emb.seethemdie-第34部分

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could　be　seen　fairly　clearly；　a　short　thin　man　in　a　white　undershirt。　They　hesitated　in　the　vestibule；　and　Miranda　peered　past　Carella's　shoulder　and　into　the　street。
　Zip　pushed　his　way　through　the　crowd　with　Cooch。　The　street　was　terribly　silent；　and　he　wanted　to　know　why。　What　the　hell　was　happening？　He　was　angry　because　they'd　been　unable　to　locate　China；　angry　because　he　wanted　this　Alfredo　Gomez　thing　to　end　now；　angry　because　things　seemed　to　be　going　wrong；　and　he　wanted　them　to　go　right。　But；　in　spite　of　his　anger；　he　was　curious。　The　silence　intrigued　him。　He　pushed　up　to　the　barricade　just　as　Carella　and　Miranda　came　onto　the　front　stoop。
　Miranda's　eyes　flicked　the　street。　He　was　partially　covered　by　the　priest；　so　that　a　shot　from　across　the　street　could　not　be　risked。　That　left　only。。。
　And　Miranda　turned　to　look　to　the　left　of　the　stoop。
　Carella　was　ready。　He'd　been　waiting　for　the　movement　ever　since　they'd　left　the　apartment。　He'd　been　wondering　where　he　would　look　if　he　were　Miranda；　and　he'd　realized　that　nobody　could　shoot　from　the　other　side　of　the　street；　and　so　any　trap　would　have　to　be　set　on　this　side　of　the　street；　any　shots　would　have　to　e　from　behind。
　So　Carella　knew　that　Miranda　knew；　and　he'd　been　waiting　for　the　sideward　movement　of　Miranda's　head　because　he　had　further　reasoned　that　Miranda　would　begin　shooting　the　second　he　saw　the　cops　on　either　side　of　the　stoop。
　Zip　saw　the　cops　the　same　moment　Miranda　did。　It　was　too　late　to　shout　a　warning。
　Carella　felt　Miranda's　head　and　eyes　flickering　to　the　left。
　Go！　he　told　himself。
　He　went。
　No　one　said　a　word。　Miranda　turned　toward　Carella　in　the　same　instant　that　Carella　threw　himself　headlong　down　the　flight　of　steps。
　And　then　the　shooting　started。
　
　
　17
　
　〃Pepe！〃　Zip　yelled。　〃Pepe！〃　But　he　was　too　late。
　The　crossfire　was　true　crossfire。　Miranda　whirled　to　the　left；　and　the　bullets　suddenly　smashed　into　him　from　the　right　side　of　the　stoop；　spinning　him　around。　He　slammed　into　the　railing　and　fired　a　shot　at　the　patrolman　who　seemed　closest　to　him；　and　then　suddenly　there　were　shots　on　his　left；　and　he　realized　he　was　caught　in　a　deadly　crossfire；　and　he　ran　off　the　stoop　toward　where　Carella　lay　sprawled　at　the　foot　of　the　steps。　Byrnes　began　firing　from　the　other　side　of　the　street；　and　Parker　began　firing　from　the　crate；　and　then　it　seemed　that　every　cop　on　that　block　had　been　waiting　for　just　this　moment　because　the　street　suddenly　reverberated　with　ear…shattering　sound　as　the　bullets　caromed　into　the　gutter。
　He　seemed　to　be　bleeding　from　a　dozen　places。
　The　white　undershirt　seemed　to　sprout　blood　like　poppies　in　an　instant。　His　own　gun　kept　bucking　in　his　hand；　but　there　was　blood　dripping　from　his　face　and　into　his　eyes；　and　he　just　fired　blindly　and　sort　of　groped　out　toward　the　crowd　as　if　he　were　reaching　for　salvation　and　didn't　know　whose　face　held　it。
　Parker　came　down　off　the　crate；　his　service　revolver　trembling　in　his　hand。　The　cops　on　the　rooftops　stopped　firing　all　at　once；　and　the　men　behind　Miranda　stopped　firing　as　he　stumbled　blindly　across　the　street；　moving　toward　Parker　who　was　similarly　drawn　toward　him。　It　was　almost　as　if　someone　had　placed　two　magnetic　figures　on　a　long　table。　They　moved　toward　each　other　inexorably；　Miranda　blinded　by　blood；　and　Parker　drawn　into　that　street　by　something　he　would　never　understand。
　Miranda's　gun　clicked　empty；　and　he　looked　at　Parker　in　supplication；　blood　dripping　into　his　eyes　and　bubbling　out　of　his　mouth；　the　mouth　open；　the　hands　limp　now；　the　head　twisted　to　one　side　like　a　Christ　who　had　climbed　down　from　the　cross。
　〃Give　me　a　break；〃　Miranda　whispered。
　And　Parker　fired。
　His　shot　took　Miranda　in　the　throat　at　close　range；　nearly　ripping　away　the　back　of　his　neck。　A　fresh　blossom　of　blood　erupted；　exposing　Miranda's　windpipe　as　he　staggered　forward　again。　His　voice　bubbled　from　his　torn　throat；　a　whispered　voice　that　sounded　as　if　it　were　ing　from　one　of　those　trick　underwater　recording　chambers；　a　voice　directed　only　to　Parker；　a　voice　that　sought　out　Parker　on　that　spinning　red　street。
