the red one-第19节

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battered　condensed　milk　can；　some　dog…meat　partly　wrapped　in　brown

paper　and　evidently　begged　from　some　butcher…shop；　a　carrot　that

had　been　run　over　in　the　street　by　a　wagon…wheel；　three　greenish…

cankered　and　decayed　potatoes；　and　a　sugar…bun　with　a　mouthful

bitten　from　it　and　rescued　from　the　gutter；　as　was　made　patent　by

the　gutter…filth　that　still　encrusted　it。



A　prodigious　growth　of　whiskers；　greyish…dirty　and　untrimmed　for

years；　sprouted　from　his　face。　　This　hirsute　growth　should　have

been　white；　but　the　season　was　summer　and　it　had　not　been　exposed

to　a　rain…shower　for　some　time。　　What　was　visible　of　the　face

looked　as　if　at　some　period　it　had　stopped　a　hand…grenade。　　The

nose　was　so　variously　malformed　in　its　healed　brokenness　that　there

was　no　bridge；　while　one　nostril；　the　size　of　a　pea；　opened

downward；　and　the　other；　the　size　of　a　robin's　egg；　tilted　upward

to　the　sky。　　One　eye；　of　normal　size；　dim…brown　and　misty；　bulged

to　the　verge　of　popping　out；　and　as　if　from　senility　wept　copiously

and　continuously。　　The　other　eye；　scarcely　larger　than　a　squirrel's

and　as　uncannily　bright；　twisted　up　obliquely　into　the　hairy　scar

of　a　bone…crushed　eyebrow。　　And　he　had　but　one　arm。



Yet　was　he　cheerful。　　On　his　face；　in　mild　degree；　was　depicted

sensuous　pleasure　as　he　lethargically　scratched　his　ribs　with　his

one　hand。　　He　pawed　over　his　food…scraps；　debated；　then　drew　a

twelve…ounce　druggist　bottle　from　his　inside　coat…pocket。　　The

bottle　was　full　of　a　colourless　liquid；　the　contemplation　of　which

made　his　little　eye　burn　brighter　and　quickened　his　movements。

Picking　up　the　tomato　can；　he　arose；　went　down　the　short　path　to

the　river；　and　returned　with　the　can　filled　with　not…nice　river

water。　　In　the　condensed　milk　can　he　mixed　one　part　of　water　with

two　parts　of　fluid　from　the　bottle。　　This　colourless　fluid　was

druggist's　alcohol；　and　as　such　is　known　in　tramp…land　as　〃alki。〃



Slow　footsteps；　coming　down　the　side　of　the　railroad　embankment；

alarmed　him　ere　he　could　drink。　　Placing　the　can　carefully　upon　the

ground　between　his　legs；　he　covered　it　with　his　hat　and　waited

anxiously　whatever　impended。



Out　of　the　darkness　emerged　a　man　as　filthy　ragged　as　he。　　The　new…

comer；　who　might　have　been　fifty；　and　might　have　been　sixty；　was

grotesquely　fat。　　He　bulged　everywhere。　　He　was　composed　of　bulges。

His　bulbous　nose　was　the　size　and　shape　of　a　turnip。　　His　eyelids

bulged　and　his　blue　eyes　bulged　in　competition　with　them。　　In　many

places　the　seams　of　his　garments　had　parted　across　the　bulges　of

body。　　His　calves　grew　into　his　feet；　for　the　broken　elastic　sides

of　his　Congress　gaiters　were　swelled　full　with　the　fat　of　him。　　One

arm　only　he　sported；　from　the　shoulder　of　which　was　suspended　a

small　and　tattered　bundle　with　the　mud　caked　dry　on　the　outer

covering　from　the　last　place　he　had　pitched　his　doss。　　He　advanced

