hr.thecarpetbaggers-第109部分

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　They　crossed　the　street；　walking　toward　the　drugstore　on　the　next　corner。　A　group　of　boys　were　lounging　about　the　store　window；　dressed　in　their　Sunday　best。　The　boys　fell　silent　as　they　approached；　staring　at　them　with　their　wise；　street…corner　eyes。　Tom　stared　back　angrily　at　them　and　their　eyes　fell　before　his。　They　walked　by　and　turned　the　corner　to　their　house。
　From　around　the　corner　behind　him；　Tom　could　hear　the　sudden　explosion　of　their　whispered　conversation。　Then　one　boy　snickered　and　another　boy　laughed　and　the　merriment　had　a　sick；　dirty　sound　to　it　that　tore　at　his　heart。　Abruptly　he　let　go　of　Jennie's　arm　and　walked　back　around　the　corner。　They　looked　at　him　in　surprise；　the　laughter　frozen　on　their　lips。
　〃What's　the　joke；　boys？〃　he　asked；　his　anger　making　his　face　white　and　cold。　〃Tell　it　to　me　so　I　may　laugh　with　you。〃
　They　stared　at　him　silently；　shamefaced。　They　looked　down　at　their　feet；　they　shuffled　awkwardly；　glancing　at　each　other　with　secret　looks　filled　with　a　meaning　that　Tom　remembered　from　his　own　youth。　It　was　as　if　they'd　been　surprised　looking　at　dirty　pictures。
　A　shame　for　what　he'd　been　at　their　age　came　over　him　and　a　sick　weariness　replaced　the　anger。　〃Get　off　this　corner；〃　he　said　softly。　〃And　if　ever　I　hear　of　any　of　you　laughing　or　making　any　remarks　about　me　or　any　member　of　my　family；　I'll　e　down　here　and　tear　the　lot　of　you　apart　with　my　bare　hands！〃
　The　tallest　of　the　boys　took　a　step　toward　him。　His　eyes　were　sly　and　insolent。　He　was　slightly　taller　than　Tom　and　he　looked　down　at　him　with　a　faint；　contemptuous　smile。　〃It's　a　free　country。　We　can　stand　here　if　we　like。〃
　The　resentment　in　Tom　suddenly　exploded。　He　seized　the　boy　by　his　jacket　lapels　and　forced　him　to　his　knees。　〃Free；　is　it？〃　he　shouted；　his　veins　purple　on　his　forehead。　〃Free　for　you　to　stand　here　and　choose　who　you'll　rape　tonight？〃　He　raised　an　open　hand　to　slap　the　boy　across　the　face。
　The　boy　cringed；　the　insolence　gone　from　his　face。　〃What　yuh　pickin'　on　us　for；　Mr。　Denton？　We　aren't　the　ones　fucked　Jennie。〃
　The　words　seemed　to　freeze　the　blood　in　Tom's　veins。　He　stood　there；　his　hand　still　upraised；　staring　down　at　the　boy。　Fucked　Jennie。　They　could　say　that　about　his　own　daughter　and　there　was　nothing　he　could　do　that　could　change　the　fact　of　it。　Slowly　he　let　his　hand　fall　to　his　side；　then　with　a　violent　gesture；　he　flung　the　boy　away　from　him。
　Tom　glared　at　them；　looking　from　one　to　another。　They　were　only　boys；　he　told　himself。　He　couldn't　hate　all　boys　because　of　what　two　had　done。　The　boy　was　right。　They　weren't　the　guilty　ones。
　A　sense　of　failure　came　over　him。　If　anyone　was　guilty；　he　was　the　guiltiest　of　all。　If　he'd　been　a　man　and　kept　his　job；　all　this　might　never　have　happened。　〃Get　off　this　corner；〃　he　said。　〃If　any　of　you　ever　see　me　ing　this　way　again；　you'd　better　be　on　the　other　side　of　the　street。〃
　They　looked　at　him　and　then　at　each　other　and　it　almost　seemed　now　as　if　they　were　pitying　him。　Suddenly；　as　if　a　secret　message　had　been　passed　mysteriously　between　them；　they　began　to　disperse　in　ones　and　twos。
　A　moment　later；　he　was　alone　on　the　corner。　He　stood　there　for　a　moment　to　quiet　the　sudden　trembling　that　came　over　him；　then　he；　too；　turned　and　walked　around　the　corner　to　where　his　wife　and　daughter　were　waiting　for　him。　〃It's　over　now；〃　he　said　for　the　second　time　that　morning；　as　he　took　Jennie's　arm　and　started　for　the　house　again。　But　this　time；　he　knew；　even　as　he　said　it；　that　it　wasn't　over　…　that　it　would　never　be　over　as　long　as　he　was　alive　to　remember。
