carson mccullers - the heart is a lonely hunter-第55节

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to　do　with　being　unwell。　The　doctor　said　they　would　have　to　
cut　out　her　ovary　right　away。　But　their　Dad　said　they　would　
have　to　wait。　There　wasn't　any　money。　

。How　do　you　expect　me　to　act；　anyway？'　Mick　said。　*I　ask　you　
a　polite　question　and　then　you　start　to　nag　at　me。　I　feel　like　I　
ought　to　be　sorry　for　you　because　you're　sick；　but　you　won't　let　
me　be　decent。　Therefore　I　naturally　get　mad。'　She　pushed　back　
the　bangs　of　her　hair　and　looked　close　into　the　mirror。　'Boy！　
See　this　bump　I　got！　I　bet　my　head's　broke。　Twice　I　fell　out　
last　night　and　it　seemed　to　me　like　I　hit　that　table　by　the　sofa。　I　
can't　sleep　in　the　living…room。　That　sofa　cramps　me　so　much　I　
can't　stay　in　it'　
'Hush　that　talking　so　loud；'Hazel　said。　
Mick　knelt　down　on　the　floor　and　pulled　out　the　big　box。　She　
looked　carefully　at　the　string　that　was　tied　around　it。　'Say；　
have　either　of　you　fooled　with　this？'　
'Shoot！'　Etta　said。　'What　would　we　want　to　mess　with　your　
junk　for？'　
'You　just　better　not。　I'd　kill　anybody　that　tried　to　mess　with　my　
private　things。'　
'Listen　to　that；'　Hazel　said。　〃Mick　Kelly；　I　think　you're　the　
most　selfish　person　I've　ever　known。　You　don't　care　a　thing　in　
the　world　about　anybody　but'　
'Aw；　poot！'　She　slammed　the　door。　She　hated　both　of　them。　
That　was　a　terrible　thing　to　think；　but　it　was　true。　
Her　Dad　was　in　the　kitchen　with　Portia。　He　had　on　bis　
bathrobe　and　was　drinking　a　cup　of　coffee。　The　whites　of　his　
eyes　were　red　and　his　cup　rattled　against　his　saucer。　He　
walked　round　and　round　the　kitchen　table。　
'What　time　is　it？　Has　Mister　Singer　gone　yet？'　
。He　been　gone；　Hon；'　Portia　said。　'It　near　about　ten　o'clock。'　
Ten　o'clock！　Golly！　I　never　have　slept　that　late　before。*　
*What　you　keep　in　that　big　hatbox　you　tote　around　with　you？'　
Mick　reached　into　the　stove　and　brought　out　half　a　dozen　
biscuits。　'Ask　me　no　questions　and　Til　tell　you　no　lies。　A　bad　

end　comes　to　a　person　who　pries。*　
If　there's　a　little　extra　milk　I　think　Til　just　have　it　poured　over　
some　crumbled　bread；'　her　Dad　said。　'Grave　yard　soup。　Maybe　
that　will　help　settle　my　stomach。'228　

