第17部分(第1/8 頁)

worth　one　thousand　lire　or　more。　Catherine　was　sure　his　color　had　been　changed。　Ferguson　said　she　could　not　tell。　I　thought　he　looked　suspicious。　We　all　agreed　we　ought　to　back　him　and　pooled　one　hundred　lire。　The　odds　sheets　showed　he　would　pay　thirty…five　to　one。　Crowell　went　over　and　bought　the　tickets　while　we　watched　the　jockeys　ride　around　once　more　and　then　go　out　under　the　trees　to　the　track　and　gallop　slowly　up　to　the　turn　where　the　start　was　to　be。

We　went　up　in　the　grand…stand　to　watch　the　race。　They　had　no　elastic　barrier　at　San　Siro　then　and　the　starter　lined　up　all　the　horses；　they　looked　very　small　way　up　the　track；　and　then　sent　them　off　with　a　crack　of　his　long　whip。　They　came　past　us　with　the　black　horse　well　in　front　and　on　the　turn　he　was　running　away　from　the　others。　I　watched　them　on　the　far　side　with　the　glasses　and　saw　the　jockey　fighting　to　hold　him　in　but　he　could　not　hold　him　and　when　they　came　around　the　turn　and　into　the　stretch　the　black　horse　was　fifteen　lengths　ahead　of　the　others。　He　went　way　on　up　and　around　the　turn　after　the　finish。

〃Isn't　it　wonderful；〃　Catherine　said。　〃We'll　have　over　three　thousand　lire。　He　must　be　a　splendid　horse。〃

〃I　hope　his　color　doesn't　run；〃　Crowell　said；　〃before　they　pay　off。〃

〃He　was　really　a　lovely　horse；〃　Catherine　said。　〃I　wonder　if　Mr。　Meyers　backed　him。〃

〃Did　you　have　the　winner？〃　I　called　to　Meyers。　He　nodded。

〃I　didn't；〃　Mrs。　Meyers　said。　〃Who　did　you　children