the game-第4部分

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he　had　ringed　her　wrist；　he　should　desire　to　contract　that　ring　till

it　crushed；　was　beyond　him。　　He　could　not　understand；　and　felt　that

he　was　discovering　depths　of　brutality　in　his　nature　of　which　he　had

never　dreamed。



Once；　on　parting；　he　threw　his　arms　around　her　and　swiftly　drew　her

against　him。　　Her　gasping　cry　of　surprise　and　pain　brought　him　to

his　senses　and　left　him　there　very　much　embarrassed　and　still

trembling　with　a　vague　and　nameless　delight。　　And　she；　too；　was

trembling。　　In　the　hurt　itself；　which　was　the　essence　of　the

vigorous　embrace；　she　had　found　delight；　and　again　she　knew　sin；

though　she　knew　not　its　nature　nor　why　it　should　be　sin。



Came　the　day；　very　early　in　their　walking　out；　when　Silverstein

chanced　upon　Joe　in　his　store　and　stared　at　him　with　saucer…eyes。

Came　likewise　the　scene；　after　Joe　had　departed；　when　the　maternal

feelings　of　Mrs。　Silverstein　found　vent　in　a　diatribe　against　all

prize…fighters　and　against　Joe　Fleming　in　particular。　　Vainly　had

Silverstein　striven　to　stay　the　spouse's　wrath。　　There　was　need　for

her　wrath。　　All　the　maternal　feelings　were　hers　but　none　of　the

maternal　rights。



Genevieve　was　aware　only　of　the　diatribe；　she　knew　a　flood　of　abuse

was　pouring　from　the　lips　of　the　Jewess；　but　she　was　too　stunned　to

hear　the　details　of　the　abuse。　　Joe；　her　Joe；　was　Joe　Fleming　the

prize…fighter。　　It　was　abhorrent；　impossible；　too　grotesque　to　be

believable。　　Her　clear…eyed；　girl…cheeked　Joe　might　be　anything　but

a　prize…fighter。　　She　had　never　seen　one；　but　he　in　no　way　resembled

her　conception　of　what　a　prize…fighter　must　bethe　human　brute　with

tiger　eyes　and　a　streak　for　a　forehead。　　Of　course　she　had　heard　of

Joe　Flemingwho　in　West　Oakland　had　not？but　that　there　should　be

anything　more　than　a　coincidence　of　names　had　never　crossed　her

mind。



She　came　out　of　her　daze　to　hear　Mrs。　Silverstein's　hysterical

sneer；　〃keepin'　company　vit　a　bruiser。〃　　Next；　Silverstein　and　his

wife　fell　to　differing　on　〃noted〃　and　〃notorious〃　as　applicable　to

her　lover。



〃But　he　iss　a　good　boy；〃　Silverstein　was　contending。　　〃He　make　der

money；　an'　he　safe　der　money。〃



〃You　tell　me　dat！〃　Mrs。　Silverstein　screamed。　　〃Vat　you　know？　　You

know　too　much。　　You　spend　good　money　on　der　prize…fighters。　　How　you

know？　　Tell　me　dat！　　How　you　know？〃



〃I　know　vat　I　know；〃　Silverstein　held　on　sturdilya　thing　Genevieve

had　never　before　seen　him　do　when　his　wife　was　in　her　tantrums。

〃His　fader　die；　he　go　to　work　in　Hansen's　sail…loft。　　He　haf　six

brudders　an'　sisters　younger　as　he　iss。　　He　iss　der　liddle　fader。

He　vork　hard；　all　der　time。　　He　buy　der　pread　an'　der　meat；　an'　pay

der　rent。　　On　Saturday　night　he　bring　home　ten　dollar。　　Den　Hansen

gif　him　twelve　dollarvat　he　do？　　He　iss　der　liddle　fader；　he　bring

it　home　to　der　mudder。　　He　vork　all　der　time；　he　get　twenty　dollar

vat　he　do？　　He　bring　it　home。　　Der　liddle　brudders　an'　sisters　go　to

school；　vear　good　clothes；　haf　better　pread　an'　meat；　der　mudder　lif

fat；　dere　iss　joy　in　der　eye；　an'　she　iss　proud　of　her　good　boy　Joe。



〃But　he　haf　der　beautiful　bodyach；　Gott；　der　beautiful　body！

stronger　as　der　ox；　k…vicker　as　der　tiger…cat；　der　head　cooler　as

der　ice…box；　der　eyes　vat　see　eferytings；　k…vick；　just　like　dat。　　He

