5
關燈
小
中
大
izafelloffintoTom'sarmsandthedonkeysscamperedonwithouther.
'IknowwotI'lldo,'shesaid,whentherunawayhadbeenrecovered.'I'llride'imstraddlewyse.'
'Garn!'saidSally,'yercan'twithpetticoats.'
'Yus,Ican,an'Iwilltoo!'
Soanotherdonkeywasprocured,thistimewithaman'ssaddle,andputtingherfootinthestirrup,shecockedherlegoverandtookherseattriumphantly.NeithermodestynorbashfulnesswastobereckonedamongLiza'sfaults,andinthispositionshefeltquiteatease.
'I'llgitalongarrightnow,Tom,'shesaid'yougarnandgityerselfamoke,andcomean'jinein.'
Thenextracewasperfectlyuproarious.Lizakickedandbeatherdonkeywithallhermight,shriekingandlaughingthewhite,andfinallycameinwinnerbyalength.Afterthattheyfeltratherwarmanddry,andrepairedtothepublic-housetorestorethemselvesandtalkovertheexcitementsoftheracecourse.
WhentheyhaddrunkseveralpintsofbeerLizaandSally,withtheirrespectiveadorersandtheBlakestons,walkedroundtofindothermeansofamusingthemselvestheywerearrestedbyacoconut-shy.
'Oh,let's'aveashy!'saidLiza,excitedly,atwhichtheunluckymenhadtopullouttheircoppers,whileSallyandLizamadeludicrouslybadshotsatthecoconuts.
'Itlookssobloomin'easy,'saidLiza,brushingupherhair,'butIcan't'ittheblastedthing.You'aveashot,Tom.'
HeandHarrywereequallyunskilful,butJimgotthreecoconutsrunning,andtheproprietorsoftheshowbegantolookonhimwithsomeconcern.
'Youareadabatit,'saidLiza,inadmiration.
TheytriedtoinduceMrs.Blakestontotryherluck,butshestoutlyrefused.
'Idon'toldwithsuchfoolishness.It'swisteofmoneyterme,'shesaid.
'Nathen,don'tcrackon,oldtart,'remarkedherhusband,'let'sgoan'eatthecoconuts.'
Therewasoneforeachcouple,andaftertheladieshadsuckedthejuicetheydividedthemandaddedtheirrespectivesharestotheirdinnersandteas.Suppercamenext.Againtheyfelltosausage-rolls,boiledeggs,andsaveloys,andcountlessbottlesofbeerwereaddedtothosealreadydrunk.
'Idunno'owmanybottlesofbeerI'vedrunk—I'velostcount,'saidLizawhereattherewasagenerallaugh.
Theystillhadanhourbeforethebrakewastostartback,anditwasthentheconcertinascameinuseful.Theysatdownonthegrass,andtheconcertwasbegunbyHarry,whoplayedasolothentherewasacallforasong,andJimstoodupandsangthatancientditty,'OdemGoldenKippers,O'.Therewasnoshynessinthecompany,andLiza,almostwithoutbeingasked,gaveanotherpopularcomicsong.Thentherewasmoreconcertinaplaying,andanotherdemandforasong.LizaturnedtoTom,whowassittingquietlybyherside.
'Giveusasong,oldcock,'shesaid.
'Ican't,'heanswered.'I'mnotasingin'sort.'AtwhichBlakestongotupandofferedtosingagain.
'Tomisratherasoft,'saidLizatoherself,'notlikethatcoveBlakeston.'
Theyrepairedtothepublic-housetohaveafewlastdrinksbeforethebrakestarted,andwhenthehornblewtowarnthem,ratherunsteadily,theyproceededtotaketheirplaces.
Liza,asshescrambledupthesteps,said:'Well,IbelieveI'mboozed.'
Thecoachmanhadarrivedatthemelancholystageofintoxication,andwassittingonhisboxholdinghisreins,withhisheadbentonhischest.Hewasthinkingsadlyofthelong-lostdaysofhisyouth,andwishinghehadbeenabetterman.
Lizahadnorespectforsuchholyemotions,andshebroughtdownherfistonthecrownofhishat,andbasheditoverhiseyes.
'Nathen,oldjellybelly,'shesaid,'wot'sthegoodof'avin'aficeaslongasakite?'
Heturnedroundandsmoteher.
'Jellybellyyerself!'saidhe.
'Puddin'fice!'shecried.
'Kitefice!'
'Bosseye!'
Shewastremendouslyexcited,laughingandsinging,keepingthewholecompanyinanuproar.InherjollityshehadchangedhatswithTom,andheinherbigfeathersmadehershriekwithlaughter.Whentheystartedtheybegantosing'For'e'sajollygoodfeller',makingthenightresoundwiththeirnoisyvoices.
LizaandTomandtheBlakestonshadgotaseattogether,Lizabeingbetweenthetwomen.Tomwasperfectlyhappy,andonlywishedthattheymightgoonsoforever.Graduallyastheydrovealongtheybecamequieter,theirsingingceased,andtheytalkedinundertones.SomeofthemsleptSallyandheryoungmanwereleaningupagainstoneanother,slumberingquitepeacefully.Thenightwasbeautiful,theskystillblue,verydark,scatteredoverwithcountlessbrilliantstars,andLiza,asshelookedupattheheavens,feltacertainemotion,asifshewishedtobetakeninsomeone'sarms,orfeelsomestrongman'scaressandtherewasinherheartastrangesensationasthoughitweregrowingbig.Shestoppedspeaking,andallf