cw.blackalibi-第2节

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　　Manning；　who　was　in　the　front　seat　of　the　Packard　beside　the　driver；　had　retained　the　leash　surreptitiously　across　the　top　of　it　until　the　very　last；　at　her　insistence。　He　only　passed　it　to　her　at　the　moment　of　arrival；　in　time　for　her　to　make　her　sortie。　The　livened　driver　jumped　down；　ran　around；　and　held　the　door　for　her。　She　stood　up　in　the　car；　held　the　stance　just　long　enough　for　everyone　to　get　a　look　at　her；　then　prepared　to　step　down。　There　was　a　momentary；　and　quickly　covered…up；　hitch　at　this　point。　It　was　between　her　and　the　door　and　it　wouldn't　move　for　a　second；　she　would　have　had　to　step　over　it　to　get　out。
　　〃Push　it　with　your　foot；〃　Manning　said　in　an　undertone。
　　She　nudged　its　flank　gingerly　with　the　toe　of　her　shoe。　Then　a　second　time。　It　rose　reluctantly；　wavered　for　a　moment；　then　sluiced　out　upon　the　pavement　like　a　suddenly　released　coil　of　black　water；　giving　her　arm　an　awkward　jerk　that　she　managed　to　cover　up　only　with　difficulty。　She　descended　in　its　wake　with　the　smiling　grace　of　a　VenUs。
　　It　had　e　into　full　view　of　the　cafй　crowd　for　the　first　time。　It　had　been　hidden　from　sight　until　now　on　the　floor　of　the　car。　One　of　those　deep；　somnolent　hums　rose　that　are　created　when　dozens　of　throats　all　murmur　in　astonishment　at　one　and　the　same　time。　Then　a　spray　of　excited　ment　was　dashed　up。　〃　Mira！　Mira！　Look　what　she's　got　with　her！〃　was　repeated　on　all　sides；　from　chair　to　chair　and　from　table　to　table。　Those　farther　back　stood　up　in　their　places　to　get　a　better　look　at　it。　Women　gave　little　cries　of　synthetic　fright　and　dismay。　〃　Ay；　que　horror！　Que　barbaridad！　Is　she　bringing　it　right　in　here？〃　And　they　prepared　to　jump　up　and　get　out　of　the　way。
　　Passers…by　along　the　sidwalk　began　to　bunch　up；　keeping　back　at　a　respectful　distance。
　　〃Stay　here；　don't　let　him　take　the　car　away；〃　she　said　tautly　to　Manning；　from　behind　her　smiling　mask　of　posure　and　relaxation。
　　〃He　can't　stand　right　here　in　front　of　the　place；　we're　not　allowed　to　park。　We'll　be　right　down　there　at　the　end　of　the　street。　Nothing　can　happen　to　you；　just　go　over　to　your　table　and　sit　down。〃　Then　as　the　sound　of　the　brakes　being　taken　off　seemed　to　freeze　her　where　she　was　for　a　moment；　he　quickly　warned：　〃Don't　stand　here　like　that；　Kick。　You're　onstage。　You're　on　the　air。　They're　all　looking　at　you。〃
　　The　car　glided　treacherously　out　from　in　back　of　her；　and　she　was　left　to　her　own　resources。　She　touched　it　lightly　with　the　little　toy　whip　he'd　provided　her　with；　and　it　moved　forward　docilely　enough；　perhaps　attracted　by　the　odors　of　food　ing　from　the　tables。　Those　seated　nearest　at　hand　edged　their　chairs　cautiously　back　as　it　made　its　way　down　the　narrow　center　lane　left　between　the　tables；　its　coat　all　but　brushing　their　legs　at　times。
