cw.blackalibi-第23部分

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already　backed　together　behind　it　in　closure　for　the　night。
　　She　writhed　slightly；　as　if　trying　to　throw　some　thing　off。　〃I　keep　getting　a　feeling　of　somebody　looking　at　me；　somebody　looking　at　me　hard。　I　already　had　it　once　before；　tonight；　before　I　even　came　in　here　〃
　　〃Maybe　somebody　just　took　a　squint　in；　in　passing；　to　see　if　Pepito　is　still　open。　I　was　sitting　facing　that　way　the　whole　time；　and　I　didn't　see　anyone。　Pay　the　guy　and　let's　get　out　of　here；〃　La　Bruja　said；　in　reminder　that　it　was　her　invitation。　〃You'll　feel　better　outside。〃
　　Clo…Clo　put　on　one　shoe。　Then　she　felt　underneath　the　shredded　inner　sole　of　the　other；　dredged　up　a　thin　ten…centavo　piece；　and　put　it　on　the　table。
　　La　Bruja　had　opened　the　door　and　gone　out　ahead。　〃There's　nobody　out　here；〃　she　called　back　reassuringly。　〃The　street's　empty！〃
　　Clo…Clo　came　out　after　her。　She　drew　her　short　elbow　jacket　closer　around　her　as　though　she　were　cold。　There　wasn't　another　moving　thing　in　sight　but　the　two　of　them。　Gable　Quince　de　Mayo　lay　desolate　ifi　the　gloom　around　them；　a　blue…black　tunnel　running　through　the　night。
　　〃The　tailings　of　the　night；〃　La　Bruja　grimaced。　〃I　always　hate　it。　Webb；　until　next…〃　She　took　a　preliminary　step　away　from　her。
　　Clo…Clo　grabbed　her　almost　spasmodically　by　the　arm。　〃La　Bruja；　walk　part　of　the　way　back　with　me；　will　you？　You　can　go　my　way　as　well　as　the　other；　it's　just　as　near　for　you。〃
　　La　Bruja　jeered；　〃What's　the　matter　with　you　all　of　a　sudden？〃　She　turned　nevertheless　and　fell　into　step　alongside　her。
　　〃I　dunno；　I've　got　a　funny　feeling　I　can't　throw　off。〃
　　〃That　fortune　got　you。〃
　　〃No；　I　had　it　even　before　I　met　you；　but　not　as　strong　as　now。　I　was　feeling　leery　already　back　at　the　Tabarin。〃
　　〃I　can　tell　you　what's　the　matter　with　you；〃　La　Bruja　told　her；　with　the　wisdom　born　of　greater　experience。　〃Don't　go　in　too　heavy　for　this　distilled　stuff；　like　brandy　or　aguardiente。　It　overstimulates　and　then　depresses　you。　I　used　to　make　that　mistake　when　I　was　first　beginning　to　go　around；　too。　Don't　let　them　buy　you　just　anything　they　feel　like。　Stick　to　wine　and　light　stuff。　These　cheap　guys　are　only　too　glad　to　daze　you；　if　you　give　them　the　chance。　Unless　you　get　some　system　into　your　drinking；　you'll　find　yourself；　at　the　end　of　a　hard　night；　with　the　horrors。〃
　　They　had　reached　the　lower　end　of　the　street　by　now。　〃Well；　here's　where　we　split　up；〃　La　Bruja　let　her　know。　〃I'm　not　going　out　of　my　way　for　you；　I've　done　enough　tramping　around　already　for　one　evening。　Take　it　easy。〃
　　She　turned　sharply　left；　and　the　tap　of　her　heels；　for　a　moment　or　two；　could　be　heard　receding　along　the　sidewalk。　Clo…Clo　continued　on　alone　in　their　original　direction。　Just　before　the　opposite　corner　line　cut　them　off　from　one　another　for　good；　she　called　out；　almost　despairingly：　〃See　you　around　tomorrow　night。〃
　　〃Maybe；〃　came　echoing　back　blurredly　along　the　resonant；　empty　stone　chasm　of　the　street。
　　Clo…Clo　went　her　way。　To　her　surprise；　she　discovered　she　felt　a　little　better　after　leaving　the　other　girl；　rather　than　worse。　La　Bruja　had　a　sort　of　dampening　personality；　she　was　well　known　for　that；　maybe　that　was　it。　Or　maybe　there　had　been　a　lack　of　sympathy　there。　Not　that　she　didn't　hurry；　and　not　that　she　wasn't　stibb　uneasy。　Plenty　of　both。　The　way　home　was　a　long　one；　and　it　had　never　seemed　longer　than　it　did　tonight。　Her　feet　played　chopsticks　under　her　along　the　sidewalk；　and　the　tubular　street；　like　a　megaphone；　seemed　to　carry　the　sound　far　in　advance　of　her。　They　went：　tickchock；　tick…chock；　tick…chock…　And　then　suddenly　they　had　stopped。
　　What　was　that？
　　It　had　coursed　out　swiftly　before　her；　made　a　wide　turn　around　her　out　into　the　middle　of　the　road；　before　she　could　identify　it。　Then　it　fell　motionless　out　there；　poised　for　further　flight；　uncertainly　booking　over　at　her。　It　went　〃Miaow；〃　in　slurred　remonstrance。
　　A　thrill　of　horror　surged　through　her。　Oh　God；　no；　not　tonight；　after　that　card…！
　　Black；　inky　black　from　nose　to　tail　tip；　not　a　white　hair　in　its　coat。
