emb.seethemdie-第23部分

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　hint　of　muscle　or　bone；　every　flowing　curve；　every　dimple；　every　pucker；　insistently　shrieked　its　existence　to　the　most　casual　observer。　The　girls　were　not　the　bashful　type。　They　moved　with　a　fluidity　of　breast；　hip；　thigh　and　leg　that　aided　the　dresses　in　their　task　of　nonconcealment。　They　were；　in　fact；　so　much　the　Hollywood　concept　of　what　a　whore　should　look　like　that　at　first　glance　they　seemed　to　be　imitations。　If　there　was　one　quality　which　every　prostitute　in　the　87th　Precinct　shared；　it　was　the　ability　to　look　like　anything　but　a　street　walker。　In　most　instances；　the　precinct　whore　was　the　best…dressed　girl　on　the　streets。　Her　careful　grooming；　more　than　any　other　attribute；　was　usually　the　one　clue　to　her　occupation。
　These　two　were　either　new　at　the　trade；　or　else　they'd　canceled　their　subscriptions　to　Vogue　magazine。　In　any　case；　they　walked　directly　to　the　barricade　and　stopped　there。　The　girl　in　the　red　dress　touched　the　arm　of　the　nearest　patrolman　who　turned；　ready　to　start　yelling；　and　then　looked　as　if　a　movie　queen　had　wandered　into　his　bedroom　by　mistake。
　〃Excuse　me；　officer；〃　she　said　in　a　tiny　little　voice；　〃but　can't　we　get　through　here？　We　work　right　across　the　street。〃
　〃Where？〃　the　patrolman　asked。
　〃At　La　Gallina。〃
　〃What　the　hell　do　you　do　there？〃
　The　girl　in　the　red　dress　seemed　at　a　loss　for　words。　She　turned　to　her　panion。　The　other　girl　smiled　at　the　patrolman　sweetly　and　said；　〃We're　in　。。。　ah　。。。　public　relations。〃
　〃Well；　I'm　sorry；　girls；〃　the　patrolman　said。　〃My　orders　are　to　let　nobody　through　this　barricade　unless　he's　a　cop　or　a　fireman。　Now　you　two　girls　ain't　cops　or　firemen；　are　you？〃　He　grinned　politely；　thinking　how　clever　he　was　being；　and　making　a　note　to　repeat　his　ment　to　the　boys　in　the　locker　room　when　he　checked　in　later。
　〃No；　indeed；〃　the　one　in　the　red　dress　said。
　They　moved　away　from　the　barricade。
　〃What　now；　Marge？〃　the　one　in　the　yellow　dress　asked。
　Marge　shrugged。　〃Let's　hang　around。　It　looks　like　a　lively　crowd。　There　may　be　something　in　it　for　us；　Marie。〃
　Marie　looked　skeptical。　Together；　walking　with　a　hip…swiveling；　crazy…socketing；　ball…bearing；　thigh…thrusting；　leg…strutting　motion　that　turned　every　head　on　the　block；　they　began　appraising　the　potential　customers　watching　the　siege。　Marie　raised　an　eyebrow　at　Marge；　and　Marge　glanced　in　the　direction　she　indicated。
　They　were　both　looking　at　Frederick　Block；　the　fat　man。
　
　
　12
　
　There　are　times　when　it　must　be　nice　to　have　a　Cinemascope　camera　and　stereophonic　sound。　There　are　times　when　it　must　be　great　to　have　a　wide　screen　stretching　across　the　front　of　the　world；　with　things　happening　on　every　corner　of　that　screen；　with　the　eye　gathering　in　all　these　things　like　a　net　sweeping　the　ocean　floor。　It　isn't　enough　to　say　this　and　this　were　happening　here；　that　and　that　were　happening　there。　A　city　street　is　not　a　tiny　canvas；　a　city　street　is　not　a　page　in　a　book。　It　is　a　tumultuous　thing　teeming　with　life；　and　you　can't　hope　to　capture　life　in　a　sentence　or　a　brush　stroke。　The　things　that　happened　on　that　street；　on　that　particular　day　in　July；　happened　almost　simultaneously；　separate　and　distinct　from　each　other；　but　nonetheless　almost　at　the　same　time；　so　that　there　was　a　feeling　of　continuous　motion；　of　one　event　overlapping　and　flowing　into　the　next。　The　wide　screen　stretched　the　length　of　a　city　block。　The　life　on　that　street　stretched　to　the　very　edges　of　time。
　Cooch　stood　on　the　steps　of　the　building　next　door　to　the　church。
　China　came　down　a　flight　of　stairs　and　into　bright　sunshine。
　A　man　selling　ices　entered　the　street　at　the　opposite　end。
　Marge　and　Marie；　the　two　prostitutes；　approached　Frederick　Block。
　Jeff　Talbot　looked　at　the　wall　clock　and　left　the　luncheonette。
　Two　boys　wearing　bright…gold　jackets　turned　into　the　block。
　The　cops　of　the　87th　rushed　the　doorway　to　the　left　of　La　Gallina。
　These　are　the　things　that　happened；　minute　overlapping　minute；　time　lost　and　time　replaced　by　the　tireless　eye　of　space。　These　are　the　things　that　happened。。。
