emb.seethemdie-第21部分

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　〃I　don't　know；〃　Luis　said。　〃Perhaps。〃
　〃I　hope　so。　Gee；　Louise；　I　hope　so。〃
　From　Zip's　vantage　place　on　the　packing　crate；　he　saw　her　at　once；　working　her　way　through　the　crowd。　He　waved　to　her　instantly；　and　then　shouted；　〃Elena！　Hey；　Elena；　over　here！〃　He　poked　Sixto　and　said；　〃Hey；　Sixto；　it's　Elena。〃
　Softly；　Sixto　said；　〃I　thought　China　wass　your　girl。〃
　〃Variety；　huh？〃　Zip　said；　grinning。　〃Hey；　Elena！〃
　The　girl　waved　back。　She　was　sixteen　years　old；　an　attractive　girl　with　dark　hair　and　dark　eyes；　wearing　a　skirt　and　blouse。　The　girl　with　her；　slightly　shorter　than　she；　was　wearing　black　tapered　slacks　and　a　boy's　white　shirt。　〃Hello；　Zip；〃　Elena　called；　and　then　said　to　her　friend；　〃Juana；　it's　Zip　and　the　boys。〃
　Flatly；　Juana　said；　〃He's　a　terrifying　creep。〃
　〃He's　not　so　bad；〃　Elena　said。　〃e　on。〃
　They　walked　over　to　the　crate。　Zip　offered　his　hand　to　Elena　and　pulled　her　up　beside　him。　Papa　studied　the　chivalrous　gesture；　and　then　repeated　it；　offering　his　hand　to　Juana　who　took　it　with　the　disdain　of　a　countess　accepting　aid　from　a　doorman。
　〃You　ever　see　anything　like　this；　Elena？〃　Zip　asked　excitedly。　〃He　shot　one　of　them。〃
　〃Who　shot　one　of　them？〃　Elena　asked。
　〃Pepe　Miranda！〃　Papa　said。
　〃Who？〃
　〃Pepe　Miranda；〃　Zip　said。　〃He's　got　a　whole　arsenal　in　that　apartment　with　him。　The　cops　can't　figure　how　to　get　him　out。　Man　you　shoulda　seen　him。　He　e　right　up　to　the　window　and　spit　at　the　bastards！〃
　〃Who's　this？〃　Juana　asked；　turning　her　attention　to　Zip。
　Papa；　as　if　repeating　a　lesson　he　had　learned；　a　lesson　he　had　indeed　learned　earlier　from　Cooch；　said；　〃He　the　grays　thin'　ever　happen　this　neighborhood。〃
　〃Yeah？〃　Juana　said　aloofly。　〃I　never　heard　of　him。〃
　〃So　that's　what　this　is　all　about；〃　Elena　said。　〃We　were　walking　over　on　the　next　block　and　everybody　was　heading　here　like　somebody　hit　the　numbers　for　a　million　dollars。〃
　〃There　ain't　no　numbers　on　Sunday；〃　Juana　said　distantly。　She　was　not　a　very　pretty　girl；　but　she　had　learned　somewhere　that　her　eyes　were　very　attractive　and　had　further　learned　how　to　use　make…up　on　them。　Her　eyes　were　the　focal　point　of　her　face；　as　green　as　jade　and；　bined　with　her　jet…black　hair；　they　created　an　instant　impression　of　desirability　which　overshadowed　the　true　facts　of　her　plainness。
　〃You　came　through　the　next　block？〃　Zip　asked　Elena。
　〃Sure。　Why　not？〃
　〃No　reason。〃　He　paused。　〃That's　Royal　Guardian　territory。〃
　〃So　what？〃
　〃Nothing。　Nothing。〃
　〃Royal　Guardians　or　not；〃　Elena　said；　〃this　is　a　free　country。〃
　〃We　walk　where　we　want　to；〃　Juana　added。
　〃That's　because　you're　a　chick。　It　ain't　so　easy　when　you're　a　guy；〃　Zip　said。
　〃Why　not？〃　Juana　asked。
