cw.blackalibi-第21部分
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He waved a hand in helpless permission。 〃Go ahead。 I don't care what you do to me。 If I die here in this chair； it's been worth it…〃
〃I'll get up high；〃 the helpful Clo…Clo said。 〃So it'll give a little splash。〃 She pulled her own chair around to the rear of his； stood up on it； and tilted a champagne bottle with both hands。 〃Now get ready； here it es…〃
The door was flung open without the preliminary of any knock； and what can best be described as a gasp of virtuous outrage entered and swirled about the room like a current of chill air。 Its producer remained posed accusingly at the threshold without ing forward。 It was the same priggish young man with the needle…pointed mustaches whom Clo…Clo had glimpsed earlier in the bar alcove。
They were both staring at him by indirection； in a wall mirror opposite that gave them back his reflection； ing from behind them。
Clo…Clo's supper panion murmured ruefully for her private benefit； 〃That was the shock I needed。 It went down by itself。〃
She regained the floor with a lithe bound； returned the bottle of christening champagne to its bucket。
No one had said anything yet； at least not for general inclusion。
The dinner…jacketed sphinx in the open doorway finally broke the ice。 He said a single word： 〃 Papa！ 〃
The older man in the chair waved his hand disgustedly； without turning to look at him。 〃Please close the door。 I'll be right out。〃
〃I'll wait for you in the foyer。 You came here with us； please remember that！〃
Clo…Clo's host mumbled something indistinct that sounded like； 〃Try and forget it！〃 The door closed。
Clo…Clo gasped； 〃Not your son！ Why you hardly look…〃
He sighed； shrugged； clapped his sides frustratedly as he rose to his feet。 〃It is having sons like him that makes one old；〃 he plained half under his breath。
Then his expression changed； he smiled at her； wistfully； almost tenderly。 He took her hand between both of his； carried it to his lips。 〃Never mind； we had some fun； didn't we？ I'll have to go now。 I don't know whether we'll ever meet again。 We live outside of town； and I'll never hear the end of this。 But； little Clo…Clo； you're a lovely girl。 You've made me feel young again for an hour or two。 Like I used to be years ago。 You've made me feel happy with your laughter and your little ways。 Let me do something for you。 You deserve it。 That sour…pussed daughter…in…law of mine gets enough of it as it is。〃
〃Not so much； seсor！〃 For probably the first time in her life the protest was genuine； almost alarmed。
He'd given her a hundred and fifty pesos； out of a wallet that must have held close to a thousand。
〃Take it； take it；〃 he said。 He folded her fingers persuasively back upon it； patted her hand reassuringly。 〃Anyone that calls you bad； they must be blind；〃 he said with low…voiced sincerity。 〃To make others happy； what better claim to goodness is there than that？〃
She looked down； abashed for a moment。 She was used to all sorts of pliments； but not to having her sanctity praised。
He gave a little smile of mischievous approval。
〃That's right； put it down where they won't get at it； don't let them take it from you； hang Onto it。〃 And then； almost as though some premonition were assailing him； he urged： 〃Be careful； little Clo…Clo。 I know I've got champagne in me； but… Don't let anything happen to you。 Your way of life is so dangerous at times。 I am a man that would not hurt you。 But there are others… Go home； now that I've given you this。 Don't stay out any more tonight。〃
〃I won't；〃 she promised fervently； hands pressed tight to her bosom where the money now rested。 〃Believe me； I won't！〃
Something about her must be still getting at him。 He even made a move toward removing a large diamond ring on his little finger。 Then he changed his mind regretfully。 〃Those two vultures would miss it the first thing； and only make trouble for you。〃
The door was flung open again at this point。 The younger man was even sorer than before。 〃Papa！ The car is waiting。 I've told Elena you've been suffering from an upset stomach。 How much longer do you think I can keep her from finding out about this…this situation I've found you in？〃
〃I'm ing！〃 Clo…Clo's late host thundered infuriatedly。 〃I'm ing； you damn kill…joy！〃
He turned and went out after him。 Even so； his last thought was of Clo…Clo。 As he closed the door lingeringly after him； he repeated what he'd said before； in a poignant murmur of farewell。 〃Don't let anything happen to you； little Clo…Clo。 Take care of yourself。〃
She got up and waltzed around the room； holding skirt aloft at waist level and revealing a sector of abbreviated pink hip trunk。 A chair went over at her spinning passage and she let it lie。 She snatched up one of their partially filled glasses and drained it on the wing； put it back again the next time she came around。 Then the second one。 Then she stopped whirling and attended to the bottle remaining in the ice bucket。 This was not dipsomania on her part； it was thrift pure and simple。 It was a shame to waste good champagne that had already been paid for。
