emb.seethemdie-第17部分

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　〃Don't　you　know　nothing；　you　dumb　tiger？〃　Cooch　said；　shoving　at　him。　〃Miranda's　the　greatest　thing　ever　happened　to　this　neighborhood。〃　He　turned　to　Zip。　〃How　you　like　this　jerk？　Don't　know　Miranda。〃
　Zip　shook　his　head；　his　eyes　searching　the　first…floor　windows　for　a　sign　of　life。　He　could　see　nothing。
　〃When　he　lived　around　here；〃　Cooch　said　to　Papa；　〃this　neighborhood　really　jumped；　I　kid　you　not。〃
　〃Even　in　my　old　neighborhood　we　knew　about　him；〃　Zip　said；　his　eyes　never　leaving　the　first…floor　windows。　〃He　was　down　there　once；　you　know。　I　seen　him。　He　was　driving　a　big　yellow　Caddy。〃
　〃No　crap？〃　Cooch　said。
　〃Sure；　I　seen　it。　And　he　had　this　blonde　with　him。　Man；　you　could　see　she　was　gassed　pletely　out　of　her　skull；　just　being　with　him。　This　was　before　things　got　so　hot　for　him。　Man；　he　was　swinging　then；　swinging。〃
　〃A　Caddy；　huh？〃　Cooch　said。　〃That's　for　me。　Give　me　the　wheel；　man。　I'll　know　just　what　to　do　with　it。〃
　〃You　should　see　the　way　this　guy　walks；　Cooch；〃　Zip　said。　He　stepped　away　from　the　barricade　and　did　a　quick　imitation。　〃This　real　cool　glide；　you　know？　Like　he　owns　the　world。　That's　the　way　to　walk。　Pepe　walks　with　his　head　up。　He　ain't　afraid　of　nothing　or　nobody！〃
　〃Look　at　the　way　he　got　out　of　that　Riverhead　apartment！〃　Cooch　said。　〃A　dozen　cops；　and　they　couldn't　touch　him。〃
　〃Nobody　can　touch　him；〃　Zip　said。
　〃Man；　when　he　lived　here；　Zip；　you　shoulda　been　here；　I　mean　it。　A　nice　guy；　you　know？　I　mean；　you　think　him　being　a　big　shot　an'　all；　like　he'd　think　us　kids　was　dirt。　But　he　was　always　nice　to　us；　I　swear。　Used　to　hand　out　nickels；　like　that；　you　know？　And　stories？　Man；　the　stories　he　used　to　tell　us。　You　know；　real　straight…from…the…shoulder　stuff。　Not　like　the　crap　you　get　from　your　people。〃
　〃Man；　I　read　you；〃　Zip　said；　〃If　my　old　man　gives　me　his　pitch　about　the　island　one　more　time；　I'm　gonna　lose　control。　Who　gives　a　damn　about　customs　on　the　island；　huh？　Who　cares　about　the　hospitality　there；　or　the　sunshine　there；　or　the　way　the　people　close　the　doors　when　a　stiff　goes　by；　huh？　This　is　here；　man！　This　is　where　people　are　living！〃
　〃You　can　bet　Pepe　knows　how　to　live。〃
　〃Ohhh；　brother；　does　he？　This　cat　knows　the　story；　dad！　Hey；　hey；　look　at　that！〃
　〃What？〃　Cooch　said。
　〃Over　there。〃
　Two　patrolmen　were　entering　the　tenement。　They　moved　cautiously　and　with　their　revolvers　drawn。
　〃It's　about　to　start；〃　Zip　said；　straining　to　see　over　the　heads　of　the　people　in　front　of　him。　〃We　gotta　get　something　to　stand　on；　Cooch。　We　won't　be　able　to　see　nothing　this　way。〃
　〃What　about　our　other　business？〃　Cooch　asked。
　Zip　glanced　cursorily　over　his　shoulder；　looking　into　the　luncheonette　where　Jeff　sat　at　the　counter。　〃The　sailor？　Forget　him。　We　scared　him　half　to　death。〃
　〃I　mean　Alfie；〃　Cooch　whispered。
　For　a　moment；　Zip　seemed　to　have　forgotten　something　that　had　kept　him　awake　most　of　the　night；　something　that　had　acpanied　him　as　he'd　got　out　of　bed　this　morning；　roaring　in　his　mind　as　he　dressed。　For　a　moment；　Zip　seemed　to　make　no　association　with　the　name　〃Alfie〃　and　puzzlement　showed　plainly　on　his　face。　And　then；　as　if　being　called　away　from　something　which　was　extremely　pleasant　and　entertaining　to　take　care　of　some　simple　task　which　was　at　best　boring；　he　said；　〃Well；　what　about　him？〃
　〃We　got　a　date；　remember？〃
　〃Of　course　I　remember；〃　Zip　said　angrily。　〃But　how　we　gonna　get　to　the　church？　The　block's　shut　off。　Besides；　the　kids　with　the　pieces　are　on　the　other　side　of　the　street。〃
　〃Iss　better　this　way；　Zip；〃　Sixto　said。　〃We　let　heem。。。〃
　〃Oh；　shut　up；　will　ya；　Sixto？〃　Zip　snapped。　〃Man；　where'd　we　scrounge　up　this　yo…yo？〃
　Papa　burst　out　laughing。　〃You　a　yo…yo；　Sixto；〃　he　said。
　Cooch　looked　thoughtful　for　a　moment。　Then　he　said；　〃Zip；　I　can　cut　around　the　avenue　and　reach　the　kids　that　way。　I　can　get　those　pieces　for　us。〃
　Like　a　business　magnate　who　cannot　be　bothered　by　a　petty　administrative　detail；　Zip　answered；　〃Yeah；　good。　Gc　ahead；　get　them。　Bring　them　back　here。〃　His　eyes　wanderec　up　to　the　first…floor　window　again。　〃Man；　I　wonder　how　manj　pieces　Miranda　has　in　that　pad　with　him。〃
