emb.seethemdie-第26节

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！


　〃Si；〃　Luis　said。　〃Si。〃　Dazed；　he　moved　away　from　the　counter。
　〃Hurry！〃
　In　the　street　outside；　the　firing　had　stopped。　Great　billows　of　gas　poured　from　the　shattered　windows　of　the　apartment；　hovered　on　the　windless　air。　People　were　covering　their　faces　with　handkerchiefs　and　cursing　at　the　police　for　unleashing　this　blight。　Luis　brought　a　bowl　of　water　to　the　counter。　Parker　groped　for　it　blindly；　touched　the　rim　with　his　hand；　and　then　dipped　into　it。　Luis　watched　him　silently。　Parker　washed　his　eyes　and　his　skin；　sighing；　repeating　the　motion　over　and　over　again。　And　finally　he　dried　himself　with　the　handkerchief　and　lifted　his　face。　Luis　was　still　staring　at　him。
　〃Que　pasa；　maricon？〃　Parker　asked；　grinning；　using　a　Spanish　obscenity。
　〃Nothing；〃　Luis　said。　He　shook　his　head　wearily。　〃Nothing。〃
　〃What's　the　matter；　huh？〃　Parker　asked；　still　grinning。　〃What's　the　matter；　eh；　cabron？〃　Another　obscenity；　but　there　was　no　answering　smile　from　Luis。
　〃De　nada；〃　Luis　said。　〃Nothing。〃
　〃You　sore　at　me？　'Cause　I　was　yelling　at　you？　Is　that　it？　Man；　I　felt　like　my　eyes　were　on　fire。　You　sure　were　a　lifesaver。〃
　〃St；　I　was　a　lifesaver；〃　Luis　said　blankly。
　Parker　felt　suddenly　uneasy。　〃Hey；　e　on；〃　he　said。　〃You　going　to　let　a　little　yelling　e　between　friends？〃
　After　a　long　while；　Luis　said；　〃No；　Andy；　I　would　not　let　a　little　yelling　e　between　friends。〃
　Outside；　Lieutenant　Byrnes　lifted　the　megaphone　to　his　lips。　〃Miranda？　Can　you　hear　me？〃
　〃What　do　you　want；　you　son　of　a　bitch？〃　Miranda　shouted；　coughing。
　〃This　is　it；　Miranda。　Are　you　ready　to　e　out？　Or　do　we　shoot　our　way　in？〃
　There　was　a　long　silence。　Parker　moved　quickly　out　of　the　luncheonette。　Luis　was　still　staring　at　him　as　he　left。
　〃What　the　hell　is　he　doing？〃　Parker　asked　Carella。　〃Why　don't　we　move　in　right　now？　I'll　bet　he　can　hardly　see　in　there。〃
　〃Pete　doesn't　want　any　more　shooting　unless　it's　absolutely　necessary；〃　Carella　answered。
　〃Why　give　that　punk　a　break？　We　can　go　in　there　and　mop　him　up　in　two　seconds。〃
　〃Suppose　he　starts　shooting　into　the　street　again？〃
　〃So　what？〃
　〃You　want　these　people　to　get　hurt？〃
　〃All　I　want　is　Miranda。〃
　〃And　after　Miranda；　then　what？〃　Carella　asked。
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃When　does　your　private　crusade　stop？〃
　〃What　the　hell　are　you。。。？〃
　〃When　are　you　going　to　forget　that　beating　you　took；　Parker？〃
　〃What　beating？　What。。。？〃
　〃You　know　what　I'm　talking　about！〃
　〃All　right。　I'm　never　going　to　forget　it；〃　Parker　shouted。　〃Okay？　Never。　It　taught　me　a　lesson；　buddy；　and　only　a　sap　would。。。〃
　〃What　lesson；　Parker？〃
　〃It　taught　me　you　can't　trust　anybody　in　this　lousy　precinct；　that's　what　it。。。〃
　〃And　it　also　taught　you　to　be　afraid；〃　Carella　said。
　〃What？〃
　〃You　heard　me。　Afraid。〃
　〃Look；　mister；　you'd　just　better　stop　right　now；　while　you're　winning。　I　still　ain't　forgotten　the　time　you。。。〃
　〃When　are　you　going　to　make　a　real　arrest；　Parker？　When　are　you　going　to　stop　pulling　in　junkies　and　drunks？　When　are　you　going　to　tackle　the　real　troublemakers？〃
