jg.paintedhouse-第31节

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　　　〃Nope。　Seen　cows　and　dogs　but　not　a　real　baby。〃
　　　〃Me　neither。〃
　　　She　dropped　to　her　feet；　grabbed　my　hand；　and　yanked　me　off　the　porch。　Her　strength　was　surprising。　〃Let's　go；　Luke。　Let's　go　see　what　we　can　see。〃　She　was　dragging　me　before　I　could　think　of　anything　to　say。
　　　〃You're　crazy；　Tally；〃　I　protested；　trying　to　stop　her。
　　　〃No；　Luke；〃　she　whispered。　〃It's　an　adventure；　just　like　down　at　the　creek　the　other　day。　You　liked　that；　didn't　you？〃
　　　〃Sure　did。〃
　　　〃Then　trust　me。〃
　　　〃What　if　we　get　caught？〃
　　　〃How　we　gonna　get　caught？　Everybody's　sound　asleep　around　here。　Your　grandpa　just　woke　up　and　didn't　think　about　lookin'　in　on　you。　e　on；　don't　be　a　chicken。〃
　　　I　suddenly　realized　I　would've　followed　Tally　anywhere。
　　　We　crept　behind　the　trees；　through　the　ruts　where　the　truck　should've　been；　along　the　short　drive；　staying　as　far　away　from　the　Spruills　as　possible。　We　could　hear　snoring　and　the　heavy　breathing　of　weary　people　asleep　at　last。　We　made　it　to　the　road　without　a　sound。　Tally　was　quick　and　agile；　and　she　cut　through　the　night。　We　turned　toward　the　river；　and　the　moon　broke　free　and　lit　our　path。　The　one…lane　road　was　barely　wide　enough　for　two　trucks　to　squeeze　past　each　other；　and　cotton　grew　close　to　its　edges。　With　no　moon　we　had　to　watch　our　steps；　but　with　the　light　we　could　look　up　and　see　ahead。　We　were　both　barefoot。　There　was　just　enough　gravel　in　the　road　to　keep　our　steps　short　and　quick；　but　the　soles　of　our　feet　were　like　the　leather　of　my　baseball　glove。
　　　I　was　scared　but　determined　not　to　show　it。　She　seemed　to　have　no　fear…no　fear　of　getting　caught；　no　fear　of　the　darkness；　no　fear　of　sneaking　up　on　a　house　where　a　baby　was　being　born。　At　times　Tally　was　aloof；　almost　moody　and　dark；　and　seemed　as　old　as　my　mother。　Then　she　could　be　a　kid　who　laughed　when　she　played　baseball；　liked　being　looked　at　when　she　bathed；　took　long　walks　in　the　dark；　and　most　important；　enjoyed　the　pany　of　a　seven…year…old。
　　　We　stopped　in　the　center　of　the　bridge　and　carefully　looked　over　its　side　at　the　water　below。　I　told　her　about　the　channel　catfish　down　there；　about　how　big　they　were　and　the　trash　they　fed　on；　and　about　the　forty…four…pound　one　that　Ricky　had　caught。　She　held　my　hand　as　we　crossed　to　the　other　side；　a　gentle　squeeze；　one　of　affection　and　not　safeguarding。
　　　The　trail　to　the　Latchers'　was　much　darker。　We　slowed　considerably　because　we　were　trying　to　see　the　house　while　staying　on　the　trail。　Since　they　had　no　electricity；　there　were　no　lights；　nothing　but　blackness　in　their　bend　of　the　river。
　　　She　heard　something　and　stopped　cold。　Voices；　off　in　the　distance。　We　stepped　to　the　edge　of　their　cotton　and　waited　patiently　for　the　moon。　I　pointed　here　and　there　and　gave　her　my　best　guess　as　to　the　location　of　their　house。　The　voices　were　of　children；　no　doubt　the　Latcher　brood。
　　　The　moon　finally　cooperated；　and　we　got　a　look　at　the　landscape。　The　dark　shadow　of　the　house　was　the　same　distance　as　our　barn　was　to　our　back　porch；　about　350　feet；　same　as　home　plate　is　from　the　outfield　wall　in　Sportsman's　Park。　Most　great　distances　in　my　life　were　measured　by　that　wall。　Pappy's　truck　was　parked　in　the　front。
