cw.blackalibi-第26节

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　　She　called　upon　her　patron　saint；　sponsor　of　that　given　name　she　so　seldom　heard　any　more；　except　around　the　shack。　〃Santa　Gabriela；　get　me　out　of　this！〃　She　touched　her　shoulders　and　her　forehead　and　her　breast；　to　ward　it　off。　It　was　worse；　they　said；　even　than　breaking　a　mirror。
　　But　she　couldn't　stand　here　all　night　upon　this　island　of　safety。　The　damage　was　done　now；　irretrievable。　She　gathered　herself　together；　lowered　her　head　defensively　as　though　she　were　about　to　charge　through　a　curtain　of　fire　or　water；　even　gathered　up　her　already　brief　skirt　higher　still　with　one　hand；　to　give　her　limbs　more　freedom　of　action。　Then　she　drew　a　deep　breath　and　went　plunging　through　the　cat's　esoteric　path　and　brought　up　short　on　the　other　side　of　it。　Free；　but　tarred　by　misfortune。
　　She　gave　a　look　behind　her；　sighed；　and　continued　on　her　way。
　　A　few　minutes　later　she　had　hit　the　straightaway　of　the　Gable　de　Justicia；　a　wide　diagonal　swath　cut　remorselessly　through　the　maze　of　crooked　older　byways；　its　corners　a　continuous　series　of　wedges　and　acute　angles　due　to　its　biased　progression。　Now　all　she　had　to　do　was　keep　on　it　to　its　outer　reaches　and　she'd　arrive　back　at　the　shack。
　　A　street…light　poob　picked　her　up　momentarily；　lost　her　to　the　darkness　again。　A　short　wait；　and　then　the　next　one　ahead　did　the　same　thing。　Then　the　one　above　that。　They　were　spaced　about　one　to　a　crossing。
　　Still　as　it　was；　she　failed　utterly　to　hear　the　car　until　it　was　almost　upon　her。　It　must　have　been　gliding　after　her　with　its　engine　tuned　down　to　inaudibility；　its　lights　out；　for　several　moments　past。　Probably　he　had　sighted　her　ahead　under　one　of　those　betraying　light　pools。
　　A　slithering　sound；　light　as　a　tape　being　dragged　along　the　ground；　was　all　the　warning　she　had。　She　swerved；　and　it　was　only　a　few　yards　in　back　of　her；　pacing　her。　The　bights　must　have　been　left　off　purposely；　until　the　last　minute；　so　that　it　could　get　close。　They　switched　on　now；　drenched　her　from　head　to　foot；　photographed　her；　so　to　speak；　then　dimmed　again　to　a　dull　glow　at　the　touch　of　a　switch。　She　faltered　there　bbinded；　the　back　of　her　hand　to　her　eyes。
　　But　the　photographic　proof　had　turned　out　satisfactory；　the　car　had　stopped；　and　a　figure　had　alighted　to　the　sidewalk　beside　it。　All　she　could　glimpse　was　a　rakishly　diagonal　hat　brim　and　a　figure　that　was　young；　almost　juvenile；　in　its　symmetry。　He　must　be　some　rich　man's　son；　out　trying　to　beam　about　life　at　first　hand。　The　mere　fact　that　he　would　alight　and　stand　there　waiting　by　the　open　door；　instead　of　just　sitting　tight　and　cabling　her　over；　showed　how　inexperienced　he　still　must　be。　They　were　veritable　gold　mines；　if　you　were　lucky　enough　to　strike　one。
　　〃Hey；　chica；　how　about　a　little　spin　with　me？〃　Yes；　she'd　been　right；　the　voice　was　that　of　a　youth；　and　slightly　nervous　at　its　own　daring　under　the　man…about…town　nonchalance　it　tried　so　hard　to　assume。
