jg.paintedhouse-第20部分

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　　　〃You're　wele　to　sit　on　the　porch；〃　Pappy　said；　then　returned　to　the　kitchen　table。　When　he　took　his　seat；　the　others　began　eating　again。　I　now　had　a　knot　in　my　throat　the　size　of　a　baseball；　and　the　fried　chicken　simply　wouldn't　go　down。
　　　〃Has　he　had　lunch？〃　Gran　whispered　across　the　table。
　　　Pappy　shrugged　as　if　he　couldn't　have　cared　less。　It　was　almost　two…thirty。　If　Stick　hadn't　found　something　to　eat　by　then；　why　should　we　worry？
　　　But　Gran　cared。　She　stood　and　pulled　a　plate　from　the　cabinet。　As　we　watched；　she　covered　it　with　potatoes　and　gravy；　sliced　tomatoes　and　cucumbers；　two　biscuits　that　she　carefully　buttered；　and　a　thigh　and　a　breast。　Then　she　filled　a　tall　glass　with　iced　tea　and　took　it　to　the　back　porch。　Again；　we　heard　every　word。
　　　〃Here；　Stick；〃　she　said。　〃Nobody　misses　a　meal　around　here。〃
　　　〃Thanks；　Miss　Ruth；　but　I've　already　ate。〃
　　　〃Then　eat　again。〃
　　　〃I　really　shouldn't。〃
　　　We　knew　that　by　then　Stick's　fleshy　nostrils　had　caught　a　whiff　of　the　chicken　and　the　biscuits。
　　　〃Thank　you；　Miss　Ruth。　This　is　mighty　kind。〃
　　　We　were　not　surprised　when　she　returned　empty…handed。　Pappy　was　angry　but　managed　to　hold　his　tongue。　Stick　was　there　to　cause　trouble；　to　interfere　with　our　farmhands；　which　meant　he　was　threatening　our　cotton。　Why　feed　him？
　　　We　ate　in　silence；　which　allowed　me　a　few　moments　to　collect　my　thoughts。　Since　I　didn't　want　to　act　suspiciously；　I　forced　the　food　into　my　mouth　and　chewed　as　slowly　as　possible。
　　　I　wasn't　sure　what　the　truth　was；　nor　could　I　distinguish　right　from　wrong。　The　Siscos　were　ganging　up　on　the　poor　hillbilly　when　Hank　went　to　his　rescue。　There　were　three　Siscos；　and　Hank　was　alone。　He　had　quickly　stopped　them；　and　the　fight　should've　been　over。　Why　did　he　pick　up　that　piece　of　wood？　It　was　easy　to　assume　the　Siscos　were　always　wrong；　but　Hank　had　won　the　fight　long　before　he　began　clubbing　them。
　　　I　thought　about　Dewayne　and　our　secret　pact。　Silence　and　ignorance　were　still　the　best　strategies；　I　decided。
　　　We　didn't　want　Stick　to　hear　us；　so　we　said　nothing　throughout　the　entire　meal。　Pappy　ate　slower　than　usual；　because　he　wanted　Stick　to　sit　and　wait　and　stew；　and　maybe　get　mad　and　leave。　I　doubted　if　the　delay　bothered　Stick。　I　could　almost　hear　him　licking　his　plate。
　　　My　father　gazed　at　the　table　as　he　chewed；　his　mind　seemingly　off　on　the　other　side　of　the　world；　probably　Korea。　Both　my　mother　and　Gran　looked　very　sad；　which　was　not　unusual　after　the　verbal　beating　we　received　each　week　from　Brother　Akers。　That's　another　reason　I　always　tried　to　sleep　during　his　sermons。
　　　The　women　had　much　more　sympathy　for　Jerry　Sisco。　As　the　hours　passed；　his　death　became　sadder。　His　meanness　and　other　undesirable　qualities　were　slowly　forgotten。　He　was；　after　all；　a　local　boy；　someone　we　knew；　if　only　in　passing；　and　he'd　met　a　terrible　end。
　　　And　his　killer　slept　in　our　front　yard。
　　　We　heard　noises。　The　Spruills　were　back　from　the　river。
　　　
　　　The　inquest　took　place　under　our　tallest　pin　oak；　about　halfway　between　the　front　porch　and　Camp　Spruill。　The　men　gathered　first；　Pappy　and　my　father　stretching　and　rubbing　their　stomachs；　and　Stick　looking　particularly　well　fed。　He　carried　a　sizable　belly；　which　pulled　his　brown　shirt　at　the　buttons；　and　it　was　obvious　that　Stick　did　not　spend　his　days　in　the　cotton　fields。　Pappy　said　he　was　lazy　as　hell　and　slept　most　of　the　time　in　his　patrol　car；　under　a　shade　tree　near　Gurdy　Stone's　hot　dog　stand　on　the　edge　of　town。
　　　From　the　other　end　of　the　yard　came　the　Spruills；　all　of　them；　with　Mr。　Spruill　leading　the　pack　and　Trot　bringing　up　the　rear；　twisting　and　snuffling　along　in　his　now　familiar　gait。　I　walked　behind　Gran　and　my　mother；　peeking　between　them　and　trying　to　keep　my　distance。　Only　the　Mexicans　were　absent。
　　　A　loose　huddle　formed　around　Stick；　the　Spruills　loitering　on　one　side；　the　Chandlers　hanging　around　the　other；　though　when　it　came　down　to　it；　we　were　all　on　the　same　side。　I　was　not　pleased　to　be　allied　with　Hank　Spruill；　but　the　cotton　was　more　important　than　anything　else。
