At four o’clock on the Saturday afternoon this hollow was thickly studded with Westonians, and all the best places taken. The masters usually took advantage of the half-holiday to go out somewhere for the afternoon, but still ordinary precautions to avoid observation had not been neglected. The boys did not repair to the appointed spot in large noisy bodies, but in small groups, quietly and unostentatiously. Some of them took their bats and balls out, and began playing at cricket, and then stole off to the rendezvous4, which was close to them. Saurin was first on the ground; he stood under the trees at the edge of the dell with Edwards and Stubbs, who acted as his seconds, trying to laugh and chat in an unconcerned manner, but he was pale, could hardly keep himself still in one position, and frequently glanced stealthily in the direction by which the other would come. Not to blink matters between the reader and myself, he was in a funk. Not exactly a blue funk, you know, but still he did not half like it, and wished he was well out of it.
Presently there was a murmur5, and a movement, and Crawley, with Robarts and Tom Buller on each side of him, and a knot of others following, appeared. Without saying a word both boys went down the sides of the dell to the circular space which had been carefully left for them at the bottom, took off their jackets, waistcoats, and braces6, and gave them to their seconds, who folded them up and laid them aside, tied pocket-handkerchiefs round their waists, turned up the bottoms of their trousers, and stepped into the middle of the arena.
“Won’t you offer to shake hands?” said Stubbs to Saurin. “I believe it is usual on such occasions.”
“Pooh!” replied Saurin, “that is in friendly encounters, to show there is no malice7. There is plenty of malice here, I can promise you.” He finished rolling up his shirt sleeves to the armpits as he spoke8, and walked to the middle of the ring, where Crawley confronted him. All were wrapped in breathless attention as the two put up their hands, and every note of a thrush singing in a tree hard by could be distinctly heard.
The two boys were just about the same height and age, but Crawley had a slightly longer reach in the arms, and was decidedly more “fit” and muscular. But, on the other hand, it was evident directly they put their hands up, that Saurin was the greatest adept10 at the business. The carriage of his head and body, and the way he worked his arm and foot together, showed this. He moved round his adversary11, advancing, retiring, feinting, watching for an opening. Crawley stood firm, with his eyes fixed12 on those of his antagonist13, merely turning sufficiently14 to face him. At length Saurin, judging his distance, sent out his left hand sharply, and caught Crawley on the right cheekbone. Crawley hit back in return, but beat the air; Saurin was away. Again Saurin came weaving in, and again he put a hit in without a return. The same thing happened a third, a fourth, and a fifth time, and then Crawley, stung by the blows, went at the other wildly, hitting right and left, but, over-reaching himself, lost his balance and rolled over. The lookers on were astonished; they had expected Saurin to be beaten from the first, and though Crawley was so popular, murmurs15 of applause were heard, such is the effect of success. Buller knelt on his left knee so that Crawley might sit on his right. In the same manner Saurin sat on Edwards’ knee. Saurin’s face had not been touched, while that of Crawley was flushed and bleeding.
“You will not be able to touch his face just yet,” said Buller. “Fight at his body and try to hit him in the wind. And never mind what I said yesterday about closing with him, we must risk his cross-buttock, and your superior strength may serve you.”
“Time! time!” cried the boys, and the antagonists16 jumped up from their seconds’ knees, and met again. Saurin had lost all his nervousness now; his superiority was evident, and he felt nothing but triumph and gratified malice. He did not stop to spar now, but directly he was within reach hit out with confidence. Crawley took the blow without flinching17 or attempting to parry it, and sent his right fist with all his strength into Saurin’s ribs19, just as Buller had directed him. Saurin recovered himself, and the round went on, Crawley being further mauled about the face, neck, and head, but getting a hit in now on the other’s body, now a round right-hander on his side or the small of his back. In the end they grappled, wrestled20, and rolled over together, and were then helped by their seconds to their respective corners. Saurin’s face was still untouched, but he puffed21 and panted for breath, and seemed to feel the effect of the body blows.
“That is capital,” said Buller to Crawley; “stick to that for the present, he will soon begin to tire.”
“Why, Buller, you seem to be quite up to this sort of thing!” said Robarts in surprise.
“My elder brother went in for the Queensbury cups, and is always talking about boxing and fighting: that’s how I know,” replied Buller quietly.
“And that is why you wished to be my second?” asked Crawley, who, though his face was a pitiable object, was perfectly22 cool and self-possessed, and not a bit blown or tired.
