第34章

Hedidnotstrike，hedidnotknowwhathewasdoing。Hisonlyideawastobatterthelifeoutofthemanbeforehim，tocrushandannihilatehimupontheinstant。Grippinghisenemyinhisenormoushands，hardandknotted，andcoveredwithastifffellofyellowhair——thehandsoftheold-timecar-boy——heswunghimwide，asahammer-throwerswingshishammer。Marcus’sfeetflippedfromtheground，hespunthroughtheairaboutMcTeagueashelplessasabundleofclothes。Allatoncetherewasasharpsnap，almostlikethereportofasmallpistol。ThenMarcusrolledoverandoveruponthegroundasMcTeaguereleasedhisgrip；hisarm，theonethedentisthadseized，bendingsuddenly，asthoughathirdjointhadformedbetweenwristandelbow。Thearmwasbroken。

Butbythistimeeveryonewascryingoutatonce。HeiseandRyanraninbetweenthetwomen。Selinaturnedherheadaway。Trinawaswringingherhandsandcryinginanagonyofdread：

“Oh，stopthem，stopthem！Don’tletthemfight。Oh，it’stooawful。“

“Here，here，Doc，quit。Don’tmakeafoolofyourself，“

criedHeise，clingingtothedentist。“That’senoughnow。

LISTENtome，willyou？“

“Oh，Mac，Mac，“criedTrina，runningtoherhusband。“Mac，dear，listen；it’sme，it’sTrina，lookatme，you——“

“Getholdofhisotherarm，willyou，Ryer？“pantedHeise。

“Quick！“

“Mac，Mac，“criedTrina，herarmsabouthisneck。

“ForGod’ssake，holdup，Doc，willyou？“shoutedtheharness-maker。“Youdon’twanttokillhim，doyou？“

Mrs。RyerandHeise’slamewifewerefillingtheairwiththeiroutcries。Selinawasgigglingwithhysteria。Marcus，terrified，buttoobravetorun，hadpickedupajaggedstonewithhislefthandandstoodonthedefensive。Hisswollenrightarm，fromwhichtheshirtsleevehadbeentorn，dangledathisside，thebackofthehandtwistedwherethepalmshouldhavebeen。Theshirtitselfwasamassofgrassstainsandwasspottedwiththedentist’sblood。

ButMcTeague，inthecentreofthegroupthatstruggledtoholdhim，wasnightomadness。Thesideofhisface，hisneck，andalltheshoulderandbreastofhisshirtwerecoveredwithblood。Hehadceasedtocryout，butkeptmutteringbetweenhisgrippedjaws，ashelaboredtotearhimselffreeoftheretaininghands：

“Ah，I’llkillhim！Ah，I’llkillhim！I’llkillhim！

Damnyou，Heise，“heexclaimedsuddenly，tryingtostriketheharness-maker，“letgoofme，willyou！“

Littlebylittletheypacifiedhim，orrather(forhepaidbutlittleattentiontowhatwassaidtohim)hisbestialfurylapsedbydegrees。Heturnedawayandletfallhisarms，drawinglongbreaths，andlookingstupidlyabouthim，nowsearchinghelplesslyupontheground，nowgazingvaguelyintothecircleoffacesabouthim。Hisearbledasthoughitwouldneverstop。

“Say，Doctor，“askedHeise，“what’sthebestthingtodo？“

“Huh？“answeredMcTeague。“What——whatdoyoumean？Whatisit？“

“What’llwedotostopthisbleedinghere？“

McTeaguedidnotanswer，butlookedintentlyattheblood-

stainedbosomofhisshirt。

“Mac，“criedTrina，herfaceclosetohis，“tellussomething——thebestthingwecandotostopyourearbleeding。“

“Collodium，“saidthedentist。

“Butwecan’tgettothatrightaway；we——“

“There’ssomeiceinourlunchbasket，“brokeinHeise。“Webroughtitforthebeer；andtakethenapkinsandmakeabandage。“

“Ice，“mutteredthedentist，“sure，ice，that’stheword。“

Mrs。HeiseandtheRyerswerelookingafterMarcus’sbrokenarm。Selinasatontheslopeofthegrass，gaspingandsobbing。Trinat