with　tentative　caution；　made　sure　of　the　harmlessness　of　the　man

beside　the　fire；　and　joined　him。



〃Hello；　grandpa；〃　the　new…comer　greeted；　then　paused　to　stare　at

the　other's　flaring；　sky…open　nostril。　　〃Say；　Whiskers；　how'd　ye

keep　the　night　dew　out　of　that　nose　o'　yourn？〃



Whiskers　growled　an　incoherence　deep　in　his　throat　and　spat　into

the　fire　in　token　that　he　was　not　pleased　by　the　question。



〃For　the　love　of　Mike；〃　the　fat　man　chuckled；　〃if　you　got　caught

out　in　a　rainstorm　without　an　umbrella　you'd　sure　drown；　wouldn't

you？〃



〃Can　it；　Fatty；　can　it；〃　Whiskers　muttered　wearily。　　〃They　ain't

nothin'　new　in　that　line　of　chatter。　　Even　the　bulls　hand　it　out　to

me。〃



〃But　you　can　still　drink；　I　hope〃；　Fatty　at　the　same　time　mollified

and　invited；　with　his　one　hand　deftly　pulling　the　slip…knots　that

fastened　his　bundle。



From　within　the　bundle　he　brought　to　light　a　twelve…ounce　bottle　of

alki。　　Footsteps　coming　down　the　embankment　alarmed　him；　and　he　hid

the　bottle　under　his　hat　on　the　ground　between　his　legs。



But　the　next　comer　proved　to　be　not　merely　one　of　their　own　ilk；

but　likewise　to　have　only　one　arm。　　So　forbidding　of　aspect　was　he

that　greetings　consisted　of　no　more　than　grunts。　　Huge…boned；　tall；

gaunt　to　cadaverousness；　his　face　a　dirty　death's　head；　he　was　as

repellent　a　nightmare　of　old　age　as　ever　Dore　imagined。　　His

toothless；　thin…lipped　mouth　was　a　cruel　and　bitter　slash　under　a

great　curved　nose　that　almost　met　the　chin　and　that　was　like　a

buzzard's　beak。　　His　one　hand；　lean　and　crooked；　was　a　talon。　　The

beady　grey　eyes；　unblinking　and　unwavering；　were　bitter　as　death；

as　bleak　as　absolute　zero　and　as　merciless。　　His　presence　was　a

chill；　and　Whiskers　and　Fatty　instinctively　drew　together　for

protection　against　the　unguessed　threat　of　him。　　Watching　his

chance；　privily；　Whiskers　snuggled　a　chunk　of　rock　several　pounds

in　weigh　close　to　his　hand　if　need　for　action　should　arise。　　Fatty

duplicated　the　performance。



Then　both　sat　licking　their　lips；　guiltily　embarrassed；　while　the

unblinking　eyes　of　the　terrible　one　bored　into　them；　now　into　one；

now　into　another；　and　then　down　at　the　rock…chunks　of　their

preparedness。



〃Huh！〃　sneered　the　terrible　one；　with　such　dreadfulness　of　menace

as　to　cause　Whiskers　and　Fatty　involuntarily　to　close　their　hands

down　on　their　cave…man's　weapons。



〃Huh！〃　the　other　repeated；　reaching　his　one　talon　into　his　side

coat　pocket　with　swift　definiteness。　　〃A　hell　of　a　chance　you　two

cheap　bums　'd　have　with　me。〃



The　talon　emerged；　clutching　ready　for　action　a　six…pound　iron

quoit。



〃We　ain't　lookin'　for　trouble；　Slim；〃　Fatty　quavered。



〃Who　in　hell　are　you　to　call　me　'Slim'？〃　came　the　snarling　answer。



〃Me？　　I'm　just　Fatty；　an'　seein'　's　I　never　seen　you　before　…　〃



〃An'　I　suppose　that's　Whiskers；　there；　with　the　gay　an'　festive

lamp　tan…going　into　his　eyebrow　an'　the　God…forgive…us　nose　joy…

riding　all　over　his　mug？〃