“Yes,” replied Buller; and “Time!” was again called.
The mass of the spectators looked upon the fight as won by Saurin already, and all the cheering was for him now. This opinion was further strengthened presently, for Crawley, seeing his antagonist panting, thought that at last he might get on equal terms with him, and rushed in to fight at close quarters, but he was met by a straight blow from Saurin’s left fist right between the eyes, which knocked him fairly down on the broad of his back, where he lay quite dazed for a moment, till Robarts and Buller assisted him to his corner. The cheering and the cries of “Bravo, Saurin!” “Well hit, Saurin!” were loud and long; many thought that Crawley would not come up again. But though puffed about both eyes, and with a considerably23 swollen24 nose, Crawley was soon all right again, and as lively as when he began.
“If I only could mark him!” he said to his seconds. “It is so absurd to see him with his face untouched.”
“Wait a bit,” replied Buller. “Keep on pegging25 at his body and wrestling; I’ll tell you when to go for his face. He is getting weaker for all that hit last round.”
This was true, for Saurin’s blows, though they got home, had no longer the force they had at first. In one round, after a severe struggle, he threw Crawley heavily, but the exertion26 told more upon himself than upon the one thrown. And he began to flinch18 from the body blows, and keep his hands down. Loafing, beer-drinking, and smoking began to tell their tale, in fact, and at last Buller said, “Now you may try to give him one or two in the face.”
They had been at it nearly half an hour, and Crawley, who had been taking hard exercise daily and leading a healthy temperate27 life, was as strong as when he first took his jacket off. He could hardly see out of his right eye, and his face and neck were so bruised28 and tender that every fresh blow he received gave him exquisite29 pain. But his wits were quite clear, he had not lost his temper, and when down, in a few minutes he was ready to stand up again. He easily warded30 off a nerveless blow of his antagonist, returned it with one from his left hand on the body, and then sent his right fist for the first time straight into Saurin’s face. Saurin got confused and turned half round; Crawley following up his advantage, followed him up step by step round the ring, and at last fairly fought him down amidst cheers from the boys, the tide of popularity turning in his favour again.
“You have marked him now, and no mistake,” said Buller to Crawley as he sat on his knee. And there could be no doubt about that. The revulsion of feeling Saurin had gone through was great. After establishing his superiority, and feeling confident of an easy victory, to find his adversary refuse so persistently31 to know when he was beaten! To see him come up time after time to take more hammering without flinching was like a nightmare. And he felt his own strength going from the sheer exertion of hitting; and when he knocked Crawley down he hurt his left hand, which it was painful to strike with afterwards. Again, the body blows he received and thought little of at first began to make him feel queer, and now, when the other took a decided9 lead, he lost his head and got wild. For he was not thoroughly32 “game:” he had not got that stubborn, somewhat sullen33 spirit of endurance which used to be so great a characteristic of the English, and we will hope is not extinct yet, for it would be sad indeed to think that it had passed away. A brilliant act of daring with plenty of spectators and high hope of success is one thing; but to stand at bay when all chance seems gone, determined34 to die hard and never give in, is quite another. I like to see a fellow spurting35 when he is distanced; catching36 his horse, remounting, and going in pursuit after a bad fall; going back to his books and reading harder than ever for another try directly the list has come out without his name in it—never beaten, in short, until the last remotest chance is over. That is the spirit which won at Agincourt, at Waterloo, at Meeanee, at Dubba, at Lucknow, at Rorke’s Drift. It was this that Saurin was deficient37 in, and that would have now stood him in such stead. Edwards was not the one to infuse any of it into him, for he was as much dismayed by the effects of the last round as his friend himself. Stubbs, indeed, tried to cheer him, inciting38 him to pull himself together, spar for wind, and look out for a chance with his sound right hand, but he was not a youth to carry influence with him.
In the next round Crawley closed with his adversary, who, when he at last struggled loose, rolled ignominiously39 over on the ground, and in point of beauty there was nothing to choose now between the visages of the two combatants.
“I—I can’t fight any more,” said Saurin, as he was held up on Edwards’ knee, to which he had been dragged with some difficulty.
“Oh! have another go at him,” urged Stubbs; “he is as bad as you are, and you will be all right presently if you keep away a bit, and get down the first blow. Just get your wind, and science must tell.”
“But I’m so giddy, I—I can’t stand,” said Saurin.
