hemingway, ernest - men without women-第12章
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¨Tired!〃 Jack says。 ¨Iˇm tired all the time。〃
He was that way all week。 He wouldnˇt sleep at night and heˇd get up in the morning feeling that way; you know when you canˇt shut your hands。
¨Heˇs stale as poorhouse cake;〃 Hogan said。 ¨Heˇs nothing。〃
¨I never seen Walcott;〃 I said。
¨Heˇll kill him;〃 said Hogan。 ¨Heˇll tear him in two。〃
¨Well;〃 I said; ¨everybodyˇs got to get it sometime。〃
¨Not like this; though;〃 Hogan said。 ¨Theyˇll think he never trained。 It gives the farm a black eye。〃
¨You hear what the reporters said about him?〃
¨Didnˇt I! They said he was awful。 They said they oughtnˇt to let him fight。〃
¨Well;〃 I said; ¨theyˇre always wrong; ainˇt they?〃
¨Yes;〃 said Hogan。 ¨But this time theyˇre right。〃
¨What the hell do they know about whether a manˇs right or not?〃
¨Well;〃 said Hogan; ¨theyˇre not such fools。〃
¨All they did was pick Willard at Toledo。 This Lardner; heˇs so wise now; ask him about when he picked Willard at Toledo。〃
¨Aw; he wasnˇt out;〃 Hogan said。 ¨He only writes the big fights。〃
¨I donˇt care who they are;〃 I said。 ¨What the hell do they know? They can write maybe; but what the hell do they know?〃
¨You donˇt think Jackˇs in any shape; do you?〃 Hogan asked。
¨No。 Heˇs through。 All he needs is to have Corbett pick him to win for it to be all over。〃
¨Well; Corbettˇll pick him;〃 Hogan says。
¨Sure。 Heˇll pick him。〃
That night Jack didnˇt sleep any either。 The next morning was the last day before the fight。 After breakfast we were out on the porch again。
¨What do you think about; Jack; when you canˇt sleep?〃 I said。
¨Oh; I worry;〃 Jack says。 ¨I worry about property I got up in the Bronx; I worry about property I got in Florida。 I worry about the kids。 I worry about the wife。 Sometimes I think about fights。 I think about that kike Richie Lewis and I get sore。 I got some stocks and I worry about them。 What the hell donˇt I think about?〃
¨Well;〃 I said; ¨tomorrow night itˇll all be over。〃
¨Sure;〃 said Jack。 ¨That always helps a lot; donˇt it? That just fixes everything all up; I suppose。 Sure。〃
He was sore all day。 We didnˇt do any work。 Jack just moved around a little to loosen up。 He shadow…boxed a few rounds。 He didnˇt even look good doing that。 He skipped the rope a little while。 He couldnˇt sweat。
¨Heˇd be better not to do any work at all;〃 Hogan said。 We were standing watching him skip rope。 ¨Donˇt he ever sweat at all any more?〃
¨He canˇt sweat。〃
¨Do you suppose heˇs got the con? He never had any trouble making weight; did he?〃
¨No; he hasnˇt got any con。 He just hasnˇt got anything inside any more。〃
¨He ought to sweat;〃 said Hogan。
Jack came over; skipping the rope。 He was skipping up and down in front of us; forward and back; crossing his arms every third time。
¨Well;〃 he says。 ¨What are you buzzards talking about?〃
¨I donˇt think you ought to work any more;〃 Hogan says。 ¨Youˇll be stale。〃
¨Wouldnˇt that be awful?〃 Jack says and skips away down the floor; slapping the rope hard。
That afternoon John Collins showed up out at the farm。 Jack was up in his room。 John came out in a car from town。 He had a couple of friends with him。 The car stopped and they all got out。
¨Whereˇs Jack?〃 John asked me。
¨Up in his room; lying down。〃
¨Lying down?〃
¨Yes;〃 I said。
¨How is he?〃
I looked at the two fellows that were with John。
¨Theyˇre friends of his;〃 John said。
¨Heˇs pretty bad;〃 I said。
¨Whatˇs the matter with him?〃
