emb.seethemdie-第9节

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　Inside　the　luncheonette；　Jeff　handed　his　fortune　slip　to　Luis　and　said；　〃How　do　you　like　that？〃
　〃Be　patient　and　of　firm　resolve；〃　Luis　read；　〃and　you　will　achieve　all　your　ends。〃
　〃Yeah；〃　Jeff　said。　〃What　time　does　La　Gallina　open？〃
　〃I　had　hoped　you　would　forget　La　Gallina。〃
　〃Well；　since　I'm　already　up　here。。。〃　Jeff　shrugged　and　let　the　sentence　trail。　〃What　time　does　it　open？〃
　〃This　is　Sunday；〃　Luis　said；　〃and　La　Gallina　is　a　bar　…　among　other　things。　It　does　not　open　until　noon。〃
　〃Then　I've　got　plenty　of　time　yet。〃
　〃If　you'd　take　my　advice。。。〃
　〃Hey！　Hey　your　the　voice　bellowed；　and　they　both　turned　simultaneously　to　face　the　street。　Andy　Parker　seemed　to　have　materialized　from　nowhere。　He　approached　Sixto；　who　stood　on　the　corner；　and　shouted；　〃You！　You　there！〃
　Sixto；　frightened；　began　to　inch　away　from　him　〃Me？〃　he　asked。　〃Me？〃
　〃What　are　you　doing？〃　Parker　asked；　ing　up　close　to　him。
　〃Nothin'。　I　wass　ony　jus'　standin'。。。〃
　〃Against　the　wall！〃
　〃Huh？〃
　Parker　seized　his　jacket　front　and　slammed　him　up　against　the　supporting　post　at　the　corner　of　the　luncheonette。　〃I　said　against　the　wall！〃
　〃I　。。。　I　dinn　do　nothin'；〃　Sixto　said。　〃I　wass　only　jus'。。。〃
　〃Bend　over！〃
　Sixto　stared　at　him　blankly；　unprehendingly。
　〃Bend　over；　goddamnit！〃　Parker　shouted。
　Sixto　still　did　not　understand。　Furiously；　because　he　felt　his　mand　was　being　openly　flouted；　Parker　chopped　a　fast　right　to　Sixto's　gut；　doubling　him　over。　He　spun　him　around　then　so　that　he　faced　the　corner　post；　his　hands　clutching　his　stomach；　his　head　bent。
　〃Put　your　hands　against　the　wall；　palms　flat；　goddamnit；　do　what　I　tell　you！〃　Parker　shouted。
　Sixto；　doubled　over　with　pain；　made　an　abortive　attempt　to　stretch　out　his　arms；　clutched　his　stomach　again；　and　then　shoved　his　arms　out　convulsively　when　Parker　hit　him　in　the　ribs。　He　extended　his　hands　and　placed　them；　trembling；　against　the　corner　post。　Quickly；　Parker　frisked　him。　He　did　an　intent　and　thorough　job；　so　thorough　that　he　did　not　notice　Frankie　Hernandez　who　walked　up　the　street　and　stopped　just　short　of　the　luncheonette。
　〃Turn　around！〃　Parker　shouted。　〃Now　empty　your　pockets！　Everything　on　the　sidewalk！　Hurry　up！〃
　Hernandez　walked　to　where　they　were　standing。　〃Leave　him　alone；　Andy；〃　he　said。　He　turned　to　Sixto。　〃Take　off；　kid。〃
　Sixto　hesitated；　frightened；　looking　first　to　one　detective　and　then　the　other。
　〃Get　out　of　here；　go　ahead！　Beat　it！〃
　Sixto　hesitated　a　moment　longer；　and　then　broke　into　a　sprint　around　the　corner；　racing　up　the　avenue。
　〃Thanks；　Frankie；〃　Parker　said　sarcastically。
　〃There's　nothing　in　the　penal　code　that　makes　it　a　crime　for　a　kid　to　be　minding　his　own　business；　Andy。〃
　〃Who's　saying　anything？〃　Parker　said。　He　paused。　〃But　suppose　that　nice　innocent　kid　was　holding　a　deck　of　heroin？〃
　〃He　wasn't　holding　anything。　He's　no　junkie；　and　you　know　it。　He　es　from　a　good　family。〃
　〃Oh；　is　that　right？　Junkies　don't　e　from　good　families；　huh？　Suppose　he　was　holding；　Frankie？　Just　suppose？〃
