emb.seethemdie-第30节

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　〃Well。。。〃　he　said；　and　he　fell　silent。
　The　two　men　faced　each　other。
　〃You　see　what　I　mean；　Father？〃
　〃Well。。。〃
　Miranda　shrugged。　The　apartment　was　silent。
　〃So　。。。　so　I　got　to　use　you　as　a　shield；　Father。　They　won't　shoot　if　I　e　out　with　you　in　front　of　me。〃
　〃Suppose　they　refuse　to　recognize　。。。〃
　〃Oh；　they　won't。　They　won't　try　nothing。　I'll　tell　them　I'll　shoot　you　if　they　try　anything。〃
　〃And　if　they　should　try　something？　Will　you　shoot　me；　Pepe？〃
　Pepe　Miranda　frowned。
　〃Will　you；　Pepe？〃
　After　a　long　while　he　said；　〃I　got　to　get　out　of　this　apartment；　Father。　I　got　to　get　out　of　here！〃
　There　were　two　patrolmen　on　either　side　of　the　stoop。　Captain　Frick　had　chosen　them　from　his　ranks；　had　chosen　four　of　his　best　shots；　and　then　they　had　gone　to　Lieutenant　Byrnes　for　their　instructions。　Their　instructions　were　simple。　Shoot　to　kill。
　And　so　they　waited　on　either　side　of　the　doorway　now；　four　marksmen　with　their　pistols　drawn；　waiting　for　something　to　happen。
　From　the　first…floor　windows　of　the　tenement；　Miranda's　voice　came。
　〃Lieutenant！〃
　〃Yes？〃
　〃This　is　Miranda！　I've　got　the　priest。　I'm　ing　out。〃
　〃What　do　you　mean；　Miranda？　You're　giving　up？〃
　〃Giving　up；　my　ass！　The　priest　is　ing　out　with　me。　If　you've　got　any　cops　in　the　hallway；　you'd　better　get　them　out　now。　You　hear　me？〃
　〃It's　gonna　work；〃　Parker　whispered　to　Byrnes。
　〃There　are　no　policemen　in　the　hallway；　Miranda。〃
　〃There　better　not　be。　I　want　a　clear　path　when　I　e　out。　This　priest　is　staying　with　me　all　the　way。　Anybody　so　much　as　looks　cockeyed　at　me；　the　priest　gets　it。〃
　〃I　thought　you　made　a　promise；　Miranda。〃
　〃Don't　make　me　laugh！　I'm　ing　out。〃
　Byrnes　put　down　the　megaphone　and　quickly　drew　his　revolver。　He　turned　slightly；　so　that　his　body　hid　the　revolver　which　hung　in　his　hand　alongside　his　right　thigh。　Parker　drew　his　gun；　too；　and　then　looked　around　for　a　good　spot　from　which　to　fire。　Behind　the　squad　car？　No；　no。　There！　There　was　a　place！　The　packing　crate　over　there。　He　pushed　his　way　through　the　crowd　and　climbed　onto　the　crate。　He　checked　the　chambers　of　his　。38；　wiped　his　upper　lip；　and　then　faced　the　doorway。　The　street　was　very　silent　now。　Upstairs；　inside　the　building；　they　could　hear　a　door　slamming。
　〃Any　cops　in　the　hallway？〃　Miranda　shouted。　〃Any　cops　here？〃
　There　was　no　answer。　Standing；　watching　the　doorway；　watching　the　patrolmen　flanking　the　stoop；　Byrnes　thought；　All　he　has　to　do　is　turn　his　head。　He'll　see　the　patrolmen；　and　he'll　put　a　bullet　in　Steve's　back。　That's　all　he　has　to　do。　Patiently；　Byrnes　held　his　breath。
　〃I　got　the　priest；〃　Miranda　shouted　from　the　hallway。　〃Don't　try　nothing；　you　hear？〃
　The　crowd　had　turned　toward　the　doorway　to　the　building。　They　could　see　nothing　beyond　the　door。　The　hallway　was　dark；　and　the　bright　sunshine　did　not　reach　beyond　the　flat　top　step　of　the　stoop。
　〃Clear　a　path！〃　Miranda　shouted。　〃Clear　a　path；　or　I'll　shoot　into　the　crowd！　I　don't　care　who　gets　hurt！〃