put　on　der　gloves　vit　der　boys　at　Hansen's　loft；　he　put　on　der

gloves　vit　de　boys　at　der　varehouse。　　He　go　before　der　club；　he

knock　out　der　Spider；　k…vick；　one　punch；　just　like　dat；　der　first

time。　　Der　purse　iss　five　dollarvat　he　do？　　He　bring　it　home　to

der　mudder。



〃He　go　many　times　before　der　clubs；　he　get　many　pursesten　dollar；

fifty　dollar；　one　hundred　dollar。　　Vat　he　do？　　Tell　me　dat！　　Quit

der　job　at　Hansen's？　　Haf　der　good　time　vit　der　boys？　　No；　no；　he

iss　der　good　boy。　　He　vork　efery　day。　　He　fight　at　night　before　der

clubs。　　He　say；　'Vat　for　I　pay　der　rent；　Silverstein？'to　me；

Silverstein；　he　say　dat。　　Nefer　mind　vat　I　say；　but　he　buy　der　good

house　for　der　mudder。　　All　der　time　he　vork　at　Hansen's　and　fight

before　der　clubs　to　pay　for　der　house。　　He　buy　der　piano　for　der

sisters；　der　carpets；　der　pictures　on　der　vall。　　An'　he　iss　all　der

time　straight。　　He　bet　on　himselfdat　iss　der　good　sign。　　Ven　der

man　bets　on　himself　dat　is　der　time　you　bet　too〃



Here　Mrs。　Silverstein　groaned　her　horror　of　gambling；　and　her

husband；　aware　that　his　eloquence　had　betrayed　him；　collapsed　into

voluble　assurances　that　he　was　ahead　of　the　game。　　〃An'　all　because

of　Joe　Fleming；〃　he　concluded。　　〃I　back　him　efery　time　to　vin。〃



But　Genevieve　and　Joe　were　preeminently　mated；　and　nothing；　not　even

this　terrible　discovery；　could　keep　them　apart。　　In　vain　Genevieve

tried　to　steel　herself　against　him；　but　she　fought　herself；　not　him。

To　her　surprise　she　discovered　a　thousand　excuses　for　him；　found　him

lovable　as　ever；　and　she　entered　into　his　life　to　be　his　destiny；

and　to　control　him　after　the　way　of　women。　　She　saw　his　future　and

hers　through　glowing　vistas　of　reform；　and　her　first　great　deed　was

when　she　wrung　from　him　his　promise　to　cease　fighting。



And　he；　after　the　way　of　men；　pursuing　the　dream　of　love　and

striving　for　possession　of　the　precious　and　deathless　object　of

desire；　had　yielded。　　And　yet；　in　the　very　moment　of　promising　her；

he　knew　vaguely；　deep　down；　that　he　could　never　abandon　the　Game；

that　somewhere；　sometime；　in　the　future；　he　must　go　back　to　it。　　And

he　had　had　a　swift　vision　of　his　mother　and　brothers　and　sisters；

their　multitudinous　wants；　the　house　with　its　painting　and

repairing；　its　street　assessments　and　taxes；　and　of　the　coming　of

children　to　him　and　Genevieve；　and　of　his　own　daily　wage　in　the

sail…making　loft。　　But　the　next　moment　the　vision　was　dismissed；　as

such　warnings　are　always　dismissed；　and　he　saw　before　him　only

Genevieve；　and　he　knew　only　his　hunger　for　her　and　the　call　of　his

being　to　her；　and　he　accepted　calmly　her　calm　assumption　of　his　life

and　actions。



He　was　twenty；　she　was　eighteen；　boy　and　girl；　the　pair　of　them；　and

made　for　progeny；　healthy　and　normal；　with　steady　blood　pounding

through　their　bodies；　and　wherever　they　went　together；　even　on

Sunday　outings　across　the　bay　amongst　people　who　did　not　know　him；

eyes　were　continually　drawn　to　them。　　He　matched　her　girl's　beauty

with　his　boy's　beauty；　her　grace　with　his　strength；　her　delicacy　of

line　and　fibre　with　the　harsher　vigor　and　muscle　of　the　male。

Frank…faced；　fresh…colored；　almost　ingenuous　in　expression；　eyes

blue　and　wide　apart；　he　drew　and　held　the　gaze　of　more　than　one

