condition；　they　hesitated　a　moment；　and　then　one　of　them　remonstrated　eagerly。：　〃For　Heaven's　sake　come　back　to　the　boat！　There　is　a　crowd　of　all　the　colleges　come　round　us；　and　they　all　say　Oxford　is　being　sold。　We　had　a　chance　for　the　four…oared　race；　and　you　are　throwing　it　away。〃

〃What　do　I　care　what　they　all　say？〃　was　the　answer；　delivered　with　a　kind　of　plaintive　snarl。

〃But　we　care。〃

〃Care　then！　I　pity　you。〃　And　he　turned　his　back　fiercely　on　them；　and　then　groaned　by　way　of　half　apology。　Another　tried　him：　〃Come；　give　us　a　civil　answer；　please。〃

〃People　that　intrude　upon　a　man's　privacy；　racked　with　pain；　have　no　right　to　demand　civility；〃　replied　the　sufferer；　more　gently；　but　sullenly　enough。

〃Do　you　call　this　privacy？〃

〃It　was；　a　minute　ago；　Do　you　think　I　left　the　boat；　and　came　here　among　the　natives；　for　company？　and　noise？　With　my　head　splitting？〃

Here　Julia　gave　Mrs。　Dodd　a　soft　pinch；　to　which　Mrs。　Dodd　replied　by　a　smile。　And　so　they　settled　who　this　petulant　young　invalid　must　be。

〃'There；　it　is　no　use；〃　observed　one；　_sotto　voce；_　〃the　bloke　really　has　awful　headaches；　like　a　girl；　and　then　he　always　shuts　up　this　way。　You　will　only　rile　him；　and　get　the　rough　side　of　his　tongue。〃

Here；　then；　the　conference　drew　towards　a　close。　But　a　Wadham　man；　who　was　one　of　the　ambassadors；　interposed。　〃Stop　a　minute；〃　said　he。　〃Mr。　Hardie；　I　have　not　the　honour　to　be　acquainted　with　you；　and　I　am　not　here　to　annoy　you；　nor　to　be　affronted　by　you。　But　the　university　has　a　stake　in　this　race；　and　the　university　expostulates　through　usthrough　me；　if　you　like。〃

〃Who　have　I　the　honour？〃　inquired　Hardie；　assuming　politeness　sudden　and　vast。

〃Badham；　of　Wadham。〃

〃Badham　o'　Wadham？　Hear　that；　ye　tuneful　nine！　Well；　Badham　o'　Wadham；　you　are　no　acquaintance　of　mine；　so　you　may　possibly　not　be　a　fool。　Let　us　assume　by　way　of　hypothesis　that　you　are　a　man　of　sense；　a　man　of　reason　as　well　as　of　rhyme。　Then　follow　my　logic。　Hardie　of　Exeter　is　a　good　man　in　a　boat　when　he　has　not　got　a　headache。

〃When　he　has　got　a　headache；　Hardie　of　Exeter　is　not　worth　a　straw　in　a　boat。

〃Hardie　of　Exeter　has　a　headache　now。

〃Ergo；　the　university　would　put　the　said　Hardie　into　a　race；　headache　and　all；　and　reduce　defeat　to　a　certainty。

〃And；　ergo；　on　the　same　premises；　I；　not　being　an　egotist；　nor　an　ass；　have　taken　Hardie　of　Exeter　and　his　headache　out　of　the　boat；　as　I　should　have　done　any　other　cripple。

〃Secondly；　I　have　put　the　best　man　on　the　river　into　this　cripple's　place。

〃Total；　I　have　given　the　university　the　benefit　of　my　brains；　and　the　university；　not　having　brains　enough　to　see　what　it　gains　by　the　exchange；　turns　again　and　rends　me；　like　an　animal　frequently　mentioned　in　Scripture；　but；　_nota　bene；_　never　once　with　approbation。〃

And　the　afflicted　Rhetorician　attempted　a　diabolical　grin；　but　failed　signally；　and　groaned　instead。

〃Is　this　your　answer　to　the　university；　sir？

At　this　query；　delivered　in　a　somewhat　threatening　tone；　the　invalid　sat　up　all　in　a　moment；　like　a　poked　lion。　〃Oh；　if　Badham　o'　Wadham　thinks　to　crush　me　_auctoritate　sua　et　totius　universitatis；_　Badham　o'　Wadham　may　just　tell　the　whole　university　to　go　and　be　dd；　from　the　Chancellor　down　to　the　junior　cook　at　Skimmery　Hall；　with　my　compliments。〃

Ill…conditioned　brute！〃　muttered　Badham　of　Wadham。　〃Serve　you　right　if　the　university　were　to　chuck　you　into　the　Thames。〃　And　with　this　comment　they　left　him　to　his　ill　temper。　One　remained；　sat　quietly　down　a　little　way　off；　struck　a　sweetly　aromatic　lucifer；　and　blew　a　noisome　cloud；　but　the　only　one　which　betokens　calm。

As　for　Hardie；　he　held　his　aching　head　over　his　knees；　absorbed　in　pain；　and　quite　unconscious　that　sacred　pity　was　poisoning　the　air　beside　him；　and　two　pair　of　dovelike　eyes　resting　on　him　with　womanly　concern。

Mrs。　Dodd　and　Julia　had　heard　the　greatest　part　of　this　colloquy。　They　had　terribly　quick　ears　and　nothing　b