jg.paintedhouse-第40节

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　　　〃e　with　me；〃　my　mother　said　to　her；　and　they　left。　Jimmy　Dale　suddenly　remembered　another　story；　one　about　a　local　boy　who　went　to　Flint　and　got　arrested　for　public　drunkenness　outside　a　bar。　I　eased　away　and　walked　through　the　house。　Then　I　sneaked　off　the　back　porch　and　ran　between　two　chicken　coops　to　a　point　where　I　could　see　my　mother　leading　Stacy　to　the　outhouse。　She　stopped　and　looked　at　it　and　seemed　very　reluctant　to　enter。　But　she　had　no　choice。
　　　My　mother　left　her　and　retreated　to　the　front　yard。
　　　I　struck　quickly。　As　soon　as　my　mother　was　out　of　range；　I　knocked　on　the　door　of　the　outhouse。　I　heard　a　faint　shriek；　then　a　desperate；　〃Who　is　it？〃
　　　〃Miss　Stacy；　it's　me；　Luke。〃
　　　〃I'm　in　here！〃　she　said；　her　usually　clear　words　now　hurried　and　muffled　in　the　stifling　humidity　of　the　outhouse。　It　was　dark　in　there；　the　only　light　ing　from　the　tiny　cracks　between　the　planks。
　　　〃Don't　e　out　right　now！〃　I　said　with　as　much　panic　as　I　could　fake。
　　　〃What？〃
　　　〃There's　a　big　black　snake　out　here！〃
　　　〃Oh　my　God！〃　she　gasped。　She　would've　fainted　again；　but　she　was　already　sitting　down。
　　　〃Be　quiet！〃　I　said。　〃Otherwise；　he'll　know　you're　in　there。〃
　　　〃Holy　Jesus！〃　she　said；　her　voice　breaking。　〃Do　something！〃
　　　〃I　can't。　He's　big；　and　he　bites。〃
　　　〃What　does　he　want？〃　she　begged；　as　if　she　were　on　the　verge　of　tears。
　　　〃I　don't　know。　He's　a　shitsnake；　he　hangs　around　here　all　the　time。〃
　　　〃Get　Jimmy　Dale！〃
　　　〃Okay；　but　don't　e　out。　He's　right　by　the　door。　I　think　he　knows　you're　in　there。〃
　　　〃Oh　my　God；〃　she　said　again；　and　started　crying。　I　ducked　back　between　the　chicken　coops；　then　looped　around　the　garden　on　the　east　side　of　the　house。　I　moved　slowly　and　quietly　along　the　hedges　that　were　our　property　line　until　I　came　to　a　point　in　a　thicket　where　I　could　hide　and　watch　the　front　yard。　Jimmy　Dale　was　leaning　on　his　car；　telling　a　story；　waiting　for　his　young　bride　to　finish　her　business。
　　　Time　dragged　on。　My　parents　and　Pappy　and　Gran　listened　and　chuckled　as　one　story　led　to　another。　Occasionally　one　of　them　would　glance　toward　the　backyard。
　　　My　mother　finally　became　concerned　and　left　the　group　to　check　on　Stacy。　A　minute　later　there　were　voices；　and　Jimmy　Dale　bolted　toward　the　outhouse。　I　buried　myself　deeper　in　the　thicket。
　　　
　　　It　was　almost　dark　when　I　entered　the　house。　I'd　been　watching　from　a　distance；　from　beyond　the　silo；　and　I　knew　my　mother　and　Gran　were　preparing　supper。　I　was　in　enough　trouble…being　late　for　a　meal　would　have　only　pounded　the　situation。
　　　They　were　seated；　and　Pappy　was　about　to　bless　the　food　when　I　walked　through　the　door　from　the　back　porch　and　quietly　took　my　seat。　They　looked　at　me；　but　I　chose　instead　to　stare　at　my　plate。　Pappy　said　a　quick　prayer；　and　the　food　was　passed　around。　After　a　silence　sufficiently　long　enough　to　build　tension；　my　father　said；　〃Where　you　been；　Luke？〃
　　　〃Down　by　the　creek；〃　I　said。
　　　〃Doin'　what？〃
　　　〃Nothin'。　Just　lookin'　around。〃
