Chapter 23 Chapter 21

Malena suddenly moved, sat up straight suddenly, and picked up the watch I put on the small table beside the bed. "Oops." She threw back the watch and swung her foot to the floor. "Huh? What's wrong?" I asked. "It's already noon, I have to go back." She walked into the bathroom in two steps in three steps, and closed the door.After a while, there was the sound of flushing the toilet and the sound of water.Then he rushed out again, turning round and round to pick up the clothes on the ground. "Marlena, wait a minute." I got out of bed. "No, I have to perform." She fought with the stockings.

I walked behind her and put my arms around her shoulders. "Marlena, please." She stopped and turned slowly to face me, her eyes fixed first on my chest and then on the floor. I looked down at her, and suddenly my mouth became dumb. "You said 'I need you' last night, you never mentioned the word 'love', so I only know what I want for you." I swallowed hard, looking at the line where her hair parted . "Marlena, I love you, I love you with my whole heart and soul, and I want to be with you in appearance." She continued to stare at the floor. "Marlena!"

She looked up, tears welling in her eyes. "I love you too," she whispered. "I probably fell in love with you from the first moment I saw you. But don't you understand? I'm married to August." "We can fix this." "But--" "There is nothing wrong with it. I want to stay with you. As long as you have the heart, we can figure out a way." There was a long silence.She finally said: "In this life, I have never wanted to be with someone so much." I cupped her face and kissed her. "We have to get out of the regiment." I wiped her tears with my thumb.

She nodded, blowing her nose. "But we can't leave until we get to Providence." "why?" "Because Lao Luo's son will come to us there and take Lao Luo home." "Can Walt take care of him by himself, let's go first?" I closed my eyes and pressed my forehead against hers. "It's not that simple." "How to say?" "Uncle Allan came to me yesterday, and he asked me to persuade you to return to August. He threatened me." "Well, if he doesn't threaten people, he's not Uncle Ailan." "No, I mean he threatened to send Walt and Luo to the red light."

"Well, that's just saying, don't take it seriously, he never did anything like that." "Who said that? August? Uncle Allan?" She looked up, startled. "When we were in Davenport, people from the railway company came to look for Uncle Allan, do you remember? They came because six members of the Feitian brigade disappeared the night before." She frowned, "I thought they came because someone was making trouble for Uncle Ailan." "It's not like that. They came because six people saw the red light. Lao Luo was also the one who was going to be thrown away."

She stared at me for a moment, then covered her face with her hands. "My God, my God, I'm so stupid." "You're not stupid, you're not stupid at all, you just find it hard to believe that such an ugly thing exists." I put my arms around her. She buried her face in my chest, "Jacob, what shall we do?" "I don't know." I stroked her hair. "We'll figure it out, but we're going to be very, very careful." We each went back to the venue without daring to publicize.I helped her carry her suitcase, walked a block away from the venue before returning it to her, and then watched her walk across the venue and back to her dressing awning.I circle around in case August happens to be inside the canopy.A few minutes later, seeing that nothing seemed to be wrong, he returned to the performance carriage.

"Hey, our scent seeker is back," said Walter.He was pushing the suitcase back to the wall to cover Lao Luo.The old man was lying there with his eyes closed and his mouth open, snoring.Walter must have given him a drink. "There's no need to move the trunk around," I said. Walter straightened up. "what?" "Lao Luo doesn't need to hide anymore." He glared at me. "What did you say?" I sit on the bedding.Queenie followed, wagging her tail.I scratched its head and it sniffed me all over. "Jacob, what happened?" When I said it in detail, his expression changed from surprise to fear, and finally to suspicion.

"Bastard," he said finally. "Walter, don't—" "So, you guys are going to leave when you arrive in Providence. You are really kind enough to wait so long." "That's because Lao Luo—" "I understand it's because of Lao Luo." He roared, then clenched his fists and beat his chest, "Then what should I do?" I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. "Hmph, I think so." His tone was full of sarcasm. "Come with us." I said without thinking. "Yeah, it's really touching, just the three of us depend on each other, where can we go?"

