emb.seethemdie-第6部分

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　A　glance　passed　between　them。　Neither　said　a　word。　Silently；　they　got　back　to　work。
　Azucena　…　Gomez　had　been　one　of　those　fortunate　people　who　are　born　beautiful　and　who　remain　beautiful　no　matter　what　tricks　life　decides　to　play　on　them。　Her　name；　translated　from　the　Spanish；　meant　White　Lily；　and　she　seemed　to　have　been　appropriately　named　because　her　skin　was　white　and　smooth；　and　her　face；　her　body；　seemed　to　bine　all　the　delicate　beauty　and　regality　of　that　flower。　The　oval　of　her　face　was　dominated　by　brown　eyes　which　slanted　to　lend　an　exotic　flair　to　otherwise　serene　features。　Her　nose　was　straight　and　slender；　her　mouth　was　a　mouth　which　looked　as　if　it　could　cry。　She　had　managed；　without　the　benefit　of　dieting；　to　maintain　a　body　which　had　evoked　many　a　street…corner　whistle　in　her　native　Puerto　Rico。　She　was　forty…two　years　old；　and　she　had　known　what　it　was　to　be　a　woman；　still　knew；　and　she　knew　the　happiness　and　sorrow　of　motherhood。　She　was　not　a　tall　woman；　perhaps　the　one　flaw　which　robbed　her　of　true　beauty；　but　she　seemed　exceptionally　tall　as　she　stood　by　the　bed　and　looked　down　at　her　son。
　〃Alfredo？〃　she　said。
　He　did　not　answer　her。　He　lay　on　the　bed　full　length；　his　face　buried　in　the　pillow。
　〃Alfredo？〃
　He　did　not　look　up。　He　did　not　turn　his　head　from　the　pillow。　〃Mama；　lee　me　alone；〃　he　mumbled。　〃Please。〃
　〃You　have　to　listen　to　me；〃　she　said。　〃It　is　important　that　you　listen　to　me。〃
　〃It　don'　make　no　difference　wha'　you　say；　Mama。　I　already　know　what　I　got　to　do。〃
　〃You　must　go　to　the　church；　is　that　what　you　must　do？〃
　〃Si。〃
　〃And　they　will　harm　you。〃
　He　sat　up　suddenly。　He　was　a　sixteen…year…old　boy　with　his　mother's　fair　plexion　and　wide；　brown　eyes。　The　slight　fuzz　of　adolescence　clung　to　his　cheeks。　His　mouth；　like　his　mother's　seemed　ready　to　twist　into　sorrow。
　〃I　go　to　church　every　Sunday；〃　he　said　simply。　〃I　go　today　too。　They　cannot　stop　me。〃
　〃They　cannot　stop　you；　but　they　will　harm　you。　Is　this　what　they　said？〃
　〃Si〃
　〃Who　told　you　this？〃
　〃The　boys。〃
　〃Which　boys？〃
　〃Mama；　this　is　not　for　you；〃　Alfredo　said　plaintively。　〃This　is　somethin'。。。〃
　〃Why？　Why　will　they　hurt　you？〃
　Alfredo　would　not　answer。　He　stared　at　his　mother；　but　he　remained　silent。
　〃Why；　Alfredo？〃
　The　tears　came　suddenly。　He　felt　them　welling　into　his　eyes；　and　he　turned　from　her　quickly　so　that　she　would　not　see　him　crying。　He　threw　himself　onto　the　bed　again；　his　face　buried　in　the　pillow；　his　shoulders　heaving　as　he　sobbed。　His　mother　touched　his　shoulder。
　〃Cry；〃　she　said。
　〃Mama；　I　am　asha…〃
　〃It　is　good　to　cry。　Your　father　used　to　cry　sometimes。　It　is　not　a　sin　for　a　man　to　cry。〃
