dw.jimmythekid-第24部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


〃
　〃It's　impossible；〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃How'd　he　get　out？〃
　〃I　dunno。〃　Kelp　picked　up　the　blankets　and　the　pajamas　from　the　bed。　〃Why　don't　you　ask　him？〃
　〃He　must　of　walked　through　the　wall；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　Kelp　went　out；　leaving　Dortmunder　still　making　circles；　and　hurried　downstairs。　May　had　the　boy　over　by　the　fireplace　now；　where　there　was　still　some　heat　from　the　char。　coal　in　the　hibachi。　She　had　him　stripped　down　to　his　underpants；　and　she　immediately　began　rubbing　him　down　with　one　of　the　blankets；　using　it　a　towel。　〃You're　really　wet；〃　she　said。　〃You're　really　wet。〃
　〃And　cold；〃　the　boy　said。　〃It's　no…fooling　cold　out　there。〃　He　yawned。
　On　the　other　side　of　the　room；　Murch's　Mom　was　triumphantly　wearing　the　Murch　family　Mickey　Mouse　mask。　Murch；　showing　his　irritation　by　the　set　of　his　shoulders；　sat　at　the　card　table　with　his　elbows　on　the　table　and　his　hands　over　his　face。　Lantern　light　glinted　on　his　eyes　as　he　peered　between　his　fingers。
　Dortmunder　came　downstairs。　He　marched　across　the　living　room　to　where　May　was　drying　the　boy　with　a　blanket；　glowered　down　at　him；　and　said；　〃All　right；　kid。　How'd　you　do　it？〃
　May；　on　one　knee　in　front　of　the　boy；　folded　him　in　her　arms；　glared　up　at　Dortmunder；　and　said；　〃Don't　you　strike　this　child。〃
　〃What　strike？　I　wanna　know　how　he　got　out　of　the　goddam　room。〃
　Kelp　whispered　with　harsh　urgency；　〃Your　mask！　Your　mask！〃
　Dortmunder　looked　around。　〃What？〃　Then　he　felt　his　bare　face　and　said；　〃Oh；　for　Christ's　sake。〃　His　mask　was　near　him；　on　the　mantel；　and　when　he　picked　it　up　it　was　warm　from　hibachi　heat。　He　pulled　it　angrily　over　his　head　and　said；　〃It　stinks　worse　when　it's　hot。〃
　May　said；　〃You　men　get　some　wood；　build　a　real　fire　in　this　fireplace。　We　need　some　heat　in　this　room。〃
　〃What　wood？〃　Dortmunder　said。　〃Everything　outside'll　be　too　wet　to　burn。〃
　〃There　must　be　wood　in　here；〃　she　said。　〃Something　to　make　a　fire。〃
　〃All　right；〃　Dortmunder　said；　looking　around。　〃All　right；　I'll　find　something。〃
　〃I　can't　help；〃　Murch　said。　His　voice　was　muffled　by　his　hands；　so　that　he　sounded　as　though　he　too　had　a　mask　on。　〃I　can't　very　well　carry　wood　with　my　hands　over　my　face；〃　he　said；　and　even　through　the　muffling　effect　the　tone　of　grievance　could　be　heard　in　his　voice。
　〃So　you'll　sit　there；〃　his　Mom　told　him。
　Dortmunder　and　Kelp　went　out　to　the　kitchen；　where　they　found　some　built…in　shelving　they　could　rip　out；　and　for　a　time　the　empty　house　echoed　with　ripping；　rending；　crashing　sounds　from　the　kitchen。　Meantime；　Murch's　Mom　moved　the　hibachi　to　a　corner　of　the　fireplace　and　made　a　bed　for　the　fire　out　of　ripped…up　pieces　of　cardboard　from　the　cartons　that　had　contained　their　provisions。　Murch　sat　the　card　table　and　watched　the　action　through　his　fingers；　and　May　dressed　the　boy　in　pajamas　and　wrapped　the　other　blanket　around　him。　On　the　television　screen；　which　no　one　was　watching；　the　blind　hermit　was　playing　his　violin　for　the　monster。
　Dortmunder　and　Kelp　brought　a　lot　of　jagged　pieces　of　wood　in；　stacked　them　in　the　fireplace；　and　lit　the　card。　board　underneath。　The　fire　started　up　at　once；　and　smoked　terrifically　for　half　a　minute；　during　which　time　everybody　coughed　and　waved　their　arms　and　shouted　unintelligible　and　unfollowable　orders　about　the　flue。　Then　all　all　at　once　the　chimney　began　to　draw；　the　fire　flared　up；　the　smoke　was　sucked　away　into　the　rain　and　the　wind　outside；　and　heat　wafted　out　across　the　room。
　〃That's　nice；〃　May　said。
　Jimmy；　warm　now　and　dry；　turned　at　last　and　noticed　the　television　set。　〃Oh！〃　he　said。　〃Bride　of　Frankenstein！　There's　some　beautiful　shots　in　that。　It　was　directed　by　James　Whale；　you　know；　he　also　did　the　original　Frankenstein　and　The　Invisible　Man。　Just　incredible　camera　angles。　Can　I　watch？〃
　〃It's　past　your　bedtime；〃　May　said。
　〃Oh；　that　can't　count　now；〃　Jimmy　said。　〃Besides；　my　room　is　cold；　and　you　want　to　keep　me　warm；　don't　you？〃
　〃An　exercise…yard　lawyer；〃　Dortmunder　said。
