cw.blackalibi-第5节
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〃You've got your nerve ing around here again； after what happened！ You've made me the laughingstock of the whole town； I want you to know！ Beat it！ Take your bright ideas somewhere else！〃
〃Now look； Kick； I didn't arrange to have it happen that way purposely； you know；〃 he tried to reason with her。
〃You got my pictures in the paper all right！〃 her voice went on wrathfully。 〃Did you see the one in the Grafico？ Flat on my behind with my legs up in the air； and squirting a stream of seltzer water through them！ When the curtain goes up at the theater next week； that's what everyone'll see…and not the performance that's going on before their eyes！ I'll be laughed off the stage！
〃I'll e back when you've cooled off；〃 he said stiffly。 〃You don't have to make a scene like this； with everyone looking out of their rooms snickering at me。〃
〃And what about me； out in the middle of the Alameda； with the whole town taking it in？〃
〃All right； I'll see you tomorrow；〃 he said； trying to keep relations between them intact； no matter how brittle they had bee。 It was his livelihood； after all。
〃You'll see me never！〃 What he didn't realize； and perhaps she didn't herself； was that it wasn't the jaguar episode that was basically the cause of her tempestuous indignation。 It was really that first meeting of theirs。 He'd seen her when she was broke； down on her luck； unable even to buy herself a cup of coffee。 She'd never been able to forgive him for that。 〃There's your back salary。 There's no reason for you to e around any more now。 We're quits！〃
A handful of large disks； Ciudad Real silver pesos； sprinkled over the open transom and rolled about in all directions over the corridor。 One or two of those standing in the doorways helpfully stopped them for him with their feet。 A scattering of paper money had fluttered down more slowly in their wake。
He wasn't above picking it all up； every last scrap of it。 He'd worked hard for that money； and in a way that basically wasn't suited to his temperament or talents。 He needed it。 And he didn't know where the next was ing from。
〃All right； Kick；〃 he said with injured dignity。 〃Lots of luck to you； if that's the way you feel about it。〃
The transom panel snapped shut with a sharp little crack。 He turned up his coat collar at the back of his neck； shoved his hands deep into his pockets； and trudged disconsolately away from there。
When a man has lost his job； the first thing he thinks of； usually； is to go out； have a drink； and take the edge off his troubles。 Manning did that now too。 Only he found he wasn't even to be allowed to forget the damnable affair in peace。
He went into a place a few short blocks from her hotel。
〃Well；〃 asked the barman； grinning with what was intended to be sociable jocularity； 〃have you seen the jaguar yet？〃
Manning put down his drink abruptly； as though it sickened him。 He gave the bartender a look in kind； as though he did； too。 He snapped down a coin； turned around； and walked out without saying anything and went somewhere else。
Again he ordered。 Again the barman； trying to make him feel at home； began cheerily： 〃What's the latest on the jaguar？〃
Again Manning put down his drink short； scowled； and turned on his heel。
At the third place he beat the barman to the punch。 〃I want two things；〃 he said bitterly。 〃A whisky and water； and not to hear about the jaguar。 Will you do that for me； try not to mention it？ I came in here to forget it。〃 He drew an imaginary line through the air； lengthwise to his own face。 〃 Terminado。 Finished。 It's over。〃
But it wasn't。
Night brooded enigmatically over Ciudad Real； seeming to hold its breath。 Three quarters of a million people； and somewhere in the midst； shadow slim； with velvet tread； and fangs for those who crossed its ill…omened path…
II。 Teresa Delgado
Even the Seсora Delgado's trusty broom handle； that persuader of last resource； seemed to have very little effect tonight in getting her oldest girl to do her bidding。 She reached threateningly toward it； and that alone was usually sufficient impetus to start her toward the door。 Tonight it failed to。 Next she picked it up and brandished it。 Even that failed。 She finally was driven to actually swinging it at the recalcitrant one's calves in order to drive her before her。 Even this was a partial failure。 The girl simply moved nimbly from side to side； but gave very little ground。 Most of the light passes struck emptily against the wall； the girl avoiding being in the way each time。
