第 44 节
作者:
恐龙王 更新:2021-02-21 15:31 字数:9322
Time; time! was called; but there he lay upon the ground apparently
senseless; and from thence he did not lift his head till several
seconds after the umpires had declared his adversary victor。
There were shouts; indeed there's never a lack of shouts to
celebrate a victory; however acquired; but there was also much
grinding of teeth; especially amongst the fighting men from town。
'Tom has sold us;' said they; 'sold us to the yokels; who would
have thought it?' Then there was fresh grinding of teeth; and
scowling brows were turned to the heaven; but what is this? is it
possible; does the heaven scowl too? why; only a quarter of an hour
ago 。 。 。 but what may not happen in a quarter of an hour? For
many weeks the weather had been of the most glorious description;
the eventful day; too; had dawned gloriously; and so it had
continued till some two hours after noon; the fight was then over;
and about that time I looked up … what a glorious sky of deep blue;
and what a big fierce sun swimming high above in the midst of that
blue; not a cloud … there had not been one for weeks … not a cloud
to be seen; only in the far west; just on the horizon; something
like the extremity of a black wing; that was only a quarter of an
hour ago; and now the whole northern side of the heaven is occupied
by a huge black cloud; and the sun is only occasionally seen amidst
masses of driving vapour; what a change! but another fight is at
hand; and the pugilists are clearing the outer ring; … how their
huge whips come crashing upon the heads of the yokels; blood flows;
more blood than in the fight; those blows are given with right
good…will; those are not sham blows; whether of whip or fist; it is
with fist that grim Shelton strikes down the big yokel; he is
always dangerous; grim Shelton; but now particularly so; for he has
lost ten pounds betted on the brave who sold himself to the yokels;
but the outer ring is cleared: and now the second fight commences;
it is between two champions of less renown than the others; but is
perhaps not the worse on that account。 A tall thin boy is fighting
in the ring with a man somewhat under the middle size; with a frame
of adamant; that's a gallant boy! he's a yokel; but he comes from
Brummagem; and he does credit to his extraction; but his adversary
has a frame of adamant: in what a strange light they fight; but
who can wonder; on looking at that frightful cloud usurping now
one…half of heaven; and at the sun struggling with sulphurous
vapour; the face of the boy; which is turned towards me; looks
horrible in that light; but he is a brave boy; he strikes his foe
on the forehead; and the report of the blow is like the sound of a
hammer against a rock; but there is a rush and a roar overhead; a
wild commotion; the tempest is beginning to break loose; there's
wind and dust; a crash; rain and hail; is it possible to fight
amidst such a commotion? yes! the fight goes on; again the boy
strikes the man full on the brow; but it is of no use striking that
man; his frame is of adamant。 'Boy; thy strength is beginning to
give way; and thou art becoming confused'; the man now goes to
work; amidst rain and hail。 'Boy; thou wilt not hold out ten
minutes longer against rain; hail; and the blows of such an
antagonist。'
And now the storm was at its height; the black thunder…cloud had
broken into many; which assumed the wildest shapes and the
strangest colours; some of them unspeakably glorious; the rain
poured in a deluge; and more than one waterspout was seen at no
great distance: an immense rabble is hurrying in one direction; a
multitude of men of all ranks; peers and yokels; prize…fighters and
Jews; and the last came to plunder; and are now plundering amidst
that wild confusion of hail and rain; men and horses; carts and
carriages。 But all hurry in one direction; through mud and mire;
there's a town only three miles distant; which is soon reached; and
soon filled; it will not contain one…third of that mighty rabble;
but there's another town farther on … the good old city is farther
on; only twelve miles; what's that! who will stay here? onward to
the old town。
Hurry…skurry; a mixed multitude of men and horses; carts and
carriages; all in the direction of the old town; and; in the midst
of all that mad throng; at a moment when the rain…gushes were
coming down with particular fury; and the artillery of the sky was
pealing as I had never heard it peal before; I felt some one seize
me by the arm … I turned round; and beheld Mr。 Petulengro。
'I can't hear you; Mr。 Petulengro;' said I; for the thunder drowned
the words which he appeared to be uttering。
'Dearginni;' I heard Mr。 Petulengro say; 'it thundreth。 I was
asking; brother; whether you believe in dukkeripens?'