　　　This　sounded　suspicious　enough；　but　they　let　it　pass。　When　all　was　quiet；　Pappy；　with　perfect　timing　and　with　the　devil　in　his　voice；　said；　〃You　see　any　shitsnakes　at　the　creek？〃
　　　He　barely　got　the　words　out　before　he　cracked　up。
　　　I　looked　around　the　table。　Gran's　jaws　were　clenched　as　if　she　were　determined　not　to　smile。　My　mother　covered　her　mouth　with　her　napkin；　but　her　eyes　betrayed　her；　she　wanted　to　laugh；　too。　My　father　had　a　large　bite　of　something　in　his　mouth；　and　he　managed　to　chew　it　while　keeping　a　straight　face。
　　　But　Pappy　was　determined　to　howl。　He　roared　at　the　end　of　the　table　while　the　rest　of　them　fought　to　maintain　their　posure。　〃That　was　a　good　one；　Luke！〃　he　managed　to　say　while　catching　his　breath。　〃Served　her　right。〃
　　　I　finally　laughed；　too；　but　not　at　my　own　actions。　The　sight　of　Pappy　laughing　so　hard　while　the　other　three　so　gamely　tried　not　to　struck　me　as　funny。
　　　〃That's　enough；　Eli；〃　Gran　said；　finally　moving　her　jaws。
　　　I　took　a　large　bite　of　peas　and　stared　at　my　plate。　Things　grew　quiet　again；　and　we　ate　for　a　while　with　nothing　said。
　　　
　　　After　dinner；　my　father　took　me　for　a　walk　to　the　tool　shed。　On　its　door　he　kept　a　wooden　hickory　stick；　one　that　he'd　cut　himself　and　polished　to　a　shine。　It　was　reserved　for　me。
　　　I'd　been　taught　to　take　my　punishment　like　a　man。　Crying　was　forbidden；　at　least　openly。　In　these　awful　moments；　Ricky　always　inspired　me。　I'd　heard　horror　stories　of　the　beatings　Pappy　had　given　him；　and　never；　according　to　his　parents　and　mine；　had　he　been　brought　to　tears。　When　Ricky　was　a　kid；　a　whipping　was　a　challenge。
　　　〃That　was　a　mean　thing　you　did　to　Stacy；〃　my　father　began。　〃She　was　a　guest　on　our　farm；　and　she's　married　to　your　cousin。〃
　　　〃Yes　sir。〃
　　　〃Why'd　you　do　it？〃
　　　〃　'Cause　she　said　we　were　stupid　and　backward。〃　A　little　embellishment　here　wouldn't　hurt。
　　　〃She　did？〃
　　　〃Yes　sir。　I　didn't　like　her；　neither　did　you　or　anybody　else。〃
　　　〃That　may　be　true；　but　you　still　have　to　respect　your　elders。　How　many　licks　you　think　that's　worth？〃　The　crime　and　the　punishment　were　always　discussed　beforehand。　When　I　bent　over；　I　knew　exactly　how　many　licks　I'd　receive。
　　　〃One；〃　I　said。　That　was　my　usual　assessment。
　　　〃I　think　two；〃　he　said。　〃Now　what　about　the　bad　language？〃
　　　〃I　don't　think　it　was　that　bad；〃　I　said。
　　　〃You　used　a　word　that　was　unacceptable。〃
　　　〃Yes　sir。〃
　　　〃How　many　licks　for　that？〃
　　　〃One。〃
　　　〃Can　we　agree　on　three；　total？〃　he　asked。　He　never　whipped　me　when　he　was　angry；　so　there　was　usually　a　little　room　for　negotiation。　Three　sounded　fair；　but　I　always　pushed　a　little。　After　all；　I　was　on　the　receiving　end。　Why　not　haggle？
　　　〃Two's　more　fair；〃　I　said。
　　　〃It's　three。　Now　bend　over。〃
　　　I　swallowed　hard；　gritted　my　teeth；　turned　around；　bent　over；　and　grabbed　my　ankles。　He　smacked　my　rear　three　times　with　the　hickory　stick。　It　stung　like　hell；　but　his　heart　wasn't　in　it。　I'd　received　far　worse。
　　　〃Go　to　bed；　right　now；〃　he　said；　and　I　ran　to　the　house。
　
　
　Chapter　20
　　　
