cb.booksofblood2-第25节

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　General　laughter。　The　cynic；　disforted；　fell　silent　and　picked　at　his　nails。
　'We　can't　sit　here　and　let　them　e　running　through；'　said　Packard's　deputy；　between　blowing　bubbles　with　his　gum。
　'They　were　going　towards　the　mountains；'　Davidson　said。　'Away　from　Wele。'
　'So　what's　to　stop　them　changing　their　goddam　minds？'　Eleanor　countered。　'Well？'
　No　answer。　A　few　nods；　a　few　head　shakings。　'Jebediah；'　she　said；　'you're　deputy　…　what　do　you　think　about　this？'
　The　young　man　with　the　badge　and　the　gum　flushed　a　little；　and　plucked　at　his　thin　moustache。　He　obviously　hadn't　a　clue。
　'I　see　the　picture；'　the　woman　snapped　back　before　he　could　answer。　'Clear　as　a　bell。　You're　all　too　shit…　scared　to　go　poking　them　divils　out　of　their　holes；　that　it？'
　Murmurs　of　self…justification　around　the　room；　more　head…shaking。
　'You're　just　planning　to　sit　yourselves　down　and　let　the　women　folk　be　devoured。'
　A　good　word：　devoured。　So　much　more　emotive　than　eaten。　Eleanor　paused　for　effect。　Then　she　said　darkly：　'Or　worse。'
　Worse　than　devoured？　Pity　sakes；　what　was　worse　than　devoured？
　'You're　not　going　to　be　touched　by　no　divils；'　said　Packard；　getting　up　from　his　seat　with　some　difficulty。　He　swayed　on　his　feet　as　he　addressed　the　room。
　'We're　going　to　have　them　shit…eaters　and　lynch　'em。'　This　rousing　battle…cry　left　the　males　in　the　room　unroused；　the　sheriff　was　low　on　credibility　since　his　encounter　in　Main　Street。
　'Discretion's　the　better　part　of　valour；'　Davidson　mur…mured　under　his　breath。
　'That's　so　much　horse…shit；'　said　Eleanor。
　Davidson　shrugged；　and　finished　off　the　whisky　in　his　glass。　It　was　not　re…filled。　He　reflected　ruefully　that　he　should　be　thankful　he　was　still　alive。　But　his　work…schedule　was　in　ruins。　He　had　to　get　to　a　telephone　and　hire　a　car；　if　necessary　have　someone　drive　out　to　pick　him　up。　The　'divils'；　whatever　they　were；　were　not　his　problem。　Perhaps　he'd　be　interested　to　read　a　few　column…inches　on　the　subject　in　Newsweek；　when　he　was　back　East　and　relaxing　with　Barbara；　but　now　all　he　wanted　to　do　was　finish　his　business　in　Arizona　and　get　home　as　soon　as　possible。
　Packard；　however；　had　other　ideas。
　'You're　a　witness；'　he　said；　pointing　at　Davidson；　'and　as　Sheriff　of　this　munity　I　order　you　to　stay　in　Wele　until　you've　answered　to　my　satisfaction　all　inquiries　I　have　to　put　to　you。'
　The　formal　language　sounded　odd　from　his　slobbish　mouth。
　'I've　got　business　…'　Davidson　began。
　'Then　you　just　send　a　cable　and　cancel　that　business；　Mr　fancy…Davidson。'
　The　man　was　scoring　points　off　him；　Davidson　knew；　bolstering　his　shattered　reputation　by　taking　pot…shots　at　the　Easterner。　Still；　Packard　was　the　law：　there　was　nothing　to　be　done　about　it。　He　nodded　his　assent　with　as　much　good　grace　as　he　could　muster。　There'd　be　time　to　lodge　a　formal　plaint　against　this　hick…town　Mussolini　when　he　was　home；　safe　and　sound。　For　now；　better　to　send　a　cable；　and　let　business　go　hang。
　'So　what's　the　plan？'　Eleanor　demanded　of　Packard。
