cw.blackalibi-第7部分

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he　last　customer　to　suggest　that　there　weren't　going　to　be　any　more　that　night。　Thus　one　night　she　might　close　at　ten；　the　next　at　eleven；　the　next　at　nine。
　　The　girl　gave　a　warning　hail　from　where　she　was；　to　try　to　hold　her　at　the　door　until　she　could　get　there；　she　began　to　run　fleetly　down　toward　it。　She　got　there　just　too　late；　the　padlock　was　on　the　inside。　This　being　a　depot　that　dealt　in　valuables　such　as　sugar；　candles；　chick…peas；　et　cetera；　it　was　kept　locked　during　the　night；　unlike　the　domiciles　around。
　　She　could　still　make　out　a　faint　gleam　of　candlelight　ing　from　behind　a　hanging　at　the　rear　when　she　put　her　face　close　to　the　glass　display　window　to　one　side　of　the　door。　Electricity　for　the　front　part　of　the　store；　candlelight　for　the　living　quarters　at　the　back；　that　was　the　natural　order　of　things；　nothing　surprising　in　that。　She　pounded　her　palm　on　the　window　hopefully。
　　The　hanging　was　withdrawn　diagonally　and　old　lady　Calderуn　showed　herself；　already　in　a　partial　state　of　deshabille；　which　consisted　of　being　barefooted　and　of　a　braid　of　platinum　hair　having　been　uncoiled　from　her　head　and　allowed　to　dangle　down　in　front　of　one　shoulder。
　　〃I　just　want　a　little　bag　of　charcoal　for　my　father's　supper！〃　Teresa　Delgado　called　through　the　glass　between　her　hands。
　　The　tienda　…keeper　shook　her　head；　motioned　her　away；　while　she　continued　working　her　way　down　to　the　bottom　of　the　braid。　〃Maсana。〃
　　〃It'll　just　take　a　second。　While　you're　standing　there　talking　you　could　measure　it　out…〃　She　held　up　the　coin　for　her　to　see。
　　〃It　means　taking　off　the　lock　again；　putting　on　the　light；　digging　down　in　the　sack。　It's　too　much　trouble。　Once　I　close　I　close。〃　The　hanging　fell　vertical　again；　blotting　her　out。
　　The　girl　turned　away　frustratedly。　Now　she'd　either　have　to　go　home　without　it　or　she'd　have　to　go　all　the　way　down　to　that　other　store；　streets　away；　over　on　the　other　side　of　the　viaduct。　That　was　the　nearest　one　there　was　to　here。　The　viaduct　was　a　parapet　of　solid　masonry　supporting　a　boulevard　that　crossed　the　former　river　bed　at　a　height　equal　to　its　sides。　You　had　to　go　through　an　arched　passageway　tunneled　through　its　base　to　get　over　to　the　other　side。　It　had　always；　even　before　now　（now　being　that　rumor）；　given　her　the　creeps　to　have　to　pass　through　there　late　like　this；　when　there　was　no　one　much　around　any　more。　It　was　so　black　while　it　lasted。
　　But　if　she　went　back　without　the　charcoal；　her　mother　wouldn't　let　her　in。　Or；　if　she　did；　would　probably　disbelieve　her　about　the　store　being　closed　and　would　take　the　broom　to　her　some　more。
　　The　more　embodied　fear　always　overes　the　more　formless　one；　even　when　it　is　the　lesser　of　the　two。　She　reluctantly　resumed　her　descent　toward　the　causeway　ahead；　instead　of　turning　back　for　home。
　　When　she　got　down　to　it　and　was　about　to　enter；　she　took　a　deep　breath；　stored　up　enough　air　to　see　her　through　to　the　other　side。　It　was　black　and　impenetrable。　The　slant　of　the　ground　outside　prevented　what　reflection　there　was　from　street　lights　in　the　distance　from　entering；　beyond　a　slight　indentation　at　its　very　mouth。　You'd　think　they'd　have　a　light　hanging　in　it　at　least；　or　just　outside　up　over　the　entrance。　Well；　they'd　tried　to　many　times；　but　the　kids　who　played　around　here　in　the　daytime　had　always　ended　up　by　busting　it　in　a　day　or　two；　so　finally　they　didn't　try　to　keep　one　going　any　more。
　　Her　footsteps　began　to　echo　hollowly　the　minute　the　unseen　rounded　roof　had　closed　over　her；　and　the　stonework　all　around　made　it　a　little　damper　and　mustier。　Once；　a　year　or　so　ago；　somebody　had　been　found　dead　in　here；　with　a　knife　in　him　and　his　pockets…　But　she　didn't　want　to　think　of　that　now。　This　was　no　time　for　it。
　　She　had　quickened　her　gait　unconsciously；　from　the　moment　of　entering。　Her　eyes；　brilliant　and　large　at　all　times；　must　have　been　enormous　in　the　gloom；　though　they　couldn't　be　seen。　Gracias　a　Dios；　it　wasn't　very　long；　just　about　the　width　of　the　boulevard　that　ran　atop　it。　She　was　halfway　through　to　the　other　side　now。　Her　footfalls　went　bonk；　bonk；　bonk；　bonk；　like　the　thumping　of　gourds；　the　stones　above　giving　the　sound　back　to　the　stones　below。