　The　crowd　could　see　a　pair　of　figures　in　the　hallway　now；　dimly。　The　priest　was　almost　invisible　because　of　his　black　cassock；　but　Miranda　could　be　seen　fairly　clearly；　a　short　thin　man　in　a　white　undershirt。　They　hesitated　in　the　vestibule；　and　Miranda　peered　past　Carella's　shoulder　and　into　the　street。
　Zip　pushed　his　way　through　the　crowd　with　Cooch。　The　street　was　terribly　silent；　and　he　wanted　to　know　why。　What　the　hell　was　happening？　He　was　angry　because　they'd　been　unable　to　locate　China；　angry　because　he　wanted　this　Alfredo　Gomez　thing　to　end　now；　angry　because　things　seemed　to　be　going　wrong；　and　he　wanted　them　to　go　right。　But；　in　spite　of　his　anger；　he　was　curious。　The　silence　intrigued　him。　He　pushed　up　to　the　barricade　just　as　Carella　and　Miranda　came　onto　the　front　stoop。
　Miranda's　eyes　flicked　the　street。　He　was　partially　covered　by　the　priest；　so　that　a　shot　from　across　the　street　could　not　be　risked。　That　left　only。。。
　And　Miranda　turned　to　look　to　the　left　of　the　stoop。
　Carella　was　ready。　He'd　been　waiting　for　the　movement　ever　since　they'd　left　the　apartment。　He'd　been　wondering　where　he　would　look　if　he　were　Miranda；　and　he'd　realized　that　nobody　could　shoot　from　the　other　side　of　the　street；　and　so　any　trap　would　have　to　be　set　on　this　side　of　the　street；　any　shots　would　have　to　e　from　behind。
　So　Carella　knew　that　Miranda　knew；　and　he'd　been　waiting　for　the　sideward　movement　of　Miranda's　head　because　he　had　further　reasoned　that　Miranda　would　begin　shooting　the　second　he　saw　the　cops　on　either　side　of　the　stoop。
　Zip　saw　the　cops　the　same　moment　Miranda　did。　It　was　too　late　to　shout　a　warning。
　Carella　felt　Miranda's　head　and　eyes　flickering　to　the　left。
　Go！　he　told　himself。
　He　went。
　No　one　said　a　word。　Miranda　turned　toward　Carella　in　the　same　instant　that　Carella　threw　himself　headlong　down　the　flight　of　steps。
　And　then　the　shooting　started。
　
　
　17
　
　〃Pepe！〃　Zip　yelled。　〃Pepe！〃　But　he　was　too　late。
　The　crossfire　was　true　crossfire。　Miranda　whirled　to　the　left；　and　the　bullets　suddenly　smashed　into　him　from　the　right　side　of　the　stoop；　spinning　him　around。　He　slammed　into　the　railing　and　fired　a　shot　at　the　patrolman　who　seemed　closest　to　him；　and　then　suddenly　there　were　shots　on　his　left；　and　he　realized　he　was　caught　in　a　deadly　crossfire；　and　he　ran　off　the　stoop　toward　where　Carella　lay　sprawled　at　the　foot　of　the　steps。　Byrnes　began　firing　from　the　other　side　of　the　street；　and　Parker　began　firing　from　the　crate；　and　then　it　seemed　that　every　cop　on　that　block　had　been　waiting　for　just　this　moment　because　the　street　suddenly　reverberated　with　ear…shattering　sound　as　the　bullets　caromed　into　the　gutter。
　He　seemed　to　be　bleeding　from　a　dozen　places。
　The　white　undershirt　seemed　to　sprout　blood　like　poppies　in　an　instant。　His　own　gun　kept　bucking　in　his　hand；　but　there　was　blood　dripping　from　his　face　and　into　his　eyes；　and　he　just　fired　blindly　and　sort　of　groped　out　toward　the　crowd　as　if　he　were　reaching　for　salvation　and　didn't　know　whose　face　held　it。