“Time!” was called, and Crawley sprang off his second’s knee as strong as possible, but he stood in the middle of the ring alone.
“It’s no good; he can’t stand,” cried Edwards. And then a tremendous cheering broke out, and everybody pressed forward to congratulate Crawley and pat him on the back. But he made his way over to Saurin, and offered to shake hands.
“It all luck,” he said. “You are better at this game than I am, and you would have licked me if you had not hurt your left hand. And look here, I had no right to speak as I did. And—and if you thought I wanted to get you out of the eleven you were mistaken.”
Saurin was too dazed to feel spiteful just then; he had a vague idea that Crawley wanted to shake hands, and that it would be “bad form” to hold back, so he put his right hand out and murmured something indistinctly.
“Stand back, you fellows,” said Crawley, “he is fainting. Give him a chance of a breath of air.”
And indeed Saurin had to be carried up out of the dell, laid on his back under the trees, and have water dashed in his face, before he could put on his jacket and waistcoat and walk back to his tutor’s house. And when he arrived there he was in such pain in the side that he had to go to bed. Crawley himself was a sorry sight for a victor. But his discomforts40 were purely41 local, and he did not feel ill at all; on the contrary, he was remarkably42 hungry. Buller was with him when he washed and changed his shirt, for he had been applying a cold key to the back of his neck to stop the nose-bleeding, and now remained, like a conscientious43 second, lest it should break out again.
“I say, Buller,” said Crawley suddenly, “you never go to Slam’s, I hope?”
“Not I.”
“Then how do you know such a lot about prize-fighting?”
“I told Robarts; my elder brother is very fond of everything connected with sparring, and has got a lot of reports of matches, and I have read all the prize-fights that ever were, I think. I used to take great interest in them, and thought I might remember something which would come in useful. There is a great sameness in these things, you know, and the principles are simple.”
“I am sure I am much obliged to you for offering to be my second; I should have been licked but for you.”
“I don’t know that. I think you would have thought of fighting at his wind when you could not reach his face for yourself, and tired him out anyhow. But if I have been useful I am glad. You took pains to try my bowling44 when most fellows would have laughed at the idea; and there is the honour of the house too. What I feared was that you would not follow what I said, but persist in trying to bore in.”
“Why,” replied Crawley, laughing, “Saurin backed up your advice with such very forcible and painful examples of the common sense of it, that I should have been very pig-headed not to catch your meaning. But what rot it all is!” he added, looking in the glass. “A pretty figure I shall look at Scarborough, with my face all the colours of the prism, like a disreputable damaged rainbow!”
“There are three weeks yet to the holidays; you will be getting all right again by then,” said Buller.
“I doubt it; it does not feel like it now, at all events,” replied Crawley; and when supper-time came he was still more sceptical of a very speedy restoration to his ordinary comfortable condition. It was an absurd plight45 to be in; he felt very hungry, and there was the food; the difficulty was to eat it. It hurt his lips to put it in his mouth—salt was out of the question—and it hurt his jaws46 to masticate47 it, and it hurt his throat to swallow it. But he got it down somehow, and then came prayers, conducted as usual every evening by Dr Jolliffe, who, when the boys filed out afterwards, told him to remain.
“By a process of elimination48 I, recognising all the other boys in my house, have come to the conclusion that you are Crawley,” said the doctor solemnly.
“Yes, sir,” replied Crawley.
“Quantum mutatus ab illo! I should not have recognised you. Circumstantial evidence seems to establish the fact that you have engaged in a pugilistic encounter.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And with whom?”
“I beg your pardon, sir; I hope that you will not insist on my telling. It was my fault; we had a dispute, and I spoke very provokingly.”
“Your mention of his name would not make much difference, if you were as busy with your fists as he seems to have been. But I am disappointed in you, Crawley; it vexes49 me that a boy of your age and standing50 in the school, and whose proficiency51 in athletic52 sports gives you a certain influence, should brawl53 and fight like this.”
“It vexes me too, sir, I assure you.”
“You should have thought of that before.”
“So I did, sir, and also of the figure I should cut when I went home.”
“Well, certainly,” said the doctor, unable to help smiling, “I do not advise you to have your photograph taken just at present. But you know,” he added, forcing himself to look grave again, “I cannot overlook fighting, which is a very serious offence. You must write a Greek theme of not less than two pages of foolscap, on the Blessings54 of Peace, and bring it me on Tuesday. And apply a piece of raw meat, which I will send up to your room, to your right eye.”
