the night-born-第6部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



intelligence。　Furthermore；　this　bull　does　not　want　to　fight。

Behold；　he　runs　away。〃



It　was　not　a　good　bull；　for　again　it　ran　around　the　ring；

seeking　to　find　a　way　out。



〃Yet　these　bulls　are　sometimes　the　most　dangerous；〃　said　Luis

Cervallos。　〃It　can　never　be　known　what　they　will　do　next。　They

are　wise。　They　are　half　cow。　The　bull…fighters　never　like

them。See！　He　has　turned！〃



Once　again；　baffled　and　made　angry　by　the　walls　of　the　ring

that　would　not　let　him　out；　the　bull　was　attacking　his　enemies

valiantly。



〃His　tongue　is　hanging　out；〃　said　John　Harned。　〃First；　they

fill　him　with　water。　Then　they　tire　him　out；　one　man　and　then

another；　persuading　him　to　exhaust　himself　by　fighting　wind。

While　some　tire　him；　others　rest。　But　the　bull　they　never　let

rest。　Afterward；　when　he　is　quite　tired　and　no　longer　quick；

the　matador　sticks　the　sword　into　him。〃



The　time　had　now　come　for　the　banderillos。　Three　times　one　of

the　fighters　endeavored　to　place　the　darts；　and　three　times　did

he　fail。　He　but　stung　the　bull　and　maddened　it。　The　banderillos

must　go　in；　you　know；　two　at　a　time；　into　the　shoulders；　on

each　side　the　backbone　and　close　to　it。　If　but　one　be　placed；

it　is　a　failure。　The　crowd　hissed　and　called　for　Ordonez。　And

then　Ordonez　did　a　great　thing。　Four　times　he　stood　forth；　and

four　times；　at　the　first　attempt；　he　stuck　in　the　banderillos；

so　that　eight　of　them；　well　placed；　stood　out　of　the　back　of

the　bull　at　one　time。　The　crowd　went　mad；　and　a　rain　of　hats

and　money　fell　on　the　sand　of　the　ring



And　just　then　the　bull　charged　unexpectedly　one　of　the

capadors。　The　man　slipped　and　lost　his　head。　The　bull　caught

himfortunately；　between　his　wide　horns。　And　while　the

audience　watched；　breathless　and　silent；　John　Harned　stood　up

and　yelled　with　gladness。　Alone；　in　that　hush　of　all　of　us；

John　Harned　yelled。　And　he　yelled　for　the　bull。　As　you　see

yourself；　John　Harned　wanted　the　man　killed。　His　was　a　brutal

heart。　This　bad　conduct　made　those　angry　that　sat　in　the　box　of

General　Salazar；　and　they　cried　out　against　John　Harned。　And

Urcisino　Castillo　told　him　to　his　face　that　he　was　a　dog　of　a

Gringo　and　other　things。　Only　it　was　in　Spanish；　and　John

Harned　did　not　understand。　He　stood　and　yelled；　perhaps　for　the

time　of　ten　seconds；　when　the　bull　was　enticed　into　charging

the　other　capadors　and　the　man　arose　unhurt。



〃The　bull　has　no　chance；〃　John　Harned　said　with　sadness　as　he

sat　down。　〃The　man　was　uninjured。　They　fooled　the　bull　away

from　him。〃　Then　he　turned　to　Maria　Valenzuela　and　said：　〃I　beg

your　pardon。　I　was　excited。〃



She　smiled　and　in　reproof　tapped　his　arm　with　her　fan。



〃It　is　your　first　bull…fight；〃　she　said。　〃After　you　have　seen

more　you　will　not　cry　for　the　death　of　the　man。　You　Americans；

you　see；　are　more　brutal　than　we。　It　is　because　of　your

prize…fighting。　We　come　only　to　see　the　bull　killed。〃



〃But　I　would　the　bull　had　some　chance；〃　he　answered。

〃Doubtless；　in　time；　I　shall　cease　to　be　annoyed　by　the　men　who

take　advantage　of　the　bull。〃



The　bugles　blew　for　the　death　of　the　bull。　Ordonez　stood　forth

with　the　sword　and　the　scarlet　cloth。　But　the　bull　had　changed

again；　and　did　not　want　to　fight。　Ordonez　stamped　his　foot　in

