emb.seethemdie-第22节

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　〃Yes；　sir；〃　Hernandez　said。
　Byrnes　extended　his　hand。　〃Good　luck；　Frankie。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃　Byrnes　turned　to　walk　back　to　the　squad　car。　〃Pete？〃　Hernandez　called。　Byrnes　faced　him。　〃Thank　you；〃　Hernandez　said　again。
　Marge　and　Marie；　the　two　prostitutes；　approached　Frederick　Block。　Block　was　pulling　his　handkerchief　out　of　his　back　pocket；　preparatory　to　mopping　his　face　with　it；　when　his　elbow　struck　something　very　soft。　He　turned　casually。　The　something　very　soft　was　covered　with　bright…red　silk。
　〃Hello；〃　Marge　said。
　〃Well；　hello；〃　Block　answered。　〃Quite　a　show；　isn't　it？〃
　〃If　you　like　this　kind　of　jazz；〃　Marie　said。
　〃Well；　it's　pretty　exciting；〃　Block　said。　He　studied　the　low…cut　front　of　Marie's　dress。　Damn；　if　this　girl　didn't　have　the。。。
　〃There　are　plenty　things　more　exciting　than　watching　a　cheap　gunman　get　shot；〃　Marie　said。
　〃Like　what？〃　Block　asked；　beginning　to　get　the　impression　that　this　girl　wasn't　even　wearing　a　brassiere。
　〃Can't　you　think　of　anything？〃　Marie　said。
　〃Well　。。。　I　can　think　of　a　few；〃　Block　said。
　〃Whatever　you　can　think　of；〃　Marie　said；　〃we　can　manage。〃
　Block　studied　the　girls　a　moment　longer。　He　mopped　his　face。　Then；　with　a　practiced　eye；　and　a　whispered　voice；　he　asked；　〃How　much？〃
　〃For　one　of　us　or　both？〃　Marie　asked。
　〃Both？　Well；　I　hadn't。。。〃
　〃Think　about　it。〃
　〃I　am。〃　'
　〃Think　fast；〃　Marge　said。
　〃We　like　to　work　together；〃　Marie　said。
　〃The　Bobbsey　Twins　down　on　the　Farm；〃　Marge　said。
　〃We　know　things　they　don't　even　know　in　Paris　yet；〃　Marie　said。
　〃We　know　things　ain't　even　been　invented　yet；〃　Marge　said。
　〃How　much？〃　Block　asked　again。
　〃Fifty　for　the　afternoon；　including　the　stretcher　bearers。〃
　〃The　what？〃
　〃The　stretcher　bearers。　To　carry　you　out　when　it's　over。〃
　Block　chuckled。　〃How　much　without　them？〃
　〃Twenty…five　for　me　alone。　My　name's　Marie。　It's　a　bargain；　believe　me。〃
　〃I'll　think　about　it；〃　Block　said。
　〃e　on；　e　on；〃　Marie　prompted。
　〃Can't　you　just　wait　a　minute？〃
　〃Love　don't　wait　a　minute；　mister；〃　Marie　said。
　〃Not　in　July　it　don't；〃　Marge　added。
　〃Twenty…five's　too　high；〃　Block　said。
　〃Make　it　twenty；　sport。　A　double　sawbuck；　what　do　you　say？〃
　〃You're　on。〃
　〃Or　vice　versa；〃　Marie　said　dryly。　She　turned　to　her　friend。　〃Well；　I'm　set　Now　what　are　you　gonna　do　with　all　that　love　busting　inside　you；　huh；　Marge？〃
　Jeff　Talbot　looked　at　the　wall　clock　and　left　the　luncheonette。
　It　was　fifteen　minutes　past　twelve。
　She　wasn't　ing。　He'd　been　a　jerk　to　think　she'd　keep　the　date。　He　went　out　into　the　street；　thankful　that　he　had　worn　his　whites　today。　God　what　a　hot　day；　why　hadn't　she　kept　the　date；　why　in　hell　hadn't　she　kept　the　date？　He　wanted　to　hit　somebody。　He　just　for　the　hell　of　it　felt　like　hitting　somebody。　You　meet　a　girl　like　that　maybe　once　in…　Oh；　the　hell　with　it。　Angrily；　he　stamped　back　into　the　luncheonette。
　〃I'm　shoving　off；　Louise；〃　he　said。
　〃What？〃　Luis　answered。
　〃She　didn't　show。　I'm　leaving。〃
　〃Good；〃　Luis　said；　nodding。　〃You　will　be　better　off　out　of　this　neighborhood。　There　are　other　girls；　sailor。〃