　　　Pappy　introduced　Stick　to　Mr。　Spruill；　who　awkwardly　shook　Stick's　hand　and　then　took　a　few　steps　back。　It　looked　like　the　Spruills　were　expecting　the　worst；　and　I　tried　to　remember　if　any　of　them　had　witnessed　the　fight。　There'd　been　a　large　crowd　and　things　had　happened　so　fast。　Dewayne　and　I　had　been　mesmerized　by　the　bloodletting。　I　couldn't　recall　really　noticing　the　faces　of　the　other　spectators。
　　　Stick　worked　a　blade　of　grass　that　was　protruding　from　one　corner　of　his　mouth；　and　with　both　thumbs　hung　in　his　pants　pockets；　he　studied　our　hill　people。　Hank　leaned　against　the　pin　oak；　sneering　at　anybody　who　dared　to　look　at　him。
　　　〃Had　a　big　fight　in　town　yesterday　behind　the　Co…op；〃　Stick　announced　in　the　direction　of　the　Spruills。　Mr。　Spruill　nodded　but　said　nothing。　〃Some　local　boys　got　into　it　with　a　fella　from　the　hills。　One　of　'em；　Jerry　Sisco；　died　this　mornin'　in　the　hospital　in　Jonesboro。　Fractured　skull。〃
　　　Every　Spruill　began　fidgeting；　except　Hank；　who　didn't　move。　They　obviously　had　not　heard　the　latest　on　Jerry　Sisco。
　　　Stick　spat　and　shifted　his　weight；　and　he　seemed　to　enjoy　being　the　man　in　the　middle；　the　voice　of　authority　with　a　badge　and　a　gun。　〃And　so　I'm　lookin'　around；　askin'　questions；　just　tryin'　to　find　out　who　was　involved。〃
　　　〃Ain't　none　of　us；〃　Mr。　Spruill　said。　〃We're　peaceful　folks。〃
　　　〃Is　that　so？〃
　　　〃Yes　sir。〃
　　　〃Did　y'all　go　to　town　yesterday？〃
　　　〃We　did。〃
　　　Now　that　the　lying　had　started；　I　peeked　from　between　the　two　women　for　a　better　look　at　the　Spruills。　They　were　clearly　frightened。　Bo　and　Dale　stood　close　together；　their　eyes　darting　around。　Tally　studied　the　dirt　at　her　bare　feet；　unwilling　to　look　at　us。　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Spruill　seemed　to　be　looking　for　friendly　faces。　Trot；　of　course；　was　in　another　world。
　　　〃You　got　a　boy　named　Hank？〃　Stick　asked。
　　　〃Maybe；〃　Mr。　Spruill　said。
　　　〃Don't　play　games　with　me；〃　Stick　growled　with　sudden　anger。　〃I　ask　you　a　question；　you　give　me　a　straight　answer。　We　got　a　jail　over　in　Jonesboro　with　lots　of　room。　I　can　take　the　whole　family　in　for　questions。　You　understand？〃
　　　〃I'm　Hank　Spruill！〃　came　a　thunderous　voice。　Hank　strutted　through　the　huddle　and　stood　within　striking　distance　of　Stick；　who　was　much　smaller　but　managed　to　maintain　his　cockiness。
　　　Stick　studied　him　for　a　second；　then　asked；　〃Did　you　go　to　town　yesterday？〃
　　　〃I　did。〃
　　　〃Did　you　get　in　a　fight　behind　the　Co…op？〃
　　　〃Nope。　I　stopped　a　fight。〃
　　　〃Did　you　beat　up　the　Sisco　boys？〃
　　　〃I　don't　know　their　names。　There　was　two　of　'em　beatin'　up　a　boy　from　the　hills。　I　stopped　it。〃
　　　Hank's　face　was　smug。　He　showed　no　fear；　and　I　grudgingly　admired　him　for　the　way　he　confronted　the　law。
　　　The　deputy　looked　around　the　crowd；　and　his　eyes　stopped　with　Pappy。　Stick　was　hot　on　the　trail　and　quite　proud　of　himself。　With　his　tongue　he　moved　the　blade　of　grass　to　the　other　corner　of　his　mouth；　then　looked　up　at　Hank　again。
　　　〃Did　you　use　a　stick　of　wood？〃
　　　〃Didn't　need　to。〃
　　　〃Answer　the　question。　Did　you　use　a　stick　of　wood？〃
　　　Without　hesitating；　Hank　said；　〃Nope。　They　had　a　two…by…four。〃
　　　This；　of　course；　conflicted　with　what　someone　else　had　reported　to　Stick。　〃I　guess　I　better　take　you　in；〃　Stick　said；　but　made　no　move　for　the　handcuffs　dangling　from　his　belt。
　　　Mr。　Spruill　took　a　step　forward　and　said　to　Pappy；　〃If　he　leaves；　we　leave；　too。　Right　now。〃
　　　Pappy　was　prepared　for　this。　Hill　people　were　noted　for　their　ability　to　break　camp　and　disappear　quickly；　and　none　of　us　doubted　Mr。　Spruill　meant　what　he　said。　They　would　be　gone　in　an　hour；　back　to　Eureka　Springs；　back　to　their　mountains　and　their　moonshine。　It　would　be　virtually　impossible　to　harvest　eighty　acres　of　cotton　with　just　the　Mexicans　to　help　us。　Every　pound　was　crucial。　Every　hand。
　　　〃Slow　down；　Stick；〃　Pappy　said。　〃Let's　talk　about　this。　You　and　I　both　know　the　Siscos　are　good　for　no　thin'。　They　fight　often；　and　they　fight　dirty。　Seems　to　me　they　picked　on　the　wrong　fella。〃
　　　〃I　got　a　dead　body；　Eli。　You　understand？〃
　　　〃Two　against　one　sounds　like　self…defense　to　me。　Nothin'　fair　about　two　against　one。〃
　　　〃But　look　how　big