Mick　split　open　the　biscuits　and　put　slices　of　fried　white　meat　
inside　them。　She　sat　down　on　the　back　steps　to　eat　her　
breakfast。　The　morning　was　warm　and　bright。　Spare…ribs　and　
Sucker　were　playing　with　George　in　the　back　yard。　Sucker　
wore　his　sun　suit　and　the　other　two　kids　had　taken　off　all　their　
clothes　except　their　shorts。　They　were　scooting　each　other　
with　the　hose。　The　stream　of　water　sparkled　bright　in　the　sun。　
The　wind　blew　out　sprays　of　it　like　mist　and　in　this　mist　there　
were　the　colors　of　the　rainbow。　A　line　of　clothes　flapped　in　the　
wind—white　sheets；　Ralph's　blue　dress；　a　red　blouse　and　
nightgowns—wet　and　fresh　and　blowing　out　in　different　
shapes。　The　day　was　almost　like　summer…time。　Fuz2y　little　
yellowjackets　buzzed　around　the　honeysuckle　on　the　alley　
fence。　
〃Watch　me　hold　it　up　over　my　head！'　George　hollered。　'Watch　
how　the　water　runs　down。'　
She　was　too　full　of　energy　to　sit　still。　George　had　filled　a　meal　
sack　with　dirt　and　hung　it　to　a　limb　of　the　tree　for　a　punching　
bag。　She　began　to　hit　this。　Puck！　Pock！　She　hit　it　in　time　to　the　
song　that　had　been　in　her　mind　when　she　woke　up。　George　had　
mixed　a　sharp　rock　in　the　dirt　and　it　bruised　her　knuckles。　
'Aoow！　You　skeeted　the　water　right　in　my　ear。　It's　busted　my　
eardrum。　I　can't　even　hear。'　'Gimme　here。　Let　me　skeet　some。'　
Sprays　of　the　water　blew　into　her　face；　and　once　the　kids　
turned　the　hose　on　her　legs。　She　was　afraid　her　box　would　get　
wet；　so　she　carried　it　with　her　through　the　alley　to　the　front　
porch。　Harry　was　sitting　on　his　steps　reading　the　newspaper。　
She　opened　her　box　and　got　out　the　notebook。　But　it　was　hard　
to　settle　her　mind　on　the　song　she　wanted　to　write　down。　
Harry　was　looking　over　in　her　direction　and　she　could　not　
think。　
She　and　Harry　had　talked　about　so　many　things　lately。　Nearly　
every　day　they　walked　home　from　school　together。　They　
talked　about　God。　Sometimes　she　would　wake　up　in　the　night　
and　shiver　over　what　they　had　said。　Harry　was　a　Pantheist。　


That　was　a　religion；　the　same　as　Baptist　or　Catholic　or　Jew。　
Harry　believed　that　after　you　were　dead　and　buried　you　
changed　to　plants　and　fire　and　dirt　and　clouds　and　water。　It　
took　thousands　of　years　and　then　finally　you　were　a　part　of　all　
the　world。　He　said　he　thought　

229　
that　was　better　than　being　one　single　angel。　Anyhow　it　was　
better　than　nothing。　
Harry　threw　the　newspaper　into　his　hall　and　then　came　over。　
'It's　hot　like　summer；'　he　said。　'And　only　March。'　
'Yeah。　I　wish　we　could　go　swimming。'　
'We　would　if　there　was　any　place。'　
There's　not　any　place。　Except　that　country　club　pool。'　
'I　sure　would　like　to　do　something—to　get　out　and　go　
somewhere。'　
〃Me　too；'　she　said；　'Wait！　I　know　one　place。　It's　out　in　the　
country　about　fifteen　miles。　It's　a　deep；　wide　creek　in　the　
woods。　The　Girl　Scouts　have　a　camp　there　in　the　summertime。　Mrs。　Wells　took　me　and　George　and　Pete　and　Sucker　
swimming　there　one　time　last　year。'　
If　you　want　to　I　can　get　bicycles　and　we　can　go　tomorrow。　I　
have　a　holiday　one　Sunday　a　month。'　
'Well　ride　out　and　take　a　picnic　dinner；'　Mick　said。　
'O。K。　ITl　borrow　the　bikes。'　
It　was　time　for　him　to　go　to　work。　She　watched　him　walk　
down　the　street。　He　swung　his　arms。　Halfway　down　the　block　
there　was　a　bay　tree　with　low　branches。　Harry　took　a　running　
jump；　caught　a　limb；　and　chinned　himself。　A　happy　feeling　
came　in　her　because　it　was　true　they　were　real　good　friends。　
Also　he　was　handsome。　Tomorrow　she　would　borrow　Hazel's　
blue　necklace　and　wear　the　sfflc　dress。　And　for　dinner　they　
would　take　jelly　sandwiches　and　Nehi。　Maybe　Harry　would　
bring　something　queer；　because　they　ate　orthodox　Jew。　She　
watched　him　until　he　turned　the　corner。　It　was　true　that　he　had　
grown　to　be　a　very　good…looking　fellow。　
Harry　in　the　country　was　different　from　Harry　sitting　on　the　


back　steps　reading　the　newspapers　and　thinking　about　Hitler。　
They　left　early　in　the　morning。　The　wheels　he　borrowed　were　
the　kind　for　boys—with　a　bar　between　the　legs。　They　strapped　
the　lunches　and　bathing…suits　to　the　fenders　and　were　gone　
before　nine　o'clock。　The　morning　was　hot　and　sunny。　Within　
an　hour　they　were　far　out　of　town　on　a　red　clay　road。　The　
fields　were　bright　and　ereen　and　the　sharp　smell　of　pine　trees　
was　in　the　air。　Harry　talked　in　a　very　excited　way。　The　warm　
wind　blew　into　their　faces。　Her　mouth　was　very　dry　and　she　
was　hungry。230　