　〃Yeah；　that's　for　sure；〃　Jeff　said。
　He　walked　out　of　the　luncheonette　again。　It　was　a　damn　shame；　he　thought；　because　。。。　well　。。。　he'd　almost　found　it。　He'd　almost；　in　the　space　of　what　was　it；　ten；　fifteen　minutes？
　In　that　short　a　time；　he'd　almost　found　it；　but　of　course　he　should　have　known。　Nothing　good　es　easy。　And　yet；　it　had　seemed　so　right；　it　had　just　seemed　。。。　seemed　right；　where　。。。　where　eyes　meet　and　。。。　and　without　touching　。。。　without　saying　very　much。。。
　The　hell　with　it！
　He　strode　out　of　the　luncheonette；　and　the　first　people　he　saw　were　Frederick　Block　and　the　two　prostitutes。
　Marge　winked　at　him。
　Jeff　squared　his　hat　and　walked　directly　to　the　trio。
　〃Well；　well；　well；〃　he　said。
　〃Feel　like　a　party；　sailor？〃　Marge　asked。
　He　hesitated　for　just　a　moment；　his　eyes　roaming　the　street。　Then　he　said；　〃Yes；　goddamnit；　I　feel　just　like　a　party！〃　and　he　grabbed　Marge's　elbow；　and　the　four　of　them　turned　the　corner　and　went　off　up　the　avenue。
　Two　boys　wearing　bright…gold　jackets　turned　into　the　block。
　They　stood　with　their　hands　on　their　hips　for　a　moment。　Both　wore　sunglasses；　both　wore　their　dark　hair　in　high　crowns。　The　bigger　of　the　two；　and　the　older　…　a　boy　of　about　twenty　who　stood　a　little　over　six　feet　tall　…　wore　a　silver　identification　bracelet　on　his　right　wrist。　His　name　was　Tommy。　The　other　boy；　nineteen　and　short　by　modern　standards；　was　called　Li'1　Killer。　His　real　name　was　Phil。　He　had　never　killed　anyone　in　his　life；　but　the　name　made　him　sound　like　a　guy　who'd　cut　out　your　liver　for　the　price　of　an　ice…cream　soda。　The　tall　one；　Tommy；　nodded　at　Phil　and　they　walked　directly　toward　the　crate　where　Papa　and　the　two　girls　stood　craning　their　necks。
　〃Hey；　kid；〃　Tommy　said。
　Papa　turned。　〃You　talk　to　me？〃
　〃Off　the　box；〃　Tommy　said　flatly。
　〃Huh？〃　Papa　said。　〃Why？〃
　〃You　heard　him；〃　Phil　said。　〃Off　the　box。　We　want　a　view。〃
　Papa　looked　down　to　where　Sixto　stood　near　the　side　of　the　crate。
　〃Sixto；　go　call。。。〃　he　started；　and　Phil　shoved　out　at　Sixto　before　he　could　move。
　〃Stay　put；　sonny；〃　he　said。
　〃Don't　hurt　him；　Li'1　Killer；〃　Tommy　said。　He　chuckled。　〃Just　cripple　him。〃
　〃Listen；　why　do　you　want　trouble　for？〃　Elena　said；　looking　past　them　to　where　Zip　stood　at　the　ices　cart　near　the　corner。
　〃Who　wants　trouble？〃　Tommy　asked　gently。　〃Li'1　Killer　and　me；　we　asked　your　friend　very　politely　to　get　the　hell　off　that　box；　that's　all。　That　ain't　no　trouble。〃
　〃That　ain't　no　trouble　at　all；〃　Phil　said。
　In　that　instant；　Lieutenant　Byrnes　waved　his　arm　at　the　rooftops；　and　the　police　opened　fire。　The　firing　was　a　precise；　methodical　operation　designed　to　keep　Miranda　away　from　the　front　windows。　At　the　same　time；　the　distant　echo　of　guns　could　be　heard　in　the　back　yard；　and　over　that；　like　a　triangle　player　in　a　hundred…piece　orchestra；　the　sound　of　shattering　glass。　Miranda　appeared　at　the　front　windows　for　just　an　instant；　looked　into　the　street；　saw　what　he　was　supposed　to　see；　and　ducked　back　into　the　apartment。
　The　cops　of　the　87th　rushed　the　doorway　to　the　left　of　La　Gallina。
