emb.seethemdie-第18节

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y　stopped；　Miranda　was　no　longer　at　the　window。
　He　gathered　Carella；　Parker　and　Hernandez　around　him。　〃Okay；〃　he　said；　〃we're　moving　in。　This　time　Miranda　bit　off　too　big　a　piece。〃　He　paused　and　looked　at　the　faces　of　the　men　around　him。　〃Has　Captain　Frick　arrived　yet；　Steve？〃
　〃Yes。　I　saw　him　a　little　while　ago。〃
　〃Let's　find　him。　I　want　this　to　be　right。〃
　
　Frederick　Block　was　on　his　way　home　when　he　suddenly　found　himself　in　the　middle　of　a　traffic　jam。　Block　hated　traffic　jams；　and　he　especially　hated　them　on　weekends。　He　had　gone　to　his　office　downtown　to　pick　up　a　carton　of　eyelets　which　a　factory　in　Riverhead　needed　instantly。　He　had　made　the　delivery　himself　…　〃When　you　deal　with　Block　Industries；　you　get　service；〃　he　had　told　his　client　…　and　had　then　taken　the　shortest　route　he　knew　from　Riverhead　to　the　Calm's　Point　Bridge；　and　that　route　happened　to　take　him　through　the　heart　of　Isola　and　the　87th　Precinct。　And　now　he　was　in　the　middle　of　a　traffic　jam；　on　a　Sunday；　sweating　inside　his　automobile　when　he　should　have　been　at　the　beach。　Block　was　a　fat　man。　Not　one　of　those　fat　men　who　try　to　kid　themselves　by　applying　euphemistic　terms　like　〃stout〃　or　〃chubby〃　to　their　obesity。　He　was　fat。　F…A…T。　And　being　fat；　he　sweated　a　great　deal。　And　being　a　person　who　sweated　…　fat　men；　Block　knew；　never　perspired　…　he　did　not　appreciate　being　locked　in　a　parked　car　in　the　middle　of　Isola　on　a　day　like　today。
　He　bore　the　heat　with　tolerant　malice　for　as　long　as　he　could。　Then　he　got　out　of　the　car　and　tried　to　find　out　just　what　the　hell　was　causing　the　tie…up。　As　far　as　he　could　see；　there　had　been　no　accident。　It　always　annoyed　the　hell　out　of　Block　when　there　was　an　accident。　In　the　first　place；　careful　drivers　didn't　get　into　accidents。　And　in　the　second　and　more　important　place；　even　if　the　wrecked　car　itself　didn't　block　the　road；　traffic　always　slowed　down　to　a　snail's　pace　because　every　passing　motorist　wanted　to　study　the　extent　of　the　damage。
　Today；　there　had　been　no　accident。　And　yet　traffic　was　tied　up　on　the　avenue　in　both　directions。　Now　why？　Block　wondered。　With　the　instincts　of　an　old　bloodhound；　he　followed　the　crowd。　They　all　seemed　to　be　heading　in　the　same　direction；　and　he　assumed　the　prime　attraction　was　in　that　direction。　Waddling　along；　mopping　his　brow　with　a　big　white　handkerchief；　cursing　mildly　under　his　breath；　Block　made　his　way　up　the　avenue；　and　stopped　at　the　luncheonette　on　the　corner。　A　sailor　was　sitting　at　the　counter。　Block　sidled　up　to　him　and　said；　〃What's　going　on；　mate？〃　He　had　never　been　in　the　navy；　but　he　was　a　born　salesman　who　adapted　his　speech　to　fit　any　and　all　occasions。　〃Why　can't　I　get　my　car　through　here？　What's　going　on？〃
　The　sailor　did　not　answer。　The　sailor　kept　dabbing　at　his　face　with　a　wadded　handkerchief。　Block　didn't　see　the　blood　on　the　handkerchief；　so　he　assumed　the　sailor　was　hot　and　wiping　away　sweat。　He　sympathized　with　the　sailor　and　turned　to　the　man　behind　the　counter。
　〃Can　you　tell　me　what's　going　on？〃　he　asked。
