emb.seethemdie-第25部分

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　〃Good；〃　Luis　said；　nodding。　〃You　will　be　better　off　out　of　this　neighborhood。　There　are　other　girls；　sailor。〃
　〃Yeah；　that's　for　sure；〃　Jeff　said。
　He　walked　out　of　the　luncheonette　again。　It　was　a　damn　shame；　he　thought；　because　。。。　well　。。。　he'd　almost　found　it。　He'd　almost；　in　the　space　of　what　was　it；　ten；　fifteen　minutes？
　In　that　short　a　time；　he'd　almost　found　it；　but　of　course　he　should　have　known。　Nothing　good　es　easy。　And　yet；　it　had　seemed　so　right；　it　had　just　seemed　。。。　seemed　right；　where　。。。　where　eyes　meet　and　。。。　and　without　touching　。。。　without　saying　very　much。。。
　The　hell　with　it！
　He　strode　out　of　the　luncheonette；　and　the　first　people　he　saw　were　Frederick　Block　and　the　two　prostitutes。
　Marge　winked　at　him。
　Jeff　squared　his　hat　and　walked　directly　to　the　trio。
　〃Well；　well；　well；〃　he　said。
　〃Feel　like　a　party；　sailor？〃　Marge　asked。
　He　hesitated　for　just　a　moment；　his　eyes　roaming　the　street。　Then　he　said；　〃Yes；　goddamnit；　I　feel　just　like　a　party！〃　and　he　grabbed　Marge's　elbow；　and　the　four　of　them　turned　the　corner　and　went　off　up　the　avenue。
　Two　boys　wearing　bright…gold　jackets　turned　into　the　block。
　They　stood　with　their　hands　on　their　hips　for　a　moment。　Both　wore　sunglasses；　both　wore　their　dark　hair　in　high　crowns。　The　bigger　of　the　two；　and　the　older　…　a　boy　of　about　twenty　who　stood　a　little　over　six　feet　tall　…　wore　a　silver　identification　bracelet　on　his　right　wrist。　His　name　was　Tommy。　The　other　boy；　nineteen　and　short　by　modern　standards；　was　called　Li'1　Killer。　His　real　name　was　Phil。　He　had　never　killed　anyone　in　his　life；　but　the　name　made　him　sound　like　a　guy　who'd　cut　out　your　liver　for　the　price　of　an　ice…cream　soda。　The　tall　one；　Tommy；　nodded　at　Phil　and　they　walked　directly　toward　the　crate　where　Papa　and　the　two　girls　stood　craning　their　necks。
　〃Hey；　kid；〃　Tommy　said。
　Papa　turned。　〃You　talk　to　me？〃
　〃Off　the　box；〃　Tommy　said　flatly。
　〃Huh？〃　Papa　said。　〃Why？〃
　〃You　heard　him；〃　Phil　said。　〃Off　the　box。　We　want　a　view。〃
　Papa　looked　down　to　where　Sixto　stood　near　the　side　of　the　crate。
　〃Sixto；　go　call。。。〃　he　started；　and　Phil　shoved　out　at　Sixto　before　he　could　move。
　〃Stay　put；　sonny；〃　he　said。
　〃Don't　hurt　him；　Li'1　Killer；〃　Tommy　said。　He　chuckled。　〃Just　cripple　him。〃
　〃Listen；　why　do　you　want　trouble　for？〃　Elena　said；　looking　past　them　to　where　Zip　stood　at　the　ices　cart　near　the　corner。
　〃Who　wants　trouble？〃　Tommy　asked　gently。　〃Li'1　Killer　and　me；　we　asked　your　friend　very　politely　to　get　the　hell　off　that　box；　that's　all。　That　ain't　no　trouble。〃
　〃That　ain't　no　trouble　at　all；〃　Phil　said。
　In　that　instant；　Lieutenant　Byrnes　waved　his　arm　at　the　rooftops；　and　the　police　opened　fire。　The　firing　was　a　precise；　methodical　operation　designed　to　keep　Miranda　away　from　the　front　windows。　At　the　same　time；　the　distant　echo　of　guns　could　be　heard　in　the　back　yard；　and　over　that；　like　a　triangle　player　in　a　hundred…piece　orchestra；　the　sound　of　shattering　glass。　Miranda　appeared　at　the　front　windows　for　just　an　instant；　looked　into　the　street；　saw　what　he　was　supposed　to　see；　and　ducked　back　into　the　apartment。
　The　cops　of　the　87th　rushed　the　doorway　to　the　left　of　La　Gallina。
　Miranda　saw　them　the　second　before　he　ducked　his　head。　Lieutenant　Byrnes　led　the　charge；　shooting　up　at　the　windows　as　he　ran。　Behind　him　were　Steve　Carella　and　Andy　Parker　and　half　a　dozen　patrolmen；　all　with　guns　in　their　hands。　Frankie　Hernandez　brought　up　the　rear。　One　by　one；　the　cops　entered　the　tenement。　Hernandez　seemed　to　be　following　them　and　then；　suddenly；　at　the　last　moment；　he　swerved　to　the　right　of　the　doorway　and　flattened　himself　against　the　front　of　the　building。
　At　the　same　time；　Captain　Frick　…　who　manded　the　uniformed　cops　of　the　87th　…　brought　the　megaphone　to　his　mouth　and　shouted；　〃We're　ing　in；　Miranda！　We're　going　to　knock　that　front　door　right　off　its　hinges。〃
　There　was　no　answer　from　within　the　apartment。
　〃We're　ing　in；　Miranda！　We're　ing　up　those　steps　right　now！〃　Frick　shouted；　and　he　hoped　Miranda　would　buy　it。
