mocking smile, stood leaning forward, his hands on his knees, waiting
for a fresh onset.
This time the young fellow was more cautious. He found he had no
novice to deal with, and the Brahmin was not at all anxious to
precipitate matters. By a splendid feint, after some pretty sparring
for a grip, the youngster again succeeded in getting a hold on the
Brahmin, and wheeling round quick as lightning, got behind Roopnarain,
and with a dexterous trip threw the tall man heavily on his face. He
then tried to get him by the ankle, and bending his leg up backwards,
he would have got a purchase for turning him on his back. The old man
was, however, 'up to this move.' He lay extended flat on his chest,
his legs wide apart. As often as the little one bent down to grasp his
ankle, he would put out a hand stealthily, and silently as a snake,
and endeavour to get the little man's leg in his grasp. This
necessitated a change of position, and round and round they spun, each
trying to get hold of the other by the leg or foot. The blacksmith got
his knee on the neck of the Brahmin, and by sheer strength tried
several times with a mighty heave to turn his opponent. It was no use,
however, it is next to impossible to throw a man when he is lying flat
out as the Brahmin now was. It is difficult enough to turn the dead
weight of a man in that position, and when he is straining every nerve
to resist the accomplishment of your object it becomes altogether
impracticable. The excitement in the crowd was intense. The very
drummer--I ought to call him a tom-tomer--had ceased to beat his
tom-tom. Pat's lips were firmly pressed together, and K. was trembling
with suppressed excitement. The heaving chests and profuse
perspiration bedewing the bodies of both combatants, told how severe
had been their exertions. The blacksmith seemed gathering himself up
for a mighty effort, when, quick as light, the Brahmin drew his limbs
together, was seen to arch his back, and with a sudden backward
movement, seemed to glide from under his dashing assailant, and
quicker than it takes me to write it, the positions were reversed.
The Brahmin was now above, and the blacksmith taking in the altered
aspect of affairs at a glance, threw himself flat on the ground, and
tried the same tactics as his opponent. The different play of the two
men now came strongly into relief. Instead of exhausting himself with
useless efforts, Roopnarain, while keeping a wary eye on every
movement of his prostrate foe, contented himself while he took breath,
with coolly and and yet determinedly making his grip secure. Putting
out one leg then within reach of his opponent's hand, as a lure, he
saw the blacksmith stretch forth to grasp the tempting hold.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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