jg.paintedhouse-第50部分

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anted　to　do　something　to　stop　them；　but　I　had　no　right。　I　was　just　a　little　kid；　a　spy　who　was　trespassing　on　their　business。　I　thought　about　retreating；　but　the　voices　held　me。
　　　The　snake　was　a　water　moccasin；　a　cottonmouth；　one　of　many　in　our　part　of　Arkansas。　They　lived　around　the　creeks　and　rivers　and　occasionally　ventured　inland　to　sun　or　to　feed。　Each　spring　when　we　planted；　it　was　mon　to　see　them　ground　up　behind　our　disks　and　plows。　They　were　short；　black；　thick；　aggressive；　and　filled　with　venom。　Their　bites　were　rarely　fatal；　but　I'd　heard　many　tall　tales　of　horrible　deaths。
　　　If　you　saw　one；　you　simply　killed　it　with　a　stick　or　a　hoe　or　anything　you　could　grab。　They　weren't　as　quick　as　rattlers；　nor　did　they　have　the　striking　range；　but　they　were　mean　and　nasty。
　　　This　one　was　crawling　down　the　row　directly　at　me；　less　than　five　feet　away。　We　were　eyeball…to…eyeball。　I'd　been　so　occupied　with　Tally　and　whatever　she　was　doing　that　I'd　forgotten　everything　else。　I　uttered　something　in　horror　and　bolted　upright；　then　I　ran　through　a　row　of　cotton；　then　another。
　　　A　man　said　something　in　a　louder　voice；　but　for　the　moment　I　was　more　concerned　with　the　snake。　I　hit　the　ground　near　my　cotton　sack；　strapped　it　over　my　shoulder；　and　began　crawling　toward　the　trailer。　When　I　was　certain　the　cottonmouth　was　far　away；　I　stopped　and　listened。　Nothing。　plete　silence。　No　one　was　chasing　me。
　　　Slowly；　I　stood　and　peeked　through　the　cotton。　To　my　right；　several　rows　away　and　already　with　her　back　to　me；　was　Tally；　her　cotton　sack　strapped　over　her　shoulder　and　her　straw　hat　cocked　to　one　side；　steadily　making　her　way　along　as　if　nothing　had　happened。
　　　And　to　my　left；　cutting　low　through　the　cotton　and　escaping　like　a　thief；　was　Cowboy。
　　　
　　　On　most　Saturday　afternoons　Pappy　could　find　some　reason　to　delay　our　trip　to　town。　We'd　finish　lunch；　and　I'd　suffer　the　indignity　of　the　bath；　then　he'd　find　something　to　do　because　he　was　determined　to　make　us　wait。　The　tractor　had　some　ailment　that　suddenly　needed　his　attention。　He'd　crawl　around　with　his　old　wrenches；　making　a　fuss　about　how　it　had　to　be　repaired　right　then　so　he　could　buy　the　necessary　parts　in　town。　Or　the　truck　wasn't　running　just　right；　and　Saturday　after　lunch　was　the　perfect　time　to　poke　around　the　engine。　Or　the　water　pump　needed　his　attention。　Sometimes　he　sat　at　the　kitchen　table　and　attended　to　the　small　amount　of　paperwork　it　took　to　run　the　farming　operation。
　　　Finally；　when　everyone　was　good　and　mad；　he'd　take　a　long　bath；　and　then　we'd　head　to　town。
　　　My　mother　was　anxious　to　see　the　newest　member　of　Craighead　County；　even　though　he　was　a　Latcher；　so　while　Pappy　piddled　in　the　tool　shed；　we　loaded　four　boxes　of　vegetables　and　headed　across　the　river。　My　father　somehow　avoided　the　trip。　The　baby's　alleged　father　was　his　brother；　and　that；　of　course；　made　my　father　the　baby's　alleged　uncle；　and　that　was　something　my　father　simply　wasn't　ready　to　accept。　And　I　was　sure　he　had　no　interest　in　another　encounter　with　Mr。　Latcher。
　　　My　mother　drove；　and　I　prayed；　and　we　somehow　made　it　safely　over　the　bridge。　We　rolled　to　a　stop　on　the　other　side　of　the　river。　The　truck　stalled；　and　the　engine　died。　As　she　was　taking　a　deep　breath；　I　decided　to　say；　〃Mom；　there's　somethin'　I　need　to　tell　you。〃
　　　〃Can　it　wait？〃　she　asked；　reaching　for　the　ignition。
　　　〃No。〃
　　　We　were　sitting　in　a　hot　truck；　just　off　the　bridge；　on　a　one…lane　dirt　road　without　a　house　or　another　vehicle　in　sight。　It　struck　me　as　the　perfect　place　and　time　for　an　important　conversation。
　　　〃What　is　it？〃　she　said；　folding　her　arms　across　her　chest　as　if　she'd　already　decided　I'd　done　something　terrible。
　　　There　were　so　many　secrets。　Hank　and　the　Sisco　beating。　Tally　at　the　creek。　The　birth　of　Libby's　baby。　But　those　had　been　tucked　away　for　a　while。　I'd　bee　adept　at　keeping　them　private。　The　current　one；　though；　had　to　be　shared　with　my　mother。
　　　〃I　think　Tally　and　Cowboy　like　each　other；〃　I　said；　and　immediately　I　felt　lighter。