'I do not; Mr。 Petulengro; but this is strange weather to be asking
me whether I believe in fortunes。'
'Grondinni;' said Mr。 Petulengro; 'it haileth。 I believe in
dukkeripens; brother。'
'And who has more right;' said I; 'seeing that you live by them?
But this tempest is truly horrible。'
'Dearginni; grondinni ta villaminni! It thundreth; it haileth; and
also flameth;' said Mr。 Petulengro。 'Look up there; brother!'
I looked up。 Connected with this tempest there was one feature to
which I have already alluded … the wonderful colours of the clouds。
Some were of vivid green; others of the brightest orange; others as
black as pitch。 The gypsy's finger was pointed to a particular
part of the sky。
'What do you see there; brother?'
'A strange kind of cloud。'
'What does it look like; brother?'
'Something like a stream of blood。'
'That cloud foreshoweth a bloody dukkeripen。'
'A bloody fortune!' said I。 'And whom may it betide?'
'Who knows!' said the gypsy。
Down the way; dashing and splashing; and scattering man; horse; and
cart to the left and right; came an open barouche; drawn by four
smoking steeds; with postilions in scarlet jackets and leather
skull…caps。 Two forms were conspicuous in it; that of the
successful bruiser; and of his friend and backer; the sporting
gentleman of my acquaintance。
'His!' said the gypsy; pointing to the latter; whose stern features
wore a smile of triumph; as; probably recognising me in the crowd;
he nodded in the direction of where I stood; as the barouche
hurried by。
There went the barouche; dashing through the rain…gushes; and in it
one whose boast it was that he was equal to 'either fortune。' Many
have heard of that man … many may be desirous of knowing yet more
of him。 I have nothing to do with that man's after life … he
fulfilled his dukkeripen。 'A bad; violent man!' Softly; friend;
when thou wouldst speak harshly of the dead; remember that thou
hast not yet fulfilled thy own dukkeripen!
CHAPTER XXVII
My father … Premature decay … The easy…chair … A few questions … So
you told me … A difficult language … They can it Haik … Misused
opportunities … Saul … Want of candour … Don't weep … Heaven
forgive me … Dated from Paris … I wish he were here … A father's
reminiscences … Farewell to vanities。
MY father; as I have already informed the reader; had been endowed
by nature with great corporeal strength; indeed; I have been
assured that; at the period of his prime; his figure had denoted
the possession of almost Herculean powers。 The strongest forms;
however; do not always endure the longest; the very excess of the
noble and generous juices which they contain being the cause of
their premature decay。 But; be that as it may; the health of my
father; some few years after his retirement from the service to the
quiet of domestic life; underwent a considerable change; his
constitution appeared to be breaking up; and he was subject to
severe attacks from various disorders; with which; till then; he
had been utterly unacquainted。 He was; however; wont to rally;
more or less; after his illnesses; and might still occasionally be
seen taking his walk; with his cane in his hand; and accompanied by
his dog; who sympathised entirely with him; pining as he pined;
improving as he improved; and never leaving the house save in his
company; and in this manner matters went on for a considerable
time; no very great apprehension with respect to my father's state
being raised either in my mother's breast or my own。 But; about
six months after the period at which I have arrived in my last
chapter; it came to pass that my father experienced a severer
attack than on any previous occasion。
He had the best medical advice; but it was easy to see; from the
looks of his doctors; that they entertained but slight hopes of his
recovery。 His sufferings were great; yet he invariably bore them
with unshaken fortitude。 There wa