登陆注册
5698800000109

第109章 Chapter 39(2)

Down at our end there were but two tents;one for me,and another for my servants.At the appointed hour the king made a sign,and the heralds,in their tabards,appeared and made proclamation,naming the combatants and stating the cause of quarrel.There was a pause,then a ringing bugle-blast,which was the signal for us to come forth.All the multitude caught their breath,and an eager curiosity flashed into every face.

Out from his tent rode great Sir Sagramor,an imposing tower of iron,stately and rigid,his huge spear standing upright in its socket and grasped in his strong hand,his grand horse's face and breast cased in steel,his body clothed in rich trappings that almost dragged the ground --oh,a most noble picture.A great shout went up,of welcome and admiration.

And then out I came.But I didn't get any shout.There was a wondering and eloquent silence for a moment,then a great wave of laughter began to sweep along that human sea,but a warning bugle-blast cut its career short.I was in the simplest and comfortablest of gymnast costumes --flesh-colored tights from neck to heel,with blue silk puffings about my loins,and bareheaded.

My horse was not above medium size,but he was alert,slender-limbed,muscled with watchsprings,and just a greyhound to go.He was a beauty,glossy as silk,and naked as he was when he was born,except for bridle and ranger-saddle.

The iron tower and the gorgeous bedquilt came cumbrously but gracefully pirouetting down the lists,and we tripped lightly up to meet them.We halted;the tower saluted,I responded;then we wheeled and rode side by side to the grand-stand and faced our king and queen,to whom we made obeisance.

The queen exclaimed:

"Alack,Sir Boss,wilt fight naked,and without lance or sword or --"But the king checked her and made her understand,with a polite phrase or two,that this was none of her business.The bugles rang again;and we separated and rode to the ends of the lists,and took position.Now old Merlin stepped into view and cast a dainty web of gossamer threads over Sir Sagramor which turned him into Hamlet's ghost;the king made a sign,the bugles blew,Sir Sagramor laid his great lance in rest,and the next moment here he came thundering down the course with his veil flying out behind,and I went whistling through the air like an arrow to meet him --cocking my ear the while,as if noting the invisible knight's position and progress by hearing,not sight.A chorus of encouraging shouts burst out for him,and one brave voice flung out a heartening word for me --said:

"Go it,slim Jim!"

It was an even bet that Clarence had procured that favor for me --and furnished the language,too.When that formidable lance-point was within a yard and a half of my breast I twitched my horse aside without an effort,and the big knight swept by,scoring a blank.I got plenty of applause that time.We turned,braced up,and down we came again.Another blank for the knight,a roar of applause for me.This same thing was repeated once more;and it fetched such a whirlwind of applause that Sir Sagramor lost his temper,and at once changed his tactics and set himself the task of chasing me down.Why,he hadn't any show in the world at that;it was a game of tag,with all the advantage on my side;I whirled out of his path with ease whenever I chose,and once I slapped him on the back as I went to the rear.Finally I took the chase into my own hands;and after that,turn,or twist,or do what he would,he was never able to get behind me again;he found himself always in front at the end of his maneuver.

So he gave up that business and retired to his end of the lists.His temper was clear gone now,and he forgot himself and flung an insult at me which disposed of mine.I slipped my lasso from the horn of my saddle,and grasped the coil in my right hand.This time you should have seen him come!--it was a business trip,sure;by his gait there was blood in his eye.Iwas sitting my horse at ease,and swinging the great loop of my lasso in wide circles about my head;the moment he was under way,I started for him;when the space between us had narrowed to forty feet,I sent the snaky spirals of the rope a-cleaving through the air,then darted aside and faced about and brought my trained animal to a halt with all his feet braced under him for a surge.The next moment the rope sprang taut and yanked Sir Sagramor out of the saddle!Great Scott,but there was a sensation!

Unquestionably,the popular thing in this world is novelty.These people had never seen anything of that cowboy business before,and it carried them clear off their feet with delight.From all around and everywhere,the shout went up:

"Encore!encore!"

I wondered where they got the word,but there was no time to cipher on philological matters,because the whole knight-errantry hive was just humming now,and my prospect for trade couldn't have been better.The moment my lasso was released and Sir Sagramor had been assisted to his tent,Ihauled in the slack,took my station and began to swing my loop around my head again.I was sure to have use for it as soon as they could elect a successor for Sir Sagramor,and that couldn't take long where there were so many hungry candidates.Indeed,they elected one straight off --Sir Hervis de Revel.

