Part Three-4

  Mickturnedsidewaysisothatshecouldcrossherlegs.Therewasaruog.IthadstartedwhileshewaswalkingtoworkandshehadspitonitTheherunhadgoherandshehadstuckalittlepieceofchewing-gumontheend.Buteventhatdidnthelp.Nowshewouldhavetogohomeawashardtoknowwhatshecoulddoaboutstogs.SheworethemoutsofastUnlessshewasthekindofongirlthatwouldwearcottonstogs.

  Sheoughtnttohaveeihebottomsofhershoeswerewornout.Sheoughttohavesavedthetweowardanewhalf-sole.Becauseifshekeptonstandingonashoewithaholeinitwhatwouldhappen?Ablisterwouldeonherfoot.Andshewouldhavetopickitwithaburntneedle.Shewouldhavetostayhomefromworkandbefired.

  Andthenwhatwouldhappen？

  Hereyouare,saidMisterBrannon.ButIneverheardofsubinationbefore.’

  Heputthesuhebeeroable.Shepreteoherfingernailsbecauseifshenoticdhimhewouldstarttalking.Hedidnthavethisgrudgeagainstheranymore,sohemusthavefottenaboutthepa.Nowhealwayswaalktoher.Butshewaobequietandbyherself.ThesundaewasO.K.,coveredalloverwithchocolate

  andnutsandcherries.Andthebeerwasrelaxing.Thebeerhadaertasteaftertheicecreamanditmadeherdruomusicbeerwasbest.

  Butnownomusicwasinhermind.Thatwasafunnything.Itwaslikeshewasshutoutfromtheinsideroom.Sometimesaquicklittletunewouldeandgo—butsheneverwentintotheinsideroomwithmusiclikesheusedtodo.Itwaslikeshewastootense.Ormaybebecauseitwaslikethestoretookallherenergyandtime.Wool-worthswasntthesameasschool.

  Whensheusedtoehomefromschoolshefeltgoodandwasreadytostartwonthemusic.Butnowshewasalwaystired.Athomeshejustatesupperaaebreakfastaofftothestain.Asongshehadstartedinherprivatenotebooktwomonthsbeforewasstillnotfinished.Aedtostayintheinsideroombutshedidntknoasliketheinsideroomwaslockedsomewhereawayfromher.Averyhardthingtouand.

  Mickpushedherbrokenfronttoothwithherthumb.ButshedidhaveMisterSingersradio.Alltheinstallmentshadntbeenpaidaookontheresponsibility.Itwasgoodtohavesomethingthathadbeloohim.Andmaybeohesedaysshemightbeabletosetasidealittleforased-handpiano.Saytwobucksaweek.Andshewouldanybodytouchthisprivatepianobuther—onlyshemightteachGeelittlepieces.Shewouldkeepitinthebaandplayoniteverynight.AndalldaySunday.Butthensupposesomeweekshecouldntmakeapayment.Sothenwouldtheyetotakeitawaylikethelittleredbicycle?Andsupposelikeshewouldhem.

  Supposeshehidthepianouhehouse.Orelseshewouldmeetthematthefrontdoor.Andfight.Shewouldknockdownboththetwomensotheywouldhaveshinersandbrokenosesandwouldbepassedoutonthehallfloor.

  Mickfrownedandrubbedherfisthardacrossherforehead.

  Thatwasthewaythingswere.Itwaslikeshewasmadallthetime.Nothowakidgetsmadquicksothatsoonitisallover—butinanotherway.Onlytherewasnothingtobemadat.

  Uhestore.Butthestorehadntaskedhertotakethejob.

  Sotherewasnothingtobemadat.Itwaslikeshewas

  cheated.Onlynobodyhadcheatedher.Sotherewasnobodytotakeitouton.However,justthesameshehadthatfeeling.

  Cheated.

  ButmaybeitwouldbetrueaboutthepianoandturnoutO.K.

  Maybeshewouldgetacesoon.Elsewhatthehellgoodhaditallbeen—thewayshefeltaboutmusidtheplansshehadmadeintheinsideroom?Ithadtobesomegoodifanythingmadesense.Anditwastooanditwastooanditwastooanditwastoo.Itwassomegood.

  Allright！

  O.K！

  Somegood.

  Night/LLwasserene.AsBiffdriedhisfadhandsabreezetiheglasspendantsofthelittleJapanesepagodaoable.Hehadjustawakenedfromanapandhadsmokedhisnightcigar.HethoughtofBlountandwonderedifbyraveledfar.AbottleofAguaFloridawasohroomshelfaouchedthestoppertohistemples.Hewhistledanoldsong,andashedesdedthenarrowstairsthetuabrokenechobehindhim.Louisposedtobeondutybehindtheter.

  Buthehadsoldieredonthejobandtheplacewasdeserted.

