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