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！
said。 But this diamond was showing some small flaws； he thought。 Now they were walking parallel to the mighty and dead…polluted Androscoggin River。 On the other side the Porterville Weaving pany； a textile mill reared its turrets into the fog like a filthy medieval castle。
Stebbins didn't look up； but Garraty knew Stebbins knew he was there。 He said nothing； foolishly determined to make Stebbins say the first word。 The road curved again。 For a moment the crowd was gone as they crossed the bridge spanning the Androscoggin。 Beneath them the water boiled along； sullen and salty； dressed with cheesy yellow foam。
〃Well？〃
〃Save your breath for a minute；〃 Garraty said。 〃You'll need it。〃
They came to the end of the bridge and the crowd was with them again as they swung left and started up the Brickyard Hill。 It was long； steep； and banked。 The river was dropping away below them on the left； and on their right was an almost perpendicular upslope。 Spectators clung to trees； to bushes； to each other； and chanted Garraty's name。 Once he had dated a girl who lived on Brickyard Hill； a girl named Carolyn。 She was married now。 Had a kid。 She might have let him； but he was young and pretty dumb。
From up ahead Parker was giving a whispery； out…of…breath goddam！ that was barely audible over the crowd。 Garraty's legs quivered and threatened to go to jelly； but this was the last big hill before Freeport。 After that it didn't matter。 If he went to hell he went to hell。 Finally they breasted it （Carolyn had nice breasts； she often wore cashmere sweaters） and Stebbins； panting just a little； repeated： 〃Well？〃
The guns roared。 A boy named Charlie Field bowed out of the Walk。
〃Well； nothing；〃 Garraty said。 〃I was looking for Baker and found you in stead。 McVries says he thinks you'll win。〃
〃McVries is an idiot；〃 Stebbins said casually。 〃You really think you'll see your girl； Garraty？ In all these people？〃
〃She'll be in the front；〃 Garraty said。 〃She's got a pass。〃
〃The cops'll be too busy holding everybody back to get her through to the front。〃
〃That isn't true；〃 Garraty said。 He spoke sharply because Stebbins had articulated his own deep fear。 〃Why do you want to say a thing like that？〃
〃It's really your mother you want to see anyway。〃
Garraty recoiled sharply。 〃What？〃
〃Aren't you going to marry her when you grow up； Garraty？ That's what most little boys want。〃
〃You're crazy！〃
〃Am I？〃
〃Yes！〃
〃What makes you think you deserve to win； Garraty？ You're a second…class intellect； a second…class physical specimen； and probably a second…class libido。 Garraty； I'd bet my dog and lot you never slipped it to that girl of yours。〃
〃Shut your goddam mouth！〃
〃Virgin； aren't you？ Maybe a little bit queer in the bargain？ Touch of the lavender？ Don't be afraid。 You can talk to Papa Stebbins。〃
〃I'll walk you down if I have to walk to Virginia； you cheap fuck！〃 Garraty was shaking with anger。 He could not remember being so angry in his whole life。
〃That's okay；〃 Stebbins said soothingly。 〃I understand。〃
〃Motherfucker！ You！…〃
〃Now there's an interesting word。 What made you use that word？〃
For a moment Garraty was sure he must throw himself on Stebbins or faint with rage； yet he did neither。 〃If I have to walk to Virginia；〃 he repeated。 〃If I have to walk all the way to Virginia。〃
Stebbins stretched up on his toes and grinned sleepily。 〃I feel like I could walk all the way to Florida； Garraty。〃
Garraty lunged away from him； hunting for Baker； feeling the anger and rage die into a throbbing kind of shame。 He supposed Stebbins thought he was an easy mark。 He supposed he was。
Baker was walking beside a boy Garraty didn't know。 His head was down； his lips moving a little。
〃Hey； Baker；〃 Garraty said。
Baker started； then seemed to shake himself all over； like a dog。 〃Garraty；〃 he said。 〃You。〃
〃Yea； me。〃
〃I was having a dream…an awful real one。 What time？〃
Garraty checked。 〃Almost twenty to seven。〃
〃Will it rain all day； you think？〃
〃I 。 。 。 uh！〃 Garraty lurched forward； momentarily off balance。 〃My damn shoe…heel came off；〃 he said。
〃Get rid of 'em both；〃 Baker advised。 〃The nails will get to pokin' through。 And you have to work harder when you're off balance。〃
Garraty kicked off one shoe and it went end over end almost to the edge of the crowd； where it lay like a small crippled puppy。 The hands of Crowd groped for it eagerly。 One snared it； another took it away； and there was a violent； knotted struggle over it。 His other shoe would not kick off； his foot had swelled tight inside it。 He knelt； took his warning； untied it； and took it off。 He considered throwing it to the crowd and then left it lying on the road instead。 A great and irrational wave of despair suddenly washed over him and he thought： I have lost my shoes。 I have lost my shoes。
The pavement was cold against his feet。 The ripped remains of his stockings were soon soaked。 Both feet looked strange； oddly lumpish。 Garraty felt despair turn to pity for his feet。 He caught up quickly with Baker； who was also walking shoeless。 〃I'm about done in；〃 Baker said simply。
〃We all are。〃
〃I get to remembering all the nice things that ever happened to me。 The first time I took a girl to a dance and there was this big ole drunk fella that kep tryin' to cut in and I took him outside and whipped his ass for him。 I was only able to because he was so drunk。 And that girl looked at me like I was the greatest thing since the internal bustion engine。 My first bike。 The first time I read The Woman in White； by Wilkie Collins 。 。 。 that's my favorite book； Garraty； should anyone ever ask you。 Sittin' half asleep by some mudhole with a fishin' line and catchin' crawdaddies by the thousands。 Layin' in the backyard and sleepin' with a Popeye funnybook over my face。 I think about those things； Garraty。 Just lately。 Like I was old and gettin' senile。〃
The early morning rain fell silverly around them。 Even the crowd seemed quieter； more withdrawn。 Faces could be seen again； blurrily； like faces behind rainy panes of glass。 They were pale； sloe…eyed faces with brooding expressions under dripping hats and umbrellas and spread newspaper tents。 Garraty felt a deep ache inside him and it seemed it would be better if he could cry out； but he could not； any more than he could fort Baker and tell him it was all right to die。 It might be； but then again； it might not。
〃I hope it won't be dark；〃 Baker said。 〃That's all I hope。 If there is an 。 。 。 an after； I hope it's not dark。 And I hope you can remember。 I'd hate to wander around in the dark forever； not knowing who I was or what I was doin' there； or not even knowing that I'd ever had anything different。〃
Garraty began to speak； and then the gunshots silenced him。 Business was picking up again。 The hiatus Parker had so accurately predicted was almost over。 Baker's lips drew up in a grimace。
〃That's what I'm most afraid of。 That sound。 Why did we do it； Garraty？ We must have been insane。〃
〃I don't think there was any good reason。〃
〃All we are is mice in a trap。〃
The Walk went on。 Rain fell。 They walked past the places that Garraty knewtumbledown shanties where no