　　　Now　that　Hank　had　250　of　Samson's　money　in　his　pocket；　he　was　even　less　enthusiastic　about　picking　cotton。　〃Where's　Hank？〃　Pappy　asked　Mr。　Spruill　as　we　took　the　sacks　and　began　our　work　on　Monday　morning。　〃Sleepin'；　I　reckon〃　was　the　abrupt　response；　and　nothing　else　was　said　at　that　moment。
　　　He　arrived　in　the　fields　sometime　in　the　middle　of　the　morning。　I　didn't　know　exactly　when　because　I　was　at　the　far　end　of　a　row　of　cotton；　but　soon　I　heard　voices　and　knew　that　the　Spruills　were　once　again　at　war。
　　　An　hour　or　so　before　lunch；　the　sky　began　to　darken；　and　a　slight　breeze　came　from　the　west。　When　the　sun　disappeared；　I　stopped　picking　and　studied　the　clouds。　A　hundred　yards　away　I　saw　Pappy　do　the　same　thing…hands　on　hips；　straw　hat　cocked　to　one　side；　face　frowning　upward。　The　wind　grew　stronger　and　the　sky　darker；　and　before　long　the　heat　was　gone。　All　of　our　storms　came　from　Jonesboro；　which　was　known　as　Tornado　Alley。
　　　Hail　hit　first；　hard　tiny　specks　the　size　of　pea　gravel；　and　I　headed　for　the　tractor。　The　sky　to　the　southwest　was　dark　blue；　almost　black；　and　the　low　clouds　were　bearing　down　on　us。　The　Spruills　were　moving　quickly　down　their　rows；　all　heading　for　the　trailer。　The　Mexicans　were　running　toward　the　barn。
　　　I　began　to　run；　too。　The　hail　stung　the　back　of　my　neck　and　prompted　me　to　run　even　faster。　The　wind　was　howling　through　the　trees　along　the　river　and　pushing　the　cotton　stalks　to　their　sides。　Lightning　cracked　somewhere　behind　me；　and　I　heard　one　of　the　Spruills；　Bo；　probably；　give　a　yell。
　　　〃We　don't　need　to　get　near　the　cotton　trailer；〃　Pappy　was　saying　as　I　arrived。　〃Not　with　that　lightnin'。〃
　　　〃Better　get　to　the　house；〃　my　father　said。
　　　We　loaded　onto　the　flatbed　trailer；　all　of　us　scrambling　in　a　great　hurry；　and　just　as　Pappy　turned　the　tractor　around；　the　rain　hit　with　a　fury。　It　was　cold　and　sharp　and　falling　sideways　in　the　fierce　wind。　We　were　instantly　soaked；　I　wouldn't　have　been　wetter　if　I'd　jumped　in　the　creek。
　　　The　Spruills　huddled　together　with　Tally　in　the　center。　Just　a　few　feet　away；　my　father　clutched　me　to　his　chest；　as　if　the　wind　might　take　me　away。　My　mother　and　Gran　had　left　the　fields　not　long　before　the　storm　hit。
　　　The　rain　beat　us　in　waves。　It　was　so　thick　I　could　barely　see　the　rows　of　cotton　just　a　few　feet　in　front　of　me。　〃Hurry　up；　Pappy！〃　I　kept　saying。　The　storm　was　so　loud　I　couldn't　hear　the　familiar　knock　of　the　tractor　engine。　Lightning　cracked　again；　this　time　much　closer；　so　close　that　my　ears　hurt。　I　thought　we　were　going　to　die。
　　　It　took　forever　to　get　to　the　house；　but　when　we　did；　the　rain　suddenly　stopped。　The　sky　was　even　darker；　black　in　every　direction。　〃It's　a　funnel！〃　Mr。　Spruill　said　loudly　as　we　were　just　getting　off　the　trailer。　To　the　west；　far　beyond　the　river　and　high　above　the　tree　line；　a　slim　funnel　cloud　dipped　downward。　It　was　light　gray；　almost　white　against　the　black　sky；　and　it　grew　larger　and　louder　as　it　made　its　way　very　slowly　toward　the　ground。　It　was　several　miles　away；　and　because　of　the　distance　it　didn't　seem　too　dangerous。
　　　Tornadoes　were　mon　in　our　part　of　Arkansas；　and　I'd　heard　stories　about　them　all　of　my　life。　Decades　earlier　Gran's　father