jg.paintedhouse-第35部分

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　about　how　big　they　were　and　the　trash　they　fed　on；　and　about　the　forty…four…pound　one　that　Ricky　had　caught。　She　held　my　hand　as　we　crossed　to　the　other　side；　a　gentle　squeeze；　one　of　affection　and　not　safeguarding。
　　　The　trail　to　the　Latchers'　was　much　darker。　We　slowed　considerably　because　we　were　trying　to　see　the　house　while　staying　on　the　trail。　Since　they　had　no　electricity；　there　were　no　lights；　nothing　but　blackness　in　their　bend　of　the　river。
　　　She　heard　something　and　stopped　cold。　Voices；　off　in　the　distance。　We　stepped　to　the　edge　of　their　cotton　and　waited　patiently　for　the　moon。　I　pointed　here　and　there　and　gave　her　my　best　guess　as　to　the　location　of　their　house。　The　voices　were　of　children；　no　doubt　the　Latcher　brood。
　　　The　moon　finally　cooperated；　and　we　got　a　look　at　the　landscape。　The　dark　shadow　of　the　house　was　the　same　distance　as　our　barn　was　to　our　back　porch；　about　350　feet；　same　as　home　plate　is　from　the　outfield　wall　in　Sportsman's　Park。　Most　great　distances　in　my　life　were　measured　by　that　wall。　Pappy's　truck　was　parked　in　the　front。
　　　〃We'd　better　go　around　this　way；〃　she　said　calmly；　as　if　she'd　led　many　such　raids。　We　sank　into　the　cotton　and　followed　one　row　and　then　another　as　we　silently　moved　in　a　great　semicircle　through　their　crops。　In　most　places；　their　cotton　was　almost　as　tall　as　I　was。　When　we　came　to　a　gap　where　the　stalks　were　thin；　we　stopped　and　studied　the　terrain。　There　was　a　faint　light　in　the　back　room　of　the　house；　the　room　where　they　kept　Libby。　When　we　were　directly　east　of　it；　we　began　cutting　across　rows　of　cotton；　very　quietly　moving　toward　the　house。
　　　The　chances　of　someone　seeing　us　were　slim。　We　weren't　expected；　of　course；　and　they　were　thinking　of　other　matters。　And　the　crops　were　thick　and　dark　at　night；　a　kid　could　crawl　on　hands　and　knees　through　the　stalks　without　ever　being　seen。
　　　My　partner　in　crime　moved　deftly；　as　ably　as　any　soldier　I'd　seen　in　the　movies。　She　kept　her　eyes　on　the　house　and　carefully　brushed　the　stalks　aside；　always　clearing　a　path　for　me。　Not　a　word　was　spoken。　We　took　our　time；　slowly　advancing　on　the　side　of　the　house。　The　cotton　grew　close　to　the　narrow　dirt　yard；　and　when　we　were　ten　rows　away；　we　settled　in　a　spot　and　surveyed　the　situation。
　　　We　could　hear　the　Latcher　kids　gathered　near　our　pickup；　which　was　parked　as　far　away　from　the　front　porch　as　possible。　My　father　and　Mr。　Latcher　sat　on　the　tailgate；　talking　softly。　The　children　were　quiet；　and　then　they　all　talked　at　once。　Everyone　seemed　to　be　waiting；　and　after　a　few　minutes　I　got　the　impression　they'd　been　waiting　for　a　long　time。
　　　Before　us　was　the　window；　and　from　our　hiding　place　we　were　closer　to　the　action　than　the　rest　of　the　Latchers　and　my　father。　And　we　were　wonderfully　hidden　from　everything；　a　searchlight　from　the　roof　of　the　house　could　not　have　spotted　us。
　　　There　was　a　candle　on　a　table　of　some　sort　just　inside　the　window。　The　women　moved　around；　and　judging　from　the　shadows　that　rose　and　fell；　I　figured　there　were　several　candles　in　the　room。　The　light　was　dim；　the　shadows　heavy。
　　　〃Let's　move　forward；〃　Tally　whispered。　By　then　we'd　been　there　for　five　minutes；　and　though　I　was　frightened；　I　didn't　think　we　would　ever　get　caught。
　　　We　advanced　ten　feet；　and　then　nestled　down　in　another　safe　place。
　　　〃This　is　close　enough；〃　I　said。
　　　〃Maybe。〃
　　　The　light　from　the　room　fell　to　the　ground　outside。　The　window　had　no　screen；　no　curtains。　As　we　waited；　my　heart　slowed；　and　my　breathing　returned　to　normal。　My　eyes　focused　on　the　surroundings；　and　I　began　to　hear　the　sounds　of　the　night…the　crickets'　chorus；　the　bullfrogs　croaking　down　by　the　river；　the　murmuring　of　the　deep　voices　of　the　men　in　the　distance。
　　　My　mother　and　Gran　and　Mrs。　Latcher　also　talked　in　very　low　voices。　We　could　hear；　but　we　couldn't　understand。
　　　When　all　was　quiet　and　still；　Libby　screamed　in　agony；　and　I　nearly　jumped　out　of　my　skin。　Her　pained　voice　echoed　through　the　fields；　and　I　was　sure　she　had　died。　Silence　engulfed　the　pickup。　Even　the　crickets　seemed　to　stop　for　a　second。