BZZ!Here he came,like a house afire;I dodged:he passed like a flash,with my horse-hair coils settling around his neck;a second or so later,FST!his saddle was empty.

I got another encore;and another,and another,and still another.When I had snaked five men out,things began to look serious to the ironclads,and they stopped and consulted together.As a result,they decided that it was time to waive etiquette and send their greatest and best against me.To the astonishment of that little world,I lassoed Sir Lamorak de Galis,and after him Sir Galahad.So you see there was simply nothing to be done now,but play their right bower --bring out the superbest of the superb,the mightiest of the mighty,the great Sir Launcelot himself!

同类推荐
  • A Village Stradivarius

    A Village Stradivarius

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Princess and Curdie

    The Princess and Curdie

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • King Lear

    King Lear

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 铁冠图全传

    铁冠图全传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 跻春台

    跻春台

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 佛说泥犁经

    佛说泥犁经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 上海·一九三七

    上海·一九三七

    这是一部抗日题材的长篇小说。描写了一群以新闻工作者为主的知识分子亲身经历了“八一三”上海战事的过程。反映了在国难当头的艰难岁月里,他们胸怀祖国和人民,投身到伟大的抗日战争中,不畏复杂斗争和颠沛流离的磨难的精神。
  • 皇宠,天下第一后

    皇宠,天下第一后

    神棍级的楚流光终于被打发回了轩古大陆,还是那清丽之容,却雌雄莫辨;还是那绝世风姿,令男人倾心,女人痴狂。挥手间芳华异彩,谈笑间翻云覆雨,这样的女人谁人能征服,这样的女人,谁才是她的锁心人。传,镇国公府五小姐三岁吟诗,五岁敢评天下事,七岁入御书房与皇帝陛下触膝夜谈。传,镇国公府五小姐沉鱼落雁,闭月羞花,倾国倾城,貌似天仙。传,镇国公府五小姐不是五小姐,而是五少爷…传,飞舞宫宫主俊美如仙,盖世武功已入神鬼之境。传,飞舞宫宫主后宫绝色三千,享尽帝王之福。传,飞舞宫宫主阴狠毒辣,顺他者昌,逆他者挫骨扬灰,永世不得超生。精彩片断(一:“光儿昨晚强上于我,芙蓉帐内春色依旧,光儿就想不负责?”面如美玉、俊如谪仙;目似朗星透着摄人心魂的光芒;朱唇轻勾透着撩人媚色,令人玄目。那双幽深清冷的眸子似有暖暖润色,灼灼的看着她,休想!楚流光嘴角狠抽,昨晚她霸王硬上弓了?可能,或者,也许…苍天啊,她强了谁不好,为什么是这个最不能招惹的男人…片断(二:“楚流光,爷稀罕你,就算你是男人,爷也要娶你!”巴图王这莽夫偏生了一幅好皮相,身材魁梧、肤色古铜,五官轮廓分明而深邃如雕塑般。看着人家发达的胸肌,楚流光正咽口水,身后摄人心魂的眼神,让她如芒在背,不争气的打了个冷颤。耳边传来他如天籁,却淬着冰花的声音,“光儿好本事,男儿装也能勾三搭四,怪不得对我不负责,原来心系巴图王哪!”咳咳,哪个心系巴图王了,是巴图王缠着她好不好。何时起,她的身上打上了他的印记;何时起,在他面前,她如此的没有底气,不就是有事实了吗,那一晚,最吃亏的是她好不好。片断(三:“光儿,可有想我?”看到楚流光脸上瞬间的菜色,某人笑如似星辰,璀璨而蛊惑,“光儿,我们的帐该算算了…”“算…算吧,睡你一晚,多少钱!”那如谪仙般的人物不怒反笑,笑的楚流光心肝胆齐颤,真是个妖精,没事笑的这么银荡,成心勾引她再强了吗!片断(四:“皇上!皇后娘娘说…我们天刹盟杀气太重,要搞个联谊大会,冲冲喜!”“嗯,皇后提议甚好,去吧,觅得良缘之人,朕重重有赏!”杀手搞集体婚礼?血堂之主嘴角抽搐,谁让主子宠妻。“禀皇上…”“联谊之会皇后可满意?”“满…满意!”天刹盟就快改成喜乐堂了。“还有何事?”“起禀皇上,娘娘出宫了…太子说,今日是七夕,皇都所有青年才俊会聚于廊桥,吟诗…皇上,皇上…”
  • 野马:重返卡拉麦里(戈壁女孩手记)