　〃The　only　thing　he's　holding　right　now　is　contempt　for　the　cop　who　shook　him　down。〃
　〃Seems　to　me　you　should　be　interested　in　looking　up　the　people　who　are　doing　something　wrong；〃　Jeff　said　from　the　luncheonette。
　〃We　do；　sailor；〃　Parker　answered。　〃Day　and　night。　That　kid　belongs　to　a　street　gang；　don't　he？　You　saw　his　club　jacket；　didn't　you？　Do　you　expect　me　to　take　crap　from　every　hoodlum　on　the　street？〃
　〃That　kid　probably　has　little　enough　self…respect　as　it　is；〃　Hernandez　said。　〃So　you　e　along　and。。。〃
　〃All　right；　all　right；　cut　it　out　with　the　kid；　will　you？　Boy；　you'd　think　I　worked　him　over　with　a　rubber　hose。〃　He　paused。　〃Where　you　headed？〃
　〃To　see　the　Gomez　woman；〃　Hernandez　said。
　〃She　was　quite　a　little　trick；　that　Gomez　woman。　Pushing　fifty；　maybe；　but　still　got　it　all　in　the　right　places。　You　sure　this　is　a　business　call；　Frankie？〃
　〃I'm　sure；〃　Hernandez　said。
　〃Well；　just　so　long　as　you're　sure。　Was　there　any　word　on　Miranda　back　at　the　squad？〃
　〃Not　when　I　left；　no。〃
　〃You　know；〃　Luis　said　thoughtfully；　〃I　think　maybe　Frankie's　right。　I　don't　mean　to　tell　you　how　to　do　your　job；　Andy。　Don't　think　that。　But　this　boy　could　be　hurt　by　such　treatment。　What　I　mean　。。。　well　。。。　on　the　island；　it　was　not　this　way。〃
　〃Juvenile　gangs　ain't　a　problem　in　Puerto　Rico；〃　Parker　said　flatly。
　〃No；　of　course　not；　but　that's　not　what　I　meant。　There　just　seemed　to　be　。。。　I　don't　know　。。。　more　respect　there。〃
　〃For　what？　For　siestas？〃　Parker　asked；　and　he　burst　out　laughing。
　〃Well；　now　you're　making　it　a　joke；〃　Luis　said；　embarrassed。
　〃Me？　Why　should　I　joke　about　your　homeland？〃
　〃It　was　just。。。　you　know。。。　we　were　poor　and　hungry；　true。　But　there　was　always　the　plaza　in　the　center　of　town；　and　the　pink　church；　and　the　poinsettias；　and　the　mango　trees。　And　you　could　go　to　the　plaza　and　talk　to　your　friends。　And　you　were　a　person；　and　people　knew　your　name。　It　was　important；　Andy。　You　knew　who　you　were。〃
　〃Who…　were　you；　Luis？〃　Parker　said；　chuckling。　〃The　governor？〃
　〃Ah；　he　makes　it　a　joke；〃　Luis　said　good…naturedly。　〃You　know　what　I　mean；　don't　you；　Frankie？〃
　〃Yes。　I　know　what　you　mean。〃
　〃Sometimes　here；　you　feel　lost。　And　without　identity；　there　can　be　no　dignity；　no　respect。〃
　〃I　know　just　what　you　mean；　Louise；〃　Jeff　said。　〃It's　like　what　I　was　telling　you　about　Fletcher。　How　you　can　just　get　swallowed　up　in　a　pile　of　people　and　forget　who　and　what　you　are。〃
　〃Si；　st。　The　island　had　respect　for　people；　and　for　life　。。。　and　respect　for　death；　too。　Life　is　cheap　here；　and　death　is　cheaper。　On　the　island。。。〃　He　paused；　as　if　giving　himself　time　for　the　memory　to　grow；　to　blossom　in　his　mind。　〃On　the　island；〃　he　said；　〃in　the　towns；　when　there　is　a　funeral；　the　casket　bearers　walk　in　the　center　of　the　main　street；　and　the　mourners　follow　behind　the　casket。〃
　〃I　know　this；〃　Hernandez　said　softly。　〃My　father　used　to　talk　about　this。〃
　〃About　the　little　girls　dressed　in　white；　carrying　their　flowers　in　the　sunshine？〃　Luis　said。　〃The　town　all　dusty　and　quiet　and　still。〃
　〃Yes；〃　Hernandez　said。　〃About　that。〃
