dw.jimmythekid-第22节

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　〃I　mean　anywhere。　But；　all　right；　in　the　book。　Could　you　imagine　the　gang　in　that　book　taking　their　masks　off　and　sitting　down　with　the　victim　and　watch　Bride　of　Frankenstein？〃
　〃I　really　really　promise；〃　Jimmy　said。
　Dortmunder　yanked　his　mask　off　and　threw　it　into　a　corner。　〃I'll　take　the　kid's　word　for　it；〃　he　said。
　〃So　do　I；〃　said　Murch's　Mom；　and　pulled　her　own　mask　off。　〃This　thing　flattens　my　hair　anyway。〃
　Murch　took　his　hands　down　from　his　face。　〃Boy；　that's　a　strain　on　the　arms；〃　he　said。
　May　took　off　her　mask；　looked　at　it；　and　said；　〃I　always　thought　this　thing　was　pretty　silly　anyway。〃
　Kelp；　the　only　one　in　the　room　with　a　Mickey　Mouse　mask　on；　said；　〃You　people　don't　seem　to　understand。　If　you　don't　do　a　thing　right；　how　do　you　expect　to　get　away　with　anything？〃
　〃Be　quiet；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　〃I'm　watching　the　movie。〃
　May　said　to　Jimmy；　〃e　here；　sit　with　me。〃；；
　I　m　a　little　old　for　sitting　on　people　s　laps；　Jimmy　said。
　〃Okay；〃　May　said。　〃Then　I'll　sit　on　yours。〃
　Jimmy　laughed。　〃You　win；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　sit　on　your　lap。〃
　They　all　arranged　themselves　in　their　chairs　before　the　television　set　again；　as　they　had　been　before　Jimmy　had　e　back。　Kelp　looked　at　them　all。；　looked　at　the　kid；　looked　at　the　TV；　shook　his　Mickey　Mouse…masked　head；　shrugged；　pulled　the　mask　off；　flipped　it　away；　and　sat　down　to　watch　the　movie。
　The　hermit　and　the　monster　ate　dinner　together。　〃Food　good；〃　said　the　monster。　The　hermit　gave　him　a　cigar。
　20
　
　WHEN　DORTMUNDER　woke　up　he　was　stiff　as　board。　He　sat　up；　creaking　in　every　joint；　and　discovered　that　his　air　mattress　had　developed　a　leak　during　the　night。　In　order　to　have　something　for　them　to　sleep　on；　without　having　to　cart　half　a　dozen　beds　out　here　from　New　York；　Murch　and　his　Mom　had　bought　a　bunch　of　inflatable　air　mattresses；　the　kind　that　people　use　in　their　swimming　pools。　And　Dortmunder's　had　sprung　a　leak　during　the　night；　lowering　him　slowly　to　the　dining　room　floor；　on　which　he　had　done　the　rest　of　his　sleeping。　The　result　being　that　he　was　now　so　stiff　he　could　barely　move。
　Gray…white　daylight　crept　through　the　boarded　windows；　showing　him　the　empty　room；　the　black　hole　in　the　center　of　the　ceiling　where　a　chandelier　had　been　removed；　and　the　other　two　air　mattresses。　Murch's　was　empty；　but　a　blanketed　mound　breathed　slowly　and　evenly　on　the　other　one；　Dortmunder　felt　fatalistic　irritation　at　that。　Kelp's　air　mattress　had　not　leaked；　he　was　over　there　sleeping　like　a　baby。
　Last　night；　after　the　movie；　the　kid　had　been　put　back　up　in　his　room　with　the　door　locked；　for　whatever　good　it　might　do。　But　he'd　been　asleep　by　then…Dortmunder　had　had　to　carry　him　upstairs…so　maybe　he　was　still　around。　In　any　event；　mattresses　had　been　blown　up　for　the　ladies　in　the　living　room　and　for　the　gentlemen　next　door　in　the　dining　room；　and　to　the　pity…pat　of　rain　on　the　floor…the　roof　leaked…they　had　all　gone　off　to　sleep。
