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小说: the man who could not lose 字数: 每页4000字

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but twenty dollars plus a hundred could keep us alive for a month!〃

〃Did you; or did you not; dream that Dromedary would win?〃 demanded
Dolly sternly。

〃I certainly did; several times;〃 said Carter。 〃But it may be I was
thinking of the horse。 I've lost such a lot on him; my mind may
have〃

〃Did you;〃 interrupted Dolly; 〃say if you had a hundred dollars
you'd bet it; and did a hundred dollars walk in through the door
instantly?〃

Carter; reassured; breathed again。 〃 It certainly did!〃 he
repeated。

Even in his proud days; Carter had never been able to bet heavily;
and instead of troubling the club…house commissioners with his
small wagers; he had; in the ring; bet ready money。 Moreover; he
believed in the ring he obtained more favorable odds; and; when he
won; it pleased him; instead of waiting until settling day for a
check; to stand in a line and feel the real money thrust into his
hand。 So; when the fourth race started he rose and raised his hat。

〃The time has come;〃 he said。

Without looking at him; Dolly nodded。 She was far too tremulous to
speak。

For several weeks Dromedary had not been placed; and Carter hoped
for odds of at least ten to one。 But; when he pushed his way into
the arena; he found so little was thought of his choice that as
high as twenty to one was being offered; and with few takers。 The
fact shattered his confidence。 Here were two hundred book…makers;
trained to their calling; anxious at absurd odds to back their
opinion that the horse he liked could not win。 In the face of such
unanimous contempt; his dream became fantastic; fatuous。 He decided
he would risk only half of his fortune。 Then; should the horse win;
he still would be passing rich; and should he lose; he would; at
least; have all of fifty dollars。

With a book…maker he wagered that sum; and then; in unhappy
indecision; stood; in one hand clutching his ticket that called for
a potential thousand and fifty dollars; and in the other an actual
fifty。 It was not a place for meditation。 From every side men; more
or less sane; swept upon him; jostled him; and stamped upon him;
and still; struggling for a foothold; he swayed; hesitating。 Then
he became conscious that the ring was nearly empty; that only a few
shrieking individuals still ran down the line。 The horses were
going to the post。 He must decide quickly。 In front of him the
book… maker cleaned his board; and; as a final appeal; opposite the
names of three horses chalked thirty to one。 Dromedary was among
them。 Such odds could not be resisted。 Carter shoved his fifty at
the man; and to that sum added the twenty dollars still in his
pocket。 They were the last dollars he owned in the world。 And
though he knew they were his last; he was fearful lest the
book…maker would refuse them。 But; mechanically; the man passed
them over his shoulder。

〃And twenty…one hundred to seventy;〃 he chanted。

When Carter took his seat beside Dolly; he was quite cold。 Still;
Dolly did not speak。 Out of the corner of her eyes she questioned
him。

〃I got fifty at twenty to one;〃 replied Carter; and seventy at
thirty!〃

In alarm; Dolly turned upon him。

〃SEVENTY!〃 she gasped。

Carter nodded。 〃All we have;〃 he said。 〃We have sixty cents left;
to start life over again!〃

As though to encourage him; Dolly placed her finger on her
race…card。

〃His colors;〃 she said; 〃are 'green cap; green jacket; green and
white hoops。'〃

Through a maze of heat; a half…mile distant; at the starting… gate;
little spots of color moved in impatient circles。 The big;
good…natured crowd had grown silent; so silent that from the high;
sun…warmed grass in the infield one could hear the lazy chirp of
the crickets。 As though repeating a prayer; or an incantation;
Dolly's lips were moving quickly。

〃Green cap;〃 she whispered; 〃green jacket; green and white hoops!〃

With a sharp sigh the crowd broke the silence。 〃They're off!〃 it
cried; and leaned forward expectant。

The horses came so fast。 To Carter their conduct seemed outrageous。
It was incredible that in so short a time; at a pace so reckless;
they would decide a question of such moment。 They came bunched
together; shifting and changing; with; through the dust; flashes of
blue and gold and scarlet。 A jacket of yellow shot out of the dust
and showed in front; a jacket of crimson followed。 So they were at
the half; so they were at the three…quarters。

The good…natured crowd began to sway; to grumble and murmur; then
to shout in sharp staccato。