〃It'll　do；　it'll　do；〃　Whiskers　muttered　uncomfortably。　　〃One

monica's　as　good　as　another；　I　find；　at　my　time　of　life。　　And

everybody　hands　it　out　to　me　anyway。　　And　I　need　an　umbrella　when

it　rains　to　keep　from　getting　drowned；　an'　all　the　rest　of　it。〃



〃I　ain't　used　to　company　…　don't　like　it；〃　Slim　growled。　　〃So　if

you　guys　want　to　stick　around；　mind　your　step；　that's　all；　mind

your　step。〃



He　fished　from　his　pocket　a　cigar　stump；　self…evidently　shot　from

the　gutter；　and　prepared　to　put　it　in　his　mouth　to　chew。　　Then　he

changed　his　mind；　glared　at　his　companions　savagely；　and　unrolled

his　bundle。　　Appeared　in　his　hand　a　druggist's　bottle　of　alki。



〃Well；〃　he　snarled；　〃I　suppose　I　gotta　give　you　cheap　skates　a

drink　when　I　ain't　got　more'n　enough　for　a　good　petrification　for

myself。〃



Almost　a　softening　flicker　of　light　was　imminent　in　his　withered

face　as　he　beheld　the　others　proudly　lift　their　hats　and　exhibit

their　own　supplies。



〃Here's　some　water　for　the　mixin's；〃　Whiskers　said；　proffering　his

tomato…can　of　river　slush。　　〃Stockyards　just　above；〃　he　added

apologetically。　　〃But　they　say　…　〃



〃Huh！〃　Slim　snapped　short；　mixing　the　drink。　　〃I've　drunk　worse'n

stockyards　in　my　time。〃



Yet　when　all　was　ready；　cans　of　alki　in　their　solitary　hands；　the

three　things　that　had　once　been　men　hesitated；　as　if　of　old　habit；

and　next　betrayed　shame　as　if　at　self…exposure。



Whiskers　was　the　first　to　brazen　it。



〃I've　sat　in　at　many　a　finer　drinking；〃　he　bragged。



〃With　the　pewter；〃　Slim　sneered。



〃With　the　silver；〃　Whiskers　corrected。



Slim　turned　a　scorching　eye…interrogation　on　Fatty。



Fatty　nodded。



〃Beneath　the　salt；〃　said　Slim。



〃Above　it；〃　came　Fatty's　correction。　　〃I　was　born　above　it；　and

I've　never　travelled　second　class。　　First　or　steerage；　but　no

intermediate　in　mine。〃



〃Yourself？〃　Whiskers　queried　of　Slim。



〃In　broken　glass　to　the　Queen；　God　bless　her；〃　Slim　answered；

solemnly；　without　snarl　or　sneer。



〃In　the　pantry？〃　Fatty　insinuated。



Simultaneously　Slim　reached　for　his　quoit；　and　Whiskers　and　Fatty

for　their　rocks。



〃Now　don't　let's　get　feverish；〃　Fatty　said；　dropping　his　own

weapon。　　〃We　aren't　scum。　　We're　gentlemen。　　Let's　drink　like

gentlemen。〃



〃Let　it　be　a　real　drinking；〃　Whiskers　approved。



〃Let's　get　petrified；〃　Slim　agreed。　　〃Many　a　distillery's　flowed

under　the　bridge　since　we　were　gentlemen；　but　let's　forget　the　long

road　we've　travelled　since；　and　hit　our　doss　in　the　good　old

fashion　in　which　every　gentleman　went　to　bed　when　we　were　young。〃



〃My　father　done　it　…　did　it；〃　Fatty　concurred　and　corrected；　as　old

recollections　exploded　long…sealed　brain…cells　of　connotation　and

correct　usage。



The　other　two　nodded　a　descent　from　similar　fathers；　and　elevated

their　tin　cans　of　alcohol。





By　the　time　each　had　finished　his　own　bottle　and　from　his　rags

fished　forth　a　second　one；　their　brains　were　well…mellowed　and　a…

glow；　although　they　had　not　got　around　to　telling　th