　〃Because　it　ain't；　that's　all。　You　can't　go　messing　in　another　club's　territory。〃
　〃That's　nuts。　Haven't　you　got　anything　better　to　do　than　play　war？　That's　kid　stuff。〃
　〃There's　nothing　kid　stuff　about　it；〃　Zip　said。　〃You　just　don't　know。〃
　〃I　know　plenty；〃　Juana　said。　〃You　haven't　got　anything　better　to　do；　that's　all。　That's　why　you've　got　these　territories　and　these　street　bops　and。。。〃
　〃I　got　plenty　to　do；〃　Zip　said。　〃We　always　got　plenty　to　do；　ain't　we；　Sixto？〃
　〃Sure；　he's　got　plenty　to　do；〃　Elena　said。　〃He's　got　China　to　chase　after。〃
　〃Hey；　listen；〃　Zip　said；　grinning。　〃How　about　a　hug；　Elena？〃
　〃If　you　had　things　to　do；〃　Juana　persisted；　〃you　wouldn't　get　involved　in　this　childish　nonsense。　What　you　are　is　an　acting…out　neurotic。〃
　〃A　what？〃　Zip　said。
　〃An　acting…out　neurotic；〃　Juana　said　professorially。
　〃How　e　you're　so　smart；　huh？　Where'd　you　get　your　medical　degree；　huh？〃
　〃I　read　an　article　in　the　newspapers；〃　Juana　said　smugly。
　〃Dig　the　big　reader！〃　Zip　said；　and　he　burst　out　laughing。　Dismissing　her；　he　turned　to　Elena；　〃Hey；　e　on；　no　hug　for　me？〃
　〃Go　hug　China；〃　Elena　said　coldly。
　〃e　on；　e　on；〃　Zip　said；　still　grinning。　But　his　grin　seemed　to　have　no　effect　on　Elena。　Deliberately　she　turned　to　Sixto。
　〃Who's　your　cute　friend？〃　she　asked　archly。
　〃Huh？〃　Zip　said。
　〃What're　you？〃　she　asked　Sixto。　〃The　strong　silent　type？〃
　〃Me？〃　Sixto　asked；　bewildered　by　her　sudden　attention。
　〃What's　your　name？〃　she　asked；　moving　closer　to　him；　smiling　the　way　she　had　once　seen　Jane　Russell　smile　in　a　movie。
　〃Sixto；〃　he　answered。
　〃The　article　said　you're　insecure；〃　Juana　said　to　Zip。
　〃Don't　give　me　any　bull　you　read　in　the　newspapers；〃　he　said；　turning　on　her　angrily；　miffed　by　Elena's　behavior。　〃I　don't　believe　nothing　I　read。〃
　〃You　probably　don't　even　know　how　to　read；〃　Juana　said。
　The　thing　that　was　happening　on　the　packing　crate　was　rather　odd。　Because　despite　Juana's　protests　that　Zip　was　a　terrifying　creep；　an　acting…out　neurotic；　and　insecure　to　boot；　her　conversational　efforts　had　all　been　directed　at　him。　And　even　though　her　approach　took　the　form　of　an　attack；　it　was　clear　that　she　was　bidding　for　Zip's　attention　and　no　one　else's。　Elena；　meanwhile；　was　doing　exactly　the　same　thing；　even　though　she　seemed　to　be　addressing　Sixto。　A　none…too…subtle　tug　of　war　was　taking　place　on　that　crate。　Whatever　Zip's　flaws；　he　was　obviously　recognized　by　the　girls　as　the　most　desirable　of　the　three　boys。　And；　thanks　to　either　his　indifference　or　his　stupidity；　he　hadn't　the　faintest　idea　of　what　was　happening。
　〃So　how　e　you're　so　quiet？〃　Elena　said　to　Sixto。　〃Aren't　you　excited　about　your　friend　Pepe　Miranda？〃
　〃He's　no'　my　frien'；〃　Sixto　said。　〃Pepe's　no　damn　good！〃