　〃They　say　he　took　guns　from　all　them　cops　in　the。。。〃
　〃Oh；　man；　this　is　gonna　be　the　unholiest！　Jee…sus；　is　he　gonna　give　it　to　them　bastards！　Go　ahead；　Cooch。　Go　get　the　pieces。　e　on　Sixto！〃
　〃Where　we　going？〃
　〃Get　something　to　stand　on。　There's　always　a　million　boxes　in　that　empty　lot　on。。。〃
　The　shots　exploded　from　inside　the　building；　a　short　volley　with　the　echoing　roll　of　distant　thunder。　The　crowd　went　instantly　silent。　The　silence　hung　over　the　street；　and　then　was　shattered　instantly　when　a　woman　in　the　crowd　screamed。　An　instant　chorus　went　up　after　the　scream；　filling　the　street　A　wisp　of　smoke　drifted　from　the　mouth　of　the　building。　The　smoke　hung　on　the　air　for　an　instant；　silencing　the　crowd　again；　as　if　they　had　been　a　crowd　in　St。　Peter's　Square　waiting　for　the　smoke　to　rise　from　the　Sistine　Chapel；　announcing　the　new　pope；　and　now　that　they　had　seen　the　smoke；　they　still　did　not　know　who　the　pope　was；　and　so　they　fell　silent；　and　they　waited。
　From　inside　the　building；　a　voice　shouted；　〃Lieutenant！　Lieutenant！〃
　
　
　9
　
　The　policemen　on　the　rooftops　and　on　the　fire　escapes；　dangling　from　open　windows　perched　behind　parapets；　seemed　like　a　band　of　monkeys　who　had　climbed　into　an　intricate　zoo　gymnasium　and　now　didn't　know　what　to　do　with　themselves。　To　say　that　Pepe　Miranda　was　pletely　surrounded　would　certainly　have　been　the　understatement　of　the　century。　There　were　two　tenements　facing　La　Gallina；　within　the　rather　narrow　confines　of　the　cordon。　These　two　tenements　bristled　with　cops　of　every　size；　shape　and　rank　…　and　each　of　these　stalwart　defenders　of　the　peace　was　carrying　a　loaded　and　drawn　revolver。　An　additional　armory　which　seemed　sizable　and　formidable　enough　to　have　stormed　the　gates　of　Stalingrad　included　such　choice　delicacies　of　destruction　as　rifles　with　affixed　telescopic　sights；　submachine　guns；　regulation　hand　grenades；　gas　masks；　tear…gas　pellets；　and　even　a　flame　thrower　or　two。
　Nor　did　the　siege　confine　itself　to　the　two　buildings　facing　La　Gallina。　The　police　had　moved　into　the　adjoining　block　as　well；　entering　apartments　which　faced　the　back　windows　of　the　apartment　in　which　Miranda；　like　an　animal　driven　into　a　hole；　was　trapped。　Clean　white　wash　fluttered　on　the　back…yard　lines。　Policemen　leaned　out　of　open　windows；　pistols　drawn；　peering　between　the　fluttering　underpants　and　brassieres。　There　were　policemen　facing　the　front　of　the　apartment　and　policemen　covering　the　back　of　it；　and　policemen　on　the　roof　of　the　building　itself；　ready　to　descend　upon　Miranda　from　above。
　The　adjoining　rooftops　were　covered　with　the　citizenry　of　the　city。　Like　a　bunch　of　hicks　who　had　e　to　see　a　circus　daredevil　dive　eight　hundred　feet　into　a　thimbleful　of　water；　the　people　of　the　neighborhood　were　anxious　to　see　whether　or　not　Miranda　could　make　the　dive　without　splattering　his　brains　out　on　the　sawdust。　To　many　of　these　people；　Miranda　was　simply　the　rebel　and　the　underdog。　Consciously　or　not；　they　were　rooting　for　him。　They　wanted　him　to　stand　up　to　this　formidable　army　of　men　in　blue；　blast　his　way　out　of　that　goddamn　apartment；　tip　his　hat；　throw　a　kiss　to　the　ladies；　and　ride　off　into　the　sunset。　Perhaps　all　of　them　knew　how　it　would　really　end。　Perhaps　they　all　knew　that　a　single　man；　no　matter　how　mighty；　could　not　withstand　such　forces　arrayed　against　him。　But　many　of　them　nurtured　the　secret　hope　that　for　once；　just　for　once；　the　rebel　would　win；　the　revolutionary　would　defeat　the　incumbent　dynasty；　the　anarchist　would　throw　his　bomb　and　escape。
　For　many　others；　there　was　an　undeniable　cultural　tie　between　themselves　and　the　man　in　the　apartment。　The　tie　was　a　curious　one　in　that　they　all　knew　Miranda　was　a　criminal。　In　all　probability；　none　of　them　would　have　weled　Miranda　into　their　homes。　He　was　a　dangerous　man；　an　unreliable　man；　a　thief　and　a　murderer。　But　he　was　Spanish。　And；　in　much　the　same　way　that　they　took　pride　in　the　work　of　Pablo　Picasso；　they　took　a　strangely　curious　pride　in　the　fact　that　Miranda　was　causing　so　much　excitement。　In　their　minds；　there　was　a　very　t