　Cooch　stood　on　the　steps　of　the　building　next　door　to　the　church。　He　had　been　standing　there　for　ten　minutes　now；　watching　the　people　pour　down　the　church　steps　and　into　the　bright　confused　sunshine　of　the　street。　There　were　not　many　people　left　inside　the　church　now。　He　looked　at　his　wrist　watch；　and　then　studied　the　few　stragglers　again。　He　was　certain　that　Alfredo　Gomez　had　not　left　the　apartment　to　attend　mass　this　morning。　But　he　would　wait　a　few　moments　more；　just　to　make　sure。
　Against　his　belly　he　could　feel　the　hard；　cold　metal　of　the　pistols　he　had　retrieved　from　Chico　and　Estaban。　The　weapons　made　him　feel　very　strong　and　very　powerful。　Too；　he　considered　this　independent　reconnaissance　an　act　of　foresight　worthy　of　a　general。　He　would　wait　until　everyone　had　e　out　of　the　church；　and　then　he　would　go　back　to　Zip　with　the　guns　and　with　a　report　on　Alfie's　whereabouts。　This　was　acting　above　and　beyond　the　call　of　duty。　Zip　would　be　pleased。　And　whereas　it　would　not　be　as　dramatic　to　catch　Alfie　in　his　house　instead　of　on　the　church　steps；　Cooch　didn't　much　care。　The　important　thing　was　to　wash　the　little　bastard。　That　was　the　important　thing。
　Cooch　had　been　thinking　about　it　all　week　long；　ever　since　Zip　first　got　the　idea。　There　were　times　when　Cooch　couldn't　sit　still；　just　thinking　about　it。　There　were　two　stimulating　and　contradictory　feelings　which　rushed　through　Cooch's　mind　and　body　whenever　he　considered　what　they　were　about　to　do。　The　first　of　these　was　the　very　concept　of　killing。　This　excited　him。　He　had　fantasized　the　squeezing　of　a　trigger　many　times；　had　imagined　Alfie　tumbling　down　the　church　steps；　had　wondered　what　it　would　feel　like　to　know　that　he　had　killed　another　human　being。　He　had　convinced　himself　that　Alfie　deserved　killing。　He　had；　after　all；　messed　with　China。
　This　was　the　second　idea；　and　this　was　as　exciting　as　the　first。　A　hundred　or　more　times　in　the　past　week；　Cooch　had　imagined　Alfie　messing　with　China。　He　wondered　just　what　Alfie　had　done　to　her；　and　his　imagination　created　new　images　each　time。　Alfie　gently　stroking　China's　full　breast。　Alfie　unbuttoning　China's　blouse。　Alfie　thrusting　both　hands　beneath　China's　skirt。　Alfie。。。
　The　images　continued　to　stimulate　him。　And　they　were　images　clouded　with　guilt。　Lying　alone　in　his　bed　at　night；　he　would　think　of　Alfie　and　China；　and　then　he　would　roll　over　into　his　pillow　and　think　The　son　of　a　bitch　has　to　die　for　that。
　Of　that　he　was　certain。
　Alfredo　Gomez　had　to　die。
　Standing　on　the　steps　of　the　tenement；　he　watched　the　last　few　stragglers　leaving　the　church；　and　he　thought　again　of　Alfie　and　China；　and　he　bit　his　lip　and　then　thought　of　shooting　the　little　bastard。
　China　came　down　a　flight　of　stairs　and　into　the　bright　sunshine。
　The　tenement　hallway　had　been　dark；　and　she　blinked　now　against　the　sudden　brilliance；　knowing　she　still　had　at　least　five　minutes　before　she　was　to　meet　the　sailor；　not　wanting　to　get　there　too　early　or　seem　too　anxious；　and　yet　almost　unable　to　control　the　forward　motion　of　her　feet　as　they　took　her　onto　the　stoop。　Jeff　was　his　name。　Jeff；　Jeff；　Jeff；　her　mind　echoed；　and　her　heart　beat　with　the　idea　of　the　rendezvous；　and　she　found　herself　gripping　the　shopping　bag　in　her　hand　more　tightly。　She　had　wrapped　chicken　in　wax　paper；　had　put　up　some　eggs　to　boil　before　going　to　church；　had　later　packed　the　hard…boiled　eggs；　and　salt；　and　fruit；　and　a　thermos　of　iced　coffee；　all　of　which　were　in　the　shopping　bag　now。　She　wondered　if　he　liked　chick…
　〃Hello；　China。〃
　She　blinked　and　then　shielded　her　eyes　from　the　overhead　sun。
　〃Oh；　hello；　Cooch；〃　she　answered；　and　she　smiled　and　began　to　walk　around　him；　but　he　stepped　into　her　path。
　〃I　was　just　thinking　about　you；〃　Cooch　said。
　〃Oh？〃　China　glanced　at　her　watch。　〃Cooch；　I　haven't　got　time　to　talk　to　you　right　now。　I　have　to。。。〃
　〃About　what　we're　going　to　do　for　you　today。〃
　〃What？　I　don't　under…〃
　〃Alfie？〃　Cooch　said；　smiling。
　〃Alfie？〃　She　paused；　puzzled。　〃Alfredo；　do　you　mean？　Alfredo　Gomez？〃
　'Uh…huh；〃　Cooch　said；　nodding。
　〃What　about　him？〃　She　looked　at　her　watch。　She　would　ha