There was always reluctance； dilatoriness； strife； whenever any question of going out on an errand arose。 But tonight there was more than that。 There was a deadlock； a form of passive resistance。 Such opposition had never before been met with。 Something stronger than fear of her mother's light broom whacks seemed to be holding the girl back。
She crouched in implicit unwillingness against the wall； large brilliant black eyes fixed imploringly； yet inscrutably； on her mother the whole time she continued to side…step the broom's corrective promptings。 She was fairly tall for her age； and particularly her racial antecedents； already full…grown in height if not yet in girth。 She was about eighteen or seventeen。 Or perhaps sixteen； they didn't keep very strict count of ages in this household。 Her skin was the pale gold of wheat； but would probably darken slightly as she grew older。 She had donned a rebozo…the ubiquitous head covering of lower…class Latin American girls and women…as a first step toward going out； but beyond that one preliminary she seemed unwilling or incapable of going。
Her mother began to poke the broom forward at her now； its broadside swipes having failed of effect。 She was shrilly denunciatory as she did so。 〃Three times I have asked you already！ Will you go？〃 She lunged。 〃Has any other woman in town got such trouble with her children？ Why do you afflict me like this； Teresa？ What is it that has gotten into you tonight？ Is it so much to ask you to bring back a little charcoal from the tienda； that your poor father may find his food hot when he es back from working hard？ You could have been there and back already； twice over！〃
〃 Madrecita；〃 the girl implored dolorously； 〃why can't Pedro go for a change？ I work all day in the laundry and I'm tired。〃
〃Pedro can't be trusted to go； and you know it。 He throws the money up in the air all the way there； and then the first thing you know he loses it。〃
〃Why can't you use sticks or papers until tomorrow？ Why do I have to go now？〃
〃Is paper charcoal？ How long does it last？ It flames and then it's gone！〃 This reminded her。 She desisted momentarily from her broom cudgeling to waddle back to the russet…tiled brasero she had quitted some time before。 She snatched up a palm…leaf fan； jerked aside an earthenware receptacle； and anxiously fanned the orifice thus exposed until it had begun to glow a dull red again from below。 〃See that？〃 she said accusingly。 〃It's going down already！ If it goes out…〃
She rushed back for the broom； this time bent on inflicting the final stage of chastisement； all else having failed： an actual belaboring about the shoulders。 In the face of this onset； the girl at last retreated as far as the doorway itself； but then she still hovered there； as though hoping against hope to win some miraculous last…minute reprieve。
A small boy of nine or ten； the aforementioned Pedro； pulled his face out of a bowl it had been buried in until now and remarked jeeringly： 〃I know what she's afraid of。 She's afraid of the jaguar。〃
The girl flashed him a parenthetic look that was an admission。 Then； as though the first reference to it； by ing from someone else； had been enough to free her own powers of expression at long last； she began to importune her mother； in a half…eager； half…bated voice： 〃They say there's one around somewhere。 They say a rich lady had it on a string； and it got away and it hasn't been found yet。 I heard the girls talking about it in the laundry today…〃
The broom was arrested only momentarily。 〃A jaguar？ What's that； one of those things they have in the mountains？〃
〃They're big and they jump on you；〃 said the impish Pedro； with a sidelong look at his sister that showed what prompted him to make the remark。
The Seсora Delgado wasn't having any of this nonsense。 She was too hard…working and careworn to take into account anything not of and within her daily toil and habits。 〃Did you ever meet one of those things yet when you went to the tienda for me？〃 she bellowed。
The girl swallowed； shook her head mutely。
〃Then you won't meet one this time either！ Now get Out！ Do as I told you！〃 And she gave the broom such a backward swing of final purpose that the girl disengaged the door behind her and slunk out backwards； big liquid black eyes； still futilely pleading； the last to go。
The exasperated Seсora Delgado laid her broom aside and returned to her interrupted duties； grumbling darkly and shaking her head。 But a moment later the door had stealthily reopened and the girl was attempting to sidle in again unnoticed behind her back。
She caught h
