emb.seethemdie-第16部分

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　〃Don't　leave　the　apartment　today；　Alfredo；〃　Hernandez　said。
　〃You'll　be　safe　here。　I'll　see　to　that。〃　〃And　tomorrow？〃　Alfredo　asked。　〃What　about　tomorrow？〃　〃We'll　see。　Maybe　this'll　all　be　cleared　up　by　tomorrow。〃　〃Will　tomorrow　be　any　better？〃　Alfredo　asked。　〃Tomorrow　I'm　still　here。　I'm　always　here　in　this　neighborhood。〃　He　began　to　weep　suddenly　and　gently。　〃Always；〃　he　said。　〃Always　here。　Always。〃
　There　were　four　squad　cars　in　the　street　outside　when　Hernandez　got　downstairs。　They　formed　a　loose　cordon　about　the　bar　called　La　Gallina；　and　Hernandez　immediately　wondered　if　a　Vice　Squad　raid　was　in　progress。　The　street　was　filled　with　people　who　seemed　to　gather　immediately　at　the　sign　of　any　excitement；　who　stood　speculating　in　small　knots　outside　the　barrier　formed　by　the　squad　cars　on　either　end　of　the　bar。　Hernandez　pushed　his　way　through　the　crowd；　saw　that　Parker　was　standing　and　talking　to　Lieutenant　Byrnes　and　Steve　Carella；　who　stood　leaning　against　a　fender　of　one　of　the　squad　cars。　His　first　thought　was　Who's　minding　the　store？　and　he　realized　instantly　that　this　was　no　vice　raid；　that　something　big　must　have　happened。　Quickly；　he　walked　to　where　the　other　detectives　were　standing。
　〃When　do　we　start；　Lieutenant？〃　Parker　asked。　There　was　a　glow　in　Parker's　eyes。　He　reminded　Hernandez　of　a　Marine　who　had　been　in　his　outfit。　The　guy's　name　had　been　Ray　Walters；　and　he　had　joined　the　pany　on　the　day　before　the　Iwo　Jima　landings。　He　hated　the　Japanese；　and　he　couldn't　wait　for　the　landings　to　begin。　He　was　the　first　man　out　of　the　landing　barge；　his　eyes　glowing；　a　tight　grim　smile　on　his　mouth。　The　smile　was　still　there　when　the　Jap　bullet　took　him　between　the　eyes。
　〃We're　getting　cars　on　the　next　block；〃　Byrnes　said；　〃so　we'll　have　radio　contact　with　the　men　there。　We'll　start　as　soon　as　they're　ready。　This　isn't　going　to　be　a　picnic。　He　said　we　wouldn't　take　him　alive。〃
　〃Are　we　sure　it's　him？〃　Parker　asked。
　〃Who　knows？　We　got　a　telephone　tip。　If　it　is　him；　we　can't　take　any　chances。〃
　A　woman　came　out　of　the　tenement　doorway　to　the　left　of　La　Gallina。　She　was　carrying　a　baby　in　one　arm　and　a　bird　cage　in　the　other。　A　blue　parakeet　fluttered　wildly　about　the　cage。　The　woman　came　off　the　stoop；　glancing　over　her　shoulder　to　the　windows　above　La　Gallina。　She　seemed　to　sense　that　she　was　a　star　performer　stepping　into　the　spotlight　and　that　an　impatient　audience　was　waiting　for　the　one　line　she　had　to　deliver；　a　line　which　would　suddenly　solve　and　resolve　doubts　and　uncertainties　which　would　have　been　mounting　ever　since　the　curtain　rose。　She　stopped　in　the　middle　of　the　street；　faced　the　crowd　that　milled　restlessly　beyond　the　squad　cars　and；　in　her　loudest　voice；　shouted；　〃Ees　Pepe！　Ees　Pepe　Miranda　up　there！〃　and　then　she　extended　the　bird　cage；　pointing　with　it　to　the　first…floor　windows　while　the　bird　fluttered　and　screamed　against　the　brass　bars。
　〃e　on；　lady；〃　a　patrolman　said；　〃before　you　stop　a　bullet。〃
　The　woman　rushed　into　the　crowd　where　the　whisper　had　already　gone　up；　a　confirming　whisper　passed　from　mouth　to　mouth；　acpanied　by　a　knowledgeable　shaking　and　nodding　of　heads；　〃Pepe　Miranda；　Pepe　Miranda；　Pepe　Miranda。〃
　〃Is　that　what　this　is？〃　Hernandez　asked　Byrnes。
　〃It　looks　that　way；　Frankie；〃　Byrnes　said。
　〃Who　called　in　the　tip？〃
　〃Don't　know；〃　Carella　said。　〃He　gave　the　info　and　then　hung　up。〃
　〃I'm　going　to　see　what　the　hell's　happening　with　those　other　cars；〃　Byrnes　said。　He　walked　around　to　the　other　side　of　the　squad　car；　sat　with　his　legs　out　on　the　street；　and　picked　up　the　hand　mike。　〃This　is　Lieutenant　Byrnes；〃　he　said。　〃We're　about　ready　to　roll　here。　Are　those　other　cars　in　position　yet？〃
　〃So　we　finally　cornered　your　landsman〃　Parker　said；　grinning。　〃And　we're　gonna　kill　him。　I'm　personally　gonna　see　to　that。〃
　〃He's　no　landsman　of　mine；〃　Hernandez　said。
　〃Of　course　not；〃　Parker　answered。　〃That's　just　a　way　of　speaking。　All　I　meant　was　you're　both　Puerto　Ricans。〃
　〃Sure。〃
　〃Hell；　you　know　me　better　than　that。　I　don't　care　if　a　guy's　Puerto　Rican　or　even　Chinese。〃