"We check the advertisements to see which circuses are short of people." "Who will be short of people? Circuses all over the country are down, down. Some people are hungry, hungry! It's in the United States of America!" "We'll find errands, there will always be." "Wonderful if you can find it." He shook his head. "Damn it, Jacob. All I can say is, hope she's worth our trouble." I looked around for August and found the animal tent all the way.He wasn't there, but the tent workers were clearly on their nerves. In the middle of the afternoon, Uncle Ai Lan sent someone to tell me to go to his carriage.

"Sit." Uncle Ailan greeted me when he saw me coming in, and pointed to the chair opposite him. I sit down. He leaned back in the chair, twirling his beard and squinting. "Any progress?" "Not yet, but I think she'll change her mind," I said. His eyes widened and his fingers stopped twisting. "really?" "Of course, not right away. She's still angry." "Yes, yes, yes," he leaned forward eagerly, "but you really think..." He didn't finish his sentence, his eyes sparkled with hope. I sighed heavily, leaned back against the back of the chair, and crossed my legs. "When two people are destined to stay together for a lifetime, they will stay together for a lifetime. This is God's will."

He looked into my eyes and a smile spread across his face.He raised his hand to beat the torreya, "Give Jacob a glass of brandy, and I'll have a glass too." A minute later, we each had a large glass of wine. "Well, please tell me how long you think it will take..." he said, gesticulating with his head. "I think Marlena wants to teach August a lesson." "Yes, yes, of course." He moved his face forward, his eyes sparkled, "Yes, I can understand." "Also, it's important for Marlene to feel that we're all on her side, not on August's side. You know that's how women are. Don't let her feel that we don't sympathize with her, otherwise everything It’s back to where it started.” "Of course." He said, nodding, shaking his head again, turning his head in circles like this. "That's right, what do you think we should do?" "Well, August should stay away from Marlena, so that Marlena has a chance to miss him. If he can pretend that he doesn't care about Marlena, it might be good for him. Women's family is this kind of awkward temper. Also, we must not let Marlena feel that we want to force them to get back together. To make things happen, she must think that she decided to get back together." "Well, yes, that makes sense." He nodded thoughtfully, "Then how long do you think it will take?" "Should not be more than a few weeks." He stopped nodding and opened his eyes wide. "So long?" "I can work harder to add fuel to the flames, but it is inevitable that there is a risk of misfire. You know women." I shrugged, "It will take two weeks, and maybe it will be done tomorrow. However, if she feels a little pressure , she will shrink back just to give us a little color." "Yes, that's exactly it." Uncle Ailan said, holding a finger to his lips.He looked at me, I think he looked at me for a long time. "Tell me, why did you change your position yesterday?" I lifted the glass and swirled the brandy around, watching the point where the stem meets the body. "Let's put it this way, the situation of the matter suddenly became very clear." He squinted. "To Auguste and Marlene." I raised the wine glass high, and some brandy splashed out of the glass. He raised his glass slowly. I drank the rest of the wine in my glass and smiled. He put down his glass and didn't take a sip.I tilted my head and kept smiling.Just let him look at me, he can look at me how he likes, today I am invincible. He began to nod, satisfied, and took a sip of his wine. "Well, well, I have to admit, I was still worried seeing you the way you were yesterday. I'm glad you've changed your mind. You won't regret it, Jacob. It's better for everyone and better for you." He Pointing at me with the wine glass, then sent it back to his lips and raised it, "I will take care of those who take care of me." He smacked his lips, looked at me, and added, "I also take care of those who don't take care of me. " That night, Marlene covered her dark circles with wet powder and took her horse for an unmanned show, but August's face couldn't be covered with makeup, so he had to wait until he regained his human form. The elephant show was resumed.The locals had been staring at the poster of Rosie standing on the ball for two weeks, only to realize that the pachyderm happily accepting candy, popcorn, and peanuts in the animal tent wasn't even there after