　
　The　cool　September　breeze　held　the　first　hint　of　autumn。　Jennie　looked　out　the　cable…car　window　toward　her　stop。　Her　father　was　standing　there　under　the　street　lamp；　waiting　for　her　as　he　did　each　night　now。　The　car　stopped　and　she　stepped　down。
　〃Hello；　Daddy。〃
　〃Hi；　Jennie　Bear。〃
　She　fell　into　step　beside　him　as　they　turned　the　corner　toward　home。　〃Any　luck　today？〃
　He　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　understand　it。　There　just　are　no　jobs。〃
　〃Maybe　there'll　be　one　tomorrow。〃
　〃I　hope　so；〃　he　said。　〃Maybe　after　the　election；　things　will　look　up。　Roosevelt　says　the　government　has　to　take　the　lead　in　providing　work；　that　big　business　has　fallen　down　on　its　responsibilities。　He　makes　more　sense　for　the　working　man　than　Hoover　and　the　Republicans。〃　He　looked　at　her。　〃How　did　it　go　today？〃
　〃All　right；〃　she　said。　But　there　still　was　an　unfortable　feeling　in　the　office。　Many　of　the　pany　agents　had　taken　to　stopping　at　her　desk　on　their　way　in　and　out　of　the　office。　Sometimes　they　just　chatted；　but　some　of　them　had　tried　to　date　her。　Maybe　if　things　had　been　different；　she'd　have　gone　out　with　them。　But　when　she　looked　up　from　her　desk　into　their　eyes；　she　knew　what　they　were　thinking。　She'd　refuse　politely　and　some　of　them　would　stammer　or　even　blush；　for　they　knew　somehow　that　she　knew。
　〃You　don't　have　to　meet　me　every　night；　Daddy；〃　she　said　suddenly。　〃I'm　not　afraid　to　e　home　alone。〃
　〃I　know　you're　not。　I've　known　it　from　that　first　day　I　came　to　meet　you。　But　I　want　to　do　it。　It's　the　one　time　of　the　whole　day　that　I　feel　I've　really　got　something　to　do。〃
　Jennie　didn't　answer　and　they　walked　along　silently　for　a　moment。　〃Do　you　want　me　to　stop？〃
　〃Not　if　you　want　to　meet　me；　Daddy。〃
　They　were　at　the　steps　of　the　house　now　and　she　started　up。　Her　father　placed　a　hand　on　her　arm。　〃Let's　not　go　up　just　yet；　Jennie　Bear。　Let's　sit　here　and　talk　a　minute。〃
　She　looked　down　at　him。　His　face　was　serious。　〃What　is　it；　Daddy？〃
　〃I　didn't　tell　your　mother。　I　went　to　see　Father　Hadley　today。〃
　〃Yes？〃
　〃He　won't　e　down　to　court　to　testify　to　your　character。　He　told　me　it's　against　the　rules　of　the　church。　And　the　same　goes　for　the　sisters　at　the　school。〃
　〃Oh；〃　she　said。　The　sick　feeling　came　up　inside　her　again。　The　lawyer　had　been　right。　He'd　e　to　see　them　a　month　ago；　a　little　man　with　the　eyes　of　a　weasel。
　He'd　sat　down　in　the　kitchen　and　looked　across　the　table　at　them。　〃Mr。　Burke　and　Mr。　Tanner　asked　me　to　see　you；〃　he　said。　〃I　think　you　know　how　much　they　regret　this；　er　…　〃　He　had　glanced　at　her　quickly　and　then　away。　〃　…　this　incident　and　they　would　like　to　make　amends　if　they　can。〃
　Her　father's　face　had　flushed　angrily。　〃In　the　first　place；　Mr。　O'Connor；〃　he　had　said　quickly。　〃That　incident　you　are　referring　to　was　not　an　incident。　Those　two　boys　ra…　〃
　The　lawyer　held　up　his　hand　interrupting。　〃We　know　what　they　did；〃　he　said。　〃But　surely；　Mr。　Denton；　what　purpose　would　their　trial　serve　except　to　call　even　greater　attention　to　your　daughter　and　remind　her　of　what　already　must　be　a　painful　experience。　And　what　if　the　boys　should　be　adjudged　not　guilty？〃