　〃Mama；　Mama；　please；　you　don't　understan'。。。〃
　〃I　understand　that　you　are　my　son；〃　Mrs。　Gomez　said　with　simple　logic。　〃I　understand　that　you　are　good；　and　that　those　who　wish　to　harm　you　are　bad。　It　is　not　for　the　bad　ones　to　rule　the　streets；　Alfredo。　You　say　you　must　go　to　eleven　o'clock　mass；　the　way　you　always　do。　You　say　you　must　go；　even　though　they　will　hurt　you。　This　I　do　not　understand。〃
　He　sat　up　again；　and　the　words　sprang　from　his　lips　like　a　scream。
　〃I　cann　turkey　out！〃
　〃You　can't　。。。　turkey　out？〃　she　asked；　puzzled。
　〃I　cann　be　afray；　Mama。　I　cann　be　turkey。　You　don'　understan'。　This　is　not　somethin'　you　understan'。　Please。　Let　me　do　what　I　got　to　do。〃
　His　mother　stood　by　the　bed；　staring　at　him；'staring　at　her　son　as　if　somehow　she　did　not　know　him　any　longer；　as　if　somehow　the　infant　she　had　held　to　her　breast；　the　infant　who　had　sucked　of　her　milk　was　no　longer　someone　she　knew。　His　face；　his　language；　even　his　eyes　seemed　distant　and　strange。　She　studied　him　as　if　trying　to　force　the　reconstruction　of　an　earlier　bond　through　the　power　of　her　eyes　alone。
　At　last　she　said；　〃I　have　gone　to　the　police。〃
　〃What！〃　he　shouted。
　〃Si。〃
　〃Why　did　you　do　that？　You　think　the　police　will　care　abou'　me？　About　Alfredo　Gomez？　The　police　are　no　good。　Don'　you　know　the　police　here　in　this　neighborhood？〃
　〃There　are　good　police　and　bad　police。　I　have　gone　to　Frankie　Hernandez。〃
　〃He　iss　the　same　as　dee　ress。　Mama；　why　did　you　do　this？　Why　cann　you　stay　out　of　this？〃
　〃Frankie　will　help　you。　He　is　from　the　barrio〃
　〃But　he's　a　cop　now；　a　detective。　He。。。〃
　〃He　grew　up　here　in　these　streets。　He　is　Spanish；　and　he　helps　his　people。　He　will　help　you。〃
　〃You　shoul*　not　have　gone；〃　Alfredo　said；　shaking　his　head。
　〃I　have　never　been　inside　a　police　station　in　my　life；〃　Mrs。　Gomez　said。　〃Today　is　the　first　time。　My　son　is　in　danger；　and　I　went　for　help。〃　She　paused。　〃He　said　he　would　e。
　I　gave　him　the　address。　He　said　he　would　e　to　talk　to　you。〃
　〃I　will　tell　him　nothing；〃　Alfredo　said　softly。
　〃You　will　tell　him　all　that　is　necessary　to　tell　him。〃
　〃Wha〃　time　is　it？〃　he　asked　suddenly。
　〃You　have　time　yet。〃
　〃I　got　to　dress　for　church。〃
　〃Not　until　you　talk　to　Frankie　Hernandez。　He　will　know　what　to　do。〃
　〃He　will　know　what　to　do；〃　Alfredo　said。　〃Sure；　he　will　know　what　to　do；〃　and　the　mockery　in　his　voice　was　tinged　with　bitterness　and　inescapable　sorrow。
　〃He　will　know　what　to　do；〃　Mrs。　Gomez　said　confidently。
　
　
　4
　
