jg.paintedhouse-第41部分

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　back；　grabbed　a　foot；　and　slid　the　poor　boy　across　the　ring　and　through　the　ropes。　He　landed　at　his　father's　feet。　Horsefly　yelled；　〃You　cheatin'　sonofabitch！〃
　　　Samson　took　offense　to　this　language　and　motioned　for　Horsefly　to　enter　the　ring　himself。　Horsefly　took　a　step　forward　and　Samson　spread　the　ropes。　Delilah；　who'd　obviously　seen　such　threats　many　times；　said；　〃I　wouldn't　do　that　if　I　were　you。　He　hurts　people　when　he's　angry。〃
　　　By　then　Horsefly　was　looking　for　a　reason　to　hold　his　ground。　Samson　looked　ten　feet　tall　standing　at　the　edge　of　the　ring；　sneering　down。　Horsefly　bent　down　to　check　on　Grunt；　who　was　rubbing　his　shoulder　and　appeared　to　be　on　the　verge　of　tears。　Samson　laughed　at　them　as　they　walked　away；　then　to　taunt　us；　began　flexing　his　biceps　as　he　strolled　around　the　ring。　A　few　in　the　crowd　hissed　at　him；　and　that　was　exactly　what　he　wanted。
　　　He　handled　a　few　more　challengers；　then　Delilah　announced　that　her　man　had　to　eat　dinner。　They'd　be　back　in　an　hour　for　their　final　exhibition。
　　　It　was　now　dark。　The　air　was　filled　with　the　sounds　of　the　carnival；　the　excited　screams　of　kids　on　the　rides；　the　whoops　and　hollers　of　the　winners　at　the　booths　on　the　midway；　the　music　shrieking　forth　from　a　dozen　assorted　speakers；　all　playing　different　tunes；　the　constant　jabbering　of　the　barkers　as　they　enticed　folks　to　part　with　their　money　to　view　the　world's　largest　turtle　or　to　win　another　prize；　and；　above　all；　the　overwhelming　electricity　of　the　crowd。　People　were　so　thick　you　couldn't　stir　'em　with　a　stick；　as　Gran　liked　to　say。　Mobs　crowded　around　the　booths；　watching　and　cheering。　Long　lines　snaked　around　the　rides。　Packs　of　Mexicans　moved　slowly　about；　staring　in　amazement；　but　for　the　most　part；　hanging　on　to　their　money。　I　had　never　seen　so　many　people　in　one　place。
　　　I　found　my　parents　near　the　street；　drinking　lemonade　and　watching　the　spectacle　from　a　safe　distance。　Pappy　and　Gran　were　already　at　the　truck；　ready　to　leave　but　willing　to　wait。　The　carnival　came　only　once　a　year。
　　　〃How　much　money　you　got？〃　my　father　asked。
　　　〃　'Bout　a　dollar；〃　I　said。
　　　〃That　Ferris　wheel　doesn't　look　safe；　Luke；〃　my　mother　said。
　　　〃I've　been　on　it　twice。　It's　okay。〃
　　　〃I'll　give　you　another　dollar　if　you　won't　ride　it　again。〃
　　　〃It's　a　deal。〃
　　　She　handed　me　a　dollar　bill。　We　agreed　that　I　would　check　back　in　an　hour　or　so。　I　found　Dewayne　again；　and　we　decided　it　was　time　to　investigate　the　girlie　show。　We　darted　through　the　throng　along　the　midway　and　slowed　near　the　gypsies'　trailers。　It　was　much　darker　back　there。　In　front　of　the　tent　were　some　men　smoking　cigarettes；　and　in　the　door　was　a　young　woman　in　a　skimpy　costume　swinging　her　hips　and　dancing　in　a　naughty　way。
　　　As　Baptists；　we　knew　that　all　manner　of　dancing　was　not　only　inherently　evil　but　downright　sinful。　It　was　right　up　there　with　drinking　and　cussing　on　the　list　of　major　transgressions。
　　　The　dancer　was　not　as　attractive　as　Delilah；　nor　did　she　reveal　as　much　or　move　as　gracefully。　Of　course；　Delilah　had　years　of　experience　and　had　traveled　the　world。
　　　We　sneaked　along　the　shadows；　advancing　slowly　until　a　strange　voice　from　nowhere　said；　〃That's　far　enough。　You　boys　get　outta　here。〃　We　froze　and　looked　around；　and　about　that　time　we　heard　a　familiar　voice　yell　from　behind　us；　〃Repent；　ye　workers　of　iniquity！　Repent！〃
　　　It　was　the　Reverend　Akers；　standing　tall　with　his　Bible　in　one　hand　while　a　long；　crooked　finger　pointed　out　from　the　fist　of　the　other。
　　　〃You　brood　of　vipers！〃　he　yelled　at　the　top　of　his　lungs。
　　　I　don't　know　if　the　young　lady　stopped　dancing　or　if　the　men　scattered。　I　didn't　bother　to　look。　Dewayne　and　I　hit　the　ground　on　all　fours　and　crawled　like　hunted　prey　through　the　maze　of　trailers　and　trucks　until　we　saw　light　between　two　of　the　booths　on　the　midway。　We　emerged　and　got　lost　in　the　crowd。
　　　〃You　think　he　saw　us？〃　Dewayne　asked　when　we　were　safe。
　　　〃I　don't　know。　I　doubt　it。〃
