第39章

“Whatisit？“repeatedthewaiter，inahollowvoice。“Themostdreadfulthingthat’shappenedinmytime。It’sallup，Sir，withthegreatFoot-RaceatFulham。Tinklerhasgonestale。“

Thethreegentlemendroppedsolemnlybackintotheirthreechairs，andrepeatedthedreadfulintelligence，inchorus——“Tinklerhasgonestale。“

Amanwhostandsfacetofacewithagreatnationaldisaster，andwhodoesn’tunderstandit，isamanwhowilldowiselytoholdhistongueandenlightenhismindwithoutaskingotherpeopletohelphim。Juliusacceptedthewaiter’snewspaper，andsatdowntomake(ifpossible)twodiscoveries：First，astowhether“Tinkler“did，ordidnot，meanaman。Second，astowhatparticularformofhumanafflictionyouimpliedwhenyoudescribedthatmanas“gonestale。“

Therewasnodifficultyinfindingthenews。Itwasprintedinthelargesttype，andwasfollowedbyapersonalstatementofthefacts，takenoneway——whichwasfollowed，initsturn，byanotherpersonalstatementofthefacts，takeninanotherway。Moreparticulars，andfurtherpersonalstatements，werepromisedinlatereditions。TheroyalsaluteofBritishjournalismthunderedtheannouncementofTinkler’sstalenessbeforeapeopleprostrateonthenationalbettingbook。

Divestedofexaggeration，thefactswerefewenoughandsimpleenough。AfamousAthleticAssociationoftheNorthhadchallengedafamousAthleticAssociationoftheSouth。Theusual“Sports“

weretotakeplace——suchasrunning，jumping，“putting“thehammer，throwingcricket-balls，andthelike——andthewholewastowindupwithaFoot-Raceofunexampledlengthanddifficultyintheannalsofhumanachievementbetweenthetwobestmenoneitherside。“Tinkler“wasthebestmanonthesideoftheSouth。

“Tinkler“wasbackedininnumerablebetting-bookstowin。AndTinkler’slungshadsuddenlygivenwayunderstressoftraining!

Aprospectofwitnessingaprodigiousachievementinfoot-racing，and(moreimportantstill)aprospectofwinningandlosinglargesumsofmoney，wassuddenlywithdrawnfromtheeyesoftheBritishpeople。The“South“couldproducenosecondopponentworthyoftheNorthoutofitsownassociatedresources。

Surveyingtheathleticworldingeneral，butonemanexistedwhomightpossiblyreplace“Tinkler“——anditwasdoubtful，inthelastdegree，whetherhewouldconsenttocomeforwardunderthecircumstances。Thenameofthatman——Juliusreaditwithhorror——wasGeoffreyDelamayn。

Profoundsilencereignedinthecoffee-room。Juliuslaiddownthenewspaper，andlookedabouthim。Thewaiterwasbusy，inhiscorner，withapencilandabetting-book。Thethreegentlemenwerebusy，atthethreetables，withpencilsandbetting-books。

“Tryandpersuadehim!“saidthewaiter，piteously，asDelamayn’sbrotherrosetoleavetheroom。

“Tryandpersuadehim!“echoedthethreegentlemen，asDelamayn’sbrotheropenedthedoorandwentout。

Juliuscalledacab。andtoldthedriver(busywithapencilandabetting-book)togototheCockandBottle，Putney。Themanbrightenedintoanewbeingattheprospect。Noneedtohurryhim；hedrove，unasked，atthetopofhishorse’sspeed。

Asthecabdrewneartoitsdestinationthesignsofagreatnationalexcitementappeared，andmultiplied。Thelipsofapeoplepronounced，withagrandunanimity，thenameof“Tinkler。“

Theheartofapeoplehungsuspended(mostlyinthepublichouses)onthechancesforandagainstthepossibilityofreplacing“Tinkler“byanotherman。Thesceneinfrontoftheinnwasimpressiveinthehighestdegree。EventheLondonblackguardstoodawedandquietinthepresen