　Speaking　of　pitter…pat；　there　wasn't　any。　Dortmunder　frowned　at　the　windows；　but　the　boards　were　too　close　together　for　him　to　see　out　or　even　to　tell　what　kind　of　day　it　was；　though　this　light　did　seem　too　pale　to　be　direct　sunshine。　Anyway。　the　rain　had　apparently　stopped。
　Well；　there　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　get　up；　or　at　least　to　make　the　attempt。　Also；　there　was　the　smell　of　coffee　in　the　air；　which　made　Dortmunder's　stomach　growl　softly　to　itself　in　anticipation。　Last　night's　Lurps　had　been　better　than　nothing；　but　they　weren't　exactly　the　kind　of　meal　he　was　used　to。
　〃Urn；〃　he　said；　when　he　leaned　forward；　and；　〃Oof；〃　when　he　stretched　one　hand　out　on　the　floor　and　shifted　his　weight　over　onto　it。　〃Aggghh；〃　he　said；　when　he　heaved　his　body　heavily　over　onto　one　knee；　and；　〃Oh；　Jee…sus；〃　when　at　last　he　struggled　to　his　feet。
　What　a　back。　It　felt　as　though　somebody　had　pounded　a　lot　of　finishing　nails　into　it　last　night。　He　bent；　twisted；　arched　his　back；　and　listened　to　his　body　creak　and　snap　and　plain。　Moving　a　lot　like　Boris　Karloff　in　that　movie　last　night…in　fact；　he　looked　a　bit　like　that　character…he　staggered　out　of　the　dining　room　and　into　the　living　room；　where　he　found　May；　Murch's　Mom　and　the　kid　sitting　at　the　card　table；　playing　hearts。　May　said；　〃Good　morning。　There's　hot　water　on　the　hibachi；　if　you　want　to　make　yourself　some　coffee。〃
　〃I　don't　want　to　make　myself　some　coffee；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃My　mattress　leaked；　I　slept　on　the　floor；　I'm　too　stiff　to　bend　over。〃
　〃In　other　words；〃　May　said；　〃you　want　me　to　make　it。〃
　〃That's　right；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　〃After　this　hand；〃　May　said。
　Dortmunder　grunted；　and　went　over　to　open　the　door　and　look　out　at　the　world。　The　sky　was　very　gray　and　the　ground　was　very　wet　and　there　was　still　a　damp　chill　in　the　air。
　〃Shut　that　door；〃　Murch's　Mom　called。　〃It's　nice　and　warm　in　here；　let's　keep　it　that　way。〃
　Dortmunder　shut　the　door。　〃Where's　Stan？〃　he　said。
　Murch's　Mom　said；　〃He　went　to　get　some　groceries。〃
　〃Groceries？〃
　May　said；　〃Jimmy　says　he's　an　expert　at　scrambled　eggs。〃
　〃I　always　make　my　own　breakfast；〃　Jimmy　said。　〃Mrs。　Engelberg　is　hopeless。〃　Looking　slyly　at　Murch's　Mom　he　said；　〃You　wouldn't　be　shooting　the　moon；　would　you？〃
　〃Of　course　not；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　〃With　this　hand？〃　Dortmunder　walked　slowly　around　the　room；　bending　this　way　and　that；　shrugging　his　shoulders；　twisting　his　head　around。　Everything　hurt。　His　wrists　hurt。　He　said；　〃Isn't　that　hand　over？〃
　〃Not　quite；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。
　Dortmunder　went　over　and　looked　at　the　hand。　They　each　had　two　cards　left　and　it　was　Murch's　Mom's　lead。　Dortmunder；　kibitzing　over　her　shoulder；　saw　that　she　had　the　ace　of　clubs　and　the　ten　of　diamonds　left。　〃Well；　I　might　as　well　get　rid　of　my　last　winner；〃　she　said；　and　tossed　out　the　ace　of　clubs。
　Dortmunder　walked　around　to　kibitz　May's　hand；　while　Jimmy　said；　〃I　thought　you　weren't　shooting　the　moon。〃
　〃I'm　not；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　〃I　just　don't　want　to　get　stuck　with　the　last　lead。〃
　〃Sure；〃　Jimmy　said。