　　There…she　could　see　the　other　opening　ahead　of　her；　she　was　ing　Out。　She　began　to　breathe　again；　and；　only　in　doing　so；　realized　she　hadn't　been　until　now。　It　wasn't　very　much　lighter　out　ahead　than　it　was　in　here；　a　few　motes　of　dark　blue　or　gray　mingled　with　the　smooth…textured　black　to　make　it　seem　threadbare；　that　was　all。　But　the　deep　resonance　of　her　tread　began　to　dwindle　a　little；　and　the　air　to　bee　a　little　less　damply　oppressive。　Those　were　the　chief　signals　of　approaching　emergence；　rather　than　vision　itself。
　　And　then；　as　she　hurried　to　meet　the　open　again；　she　happened　to　glance　over　to　one　side　of　her。　For　no　reason；　or　for　whatever　reason　it　is　that　draws　the　vacant　glance　when　there　seems　to　be　no　cause　yet　there　is。　Her　throat　swelled　with　suddenly　congested　breath。　What　was　that？　The　stonework　must　be　wet　over　there；　there　must　be　some　slight　seepage　of　water　trickling　down　between　their　seams。　For　she　caught　a　sort　of　reflected　gleam；　an　iridescent　winking。
　　But　there　wasn't　any　light　outside　the　passage；　nothing　that　could　strike　that　far　in；　create　such　a　high　light　against　the　stone　tunnel　facing。　It　was　not　expansive；　in　a　sheet；　nor　yet　was　it　continuous；　in　a　perpendicular　thread；　such　as　watet　might　have　made。　If　it　was　water；　it　was　in　the　shape　of　two　drops；　side　by　side。　Two　elongated；　almost　slitted　drops；　rod…shaped；　like　bacilli　seen　through　a　microscope。　Faintly　wavering；　as　if　with　inner　heat　carried　upward　behind　them；　in　a　fuming　sulphurous　yellow　green。　Yet　not　distinct；　not　clearly　etched　against　the　blackness；　nothing　like　that。　Rather　a　diffuse；　a　thin…surfaced　glistening　that；　but　for　the　blackness　itself；　which　gave　the　eye；　her　eye；　nothing　else　to　rest　upon；　would　have　escaped　her　notice　entirely。
　　They　weren't　eyes；　were　they…other　eyes？　So　steadily　maintaining　their　twoness；　their　equidistance；　their　taut；　stretched…out　suggestion　of　wicked　peering…　No；　of　course　not。　How　could　they　be？　What　would　eyes　be　doing　in　here；　and…and　whose　would　they　be　anyway；　and…　Just　don't　let　them　be；　don't　think　they　are；　if　you　think　they　aren't；　they　won't　be。　Only　light　glinting　from　the　wetted　projection　of　two　small　roughnesses；　two　unevennesses　in　the　stonework；　side　by　side；　that　was　all。
　　It　had　sidled　back　to　the　rearward　now；　as　her　feet　continued　to　do　their　duty；　like　soldiers　who　continue　to　carry　out　previously　received　orders　long　past　the　ability　of　the　manding　officer　to　issue　or　even　be　able　to　think　up　new　ones。　She　didn't　dare　turn　to　look　back；　once　the　continuity　of　her　line　of　vision　had　been　broken；　she　was　afraid　her　carefully　patched　explanation　couldn't　stand　the　confirmation　of　a　second　look；　might　fall　to　pieces　at　it。
　　A　few　short　steps　more；　and　the　night　sky　had　opened　around　her　again。　Look；　a　star。　Another。　Oh；　the　beautiful　openness　of　night。　Space　to　run　in。　Even　the　darkness　a　lesser　darkness；　with　color　beneath　its　surface：　sooted　white　and　submerged　green　and　blue。　The　gourds　of　her　measured　tread　became　the　rattle　of　her　flying　feet；　one　end　of　her　rebozo　winging　out　behind　her。
　　She　only　stopped　again　when　the　silvery　pallor　of　the　store；　falling　in　a　fan　across　the　ground；　lay　just　ahead；　around　a　turn　in　the　crooked　byway。　How　beautiful　it　seemed；　with　its　bedraggled　fringe　of　paper　strung　across　the　front　of　it；　limp　from　many　rains；　and　with　the　colors　it　had　once　been　dyed　transferred　to　streaks　down　the　stucco　wall。　How　friendly　that　dissonant　jangle　of　the　bell　cord　attached　to　the　door　sounded　as　she　pushed　her　way　in。　What　a　lovely　place　to　be　in；　with　its　smell　of　hemp　and　cordage　and　kerosene。
　　The　old　Basque　who　ran　it　came　out　of　the　back；　still　smacking　his　lips　from　his　own　meal；　beret　left　on　his　head　even　while　he　ate。　He　knew　her　by　sight。　〃Ah；　Teresita。〃　He　shook　his　head　as　he　weighed　out　the　charcoal。　〃They　shouldn't　send　you　out　alone　so　late；　hijita。〃
　　She　was　brave；　now　that　she　was　safe　again。　She　wasn't　going　to　admit　how　frightened　she'