第 32 节
作者:理性的思索      更新:2024-09-11 20:30      字数:9322
  〃The Telfair family〃 I began; haughtily。
  〃I mean professional beauty;〃 said my hearer。
  〃She is greatly and widely admired;〃 I answered; cautiously。
  〃Any sisters?〃
  〃One。〃
  〃You know any more girls?〃
  〃Why; several;〃 I answered。  〃And a few others。〃
  〃Say;〃 said Mack; 〃tell me one thingcan you hand out the dope to  other girls?  Can you chin 'em and make matinee eyes at 'em and  squeeze 'em?  You know what I mean。  You're just shy when it comes to  this particular damethe professional beautyain't that right ?〃
  〃In a way you have outlined the situation with approximate truth;〃 I  admitted。
  〃I thought so;〃 said Mack; grimly。  〃Now; that reminds me of my own  case。  I'll tell you about it。〃
  I was indignant; but concealed it。  What was this loafer's case or  anybody's case compared with mine?  Besides; I had given him a dollar  and ten cents。
  〃Feel my muscle;〃 said my companion; suddenly; flexing his biceps。  I  did so mechanically。  The fellows in gyms are always asking you to do  that。  His arm was as hard as cast…iron。
  〃Four years ago;〃 said Mack; 〃I could lick any man in New York outside  of the professional ring。  Your case and mine is just the same。  I  come from the West Sidebetween Thirtieth and FourteenthI won't  give the number on the door。  I was a scrapper when I was ten; and  when I was twenty no amateur in the city could stand up four rounds  with me。  'S a fact。  You know Bill McCarty?  No?  He managed the  smokers for some of them swell clubs。  Well; I knocked out everything  Bill brought up before me。  I was a middle…weight; but could train  down to a welter when necessary。  I boxed all over the West Side at  bouts and benefits and private entertainments; and was never put out  once。
  〃But; say; the first time I put my foot in the ring with a  professional I was no more than a canned lobster。  I dunno how it was… …I seemed to lose heart。  I guess I got too much imagination。  There  was a formality and publieness about it that kind of weakened my  nerve。  I never won a fight in the ring。  Light…weights and all kinds  of scrubs used to sign up with my manager and then walk up and tap me  on the wrist and see me fall。  The minute I seen the crowd and a lot  of gents in evening clothes down in front; and seen a professional  come inside the ropes; I got as weak as ginger…ale。
  〃Of course; it wasn't long till I couldn't get no backers; and I  didn't have any more chances to fight a professionalor many  amateurs; either。  But lemme tell youI was as good as most men  inside the ring or out。  It was just that dumb; dead feeling I had  when I was up against a regular that always done me up。
  〃Well; sir; after I had got out of the business; I got a mighty grouch  on。  I used to go round town licking private citizens and all kinds of  unprofessionals just to please myself。  I'd lick cops in dark streets  and car…conductors and cab…drivers and draymen whenever I could start  a row with 'em。  It didn't make any difference how big they were; or  how much science they had; I got away with 'em。  If I'd only just have  had the confidence in the ring that I had beating up the best men  outside of it; I'd be wearing black pearls and heliotrope silk socks  to…day。
  〃One evening I was walking along near the Bowery; thinking about  things; when along comes a slumming…party。  About six or seven they  was; all in swallowtails; and these silk hats that don't shine。  One  of the gang kind of shoves me off the sidewalk。  I hadn't had a scrap  in three days; and I just says; 'De…lighted!' and hits him back of the  ear。
  〃Well; we had it。  That Johnnie put up as decent a little fight as  you'd want to see in the moving pictures。  It was on a side street;  and no cops around。  The other guy had a lot of science; but it only  took me about six minutes to lay him out。
  〃Some of the swallowtails dragged him up against some steps and began  to fan him。  Another one of 'em comes over to me and says:
  〃'Young man; do you know what you've done?'