　　　〃We'd　better　go　around　this　way；〃　she　said　calmly；　as　if　she'd　led　many　such　raids。　We　sank　into　the　cotton　and　followed　one　row　and　then　another　as　we　silently　moved　in　a　great　semicircle　through　their　crops。　In　most　places；　their　cotton　was　almost　as　tall　as　I　was。　When　we　came　to　a　gap　where　the　stalks　were　thin；　we　stopped　and　studied　the　terrain。　There　was　a　faint　light　in　the　back　room　of　the　house；　the　room　where　they　kept　Libby。　When　we　were　directly　east　of　it；　we　began　cutting　across　rows　of　cotton；　very　quietly　moving　toward　the　house。
　　　The　chances　of　someone　seeing　us　were　slim。　We　weren't　expected；　of　course；　and　they　were　thinking　of　other　matters。　And　the　crops　were　thick　and　dark　at　night；　a　kid　could　crawl　on　hands　and　knees　through　the　stalks　without　ever　being　seen。
　　　My　partner　in　crime　moved　deftly；　as　ably　as　any　soldier　I'd　seen　in　the　movies。　She　kept　her　eyes　on　the　house　and　carefully　brushed　the　stalks　aside；　always　clearing　a　path　for　me。　Not　a　word　was　spoken。　We　took　our　time；　slowly　advancing　on　the　side　of　the　house。　The　cotton　grew　close　to　the　narrow　dirt　yard；　and　when　we　were　ten　rows　away；　we　settled　in　a　spot　and　surveyed　the　situation。
　　　We　could　hear　the　Latcher　kids　gathered　near　our　pickup；　which　was　parked　as　far　away　from　the　front　porch　as　possible。　My　father　and　Mr。　Latcher　sat　on　the　tailgate；　talking　softly。　The　children　were　quiet；　and　then　they　all　talked　at　once。　Everyone　seemed　to　be　waiting；　and　after　a　few　minutes　I　got　the　impression　they'd　been　waiting　for　a　long　time。
　　　Before　us　was　the　window；　and　from　our　hiding　place　we　were　closer　to　the　action　than　the　rest　of　the　Latchers　and　my　father。　And　we　were　wonderfully　hidden　from　everything；　a　searchlight　from　the　roof　of　the　house　could　not　have　spotted　us。
　　　There　was　a　candle　on　a　table　of　some　sort　just　inside　the　window。　The　women　moved　around；　and　judging　from　the　shadows　that　rose　and　fell；　I　figured　there　were　several　candles　in　the　room。　The　light　was　dim；　the　shadows　heavy。
　　　〃Let's　move　forward；〃　Tally　whispered。　By　then　we'd　been　there　for　five　minutes；　and　though　I　was　frightened；　I　didn't　think　we　would　ever　get　caught。
　　　We　advanced　ten　feet；　and　then　nestled　down　in　another　safe　place。
　　　〃This　is　close　enough；〃　I　said。
　　　〃Maybe。〃
　　　The　light　from　the　room　fell　to　the　ground　outside。　The　window　had　no　screen；　no　curtains。　As　we　waited；　my　heart　slowed；　and　my　breathing　returned　to　normal。　My　eyes　focused　on　the　surroundings；　and　I　began　to　hear　the　sounds　of　the　night…the　crickets'　chorus；　the　bullfrogs　croaking　down　by　the　river；　the　murmuring　of　the　deep　voices　of　the　men　in　the　distance。
　　　My　mother　and　Gran　and　Mrs。　Latcher　also　talked　in　very　low　voices。　We　could　hear；　but　we　couldn't　understand。
　　　When　all　was　quiet　and　still；　Libby　screamed　in　agony；　and　I　nearly　jumped　out　of　my　skin。　Her　pained　voice　echoed　through　the　fields；　and　I　was　sure　she　had　died。　Silence　engulfed　the　pickup。　Even　the　crickets　seemed　to　stop　for　a　second。
