第35章

’Anddoyouthinkthatistheendofaman？’

’There’sanendofhim，brother，more’sthepity。’

’Whydoyousayso？’

’Lifeissweet，brother。’

’Doyouthinkso？’

’Thinkso!-There’snightandday，brother，bothsweetthings；

sun，moon，andstars，brother，allsweetthings；there’slikewiseawindontheheath。Lifeisverysweet，brother；whowouldwishtodie？’

’Iwouldwishtodie-’

’Youtalklikeagorgio-whichisthesameastalkinglikeafool-wereyouaRommanyChalyouwouldtalkwiser。Wishtodie，indeed!-ARommanyChalwouldwishtoliveforever!’

’Insickness，Jasper？’

’There’sthesunandstars，brother。’

’Inblindness，Jasper？’

’There’sthewindontheheath，brother；ifIcouldonlyfeelthat，Iwouldgladlyliveforever。Dosta，we’llnowgotothetentsandputonthegloves；andI’lltrytomakeyoufeelwhatasweetthingitistobealive，brother!’

CHAPTERXXVI

Theflowerofthegrass-Daysofpugilism-Therendezvous-Jews-BruisersofEngland-Winter，spring-Well-earnedbays-Thefight-Hugeblackcloud-Frameofadamant-Thestorm-

Dukkeripens-Thebarouche-Therain-gushes。

HOWforeverythingthereisatimeandaseason，andthenhowdoesthegloryofathingpassfromit，evenliketheflowerofthegrass。Thisisatruism，butitisoneofthosewhicharecontinuallyforcingthemselvesuponthemind。Manyyearshavenotpassedovermyhead，yet，duringthosewhichIcanrecalltoremembrance，howmanythingshaveIseenflourish，passaway，andbecomeforgotten，exceptbymyself，who，inspiteofallmyendeavours，nevercanforgetanything。Ihaveknownthetimewhenapugilisticencounterbetweentwonotedchampionswasalmostconsideredinthelightofanationalaffair；whentensofthousandsofindividuals，highandlow，meditatedandbroodeduponit，thefirstthinginthemorningandthelastatnight，untilthegreateventwasdecided。Butthetimeispast，andmanypeoplewillsay，thankGodthatitis；allIhavetosayis，thattheFrenchstillliveontheothersideofthewater，andarestillcastingtheireyeshitherward-andthatinthedaysofpugilismitwasnovainblasttosaythatoneEnglishmanwasamatchfortwooft’otherrace；atpresentitwouldbeavainboasttosayso，forthesearenotthedaysofpugilism。

Butthosetowhichthecourseofmynarrativehascarriedmewerethedaysofpugilism；itwasthenatitsheight，andconsequentlynearitsdecline，forcorruptionhadcreptintothering；andhowmanythings，statesandsectsamongtherest，owetheirdeclinetothiscause!Butwhataboldandvigorousaspectpugilismworeatthattime!andthegreatbattlewasjustthencomingoff：thedayhadbeendecidedupon，andthespot-aconvenientdistancefromtheoldtown；andtotheoldtownwerenowflockingthebruisersofEngland，menoftremendousrenown。LetnoonesneeratthebruisersofEngland-whatwerethegladiatorsofRome，orthebull-fightersofSpain，initspalmiestdays，comparedtoEngland’sbruisers？Pitythatevercorruptionshouldhavecreptinamongstthem-butofthatIwishnottotalk；letusstillhopethatasparkoftheoldreligion，ofwhichtheywerethepriests，stilllingersinthebreastsofEnglishmen。Theretheycome，thebruisers，fromfarLondon，orfromwhereverelsetheymightchancetobeatthetime，tothegreatrendezvousintheoldcity；somecameoneway，someanother：someoftip-topreputationcamewithpeersintheirchariots，forgloryandfamearesuchfairthingsthatevenpeersareproudtohavethoseinvestedtherewithbytheirsides；otherscameintheirowngigs，drivingtheirownbitsofblood，andIheardonesay：’Ihavedriventhroughataheatthewholehundredandelevenmiles，andonl