　　　〃What　happened？〃　I　asked。
　　　〃A　labor　contraction；〃　Tally　said；　without　taking　her　eyes　off　the　window。
　　　〃What's　that？〃
　　　She　shrugged。　〃Just　part　of　it。　It'll　get　worse。〃
　　　〃That　poor　girl。〃
　　　〃She　asked　for　it。〃
　　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　I　asked。
　　　〃Never　mind；〃　she　said。
　　　Things　were　quiet　for　a　few　minutes；　then　we　heard　Libby　crying。　Her　mother　and　Gran　tried　to　console　her。　〃I'm　so　sorry；〃　Libby　said　over　and　over。
　　　〃It's　gonna　be　all　right；〃　her　mother　said。
　　　〃Nobody'll　know　about　it；〃　Gran　said。　It　was　obviously　a　lie；　but　maybe　it　provided　a　little　relief　for　Libby。
　　　〃You're　gonna　have　a　beautiful　baby；〃　my　mother　said。
　　　A　stray　Latcher　wandered　over；　one　of　the　mid…sized　ones；　and　sneaked　its　way　close　to　the　window；　the　same　way　I'd　crept　upon　it　just　a　few　hours　earlier；　just　moments　before　Percy　nearly　maimed　me　with　the　dirt　clod。　He　or　she…I　couldn't　tell　the　difference…began　snooping　and　was　getting　an　eyeful　when　an　older　sibling　barked　at　the　end　of　the　house；　〃Lloyd；　get　away　from　that　window。〃
　　　Lloyd　immediately　withdrew　and　scurried　away　in　the　darkness。　His　trespass　was　promptly　reported　to　Mr。　Latcher；　and　a　vicious　tail…whipping　ensued　somewhere　nearby。　Mr。　Latcher　used　a　stick　of　some　variety。　He　kept　saying；　〃Next　time　I'll　get　me　a　bigger　stick！〃　Lloyd　thought　the　current　one　was　more　than　enough。　His　screams　probably　could　be　heard　at　the　bridge。
　　　When　the　mauling　was　over；　Mr。　Latcher　boomed；　〃I　told　you　kids　to　stay　close；　and　to　stay　away　from　the　house！〃
　　　We　could　not　see　this　episode；　nor　did　we　have　to；　to　get　the　full　effect。
　　　But　I　was　more　horrified　thinking　about　the　severity　and　duration　of　the　beating　I'd　get　if　my　father　knew　where　I　was　at　that　moment。　I　suddenly　wanted　to　leave。
　　　〃How　long　does　it　take　to　have　a　baby？〃　I　whispered　to　Tally。　If　she　was　weary；　she　didn't　show　it。　She　rested　on　her　knees；　frozen；　her　eyes　never　leaving　the　window。
　　　〃Depends。　First　one　always　takes　longer。〃
　　　〃How　long　does　the　seventh　one　take？〃
　　　〃I　don't　know。　By　then　they　just　drop　out；　I　guess。　Who's　had　seven？〃
　　　〃Libby's　mom。　Seven　or　eight。　I　think　she　drops　one　a　year。〃
　　　I　was　about　to　doze　off　when　the　next　contraction　hit。　Again　it　rattled　the　house　and　led　first　to　weeping　and　then　to　soothing　words　inside　the　room。　Then　things　leveled　off　once　more；　and　I　realized　this　might　go　on　for　a　long　time。
　　　
　　　When　I　couldn't　keep　my　eyes　open　any　longer；　I　curled　up　on　the　warm　soil　between　the　two　rows　of　cotton。　〃Don't　you　think　we　oughta　leave？〃　I　whispered。
　　　〃No；〃　she　said　firmly；　without　moving。
　　　〃Wake　me　up　if　anything　happens；〃　I　said。
　　　Tally　readjusted　herself。　She　sat　on　her　rear　and　crossed　her　legs；　and　gently　placed　my　head　in　her　lap。　She　rubbed　my　shoulder　and　my　head。　I　didn't　want　to　go　to　sleep；　but　I　just　couldn't　help　it。
　　　When　I　awoke；　I　was　at　first　lost　in　a　strange　world；　lying　in　a　field；　in　total　blackness。　I　didn't　move。　The　ground　around　me　wasn't　warm　anymore；　and　my　feet　were　cold。　I　opened　my　eyes　and　stared　above；　terrified　until　I　realized　there　was　cotton　standing　over　me。　I　heard　urgent　voices　nearby。　Someone　said；　〃Libby；〃　and　I　was　jolted　back　to　reality。　I　reached　for　Tally；　but　she　was　gone。
　　　I　rose　from　the　ground　and　peered　through　the　cotton。　The　scene　hadn't　changed。　The　window　was　still　open；　the　candles　still　burning；　but　my　mother　and　Gran　and　Mrs。　Latcher　were　very　busy。
　　　〃Tally！〃　I　whispered　urgently；　too　loud；　I　thought；　but　I　was　more　scared　than　ever。
　　　〃Shhhhh！〃　came　the　reply。　〃Over　here。〃
　　　I　could　barely　see　the　back　of　her　head；　two　rows　in　front　and　over　to　the　right。　She　had；　of　course；　angled　for　a　better　view。　I　knifed　through　the　stalks　and　was　soon　at　her　side。
　　　Home　plate　is　sixty　feet　from　the　pitcher's　mound。　We　were　much　closer　to　the　window　than　that。　Only　two　rows　of　cotton　stood　between　us　and　the　edge　of　their　side　yard。　Ducking　low　and　looking　up　through　the　stalks；　I　could　finally　see　the　shadowy　sweating　faces　of　my　mother　and　grandmother　and　Mrs。　Latcher。　They　were　staring　down；　looking　at　Libby；　of　course；