　　The　distance　she　had　to　cover　wasn't　far；　fortunately。　She　reached　her　customary　table；　which　had　been　held　in　reserve　for　her；　paused；　and　managed　to　get　it　to　halt　also　by　reining　in　the　leash　slightly。　Then　she　seated　herself　with　an　air　of　lordly　indifference　upon　the　reedy　wire…backed　chair　the　waiter　had　drawn　out　for　her。　He　prudently　took　her　order　from　that　position；　remaining　behind　her　instead　of　ing　out　around　to　the　other　side　of　the　table。
　　〃A　Martini　seco；〃　she　said。　She　crossed　her　legs　and　looked　about　her　with　that　air　of　cool　indifference　fashionable　ladies　are　wont　to　assume　in　fashionable　places。　A　renewed　tug　or　two　at　the　leash；　meanwhile；　had　caused　it　to　sink　down　on　the　ground　at　her　feet；　after　an　undecided　moment　or　two。　The　spool…like　table；　however；　remained　between　the　two　of　them。　It　remained　that　way；　quiescent；　as　though　overe　by　supreme　lassitude；　only　its　ears　twitching　sensitively　at　each　taxi…horn　bleat　that　sounded　in　the　street　outside。
　　There　was　a　concerted　if　tactful　drawing　away　on　the　part　of　those　in　the　immediate　vicinity。　They　moved　the　adjoining　tables　wherever　possible；　or；　if　not；　shifted　their　chairs　around　to　the　other　side；　so　that　they　were　facing　it　and　not　sitting　with　their　backs　to　it。　She　was　left　seated　in　the　midst　of　a　small　empty　circle。　Even　the　waiter；　when　he　brought　her　order；　approached　circuitously　from　the　rear　and　put　it　down　over　her　shoulder。
　　She　would　not；　however；　have　been　an　actress　if　she　had　not　enjoyed　the　inordinate　amount　of　attention　she　was　attracting。　People　could　not　take　their　eyes　off　her…or　rather　her　appendage；　which　amounted　to　the　same　thing。　She　took　out　a　gold…tipped　cigarette；　pointed　it　up　into　empty　space　with　her　lips　in　quest　of　fire。　The　match　came　acmodatingly　down　over　her　shoulder　from　somewhere　behind　her。
　　The　press　representatives　arranged　for　by　Manning　now　materialized　from　nowhere；　converged　upon　her。　〃A　few　words；　Seсorita　Walker？〃
　　〃　Si；　o　no；〃　she　said　affably。
　　One　of　them　dipped　one　knee；　sighted　a　reflector　toward　her。　〃　Fotуgrafo；　Seсorita　Walker？〃
　　〃Yes；　you　may。〃
　　The　flash　had　a　disconcerting　effect　on　the　recumbent　brute。　It　cowered；　edged　cravenly　closer　under　the　table。
　　〃What　do　you　call　it；　Seсorita　Walker？〃
　　〃Big　Boy。　That　means　chamaco　in　English。〃　This　was　ad　libbing；　but　she　was　a　performer　after　all。
　　〃Have　you　had　it　long；　Seсorita　Walker？〃
　　〃No；　I　only　got　it　today。　It　was　sent　to　me　by　a　friend。〃
　　A　leer　creased　the　corners　of　the　interviewer's　eyes。　〃May　we　say　a　special　friend；　Seсorita　Walker？〃
　　Kiki　dropped　her　eyes；　coyly　rotated　the　toothpick　thrust　through　the　olive　in　her　glass。　〃Yes；　you　may；〃　she　conceded　at　last。
　　〃What　do　you　feed　it；　Seсorita　Walker？〃
　　She　was　at　a　loss　only　for　a　moment。　〃Oh；　a　little　bit　of　this　and　a　little　bit　of　that；〃　her　stage　presence　came　to　her　aid。
　　It　was　at　this　point　that　it　happened。　No　two　versions　were　alike　afterwards　as　to　what　the　immediate　cause　was。　Some　said　a　Pekingese　passing　in　a　car　along　the　street　just　then　had　gone　into　a　tantrum　of　barking；　arousing　it。　Others　said　somebody　at　one　of　the　other　tables　had　tossed　it　a　small　piece　of　meat　while　Kiki　was　occupied　with　the　interviewers；　in　a　spirit　of　idle　mischief；　to　see　what　it　would　do。　Still　others　were　inclined　to　believe　that　the　intermittent　flashes　from　the　photographic　apparatus　had　finally　irritated　its　nervous　system　beyond　endurance。