　〃I　do　my　job！〃　Parker　shouted。　〃I　keep　the　streets　clean！〃
　〃By　picking　up　the　wrong　garbage！〃
　〃It's　all　garbage　here！〃
　〃And　you're　afraid　of　it！　You're　afraid　to　take　another　beating！〃
　〃You　son　of　a　bitch；　I　warned　you　to。。。〃
　〃I'm　waiting；　Miranda！〃　Byrnes　shouted；　and　both　men　turned　their　attention　to　the　lieutenant。　Carella's　fists　were　bunched。　Parker　glowered　at　him；　and　then　walked　to　where　Byrnes　was　standing。
　〃How　about　it；　Miranda？　Give　it　up！　You　haven't　got　a　chance。〃
　〃What　chance　do　I　have　if　I　e　out？　That　old　lady　died；　didn't　she？〃
　〃What　old　lady？〃
　〃The　one　I　mugged；〃　Miranda　said。　He　went　into　a　fit　of　coughing　which　lasted　for　several　moments。　Then　his　voice　came　from　the　apartment　again。　〃Tell　the　truth；　cop。〃
　〃That　woman's　still　alive；　Miranda。〃
　〃I　shouldn't　have　hit　her；〃　Miranda　said。　His　voice　faded。　〃I　needed　money。　I　had　to。。。〃　He　paused　for　a　long　time。　〃She's　dead；　ain't　she？〃
　〃She's　alive；　I　told　you。〃
　〃You're　lying　to　me。　You'll　never　get　me　out　of　here；　cop。　You　think　I'm　ing　out　to　face　a　murder　rap？〃
　〃The　woman's　alive。　If　you　force　us　to　e　in　after　you；　you　haven't　got　a　chance。〃
　〃I　got　news　for　you；　cop。　I　never　did　have　one。〃
　〃Okay；　so　make　it　easy　on　yourself　now。〃
　〃For　what？　In　payment　for　all　the　crap　I've　taken　from　cops　since　I　was　old　enough　to　walk？〃
　〃You　dished　out　a　bit　yourself；　Miranda。　Let's　cut　the　talking。　Yes　or　no？　Do　you　e　out　with　your　hands　up；　or　do　we　blast　you　out？〃
　〃You　want　me；　e　and　earn　your　salary。〃
　〃Okay；　you're　calling　it。　There's　just　no　talking　to　you；　is　there？　Okay；　we're　ing　in。〃
　〃Hey　。。。　hey；　cop！〃
　〃What　is　it？〃
　〃Listen；　I　。。。　I　want　a　priest。〃
　〃A　what？〃
　〃A　priest。　I　。。。　I　wanna　talk　to　a　priest。〃
　〃Will　you　e　out　if　we　get　you　one？〃
　〃Send　him　up　here。　I　gotta　talk　to　him。〃
　〃Why？　Are　you　hit？〃
　〃No；　I　ain't　hit。　Goddamnit；　do　I　need　a　federal　warrant　to　get　a　priest？　Can't　I　get　anything　in　this　friggin'　city　without　having　to　beg　for　it？〃
　〃Just　a　minute；　Miranda。〃　Byrnes　put　down　the　megaphone。　〃What　do　you　think；　Steve？〃
　〃It's　a　trick；〃　Carella　said。
　〃Sure；〃　Parker　said。　〃He　don't　want　no　priest。　All　he　wants　is　a　shield。〃
　〃I　know；〃　Byrnes　said。
　Carella　stared　at　him。　〃Are　you　thinking　what　I'm　thinking；　Pete？〃
　〃Yes；〃　Byrnes　said。　He　put　the　speaker　to　his　mouth。　〃Miranda？〃
　〃Yeah？〃
　〃I'm　getting　a　priest　for　you。〃
　There　was　something　in　Zip's　eyes　which　had　not　been　there　before。　Sixto　studied　his　face　and　tried　to　figure　out　what　it　was。　Zip　looked　as　if　he　might　begin　crying　at　any　moment。　His。　face　was　red；　and　his　lips　were　tight；　and　his　eyes　seemed　to　blink　too　often；　as　if　he　were　struggling　to　hold　back　tears。　But　at　the　same　time；　there　was　a　strength　to　the　rigid　thrust　of　his　back；　an　impatience　to　the　way　he　clenched　and　unclenched　his　fists。
　The　boys　were　standing　on　the　avenue　opposite　Alfredo's　building。　None　of　them　wore　the　purple　jackets　now。　Without　the　jackets；　they　seemed　like　four　high…school　kids　discussing　girls　or　baseball　or　swimming。　But；　of　course；　they　were　discussing　murder。
