第 11 节
作者:希望之舟      更新:2021-02-20 15:44      字数:9321
  heard such a cry many times before during his twenty years in the sawdust
  ring; and; as he expressed it; the sound always gave him 〃crinkles up and
  down his spine。〃
  There was no need to start and look about for the cause。 He understood
  that there had been an accident。            But the clown looked straight ahead and
  went   on   with   his   work。     He   knew;   by   the   strains   of   the   music;   exactly
  what Zoraya should be doing at the moment when the cry camethat her
  supple body was flashing through the air in a 〃passing leap;〃 one of the
  feats    that   always     drew     such    great   applause;      even    if  it  were    more
  spectacular than dangerous。
  〃No;     it  can't  be   Zoraya!〃      he   muttered。     But     the   clown    cast   one
  nervous; hesitating glance up there where her troupe was working in the
  air。    The   cold   sweat   stood   out   upon   him。      Zoraya   was   not   with   them。
  His   eyes   sought   the net。      It   was   empty。    He   saw   a   figure   clad   in   pink;
  white and gold shooting right through the net。
  Then;   too;   he   saw   something   else。       A  slender;   pink…clad   figure   was
  darting under the net with outstretched arms。
  〃It's Phil。    He's going to catch her;〃 shouted Teddy jubilantly。
  But   Phil   went   down   under   the   impact   of   the   heavy   blow   as   Zoraya
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  struck   him。     A  throng   of   ring   attendants   gathered   about   them;   and   in   a
  moment the two forms were picked up and borne quickly from the ring。
  Once; years before; Shivers had been through an earthquake in South
  America;   when   things   about   him   were   topsy…turvy;   when   the   circus   tent
  came   tumbling   down   about   him;   and   ring   curbs   went   up   into   the   air   in
  most bewildering fashion。
  Now;     that  same    sensation    was   upon    him   again;   and   quarter   poles
  seemed   to   dance   before   his   eyes   like   giddy   marionettes;   while   the   long
  rows of blue seats appeared to be tilted up at a dangerous angle。                     Then
  slowly the clown's bewilderment merged into keen understanding; but his
  painted face reflected none of the anguish that was gripping at his heart
  strings。
  Teddy brushed a hand across his own eyes。
  〃II guess they're both killed;〃 he said falteringly。
  Just then the voice of the head clown broke out in the old Netherlands
  harvest song:
  〃Yanker      didel   doodle    down;                   Didel;    dudel    lanter;
  Yankee viver; voover vown;                     Botermilk und tanther。〃
  〃Poor  Zoraya!〃   muttered   the   clown under   cover  of   the  applause   that
  greeted     his  vocal   effort。   And     his  associates   looked    down     from   their
  perches high in the air; gazing in wonder upon the clown who was bowing
  so low that; each time he did so; he was obliged to turn a somersault to
  gain his equilibrium。
  〃Dangerously hurtwent through the net head first。               Hurry!〃 panted a
  belated clown; running by to his station。 〃Boy hurt; too。〃
  〃Told you so!〃 grumbled Teddy。
  But Shivers did not flinch; and; as he neared the reserved seats on the
  grandstand; his voice again rang out; this time in a variation of the ancient
  harvest song:
  〃Yankee      doodle;    keep   it  up;             Yankee      doodle;   dandy;
  Mind the music and the step;                   And with your feet be handy。〃
  Never had the show people seen Shivers so uproariously funny。 Under
  the spell of his merriment; the audience quickly forgot the tragic scene that
  they had just witnessed。
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  Teddy;   however;   noticed   little   dark   trenches   that   had   ploughed   their
  courses   down   through   the   makeup   of   the   clown's   cheeks   from   his   eyes。
  Teddy knew that tears had caused those furrows。
  As Shivers looked down the long; grassy stretch ahead of him; that he
  still must cover before his act would be finished; the goal seemed far away。