　The　Sheriff　puffed　out　his　booze…brightened　cheeks。
　
　'We　deal　with　the　divils；'　he　said。
　'How？'
　'Guns；　woman。'
　'You'll　need　more　than　guns；　if　they're　as　big　as　he　says　they　are　…'
　'They　are　…'　said　Davidson；　'believe　me；　they　are。'
　Packard　sneered。
　'We'll　take　the　whole　fucking　arsenal；'　he　said　jerking　his　remaining　thumb　at　Jebediah。　'Go　break　out　the　heavy…duty　weapons；　boy。　Anti…tank　stuff。　Bazookas。'
　General　amazement。
　'You　got　bazookas？'　said　Lou；　the　mantelpiece　cynic。
　Packard　managed　a　leering　smile。
　'Military　stuff；'　he　said；　'left　over　from　the　Big　One。'　Davidson　sighed　inwardly。　The　man　was　a　psychotic；　with　his　own　little　arsenal　of　out…of…date　weapons；　which　were　probably　more　lethal　to　the　user　than　to　the　victim。　They　were　all　going　to　die。　God　help　him；　they　were　all　going　to　die。
　'You　may　have　lost　your　fingers；'　said　Eleanor　Kooker；　delighted　by　this　show　of　bravado；　'but　you're　the　only　man　in　this　room；　Josh　Packard。'
　Packard　beamed　and　rubbed　his　crotch　absent　mindedly。　Davidson　couldn't　take　the　atmosphere　of　hand…me…down　machismo　in　the　room　any　longer。
　'Look；'　he　piped　up；　'I've　told　you　all　I　know。　Why　don't　I　just　let　you　folks　get　on　with　it。'
　'You　ain't　leaving；'　said　Packard；　'if　that's　what　you're　rooting　after。'
　'I'm　just　saying　…'
　'We　know　what　you're　saying　son；　and　I　ain't　listening。　If　I　see　you　hitch　up　your　britches　to　leave　I'll　string　you　up　by　your　balls。　If　you've　got　any。'
　The　bastard　would　try　it　too；　thought　Davidson；　even　if　he　only　had　one　hand　to　do　it　with。　Just　go　with　the　flow；　he　told　himself；　trying　to　stop　his　lip　curling。　If　Packard　went　out　to　find　the　monsters　and　his　damn　bazooka　backfired；　that　was　his　business。　Let　it　be。
　'There's　a　whole　tribe　of　them；'　Lou　was　quietly　pointing　out。　'According　to　this　man。　So　how　do　we　take　out　so　many　of　them？'
　'Strategy；'　said　Packard。
　'We　don't　know　their　positions。'
　'Surveillance；'　replied　Packard。
　'They　could　really　fuck　us　up　Sheriff；'　Jebediah　observed；　picking　a　collapsed　gum…bubble　from　his　mous…tache。
　'This　is　our　territory；'　said　Eleanor。　'We　got　it：　we　keep　it。'
　Jebediah　nodded。
　'Yes；　ma；'　he　said。
　'Suppose　they　just　disappeared？　Suppose　we　can't　find　them　no　more？'　Lou　was　arguing。　'Couldn't　we　just　let　'em　go　to　ground？'
　'Sure；'　said　Packard。　'And　then　we're　left　waiting　around　for　them　to　e　out　again　and　devour　the　women　folk。'
　'Maybe　they　mean　no　harm　…'　Lou　replied。
　Packard's　reply　was　to　raise　his　bandaged　hand。
　'They　done　me　harm。'
　That　was　incontestable。
　Packard　continued；　his　voice　hoarse　with　feeling。
　'Shit；　I　want　them　e…bags　so　bad　I'm　going　out　there　with　or　without　help。　But　we've　got　to　out…think　them；　out　manoeuvre　them；　so　we　don't　get　anybody　hurt。'
　The　man　talks　some　sense；　thought　Davidson。　Indeed；　the　whole　room　seemed　impressed。　Murmurs　of　approval　all　round；　even　from　the　mantelpiece。
　Packard　rounded　on　the　deputy　again。