　〃Sure。〃
　Parker　looked　around　suddenly。　〃Boy；　look　at　these　kids；　will　ya？　They　think　Miranda's　a　god。〃
　〃He's　only　a　god　to　the　ones　who　don't　know　any　better；〃　Carella　said；　looking　at　the　kids　who　had　joined　the　crowd　around　the　squad　cars。　The　kids　ranged　in　age　from　toddlers　to　adolescents。　Some　of　them　tried　to　climb　onto　the　squad　cars；　but　the　patrolmen　swiped　at　them　with　their　night　sticks。　None　of　the　kids　seemed　certain　as　to　what　sort　of　behavior　was　expected　of　them。　Some　laughed；　and　some　stood　solemnly　staring　at　the　first…floor　windows　of　the　building。　Some　seemed　on　the　verge　of　tears。　It　was　curious　to　watch　their　faces　and　to　study　their　fidgeting。　Each　of　them　knew　that　this　was　an　occurrence　of　unusual　interest；　and　each　of　them　was　quite　naturally　excited　by　it。　But　they　had　seen　many　things；　these　children；　and　their　reactions　to　all　of　these　things　had　always　been　mixed。　They　had　seen　sudden　blood；　and　every　fiber　in　their　bodies　had　urged　them　to　scream　at　the　sight　of　a　man　leaking　his　life　onto　the　pavement；　but　fear　had　coalesced　in　their　throats　and　erupted　into　the　laughter　of　bravado。　For　these　children；　the　emotions　had　bee　confused；　with　vague　boundary　lines　separating　one　from　the　other。　Fear　was　a　twin　to　courage；　tears　and　laughter　were　interchangeable。
　〃He's　gonna　be　a　dead　god　soon；　that's　for　sure；〃　Parker　said。　〃He's　gonna　pay　for　every　damn　heartache　he　ever　gave　this　city。〃
　Carella；　watching　the　children；　said　simply；　〃The　city　gave　him　a　few　too；　Andy。〃
　〃Sure；〃　Parker　agreed。　〃It's　the　neighborhood。　A　kid　grows　up　here；　what　the　hell　do　you　expect？　Miranda　was　cutting　up　people　before　he　knew　how　to　walk。〃
　〃Maybe　nobody　ever　took　the　trouble　to　teach　him　to　walk；〃　Hernandez　said。
　〃Hey；　you　ain't　getting　sore　at　me；　are　you？〃　Parker　asked；　his　eyes　opening　wide。　〃I　thought　he　was　no　landsman　of　yours。〃
　〃He　isn't。　He's　a　punk。　He's　going　to　die。　That　doesn't　make　it　all　his　fault。〃
　〃I　can　understand　how　you　feel；〃　Parker　said。　〃There's　a　blood　tie　that。。。〃
　〃There's　no　blood　tie　between　me　and。。。〃
　〃I　didn't　mean　a　real　blood　tie；　for　God's　sake。　I　know　he's　not　your　relative　or　anything。　But；　you　know；　you're　both　Spanish。　That　sort　of　makes　you　brothers；　you　know　what　I　mean？〃
　〃No。　What　the　hell　do　you　mean；　Parker？〃
　〃Aw；　forget　it。　If　you're　gonna　get　sore；　there's　no　sense　talking。　You're　the　touchiest　guy　I　know；　Frankie。　I　mean　it。　You　oughta　get　over　that。　It　don't　help　you　none；　believe　me。〃　He　smiled　at　Hernandez　and　put　his　arm　around　his　shoulder。　〃All　I　was　saying；　in　a　manner　of　speaking；　is　that　I'm　gonna　kill　your　brother　up　there。　I'm　gonna　put　a　dozen　bullets　in　his　goddamn　skull　and　watch　him　bleed　all　over　the　sidewalk。〃
　Hernandez　shook　the　arm　free。　〃You　know　something；　Parker？〃
　〃What？〃
　〃He's　more　your　brother　than　he　is　mine。〃
　A　half…dozen　patrolmen　had　begun　erecting　barricades　across　the　street。　The　people　crowded　the　barricades。　The　kids　began　sitting　on　them；　spilling　over　onto　the　side　where　the　policemen　and　the　squad　cars　waited　for　the　word　from　the　next　street。　Byrnes　came　out　of　the　squad　car　and　yelled；　〃All　right；　everybody　back！　Step　back！　Back　of　the　barricade！　Let's　go！〃　He　walked　rapidly　to　Hernandez；　pulling　a　handkerchief　from　his　back　pocket　and　wiping　at　his　sweating　face。　〃Frankie；　do　me　a　favor；　will　you？〃　he　said。　〃Make　with　some　Spanish。　These　people　are　gonna　get　shot　up　if　they　don't　respect　that　barricade。　Get　them　to　move　back；　will　you？〃
　〃Sure；〃　Hernandez　said。　He　moved　up　to　the　wooden　horses　with　their　supporting　crossbars；　the　stenciled　POLICE　DEPARTMENT　letters　shrieking　against　the　white　paint。　〃Bueno！〃　he　shouted。　〃Todos　retroceder；　Detrds　de　la　barricada！　Todos　retroceder！〃
　The　crowd　began　moving　back　from　the　barricade。　On　the　edge　of　the　crowd；　Zip　grabbed　Cooch's　arm　and　said；　〃You　hear　that？　You　hear　what　that　bull　said？　There's　gonna　be　shooting！〃
　〃With　Miranda　up　there；　there's　gotta　be　shooting；〃　Cooch　said；　his　eyes　wide。
　〃Who's　Miranda？〃　Papa　asked。
　〃Don't　you　know　nothing；　you　dumb　tiger？〃　Cooch　said；　shoving　at　him。　〃Mirand