　　　〃Is　that　so？〃　she　said　with　a　smile；　as　if　I　didn't　know　much　because　I　was　just　a　kid。　Then　the　smile　slowly　vanished　as　she　considered　this。　I　wondered　if　she；　too；　knew　something　about　the　secret　romance。
　　　〃Yes　ma'am。〃
　　　〃And　what　makes　you　think　this？〃
　　　〃I　caught　them　in　the　cotton　patch　this　mornin'。〃
　　　〃What　were　they　doing？〃　she　asked；　seeming　a　little　frightened　that　maybe　I'd　seen　something　I　shouldn't　have。
　　　〃I　don't　know；　but　they　were　together。〃
　　　〃Did　you　see　them？〃
　　　I　told　her　the　story；　beginning　with　the　voices；　then　the　cotton…mouth；　then　their　escape。　I　omitted　no　details；　and；　amazingly；　I　did　not　exaggerate　anything。　Maybe　the　size　of　the　snake；　but　for　the　most　part　I　clung　to　the　truth。
　　　She　absorbed　it　and　seemed　genuinely　astounded。
　　　〃What　were　they　doin'；　Mom？〃　I　asked。
　　　〃I　don't　know。　You　didn't　see　anything；　did　you？〃
　　　〃No　ma'am。　Do　you　think　they　were　kissin'？〃
　　　〃Probably；〃　she　said　quickly。
　　　She　reached　for　the　ignition　again　and　said；　〃Oh　well；　I'll　talk　to　your　father　about　it。〃
　　　We　drove　away　in　a　hurry。　After　a　moment　or　two　I　really　couldn't　tell　if　I　felt　any　better。　She'd　told　me　many　times　that　little　boys　shouldn't　keep　secrets　from　their　mothers。　But　every　time　I　confessed　one；　she　was　quick　to　shrug　it　off　and　tell　my　father　what　I'd　told　her。　I'm　not　sure　how　I　benefited　from　being　so　candid。　But　it　was　all　I　could　do。　Now　the　adults　knew　about　Tally　and　Cowboy。　Let　them　worry　about　the　problem。
　　　The　Latchers　were　picking　near　their　house；　so　by　the　time　we　rolled　to　a　stop；　we　had　an　audience。　Mrs。　Latcher　emerged　from　the　house　and　managed　a　smile；　then　she　helped　us　haul　the　food　to　the　front　porch。
　　　〃I　guess　you　wanna　see　the　baby；〃　she　said　softly　to　my　mother。
　　　I　wanted　to　see　it　also；　but　I　knew　my　chances　were　slim。　The　women　went　into　the　house。　I　found　a　spot　under　a　tree　near　our　truck；　and　I　planned　to　loiter；　alone；　just　minding　my　own　business　while　I　waited　for　my　mother。　I　didn't　want　to　see　any　of　the　Latchers。　The　fact　that　we　were　now　probably　related　by　blood　made　me　ill。
　　　Three　of　them　suddenly　appeared　from　around　the　truck…three　boys；　with　Percy　leading　the　group。　The　other　two　were　younger　and　smaller　but　just　as　lean　and　wiry　as　Percy。　They　approached　me　without　a　word。
　　　〃Howdy；　Percy；〃　I　said；　trying　to　at　least　be　polite。
　　　〃What're　you　doin'　here？〃　he　growled。　He　had　a　brother　on　each　side；　all　three　of　them　lined　up　against　me。
　　　〃My　mother　made　me　e；〃　I　said。
　　　〃You　ain't　got　no　business　here。〃　He　was　practically　hissing　through　his　teeth；　and　I　wanted　to　back　up。　In　fact；　I　wanted　to　tuck　tail　and　run。
　　　〃I'm　waitin'　for　my　mother；〃　I　said。
　　　〃We're　gonna　whup　your　ass；〃　Percy　said；　and　all　three　of　them　clenched　their　fists。
　　　〃Why？〃　I　managed　to　say。
　　　〃　'Cause　you're　a　Chandler；　and　your　Ricky　did　that　to　Libby。〃
　　　〃Wasn't　my　fault；〃　I　said。
　　　〃Don't　matter。〃　The　smallest　one　looked　particularly　fierce。　He　was　squinting　and　twisting　his　mouth　up　at　the　corners；　sort　of　snarling　at　me；　and　I　figured　the　first　punch　would　e　from　him。
　　　〃Three　on　one　ain't　fair；〃　I　said。
　　　〃Wasn't　fair　what　happened　to　Libby；〃　Percy　said　and　then；　quick　as　a　cat；　he　punched　me　in　the　stomach。　A　horse　could　not　have　kicked　any　harder；　and　I　went　down　with　a　shriek。
　　　I'd　had　a　few　scuffles　at　school…playground　push…and…shoves　that　were　broken　up　by　the　teachers　before　serious　blows　were　landed。　Mrs。　Emma　Enos；　the　third…grade　teacher；　gave　me　three　licks　for　trying　to　fight　Joey　Stallcup；　and　Pappy　could　not　have　been　prouder。　And　Ricky　used　to　be　rough　with　me；　wrestling　and　boxing　and　such。　I　was　no　stranger　to　violence。　Pappy　loved　to　fight；　and　when　I　hit　the　ground；　I　thought　of　him。　Somebody　kicked　me；　I　grabbed　a　foot；　and　instantly　there　was　a　pile　of　little　warriors；　all　kicking　and　clawing　and　cussing　in　the　dirt。　I　grabbed　the　hair　of　the　midsized　one　while　the　other　two　pounded　my　back。　I　was　determined　to　yank　his　head　off　when　Percy　landed　a　nasty　shot　to　my　nose。　I　went　blind　for　a　second；　and　they；　squealing　like　wild　animals；　piled　on　again。
　　　I　heard　the　women　yell　from　the　porch。　It's　about　time！　I　th