emb.seethemdie-第26章

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　Zip　stood　before　the　opened　doors　and　watched　the　body　of　Miranda　shoved　into　the　ambulance；　and　then　he　whirled　toward　Sixto　and　shouted；　〃You　think　you're　gonna　get　away　with　this？〃
　〃Move　aside；　Zip；〃　Sixto　said　calmly。　〃We　wann　to　get　through　now。〃
　〃You　won't　be　able　to　walk　the　street　no　more！〃　Zip　shouted。　〃You　think　you。。。〃
　〃We'll　see；〃　Sixto　said；　and　the　three　boys　stepped　away　from　the　luncheonette；　and　walked　past　Zip　and　Cooch　who　did　not　move　to　stop　them。
　〃You're　making　a　mistake！〃　Zip　yelled　after　them。　〃You're　making　a　big　mistake！〃　But　he　did　not　run　after　them；　and　he　did　not　try　to　stop　them。　〃Why　didn't　you　help　me；　Cooch？〃　he　said　suddenly；　angrily。　〃For　Christ's　sake；　we　just　let　them　walk　away；　for　Christ's　sake！〃
　〃They're　。。。　they're　too　strong；　Zip；〃　Cooch　said　in　a　whisper。
　〃We're　the　ones　with　the　guns！〃　Zip　protested。
　〃Yeah；　but　。。。　they　。。。　they　were　strong；〃　Cooch　said；　and　his　voice　fell。
　〃Aw…〃　Zip　made　a　meaningless　little　gesture　with　his　right　hand。　〃Aw…〃　He　stared　off　down　the　street。　The　squad　cars　had　pulled　away　now。　Patrolmen　were　still　lingering　on　the　block；　but　most　of　the　police　were　gone。　The　street　stretched　ahead　in　sticky　blackness　washed　with　hot　sunshine。　On　the　avenue；　the　traffic　had　started　up　again。　〃Jesus；　what　a　。。。　what　a　miserable　day　this　turned　out　to　be；〃　Zip　said；　and　he　looked　at　Cooch　with　troubled　eyes。
　〃Yeah；〃　Cooch　said　softly。
　Zip　looked　back　at　the　street；　and　then　he　sighed　heavily。　〃Well　。。。　what　do　you　want　to　do　the　。。。　the　rest　of　the　afternoon；　Cooch？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Cooch　said。
　〃Ain't　you　。。。　ain't　you　got　no　ideas？〃
　〃We　could　go　to　the　flicks；　I　guess。〃
　〃Yeah；〃　Zip　said　emptily。
　〃Or　play　some　stickball；　maybe。〃
　〃Yeah。〃
　〃Maybe　go　for　a　swim　at　the　pool。〃
　〃Yeah。　Yeah；　maybe　we　could　do　that。〃　He　turned　his　head　suddenly　and　jerkily　because　he　did　not　want　Cooch　to　see　the　tears　that　had　sprung　into　his　eyes。　Nor　did　he　know　why　he　was　crying。　It　was　just　that；　all　at　once；　in　the　heart　of　one　of　the　biggest　cities　in　the　world；　Zip　had　felt　all　alone；　utterly　alone；　and　the　enormity　of　the　city　and　the　inconsequence　of　himself　had　…　had　suddenly　frightened　him。
　〃I　guess　…　I　guess　we'll　find　something；〃　he　said；　and　he　thrust　his　hands　into　his　pockets；　and　the　two　boys　walked　up　the　sun…drenched　street；　their　heads　bent。
　Andy　Parker　passed　them　on　his　way　to　the　luncheonette。　He　glanced　at　them；　shrugged；　and　went　in　to　say　hello　to　his　friend　Luis。
　〃You　still　sore　at　me；　Luis？〃　he　asked；　as　if　this　had　been　troubling　him　all　along；　as　if　it　were　important　for　him　to　know　that　Luis　was　not　angry。
　〃No；　Andy；〃　Luis　said。
　〃Everybody's　sore　at　me；〃　Parker　said　blankly。　He　paused。　〃Why's　everybody　sore　at　me？〃　He　paused　again。　〃I　do　my　job。〃　He　looked　up　at　Luis。　〃I'm　sorry　I　yelled　at　you；　Luis。〃
　〃It　doesn't　matter。〃
　〃Well；　I'm　sorry。〃
　He　stared　at　Luis。　And　because　Luis　was　a　human　being；　and　because　apologies　are　never　sincere　unless　they　are　tested；　unless　someone　hurls　into　the　face　of　〃I'm　sorry；〃　the　unforgiving　reply；　〃who　cares　whether　you're　sorry　or　not？　Go　drop　dead　in　a　corner！〃　and　gets　one　or　two　further　responses。　Gets；　〃In　any　case；　I　really　am　sorry；〃　or　gets；　〃Well　if　that's　the　way　you　feel；　go　to　hell！〃　and　knows　by　these　further　responses　whether　the　apology　was　real　to　begin　with；　being　human；　Luis　tested　the　apology。
　〃You　should　have　thought　of　that　before　you　spoke；〃　he　said；　and　his　eyes　narrowed；　and　he　waited　for　Parker's　answer。
　Parker　nodded。　〃I　should　have；〃　Parker　agreed。　〃I'm　sorry。〃
　The　men　stared　at　each　other。　There　was　nothing　further　to　say　for　now。　Perhaps　there　was　nothing　further　to　say　ever。
　〃Well；　I　。。。　I　better　get　back　to　the　squad；〃　Parker　said。
　〃Si。〃
　Parker　waved；　seemed　to　bee　embarrassed　in　the　middle　of　the　gesture；　and　let　his　hand　drop。　Slowly；　he　shuffled　off　up　the　street。
　A　reporter　walked　into　the　luncheonette　and　took　a　stool。　〃Well；　everything　quiet　again；　huh？〃　he　said。　〃Let　me　have　a　cup　of　coffee；　huh？〃
　〃St'；　everything　quiet；〃　Luis　answered。
　〃Just　like　the　island；　huh？〃　the　reporter　said。
　Instantly；　Luis　answered；　〃No；　not　just　like　the　island；〃　and　then　he　paused；　and　then　he　looked　at　the　reporter；　and　then　he　said；　〃But　maybe　not　so　bad　anyway；　eh？　Maybe　not　so　bad。〃
　
　Down　the　street；　the　church　bells　began　tolling。



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