Crawley ran up-stairs rejoicing, for he had got off easier than he expected, and the application of raw meat gave him great relief, so that next day the swellings had very much subsided55, though his eyes were blood-shot, and his whole face discoloured. But Saurin did not come round so soon: there were symptoms of inflammation which affected56 his breathing, and induced his tutor, Mr Cookson, to send for the doctor, who kept his patient in bed for two days. He soon got all right again in body, but not in mind, for he felt thoroughly humiliated57. This was unnecessary, for it was agreed on all sides that he had made a first-rate fight of it, and he decidedly rose in the estimation of his school-fellows. But Saurin’s vanity was sensitive to a morbid58 degree, and he brooded over his defeat. A fight between two healthy-minded boys generally results in a close friendship, and Crawley made several overtures59 to his late antagonist; but as they were evidently not welcome, he soon desisted, for after all Saurin was not one of “his sort.” And the term, as it is the fashion now to call a “half,” came to an end, and though his wounds were healed, and his features restored to their original shape, Crawley had to go to Scarborough like one of Gibson’s statues, tinted60.
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1
arena
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| n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台 | |
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enumerate
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| v.列举，计算，枚举，数 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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rendezvous
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| n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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6
braces
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| n.吊带，背带；托架( brace的名词复数 )；箍子；括弧；（儿童）牙箍v.支住( brace的第三人称单数 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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7
malice
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| n.恶意，怨恨，蓄意；[律]预谋 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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adept
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| adj.老练的，精通的 | |
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adversary
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| adj.敌手，对手 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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antagonist
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| n.敌人，对抗者，对手 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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murmurs
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| n.低沉、连续而不清的声音( murmur的名词复数 )；低语声；怨言；嘀咕 | |
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antagonists
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| 对立[对抗] 者，对手，敌手( antagonist的名词复数 )； 对抗肌； 对抗药 | |
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17
flinching
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| v.（因危险和痛苦）退缩，畏惧( flinch的现在分词 ) | |
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18
flinch
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| v.畏缩，退缩 | |
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ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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20
wrestled
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| v.（与某人）搏斗( wrestle的过去式和过去分词 )；扭成一团；扭打；（与…）摔跤 | |
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21
puffed
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| adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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22
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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24
swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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25
pegging
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| n.外汇钉住，固定证券价格v.用夹子或钉子固定( peg的现在分词 )；使固定在某水平 | |
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exertion
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| n.尽力，努力 | |
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temperate
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| adj.温和的，温带的，自我克制的，不过分的 | |
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bruised
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| [医]青肿的，瘀紫的 | |
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exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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warded
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| 有锁孔的，有钥匙榫槽的 | |
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persistently
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| ad.坚持地；固执地 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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spurting
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| （液体，火焰等）喷出，（使）涌出( spurt的现在分词 )； （短暂地）加速前进，冲刺； 溅射 | |
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36
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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37
deficient
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| adj.不足的，不充份的，有缺陷的 | |
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38
inciting
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| 刺激的，煽动的 | |
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ignominiously
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| adv.耻辱地，屈辱地，丢脸地 | |
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40
discomforts
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| n.不舒适( discomfort的名词复数 )；不愉快，苦恼 | |
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41
purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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42
remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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43
conscientious
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| adj.审慎正直的，认真的，本着良心的 | |
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44
bowling
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| n.保龄球运动 | |
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45
plight
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| n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定 | |
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46
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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47
masticate
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| v.咀嚼 | |
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48
elimination
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| n.排除，消除，消灭 | |
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49
vexes
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| v.使烦恼( vex的第三人称单数 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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50
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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51
proficiency
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| n.精通，熟练，精练 | |
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52
athletic
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| adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的 | |
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53
brawl
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| n.大声争吵，喧嚷；v.吵架，对骂 | |
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54
blessings
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| n.（上帝的）祝福( blessing的名词复数 )；好事；福分；因祸得福 | |
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55
subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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56
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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57
humiliated
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| 感到羞愧的 | |
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58
morbid
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| adj.病的；致病的；病态的；可怕的 | |
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59
overtures
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| n.主动的表示，提议；（向某人做出的）友好表示、姿态或提议( overture的名词复数 )；（歌剧、芭蕾舞、音乐剧等的）序曲，前奏曲 | |
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tinted
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| adj. 带色彩的 动词tint的过去式和过去分词 | |
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