　In　the　hallway；　Byrnes；　Carella；　and　Parker　crouched　on　the　steps。　They　could　hear　the　gunfire　outside；　could　hear　shouts　from　the　cops；　screams　from　the　crowd；　the　sound　of　glass　breaking　and　wood　splintering；　the　high　whistle　of　slugs　that　caromed　and　ricocheted。
　Outside；　Frankie　Hernandez　stealthily　moved　past　the　glass　front　of　La　Gallina；　working　his　way　toward　the　fire　escape。
　The　crowd　was　suddenly　hushed。
　The　only　sound　on　the　street　now　was　the　explosion　of　the　revolvers　on　the　rooftops　and　in　the　windows　facing　Miranda's　apartment。
　She　came　around　the　corner　hurriedly。
　There　were　tears　on　her　face；　and　her　blouse　had　pulled　free　from　her　skirt；　and　she　thought　she　could　still　feel　the　imprint　of　Cooch's　fingers　where　he　had　touched　her。　It　was　twenty　minutes　past　twelve；　and　she　hoped　against　hope　that　Jeff　would　still　be　there；　hoped　he　had　at　least　the　faith　to　realize　。。。　to　realize　what？　Tears　streaking　her　face；　she　rushed　into　the　luncheonette。
　He　was　not　there。
　She　looked　at　the　empty　stools；　and　then　she　turned　to　Luis　and　she　said；　〃Luis；　there　was　a　sailor。。。〃　and　Luis　nodded　instantly。
　〃He　left。〃
　〃I　。。。　I　couldn't　get　away　and　then　。。。　the　crowds　in　the　street。。。〃
　〃He　left；〃　Luis　said　again。
　She　turned　from　him　quickly　and　went　into　the　street　again。　She　could　hear　the　pistol　shots；　thunder　on　a　sunny　day。　〃China；　hey；　China！〃　She　wished　it　would　really　rain；　she　wished　the　skies　would　open　and　…　〃China；　hey；　don't　you　hear　me？〃　…　rain　would　e　down　to　wash　the　streets；　wash　all　the。。。
　〃Hey！　China！'
　She　looked　up　suddenly。　〃What？　Oh　…　oh；　hello。〃
　Zip　was　standing　by　the　ices　cart；　grinning。
　〃Hey；　how　are　you；　China？〃
　〃Fine；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　fine；　thank　you。〃
　〃You　want　some　ices？〃
　〃No。　No；　thank　you；　Zip。〃
　He　studied　her。　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　〃Nothing。〃
　〃You　look　like　you　was　crying。　Was　somebody　bothering　you？〃
　She　shook　her　head。　〃No；　no。〃
　〃If　anybody　bothers　you；　you　just　let　me　know；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　take　care　of　them　the　way　I'm　gonna　take　care　of　Alfie。〃
　〃You　leave　Alfie　alone！〃　she　said　sharply　and　suddenly；　her　eyes　flashing。
　〃Huh？〃
　〃Why　do　you　want　to　hurt　him？　You　have　no　right　to　hurt　him！〃
　〃Hell；　I　ain't　afraid　of　him！〃　Zip　said。
　〃Nobody　said　you　were。〃
　〃It's　just；　he's　got　this　ing；　that's　all。〃
　〃You　know　he　didn't　do　anything；　Zip。　You　know　that。〃
　〃He　done　plenty！　I'm　gonna　bust　him　wide　open。　I'm　gonna。。。〃
　She　began　crying　suddenly　and　fitfully。　〃Why　do　you　talk　that　way？〃　she　shouted。　〃Why　do　you　have　to　sound　so　tough？　Aren't　you　ever　yourself？　Can't　you　be　yourself？〃
　Surprised　by　her　sudden　passion；　he　stared　at　her；　speechless。
　〃What　are　you　trying　to　show？〃　she　asked；　the　tears　running　down　her　face。　〃What　are　you　trying　to　do？　Make　it　worse　here　than　it　really　is？　What's　wrong　with　you？　What　the　hell　is　wrong　with　you？〃
　He　stared　at　her；　confused。　He　reached　out　to　touch　her；　not　knowing　that　the　tears　were　something　which　had　been　building　inside　her　from　the　moment　Cooch　attacked　her；　building　on　the　wild　run　from　the　tenement　to　the　luncheonette；　building　against　the　desperate　hope　that　the　sailor　would　still　be　there；　kept　in　check　by　sheer　will　power；　and　now　overflowing；　he　did　not　know　these　things；　he　only　knew　that　she　was　crying。　And　in　the　face　of　such　female　vulnerability；　in　the　face　of　anguish　such　as　he　had　never　known　or　seen；　Zip　pulled　back　his　hand；　unable　to　touch　her　in　that　moment；　unable　to　establish　a　contact　which　seemed　in　that　moment　too　intimate；　too　revealing。
　〃Hey　。。。　hey。　listen；〃　he　said；　〃don't　cry。　What　do　you　want　to　cry　for？〃
　〃Promise　me　you　won't　do　anything　to　Alfie；〃　she　said。　〃Promise　me。〃
　〃Listen　。。。　hey；　you　don't　have　to　cry。〃
　〃Promise　me。〃
　〃China　。。。　everybody　knows　what　I　said　I　was　gonna　do。　Like　I　told　them…〃　He　hesitated。　〃I　told　them　you　was　my　girl。〃
　〃You　shouldn't　have　said　that。〃
　〃I　know。　I　mean；　even　I　know　you　ain't　my　girl。　Listen；　can't　you　stop　crying？　You　want　my　handkerchief？〃
　〃No；〃　China　said；　sobbing。　〃I'm　not　crying。〃
　〃Here；　take　it；〃　he　said；　handing　her　the　handkerchief。　〃I　hardly