I was this morning," answered Jim.
"I'll come in another time," said Joe. "And tell her I didn't
charge you for the towels."
As Jim climbed out, he forced himself not to laugh. Joe Gould
was afraid of nothing in the world of boxing, but he turned and
ran from Jim's wife, Mae, with her hard questions about the prize
money and Jim's share of it.
The front door of the house was open now, and there, in the
golden light of the hall, was Mae. Her pale face was serious as she
waited. From the first time he had met her, Jim had loved her.
He moved toward her now, telling himself he was a lucky man to
have a wife like Mae.
When Mae Braddock saw her husband, the dark cloud of worry
disappeared. She could breathe again. Feel again.
Fight night was always like this for Mae. In the afternoon,
Jimmy kissed her goodbye. Then she just watched the clock and
hoped that he was safe. The long hours full of fear only ended
when Jim came home.
She knew that men died in the ring. Not often, but it
happened. And if they didn't die, they were hurt, badly. Mae didn't
understand the sport. To her it was a world of pain and danger. But
she loved her husband, and so she tried to support him.
Mae Theresa Fox had grown up near the Braddock family in
New Jersey. She had always liked big Jim Braddock, and he loved
Mae from the time he first met her. But Jim was shy, and it took
him a long time to ask Mae to marry him. He said that he wanted
to wait until he had enough money to buy a nice home. When he
had $30,000 from his prize money—a small fortune—he finally
asked. As he waited nervously for her answer, Mae noticed the
sweat on Jim's face. She couldn't stop herself from laughing. The
money didn't matter to her—of course she would marry him!
5
Now Mae looked at her husband. She knew that Griffiths had
been expected to win tonight's fight. Her eyes asked the question,
and Jim's answer was a slow shake of the head. Mae looked away.
She hated to see Jimmy in pain—that's why she never went to the
fights—and she hated to see him like this. But then she looked up
and saw Jimmy smile. He had won!
"I could kill you," said Mae, kissing her husband.
Jim's two sons ran into the hall. They jumped around their
father's legs, shouting with excitement.
"Daddy, did you win?" cried four-year-old Jay.
Howard, who was only three, was just happy that Daddy was
home. Jim picked the boys up and kissed them. My little men, he
thought. His eyes met Mae's. My little family.
Jim told them all about the fight, acting it out punch by punch.
It wasn't easy for Mae to put the boys to bed after that. When she
had checked their sleeping baby girl, Rosy, she sat down to eat
dinner with Jimmy.
"So did Griffiths have a big punch?" she asked.
"You could come and watch me fight," suggested Jim.
But Mae looked away. "You get punched, and it feels like I'm
getting punched. But I'm not as strong as you . . ." She forced
herself to smile. "And who wants newspaper stories about me
running out from a fight again?"
Jim remembered when this had happened. His opponent had
knocked him down that day, and Mae had seen it. Jim still
remembered the look of fear on her face. It didn't seem to matter
that Jim had won the fight in the end. After that, Mae bravely
continued coming to watch Jim box. He didn't know how painful
it was for her until a few fights later. Jim was having a bad night
and he took a lot of punishment. Not able to watch anymore,
Mae had run off before the final bell. A reporter saw her go,
and the story was in the newspapers. Mae never went to a fight
again.
6
I was this morning," answered Jim."I'll come in another time," said Joe. "And tell her I didn'tcharge you for the towels."As Jim climbed out, he forced himself not to laugh. Joe Gouldwas afraid of nothing in the world of boxing, but he turned andran from Jim's wife, Mae, with her hard questions about the prizemoney and Jim's share of it.The front door of the house was open now, and there, in thegolden light of the hall, was Mae. Her pale face was serious as shewaited. From the first time he had met her, Jim had loved her.He moved toward her now, telling himself he was a lucky man tohave a wife like Mae.When Mae Braddock saw her husband, the dark cloud of worrydisappeared. She could breathe again. Feel again.Fight night was always like this for Mae. In the afternoon,Jimmy kissed her goodbye. Then she just watched the clock andhoped that he was safe. The long hours full of fear only endedwhen Jim came home.She knew that men died in the ring. Not often, but ithappened. And if they didn't die, they were hurt, badly. Mae didn'tunderstand the sport. To her it was a world of pain and danger. Butshe loved her husband, and so she tried to support him.Mae Theresa Fox had grown up near the Braddock family inNew Jersey. She had always liked big Jim Braddock, and he lovedMae from the time he first met her. But Jim was shy, and it tookhim a long time to ask Mae to marry him. He said that he wantedto wait until he had enough money to buy a nice home. When hehad $30,000 from his prize money—a small fortune—he finallyasked. As he waited nervously for her answer, Mae noticed thesweat on Jim's face. She couldn't stop herself from laughing. Themoney didn't matter to her—of course she would marry him!5 Now Mae looked at her husband. She knew that Griffiths hadbeen expected to win tonight's fight. Her eyes asked the question,and Jim's answer was a slow shake of the head. Mae looked away.She hated to see Jimmy in pain—that's why she never went to thefights—and she hated to see him like this. But then she looked upand saw Jimmy smile. He had won!"I could kill you," said Mae, kissing her husband.Jim's two sons ran into the hall. They jumped around theirfather's legs, shouting with excitement."Daddy, did you win?" cried four-year-old Jay.Howard, who was only three, was just happy that Daddy washome. Jim picked the boys up and kissed them. My little men, hethought. His eyes met Mae's. My little family.Jim told them all about the fight, acting it out punch by punch.It wasn't easy for Mae to put the boys to bed after that. When shehad checked their sleeping baby girl, Rosy, she sat down to eatdinner with Jimmy."So did Griffiths have a big punch?" she asked."You could come and watch me fight," suggested Jim.But Mae looked away. "You get punched, and it feels like I'mgetting punched. But I'm not as strong as you . . ." She forcedherself to smile. "And who wants newspaper stories about merunning out from a fight again?"Jim remembered when this had happened. His opponent hadknocked him down that day, and Mae had seen it. Jim stillremembered the look of fear on her face. It didn't seem to matterthat Jim had won the fight in the end. After that, Mae bravelycontinued coming to watch Jim box. He didn't know how painfulit was for her until a few fights later. Jim was having a bad nightand he took a lot of punishment. Not able to watch anymore,Mae had run off before the final bell. A reporter saw her go,and the story was in the newspapers. Mae never went to a fightagain.6
การแปล กรุณารอสักครู่..