watching the show. The canopy shows its face.Many people clamored for a refund, and before other people could coax them to ask for the money, those people were rushed to see a lawyer, and the lawyer settled them. A few days later, the sequined tiara reappeared, carefully patched with pink thread.So Rosie looked so pretty when she was bewitching in the mantle, but she still wasn't there, and there was always protest after every show. The days are so reluctant to maintain the same old.I do my morning routine, and when the audience arrives, I retreat backstage.Uncle Ailan thinks my rotten tomato face is not suitable for people to see, and I don't blame him.My injuries looked much worse on the outside before they faded.After my face gradually subsided, I found that my nose will always be crooked in my life. The only time we don't see August is at mealtimes.Originally, Uncle Alan transferred him to sit at the same table with Earl, but every time he just sat there, sulking, staring at Marlena, and then he was transferred to the dining car to have dinner with Uncle Alan .In this way, Malena and I sat face to face at the table three times a day, although we were in public, we were alone. I have to admit that Uncle Ailan really tried his best to keep his agreement with me.But August was far from under control.On the day after Uncle Ailan forbade him to eat in the kitchen, as soon as Marlena turned around, she saw his figure slipping away behind the curtain.An hour later, he accosted Marina at the camp, knelt before her, and wrapped his arms around her legs.She struggled to get free, but August knocked her down on the grass, pressed her firmly to the ground, held the ring on her finger, begged and threatened again and again. Walt rushed to the animal tent to look for me, but when I arrived, Earl had already carried August away.I was so annoyed that I ran into Uncle Ailan's carriage. I told Uncle Ailan that everything had to start over again after August's disturbance.Uncle Ailan's lungs exploded, and he threw a bottle of wine against the wall. August disappeared for three days, and Uncle Ailan started knocking on people's heads again. August wasn't the only one who lost his mind for Marina.At night, I lay on the saddle mattress, thinking about her achingly. I hoped that she would come to me, but also hoped that she would not come, otherwise it would be too dangerous.I can't go to her.She lived with a showgirl in the girls' car. We managed to make out twice in six days, hiding in the gap between the inner canopy wall and the outer canopy, hugging each other fervently, not having time to undress, just pulling the clothes off and going into battle.These two sexual encounters have left me tired and refreshed, hopeless and content.As for the rest of the time, we kept our boundaries in the kitchen and made a good appearance. Even if it was impossible for anyone to hear us, we spoke very cautiously, as if there were other people sitting at the same table.Even so, I still wonder if our romance is really secret.In my opinion, the emotion between us is so intense that it can be seen with the naked eye. On the night of our third accidental lingering love, her breath was still on my lips, but I had a vivid dream.In the dream, the train stopped in the forest. I couldn't figure out the reason for the stop at all. It was the middle of the night and no one got up.Urgent wailing continued to come from outside the car.I left the car and followed the sound to the steep river bank.Queenie struggled at the bottom of the ravine, a badger hanging from her leg.I called to it, and frantically scanned the bank, looking for a way down.I grabbed the slender branches, climbed on them, and tried to climb down.But the soil under his feet was slippery, and he had nowhere to put his strength, so he had to climb up again. Meanwhile, Queenie dropped Badger and staggered up.I picked it up and checked its wounds.It turned out to be fine.I tuck it under my arm and head to the show carriage.A two-and-a-half-meter-long alligator blocked the door.I headed for the next car, but the crocodile followed, lumbering along the side of the train, grinning grinningly.I panicked, and as soon as I turned around, another huge alligator came from the other direction. Leaves rustled behind us, branches snapped.I turned around, and the badgers climbed up, and there were a lot of them. Behind us was an army of badgers, and in front of us were a dozen or so alligators. I woke up in a cold sweat. The situation is completely out of control, and I know it myself. In Poughkeepsie, the police raided, and there