¨He donˇt sleep。〃
¨Hell;〃 said John。 ¨That Irishman could never sleep。〃
¨He isnˇt right;〃 I said。
¨Hell;〃 John said。 ¨Heˇs never right。 Iˇve had him for ten years and heˇs never been right yet。〃
The fellows who were with him laughed。
¨I want you to shake hands with Mr。 Morgan and Mr。 Steinfelt;〃 John said。 ¨This is Mr。 Doyle。 Heˇs been training Jack。〃
¨Glad to meet you;〃 I said。
¨Letˇs go up and see the boy;〃 the fellow called Morgan said。
¨Letˇs have a look at him;〃 Steinfelt said。
We all went upstairs。
¨Whereˇs Hogan?〃 John asked。
¨Heˇs out in the barn with a couple of his customers;〃 I said。
¨He got many people out here now?〃 John asked。
¨Just two。〃
¨Pretty quiet; ainˇt it?〃 Morgan said。
¨Yes;〃 I said。 ¨Itˇs pretty quiet。〃
We were outside Jackˇs room。 John knocked on the door。 There wasnˇt an answer。
¨Maybe heˇs asleep;〃 I said。
¨What the hellˇs he sleeping in the daytime for?〃
John turned the handle and we all went in。 Jack was lying asleep on the bed。 He was face down and his face was in the pillow。 Both his arms were around the pillow。
¨Hey; Jack!〃 John said to him。
Jackˇs head moved a little on the pillow。 ¨Jack!〃 John says; leaning over him。 Jack just dug a little deeper in the pillow。 John touched him on the shoulder。 Jack sat up and looked at us。 He hadnˇt shaved and he was wearing an old sweater。
¨Christ! Why canˇt you let me sleep?〃 he says to John。
¨Donˇt be sore;〃 John says。 ¨I didnˇt mean to wake you up。〃
¨Oh no;〃 Jack says。 ¨Of course not。〃
¨You know Morgan and Steinfelt;〃 John said。
¨Glad to see you;〃 Jack says。
¨How do you feel; Jack?〃 Morgan asks him。
¨Fine;〃 Jack says。 ¨How the hell would I feel?〃
¨You look fine;〃 Steinfelt says。
¨Yes; donˇt I;〃 says Jack。 ¨Say;〃 he says to John。 ¨Youˇre my manager。 You get a big enough cut。 Why the hell donˇt you come out here when the reporters was out! You want Jerry and me to talk to them?〃
¨I had Lew fighting in Philadelphia;〃 John said。
¨What the hellˇs that to me?〃 Jack says。 ¨Youˇre my manager。 You get a big enough cut; donˇt you? You arenˇt making me any money in Philadelphia; are you? Why the hell arenˇt you out here when I ought to have you?〃
¨Hogan was here。〃
¨Hogan;〃 Jack says。 ¨Hoganˇs as dumb as I am。〃
¨Soldier Bartlett was out here wukking with you for a while; wasnˇt he?〃 Steinfelt said to change the subject。
¨Yes; he was out here;〃 Jack says。 ¨He was out here all right。〃
¨Say; Jerry;〃 John said to me。 ¨Would you go and find Hogan and tell him we want to see him in about half an hour?〃
¨Sure;〃 I said。
¨Why the hell canˇt he stick around?〃 Jack says。 ¨Stick around; Jerry。〃
Morgan and Steinfelt looked at each other。
¨Quiet down; Jack;〃 John said to him。
¨I better go find Hogan;〃 I said。
¨All right; if you want to go;〃 Jack says。 ¨None of these guys are going to send you away; though。〃
¨Iˇll go find Hogan;〃 I said。
Hogan was out in the gym in the barn。 He had a couple of his health…farm patients with the gloves on。 They neither one wanted to hit the other; for fear the other would come back and hit him。
¨Thatˇll do;〃 Hogan said when he saw me come in。 ¨You can stop the slaughter。 You gentlemen take a shower and Bruce will rub you down。〃
They climbed out through the ropes and Hogan came over to me。
¨John Collins is out with a couple of friends to see Jack;〃 I said。
¨I saw them come up in the car。〃
¨Who are the two fellows with John?〃
¨Theyˇre what you call wise boys;〃 Hogan said。 ¨Donˇt you know them two?〃
¨No;〃 I said。
Thatˇs Happy Steinfelt and Lew Morgan。 They got a pool…room。〃