'See　that　house　up　on　the　hill　there？　Less　us　stop　and　get　some　
water。'　
'No；　we　better　wait。　Well　water　gives　you　typhoid。'　
'I　already　had　typhoid。　I　had　pneumonia　and　a　broken　leg　and　a　
infected　foot。'　
'I　remember。'　
'Yeah；'　Mick　said。　'Me　and　Bill　stayed　in　the　front　room　when　
we　had　typhoid　fever　and　Pete　Wells　would　run　past　on　the　
sidewalk　holding　his　nose　and　looking　up　at　the　window。　Bill　
was　very　embarrassed。　All　my　hair　came　out　so　I　was　bald…
headed。'　
'I　bet　we're　at　least　ten　miles　from　town。　We've　been　riding　an　
hour　and　a　half—fast　riding；　too。'　
'I　sure　am　thirsty；'　Mick　said。　'And　hungry。　What　you　got　in　
that　sack　for　lunch？'　
'Cold　liver　pudding　and　chicken　salad　sandwiches　and　pie。'　
That's　a　good　picnic　dinner。'　She　was　ashamed　of　what　she　had　
brought。　'I　got　two　hard…boiled　eggs—already　stuffed—with　
separate　little　packages　of　salt　and　pepper。　And　sandwiches—　
blackberry　jelly　with　butter。　Everything　wrapped　in　oil　paper。　
And　paper　napkins。'　
'I　didn't　intend　for　you　to　bring　anything；'　Harry　said。　*My　
Mother　fixed　lunch　for　both　of　us。　I　asked　you　out　here　and　
all。　We'll　come　to　a　store　soon　and　get　cold　drinks。'　
They　rode　half　an　hour　longer　before　they　finally　came　to　the　
filling…station　store。　Harry　propped　up　the　bicycles　and　she　
went　in　ahead　of　him。　After　the　bright　glare　the　store　seemed　
dark。　The　shelves　were　stacked　with　slabs　of　white　meat；　cans　
of　oil；　and　sacks　of　meal。　Flies　buzzed　over　a　big；　sticky　jar　of　


loose　candy　on　the　counter。　

。What　kind　of　drinks　you　got？'　Harry　asked。
The　storeman　started　to　name　them　over。　Mick　opened　the　ice
box　and　looked　inside。　Her　hands　felt　good　in　the　cold　water。
'I　want　a　chocolate　Nehi。　You　got　any　of　them？
'
'Ditto；'　Harry　said。　'Make　it　two。
'
'No；　wait　a　minute。　Here's　some　ice…cold　beer。　I　want　a　bottle
of　beer　if　you　can　treat　as　high　as　that'　Harry　ordered　one　for
himself；　also。　He　thought　it　was
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a　sin　for　anybody　under　twenty　to　drink　beer—but　maybe　he　
just　suddenly　wanted　to　be　a　sport。　After　the　first　swallow　he　
made　a　bitter　face。　They　sat　on　the　steps　in　front　of　the　store。　
Mick's　legs　were　so　tired　that　the　muscles　in　them　jumped。　
She　wiped　the　neck　of　the　bottle　with　her　hand　and　took　a　
long；　cold　pull。　Across　the　road　there　was　a　big　empty　field　of　
grass；　and　beyond　that　a　fringe　of　pine　woods。　The　trees　were　
every　color　of　green—from　a　bright　yellow…green　to　a　dark　
color　that　was　almost　black。　The　sky　was　hot　blue。　
'I　like　beer；'　she　said。　'I　used　to　sop　bread　down　in　the　drops　
our　Dad　left。　I　like　to　lick　salt　out　my　hand　while