第39章

”Whatdidyousayaboutmeinthere?””Mayn’tIsaywhatIlike?””No。””Well，Isaidyouwereapro-Boer——andsoyouare！””You’realiar！””D’youwantarow?””Ofcourse，butnothere；inthegarden。””Allright。Comeon。”Theywent，eyeingeachotheraskance，unsteady，andunflinching；

theyclimbedthegardenrailings。ThespikesonthetopslightlyrippedVal’ssleeve，andoccupiedhismind。Jolly’smindwasoccupiedbythethoughtthattheyweregoingtofightintheprecinctsofacollegeforeigntothemboth。Itwasnotthething，butnevermind——theyoungbeast！

Theypassedoverthegrassintoverynearlydarkness，andtookofftheircoats。”You’renotscrewed，areyou?”saidJollysuddenly。”Ican’tfightyouifyou’rescrewed。””Nomorethanyou。””Allrightthen。”

Withoutshakinghands，theyputthemselvesatonceintoposturesofdefence。Theyhaddrunktoomuchforscience，andsowereespeciallycarefultoassumecorrectattitudes，untilJollysmoteValalmostaccidentallyonthenose。Afterthatitwasalladarkanduglyscrimmageinthedeepshadowoftheoldtrees，withnoonetocall’time，’till，batteredandblown，theyunclinchedandstaggeredbackfromeachother，asavoicesaid：”Yournames，younggentlemen?”

Atthisblandqueryspokenfromunderthelampatthegardengate，likesomedemandofagod，theirnervesgaveway，andsnatchinguptheircoats，theyranattherailings，shinnedupthem，andmadeforthesecludedspotwhencetheyhadissuedtothefight。Here，indimlight，theymoppedtheirfaces，andwithoutawordwalked，tenpacesapart，tothecollegegate。Theywentoutsilently，ValgoingtowardstheBroadalongtheBrewery，JollydownthelanetowardstheHigh。Hishead，stillfumed，wasbusywithregretthathehadnotdisplayedmorescience，passinginreviewthecountersandknockoutblowswhichhehadnotdelivered。Hismindstrayedontoanimaginedcombat，infinitelyunlikethatwhichhehadjustbeenthrough，infinitelygallant，withsashandsword，withthrustandparry，asifhewereinthepagesofhisbelovedDumas。HefanciedhimselfLaMole，andAramis，Bussy，Chicot，andD’Artagnanrolledintoone，buthequitefailedtoenvisageValasCoconnas，Brissac，orRochefort。Thefellowwasjustaconfoundedcousinwhodidn’tcomeuptoCocker。Nevermind！Hehadgivenhimoneortwo。’Pro-Boer！’Thewordstillrankled，andthoughtsofen-

listingjostledhisachinghead；ofridingovertheveldt，firinggallantly，whiletheBoersrolledoverlikerabbits。And，turninguphissmartingeyes，hesawthestarsshiningbetweenthehouse-

topsoftheHigh，andhimselflyingoutontheKaroo(whateverthatwas)rolledinablanket，withhisriflereadyandhisgazefixedonaglitteringheaven。

Hehadafearful’head’nextmorning，whichhedoctored，asbecameoneof’thebest，’bysoakingitincoldwater，brewingstrongcoffeewhichhecouldnotdrink，andonlysippingalittleHockatlunch。Thelegendthat’somefool’hadrunintohimroundacorneraccountedforabruiseonhischeek。Hewouldonnoaccounthavementionedthefight，for；onsecondthoughts，itfellfarshortofhisstandards。

Thenextdayhewent’down，’andtravelledthroughtoRobinHill。

NobodywastherebutJuneandHolly，forhisfatherhadgonetoParis。HespentarestlessandunsettledVacation，quiteoutoftouchwitheitherofhissisters。June，indeed，wasoccupiedwithlameducks，whom，asarule，Jollycouldnotstand，especiallythatEricCobbleyandhisfamily，’hopelessoutsiders，’whowerealwayslitteringupthehouseintheVacation。Andb

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