was no class distinction in the regiment. No matter the workers, entertainers, foremen, etc., they all sighed and felt sorry for the many Scotch whiskeys, the many wines, the many fine Canadian whiskeys, The amount of beer, the amount of gin, even the moonshine was poured out onto the gravel at the outstretched arms of the grimacing cop.We watched the wine flow away, bubbling into the earth unworthy of it. Then we were expelled from the city. In Hartford, some guests were outraged that Rosie didn't make the show, and the crowd was outraged by the fact that Beautiful Lucinda's flag was still up despite her tragic death.The lawyers weren't quick enough, and before we could react, disgruntled crowds flocked to the ticket vans, demanding refunds.In this way, Uncle Ailan saw the police advancing step by step at one end and the villagers chasing the entrance fee at the other end. He couldn't do it, so he had to vomit back the whole day's income. Then we were expelled from the city. The next morning was paycheck time.Members of the world's largest circus of the Benzini Brothers lined up in front of the red ticket caravan.The workers were in a bad mood, knowing they probably couldn't expect to get paid.The first person to go to the red caravan was a handyman, and when he left empty-handed and swearing, the rest of the workers also swaggered away, spitting and cursing, leaving only the entertainer and the foreman in line.A few minutes later, an angry murmur, this time tinged with surprise, came from the front of the line.The artist didn't get any money, not even a penny. This was the first time the group was founded.Only the foreman gets the money. Walter was furious. "What the hell are you doing?" He yelled so loudly when he returned to the performance carriage, threw his hat in the corner, and sat down on the bedding. Lao Luo sneered on the bed.Since the police raid, he either stared at the wall or burst into tears.The only time he spoke was when we tried to feed him and wash him, but all he said was begging us not to leave him with our son.Walter and I took turns muttering loving, forgiving words to reassure him, but neither of us was without fear.No matter what he looked like when he left his family and wandered the world, his condition is definitely much worse now than it was then, his bones are destroyed forever, and according to his current virtue, his family may not recognize him.If they are unwilling to forgive, then what will happen to him when he is helpless in the hands of his family? "Calm down, Walter," I said, sitting on the corner saddle, swishing away the flies that had bugged me all morning.They keep shifting between my scabs. "I don't want to be calm. I'm an entertainer! An entertainer! Artists are rich!" Walter yelled, beating his chest.He tore off a shoe and threw it violently against the wall.He stared at the shoe for a moment, then tore off the other shoe and threw it into a corner.The shoe fell on his hat.Walter rested her fist on the quilt under her buttocks, and Queenie scurried behind the trunk where Luo Luo had been hidden. "You don't have to endure it for too long. A few more days, and we will leave." "Really? How do you say that?" "Because Lao Luo will go home then,"—a mournful cry came from the bed—"we can get out of this damn place." Walt added, "Yeah? So what the hell are we going to do then? Do you have a score?" My eyes met his angry eyes for a few seconds, then I stopped. "Hmm, I guess so. That's why I need to get paid. We'll be bums," he said. "No." I said without confidence. "Jacob, you'd better figure out a way out. It's you, not me, who's in this trouble. You and your girlfriend might be able to live a life of wandering, but I can't. You might find this all exciting and fun—" "This is not exciting and fun!" "—but I won't be able to. At least you can jump on the train again and run around, but I can't." He was silent.I stared blankly at his short and lean limbs, He nodded bitterly, "That's right, that's exactly the case. As I said before, my virtue is not what makes me a peasant." When I was queuing in the kitchen, my heart was turbulent.Walter's absolutely right, I got us both in trouble, and I've got to find a way to get us out of here.Damn, if only I knew how to do it.We are all homeless.Not to mention that Walt can't jump on the train yet, and I'd be dying to let Malena join the rest of the bums for a sleepover.I was so preoccupied that I almost raised my eyes when I reached the table.Marina was already sitting there. "Hi." I sat down. "Hi." She hesitated for a moment before speaking.I knew right away