　〃The　traffic's　tied　up；〃　Luis　said。
　〃You're　telling　me　it's　tied　up？〃　Block　said；　and　he　began　chuckling；　his　layers　of　fat　jiggling。　〃Say；　what　kind　of　answer　is　that？　It's　tied　up　downtown　and　uptown　and　probably　crosstown；　too。　What's　going　on？　A　parade？〃
　〃There's　a　gunman　in　the　apartment　up　there；〃　the　sailor　said　suddenly。
　〃A　what？〃　Block　wiped　his　brow。　〃A　gunman；　did　you　say？〃
　〃Pepe　Miranda；〃　Luis　put　in；　nodding。
　〃I　never　heard　of　him。　What'd　he　do；　rob　a　bank？〃　Block　said；　and　he　began　chuckling；　the　fat　jiggling　all　over　him　again。　He　didn't　look　at　all　like　Santa　Claus。
　〃You　live　in　this　city？〃　Luis　asked。
　〃Sure；　I　live　in　this　city。　Not　around　here；　though。　I　live　in　Calm's　Point。　What　is　this　Miranda；　a　celebrity？〃
　〃He's　a　killer；〃　the　sailor　said　quietly。
　〃Yeah？〃　Block　opened　his　eyes　wide　in　appreciation。　〃Yeah？　A　killer？〃
　〃That's　what　he　is；〃　Jeff　said。
　〃They　going　up　there　to　get　him？〃　Block　said。
　〃That's　what　it　looks　like。　You　better　go　back　to　your　car；　mister。　There　might　be　shooting　around　here。〃
　〃No；　no；〃　Block　said；　very　interested　now。　〃I　want　to　watch　this。　I　want　to　see　him　die。〃
　He　shoved　his　way　through　the　crowd；　using　his　huge　stomach　like　a　battering　ram。
　〃Louise；〃　Jeff　said；　〃what　time　is　it？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Eleven…thirty；　something　like　that。　Why？〃
　〃I'm　。。。　I'm　supposed　to　meet　a　girl　here。　At　noon。〃
　〃Sailor；　why　don't　you　take　your　own　advice？　Get　out　of　here　before　you　run　into　more　trouble。　Take　a　walk　over　to　the　park；　eh？　When　the　girl　es；　I'll　tell　her　you're　waiting　there　for　her。　What's　her　name？〃
　〃China。　That's　a　funny　name；　ain't　it？〃
　〃Not　for　a　Spanish　girl。　Only　in　Spanish；　it's　pronounced　Chee…na。〃　Luis　shrugged。　〃A　lot　of　the　girls　today；　they　give　it　the　English　sound。　Or　maybe　people　do　it　for　them；　and　then　they　decide　it's　easier　that　way。〃　He　paused。　〃Go。　Go　to　the　park。　I'll　tell　her　where　you　are。〃
　〃I　thought　she　was　a　whore　when　I　first　met　her；　Louise。　That's　a　damn　rotten　way　to　start　off；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Well；　I　know　many　men　who　have　married　prostitutes；〃　Luis　said。　〃They　make　good　wives。〃
　〃Oh；　she　ain't！〃　Jeff　said；　almost　shouting　the　words　in　his　haste。　〃I　didn't　mean　to　give　you　that　impression。　I　mean；　you　can　see　that；　once　you　know　her。　She's　got　this　。。。　this　real　sweet　face；　you　know？〃
　Luis　smiled。　〃Si。〃
　〃Yeah；　like　a　little　girl；　you　know？〃　He　grinned　at　Luis　and　then　quickly　said；　〃Not　that　she　doesn't　look　womanly。　I　mean；　she　certainly　has　all　the　。。。　the　。。。　things　a　。。。　woman　has。〃
　〃I　have　never　seen　an　ironing　board　among　Puerto　Rican　women；〃　Luis　said。
　〃Huh？〃
　Luis　curved　his　hand　through　the　air；　pantomiming　a　woman　with　unmonly　pronounced　curves。
　〃Oh；　yes；〃　Jeff　said。　〃Sure。　But　she　doesn't　look　sloppy；　you　understand　that；　don't　you？　I　mean；　she's　not　one　of　these。。。〃　He　used　his　hands　to　indicate　a　woman　whose　upper　portions　were　mountainous。。　Both　men　nodded　in　solemn　agreement　on　the　proper　size　of　a　bosom。　〃She　talks　nice；　too；〃　Jeff　said。　〃I　like　a　girl　with　a　good　voice　and　。。。　and　eyes　that　look　at　you。　When　she　talks；　I　mean。　She　looks　at　you。　That's　good。　It　makes　you　feel　like　。。。　like　you're　important。〃
