462
PARTISAN REVIEW
immediately. They were about one hundred in number (for I could
easily count the number of red knobs moving in the green fields),
and we had about a dozen Mausers, pistols, and shotguns. But we
stopped their advance by killing almost as many of them as emerged
from the fields and came into the open within the range of our fire–
arms. Against our well-planned defense, their foolhardy courage and
their shining blades were of no avail. They fell down like so many
red-headed insects before the spray of some poisonous powder.
"The smoke from our guns vanished into the blue sky; the dust
raised by the advancing enemy settled back to the earth and the
turmoil subsided. The Boxers, those that had survived, disappeared,
while the sorghum fields looked as vast and calm as ever. On the
yellow ground, along the fringes of the field, were scattered the deau
and the wounded, lying in grotesque postures, their swords and spears
gleaming. But groans could be heard. Some of them were kicking
their
legs.
"But of a sudden I heard a shout, while a sword flashed toward
my eyes.
It
was too late to raise my gun. So I simply dodged the
thrust, and grasped with one hand the arm that held the sword. I
dragged the man toward me. For a moment we stood face to face,
one inside, the other outside the window.
It
was a contest of strength,
but he was giving ground until my big right hand reached
his
throat
and I began to throttle him. The sword had dropped in the room
at last and both of my hands were now applied to his neck. I saw
how the man bulged
his
eyes and clenched his teeth. Then there
was a crack and the man's neck was broken.
"That was the man I killed. Of all the Boxers, he was the
cleverest. He knew how to take cover, to sneak, to attack by surprise.
There were several trees and bushes that stood between the sorghum
field and our church where he could have hidden himself. Then he
had avoided notice by crawling along the base of the wall. And,
what a wise man indeed, he did not wear the betraying red band!
His death was different from that of
his
comrades too. He was killed
not by a gun, but overpowered by sheer physical strength. I felt a
moment of elation, for I had defeated the man at
his
own game.
My muscles were stronger than his: I had proved to be a more
powerful gladiat'Jr, or, for that matter, a better Boxer.
"That day I was not allowed to leave my post, so I could only
\
,
I
\