　　She　had　already　taken　a　step　over　toward　him　to　parley；　both　out　of　long　habit　and　because　of　the　special　circumstances　involved　in　this　instance；　before　she　realized　what　she　was　doing。　She　jolted　to　a　sudden　halt　again。
　　〃Wait　a　minute；　what　color　is　that　car？　It　books　to　me…〃
　　〃It's　black；〃　he　said　proudly。　〃Some　beauty；　eh？〃
　　〃Get　outta　here！〃　she　shrieked　in　sudden　unreasoning　panic。　〃Get　away　from　me　with　that　thing！　Ay；　dios　mio；　don't　e　near　me　with　it！〃　She　fled　full　tilt　down　the　street　as　if　pursued　by　demons。
　　〃It's　an　Hispano；〃　he　cabled　after　her　in　high　dudgeon。　She　looked　back　to　make　sure　he　wasn't　ing　after　her　in　it。　He　was　standing　there　by　it；　booking　from　her　to　it；　and　from　it　to　her；　in　outraged　pride　of　ownership。　He　even　backed　one　arm　at　her　in　resentment。　She　had　evidently　wounded　him　in　a　very　sensitive　spot。
　　She　kept　running；　to　get　away　even　from　the　very　vicinity　of　the　thing。　She　didn't　stop　for　almost　a　block；　tapering　off　finally　to　a　bedraggled　scamper　simply　because　she　was　pletely　out　of　breath。　What　a　close　shave　that　had　been！　The　thing　would　have　probably　telescoped　itself　into　a　wall　and　burned　her　alive　inside　of　five　minutes　after　she'd　gotten　in。
　　Her　stockings　were　loosening　from　her　flight；　and　she　had　to　bend　over　and　tug　them　up。　Her　jacket　and　the　blouse　under　it　were　all　awry　too；　and　she　had　to　straighten　them。　Then　she　continued　at　a　tottering　walk；　still　panting　from　her　efforts。
　　That　got　her　home　finally。　That　saw　her　the　rest　of　the　way　to　the　shack。　It　was　a　one…story；　two…room　cabin　of　adobe　bricks　covered　with　plaster；　and　roofed　over　with　broken　tiles；　out　where　the　buildings　were　beginning　to　thin　out；　the　land　wasn't　worth　much；　and　nobody　was　exactly　sure　who　owned　it。　It　had　a　small　patch　of　open　ground　out　in　front；　with　sunflowers　struggling　up　through　the　discarded　gasoline　cans　and　broken　water　jugs；　and　usually　the　old　bady's　wash　strung　out。　It　was　home。　She　liked　it。　She　liked　to　e　back　to　it。　It　was　what　she　sat　drinking　at　bars　for。　It　was　what　she　brought　home　a　hundred　and　fifty　pesos…or　a　peso　and　fifty　centavos…to。　She　didn't　take　the　money　from　here　elsewhere；　she　brought　it　from　elsewhere　here。　That　showed　where　it　ranked　in　her　favor。　Sure；　they'd　have　a　better　one　someday　a　little　farther　out；　but　the　idea；　the　system；　would　be　the　same。
　　Their　mongrel　yard　dog　reared　belatedly　up　from　the　ground　at　her　passage　and　gave　its　usual　vociferous；　craven　bark；　while　remaining　prudently　at　a　distance。　〃Quiet；　Conejo；　it's　me；〃　she　said。　Then　it　went　to　the　other　extreme　of　tail　pumping　and　getting　in　her　way　until　she　had　gotten　inside　and　closed　the　door　on　it。
　　She　had　to　pick　her　way　among　the　pallets　on　the　floor；　but　she　knew　where　most　of　them　were。　The　old　lady　always　left　a　path　clear　for　her　from　the　door　over　to　her　cot。　Once　in　a　while　she　stepped　on　a　hand；　but　that　was　because　the　sleeper　had　carelessly　shifted　position　after　the　general　retirement。