　〃Can't　you　。。。　can't　you　give　me　a　break？〃　And　again　Parker　fired。　And　this　time；　he　kept　his　finger　on　the　trigger；　tightening　the　pressure　each　time　a　slug　roared　from　the　barrel　of　the　gun；　watching　the　slugs　rip　into　Miranda；　watching　Miranda　topple　into　the　gutter　lifelessly；　and　then　standing　over　him　and　pumping　bullets　into　his　body　until　his　gun　was　empty；　and　then　grabbing　a　gun　from　the　patrolman　standing　next　to　him　and　beginning　to　fire　at　the　dead　Miranda。
　〃That's　enough；〃　Carella　shouted。
　Zip　pushed　past　the　barricade　and　flung　himself　at　Parker's　back。　Parker　brushed　him　off　like　a　pesky　fly；　swinging　his　huge　shoulders；　knocking　Zip　to　the　pavement。
　〃Leave　him　alone！〃　Zip　shouted。　〃Leave　him　alone！〃
　But　Parker　was　hearing　nothing。　He　fired　the　patrolman's　gun　at　Miranda's　head；　and　then　he　fired　again；　and　he　was　preparing　to　fire　a　third　time　when　Carella　grabbed　his　arms　and　pulled　him　away　from　the　body。
　〃Somebody　get　up　there　to　Frankie！〃　Lieutenant　Byrnes　shouted。　〃On　the　double！〃
　Two　patrolmen　rushed　into　the　tenement。　Byrnes　walked　over　to　Miranda　and　stared　down　at　him。
　〃Is　he　dead？〃　a　reporter　called。
　Byrnes　nodded。　There　was　no　triumph　in　his　voice。　〃He's　dead。'〃
　〃They　killed　him；〃　Zip　said　to　Cooch。　〃They　killed　him。　The　bastards　killed　him。〃　He　clutched　Cooch　frantically。　〃Where's　Sixto？　Where's　Papa？　We're　gonna　get　him　now；　you　hear　me；　Cooch？　They　killed　Pepe；　Cooch。　You　understand　that？　They　killed　him！〃　His　eyes　were　wild。　A　thin　layer　of　sweat　covered　his　entire　face。
　〃What　about　China？〃　Cooch　asked。　〃You　said　we　needed　China　to。。。〃
　〃The　hell　with　China！　Alfie's　gonna　get　his；　you　hear？〃
　A　patrolman　appeared　on　the　fire　escape。　The　street　went　quiet。　He　walked　to　where　Frankie　Hernandez　lay　still　and　silent；　and　he　knelt　down；　and　Byrnes　waited。　The　patrolman　stood　up。
　〃Lieutenant？〃
　〃Yes？〃
　〃Frankie。〃　The　patrolman　paused。　〃He's　dead；　sir。〃
　Byrnes　nodded。　He　nodded　again。　And　then　he　realized　the　patrolman　was　waiting　for　instructions　and；　still　nodding；　he　said；　〃Bring　him　down。　Off　there。　Off　the　fire　escape。　Would　you　。。。　would　you　bring　him　down；　please？〃
　The　reporters　had　pushed　past　the　barricade　now；　and　they　surrounded　the　body　of　the　dead　Miranda。　Flash　bulbs　popped　on　the　street；　challenging　the　sunshine。
　〃Where's　Sixto　and　Papa？〃　Zip　asked。　〃Didn't　I　say　to　meet　me　here？〃
　〃Look；　Zip；　calm　down。　Try　to。。。〃
　〃Don't　tell　me　what　to　do！〃　Zip　shouted；　shaking　Cooch's　hand　loose。　〃I　know　what　I'm。。。〃　and　he　stopped　talking。
　Sixto　and　Papa　had　turned　the　corner；　but　it　was　not　their　appearance　which　had　caused　the　sudden　widening　of　Zip's　eyes。　He　stared　at　the　two　boys　and　then　he　stared　at　their　panion；　and　he　balled　his　fists；　because　the　person　with　them　was　Alfredo　Gomez。
　〃Wha…？〃　he　started；　and　in　that　instant　two　patrolmen　came　from　the　doorway　of　the　tenement；　carrying　the　body　of　Frankie　Hernandez　on　a　stretcher。　The　people　in　the　crowd　began　murmuring　his　name　as　the　body　went　past。　Handkerchiefs　appeared；　and　women　sniffled　into　them。　The　men　in　the　crowd　were　taking　off　their　hats　and　holding　them　to　their　chests。
　〃It's　Frankie；〃　Luis　said。　〃Close　the　doors！　For　respect！　For　respect！〃　He　reached　up　for　the　overhead　door　of　the　luncheonette　and　pulled　it　down。　On　the　avenue　side　of　the　shop　another　man　pulled　down　the　door　there；　so　that　the　shop　faced　the　street　blindly　…　We　will　not　conduct　business　while　you　pass　by；　my　friend　…　as　the　patrolmen　carried　the　body　of　Hernandez　toward　the　ambulance。
　〃Can　we　get　a　few　more　pictures　of　Miranda；　Lieutenant？〃　one　of　the　reporters　asked。
　〃Take　all　the　pictures　you　want；〃　Byrnes　said。　〃He's　in　no　hurry。　Not　any　more。〃
　Luis　rolled　back　the　doors。　The　shop　was　open　again。
　〃What　happens　now；　Lieutenant？〃　the　reporter　asked。
　Byrnes　sighed　heavily。　〃We　pile　him　in　the　meat　wagon；　and　we　cart　him　off。　I　get　my　men　off　the　streets。　Try　to　unsnarl　the　traffic。　And　then　take　up　a　collection　for　a　good　cop。　I　don't　know。　What　happens　next？〃　He　turned　to　Carella。　〃Steve？〃