那天九點，馬德維裏球賽真不妙，
比分已經二比四，只剩一局見分曉；
只見科尼和巴勒第二場先後出了局，
資助人個個臉色發青人人心驚肉跳。三三兩兩人離去，剩下的觀眾沒有散，
他們心中繼續閃耀著永恆不滅的希望；
大家心裏想：「只要凱西上場就好辦。」
凱西若上場，他們就會把賭注往下放。
可是弗林要先上，布萊克隨後緊跟著，
弗林體弱似布丁，布萊克原是冒牌貨。
場上觀眾真掃興，不見一人來把話說，
只因凱西上場擊球的機會看來也不多。
但見弗林「一壘球」的絕活驚四座，
布萊克雖然不起眼，「掃除障礙」也不錯；
只見塵土飛揚處，隊員個個都了不起，
布萊克已抵二壘座，弗林直往三壘逼。
忽聞歡呼聲四起，觀眾個個足蹈又手舞，
歡聲雷動震山顛，響聲隆隆迴盪在雲谷，
雷聲歡動撼峭壁，回聲陣陣響徹大平川，
原來是英雄凱西上場猶如下山如猛虎。
凱西一躍登上場，穩穩當當真從容，
風度翩翩步履輕，凱西臉上露笑容；
迎著掌聲走到位，歡呼聲中放下棒，
觀眾席中誰個不知球星凱西有真功。
凱西用手抹泥土，萬隻眼睛緊盯著，
凱西把手擦身上，五千觀眾交口讚。
投手扭身球擲出，偏偏打在他臀部，
凱西投去蔑視眼，嘴角一翹相譏讓。
投手再次把球擲，劃空而過來得急，
英武挺立人站定，凱西只等把球擊；
眼看球剛近身旁，誰知突然往下鑽，
凱西說：「這不對。」裁判卻說：「 一好球。」
看臺人頭在攢動，傳來一片低聲吼，
有如暴風雨中浪，擊打船尾遠方岸；
「打死他！打死裁判」看臺上面有人喊。
凱西若是不抬手，裁判一定真完蛋。
凱西真有菩薩心，滿面笑容神態怡，
為了比賽不中斷，他使觀眾怒平息；
他向投手示個意，棒球重新再飛起，
凱西又沒舉起棒，裁判宣佈：「二好球。」
「奸計！」觀眾怒聲吼，「奸計！」聲音在迴盪，
凱西轉臉輕蔑看，觀眾不敢再嚷嚷；
大家見他真嚴肅，渾身肌肉緊繃起，
知道凱西已決意，絕不讓它再滑閃。
凱西口出輕蔑笑，恨得牙關緊緊咬，
凱西惱得舉起棒，朝著本壘使勁敲；
只見投手舉起球，向著凱西扔過來，
只聽「啪」的一聲響，棒起球飛出界了。
哦，在這神賜福的國度，有個地方陽光普照，
那裏的人們奏凱歌，那裏的人們心情好，
那裏的男人喜開顏，那裏的孩子慶歡呼，
馬德維裏卻沒有歡笑：英雄凱西三振出局了。
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It looked extremely rocky for the Mudville
nine that day;
The score stood two to four, with but an inning
left to play.
So, when Cooney died at second, and Burrows
did the same,
A
pallor wreathed the features of the patrons of
the game.
A
straggling few got up to go, leaving there the
rest,
With that hope which springs eternal within
the human breast.
For they thought: "If only Casey could get a
whack at that,"
They'd put even money now, with Casey at the
bat.
But Flynn preceded Casey, and likewise so did
Blake,
And the former was a pudd'n, and the latter
was a fake,
So on that stricken multitude a deathlike
silence sat;
For there seemed but little chance of Casey's
getting to the bat.
But Flynn let drive a "single,' to the
wonderment of all.
And the much-despised Blakey "tore the cover
off the ball."
And when the dust had lifted, and they saw
what had occurred,
There was Blakey safe at second, and Flynn a-
huggin' third.
Then from the gladdened multitude went up a
joyous yell一
It rumbled in the mountaintops, it rattled in the
dell;
It struck up the hillside and rebounded on the
flat;
For Casey. mighty Casey, was advancing to the
bat.
There was ease in Casey's manner as he
stepped into his place,
There was pride in Casey's bearing and a smile
on Casey's face;
And when responding to the cheers he lightly
doffed his hat,
No stranger in the crowd could doubt 'twas
Casey at the bat.
Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed
his hands with dirt,
Five thousand tongues applauded when he
wiped them on his shirt;
Then when the writhing pitcher ground the
ball into his hip,
Defiance glanced in Casey's eye, a sneer curled
Casey's lip.
And now the leather-covered sphere came
hurtling through the air,
And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty
grandeur there.
Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded
sped;
"That ain't my style," said Casey. "Strike one,"
the umpire said.
From the benches, black with people, there
went up a muffled roar,
Like the beating of the storm waves on the
stern and distant shore.
"Kill him! kill the umpire!" shouted someone
on the stand;
And it's likely they'd have killed him had not
Casey raised his hand.
With a smile of Christian charity great Casey's
visage shone;
He stilled the rising tumult, he made the game
go on;
He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the
spheroid flew;
But Casey still ignored it, and the umpire said,
"Strike two."
"Fraud!" cried the maddened thousands, and
the echo answered "Fraud!"
But one scornful look from Casey and the
audience was awed;
They saw his face grow stern and cold. they
saw his muscles strain,
And they knew that Casey wouldn't let the ball
go by again.
The sneer is gone from Casey's lips, his teeth
are clenched in hate,
He pounds with cruel vengeance his bat upon
the plate;
And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he
lets it go,
And now the air is shattered by the force of
Casey's blow.
Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is
shining bright,
The band is playing somewhere, and
somewhere hearts are light;
And somewhere men are laughing, and
somewhere children shout,
But there is no joy in Mudville: Mighty Casey
has struck out. |