　　One　of　the　younger　kids　had　pre…empted　her　cot；　she　found　when　she　got　over　to　it。　She　didn't　mind　if　they　did　that；　until　she　was　ready　to　use　it　herself。　She　woke　it；　remonstrated　in　an　undertone：　〃Get　off；　now；　palomita。　I'm　back。　Go　on；　get　down　where　you　belong。〃　The　kid　sidled　off　to　the　floor；　went　ahead　sleeping。　Clo…Clo　sat　down　in　its　place；　took　off　her　shoes。
　　She　stretched　luxuriantly；　arms　high　overhead；　yawned；　sighed　blissfully。　Gee　it　was　good　to　be　back　here；　to　have　the　whole　thing　over　with。　She　sat　inertly　slumped　over　there　for　a　moment　or　two；　half　asleep　already　although　still　upright　from　the　waist；　while　a　jumbled　kaleidoscope　of　the　whole　night　fanned　through　her　dimming　mind。
　　〃You'd　like　it　in　Copenhague；　I'd　like　to　take　you　out　of　this。。。　First　you're　here；　then　you're　not　here。。。　Watch　your　manners　in　here；　take　the　one　on　the　end；　none　of　that　smoke…ring　stuff；　understand？。。。　Papa；　the　car　is　waiting　outside；　what'bb　I　tell　Elena！。。。　Five　more　minutes；　I'm　closing　up。。。　Hey；　chica；　how　about　a　spin　with　me？　It's　an　Hispano。。。〃
　　One　hundred　and　fifty　pesos。　If　there'd　only　be　a　few　more　nights　like　this；　she　could　cut　it　out；　chuck　the　whole　thing　overboard。　She　shrugged　off　her　jacket；　bet　it　fall　down　behind　her。　The　cot　gave　a　jolting　creak。　Suddenly　she　was　erect；　awake；　appalled。　Her　hands　were　pressed　flat　against　the　center　hollow　of　her　bosom。
　　Gone！
　　She　gave　a　choked　exclamation　that　carried　through　the　open　doorway　into　the　next　room。　Her　mother　stirred　in　there；　cabled　drowsily　in：　〃You　back；　Gabriebita？　What's　the　matter；　have　you　been　hurt？〃　They　didn't　call　her　Clo…Clo　here；　they　didn't　even　know　that　was　her　name。
　　She　found　her　shoes　again。　She　was　too　stunned　even　to　cry；　to　make　any　further　sound。　It　was　a　solar…plexus　impact。　All　she　could　do　was　breathe　heavily；　bike　when　she'd　finished　running　a　little　while　ago…
　　That　was　it！　That　run　from　that　car。　That　was　when　it　must　have　happened。　That　was　the　only　time　she'd　moved　fast　all　night；　fast　enough　to　lose　it；　anyway。　Her　stockings　had　e　down；　her　blouse　had　shifted　around　a　little。　It　must　have　worked　its　way　up　over　the　neckbine　and　fallen　out。
　　She　had　the　outer　door　open　now。　No　four　of　spades　could　have　stopped　her；　no　black　cat；　no　black　car。　Nothing　now。　Money；　security；　that　was　the　strongest　impulse；　that　was　stronger　even　than　fear　of　death。　Her　mother's　voice　sounded　again；　just　before　she　got　the　door　closed。　〃Are　you　going　out　again；　my　daughter？　Take　care　of　yourself；　it's　so　bate…〃
　　〃Just　for　a　minute。　Go　back　to　sleep；　I'll　be　right　back；〃　she　answered　inattentively。　The　breadwinner　had　no　time　for　fear　or　explanations；　let　her　dependents　do　the　worrying　for　her；　this　was　her　problem　and　she　had　to　solve　it　alone。
　　She　was　going　back　now　toward　the　inner　city；　fast；　all　weariness　postponed。　Walking　as　though　it　were　three　in　the　afternoon。　Her　mind　was　grappling　with　it。　She　had　a　good　mind；　she　would　have　had；　if　it　had　been　trained　at　all。　〃I　didn't　lose　it　when　I　went　spinning　around　the　table　there　at　the　Tabarin。　I　know　I　didn't；　because　I　felt　for　it　after　I　left；　and　it　was　still　in。　I　didn't　lose　it　sitting　with　La　Bruja；　her　hands　were　on　the　cards；　didn't　e　near　me。　It　was　when　I　ran