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第19节

the red one-第19节

小说: the red one 字数: 每页4000字

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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

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