that something was wrong with her. "What's the matter, what's the matter?" "fine." "Are you okay? Did he hit you?" "It's okay, I'm fine," she whispered, staring at her plate. "No, you're not good. What's the matter? What did he do?" I said.Others start to look at me. "It's all right. Keep your voice down," she hissed. I restrained my attitude and tried my best to be self-made. I spread the napkin on my lap, picked up the knife and fork, and carefully cut the pork chops. "Marlena, please talk to me." I said quietly, concentrating on the expression of discussing the weather.The people nearby gradually stopped looking at us and started eating again. "I'm late for that," she said. "What's late?" "That's it." "Which one?" She looked up, her face red as a beet. "I probably have a baby in my stomach." I wasn't even surprised when Earl came to me.Bad luck always happens one after another. Uncle Ailan sat on the chair, his face was sour.No brandy today.He gnawed at the filter of his cigar and kept prodding the carpet with his cane. "It's going to be three weeks, Jacob." "I know." My voice trembled, and my mind was still on what Marina told me. "You let me down, I thought we had a consensus." "There's always been a consensus." I moved awkwardly. "Look, I'm trying to do my best, but August isn't helping at all. If he can leave Marlena alone for a while, she You've already returned to him." "I've done everything I can." Uncle Ailan took the cigar from his lips to look at it, then took a piece of tobacco from his tongue and flicked it to the wall.The tobacco just stuck to the walls. "You didn't do enough. August followed Marlena everywhere, yelled at her, cried outside her window, scared her to death. You just made Earl follow August, It wasn't enough to pull August away when he was out of proportion. If you were Marlena, would you come back to him?" Uncle Ailan stared at me, and I suddenly realized that I was yelling at him just now. "I'm sorry. I'll try to persuade her, I swear, if only you could get August to ignore Marlena for a few more days—" "Forget it. From now on, use my method instead." He said in a deep voice. "what?" "I said, use my method, you can go down." He pointed to the door with his fingertips, "You go." I stare at him, blinking stupidly. "Your method? What do you mean?" Then, Earl's arms wrapped around me like iron bars, he lifted me from the chair and grabbed me to the door. "Alan, what does that mean?" I called over Earl's shoulder. "I need to know what you're talking about! What are you going to do?" As soon as Earl closed the door, the grip on me eased considerably.When he finally got me down on the gravel, he smoothed my coat down. "I'm sorry, friend. I really tried my best." "Earl!" He stopped and turned to me, his face sullen. "What is he thinking?" He looked at me, but said nothing. "Earl, please, I beg you, what is he going to do?" "I'm sorry, Jacob." He returned to the train. At 6:45, the performance will begin in fifteen minutes.Crowds wander around the animal tent, look at the animals, and enter the tent.I stood next to Rosie and watched her take candy, gum, and even lemonade from the crowd.Out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of a tall figure striding towards me.It's Diamond Joe. "You've got to get out of here." He stepped into Rosie's rope bar. "Why? What happened?" "August is coming, and the elephant is playing tonight." "Ah? You mean to play with Marlena?" "Yeah, August doesn't want to see you. He's having another fit, you go, get out." I looked around the mantle for Malena.She was standing in front of her horse, chatting with a family of five.She glanced at me, and when she saw my expression, her complexion was as dark as half-time. I handed Diamond Joe the silver-tipped cane that had been acting like a hook for a while, and stepped over Rosie's rope bar.I saw August's top hat coming from my left, so I turned right, past a line of zebras.I stopped next to Marina. "Did you realize you had to play with Rosie tonight?" I said. "I'm sorry." She smiled at the family in front of her, then turned to me, leaned over and said, "I know, Uncle Ailan came to me and said that our group is going to collapse." "But can you? I mean, you...uh..." "I'm fine. I don't have to do a tiring show." "What if you fall?" "No. Besides, I've got no choice. And Uncle Allen said—oh, hell, August's here. You'd better go." "I don't want to go." "It's going to be all right. There's a bumpkin here, and he doesn't dare to do anything wrong. You must go, please." I looked back, and August was walking towards us, with his head