emb.seethemdie-第13部分

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　The　voice　on　the　other　end　said；　〃I　know　where　Pepe　Miranda　iss。〃
　They　saw　Sixto　as　he　came　out　of　the　drugstore。　His　face　looked　flushed。　It　seemed　as　if　he　were　about　to　cry。　He　kept　blinking　his　eyes　like　a　person　fighting　to　hold　back　tears。
　〃What's　the　matter？〃　Zip　asked。　He　studied　Sixto　impersonally；　not　as　if　he　were　truly　concerned；　not　as　if　he　really　wanted　to　know　what　the　matter　was；　but　asking　the　disguised　question；　〃How　will　your　present　state　affect　me？〃
　〃Nothin'；〃　Sixto　said。
　〃You　look　like　somebody　hit　you　with　a　ball　bat。〃
　〃No。〃
　〃What　were　you　doing　in　the　drugstore？〃
　〃Havin〃　a　Coke。　I　wass　thirsty。〃
　〃I　thought　I　told　you　to　keep　an　eye　on　Alfie's　pad。〃
　〃I　could　see　his　buildin'　from　where　I　wass　sittin'；〃　Sixto　said。
　〃We　gah　dee　guns；〃　Papa　said；　grinning。
　〃e　on；〃　Zip　told　them　both。　〃Cooch　is　rounding　up　some　kids。　We　got　to　meet　him　near　the　luncheonette。〃
　They　walked　down　the　avenue　together；　Zip　in　the　middle　flanked　by　Sixto　and　Papa。　He　felt　rather　good　with　the　boys　on　either　side　of　him。　He　walked　with　his　shoulders　back　and　his　head　erect；　setting　the　pace；　knowing　they　would　keep　up　with　him；　and　feeling　very　friendly　towards　the　boys　as　he　walked；　feeling　a　bond　with　them　which　he　could　not　have　described　accurately　if　he'd　tried。　There　was　no　logic　to　the　bond　because　he　admitted　to　himself　that　he　didn't　even　particularly　like　either　Sixto　or　Papa。　One　was　a　mama's　boy　and　the　other　was　a　half…wit。　And　yet　he　could　not　deny　the　emotional　satisfaction　of　walking　down　the　avenue　with　these　two　by　his　side；　like　a　general　with　his　trusted　aides。　The　bod；　he　knew；　would　bee　stronger　once　they　had　washed　Alfredo　Gomez。　The　word　crossed　his　mind；　washed；　and　he　was　instantly　face　to　face　with　the　other　word；　the　stronger　word。　Kill。　He　did　not　flinch　from　it。　Kill。　He　repeated　the　word　in　his　mind。　Kill。　We　will　kill　Alfredo　Gomez。　Kill。
　By　the　time　they　reached　the　luncheonette；　the　word　had　no　more　meaning　to　him　than　the　word　〃wash〃。　Cooch　was　there；　waiting　for　them。　Two　small　boys　were　with　him。　Parker；　the　bull；　had　taken　off；　but　the　sailor　was　still　inside　the　luncheonette；　probably　waiting　for　La　Gallina　to　open；　waiting　for　a　Spanish　girl。　The　idea　pleased　Zip　at　first　He　felt　a　fierce　pride　in　the　knowledge　that　the　sailor　had　e　uptown　to　seek　the　passion　only　a　Spanish　girl　could　give　him。　And　then　the　pride　turned　sour；　and　he　thought　darkly　that　the　sailor　had　no　right　to　be　here；　no　right　to　be　emptying　himself　into　Spanish　girls；　the　way　sewers　empty　into　the　river。　He　frowned　and　cast　a　black　scowl　at　the　sailor's　back；　and　then　walked　quickly　to　where　Cooch　stood　with　the　younger　boys。
　The　first　of　the　boys　was　wearing　dungarees　and　a　white；　sweat…stained　T　shirt。　His　nose　was　running；　and　he　constantly　wiped　at　it　with　the　back　of　his　hand；　the　mucus　streaked　there　like　a　healed　burn。　He　was　eight　years　old。
　The　other　boy　was　nine。　He　wore　khaki　shorts　and　a　short…sleeved　blue　sports　shirt。　An　Army　sergeant's　stripes　had　been　sewn　to　the　left　sleeve　of　the　shirt。　He　moved　his　feet　constantly；　as　if　trying　to　erase　chalk　from　the　sidewalk。
　〃These　the　kids？〃　Zip　asked　Cooch。
　〃Yeah；〃　Cooch　said。
　Zip　looked　at　the　one　with　the　snotty　nose。　〃What's　your　name；　kid？〃
　〃Chico。〃
　〃And　yours？〃　he　said　to　the　other　boy。
　〃Estaban；〃　the　boy　answered；　his　feet　erasing　invisible　chalk。
　〃Did　Cooch　explain　the　picture　to　you？〃
　〃Si；〃　Chico　said。
　〃You　and　Estaban；　one　on　each　side　of　the　church　steps。　You　keep　the　pieces　under　your　shirts　until　we　get　on　the　scene。　Then　you　give　them　to　us　and　hang　around　until　we　blast。　We　give　you　back　the　pieces　when　it's　all　over；　and　you　cut　out。　You　got　that？〃
　〃Si；　yo　prendo；〃　Chico　said。
　〃Si；　si；〃　Estaban　echoed；　his　feet　moving　nervously。　He　seemed　undecided　as　to　whether　he　should　break　into　a　dance　or　begin　stamping　the　sidewalk　in　anger。　Nervously；　his　feet　continued　moving。