　Miranda　saw　them　the　second　before　he　ducked　his　head。　Lieutenant　Byrnes　led　the　charge；　shooting　up　at　the　windows　as　he　ran。　Behind　him　were　Steve　Carella　and　Andy　Parker　and　half　a　dozen　patrolmen；　all　with　guns　in　their　hands。　Frankie　Hernandez　brought　up　the　rear。　One　by　one；　the　cops　entered　the　tenement。　Hernandez　seemed　to　be　following　them　and　then；　suddenly；　at　the　last　moment；　he　swerved　to　the　right　of　the　doorway　and　flattened　himself　against　the　front　of　the　building。
　At　the　same　time；　Captain　Frick　…　who　manded　the　uniformed　cops　of　the　87th　…　brought　the　megaphone　to　his　mouth　and　shouted；　〃We're　ing　in；　Miranda！　We're　going　to　knock　that　front　door　right　off　its　hinges。〃
　There　was　no　answer　from　within　the　apartment。
　〃We're　ing　in；　Miranda！　We're　ing　up　those　steps　right　now！〃　Frick　shouted；　and　he　hoped　Miranda　would　buy　it。
　In　the　hallway；　Byrnes；　Carella；　and　Parker　crouched　on　the　steps。　They　could　hear　the　gunfire　outside；　could　hear　shouts　from　the　cops；　screams　from　the　crowd；　the　sound　of　glass　breaking　and　wood　splintering；　the　high　whistle　of　slugs　that　caromed　and　ricocheted。
　Outside；　Frankie　Hernandez　stealthily　moved　past　the　glass　front　of　La　Gallina；　working　his　way　toward　the　fire　escape。
　The　crowd　was　suddenly　hushed。
　The　only　sound　on　the　street　now　was　the　explosion　of　the　revolvers　on　the　rooftops　and　in　the　windows　facing　Miranda's　apartment。
　She　came　around　the　corner　hurriedly。
　There　were　tears　on　her　face；　and　her　blouse　had　pulled　free　from　her　skirt；　and　she　thought　she　could　still　feel　the　imprint　of　Cooch's　fingers　where　he　had　touched　her。　It　was　twenty　minutes　past　twelve；　and　she　hoped　against　hope　that　Jeff　would　still　be　there；　hoped　he　had　at　least　the　faith　to　realize　。。。　to　realize　what？　Tears　streaking　her　face；　she　rushed　into　the　luncheonette。
　He　was　not　there。
　She　looked　at　the　empty　stools；　and　then　she　turned　to　Luis　and　she　said；　〃Luis；　there　was　a　sailor。。。〃　and　Luis　nodded　instantly。
　〃He　left。〃
　〃I　。。。　I　couldn't　get　away　and　then　。。。　the　crowds　in　the　street。。。〃
　〃He　left；〃　Luis　said　again。
　She　turned　from　him　quickly　and　went　into　the　street　again。　She　could　hear　the　pistol　shots；　thunder　on　a　sunny　day。　〃China；　hey；　China！〃　She　wished　it　would　really　rain；　she　wished　the　skies　would　open　and　…　〃China；　hey；　don't　you　hear　me？〃　…　rain　would　e　down　to　wash　the　streets；　wash　all　the。。。
　〃Hey！　China！'
　She　looked　up　suddenly。　〃What？　Oh　…　oh；　hello。〃
　Zip　was　standing　by　the　ices　cart；　grinning。
　〃Hey；　how　are　you；　China？〃
　〃Fine；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　fine；　thank　you。〃
　〃You　want　some　ices？〃
　〃No。　No；　thank　you；　Zip。〃
　He　studied　her。　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　〃Nothing。〃
　〃You　look　like　you　was　crying。　Was　somebody　bothering　you？〃
　She　shook　her　head。　〃No；　no。〃
　〃If　anybody　bothers　you；　you　just　let　me　know；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　take　care　of　them　the　way　I'm　gonna　take　care　of　Alfie。〃
　〃You　leave　Alfie　alone！〃　she　said　sharply　and　suddenly；　her　eyes　flashing。
　〃Huh？〃
　〃Why　do　you　want　to