down, but staring at us, like a buffalo about to rush towards the enemy. "Please." Malena said anxiously. I walked towards the canopy and walked along the edge of the performance area to the entrance at the back of the canopy.I stopped and ducked under the auditorium. I peek out from between a man's work boots at a show of great spectacle.However, halfway through, I noticed someone next to me.An old handyman was also peeping from between the seats, but in another direction.He was looking up at the skirt of a woman. "Hey! Hey, stop watching!" I called. The crowd burst into cheers.A huge gray mass walked past the audience.It's Rosie.I turned to look at the handyman.Standing on tiptoe, he clings to the edge of a piece of floorboard, peering upward.He licks his lips. I can't stand it.I made a blunder, the kind that would send a soul to hell forever, but I couldn't bear to see a woman desecrated like that.So even though Marina and Rosie were walking into the middle of the arena, I grabbed his coat and dragged him out from under the seats. "Let go of me! Is there something wrong with you?" he whined. I grabbed him by the hand, but my attention was still on the field. Marlena stood bravely on the ball, but Rosie stood still, her four legs firmly on the ground.August pointed, swung his cane, fisted, opened and closed his mouth, and Rosie's ears were flat against her head.I leaned forward and looked at it more carefully.Its expression was clearly defiant. God, Rosie, no, this is not the time to lose your temper. The dirty little wax gourd I was holding screamed, "Hey, come on. It's not a decent place in our regiment. I'm just having fun and I'm not in anyone's way. Come on! Let it go." Let me go!" I look down at him.He was gasping for breath, short of breath, and his lower jaw had a row of long yellow dies.When I saw the nausea, I pushed him away. He looked around quickly, and seeing that no one was paying attention to us, he adjusted his collar arrogantly and staggered away towards the rear entrance.Walking to the door, he gave me a supercilious look, but his squinting eyes slipped away from me and fell behind me.He flew away, panic settled on his face. I turned around and saw Rosie galloping towards me with her proboscis raised and her mouth wide open.I hurriedly dodged to the side, and it rushed over, roaring, and its footsteps fell heavily on the ground, causing a meter-high cloud of sawdust dust to rise behind it.August ran after it, waving his cane. The crowd roared with laughter and applause, thinking it was part of the show.Uncle Ailan stood in the middle of the arena, stunned.With his mouth open, he stared blankly at the entrance behind the awning for a moment, then suddenly came back to his senses and signaled Lotte to come on stage. I straightened up and looked for Marlena.She sprinted past me like a pink shadow. "Marlena!" In the distance, August has already set out to fix Rosie.It hummed and wailed, and flung its head back, but August, like a machine, raised the deadly cane high up, and hit Rosie with the pointed hook downwards, once and again.When Marlena caught up, he turned to meet her and the cane fell to the ground. He stared at her fiercely, completely ignoring Rosie. I've seen that look. I took a big stride forward, but I was knocked down after less than ten steps, and fell to the ground.A knee pressed against my cheek, and one of my arms was cut behind my back. "Go to hell, let me go!" I yelled, struggling, "Did you take the wrong medicine? Let me go!" "Shut up." Old Hei's voice came from above me, "You can't go anywhere." August bowed his waist, carried Marlena on his shoulders, and stood up straight again.She pounded August's back with her fists, kicked and jumped with her legs, screamed, and almost fell off his shoulders.But August just put her back on his shoulders and strode away. "Marlena! Marlena!" I growled and struggled again. I broke free from Lao Hei's knee, and when I was about to get up, I got hit on the back of the head.My brain and eyes vibrated in my skull, black and white stars burst out in front of my eyes, and my ears might be deaf.After a while, vision began to return to normal from the outside to the inside.I saw several faces with their mouths moving, but all I heard was a deafening hum.I turned my head tremblingly, trying to see who those people were, what the situation was, and where I was, but the ground began to hiss and engulf me.I couldn't stop it, so I just hugged myself.In the end, though, there was no need to hold myself, because I was swallowed up by the darkness before the ground could touch me.