　The　girl　caught　the　accent。　She　looked　at　Sixto　for　a　moment　and　then　said；　〃Hey；　what　are　you？　A　tiger　or　something？〃
　〃I　no　tiger。〃
　〃You　sound　like　one。　Can't　you　speak　English？〃
　Papa　had　been　thinking　over　Sixto's　ment；　and　had　finally　fathomed　the　meaning　of　it。　〃What　you　minn；　he's　no　good？〃　he　asked　now。　〃Hey；　Zeep！　Sixto；　he　say　Pepe's　no　good。〃
　Zip　turned　from　Juana。　〃What？　Did　you　say　that？〃
　〃I　dinn　say　nothin'；〃　Sixto　said。
　And　now　Elena；　anxious　to　recapture　Zip's　attention；　quickly　leaped　in。　〃That's　what　he　said；　Zip。　That's　what　the　Marine　Tiger　said；　all　right。〃
　〃I　no　tiger。　I　speak　English　good！〃
　〃He　speaks　a　well　English；〃　Zip　said；　chuckling。
　〃He　said　Pepe's　no　good；〃　Elena　repeated。
　〃Is　that　what　you　said？〃　Zip　asked；　and　he　shoved　out　at　Sixto。　〃Is　that　what　you　said；　huh？〃　and　he　shoved　again。　〃Huh？〃　and　again　he　shoved；　pushing　Sixto　closer　to　the　edge　of　the　crate。　〃Is　that　what　you　said；　Sixto？〃　and　he　pushed　hard　this　time；　sending　Sixto　over　the　edge　of　the　crate；　reeling　backward　into　the　gutter。　Zip　burst　out　laughing。　Papa　and　Elena　joined　him。　Juana　seemed　undecided　for　a　moment；　as　if　her　natural　instinct　was　to　climb　down　and　help　Sixto　to　his　feet。　The　indecision　passed。　She　tittered　nervously；　and　then　burst　into　laughter　with　the　rest　of　them。　Zip　put　his　arm　around　Elena。
　〃What's　wrong　with　you；　anyway？〃　he　asked。
　〃Nothing。〃
　〃So　how　e　the　big　freeze？〃
　〃What's　with　you　and　China？〃
　〃That？〃
　〃That。〃
　〃Nothing。〃　He　shrugged。
　〃The　word　says　you're　after　Alfie。〃
　〃Well；　like　he's　got　it　ing；　you　know？〃
　〃Why？　Because　of　something　with　China？〃
　〃What're　you　worried　about　China　for；　huh？〃
　〃Is　there　going　to　be　trouble？〃
　〃With　Alfie？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Elena　said。
　〃Naw；　no　trouble；〃　Zip　answered。　〃Don't　worry；　huh？〃
　〃Have　you　got　a　thing　on　with　China？〃
　〃Me？〃　Zip　began　laughing　again。　〃Hey；　you're　jealous；　ain't　you？　I'll　be　damned。〃
　〃She's　old　enough　to　be　your　mother；〃　Elena　said　sullenly。　〃She　must　be　nineteen；　maybe　even　twenty。〃
　〃That　don't　make　her　old；　only　experienced。　What's　the　matter；　honey；　huh？〃　he　said　sweetly。　〃You　jealous；　baby；　huh？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃You　worried　about　poor　little　Alfie？〃
　〃I　don't　care　what　you　do　to　Alfie。　Just　answer　me　one　question。〃
　〃Sure；　what's　that？〃
　〃You　got　eyes　for　China　or　not？〃
　〃Like；　you　know；　doll；　your　interest　gasses　me；　but　don't　start　strong…arming　me。　I'll　bust　you　right　in　the　mouth；　you　know？〃
　Juana　turned　to　him　suddenly。　〃It　takes　a　big　man；　don't　it；　to　hit　a　girl？〃
　〃Oh；　get　lost；　zombie；〃　he　said　to　her。　He　wrapped　his　arms　around　Elena。　〃e　on；　where's　my　hug？〃
　〃Zip；　cut　it　out；〃　she　said。　〃There's　people　watching。〃
　〃So　let　them；　who　cares？〃　He　took　one　arm　from　Elena　and