　〃And　the　shopkeepers　stand　in　their　doorways；　and　when　the　casket　goes　by；　they　close　the　doors。　They　are　showing　respect　for　the　dead　man。　They　are　saying；　'I　will　not　conduct　business　while　you　pass　by；　my　friend。'〃
　〃Argh；　bullshit；〃　Parker　said。　〃That　ain't　respect。　They're　just　scared　of　death。　I'll　tell　you　something；　Luis。　I　don't　know　what　it's　like　on　that　island　of　yours；　but　here　…　right　here　…　the　only　ones　who　get　respect　are　the　live　ones　…　the　hoodlums　like　Pepe　Miranda。〃
　Luis　shook　his　head　quickly　and　emphatically。　〃No；〃　he　said。
　〃No；　huh？　Take　my　word　for　it。〃
　〃I'm　going；〃　Hernandez　said。　〃You　argue　it　out　between　you。〃
　〃Who's　arguing？〃　Parker　said。　〃We're　having　a　discussion。〃
　〃Okay；　so　discuss　it；〃　Hernandez　said；　and　he　walked　out　of　the　luncheonette　and　around　the　corner。
　Jeff　swung　around　on　his　stool　and　stared　up　the　street。　Behind　him；　he　could　hear　the　detective　and　Luis　arguing　…　well；　discussing　…　but　he　was　not　interested　in　what　they　were　saying。　He　kept　staring　at　the　closed　door　of　La　Gallina；　wondering　when　the　bar　would　open。　He　really　didn't　know　whether　he　actually　felt　like　spending　the　day　in　bed　with　a　woman　or　not；　but　he　couldn't　think　of　much　else　to　do　with　his　time。　And　he　had　e　all　the　way　uptown；　and　he　hated　to　think　of　the　trip　as　a　total　loss。　So　he　kept　staring　at　the　closed　door；　almost　willing　it　to　open　and　…　quite　miraculously　…　it　opened。
　
　
　6
　
　The　girl　who　stepped　out　of　the　bar　was　no　more　than　nineteen　years　old；　a　slender　girl　with　the　curved　body　of　a　woman　thrusting　against　the　sweater　and　skirt　she　wore。　Her　hair　was　black；　and　her　eyes　were　dark。　She　took　a　key　from　her　purse　and　was　leaning　over　to　lock　the　door　when　Jeff　got　off　his　stool　and　ran　up　the　street。
　〃Hi；〃　he　said。
　The　girl　whirled；　surprised。　Her　eyes　opened　wide；　the　brownest　eyes　Jeff　had　ever　seen　in　his　entire　life。
　〃Oh！〃　she　said；　and　her　lips　rounded　over　the　single　word；　and　slowly　the　shock　gave　way　to　puzzlement；　and　she　stared　at　him　curiously；　waiting　for　him　to　speak。
　〃I've　been　waiting　for　you　all　morning；〃　Jeff　said。　〃Were　you　in　there　all　along？〃
　〃Yes？〃　she　said；　delivering　the　word　as　a　question；　as　if　she　expected　further　explanation　from　him　and　was　waiting　for　it。　He　continued　to　watch　her。　A　slow　realization　was　ing　to　him。　He　was　beginning　to　recognize　the　fact　that　this　was　possibly　the　most　beautiful　girl　he'd　ever　met；　and　her　beauty　left　him　somewhat　tongue…tied。　The　girl　waited。　Jeff　remained　speechless。　Finally；　she　tucked　the　key　into　her　purse；　gave　a　small　feminine　shrug；　and　began　walking　away。　Jeff　stepped　around　her　quickly；　directly　into　her　path。
　〃Hey；　where　you　going？〃　he　said。
　〃Home。〃
　〃Why？　I　only　just　found　you。〃
　〃I　have　to　get　dressed；〃　the　girl　said。
　〃You　look　dressed　fine　to　me；〃　he　said；　and　his　eyes　traveled　the　length　of　her　body；　pausing　on　the　soft　swell　of　her　breasts　beneath　the　light…blue　sweater；　the　abrupt　curve　of　her　hips　against　the　black　skirt。
　〃I　have　to　get　dressed；〃　the　girl　repeated　blankly；　seemingly　embarrassed　by　his　scrutiny。