She was standing there with her back to the ceiling…high terrace windows； alternating gulps of champagne and bites of chicken sandwich； when something upaccountably made her turn her head。 The drapes had been drawn closed over the window； for privacy； by the waiter when they first came in。 There was a gap； however； midway down the long intersection where they had fallen partly open again。 A feeling of being looked at through it came over her。 It was so strong she even went over toward it and tried to peer through。 There wasn't anything or anyone out there。 Just the canalized light gleam cast on the terrace flooring by the room lights in here escaping through。
She came out of the room a few minutes later； munching the last of the chicken。 The barman； wiping a glass； said jeeringly out of the corner of his mouth as she passed； 〃Left flat； eh？〃
She thumbed her nose at him in a long； lingering farewell insult； that lasted from the third bar stool all the way out to the porte…cochere； turning her head slowly in time with it as she did so。
And now to go home。 She was whistling softly under her breath as the pinkish…amber glow of the Tabarin's lights faded out behind her。 There were stars overhead； and the night felt cool and good。 And the hundred fifty pesos at her bosom felt even better。 She snapped her thumbnail at the fluted iron post of a street lamp as she passed it； just for luck。 It hummed hollowly for several moments after； like a muted organ note。
She was passing through tortuous； cobbled San Rafael Street a few minutes later； when a church bell somewhere near by tolled the hour。 She counted the strokes as they lowered out above her in the night stillness； each one seeming to hang vibrantly suspended until the next had e along to displace it。
Three already。 She shivered defensively； quickened her step a little。 The Deathwatch was begining。 The Blue Hours。 Time to get in； pull walls around you。 She quitted the sliver of sidewalk； took the indented middle of the narrow thoroughfare； undeterred by the thread of open sewage coiled along it。 A moment later she was glad she'd done so。 A columnar blackness standing unsuspected in the niche of a setback doorway found voice as she went by； slurred softly： 〃Hey； what's your hurry？〃
〃Shop closed！〃 she snapped； and quickened to a run； and kept it up until she'd reached the lower end of San Rafael； and it had opened up into one of the subsidiary plazas that dotted the town。 This one had palms； a bandstand kiosk； a gleaming white statue of one of the heroes of independence； and faint arc lights gleaming in misty violet around the four sides of it。 It was dead to the world。
She cut across it； and on the other side had a choice of two。 San Jacinto was the shortest way out to her own place； but it was another of those long； dismal； poorly lighted lanes like the one she'd just left。 i5th of May would take her a little out of her way； but it boasted a little better lighting and there was an occasional food or drink shop to be found along it。 Other nights when she came along here she never hesitated； she took the quickest way。 Tonight； for some reason； she was in a creepy mood； shy of dark and lonely places。 She entered the Calle Quince de Mayo。 The two diverged like the arms of a narrow V。
She had just gone past a small； dimly…lighted bodega； a drinking and eating place patronized by the poor； a few moments later； when someone came out and hailed her。
〃Hola！ Is that you； Clo…Clo？〃
It was one of the others of her own immediate sorority； a girl known as La Bruja （the witch）。 She had a shawl coifed around her head to ward off the night chill； and might have looked almost nun…like save for the cigarette suspended between her lips without benefit of fingers。 She stood there arms akimbo。
Clo…Clo turned and went back to her； glad to find herself in someone else's pany； even though it meant a tethporary delay in her return home。 After all； you didn't have to be afraid of another girl。
〃What's the matter； you getting airy？〃 La Bru；ja demanded。
〃Get out；〃 Clo…Clo chuckled disarmingly。
〃Going home already？ How are things？〃
Clo…Clo hooked two fingers； kissed their tips to denote the indescribable。 〃What a night！ I ran into Croesus himself。〃
〃Who's he； one of these rich paisanos in town for a spree？〃
〃No； it's somebody my mother's always talking about。〃 She described the supper in glowing terms； prudently omitting all reference to the hundred…and…fifty…peso bonus。 It probably wouldn't have been believed anyway。 〃You know； I'm almost frightened。 When things are so good； they say it's a sign you're in for trouble； to watch out。 I hope this night don't end up bad。〃
They stood for a while like that chatting； two lone figures on the night…bound sidewalk。 〃Knocking off？〃 La Bruja asked finally。
〃Sure am。 I don't want to crowd my luck any。〃
〃I guess I will too。 Got a cigarette left on you？〃
〃I'll do better than that for you。 e on； I'll blow you to a cup of steaming coffee。 I keep feeling chilly down the middle of my back。〃
They