　The　sailor's　name　was　Jeff　Talbot；　and　the　rosy　glow　of　the　alcohol　was　beginning　to　wear　off；　and　as　he　surveyed　the　street　outside　the　luncheonette；　he　wondered　how　he　could　ever　have　said　it　looked　like　a　nice　neighborhood。　Somehow；　even　the　sunlight　did　not　help　the　look　of　the　street　outside。　It　helped　only　in　the　way　a　powerful　spotlight　helps　to　illuminate　a　garbage　dump。　He　blinked　at　the　sunshine；　and　he　blinked　at　the　street　outside；　and　he　suddenly　said；　〃I'm　sober；〃　and　just　as　suddenly　realized　that　he　was。　〃Good；〃　Luis　said。　〃How　does　the　world　look？〃　〃Miserable。〃　He　swung　his　stool　back　toward　the　counter。　〃I'm　getting　a　headache。　This　is　a　pretty　rotten　neighborhood；　ain't　it？〃
　〃It　depends　how　you　look　at　it；〃　Zip　said。　〃I　happen　to　like　it。〃
　〃You　do？〃
　〃It's　where　I　live。　When　I'm　here；　that　sidewalk　sings。〃　〃What　does　it　sing？〃　Jeff　asked。　His　head　was　beginning　to　pound。　He　wondered　why　he　was　talking　with　a　stranger；　wondered　why　he'd　drunk　so　much　the　night　before。
　〃With　him；〃　Luis　said；　〃it　sings　Rock　and　Roll。〃
　〃The　old　man　is　very　hip；　sailor。　He　knows　all　the　proper。。。〃
　Zip　stopped　talking。　He　tensed　suddenly　on　the　stool；　his　eyes　fastened　to　the　street　outside。
　〃What's　the　matter？〃　Jeff　asked。
　〃The　Law；〃　Zip　said　quietly。
　The　Law　to　which　he　had　referred　was　the　law　as　personified　by　Detective　Andy　Parker　who　walked　up　the　street　with　a　sort　of　slumped；　indifferent　swagger；　a　cigarette　dangling　from　the　corner　of　his　mouth；　looking　for　all　the　world　like　a　penniless　bum　who　had　just　e　from　sleeping　one　off　in　a　doorway。　His　bright　Hawaiian　shirt　was　rumpled　and　soiled　with　coffee　stains。　He　scratched　his　chest　indolently；　his　eyes　flicking　the　street　as　he　walked。
　〃The　only　law　I　got　to　worry　about　is　the　Shore　Patrol；〃　Jeff　said；　dismissing　him。　He　shoved　his　empty　cup　across　the　counter。　〃Can　I　get　another　cup　of　joe？〃　He　grinned　and　then　winced　in　pain。　〃Oh；　man；　but　that　head　hurts　when　I　smile。〃
　Outside　the　luncheonette；　Andy　Parker　waved　at　Luis　and　said；　〃Que　pasa；　maricon？〃
　〃Hello；　Andy；〃　Luis　said；　smiling。　〃Some　coffee？〃
　〃I　can　use　a　cup；〃　Parker　answered。　〃Hot。〃　He　walked　into　the　luncheonette　and　took　the　stool　next　to　Jeffs。　He　studied　Zip　for　a　moment　and　then　asked；　〃When　did　you　start　catering　to　the　punk　trade；　Luis？〃
　〃I'm　having　a　cup　of　coffee；〃　Zip　answered。　〃Anything　wrong　with　that；　Lieutenant？〃
　〃I　ain't　a　lieutenant；　and　don't　get　smart。〃
　〃I　thought　you'd　at　least　be　a　captain　by　now。　After　all　the　drunks　you　pulled　in　from　Grover　Park。〃
　〃Look；　kid。。。〃
　〃This　is　Detective　Andy　Parker；　sailor；〃　Zip　said。　〃He's　what　is　known　as　a　tough　cop。　Fearless。　For　two　cents；　he'd　arrest　his　own　grandmother。〃　He　grinned　almost　immediately；　and　Jeff　recognized　the　pattern　suddenly。　It　was　as　if　someone　had　advised　the　boy　that　a　grin　would　take　him　a　long　way；　especially　a　grin　posed　of　such　sparkling　white　teeth；　a　grin　that　never　failed　to　generate　a　warm　response　in　its　recipient。　Even　Parker；　faced　with　the　sudden　dazz