　May　had　to　play　second；　on　Murch's　Mom's　ace　of　clubs；　and　she　had　the　ace　of　hearts　and　the　jack　of　diamonds。　Dortmunder　watched　May's　hand　hover　over　the　jack　of　diamonds；　which　would　beat　Murch's　Mom's　final　ten　of　diamonds　lead；　then　hover　over　the　ace　of　hearts。
　Then　it　hovered　over　the　jack　of　diamonds　again。　Then　the　ace　of　hearts　again。
　Dortmunder's　stomach　growled。　Loudly。
　〃Oh；　all　right；〃　May　said；　and　threw　the　jack　of　diamonds；　holding　back　the　ace　of　hearts。
　〃I　didn't　say　anything；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　〃Your　stomach　did；〃　May　told　him。
　〃I　can't　help　that。〃　Dortmunder　went　on　around　the　table　to　look　at　Jimmy's　hand。　The　kid　had　the　king　of　hearts　and　the　queen　of　diamonds；　and　he　barely　hesitated　at　all　before　throwing　the　king　of　hearts。　〃If　you　want　to　shoot　the　moon；〃　he　said；　〃I　might　as　well　help。〃
　Murch's　Mom；　drawing　in　the　trick；　looked　at　the　kid　with　sudden　sharp　suspicion。　〃What　have　you　done；　you　bad　boy？〃　she　asked；　and　tossed　out　the　ten　of　diamonds。
　〃Oh；　dear；〃　May　said；　and　dropped　the　ace　of　hearts　on　it。
　〃I　kept　a　stopper；〃　Jimmy　said　calmly。　He　dropped　the　queen　of　diamonds　and　said；　〃That's　twenty…five　for　you　and　one　for　me。〃
　〃And　coffee　for　me；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　〃Yes　yes；〃　May　said。
　Murch's　Mom；　who　was　well…known　as　a　poor　loser；　wrote　down　the　scores　and　said；　〃You　think　you're　pretty　cute；　don't　you？〃
　〃I've　learned　over　the　course　of　years；〃　Jimmy　told　her；　〃that　defensive　play　is　much　more　profitable　in　the　long　run。〃
　〃The　course　of　years？　Are　you　kidding　me？〃
　His　face　as　innocent　as　a　choirboy's；　Jimmy　said；　〃What's　the　score；　anyway？〃
　Murch's　Mom　tossed　the　pad　across　the　table　to　him。　〃Read　it　yourself；〃　she　said。
　Dortmunder　got　his　coffee　from　May；　who　then　went　back　to　her　game。　Dortmunder　walked　around　and　around；　drinking　coffee　and　trying　to　limber　up；　and　after　a　while　Murch　came　in；　with　eggs　and　milk　and　butter　and　bread　and　a　newspaper　and　a　frying　pan　and　a　pale　blue　flight　bag　that　said　Air　France　on　it　and　God　knows　what　else。　Dortmunder　said；　〃We　gonna　live　here？〃
　Murch's　Mom　said；　〃There's　things　we　need。　Don't　plain　all　the　time。〃
　Dortmunder　said；　〃What's　with　the　Air　France　bag？〃
　May　was　pulling　clothing　out　of　it：　sweater；　socks；　trousers；　all　boy…size。　〃Jimmy　doesn't　have　anything　to　wear；〃　she　said。　〃It's　too　cold　for　what　he　had　on；　and　that's　all　dirty　now　anyway。〃
　Murch　said　to　Jimmy；　〃I'm　sorry；　kid；　they　didn't　have　an　avocado。〃
　〃That's　okay；〃　Jimmy　said。　'We　can　make　a　fine　salad　without　it。〃
　Dortmunder　said；　〃Avocado？〃　Things；　it　seemed　to　him；　were　getting　out　of　hand：　Air　France　bags；　avocados。　However；　nobody　else　in　this　room　seemed　to　think　things　were　getting　out　of　hand；　and　he　knew　better　than　to　raise　the　question　with　any　of　them；　so　he　went　back　to　the　dining　room。
　Where　Kelp　was　wide　awake；　sitting　up；　reading　Child　Heist。　〃Morning；〃　Kelp　said；　grinning　from　ear　to　ear。　〃I　slept　like　a　top。　How　about　you？〃
　〃Like　a　bottom；〃　Dortmunder　told　him。　〃My　mattress　leaked。〃
　〃Oh；　that's　a　shame。〃
　〃Don't　you　ever　get　tired　of　that　book？〃
　'Well；　we　got　the　money　switch　ing　up　this　afternoon；〃　Kelp　said。　〃I　thought　I　ought　to　refresh　my　memory；　read　that　chapter　again。　Y