  Thefrontdoorstoodopentotheemptystreet.Theclotheoioseventeenminutesbeforemidnight.TheradiowasonandtherewastalkaboutthecrisisHitlerhadcookedupoverDanzig.HewentbacktothekitandfoundLouisasleepinachair.Theboyhadtakenoffhisshoesandunbuttonedhistrousers.Hisheaddroopedonhischest.Alospotonhisshirtshowedthathehadbeensleepingagoodwhile.Hisarmshungstraightdownathissidesandthewonderwasthathedidnotfallforwardonhisface.Hesleptsoundlyandtherewasowakehim.Thenightwouldbeaquietone.

  Bifftiptoedacrossthekittoashelfwhichheldabasketofteaoliveandtitchersfullofzinnias.Hecarriedtheflowersuptothefrontoftherestaurantandremovedthecellophane-edplattersofthelastspecialfromthedisplaywindow.Hewassickoffood.Awindowoffresh

  summerflowers—thatwouldbegood.Hiseyeswereclosedasheimaginedhowitcouldbearranged.Afoundationoftheteaolivestrewhebottom,coolaheredpotterytubfilledwiththebrilliantzinnias.Nothingmore.Hebegantethewindowcarefully.Amongtheflowerstherewasafreakplant,azinniawithsixbroalsandtwored.Heexamihiscurioandlaiditasidetosave.Thenthewindowwasfinishedaoodireettardhishandiwork.Theawkwardstemsoftheflowershadbeeojusttherightdegreeofrestfullooseheelectriclightsdetracted,butwhenthesuhedisplaywouldshowatitsbestadvantage.Dhtartistic.

  Theblack,starlitskyseemedclosetotheearth.Hestrolledalongthesideausingooknoepeelintothegutterwiththesideofhisfoot.Atthefarendofthebloen,smallfromthedistandmotionless,stoodarminarmtogether.Nooneelsecouldbeseen.Hisplacewastheonlystoreonallthestreetendoorandlightsinside.

  Andasthereasonforkeepingtheplaceopenallthroughthenightwhehercafeiownwasclosed?Hewasoftehatquestionandcouldneverspeaktheainwords.Notmoney.Sometimesapartywouldeforbeerandscrambledeggsandspendfiveortendollars.Butthatwasrare.Mostlytheycameoimeandorderedlittleandstayedlong.Andonsomenights,betweenthehoursoftwelveandfiveoclootaerwouldehererofitinit—thatlain.

  Buthewouldnevercloseupforthenight—notaslongashestayedinthebusiness.Nightwasthetime.Therewerethosehewouldneverhaveseenotherwise.Afewcameregularlyseveraltimesaweek.Othershadeintotheplalyonce,haddrunkaCoca-Cola,andurned.

  Bifffoldedhisarmsacrosshischestandwalkedmoreslowly.

  Ihearcofthestreetlighthisshadowshowedangularandblack.Thepeacefulsilehenightsettledinhim.

  Thesewerethehoursforrestaation.Maybethatwaswhyhestayeddownstairsanddidnotsleep.Withalastquick

  glancehesedtheemptystreetainside.

  Thecrisisvoicestilltalkedontheradio.Thefansontheceilingmadeasoothingwhirl.FromthekitcamethesoundofLouissn.HethoughtsuddenlyofpoorWillieanddecidedtosendhimaquartofwhiskeysometimesoon.

  Heturhecrosswordpuzzleintheneer.Thereictureofawomantoidentifyier.Hereizedherandwrotethename—MonaLisa—acrossthefirstspaumberonedoordfar,beginningwithmanderslong.Mendit.Twohorizontalwassomewordmeaningtoremoveafaroff.Asix-letterwinningwithe.Elapse?Hesourialbinationsoflettersaloud.Eloign.Buthehadlostiherewerepuzzlesenoughwithoutthiskind.Hefoldedandputawaythepaper.Hewouldebacktoitlater.

  Heexamihezinniahehadinteosave.Ashehelditinthepalmofhishandtothelighttheflowerwasnotsuchacuriousspeafterall.Notworthsaving.Hepluckedthesoft,brightpetalsaonecameoutoouldhebelovingnow?Nooneperson.Anybodydetwhocameinoutofthestreettositforanhourandhaveadrink.ButnoonepersoHEHEARTISALOTNTERhadknownhislovesandtheywereover.Alice,MadelineandGyp.Finished.Leavinghimeitherbetterorworse.Which?Howeveryoulookedatit.

  AndMick.Theonewhoimonthshadlivedselyinhisheart.Wasthatlovedohtoo?Yes.Itwasfinished.EarlyintheeveningsMickcameinforacolddrinkorasundae.Shehadgrownolder.Herroughandchildishwayswerealmostgone.Andiherewassomethingladylikeanddelicateaboutherthatwashardtopointout.Theearrings,thedangleofherbracelets,andthenewwayshecrossedherlegsandpulledthehemofherskirtdownpastherknees.Hewatchedheraonlyasentleness.Inhimtheoldfeelingwasgone.Forayearthislovehadblossomedstrangely.Hehadquestioahuimesandfoundnoanswer.Andnow,asasummerflowershattersiember,itwasfiherewasnoone.