　　　〃What　happened？〃　I　asked。
　　　〃A　labor　contraction；〃　Tally　said；　without　taking　her　eyes　off　the　window。
　　　〃What's　that？〃
　　　She　shrugged。　〃Just　part　of　it。　It'll　get　worse。〃
　　　〃That　poor　girl。〃
　　　〃She　asked　for　it。〃
　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　I　asked。
　　　〃Never　mind；〃　she　said。
　　　Things　were　quiet　for　a　few　minutes；　then　we　heard　Libby　crying。　Her　mother　and　Gran　tried　to　console　her。　〃I'm　so　sorry；〃　Libby　said　over　and　over。
　　　〃It's　gonna　be　all　right；〃　her　mother　said。
　　　〃Nobody'll　know　about　it；〃　Gran　said。　It　was　obviously　a　lie；　but　maybe　it　provided　a　little　relief　for　Libby。
　　　〃You're　gonna　have　a　beautiful　baby；〃　my　mother　said。
　　　A　stray　Latcher　wandered　over；　one　of　the　mid…sized　ones；　and　sneaked　its　way　close　to　the　window；　the　same　way　I'd　crept　upon　it　just　a　few　hours　earlier；　just　moments　before　Percy　nearly　maimed　me　with　the　dirt　clod。　He　or　she…I　couldn't　tell　the　difference…began　snooping　and　was　getting　an　eyeful　when　an　older　sibling　barked　at　the　end　of　the　house；　〃Lloyd；　get　away　from　that　window。〃
　　　Lloyd　immediately　withdrew　and　scurried　away　in　the　darkness。　His　trespass　was　promptly　reported　to　Mr。　Latcher；　and　a　vicious　tail…whipping　ensued　somewhere　nearby。　Mr。　Latcher　used　a　stick　of　some　variety。　He　kept　saying；　〃Next　time　I'll　get　me　a　bigger　stick！〃　Lloyd　thought　the　current　one　was　more　than　enough。　His　screams　probably　could　be　heard　at　the　bridge。
　　　When　the　mauling　was　over；　Mr。　Latcher　boomed；　〃I　told　you　kids　to　stay　close；　and　to　stay　away　from　the　house！〃
　　　We　could　not　see　this　episode；　nor　did　we　have　to；　to　get　the　full　effect。
　　　But　I　was　more　horrified　thinking　about　the　severity　and　duration　of　the　beating　I'd　get　if　my　father　knew　where　I　was　at　that　moment。　I　suddenly　wanted　to　leave。
　　　〃How　long　does　it　take　to　have　a　baby？〃　I　whispered　to　Tally。　If　she　was　weary；　she　didn't　show　it。　She　rested　on　her　knees；　frozen；　her　eyes　never　leaving　the　window。
　　　〃Depends。　First　one　always　takes　longer。〃
　　　〃How　long　does　the　seventh　one　take？〃
　　　〃I　don't　know。　By　then　they　just　drop　out；　I　guess。　Who's　had　seven？〃
　　　〃Libby's　mom。　Seven　or　eight。　I　think　she　drops　one　a　year。〃
　　　I　was　about　to　doze　off　when　the　next　contraction　hit。　Again　it　rattled　the　house　and　led　first　to　weeping　and　then　to　soothing　words　inside　the　room。　Then　things　leveled　off　once　more；　and　I　realized　this　might　go　on　for　a　long　time。
　　　
　　　When　I　couldn't　keep　my　eyes　open　any　longer；　I　curled　up　on　the　warm　soil　between　the　two　rows　of　cotton。　〃Don't　you　think　we　oughta　leave？〃　I　whispered。
　　　〃No；〃　she　said　firmly；　without　moving。
　　　〃Wake　me　up　if　anything　happens；〃　I　said。
　　　Tally　readjusted　herself。　She　sat　on　her　rear　and　crossed　her　legs；　and　gently　placed　my　head　in　her　lap。　She　rubbed　my　shoulder　and　my　head。　I　didn't　want　to　go　to　sleep；　but　I　just　couldn't　help　it。
　　　When　I　awoke；　I　was　at　first　lost　in　a　strange　world；　lying　in　a　field；　in　total　blackness。　I　didn't　move。　The　ground　around　me　wasn't　warm　anymore；　and　my　fee