  〃'Oh; beat it;' says I。  'I've done nothing but a little punching…bag  work。  Take Freddy back to Yale and tell him to quit studying  sociology on the wrong side of the sidewalk。'
  〃'My good fellow;' says he; 'I don't know who you are; but I'd like  to。  You've knocked out Reddy Burns; the champion middle…weight of the  world!  He came to New York yesterday; to try to get a match on with  Jim Jeifries。  If you'
  〃But when I come out of my faint I was laying on the floor in a drug… store saturated with aromatic spirits of ammonia。  If I'd known that  was Reddy Burns; I'd have got down in the gutter and crawled past him  instead of handing him one like I did。  Why; if I'd ever been in a  ring and seen him climbing over the ropes; I'd have been all to the  sal volatile。
  〃So that's what imagination does;〃 concluded Mack。  〃And; as I said;  your case and mine is simultaneous。  You'll never win out。  You can't  go up against the professionals。  I tell you; it's a park bench for  yours in this romance business。〃
  Mack; the pessimist; laughed harshly。
  〃I'm afraid I don't see the parallel;〃 I said; coldly。  〃I have only a  very slight acquaintance with the prize…ring。〃
  The derelict touched my sleeve with his forefinger; for emphasis; as  he explained his parable。
  〃Every man;〃 said he; with some dignity; 〃has got his lamps on  something that looks good to him。  With you; it's this dame that  you're afraid to say your say to。  With me; it was to win out in the  ring。  Well; you'll lose just like I did。〃
  〃Why do you think I shall lose?〃 I asked warmly。
  〃'Cause;〃 said he; 〃you're afraid to go in the ring。  You dassen't  stand up before a professional。  Your case and mine is just the same。   You're a amateur; and that means that you'd better keep outside of the  ropes。〃
  〃Well; I must be going;〃 I said; rising and looking with elaborate  care at my watch。
  When I was twenty feet away the park…bencher called to me。
  〃Much obliged for the dollar;〃 he said。  〃And for the dime。  But  you'll never get 'er。  You're in the amateur class。〃
  〃Serves you right;〃 I said to myself; 〃for hobnobbing with a tramp。   His impudence!〃
  But; as I walked; his words seemed to repeat themselves over and over  again in my brain。  I think I even grew angry at the man。
  〃I'll show him!〃 I finally said; aloud。  〃I'll show him that I can  fight Reddy Burns; tooeven knowing who he is。〃
  I hurried to a telephone…booth and rang up the Telfair residence。
  A soft; sweet voice answered。  Didn't I know that voice?  My hand  holding the receiver shook。
  〃Is that you?〃 said I; employing the foolish words that form the  vocabulary of every talker through the telephone。
  〃Yes; this is I;〃 came back the answer in the low; clear…cut tones  that are an inheritance of the Telfairs。  〃Who is it; please?〃
  〃It's me;〃 said I; less ungrammatically than egotistically。  〃It's me;  and I've got a few things that I want to say to you right now and  immediately and straight to the point。〃
  〃Dear me;〃 said the voice。  〃Oh; it's you; Mr。  Arden!〃
  I wondered if any accent on the first word was intended; Mildred was  fine at saying things that you had to study out afterward。
  〃Yes;〃 said I。  〃I hope so。  And now to come down to brass tacks。〃  I  thought that rather a vernacularism; if there is such a word; as soon  as I had said it; but I didn't stop to apologize。  〃You know; of  course; that I love you; and that I have been in that idiotic state  for a long time。  I don't want any more foolish ness about itthat is; I mean I want an answer from you right now。   Will you marry me or not?  Hold the wire; please。  Keep out; Central。   Hello; hello!  Will you; or will you not。?〃
  That was just the uppercut for Reddy Burns' chin。  The answer came  back:
  〃Why; Phil; dear; of course I will!  I didn't know that youthat is;  you never saidoh; come up to the house; pleaseI can't say what I  want to over the 'phone。  You are so importunate。  But please come up  to the house; won't you?〃
  Would I?
  I rang the bell of the Telfair house violently。  Some sort of a human  came to the door and shooed me into the drawing…room。
  〃Oh; well;〃 said I to myself; looking at the ceiling; 〃any one can  learn from any one。  That was a pretty good philosophy of Mack's;  anyhow。  He didn't take advantage of his experience; but I get the  benefit of it。  If you want to get into the professional class; you've  got to〃
  I stopped thinking then。  Some one was coming down the stairs。  My  knees began to shake。  I knew then how Mack had felt when a  professional began to climb over the ropes。
  I looked around foolishly for a door or a window by which I might  escape。  If it had been any other girl approaching; I mightn't have But just then the door opened; and Bess; Mildred's younger sister;  came in。  I'd never seen her look so much like a glorified angel。  She  walked straight tip to me; andandI'd never noticed before what  perfectly wonderful eyes and hair Elizabeth Telfair had。
  〃Phil;〃 she said; in the Telfair; sweet; thrilling tones; 〃why didn't  you tell me about it before?  I thought it was sister you wanted all  the time; until you telephoned to me a few minutes ago!〃
  I suppose Mack and I alwa