　'You　get　your　ass　moving；　son。　I　want　you　to　call　up　that　bastard　Crumb　out　of　Caution　and　get　his　boys　down　here　with　every　goddam　gun　and　grenade　they've　got。　And　if　he　asks　what　for　you　tell　him　Sheriff　Packard's　declaring　a　State　of　Emergency；　and　I'm　requisitioning　every　asshole　weapon　in　fifty　miles；　and　the　man　on　the　other　end　of　it。　Move　it；　son。'
　Now　the　room　was　positively　glowing　with　admiration；　and　Packard　knew　it。
　'We'll　blow　the　fuckers　apart；'　he　said。
　For　a　moment　the　rhetoric　seemed　to　work　its　magic　on　Davidson；　and　he　half…believed　it　might　be　possible；　then　he　remembered　the　details　of　the　procession；　tails；　teeth　and　all；　and　his　bravado　sank　without　trace。
　
　They　came　up　to　the　house　so　quietly；　not　intending　to　creep；　just　so　gentle　with　their　tread　nobody　heard　them。
　Inside；　Eugene's　anger　had　subsided。　He　was　sitting　with　his　legs　up　on　the　table；　an　empty　bottle　of　whisky　in　front　of　him。　The　silence　in　the　room　was　so　heavy　it　suffocated。
　Aaron；　his　face　puffed　up　with　his　father's　blows；　was　sitting　beside　the　window。　He　didn't　need　to　look　up　to　see　them　ing　across　the　sand　towards　the　house；　their　approach　sounded　in　his　veins。　His　bruised　face　wanted　to　light　up　with　a　smile　of　wele；　but　he　repressed　the　instinct　and　simply　waited；　slumped　in　beaten　resignation；　until　they　were　almost　upon　the　house。　Only　when　their　massive　bodies　blocked　out　the　sunlight　through　the　window　did　he　stand　up。　The　boy's　movement　woke　Eugene　from　his　trance。
　'What　is　it；　boy？'
　
　The　child　had　backed　off　from　the　window；　and　was　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　sobbing　quietly　with　anticipation。　His　tiny　hands　were　spread　like　sun…rays；　his　fingers　jittering　and　twitching　in　his　excitement。
　'What's　wrong　with　the　window；　boy？'
　Aaron　heard　one　of　his　true　father's　voices　eclipse　Eugene's　mumblings。　Like　a　dog　eager　to　greet　his　master　after　a　long　separation；　the　boy　ran　to　the　door　and　tried　to　claw　it　open。　It　was　locked　and　bolted。
　'What's　that　noise；　boy？'
　Eugene　pushed　his　son　aside　and　fumbled　with　the　key　in　the　lock；　while　Aaron's　father　called　to　his　child　through　the　door。　His　voice　sounded　like　a　rush　of　water；　counter　pointed　by　soft；　piping　sighs。　It　was　an　eager　voice；　a　loving　voice。
　All　at　once；　Eugene　seemed　to　understand。　He　took　hold　of　the　boy's　hair　and　hauled　him　away　from　the　door。
　Aaron　squealed　with　pain。
　'Papa！'　he　yelled。
　Eugene　took　the　cry　as　addressed　to　himself；　but　Aaron's　true　father　also　heard　the　boy's　voice。　His　answering　call　was　threaded　with　piercing　notes　of　concern。
　Outside　the　house　Lucy　had　heard　the　exchange　of　voices。　She　came　out　of　the　protection　of　her　shack；　knowing　what　she'd　see　against　that　sheening　sky；　but　no　less　dizzied　by　the　monumental　creatures　that　had　gathered　on　every　side　of　the　house。　An　anguish　went　through　her；　remembering　the　lost　joys　of　that　day　six　years　previous。　They　were　all　there；　the　unforgettable　creatures；　an　incredible　selection　of　forms　…Pyramidal　heads　on　rose　coloured；　classically　propor…tioned　torsos；　that　umbrellaed　into　shifting　skirts　of　lace　flesh。　A　headless　silver　beauty　whose　six　mother　of　pearl　arms　sprouted　in　a　circle　from　around　its　p