　Murch　said；　〃Put　the　kid　upstairs；　will　you？　I　don't　want　to　spend　the　rest　of　my　life　with　my　hands　over　my　face。〃
　Dortmunder　said；　〃And　I　don't　want　to　keep　this　goddam　mask　on　any　more。〃
　Jimmy　said；　〃I'll　make　you　a　deal。〃
　They　all　looked　at　him。　Murch's　Mom　said；　〃You'll　make　us　a　what？〃
　〃I　already　saw　your　faces　anyway；〃　Jimmy　said；　〃when　I　first　came　in。　But　if　you　let　me　stay　and　watch　the　movie；　you　can　take　your　masks　off　and　I　promise　I'll　make　believe　you　kept　them　on。　I'll　never　identify　you；　and　I　won't　tell　the　police　or　anybody　else　that　I　ever　saw　you　or　that　I　know　what　you　look　like。　I'll　make　a　solemn　vow。〃　He　held　his　right　hand　up　in　the　three…finger　Boy　Scout　oath　sign；　though　he　was　not　now　and　never　had　been　a　Boy　Scout。　But　he　meant　it　just　the　same。
　The　gang　all　looked　at　one　another。　Murch's　Mom　said；　〃Well；　it　would　be　easier。〃
　Kelp　said；　〃But　that's　not　the　way　it's　done。　That's　not　the　way　it's　done。〃
　Dortmunder　said；　〃You　mean　in　that　goddam　book？〃
　〃I　mean　anywhere。　But；　all　right；　in　the　book。　Could　you　imagine　the　gang　in　that　book　taking　their　masks　off　and　sitting　down　with　the　victim　and　watch　Bride　of　Frankenstein？〃
　〃I　really　really　promise；〃　Jimmy　said。
　Dortmunder　yanked　his　mask　off　and　threw　it　into　a　corner。　〃I'll　take　the　kid's　word　for　it；〃　he　said。
　〃So　do　I；〃　said　Murch's　Mom；　and　pulled　her　own　mask　off。　〃This　thing　flattens　my　hair　anyway。〃
　Murch　took　his　hands　down　from　his　face。　〃Boy；　that's　a　strain　on　the　arms；〃　he　said。
　May　took　off　her　mask；　looked　at　it；　and　said；　〃I　always　thought　this　thing　was　pretty　silly　anyway。〃
　Kelp；　the　only　one　in　the　room　with　a　Mickey　Mouse　mask　on；　said；　〃You　people　don't　seem　to　understand。　If　you　don't　do　a　thing　right；　how　do　you　expect　to　get　away　with　anything？〃
　〃Be　quiet；〃　Murch's　Mom　said。　〃I'm　watching　the　movie。〃
　May　said　to　Jimmy；　〃e　here；　sit　with　me。〃；；
　I　m　a　little　old　for　sitting　on　people　s　laps；　Jimmy　said。
　〃Okay；〃　May　said。　〃Then　I'll　sit　on　yours。〃
　Jimmy　laughed。　〃You　win；〃　he　said。　〃I'll　sit　on　your　lap。〃
　They　all　arranged　themselves　in　their　chairs　before　the　television　set　again；　as　they　had　been　before　Jimmy　had　e　back。　Kelp　looked　at　them　all。；　looked　at　the　kid；　looked　at　the　TV；　shook　his　Mickey　Mouse…masked　head；　shrugged；　pulled　the　mask　off；　flipped　it　away；　and　sat　down　to　watch　the　movie。
　The　hermit　and　the　monster　ate　dinner　together。　〃Food　good；〃　said　the　monster。　The　hermit　gave　him　a　cigar。
　20
　
　WHEN　DORTMUNDER　woke　up　he　was　stiff　as　board。　He　sat　up；　creaking　in　every　joint；　and　discovered　that　his　air　mattress　had　developed　a　leak　during　the　night。　In　order　to　have　something　for　them　to　sleep　on；　without　having　to　cart　half　a　dozen　beds　out　here　from　New　York；　Murch　and　his　Mom　had　bought　a　bunch　of　inflatable　air　mattresses；　the　kind　that　people　use　in　their　swimming　pools。　And　Dortmunder's　had　sprung　a　leak　during　the　night；　lowering　him　slowly　to　the　dining　room　floor；　on　which　he　had　done　the　rest　of　his　sleeping。　The　result　being　that　he　was　now　so　stiff　he　could　barely　move。
　Gray…white　daylight　crept　through　the　boarded　windows；　showing　him　the　empty　room；　the　black　hole　in　the　center　of　the　ceiling　where　a　chandelier　had　been　removed；　and　the　other　two　air　mattresses。　Murch's　was　empty；　but　a　blanketed　mound　breathed　slowly　and　evenly　on　the　other　one；　Dortmunder　felt　fatalistic　irritation　at　that。　Kelp's　air　mattress　had　not　leaked；　he　was　over　there　sleeping　like　a　baby。
　Last　night；　after　the　movie；　the　kid　had　been　put　back　up　in　his　room　with　the　door　locked；　for　whatever　good　it　might　do。　But　he'd　been　asleep　by　then…Dortmunder　had　had　to　carry　him　upstairs…so　maybe　he　was　still　around。　In　any　event；　mattresses　had　been　blown　up　for　the　ladies　in　the　living　room　and　for　the　gentlemen　next　door　in　the　dining　room；　and　to　the　pity…pat　of　rain　on　the　floor…the　roof　leaked…they　had　all　gone　off　to　sleep。
　Speaking　of　pitter…pat；　there　wasn't　any。　Dortmunder　frowned　at　the　windows；　but　the　boards　were　too　close　together　for　him　to　see　out　or　even　to　tell　what　kind　of　day　it　was；　though　this　light　did　seem　too　pale　to　be　direct　sunshine。　Anyway。　the　rain　had　apparently　stopped。
　Well；　there