　〃What　do　you　think；　Cooch？　Is　he　up　there　or　not？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Cooch　said；　looking　across　at　the　building。　〃One　thing　for　sure；　he　didn't　go　to　church。〃
　〃Why　we　deetch　dee　jackets；　hey？〃　Papa　asked。　〃I　lak　dee　purple　jacket。〃
　〃The　jackets　are　hot；〃　Zip　said　impatiently。　〃Can't　you　keep　your　mind　on　what　we're　doing　here？〃
　〃But　I　lak　dee　jacket。　I　don't　see　why。。。〃
　〃You　think　this　is　the　right　time；　Zip？〃　Cooch　interrupted。　〃The　streets　are　crawling　with　bulls。〃
　〃It's　exactly　the　right　time。　Every　cop　m　the　city's　got　his　hands　full　with　Pepe。　We　can　move　in　on　Alfie　and　get　him　before　they　even　know　what　happened。〃
　〃What's　dee　sense　havin'　a　jacket　if　you　cann　wear　it；　huh？〃　Papa　persisted。
　Zip　whirled　on　him　angrily。　For　a　moment；　it　seemed　as　if　he　would　strike　him。　〃You　want　to　end　up　on　Bailey's　Island？〃　he　shouted。
　〃Where's　dat？〃
　〃In　the　middle　of　the　River　Dix！　It's　a　prison。　You　wear　the　jacket；　and　that's　where　you'll　wind　up。〃
　〃Wha'　did　I　do；　huh？〃　Papa　asked。　〃Why　I　cann　wear　dee　jacket？　Why　they　put　me　in　jail　if　I　wear　dee　jacket？〃
　〃Oh；　man；　try　to　explain　anything　to　this　moron！　Why　the　hell　don't　you　go　back　where　you　came　from？〃　Zip　said　angrily。　〃Go　to　Puerto　Rico；　will　ya？　Do　me　a　favor。〃
　〃If　I　b'long　dee　Latin　Purples；〃　Papa　said　logically；　unfazed；　〃I　shoul'　wear　dee　jacket。　Den　ever'body　knows　who　I　am。　Thass　what　you　say；　Zeep。　So　now　I　cann　wear　dee　jacket。　Why　not？〃
　〃Don't　try　to　figure　it　out；　Papa；〃　Zip　said。　〃Just　take　my　word　for　it。　Right　now；　we　got　Alfie　to　worry　about。〃
　〃Cann　we　let　it　wait；　Zip？〃　Sixto　said。　〃Wha's　the　hurry？　Maybe　tomorrow。。。〃
　Zip's　eyes　flashed；　and　again　he　looked　as　if　he　were　about　to　cry；　and　yet　he　seemed　strong　and　determined　at　the　same　time。　〃Now！〃　he　said。　〃Today！　I'm　sick　of　waiting　for　tomorrow！　I'm　gonna　be　somebody　today！〃
　〃You　don'　have　to　kill　Alfie　to　be　somebody；〃　Sixto　said。
　〃What's　the　sense　talking　to　a　tiger？　You're　like　a　goddamn　foreigner。　Look　we　ain't　debating　this　no　more。　It's　decided　already。〃
　〃But　who　decided？〃　Sixto　asked。
　〃I　decided。〃
　〃Then　why　don'　you　go　shoot　him？〃
　The　words　came　out　of　his　mouth　before　he　realized　he　was　going　to　say　them。　They　produced　an　instant　silence。　Zip　clenched　his　fists　and　then　unclenched　them。
　〃What's　your　story；　Sixto？〃　he　said　softly。
　Sixto　took　a　deep　breath。　〃I　don'　think　we　should　shoot　him。〃
　〃You　don't；　huh？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Well；　I　think　we　should。　And　that's　that。〃
　〃That's　what。。。〃
　〃That's　what？〃　Zip　said；　his　fists　working。　〃Go　ahead；　finish　it〃
　〃Tha's　what　Pepe　Miranda　would　do；〃　Sixto　blurted。　〃Tha's　not　what　my　fodder　would　do。　My　fodder　woul'n　shoot　nobody。〃
　〃So　what　the　hell　is　your　father？　A　big　shot？　He　works　in　a　factory；　for　Pete's　sake！〃
　〃What's　wrong　wi'　workin'　in　a　factory？〃
　〃You　want　to　be　a　factory　worker；　go　ahead。　I　don't　wanna　work　in　no　damn　factory！〃
　〃What　you　wanna　do？〃　Sixto　asked；　and　again　there　was　a　silence。　He　was　certain　that　Zip　would　begin　crying　this　time。　This　time　the　tears　seemed　on