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關燈
.'An'wot'smore,'etreatsyerlikeone.Iknow'oogiveyerthetblackeyethetshowswhat'ethinksofyer!An'serveyerbloomin'wellrightif'e'dgiveyeroneinbotheyes!' Mrs.Blakestonstoodcloseinfrontofher,herheavyjawprotrudedandthefrownofhereyebrowsdarkandstern.Foramomentshestoodsilent,contemplatingLiza,whilethesurrounderslookedoninbreathlessinterest. 'Yerdirtylittlebitch,you!'shesaidatlast.'Tikethat!'andwithheropenhandshegaveherasharpsmackonthecheek. Lizastartedbackwithacryandputherhanduptoherface. 'An'tikethet!'addedMrs.Blakeston,repeatingtheblow.Then,gatheringupthespittleinhermouth,shespatinLiza'sface. Lizasprangonher,andwithherhandsspreadoutlikeclawsburiedhernailsinthewoman'sfaceanddrewthemdownhercheeks.Mrs.Blakestoncaughtholdofherhairwithbothhandsandtuggedatitashardasshecould.Buttheywereimmediatelyseparated. ''Ere,'old'ard!'saidsomeofthemen.'Fightitahtfairandsquare.Don'tgoscratchin'andmaulin'likethet.' 'I'llfight'er,Idon'tmind!'shoutedMrs.Blakeston,tuckinguphersleevesandsavagelyglaringatheropponent. Lizastoodinfrontofher,paleandtremblingasshelookedatherenemy,andsawthelongredmarksofhernails,withbloodcomingfromoneortwoofthem,sheshrankback. 'Idon'twantterfight,'shesaidhoarsely. 'Na,Idon'tsupposeyerdo,'hissedtheother,'butyer'lldamnwell'aveter!' 'She'seversomuchbiggerthanmeI'vegotnochanst,'addedLizatearfully. 'Youshould'avethoughtofthetbefore.Comeon!'andwiththesewordsMrs.Blakestonrusheduponher.Shehitherwithbothfistsoneaftertheother.Lizadidnottrytoguardherself,butimitatingthewoman'smotion,hitoutwithherownfistsandforaminuteortwotheycontinuedthus,rainingblowsononeanotherwiththesamewindmillmotionofthearms.ButLizacouldnotstandagainsttheotherwoman'sweighttheblowscamedownheavyandrapidalloverherfaceandhead.Sheputupherhandstocoverherfaceandturnedherheadaway,whileMrs.Blakestonkeptonhittingmercilessly. 'Time!'shoutedsomeofthemen—'Time!'andMrs.Blakestonstoppedtorestherself. 'Itdon'tseem'ardlyfairtosetthemtwoontergether.Liza'sgotnochanstagainstabigwomanlikethet,'saidamanamongthecrowd. 'Well,it'ser'ownfault,'answeredawoman'shedidn'toughtermessaboutwith'er'usbind.' 'Well,Idon'tthinkit'sright,'addedanotherman.'She'sgettin'ittoomuch.' 'An'serve'errighttoo!'saidoneofthewomen.'Shedeservesallshegetsan'adamnsightmoreinterthebargain.' 'Quiteright,'putinathird'awoman'sgotnorighttertikesomeone's'usbindfrom'er.An'ifshedoesshe'sbloomin'luckyifshegitsoffwitha'idin'—thet'swotIthink.' 'SodoI.ButIwouldn't'avethoughtitofLiza.Ineverthoughtshewasawrong'un.' 'Prettyspecimensheis!'saidalittledarkwoman,wholookedlikeaJewess.'Ifshemessedabahtwithmyoldman,I'dstick'er—IswearIwould!' 'Nowshe'sbeencarryin'onwithone,she'lltryan'gitothers—youseeifshedon't.' 'She'dbetternotcomeroundmy'ouseI'llsoongive'erwotfor.' MeanwhileLizawasstandingatonecornerofthering,tremblingalloverandcryingbitterly.Oneofhereyeswasbungedup,andherhair,alldishevelled,washangingdownoverherface.Twoyoungfellows,whohadconstitutedthemselvesherseconds,werestandinginfrontofher,offeringratherironicalcomfort.Oneofthemhadtakenthebottomcornersofherapronandwasfanningherwithit,whiletheotherwasshowingherhowtostandandholdherarms. 'Youstandupto'er,Liza,'hewassaying'thereain'tnogoodfunkin'it,you'llsimplygetitalltheworse.You'it'erback.Give'eroneontheboko,likethis—seeyermustshowabitofpluck,yerknow.' Lizatriedtocheckhersobs. 'Yus,'it'er'ard,that'swotyer'vegotterdo,'saidtheother.'An'ifyerfindshe'sgettin'thebetteronyer,youcloseon'erandcatch'oldof'er'airandscratch'er.' 'You'vemarked'erwithyernails,Liza.Bygosh,youdidflyonherwhenshespatatyer!thet'sthewayterdothejob!' Thenturningtohisfellow,hesaid: 'D'yerrememberthetfightasoldMotherCregg'adwithanotherwomaninthestreetlastyear?' 'Na,'heanswered,'Ineversawthet.' 'Itwasacawkeran'thecopscomeinandtook'embothoffterquod.' Lizawishedthepolicemenwouldcomeandtakeheroffshewouldwillinglyhavegonetoprisontoescapethefiendinfrontofherbutnohelpcame. 'Time'sup!'shoutedthereferee.'Fireaway!' 'Tikecareofthecops!'shoutedaman. 'There'snofearabahtthem,'answeredsomebodyelse.'Theyalwayskeepsoutofthewaywhenthere'sanythin'goin'on.' 'Fireaway!' Mrs.BlakestonattackedLizamadlybutthegirlstoodupbravely,andaswellasshecouldgavebacktheblowsshereceived.Thespectatorsgrewtremendouslyexcited. 'Got'imagain!'theyshouted.'Giveit'er,Liza,thet'sagood'un!—'it'er'ard!' 'Twoteroneontheold'un!'shoutedasportinggentlemanbutLizafoundnobackers. 'Ain'tshestandin'upwellnowshe'sroused?'criedsomeone. 'Oh,she'sgotsomepluckin'er,she'as!' 'Thet'saknock-aht!'theyshoutedasMrs.BlakestonbroughtherfistdownontoLiza'snosethegirlstaggeredback,andbloodbegantoflow.Then,losingallfear,madwithrage,shemadearushonherenemy,andraineddownblowsalloverhernoseandeyesandmouth.Thewomanrecoiledatthesuddenviolenceoftheonslaught,andthemencried: 'ByGod,thelittle'un'sgettin'thebestofit!' ButquicklyrecoveringherselfthewomanclosedwithLiza,anddughernailsintoherflesh.Lizacaughtholdofherhairandpulledwithallhermight,andturningherteethonMrs.Blakestontriedtobiteher.Andthusforaminutetheyswayedabout,scratching,tearing,biting,sweatandbloodpouringdowntheirfaces,andtheireyesfixedononeanother,bloodshotandfullofrage.Theaudienceshoutedandcheeredandclappedtheirhands. 'Wotthe'ell'sup'ere?' 'Isy,lookthere,'saidsomeofthewomeninawhisper.'It'sthe'usbind!' Hestoodontiptoeandlookedoverthecrowd. 'MyGawd,'hesaid,'