the　sand；　and　cried　out；　and　waved　the　scarlet　cloth。　Then　the

bull　charged；　but　without　heart。　There　was　no　weight　to　the

charge。　It　was　a　poor　thrust。　The　sword　struck　a　bone　and　bent。

Ordonez　took　a　fresh　sword。　The　bull；　again　stung　to　fight；

charged　once　more。　Five　times　Ordonez　essayed　the　thrust；　and

each　time　the　sword　went　but　part　way　in　or　struck　bone。　The

sixth　time；　the　sword　went　in　to　the　hilt。　But　it　was　a　bad

thrust。　The　sword　missed　the　heart　and　stuck　out　half　a　yard

through　the　ribs　on　the　opposite　side。　The　audience　hissed　the

matador。　I　glanced　at　John　Harned。　He　sat　silent；　without

movement；　but　I　could　see　his　teeth　were　set；　and　his　hands

were　clenched　tight　on　the　railing　of　the　box。



All　fight　was　now　out　of　the　bull；　and；　though　it　was　no　vital

thrust；　he　trotted　lamely　what　of　the　sword　that　stuck　through

him；　in　one　side　and　out　the　other。　He　ran　away　from　the

matador　and　the　capadors；　and　circled　the　edge　of　the　ring；

looking　up　at　the　many　faces。



〃He　is　saying：　'For　God's　sake　let　me　out　of　this；　I　don't　want

to　fight；'〃　said　John　Harned。



That　was　all。　He　said　no　more；　but　sat　and　watched；　though

sometimes　he　looked　sideways　at　Maria　Valenzuela　to　see　how　she

took　it。　She　was　angry　with　the　matador。　He　was　awkward；　and

she　had　desired　a　clever　exhibition。



The　bull　was　now　very　tired；　and　weak　from　loss　of　blood；

though　far　from　dying。　He　walked　slowly　around　the　wall　of　the

ring；　seeking　a　way　out。　He　would　not　charge。　He　had　had

enough。　But　he　must　be　killed。　There　is　a　place；　in　the　neck　of

a　bull　behind　the　horns；　where　the　cord　of　the　spine　is

unprotected　and　where　a　short　stab　will　immediately　kill。

Ordonez　stepped　in　front　of　the　bull　and　lowered　his　scarlet

cloth　to　the　ground。　The　bull　would　not　charge。　He　stood　still

and　smelled　the　cloth；　lowering　his　head　to　do　so。　Ordonez

stabbed　between　the　horns　at　the　spot　in　the　neck。　The　bull

jerked　his　head　up。　The　stab　had　missed。　Then　the　bull　watched

the　sword。　When　Ordonez　moved　the　cloth　on　the　ground；　the　bull

forgot　the　sword　and　lowered　his　head　to　smell　the　cloth。　Again

Ordonez　stabbed；　and　again　he　failed。　He　tried　many　times。　It

was　stupid。　And　John　Harned　said　nothing。　At　last　a　stab　went

home；　and　the　bull　fell　to　the　sand；　dead　immediately；　and　the

mules　were　made　fast　and　he　was　dragged　out。



〃The　Gringos　say　it　is　a　cruel　sportno？〃　said　Luis　Cervallos。

〃That　it　is　not　humane。　That　it　is　bad　for　the　bull。　No？〃



〃No；〃　said　John　Harned。　〃The　bull　does　not　count　for　much。　It

is　bad　for　those　that　look　on。　It　is　degrading　to　those　that

look　on。　It　teaches　them　to　delight　in　animal　suffering。　It　is

cowardly　for　five　men　to　fight　one　stupid　bull。　Therefore　those

that　look　on　learn　to　be　cowards。　The　bull　dies；　but　those　that

look　on　live　and　the　lesson　is　learned。　The　bravery　of　men　is

not　nourished　by　scenes　of　cowardice。〃



Maria　Valenzuela　said　nothing。　Neither　did　she　look　at　him。　But

she　heard　every　word　and　her　cheeks　were　white　with　anger。　She

looked　out　across　the　ring　and　fanned　herself；　but　I　saw　that

her　hand　trembled。　Nor　did　John　Harned　look　at　her。　He　went　on

as　though　she　were　not　there。　He；　too；　was　angry；　coldly　angry。



〃It　is　the　cowardly　sport　of　a　cowardly　people；〃　he　said。