¨I been away a long time;〃 I said。
¨Sure;〃 said Hogan。 ¨That Happy Steinfeltˇs a big operator。〃
¨Iˇve heard his name;〃 I said。
¨Heˇs a pretty smooth boy;〃 Hogan said。 ¨Theyˇre a couple of sharpshooters。〃
¨Well;〃 I said。 ¨They want to see us in half an hour。〃
¨You mean they donˇt want to see us until half an hour?〃
¨Thatˇs it。〃
¨Come into the office;〃 Hogan said。 ¨To hell with those sharpshooters。〃
After about thirty minutes or so Hogan and I went upstairs。 We knocked on Jackˇs door。 They were talking inside the room。
¨Wait a minute;〃 somebody said。
¨To hell with that stuff;〃 Hogan said。 ¨When you want to see me Iˇm down in the office。〃
We heard the door unlock。 Steinfelt opened it。
¨Come on in; Hogan;〃 he says。 ¨Weˇre all going to have a drink。〃
¨Well;〃 says Hogan。 ¨Thatˇs something。〃
We went in。 Jack was sitting on the bed。 John and Morgan were sitting on a couple of chairs。 Steinfelt was standing up。
¨Youˇre a pretty mysterious lot of boys;〃 Hogan said。
¨Hello; Danny;〃 John says。
¨Hello; Danny;〃 Morgan says and shakes hands。
Jack doesnˇt say anything。 He just sits there on the bed。 He ainˇt with the others。 Heˇs all by himself。 He was wearing an old blue jersey and pants and had on boxing shoes。 He needed a shave。 Steinfelt and Morgan were dressers。 John was quite a dresser too。 Jack sat there looking Irish and tough。
Steinfelt brought out a bottle and Hogan brought in some glasses and everybody had a drink。 Jack and I took one and the rest of them went on and had two or three each。
¨Better save some for your ride back;〃 Hogan said。
¨Donˇt you worry。 We got plenty;〃 Morgan said。
Jack hadnˇt drunk anything since the one drink。 He was standing up and looking at them。 Morgan was sitting on the bed where Jack had sat。
¨Have a drink; Jack;〃 John said and handed him the glass and the bottle。
¨No;〃 Jack said; ¨I never liked to go to these wakes。〃
They all laughed。 Jack didnˇt laugh。
They were all feeling pretty good when they left。 Jack stood on the porch when they got into the car。 They waved to him。
¨So long;〃 Jack said。
We had supper。 Jack didnˇt say anything all during the meal except; ¨Will you pass me this?〃 or ¨Will you pass me that?〃 The two health…farm patients ate at the same table with us。 They were pretty nice fellows。 After we finished eating we went out on the porch。 It was dark early。
¨Like to take a walk; Jerry?〃 Jack said。
¨Sure;〃 I said。
We put on our coats and started out。 It was quite a way down to the main road and then we walked along the main road about a mile and a half。 Cars kept going by and we would pull out to one side until they were past。 Jack didnˇt say anything。 After we had stepped out into the bushes to let a big car go by Jack said; ¨To hell with this walking。 Come on back to Hoganˇs〃。
We went along a side road that cut up over the hill and cut across the fields back to Hoganˇs。 We could see the lights of the house up on the hill。 We came around to the front of the house and there standing in the doorway was Hogan。
¨Have a good walk?〃 Hogan asked。
¨Oh; fine;〃 Jack said。 ¨Listen; Hogan。 Have you got any liquor?〃
¨Sure;〃 says Hogan。 ¨Whatˇs the idea?〃
¨Send it up to the room;〃 Jack says。 ¨Iˇm going to sleep tonight。〃
¨Youˇre the doctor;〃 Hogan says。
¨Come on up to the room; Jerry;〃 Jack says。
Upstairs; Jack sat on the bed with his head in his hands。
¨Ainˇt it a life?〃 Jack says。
Hogan brought in a quart of liquor and two glasses。
¨Want some ginger ale?〃
¨What do you t