　〃Si；　a　man　must　feel　that　he　is　important。〃
　〃That's　what　I　didn't　like　about　Fletcher；　Louise。　I　just　felt　like　anybody　else　there。　It's　funny　but；　well；　meeting　her　I　feel　like　…1　don't　know　…1　feel　like　me！　That's　pretty　stupid；　ain't　it？　I　mean；　like　who　the　hell　else　would　I　feel　like？　And　I　hardly　even　know　her。　I　mean；　she's　just　another　girl；　isn't　she？〃
　〃Sure；〃　Luis　agreed；　〃she's　just　another　girl。　You　can　find　girls　anywhere。〃
　〃Well；　now　she's　not　exactly　just　another　girl；〃　Jeff　said　hastily。　〃She's　prettier　than　most；　you　know。〃
　〃Pretty　girls　are　easy　to　find；　sailor。　The　world　is　full　of　pretty　girls。　And　for　every　man　in　the　world；　there　is　one　girl　who　is　pretty。〃
　〃Sure；　sure。　But　she's；　well；　I　guess　you　could　call　her　beautiful。　I　guess　you　really　could；　Louise。〃　He　paused。　〃Do　you　。。。　do　you　think　she'll　e？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Luis　said。　〃Perhaps。〃
　〃I　hope　so。　Gee；　Louise；　I　hope　so。〃
　From　Zip's　vantage　place　on　the　packing　crate；　he　saw　her　at　once；　working　her　way　through　the　crowd。　He　waved　to　her　instantly；　and　then　shouted；　〃Elena！　Hey；　Elena；　over　here！〃　He　poked　Sixto　and　said；　〃Hey；　Sixto；　it's　Elena。〃
　Softly；　Sixto　said；　〃I　thought　China　wass　your　girl。〃
　〃Variety；　huh？〃　Zip　said；　grinning。　〃Hey；　Elena！〃
　The　girl　waved　back。　She　was　sixteen　years　old；　an　attractive　girl　with　dark　hair　and　dark　eyes；　wearing　a　skirt　and　blouse。　The　girl　with　her；　slightly　shorter　than　she；　was　wearing　black　tapered　slacks　and　a　boy's　white　shirt。　〃Hello；　Zip；〃　Elena　called；　and　then　said　to　her　friend；　〃Juana；　it's　Zip　and　the　boys。〃
　Flatly；　Juana　said；　〃He's　a　terrifying　creep。〃
　〃He's　not　so　bad；〃　Elena　said。　〃e　on。〃
　They　walked　over　to　the　crate。　Zip　offered　his　hand　to　Elena　and　pulled　her　up　beside　him。　Papa　studied　the　chivalrous　gesture；　and　then　repeated　it；　offering　his　hand　to　Juana　who　took　it　with　the　disdain　of　a　countess　accepting　aid　from　a　doorman。
　〃You　ever　see　anything　like　this；　Elena？〃　Zip　asked　excitedly。　〃He　shot　one　of　them。〃
　〃Who　shot　one　of　them？〃　Elena　asked。
　〃Pepe　Miranda！〃　Papa　said。
　〃Who？〃
　〃Pepe　Miranda；〃　Zip　said。　〃He's　got　a　whole　arsenal　in　that　apartment　with　him。　The　cops　can't　figure　how　to　get　him　out。　Man　you　shoulda　seen　him。　He　e　right　up　to　the　window　and　spit　at　the　bastards！〃
　〃Who's　this？〃　Juana　asked；　turning　her　attention　to　Zip。
　Papa；　as　if　repeating　a　lesson　he　had　learned；　a　lesson　he　had　indeed　learned　earlier　from　Cooch；　said；　〃He　the　grays　thin'　ever　happen　this　neighborhood。〃
　〃Yeah？〃　Juana　said　aloofly。　〃I　never　heard　of　him。〃
　〃So　that's　what　this　is　all　about；〃　Elena　said。　〃We　were　walking　over　on　the　next　block　and　everybody　was　heading　here　like　somebody　hit　the　numbers　for　a　million　dollars。〃
　〃There　ain't　no　numbers　on　Sunday；〃　Juana　said　distantly。　She　was　not　a　very　pretty　girl；　but　she　had　learned　somewhere　that　her　eyes　were　very　attractive　and　had　further　learned　how　to　use　make…up　on　them。　Her　eyes　were　the　focal　point　of　her