〃Ah；〃　said　Luis　Cervallos　softly；　〃you　think　you　understand

us。〃



〃I　understand　now　the　Spanish　Inquisition；〃　said　John　Harned。

〃It　must　have　been　more　delightful　than　bull…fighting。〃



Luis　Cervallos　smiled　but　said　nothing。　He　glanced　at　Maria

Valenzuela；　and　knew　that　the　bull…fight　in　the　box　was　won。

Never　would　she　have　further　to　do　with　the　Gringo　who　spoke

such　words。　But　neither　Luis　Cervallos　nor　I　was　prepared　for

the　outcome　of　the　day。　I　fear　we　do　not　understand　the

Gringos。　How　were　we　to　know　that　John　Harned；　who　was　so

coldly　angry；　should　go　suddenly　mad！　But　mad　he　did　go；　as　you

shall　see。　The　bull　did　not　count　for　muchhe　said　so　himself。

Then　why　should　the　horse　count　for　so　much？　That　I　cannot

understand。　The　mind　of　John　Harned　lacked　logic。　That　is　the

only　explanation。



〃It　is　not　usual　to　have　horses　in　the　bull…ring　at　Quito；〃

said　Luis　Cervallos；　looking　up　from　the　program。　〃In　Spain

they　always　have　them。　But　to…day；　by　special　permission　we

shall　have　them。　When　the　next　bull　comes　on　there　will　be

horses　and　picadors…you　know；　the　men　who　carry　lances　and　ride

the　horses。〃



〃The　bull　is　doomed　from　the　first；〃　said　John　Harned。　〃Are　the

horses　then　likewise　doomed！〃



〃They　are　blindfolded　so　that　they　may　not　see　the　bull；〃　said

Luis　Cervallos。　〃I　have　seen　many　horses　killed。　It　is　a　brave

sight。〃



〃I　have　seen　the　bull　slaughtered；〃　said　John　Harned　〃I　will

now　see　the　horse　slaughtered；　so　that　I　may　understand　more

fully　the　fine　points　of　this　noble　sport。〃



〃They　are　old　horses；〃　said　Luis　Cervallos；　〃that　are　not　good

for　anything　else。〃



〃I　see；〃　said　John　Harned。



The　third　bull　came　on；　and　soon　against　it　were　both　capadors

and　picadors。　One　picador　took　his　stand　directly　below　us。　I

agree；　it　was　a　thin　and　aged　horse　he　rode；　a　bag　of　bones

covered　with　mangy　hide。



〃It　is　a　marvel　that　the　poor　brute　can　hold　up　the　weight　of

the　rider；〃　said　John　Harned。　〃And　now　that　the　horse　fights

the　bull；　what　weapons　has　it？〃



〃The　horse　does　not　fight　the　bull；〃　said　Luis　Cervallos。



〃Oh；〃　said　John　Harned；　〃then　is　the　horse　there　to　be　gored？

That　must　be　why　it　is　blindfolded；　so　that　it　shall　not　see

the　bull　coming　to　gore　it。〃



〃Not　quite　so；〃　said　I。　〃The　lance　of　the　picador　is　to　keep

the　bull　from　goring　the　horse。〃



〃Then　are　horses　rarely　gored？〃　asked　John　Harned。



〃No；〃　said　Luis　Cervallos。　〃I　have　seen；　at　Seville；　eighteen

horses　killed　in　one　day；　and　the　people　clamored　for　more

horses。〃



〃Were　they　blindfolded　like　this　horse？〃　asked　John　Harned。



〃Yes；〃　said　Luis　Cervallos。



After　that　we　talked　no　more；　but　watched　the　fight。　And　John

Harned　was　going　mad　all　the　time；　and　we　did　not　know。　The

bull　refused　to　charge　the　horse。　And　the　horse　stood　still；

and　because　it　could　not　see　it　did　not　know　that　the　capadors

were　trying　to　make　the　bull　charge　upon　it。　The　capadors

teased　the　bull　their　capes；　and　when　it　charged　them　they　ran

toward　the　horse　and　into　their　shelters。　At　last　the　bull　was

angry；　and　it　saw　the　horse　before　it。



〃The　horse　does　not　know；　the　horse　does　not　know；〃　John　Harned

whispered　to　himself；　unaware　that　he　voiced　his　thought　aloud。



The　bull　charged；　and　of　course　the　horse　knew　nothing　till　the

picador