　Parker　came　down　off　the　crate；　his　service　revolver　trembling　in　his　hand。　The　cops　on　the　rooftops　stopped　firing　all　at　once；　and　the　men　behind　Miranda　stopped　firing　as　he　stumbled　blindly　across　the　street；　moving　toward　Parker　who　was　similarly　drawn　toward　him。　It　was　almost　as　if　someone　had　placed　two　magnetic　figures　on　a　long　table。　They　moved　toward　each　other　inexorably；　Miranda　blinded　by　blood；　and　Parker　drawn　into　that　street　by　something　he　would　never　understand。
　Miranda's　gun　clicked　empty；　and　he　looked　at　Parker　in　supplication；　blood　dripping　into　his　eyes　and　bubbling　out　of　his　mouth；　the　mouth　open；　the　hands　limp　now；　the　head　twisted　to　one　side　like　a　Christ　who　had　climbed　down　from　the　cross。
　〃Give　me　a　break；〃　Miranda　whispered。
　And　Parker　fired。
　His　shot　took　Miranda　in　the　throat　at　close　range；　nearly　ripping　away　the　back　of　his　neck。　A　fresh　blossom　of　blood　erupted；　exposing　Miranda's　windpipe　as　he　staggered　forward　again。　His　voice　bubbled　from　his　torn　throat；　a　whispered　voice　that　sounded　as　if　it　were　ing　from　one　of　those　trick　underwater　recording　chambers；　a　voice　directed　only　to　Parker；　a　voice　that　sought　out　Parker　on　that　spinning　red　street。
　〃Can't　you　。。。　can't　you　give　me　a　break？〃　And　again　Parker　fired。　And　this　time；　he　kept　his　finger　on　the　trigger；　tightening　the　pressure　each　time　a　slug　roared　from　the　barrel　of　the　gun；　watching　the　slugs　rip　into　Miranda；　watching　Miranda　topple　into　the　gutter　lifelessly；　and　then　standing　over　him　and　pumping　bullets　into　his　body　until　his　gun　was　empty；　and　then　grabbing　a　gun　from　the　patrolman　standing　next　to　him　and　beginning　to　fire　at　the　dead　Miranda。
　〃That's　enough；〃　Carella　shouted。
　Zip　pushed　past　the　barricade　and　flung　himself　at　Parker's　back。　Parker　brushed　him　off　like　a　pesky　fly；　swinging　his　huge　shoulders；　knocking　Zip　to　the　pavement。
　〃Leave　him　alone！〃　Zip　shouted。　〃Leave　him　alone！〃
　But　Parker　was　hearing　nothing。　He　fired　the　patrolman's　gun　at　Miranda's　head；　and　then　he　fired　again；　and　he　was　preparing　to　fire　a　third　time　when　Carella　grabbed　his　arms　and　pulled　him　away　from　the　body。
　〃Somebody　get　up　there　to　Frankie！〃　Lieutenant　Byrnes　shouted。　〃On　the　double！〃
　Two　patrolmen　rushed　into　the　tenement。　Byrnes　walked　over　to　Miranda　and　stared　down　at　him。
　〃Is　he　dead？〃　a　reporter　called。
　Byrnes　nodded。　There　was　no　triumph　in　his　voice。　〃He's　dead。'〃
　〃They　killed　him；〃　Zip　said　to　Cooch。　〃They　killed　him。　The　bastards　killed　him。〃　He　clutched　Cooch　frantically。　〃Where's　Sixto？　Where's　Papa？　We're　gonna　get　him　now；　you　hear　me；　Cooch？　They　killed　Pepe；　Cooch。　You　understand　that？　They　killed　him！〃　His　eyes　were　wild。　A　thin　layer　of　sweat　covered　his　entire　face。
　〃What　about　China？〃　Cooch　asked。　〃You　said　we　needed　China　to。。。〃
　〃The　hell　with　China！　Alfie's　gonna　get　his；　you　hear？〃
　A　patrolman　appeared　on　the　fire　escape。　The　street　went　quiet。　He　walked　to　where　Frankie　Hernandez　lay　still　and　silent；　and　he　knelt　down；　and　Byrnes　waited。　The　patrolman　stood　up。
　〃Lieutenant？〃
　〃Yes？〃
　〃Frankie。〃　The　patrolman　paused。　〃He's　dead；　sir。〃
　Byrnes　nodded。　He　n