CHAPTER XXIII. KIT'S DARING ACT.

 Kit¹'s acts thus far had been confined to the ring, but now a new one was expected from him. Early in the performance a series of flying leaps from a springboard, in which all the acrobats³ took part, was introduced. From a point thirty feet back the performer ran swiftly till he reached the springboard, from which a leap was made accompanied by a somersault, carrying him over a considerable space in advance.

 

It was the custom to place first one elephant, then[Pg 114] a second, and finally a third, in front of the springboard. There was only one man who could leap over three elephants. The two Vincenti brothers took part regularly, but Kit, being a new hand, had thus far been excused. But one of the regular performers being temporarily unwell, it was considered desirable that his place should be supplied.

 

"Do you think you can do it?" asked Alonzo Vincenti, somewhat doubtfully.

 

"Yes," answered Kit, confidently.

 

"It will be sufficient if you jump over one elephant," continued his associate. "Then you can drop out."

 

"I can do better than that," said Kit.

 

"I don't know about that. My brother can only jump over two."

 

"You jump over three elephants."

 

"Yes; but I am the only one who can do it. It takes a good spring to clear even two. It won't do to lose your head."

 

"Can I have a chance to rehearse?"

 

"Yes, I will speak about it."

 

"Then I will appear this evening."

 

"But if you fail you are likely to hurt yourself."

 

"I know that. That is why I would rather make the first trial in the evening. The lights and the crowd will excite and help me."

 

Kit was not foolhardy in his undertaking⁴, for he had already had some practice in similar feats⁶ with his old teacher. Besides, he was ambitious. In school his ambition had shown itself in his attempt to eclipse his schoolfellows in scholarship. In the gymnasium he had ranked first, and now that he had joined the circus he didn't like to be assigned to a place in the rear.[Pg 115]

 

Let me take the opportunity here to advise my young readers not to imitate Kit in essaying dangerous parts. "Be bold, but not too bold!" is a very good motto.

 

During the forenoon Kit found an opportunity to practice in the empty tent, in order to settle the question whether he had lost any of his old-time skill. The result was satisfactory, and renewed his confidence.

 

"I can do better before a tent full of spectators than when practicing by myself," he decided⁷.

 

The evening came.

 

Standing⁸ near the ticket seller half an hour before the show began, Kit heard his name called.

 

Turning quickly he saw his friends of the previous day, Mayor Grant and his daughter Evelyn.

 

"Good evening, my boy!" said the mayor cordially. "We have come to see what you can do."

 

"Then I hope I shall do myself credit," said Kit, shaking hands with the mayor and his daughter. "Have you engaged seats?"

 

"Not yet."

 

"Then let me select them for you."

 

"With pleasure. I am glad to have a friend at court."

 

Kit selected seats as near as possible to the ring where he was to perform.

 

"These are splendid seats," said Evelyn. "How soon do you appear?"

 

"In a few minutes. I shall have to leave you now, but I will be back after my first act."

 

"What a nice boy he is, papa!" said Evelyn.

 

"Yes; it is a pity he is attached to a circus."

 

"Why? Isn't it a respectable business?"

 

"Yes; but there are many temptations connected[Pg 116] with it, and most circus performers never rise any higher."

 

Evelyn was not inclined to discuss the question, though there is no doubt that she took a more favorable view of the circus profession than her father. The procession had just begun to move round the inner ring of the circus, including the elephants, the riders, the clowns, and performers of all kinds. Kit appeared, as in the public procession, driving a span of ponies⁹.

 

This was the introduction. Then the various parts of the programme succeeded. Soon Kit performed his act in the ring. He had a new act to-night. Standing on the shoulders of one of the Vincenti brothers, he turned a somersault and landed on the shoulders of the other, standing six to eight feet away.

 

"I don't see how he does it, papa," said Evelyn. "He must be very smart."

 

"I see you are determined¹⁰ to make a hero of this young man, Evelyn."

 

"Don't you admire him yourself, papa?"

 

"Admire is rather a strong word, daughter. I will admit, however, that I like him, and hope he will soon change his business."

 

After the act was over, Kit came round and received congratulations. Evelyn repeated what her father said.

 

"I agree with you, sir," said Kit, "I haven't selected this as my life business, but shall keep my engagement till the end of the season."

 

"How, on the whole, do you like your new associates? I don't need to be told that they are very different from those to whom you are accustomed."

 

"They are very kind to me, and generous to each other when there is need. They will divide their last dollar with a friend."[Pg 117]

 

"They often come to their last dollar, don't they?"

 

"Yes; they can't keep money. They are always in debt when the new season opens, no matter how much they brought home with them at the end of the last."

 

"Are there no exceptions?"

 

"Yes, a few. I have heard of one circus manager who commenced as a candy butcher, and now is proprietor¹¹ of a very fair-sized show. Of course he had to save up money or he would never have succeeded so well."

 

Kit had to cut short his visit, for the new act, already referred to, was near at hand.

 

In the list of leapers Kit came last. First of all, there was a simple somersault from the springboard. This was easy. Just after Kit came the clown, who, though really a clever acrobat², stopped short when he came to the board and merely jumped up and down to the amusement of the young spectators.