　Her　father　laughed。　〃Not　guilty？　I　was　at　the　station　when　the　police　brought　them　in。　I　heard　them　sniveling　and　crying　then　how　sorry　they　were　that　they　did　it。〃
　〃What　they　said　then；　Mr。　Denton；〃　the　attorney　had　said；　〃is　unimportant。　It's　what　they　say　in　court　that　counts。　And　they　will　say　that　your　daughter　led　them　on；　that　she　asked　them　to　go　to　the　park　with　her。〃
　〃They　will　have　to　prove　that；〃　Tom　said　grimly。
　〃It　will　be　harder　for　you　to　disprove　it；〃　the　lawyer　said。　〃There's　two　of　them　and　only　the　word　of　your　daughter。　And　they　will　have　as　many　character　witnesses　for　them　as　you　will　have　to　have　for　your　daughter。〃
　〃It's　beginning　to　sound　as　if　my　daughter　were　on　trial；　not　them！〃　Tom　burst　out。
　〃Exactly；〃　the　lawyer　nodded。　〃That　is　the　way　it　is　in　these　cases。　The　accuser　stands　to　lose　more　than　the　accused。〃
　〃My　daughter's　reputation　speaks　for　itself；〃　Tom　said。　〃Father　Hadley　of　St。　Paul's　and　the　sisters　at　Mercy　High　School　will　tell　you　of　my　Jennie。〃
　The　lawyer　had　smiled　mysteriously。　〃I　doubt　it；　Mr。　Denton；〃　he　said　quietly。　〃I　doubt　it　very　much。〃　He　glanced　at　Jennie　again；　then　back　at　Tom。　〃I　am　authorized　by　my　clients　to　offer　you　a　thousand　dollars　if　your　daughter　will　drop　the　charges　against　the　boys。〃
　〃I　think　you　might　as　well　go；　Mr。　O'Connor；〃　her　father　had　said；　getting　to　his　feet。　〃You　cannot　buy　what's　already　been　stolen。〃
　The　attorney　rose　also。　He　took　a　card　from　his　pocket　and　placed　it　on　the　table　and　walked　to　the　door。　〃You　can　reach　me　at　my　office　any　time　before　the　trial　begins　if　you　should　change　your　mind。〃
　〃What　do　we　do　now；　Daddy？〃　she　asked；　back　in　the　present　again。
　〃Father　Hadley　said　they'd　told　your　mother　the　same　thing　three　weeks　ago。〃
　She　stared　at　her　father。　〃Then　she　knew　all　along　and　never　told　us？〃
　He　nodded。　A　chill　ran　through　her。　There　was　something　wrong　with　a　God　who　would　let　a　mother　expose　her　own　child　to　shame　and　ridicule　just　to　save　her　own　conscience。
　〃Father　Hadley　also　said　the　scholarship　to　St。　Mary's　is　still　open　if　you　want　it；　Jennie。〃
　Suddenly；　she　began　to　laugh。　They　refused　to　give　her　a　good　name；　yet　were　willing　to　give　her　charity。　She　couldn't　reconcile　the　two　attitudes。　Was　one　merely　to　pensate　for　the　other？
　Tom　looked　up　at　her　in　surprise。　〃What　are　you　laughing　at；　Jennie？〃
　Her　laughter　died　and　she　looked　at　him；　unsmiling。　〃Nothing；　Daddy；〃　she　said。　〃I　think　you　might　as　well　give　that　lawyer　a　call。〃
　〃Then　you'll　take　the　thousand　dollars？〃
　She　nodded。　〃And　the　scholarship　to　St。　Mary's；　too。　That　way；　you'll　be　able　to　live　while　I'm　away。〃
　〃I　won't　accept　your　money。〃
　〃Yes；　you　will；　Daddy；〃　she　said　softly。　〃At　least；　until　you　find　a　job　and　get　back　on　your　feet　again。〃
　He　felt　the　tears　rush　into　his　eyes　and　suddenly　he　pulled　her　to　him。　〃Do　you　love　me；　Jennie　Bear？　Do　you　love　your　poor　miserable　failure　of　a　father？〃
　〃You　know　I　do；　Daddy；〃　she　said　quickly；　her　head　against　his　chest。　And　they　clung　to　each　other；　crying；　there　on　the　steps　in　the　quiet；　cool　autumn　twilight。
　
　7
　
　THE　ONLY　SOUND　FOR　A　MOMENT　WAS　THE　SLIGHT　HISSING　THAT　CAME　FROM　THE　FLUORESCENT　LAMPS　OVER　THE　SURGICAL　AREA。　Dr。　Grant's　hands　were　quick　and　sure　as　he　deftly　lifted　the　perfectly　normal　appendix　from　the　heavy…set；　wealthy　woman　lying　on　the　operating　table。　His　deep；　masculine　voice　rumbled　in　the　silence。　〃That　will　do　it；〃　he　said；　sighing　in　satisfaction。　〃You　can　close　her　up　now；　Dr。　Lobb。〃
　He　t