woman　far　above　him　in　the　social　scale。　　Of　such　glances　and　dim

maternal　promptings　he　was　quite　unconscious；　though　Genevieve　was

quick　to　see　and　understand；　and　she　knew　each　time　the　pang　of　a

fierce　joy　in　that　he　was　hers　and　that　she　held　him　in　the　hollow

of　her　hand。　　He　did　see；　however；　and　rather　resented；　the　men's

glances　drawn　by　her。　　These；　too；　she　saw　and　understood　as　he　did

not　dream　of　understanding。







CHAPTER　III







Genevieve　slipped　on　a　pair　of　Joe's　shoes；　light…soled　and　dapper；

and　laughed　with　Lottie；　who　stooped　to　turn　up　the　trousers　for

her。　　Lottie　was　his　sister；　and　in　the　secret。　　To　her　was　due　the

inveigling　of　his　mother　into　making　a　neighborhood　call　so　that

they　could　have　the　house　to　themselves。　　They　went　down　into　the

kitchen　where　Joe　was　waiting。　　His　face　brightened　as　he　came　to

meet　her；　love　shining　frankly　forth。



〃Now　get　up　those　skirts；　Lottie；〃　he　commanded。　　〃Haven't　any　time

to　waste。　　There；　that'll　do。　　You　see；　you　only　want　the　bottoms　of

the　pants　to　show。　　The　coat　will　cover　the　rest。　　Now　let's　see　how

it'll　fit。



〃Borrowed　it　from　Chris；　he's　a　dead　sporty　sportlittle；　but　oh；

my！〃　he　went　on；　helping　Genevieve　into　an　overcoat　which　fell　to

her　heels　and　which　fitted　her　as　a　tailor…made　over…coat　should　fit

the　man　for　whom　it　is　made。



Joe　put　a　cap　on　her　head　and　turned　up　the　collar；　which　was

generous　to　exaggeration；　meeting　the　cap　and　completely　hiding　her

hair。　　When　he　buttoned　the　collar　in　front；　its　points　served　to

cover　the　cheeks；　chin　and　mouth　were　buried　in　its　depths；　and　a

close　scrutiny　revealed　only　shadowy　eyes　and　a　little　less　shadowy

nose。　　She　walked　across　the　room；　the　bottom　of　the　trousers　just

showing　as　the　bang　of　the　coat　was　disturbed　by　movement。



〃A　sport　with　a　cold　and　afraid　of　catching　more；　all　right　all

right；〃　the　boy　laughed；　proudly　surveying　his　handiwork。　　〃How　much

money　you　got？　　I'm　layin'　ten　to　six。　　Will　you　take　the　short

end？〃



〃Who's　short？〃　she　asked。



〃Ponta；　of　course；〃　Lottie　blurted　out　her　hurt；　as　though　there

could　be　any　question　of　it　even　for　an　instant。



〃Of　course；〃　Genevieve　said　sweetly；　〃only　I　don't　know　much　about

such　things。〃



This　time　Lottie　kept　her　lips　together；　but　the　new　hurt　showed　on

her　face。　　Joe　looked　at　his　watch　and　said　it　was　time　to　go。　　His

sister's　arms　went　about　his　neck；　and　she　kissed　him　soundly　on　the

lips。　　She　kissed　Genevieve；　too；　and　saw　them　to　the　gate；　one　arm

of　her　brother　about　her　waist。



〃What　does　ten　to　six　mean？〃　Genevieve　asked；　the　while　their

footfalls　rang　out　on　the　frosty　air。



〃That　I'm　the　long　end；　the　favorite；〃　he　answered。　　〃That　a　man

bets　ten　dollars　at　the　ring　side　that　I　win　against　six　dollars

another　man　is　betting　that　I　lose。〃



〃But　if　you're　the　favorite　and　everybody　thinks　you'll　win；　how

does　anybody　bet　against　you？〃



〃That's　what　makes　prize…fightingdifference　of　opinion；〃　he

laughed。　　〃Besides；　there's　always　the　chance　of　a　lucky　punch；　an

accident。　　Lots　of　chance；〃　he　said　gravely。



She　shrank　against　him；　clingingly　and　protectingly；　and　he　laughed

with　surety。



〃You　wait；　and　you'll　see。　　An'　don't　get　scared　at　the　start。　　The

first　few　rounds'll　be　something　fierce。　　That's　Ponta's　strong

point。　　He's　a　w