　　At　any　rate；　there　was　no　warning。　Its　furled　legs　suddenly　shot　up　under　it　like　steel　springs；　a　disembodied　snarl　winged　its　way　along　the　underside　of　the　awning　without　seeming　to　have　any　source；　the　lightweight　table　went　over；　and　Kiki　and　chair　with　it；　and　the　circle　of　interviewers　scattered　like　chaff。
　　Panic　blazed　up　among　the　overcrowded　tables　like　fire　spreading　through　straw。　There　was　a　mass　stampede　to　the　rear；　indoors；　where　doors　could　be　closed　protectively　against　it；　even　though　they　were　largely　glass。　Women　screamed；　and　this　time　not　for　effect；　men　shouted　hoarsely；　waiters'　trays　went　crashing　down　flat　with　tinny　reverberations；　tables　and　chairs　toppled　on　all　sides；　glasses　broke；　those　in　tbe　rear　stumbled　and　fell　to　their　hands　and　knees　now　and　then　in　their　efforts　to　get　through　ahead　of　those　before　them；　finally；　even　one　of　the　veranda　door　panes　itself　shivered　and　disintegrated　in　the　melee。　No　one　was　quite　sure　where　it　was　any　more；　nor　what　it　was　doing；　and　no　one　stopped　to　find　out。
　　Kiki；　screaming　berserkly；　couldn't　extricate　herself　for　a　minute　from　the　position　she　had　fallen　into。　She　was　flat　on　her　back；　but　the　chair　seat；　upended　against　her；　held　her　legs　helplessly　in　air。　She　had　a　horrifying　glimpse　of　an　infuriated　black　head　looming　upon　her；　ears　flat；　jaws　balefully　open　in　spite　of　the　inadequate　muzzle　that　still　clung　to　them；　to　reveal　a　set　of　needlepointed　fangs。
　　There　was　no　time　to　do　anything。　A　thick；　blue…glass；　mesh…protected　siphon　of　seltzer　had　rolled　unbroken　toward　her　from　somebody's　table。　She　snatched　it　up；　hugged　it　to　her　chest；　closed　her　eyes　expiringly；　and　played　it　madly　around　her　in　all　directions。　Whether　that　saved　her　or　the　fear…maddened　beast　had　had　no　intention　of　attacking　her　anyway　and　was　only　seeking　its　own　escape；　is　one　of　those　moot　points　that　are　never　satisfactorily　decided　afterwards。
　　Moments　later；　eyes　still　tightly　shuttered　to　avoid　seeing　what　she　could　not　escape　from　and　the　contents　of　the　siphon　beginning　to　ebb　dangerously；　she　felt　herself　being　hoisted　upright　again　by　helping　hands　that　had　e　back　belatedly　to　rescue　her　now　that　the　acutest　point　of　danger　was　past。
　　〃Where　did　it　go？〃　she　shuddered；　opening　her　eyes　and　looking　blankly　around　at　the　carnage　on　all　sides　of　her。
　　Brakes　were　screaming　hectically　out　in　the　middle　of　the　road。　Somebody　pointed。　It　had　managed；　almost　miraculously；　to　breast　the　heavy　evening　traffic　unharmed　and　get　to　the　other　side。　She　was　just　in　time　to　see　its　loping　black　form；　all　the　way　across　the　Alameda；　turn　up　into　a　threadlike　little　alley；　a　veritable　crack　between　the　buildings；　that　opened　on　that　side；　and　disappear　in　the　gloom。
　　〃How　are　you　going　to　get　it　back；　seсorita？〃　somebody　asked　fatuously；　fanning　her　with　his　hat　while　a　restorative　was　held　to　her　lips。
　　Kiki　flipped　her　hands　violently