　　　We　circled　around　and　wandered　back　to　a　safe　spot　near　the　gypsies'　trailers。　Brother　Akers　was　in　fine　form。　He'd　moved　to　within　thirty　feet　of　the　tent　and　was　casting　out　demons　at　the　top　of　his　voice。　And　he　was　having　success。　The　dancer　was　gone；　as　were　the　men　who'd　been　hanging　around　smoking。　He'd　killed　the　show；　although　I　suspected　they　were　all　inside；　hunkering　down　and　waiting　him　out。
　　　But　Delilah　was　back；　wearing　yet　another　costume。　It　was　made　of　leopard　skin　and　barely　covered　the　essentials；　and　I　knew　Brother　Akers　would　have　something　to　say　about　it　the　next　morning。　He　loved　the　carnival　because　it　gave　him　so　much　material　for　the　pulpit。
　　　A　regular　mob　crowded　around　the　wrestling　ring；　gawking　at　Delilah　and　waiting　for　Samson。　Again；　she　introduced　him　with　the　lines　we'd　already　heard。　He　finally　jumped　into　the　ring；　and　he；　too；　had　chosen　leopard　skin。　Tight　shorts；　no　shirt；　shiny　black　leather　boots。　He　strutted　and　posed　and　tried　to　get　us　to　boo　him。
　　　My　friend　Jackie　Moon　crawled　into　the　ring　first；　and　like　most　victims；　engaged　the　strategy　of　dodging。　He　darted　around　effectively　for　twenty　seconds　until　Samson　had　had　enough。　A　Guillotine；　then　a　Turkish　Roll…Down；　as　Delilah　explained；　and　Jackie　was　on　the　grass　not　far　from　where　I　was　standing。　He　laughed。　〃That　wasn't　so　bad。〃
　　　Samson　wasn't　about　to　hurt　anybody；　it　would　harm　his　business。　But　as　his　final　exhibition　wore　on；　he　became　much　cockier　and　yelled　at　us　constantly；　〃Is　there　a　man　among　you？〃　His　accent　was　of　some　exotic　variety；　his　voice　was　deep　and　frightening。　〃Are　there　no　warriors　in　Black　Oak；　Arkansas？〃
　　　I　wished　I　were　seven　feet　tall。　Then　I'd　hop　up　there　and　attack　ol'　Samson　while　the　crowd　went　wild。　I'd　whip　him　good；　send　him　flying；　and　bee　the　biggest　hero　in　Black　Oak。　But；　for　now；　I　could　only　boo　him。
　　　Hank　Spruill　entered　the　picture。　He　walked　along　the　edge　of　the　ring　between　bouts；　and　stopped　long　enough　to　get　Samson's　attention。　The　crowd　was　silent　as　the　two　glared　at　each　other。　Samson　walked　to　the　edge　of　the　ring　and　said；　〃e　on　in；　little　one。〃
　　　Hank；　of　course；　just　sneered。　Then　he　walked　over　to　Delilah　and　took　money　from　his　pocket。
　　　〃Ooh　la　la；　Samson；〃　she　said；　taking　his　cash。　〃Twenty…five　dollars！〃
　　　Everyone　seemed　to　be　mumbling　in　disbelief。　〃Twenty…five　bucks！〃　said　a　man　from　behind。　〃That's　a　week's　work。〃
　　　〃Yeah；　but　he　might　win　two　hundred　fifty；〃　said　another　man。
　　　As　the　crowd　squeezed　together；　Dewayne　and　I　moved　to　the　front　so　we　could　see　through　the　grown…ups。
　　　〃What's　your　name？〃　Delilah　asked；　shoving　the　microphone　up。
　　　〃Hank　Spruill；〃　he　growled。　〃You　still　payin'　ten…to…one？〃
　　　〃That's　the　deal；　big　boy。　Are　you　sure　you　want　to　bet　twenty…five　dollars？〃
　　　〃Yep。　And　all　I　gotta　do　is　stay　in　the　ring　for　one　minute？〃
　　　〃Yes；　sixty　seconds。　You　know　Samson　hasn't　lost　a　fight　in　five　years。　Last　time　he　lost　was　in　Russia；　and　they　cheated　him。〃
　　　〃Don't　care　'bout　Russia；〃　Hank　said；　taking　off　his　shirt。　〃Any　other　rules？〃
　　　〃No。〃　She　turned　to　the　crowd；　and　with　as　much　drama　as　she　could　muster；　she　yelled；　〃Ladies　and　gentlemen。　The　great　Samson　has　been　challenged　to　his　biggest　fight　of　all　time。　Mr。　Hank　Spruill　has　put　up　twenty…five　dollars　for　a　ten…to…one　fight。　Never　before　in　history　has　someone　made　so　large　a　challenge。〃
　　　Samson　was　posturing　around　the　ring；　shaking　his　sizable　locks　and　looking　forward　to　the　skirmish　with　great　anticipation。
　　　〃Lemme　see　the　money；〃　Hank　growled　at　Delilah。
　　　〃Here　it　is；〃　she　said；　using　the　microphone。
　　　〃No；　I　wanna　see　the　two…fifty。〃
　　　〃We　won't　be　needing　it；〃　she　said　with　a　laugh；　a　chuckle　with　just　a　trace　of　nervousness。　But　she　lowered　the　microphone；　and　they　haggled　over　the　details。　Bo　and　Dale　appeared　from　the　crowd；　and　Hank　made　them　stand　next　to　the　small　table　where　Delilah　kept　the　money。　When　he　was　convinced　the　money　was　in　place；　he　stepped　into　the　ring；　where　the　great　Samson　stood　with　his　massive　arms　folded　over　his　chest。
　　　〃Ain't　he　the　one　who　killed　that　Sisco　boy？〃　someone　asked　from　behind　us。
　　　〃That's　him；〃　was　the　reply。
　　　〃He's　almost　as　big　as　Samson。〃
　　　He　was　a　few