  Bifftappedhishhisforefinger.Afnvoicewasnowspeakiheradio.HecouldnotdecideforcertaiherthevoicewasGerman,French,orSpanish.Butitsoundedlikedoom.Itgavehimthejitterstolistentoit.Wheuroffthesilencewasdeepandunbrokethenightoutside.Lonelinessgrippedhimsothathisbreathquied.ItwasfartoolatetocallLucileoelephoneaoBaby.Norcouldheexpectaertoehishour.Hewenttothedoorandlookedupanddowreet.Alltyanddark.

  Louis!hecalled.Areyouawake,Louis?’

  Noanswer.Heputhiselbowsontheterandheldhisheadinhishands.Hemovedhisdarkbeardedjawfromsidetosideandslowlyhisforeheadloweredinafrown.

  Theriddle.Thequestionthathadtakenrootinhimandwouldhimrest.ThepuzzleofSingeraofthem.

  Morethanayearhadgonebysihadstarted.MorethanayearsinceBlounthadhungaroundtheplahisfirstlongdrunkahemuteforthefirsttime.SinceMickhadbeguntofollowhiminandout.AndnowforamonthSingerhadbeendeadandburied.Andtheriddlewasstillinhim,sothathecouldranquil.Therewassomethingnotnaturalaboutitall—somethinglikeanuglyjoke.Whehoughtofithefeltuneasyandinsomeunknownwayafraid.

  Hehadmanagedaboutthefuneral.Theyhadleftallthattohim.Singersaffairswereiherewereinstallmentsdueohingheownedandthebeneficiaryofhislifeinsurancewasdeceased.Therewasjustenoughtoburyhim.

  Thefuneralwasatnoon.Thesunburneddownohsavageheatastheystoodaroundtheopendankgrave.Theflowerscurledandturnedbrowninthesun.Mickcriedsohardthatshechokedherselfaherhadtobeatherontheback.Blountscowleddownatthegravewithhisfisttohismouth.ThetownsNegrodoctor,whowassomehowrelatedtopoorWillie,stoodontheedgeofthecrowdandmoaohimself.Andtherewerestrangersnobodyhadeverseenorheardofbefodknowswheretheycamefromorwhy

  theywerethere.

  Thesileheroomwasdeepasthenightitself.Biffstoodtransfixed,lostinhismeditations.Thensuddeaquiinginhim.Hisheartturnedandheleanedhisbackagainsttheterforsupport.Forinaswiftradianceofilluminationhesawaglimpseofhumanstruggleandofvalor.

  Oftheendlessfluidpassageofhumanitythrougheime.Andofthosewholaborandofthosewho—oneword—love.Hissoulexpanded.Butforamomentonly.Forinhimhefeltawarning,ashaftofterror.Betweewoworldshewassuspended.Hesawthathewaslookingathisowheterglassbeforehim.Sweatglistenedonhistemplesandhisfacewastorted.Oneeyeenedwiderthaher.Thelefteyedelvednarrowlyintothepastwhiletherightgazedwideandaffrightedintoafutureofblaess,error,andruin.Andhewassuspeweenradianddarkness.Betweenbitterironyandfaith.Sharplyheturnedaway.

  Louis!hecalled.Louis!Louis!’

  Againtherewasnoanswer.But,mod,washeasensiblemanorwashenot?Andhowcouldthisterrorthrottlehimhiswhenhedidntevenknowwhatcausedit?Andwouldhejuststandherelikeajitteryninnyorwouldhepullhimselftogetherandbereasonable?Forafterallwasheasensiblemanorwashenot?Biffwethishandkerchiefbehewatertapandpattedhisdrawn,tensefaehowherememberedthattheawninghadbeenraised.Ashewenttothedoorhiswalkgaieadiness.Alasthewasinsideagainheposedhimselfsoberlytoawaitthemsun.松语文学www.16sy.coM免费小说阅读

• 推荐自己的新书《天命讨债人》

  齐天大魔猴

  桀骜齐天圣，铮铮大魔猴
• 第817章 四公子当真与众不同？

  清穿后每天被迫撩

  【欢脱独宠，沙雕撩夫日
• 新书《谜城》开启

  神峰

  一次偶然， 他踏足修
• 第270章 酒吧偶遇

  网游之影子大师

  我，在黑夜中行走 我
• 007儿女成群

  婚城难入

  十八岁的她，一心想用高
• 第四百一十六章 邀请

  剑神之剑弑乾坤

  《剑神之剑弑乾坤》是一