    野马:重返卡拉麦里(戈壁女孩手记)

    这是作者十余年来在新疆野马繁殖中心亲历的养马故事,这是作者30多万字日记及观察记录整理而成的曲折心路和野马家族的悲欢离合,书中写的都是关于野马非常动人的故事,笔触细腻,在书中,几乎每一匹野马都有名字:“秀秀”、“黑豹”、“小浪荡”……这个家族有悲欢离合,也有生死之恋,其中有不少片断是对野马感情纠葛的人性化的呈现。让我们一同来倾听这荒原野马的动人故事,体味戈壁女孩的内心情感,阅读这潜心原创的生态文学!
  • 西游土地爷

    西游土地爷

    我若成魔,天下无佛我若成佛,妖魔奈何杀手界排行榜第一,有着“剑侠”称号的叶雪城挂了洪荒西游的某个角落里,本该死去的小土地重生了纵观所有神话故事中的小土地向来是任人驱使,毫无尊严的酱油党,稍微厉害点的妖怪就能将他们当孙子一般使唤这怎么行,叶雪城他不服,且看叶雪城剑指大道,如何成为真正的土地爷 【练手之作,不喜勿喷】
  • 现代人智慧全书:智慧管人术

    现代人智慧全书:智慧管人术

    全面、系统、分门别类地将现代人生存立世必须具备的智慧告诉您。指导您做适者生存、永立人上的强者。
  • 公司治理:发展趋势与洞察

    公司治理:发展趋势与洞察

    本书是德勤企业风险丛书的第一辑,主要涉及公司治理方面的最前沿话题。内容有2010年上市公司治理调查;浅谈CSA在公司治理中的应用;对民营企业治理结构的思考;董事会运作的天龙八“不”;搭建授权体系,优化公司治理;股改与公司治理;中美日公司治理比较;合同风险合规;HEDGING企业的市场风险;企业内部控制实务;企业风险用语。
  • 霸住不放,前夫求休战

    霸住不放,前夫求休战

    遇见莫倾珩,陆忱才明白什么叫一见钟情。就如同莫倾珩遇见陆忱,才明白什么叫她不在,他不娶!她出现,他非她不娶!可是他们开始于一见钟情的恋爱,莫名其妙的结婚,最后却是稀里糊涂的离婚……多年后,他再次出现在她面前,他所拥有的权威和金钱,在这个城市,几乎无人能敌!他想尽一切办法,只为让她再跟他去民政局领一次红本本。陆忱:“莫先生,所有人知道我们已经离婚了!”他只是淡淡的应一声,漫不经心的回一句:“嗯,明天我开个记者招待会,让所有的人都知道我们马上就要复婚了!”陆忱:“……”
  • 特斯拉自传

    特斯拉自传

    特斯拉,不只是电动车;特斯拉,更是人类历史上最传奇的科学家之一。作为电气时代最主要的奠基者之一,特斯拉创造了我们的现在(交流电、雷达等等);作为一个天才的发明家和科学家,特斯拉预言了我们的未来(空中交通、星际通讯等等)。特斯拉何以取得如此令人惊叹的成就?特斯拉对未来还有着怎样惊人的预言?本书包括两个部分,第一部分是特斯拉撰写的回忆录,第二部分是特斯拉的文章、演讲及时人对他的报道,诸多内容都是首次在中文世界披露。通过这些文字,我们不仅能了解特斯拉的生平经历,还能读到他对未来世界的设想,思考科技的真谛。
  • 做个光芒万丈的好姑娘

    做个光芒万丈的好姑娘

    给所有被生活欺负却依然热爱生活的姑娘。这个社会处处充满了规则,尤其对于没有家世背景的普通女孩子来说,如何抵御世事无常?该怎样诚恳而精彩地活出自我?如何恰如其分地处理感情?这些最受年轻女孩子关注的问题都可以在本书中找到答案。《做个光芒万丈的好姑娘》是一本关乎成长、爱、生活的书。38个身边的小故事,让你明白自己心里真正想要的是什么,它会指引着你如何面对烦琐的工作和生活,如何在人生的各个岔路口做出明智的选择,如何活出一个美好的自己。