the night-born-第30部分
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Danny to be the winner； nevertheless the y had put their money
on the Mexican at four to ten and one to three。 More than a
trifle was up on the point of how many rounds Rivera could
last。 Wild money had appeared at the ringside proclaiming that
he could not last seven rounds； or even six。 The winners of
this； now that their cash risk was happily settled； had joined
in cheering on the favorite。
Rivera refused to be licked。 Through the eighth round his
opponent strove vainly to repeat the uppercut。 In the ninth；
Rivera stunned the house again。 In the midst of a clinch he
broke the lock with a quick； lithe movement； and in the narrow
space between their bodies his right lifted from the waist。
Danny went to the floor and took the safety of the count。 The
crowd was appalled。 He was being bested at his own game。 His
famous right…uppercut had been worked back on him。 Rivera made
no attempt to catch him as he arose at 〃nine。〃 The referee was
openly blocking that play； though he stood clear when the
situation was reversed and it was Rivera who desired to rise。
Twice in the tenth； Rivera put through the right…uppercut；
lifted from waist to opponent's chin。 Danny grew desperate。 The
smile never left his face； but he went back to his man…eating
rushes。 Whirlwind as he would； be could not damage Rivera；
while Rivera through the blur and whirl； dropped him to the mat
three times in succession。 Danny did not recuperate so quickly
now； and by the eleventh round he was in a serious way。 But
from then till the fourteenth he put up the gamest exhibition
of his career。 He stalled and blocked； fought parsimoniously；
and strove to gather strength。 Also； he fought as foully as a
successful fighter knows how。 Every trick and device he
employed； butting in the clinches with the seeming of accident；
pinioning Rivera's glove between arm and body； heeling his
glove on Rivera's mouth to clog his breathing。 Often； in the
clinches； through his cut and smiling lips he snarled insults
unspeakable and vile in Rivera's ear。 Everybody； from the
referee to the house； was with Danny and was helping Danny。 And
they knew what he had in mind。 Bested by this surprise…box of
an unknown； he was pinning all on a single punch。 He offered
himself for punishment； fished； and feinted； and drew； for that
one opening that would enable him to whip a blow through with
all his strength and turn the tide。 As another and greater
fighter had done before him； he might do a right and left； to
solar plexus and across the jaw。 He could do it； for he was
noted for the strength of punch that remained in his arms as
long as he could keep his feet。
Rivera's seconds were not half…caring for him in the intervals
between rounds。 Their towels made a showing； but drove little
air into his panting lungs。 Spider Hagerty talked advice to
him； but Rivera knew it was wrong advice。 Everybody was against
him。 He was surrounded by treachery。 In the fourteenth round he
put Danny down again； and himself stood resting； hands dropped
at side； while the referee counted。 In the other corner Rivera
had been noting suspicious whisperings。 He saw Michael Kelly
make his way to Roberts and bend and whisper。 Rivera's ears
were a cat's； desert…trained； and he caught snatches of what
was said。 He wanted to hear more； and when his opponent arose
he maneuvered the fight into a clinch over against the ropes。
〃Got to；〃 he could hear Michael； while Roberts nodded。 〃Danny's
got to winI stand to lose a mintI've got a ton of money
coveredmy own。 If he lasts the fifteenth I'm bustthe boy'll
mind you。 Put something across。〃
And thereafter Rivera saw no more visions。 They were trying to
job him。 Once again he dropped Danny and stood resting； his
hands at his slide。 Roberts stood up。
〃That settled him；〃 he said。
〃Go to your corner。〃
He spoke with authority； as he had often spoken to Rivera at
the training quarters。 But Rivera looked hatred at him and
waited for Danny to rise。 Back in his corner in the minute
interval； Kelly； the promoter； came and talked to Rivera。
〃Throw it； damn you；〃 he rasped in； a harsh low voice。 〃You
gotta lay down； Rivera。 Stick with me and I'll make your
future。 I'll let you lick Danny next time。 But here's where you
lay down。〃
Rivera showed with his eyes that he heard； but he made neither
sign of assent nor dissent。