〃Can you see him?〃 begged Dolly。

〃No;〃 said Carter。 〃You don't see him until they reach the
stretch。〃

One could hear their hoofs; could see the crimson jockey draw his
whip。 At the sight; for he rode the favorite; the crowd gave a
great gasp of concern。

〃Oh; you Gold Heels!〃 it implored。

Under the whip; Gold Heels drew even with the yellow jacket; stride
by stride; they fought it out alone。

〃Gold Heels!〃 cried the crowd。

Behind them; in a curtain of dust; pounded the field。 It charged in
a flying wedge; like a troop of cavalry。 Dolly; searching for a
green jacket; saw; instead; a rainbow wave of color that; as it
rose and fell; sprang toward her in great leaps; swallowing the
track。

〃Gold Heels!〃 yelled the crowd。

The field swept into the stretch。 Without moving his eyes; Carter
caught Dolly by the wrist and pointed。 As though giving a signal;
he shot his free hand into the air。

〃Now!〃 he shouted。

From the curtain of dust; as lightning strikes through a cloud;
darted a great; raw…boned; ugly chestnut。 Like the Empire Express;
he came rocking; thundering; spurning the ground。 At his coming;
Gold Heels; to the eyes of the crowd; seemed to falter; to slacken;
to stand still。 The crowd gave a great cry of amazement; a yell of
disgust。 The chestnut drew even with Gold Heels; passed him; and
swept under the wire。 Clinging to his neck was a little jockey in
a green cap; green jacket; and hoops of green and white。

Dolly's hand was at her side; clutching the bench。 Carter's hand
still clasped it。 Neither spoke or looked at the other。 For an
instant; while the crowd; no longer so good…natured; mocked and
jeered at itself; the two young people sat quite still; staring at
the green field; at the white clouds rolling from the ocean。 Dolly
drew a long breath。

〃Let's go!〃 she gasped。 〃Let's thank him first; and then take me
home!〃

They found Dromedary in the paddock; and thanked him; and Carter
left Dolly with him; while he ran to collect his winnings。 When he
returned; he showed her a sheaf of yellow bills; and as they ran
down the covered board walk to the gate; they skipped and danced。

Dolly turned toward the train drawn up at the entrance。

〃Not with me!〃 shouted Carter。 〃We're going home in the reddest;
most expensive; fastest automobile I can hire!〃

In the 〃hack〃 line of motor…cars was one that answered those
requirements; and they fell into it as though it were their own。

〃To the Night and Day Bank!〃 commanded Carter。

With the genial democracy of the race…track; the chauffeur lifted
his head to grin appreciatively。 〃That listens good to me!〃 he
said。

〃I like him!〃 whispered Dolly。 〃Let's buy him and the car。〃

On the way home; they bought many cars; every car they saw; that
they liked; they bought。 They bought; also; several houses; and a
yacht that they saw from the ferry…boat。 And as soon as they had
deposited the most of their money in the bank; they went to a
pawnshop in Sixth Avenue and bought back many possessions that they
had feared they never would see again。

When they entered the flat; the thing they first beheld was Dolly's
two…dollar bill。

〃What;〃 demanded Carter; with repugnance; 〃is that strange piece of
paper?〃

Dolly examined it carefully。 〃I think it is a kind of money;〃 she
said; used by the lower classes。〃

They dined on the roof at Delmonico's。 Dolly wore the largest of
the five hats still unsold; and Carter selected the dishes entirely
according to which was the most expensive。 Every now and again they
would look anxiously down across the street at the bank that held
their money。 They were nervous lest it should take fire。

〃We can be extravagant to…night;〃 said Dolly; 〃because we owe it to
Dromedary to celebrate。 But from to…night on we must save。 We've
had an awful lesson。 What happened to us last month must never
happen again。 We were down to a two…dollar bill。 Now we have
twenty…five hundred across the street; and you have several
hundreds in your pocket。 On that we can live easily for a year。
Meanwhile; you can write 'the' great American novel without having
to worry about money; or to look for a steady job。 And then your
book will come out; and you will be famous; and rich; and〃

〃Passing on from that;〃 interrupted Carter; 〃the thing of first
importance is to get you out of that hot; beastly flat。 I propose
we start to…morrow for Cape Cod。 I know a lot of fishing villages
there where we could board and lodge for twelve dollars a week; and
row and play tennis and live in our bathing suits。〃

Dolly assented with enthusiasm; and during the courses of the
dinner they happily discussed Cape Cod from Pocasset to Yarmouth;
an

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