　Zip　looked　at　his　watch。　〃Okay；　the　church　bells　should　begin　ringing　any　minute　now。　That'll　be　first　call　for　the　eleven　o'clock　Mass。　You　kids　cut　out　as　soon　as　you　hear　them　bells。　We'll　drift　up　toward　the　corner　around　eleven…thirty。　You　be　ready　for　us；　you　hear　me？〃
　〃Zip；　when　we　grow　up；　me　an'　Estaban；〃　Chico　said；　〃we　coul'　go　gang…bustin'　wi'　you？〃
　Zip　grinned　and　touched　the　boy's　hair。　〃Sure；　when　you　grow　up。　Right　now；　you　have　them　pieces　ready　for　us　when　we　need　them。〃
　〃I　know　how　to　shoot；　Zip；〃　Chico　said。　〃I　know　how　to　shoot　good。〃
　Zip　laughed　aloud。　〃Not　this　trip；　Chico。　You　got　time　yet　before　you　begin。。。〃
　The　church　bells　rang　suddenly；　abruptly；　and　then　were　silent。　Whoever　was　pulling　on　the　cord　had　made　an　abortive　start；　perhaps　the　cord　had　slipped　from　his　hands；　perhaps　he'd　had　a　sudden　cramp　in　his　fingers。　The　heavy　solemn　bonnnnng　of　metal　upon　metal　sounded；　reverberated；　and　then　died。　The　boys　stood　in　silence；　straining　for　the　peal　of　the　bells。　And　then　the　bells　started　again；　ringing　out　on　the　still　July　air；　calling　the　flock　to　Mass；　reaching　into　the　streets　and　into　the　open　windows；　summoning　the　congregation；　summoning　Alfredo　Gomez　to　whatever　waited　for　him　on　the　church　steps。
　〃That's　it；〃　Zip　said　tightly。　He　reached　beneath　his　jacket　and；　one　by　one；　began　pulling　the　weapons　from　where　they　were　tucked　into　his　belt。　Jeff；　in　the　luncheonette；　turned　at　the　sound　of　the　church　bells；　thinking　of　China；　a　smile　on　his　face。　He　saw　the　first　weapon　pass　from　Zip's　hand　to　Chico's　snot…smeared　fist；　and　he　blinked　as　the　other　weapons　changed　hands；　watched　as　the　two　youngsters　tucked　them　into　their　waistbands；　four　guns　in　all；　and　then　pulled　their　shirts　down　over　them。
　〃Okay；　go；〃　Zip　said。
　The　two　boys　grinned；　nodded；　and　then　ran　off　up　the　street。　A　frown　had　e　onto　Jeffs　forehead。　He　swung　his　stool　around　and　picked　up　his　cup　of　coffee。　The　church　bells　had　stopped　now。　An　old　man　rushed　from　the　mouth　of　a　tenement；　paused　on　the　stoop　while　he　pulled　on　his　suit　jacket；　and　then　ran　spryly　up　the　street。
　〃Nice　quiet　Sunday；〃　Luis　said　to　Jeff；　smiling。
　Jeff　nodded　and　said　nothing。　The　four　boys　in　the　purple　silk　jackets　had　moved　to　a　position　near　the　jukebox。　The　street　had　gone　silent　again。　It　seemed　to　be　a　street　of　many　moods　and　many　temperaments；　changing　in　the　space　of　seconds　like　a　vaudeville　performer　who　snaps　a　wig　into　place　and　bees　a　clown；　discards　the　wig；　puts　on　a　black　mustache　and　bees　Adolf　Hitler。　Now；　the　street　in　its　sunbath　seemed　like　a　golden　corridor　leading　to　the　high　overhead　arch　of　the　elevated　structure　two　blocks　away；　the　sky　a　dazzling　yellow…white　beyond。　Quiet；　burning　with　light；　the　street　was　mute；　the　street　waited。　The　boys　lounged　near　the　jukebox；　their　hands　in　their　pockets。　Occasionally　they　glanced　in　the　direction　of　the　church。　Their　eyes　were　squinted　against　the　reflected　sunlight。
　The　girl　turned　the　corner　from　the　avenue　and　entered　the　street　like　a　circus　train。　She　was　wearing　a　bright…red　jacket；　a　bright…yellow　silk　shirt；　purple　spiked…heel　shoes　with　ankle　straps。　Her　hair　was　a　mass　of　thick　black；　sticking　out　from　her　head　in　near…burlesque　of　a　Bushman。　She　was　carrying　a　bright…blue　carpetbag；　and　she　walked　with　a　suggestive　swagger；　the　yellow　skirt　tightening　over　plump；　jiggling　buttocks；　huge　breasts　jutting　from　the　V…necked　opening　of　the　red　jacket。　She　seemed　to　be　wearing　nothing　under　her　outer　clothing；　and　she　didn't　give　a　damn　who　realized　it　Her　buttocks　begged　to　be　pinched；　her　breasts　beneath　the　white　rayon　blouse　and　the　red　jacket　pointed　sharp　nipples　like　pass　needles　indicating　north。　Her　walk　did　nothing　to　hide　the　pulchritude。　This　was　what　she　owned；　and　if　she　preferred　to　exhibit　her　possessions；　that　was　her　business。
　But　despite　the　suggestive　swagger；　despite　the　bobbing　breasts　and　the　fluid　grinding　motion　of　buttock　against　buttock；　despite　an　apparent　attitude　of　indifference；　the　girl　seemed　frightened　and　somehow　hesitant。　She　stared　up　at　the　buildings；　ogling　the　city；　overwhelmed　by　the　size；　somewhat　confused　and　a　little　lost。
　The　whistles　that　came　from　Zip　and　Cooch　did　not　help