〃Why don't you speak？〃 Kelly demanded angrily。
〃You lose； anyway；〃 Spider Hagerty supplemented。 〃The
referee'll take it away from you。 Listen to Kelly； and lay
down。〃
〃Lay down； kid；〃 Kelly pleaded； 〃and I'll help you to the
championship。〃
Rivera did not answer。
〃I will； so help me； kid。〃
At the strike of the gong Rivera sensed something impending。
The house did not。 Whatever it was it was there inside the ring
with him and very close。 Danny's earlier surety seemed returned
to him。 The confidence of his advance frightened Rivera。 Some
trick was about to be worked。 Danny rushed； but Rivera refused
the encounter。 He side…stepped away into safety。 What the other
wanted was a clinch。 It was in some way necessary to the trick。
Rivera backed and circled away； yet he knew； sooner or later；
the clinch and the trick would come。 Desperately he resolved to
draw it。 He made as if to effect the clinch with Danny's next
rush。 Instead； at the last instant； just as their bodies should
have come together； Rivera darted nimbly back。 And in the same
instant Danny's corner raised a cry of foul。 Rivera had fooled
them。 The referee paused irresolutely。 The decision that
trembled on his lips was never uttered； for a shrill； boy's
voice from the gallery piped； 〃Raw work！〃
Danny cursed Rivera openly； and forced him； while Rivera danced
away。 Also； Rivera made up his mind to strike no more blows at
the body。 In this he threw away half his chance of winning； but
he knew if he was to win at all it was with the outfighting
that remained to him。 Given the least opportunity； they would
lie a foul on him。 Danny threw all caution to the winds。 For
two rounds he tore after and into the boy who dared not meet
him at close quarters。 Rivera was struck again and again； he
took blows by the dozens to avoid the perilous clinch。 During
this supreme final rally of Danny's the audience rose to its
feet and went mad。 It did not understand。 All it could see was
that its favorite was winning； after all。
〃Why don't you fight？〃 it demanded wrathfully of Rivera。
〃You're yellow！ You're yellow！〃 〃Open up； you cur！ Open up！〃
〃Kill'm； Danny！ Kill 'm！〃 〃You sure got 'm！ Kill 'm！〃
In all the house； bar none； Rivera was the only cold man。 By
temperament and blood he was the hottest…passioned there； but
he had gone through such vastly greater heats that this
collective passion of ten thousand throats； rising surge on
surge； was to his brain no more than the velvet cool of a
summer twilight。
Into the seventeenth round Danny carried his rally。 Rivera；
under a heavy blow； drooped and sagged。 His hands dropped
helplessly as he reeled backward。 Danny thought it was his
chance。 The boy was at； his mercy。 Thus Rivera； feigning；
caught him off his guard； lashing out a clean drive to the
mouth。 Danny went down。 When he arose； Rivera felled him with a
down…chop of the right on neck and jaw。 Three times he repeated
this。 It was impossible for any referee to call these blows
foul。
〃Oh； Bill！ Bill！〃 Kelly pleaded to the referee。
〃I can't；〃 that official lamented back。 〃He won't give me a
chance。〃
Danny； battered and heroic； still kept coming up。 Kelly and
others near to the ring began to cry out to the police to stop
it； though Danny's corner refused to throw in the towel。 Rivera
saw the fat police captain starting awkwardly to climb through
the ropes； and was not sure what it meant。 There were so many
ways of cheating in this game of the Gringos。 Danny； on his
feet； tottered groggily and helplessly before him。 The referee
and the captain were both reaching for Rivera when he struck
the last blow。 There was no need to stop the fight； for Danny
did not rise。
〃Count！〃 Rivera cried hoarsely to the referee。
And when the count was finished； Danny's seconds gathered him
up and carried him to his corner。
〃Who wins？〃 Rivera demanded。
Reluctantly； the referee caught his gloved hand and held it
aloft。
There were no congratulations for Rivera。 He walked to his
corner unattended； where his seconds had not yet placed his
stool。 He leaned backward on the ropes and looked his hatred at
them； swept it on and about him till the whole ten thousand
Gringos were included。 His knees trembled under him； and he was
sobbing from exhaustion。 Before his eyes the hated faces swayed
back and forth in the giddiness of nausea。 Then he remembered
they were the guns。 The guns were his。 The Revolution could go
on。
End
