hr.thecarpetbaggers-第25部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
He felt her roll away from him as he sat up； then her voice from the foot of the bed： 〃Get out of here； you damned idiot！〃
Darcy stared at her stupidly。 He weaved slightly； his eyes bewildered。 His hand came out of his pocket and a shower of bills fell to the floor。 〃See； I brought a thousand dollars with me；〃 he said drunkenly。
She got out of the bed。 She stormed toward him regally； unaware of her nudity。 She raised a hand； pointing to the door。 〃Get out； I said！〃
Darcy just stood there staring at her。 〃My God；〃 he mumbled huskily。 〃I want you。〃
Max finally found his voice。 〃You heard Miss Pluvier；〃 he said。 〃Get out。〃
For the first time； Darcy became aware of him。 His face began to flush with anger。 〃You；〃 he said thickly。 〃You！ All the time I was begging； pleading； it was you。 You were laughing at me all the time！〃
A knife appeared in his hand suddenly。 He thrust quickly and Max rolled off the bed to the floor as the knife stabbed the satin sheets。 Max snatched a pillow from the bed and held it in front of him as he backed toward the chair from which his gun hung。
Darcy's eyes were glazed with rage。 〃You were laughing all the time；〃 he mumbled。 〃Every time you did it you were laughing at me。〃
〃You better get out of here before you get hurt；〃 Max said。
Darcy shook his head。 〃And have you laugh at me some more？ Oh； no。 This time I'm going to do the laughing。〃
He lunged with the knife again。 This time it caught in the pillow and he fell against Max； who was shoved against the wall。 The gun went off； and a look of surprise came over Darcy's face as he slumped to his knees； then sprawled out on the floor。 The naked woman stared at Max。 Quickly she knelt beside Darcy。 She reached for his pulse； then dropped his hand。 〃You didn't have to kill him； you fool！〃 she said angrily。
Max looked at her。 Her breasts heaved excitedly and there was a fine moisture in the valley between them。 He had never seen her look so beautiful。 〃What was I supposed to do？〃 he asked。 〃He was in' at me with a knife！〃
〃You could have knocked him out！〃 she snapped。
〃What was I supposed to hit him with？〃 he snapped back； feeling the anger rise in him。 〃My cannon？〃
She stood very still for a moment； staring at him。 Then she turned and walked to the door。 She looked out into the hallway。 The house was quiet。 The shot had been muffled by the pillow。 Slowly she closed the door and came back toward him。
He stood there watching the blurred； sensual look e back into her face。 She sank to her knees before him； and he felt her lips press against his thighs。 〃Do not be angry with Anne…Louise； my stalwart； wild stallion；〃 she whispered。 〃Make love to me。〃
He reached down to lift her to the bed。 But she held his arms。 〃No；〃 she said； pulling him down to the floor beside her。 〃Here。〃
They made love for the last time on the floor； lying next to a dead man。 In the morning； Anne…Louise Pluvier calmly turned him over to the police。
10
THE EAST； WEST AND SOUTH OF THE PRISON WAS bounded by a swamp； along which the cypresses rose high and spilled their leaves onto the murky surface of the water。 The only way out was to the north； across the rice paddies tended by Cajun tenant farmers。 There was a small village eighteen miles north of the prison and it was here that most prisoners trying to escape were caught and brought back to the prison by the Cajuns for the ten…dollar bounty offered by the state。 Those who were not caught were presumed dead in the swamp。 There had been only two such cases reported in the prison's twenty years of operation。
One morning in May； after Max had been there a few months； the guard checking out his hut reported to one of the trusties the absence of a prisoner named Jim Reeves。
The trusty looked around。 〃He ain't here？〃
〃He ain't out in the latrines； neither；〃 the guard said。 〃I looked。〃
〃He's gone； then；〃 the trusty said。 〃I reckon he went over the wall in the night。〃
〃That Jim Reeves sure is a fool；〃 the guard said softly。 He turned on his heel。 〃I better go tell the warden。〃
They were lined up in front of the kitchen； getting their coffee and grits； when Max saw one of the guards ride out of the prison and start up the road toward the village。
He sat down against the wall of one of the huts and watched the guard disappear up the road while he ate。 Mike； the giant Negro trusty who had given him ten lashes the day he arrived； came over and sat down beside him。
Max looked over at the trusty。 〃That all the fuss they make over a man gettin' out？〃
Mike nodded； his mouth filled with grits。 〃What you expec' them to do？〃 he asked。 〃They'll git him back。 You wait and see。〃
He was right。 The next morning； while they were at breakfast again； Jim Reeves came back。 He was sitting in a wagon between two Cajuns； who carried their long rifles in the crooks of their arms。 The prisoners looked up at him silently as he rode by。
When they came back from their work in the evening； Jim Reeves was tied naked to the whipping post。 Silently the trusties led the prisoners to the pound； so that they could view the punishment before they had their meal。
The warden stood there until all the prisoners were in line。 〃You men know the penalty for attempted escape … ten lashes and fifteen days in the cage for each day out。〃 He turned to Mike； standing next to him。 〃I don't want him knocked out。 He must be conscious so he can rue the folly of his action。〃
Mike nodded stolidly and stepped forward。 The muscles along his back rippled and the long snake wrapped itself lightly around the prisoner。 It seemed to caress him almost gently； but when Mike lifted it from the victim's back； a long red welt of blood bubbled and rose to the surface。
A moment later； the prisoner screamed。 The snake rippled around him again。 This time； his scream was pure agony。 The prisoner fainted three times before the lashing was pleted。 Each time； the warden stepped forward and had a pail of water thrown into his face to revive him； then ordered the lashing continued。
At the end； Jim Reeves hung there from the post； unconscious。 Blood dripped down his back from his shoulders； across his buttocks and the top of his thighs。
〃Cut him down and put him in the cage；〃 the warden said。
Silently the men broke ranks and formed a food line。 Max looked at the cage as he got on the line。 The cage was exactly that … steel bars forming a four…foot cubicle。 There was room to neither walk； stand or even stretch out full length。 There was only space enough to sit or crouch on all fours like an animal。 There was no shelter from the sun or the elements。
For the next thirty days； Jim Reeves would live there like an animal … without clothing； without medical attention； with only bread and water for his food。 He would live there in the midst of his pain and his excrement and there was no one who would speak to him or dare give him aid； under penalty of the same punishment。
Max took his plate of meat and beans around to the side of the hut； where he would not have to look at the cage。 He sank to the ground and began to eat slowly。
Mike sat down next to him。 The big Negro's face was sweating。 He began to eat silently。 Max looked at him and couldn't eat any more。 He pushed his plate away from him； rolled a cigarette and lit it。
〃You ain't hungry； man？〃 Mike asked。 〃I'll eat that there food。〃
Max stared at him for a moment； then silently turned the plate over； spilling the contents on the ground。
Mike stared at him in surprise。 〃What for you do that； man？〃 he asked。
〃Now I know why you stay here as a trusty instead of leavin' like you should；〃 Max said。 〃You're evenin' up with the whole world when you swing that snake。〃
A look of understanding came into the trusty's eyes。 〃So that's what you' thinkin'；〃 he said softly。
〃That's what I'm thinkin'；〃 Max said coldly。
The Negro looked into Max's eyes。 〃You don' know nothin'；〃 he said slowly。 〃Years ago； when I first got here； I seen a man git a beatin' like that。 When they cut him down； he was all tore up； front an' back。 He died less'n two days after。 Ain't a man died since I took the rope。 Tha's more'n twelve years now。 An' if you looked close； you wou