 

"He can't jump no more'n I can," said one small boy, contemptuously.

 

"I shouldn't think they'd let him try," said another.

 

Both boys were surprised when, in the next trial, where the task was to jump over an elephant, the despised clown made a good spring and landed fairly on his feet.

 

"I guess he was afraid before," said the first boy.

 

"No; he only pretended for fun. Do you see that boy? I wonder if he can jump over the elephant."

 

The question was soon answered. Kit took his turn and sprang with apparent ease over the great beast.

 

Next another elephant was driven in alongside of the first. Again the leapers advanced to try their[Pg 118] skill. But two held back, not feeling competent for the task. The clown once more made a feint of jumping, but only jumped up and retired¹² apparently¹³ filled with confusion.

 

Evelyn gazed in intense excitement.

 

"It must be awfully¹⁴ hard to jump like that, papa," she said.

 

"I don't think I shall ever try it, Evelyn."

 

Another elephant was driven alongside the other two, making three in all. The other contestants¹⁵ retired, for only Alonzo had succeeded hitherto in executing this difficult feat⁵. He expected to be the only one now, but noticed with surprise that Kit seemed ready to follow him.

 

"You don't mean to try it, Kit?" he said, in amazement¹⁶.

 

"Why not?"

 

"You will fail, and if you do, you may hurt yourself seriously."

 

"I shall not fail," said Kit, confidently.

 

Alonzo looked anxious, but there was no time to expostulate. He ran swiftly to the board, made a vigorous spring, and landed handsomely on the bedding which had been provided beyond. He had scarcely stepped aside, when, to the astonishment¹⁷ of the other acrobats, Kit gathered himself up, ran to the springboard, and exerting himself to the utmost, made his leap, and landed a foot ahead of Alonzo.

 

Then the tent rang with applause, and there were many exclamations¹⁸ of astonishment, not only among the spectators, but also among the circus performers.

 

Kit's face flushed with pleasure, and bowing his acknowledgments, he withdrew.

 

"He is certainly a wonderful boy," said the mayor.

1 kit   

n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物

参考例句：

• The kit consisted of about twenty cosmetic items.整套工具包括大约20种化妆用品。
• The captain wants to inspect your kit.船长想检查你的行装。

2 acrobat   

n.特技演员，杂技演员

参考例句：

• The acrobat balanced a long pole on his left shoulder.杂技演员让一根长杆在他的左肩上保持平衡。
• The acrobat could bend himself into a hoop.这个杂技演员可以把身体蜷曲成圆形。

3 acrobats   

n.杂技演员( acrobat的名词复数 )；立场观点善变的人，主张、政见等变化无常的人

参考例句：

• I was always fascinated by the acrobats at the circus. 我总是着迷于马戏团里的杂技演员。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The acrobats' performance drew forth applause from the audience. 杂技演员的表演博得了观众的掌声。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 undertaking   

n.保证，许诺，事业

参考例句：

• He gave her an undertaking that he would pay the money back with in a year.他向她做了一年内还钱的保证。
• He is too timid to venture upon an undertaking.他太胆小，不敢从事任何事业。

5 feat   

n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的

参考例句：

• Man's first landing on the moon was a feat of great daring.人类首次登月是一个勇敢的壮举。
• He received a medal for his heroic feat.他因其英雄业绩而获得一枚勋章。

6 feats   

功绩，伟业，技艺( feat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He used to astound his friends with feats of physical endurance. 过去，他表现出来的惊人耐力常让朋友们大吃一惊。
• His heroic feats made him a legend in his own time. 他的英雄业绩使他成了他那个时代的传奇人物。

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

8 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

9 ponies   

矮种马，小型马( pony的名词复数 )； ￡25 25 英镑

参考例句：

• They drove the ponies into a corral. 他们把矮种马赶进了畜栏。
• She has a mania for ponies. 她特别喜欢小马。

10 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

11 proprietor   

n.所有人；业主；经营者

参考例句：

• The proprietor was an old acquaintance of his.业主是他的一位旧相识。
• The proprietor of the corner grocery was a strange thing in my life.拐角杂货店店主是我生活中的一个怪物。

12 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

13 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

14 awfully   

adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地

参考例句：

• Agriculture was awfully neglected in the past.过去农业遭到严重忽视。
• I've been feeling awfully bad about it.对这我一直感到很难受。

15 contestants   

n.竞争者，参赛者( contestant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The competition attracted over 500 contestants representing 8 different countries. 这次比赛吸引了代表8个不同国家的500多名参赛者。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency. 两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 amazement   

n.惊奇，惊讶

参考例句：

• All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
• He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。

17 astonishment   

n.惊奇，惊异

参考例句：

• They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
• I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。

18 exclamations   

n.呼喊( exclamation的名词复数 )；感叹；感叹语；感叹词

参考例句：

• The visitors broke into exclamations of wonder when they saw the magnificent Great Wall. 看到雄伟的长城，游客们惊叹不已。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• After the will has been read out, angry exclamations aroused. 遗嘱宣读完之后，激起一片愤怒的喊声。 来自辞典例句