  He flashed   one longing glance   toward the   crimson   curtains that shut   off
  the view of the paddock and the dressing tents; vaguely wondering what
  lay beyond for him and for little Zoraya。             Then Shivers set his jaws hard;
  plunging into a mad whirl of handsprings and somersaults; each of which
  sent him nearer to the end of that seemingly endless way。
  〃Here; here; what are you trying to do?〃 gasped Tucker; unable to keep
  up with the clown's rapid progress by doing the same things。 Teddy solved
  the problem by running。          He could keep up in no other way。
  At last Shivers reached the end。          With a mighty leap he sprang for the
  paddock and the dressing tent。          And how he did run! Such sprinting never
  had   been   seen   in   the   big   show;   even   between   man   and   horse   in   the   act
  following the Roman chariot races。
  Once     a  rope   caught    Shivers'    toes。   He    fell  forward;    but   cleverly
  landed   on   his   shoulders   and   the   back   of   his   neck;   bouncing   up   like   a
  rubber man and plunging on。
  Shivers   had   darted   through   the   crimson   curtain   by   the   time   Teddy
  Tucker had succeeded in picking himself up from having fallen over the
  same rope。
  Stretched   out   on    a   piece   of  canvas   in   the  dressing   tent;   her  head
  slightly elevated on a saddle pad; they found Zoraya; her pallor showing
  even through the roughly laid on makeup。
  Phil was sitting on a trunk holding his head in his hands; for he had
  received quite a severe shock。
  〃If   she   regains   consciousness      soon    she   may    live;〃  announced      the
  surgeon。      〃If not〃
  〃No; no!〃 protested the white…faced clown; dropping on his knees by
  the side of the child; folding Zoraya tenderly in his arms。 〃She must not
  die!    She cannot die!〃
  His jaunty baker's cap tilted off and fell upon her tinseled breast; while
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  groups   of   curious;   sorrowful   painted   faces   pressed   about   them   in   silent
  sympathy。
  Teddy crushed his white cap between his hands twisting it nervously。
  〃She isn't hurt。      Can't you see?        Look; she is smiling now;〃 pleaded
  the clown。
  The   surgeon   shook   his   head   sadly;   and   Shivers   buried   his   head   on
  Zoraya's shoulder; pressing his painted cheek close to hers; while the dull
  roar of   the  circus; off under the  big top;  drifted to   them  faintly;  like  the
  sighing of a distant cataract。
  An impressive silence hovered over the scene; which was broken; at
  last; by the quiet voice of the circus surgeon。
  〃The   child   is   coming   back;   Shivers。     She   has   fought   it   out;   but   she
  will perform no more; I am afraid; for bones broken as are hers never will
  be quite the same again。〃
  〃She don't have to perform any more; sir;〃 snapped the clown。 〃I'll do
  that for her。     You put that down in your fool's cap and smoke it。                Yes; sir;
  I'll〃
  〃Daddy!〃 murmured the lips that were pressed close to Shivers' ear。
  It was scarcely a whisper; more a breath that Shivers caught; but faint
  as it was; it sent the blood pounding to his temples until they showed red;
  like blotches of rouge under powder。
  〃D…a…d…d…yy…o…u…rZory got an awfulb…u…m…p。〃
  Three   harlequins   who   had   been   poising   each   on   one   knee;   chins   in
  hands; gazing down into the face of the little performer; suddenly  threw
  backward somersaults in their joy。
  〃Yes; Phil's quickness saved you;〃 spoke up the surgeon。                   〃Had it not
  been for him you would be dead now。〃
  Teddy Tucker; the tears streaming down his cheeks; was hopping about
  on one foot; vigorously kicking a shin with the other foot; trying to punish
  himself for his tears。
  〃I'm    a  fool!    I'm    a  fool!    ButbutI     can't   help   it;〃  he  sobbed;
  wheeling suddenly and dashing into his own dressing tent。
  〃Call   for   Shivers!〃   bellowed   the   voice   of   the   callboy;   thrusting   his
  head inside the entrance flap。          〃All the Joeys out for the round off!〃
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