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關燈
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