　　She　started　to　draw　warily　backwards　a　step　at　a　time；　hand　out　to　the　wall　beside　her；　trying　to　get　out　of　the　loop　it　had　half　drawn　around　her；　before　it　had　a　chance　to　close　it　entirely。　Trying　to　keep　their　two　paths　from　crossing　at　any　point。
　　Just　when　she　had　got　abreast　of　it　on　her　rearward　way；　it　took　further　fright；　trickled　over　the　paving　stones　an　additional　length　away　from　her。　Still　in　the　wrong　direction；　behind　her。
　　She　flattened　her　back　against　the　wall　and　tried　to　edge　past　it　without　disturbing　it　further　in　its　new　halting　place。　Suddenly　it　sighted　sanctuary；　closed　in　again　to　the　same　side　of　the　way　it　had　originally　emerged　from；　squeezed　through　some　sidewalk…level　vent　and　vanished；　with　a　delayed'　withdrawal　of　its　tail　a　moment　or　two　after　the　rest　of　it。　Behind　her。
　　It　had　drawn　a　plete　arc　around　her。　She　couldn't　move　now　in　either　direction；　backwards　or　forwards；　without　crossing　its　ilb…omened　orbit　at　some　point。
　　She　called　upon　her　patron　saint；　sponsor　of　that　given　name　she　so　seldom　heard　any　more；　except　around　the　shack。　〃Santa　Gabriela；　get　me　out　of　this！〃　She　touched　her　shoulders　and　her　forehead　and　her　breast；　to　ward　it　off。　It　was　worse；　they　said；　even　than　breaking　a　mirror。
　　But　she　couldn't　stand　here　all　night　upon　this　island　of　safety。　The　damage　was　done　now；　irretrievable。　She　gathered　herself　together；　lowered　her　head　defensively　as　though　she　were　about　to　charge　through　a　curtain　of　fire　or　water；　even　gathered　up　her　already　brief　skirt　higher　still　with　one　hand；　to　give　her　limbs　more　freedom　of　action。　Then　she　drew　a　deep　breath　and　went　plunging　through　the　cat's　esoteric　path　and　brought　up　short　on　the　other　side　of　it。　Free；　but　tarred　by　misfortune。
　　She　gave　a　look　behind　her；　sighed；　and　continued　on　her　way。
　　A　few　minutes　later　she　had　hit　the　straightaway　of　the　Gable　de　Justicia；　a　wide　diagonal　swath　cut　remorselessly　through　the　maze　of　crooked　older　byways；　its　corners　a　continuous　series　of　wedges　and　acute　angles　due　to　its　biased　progression。　Now　all　she　had　to　do　was　keep　on　it　to　its　outer　reaches　and　she'd　arrive　back　at　the　shack。
　　A　street…light　poob　picked　her　up　momentarily；　lost　her　to　the　darkness　again。　A　short　wait；　and　then　the　next　one　ahead　did　the　same　thing。　Then　the　one　above　that。　They　were　spaced　about　one　to　a　crossing。
　　Still　as　it　was；　she　failed　utterly　to　hear　the　car　until　it　was　almost　upon　her。　It　must　have　been　gliding　after　her　with　its　engine　tuned　down　to　inaudibility；　its　lights　out；　for　several　moments　past。　Probably　he　had　sighted　her　ahead　under　one　of　those　betraying　light　pools。
　　A　slithering　sound；　light　as　a　tape　being　dragged　along　the　ground；　was　all　the　warning　she　had。　She　swerved；　and　it　was　only　a　few　yards　in　back　of　her；　pacing　her。　The　bights　must　have　been　left　off　purposely；　until　the　last　minute；　so　that　it　could　get　close。　They　switched　on　now；　drenched　her　from　head　to　foot；　photographed　her；　so　to　speak；　then　dimmed　again　to　a　dull　glow　at　the　touch　of　a　switch。　She　faltered　there　bbinded；　the　back　of　her　hand　to　her　eyes。
　　But　the　photographic　proof　had　turned　out　satisfactory；　the　car　had　stopped；　and　a　figure　had　alighted　to　the　sidewalk　beside　it。　All　she　could　glimpse　was　a　rakishly　diagonal　hat　brim　and　a　figure　that　was　young；　almost　juvenile；　in　its　symmetry。　He　must　be　some　rich　man's　son；　out　trying　to　beam　about　life　at　first　hand。　The　mere　fact　that　he　would　alight　and　stand　there　waiting　by　the　open　door；　instead　of　just　sitting　tight　and　cabling　her　over；　showed　how　inexperienced　he　still　must　be。　They　were　veritable　gold　mines；　if　you　were　lucky　enough　to　strike　one。
　　〃Hey；　chica；　how　about　a　little　spin　with　me？〃　Yes；　she'd　been　right；　the　voice　was　that　of　a　youth；　and　slightly　nervous　at　its　own　daring　under　the　man…about…town　nonchalance　it　tried　so　hard　to　assume。
　　She　had　already　taken　a　step　over　toward　him　to　parley；　both　out　of　long　habit　and　because　of　the　special　circumstances　involved　in　this　instance；　before　she　realized　what　she　was　doing。　She　jolted　to　a　sudden　halt　again。
　　〃Wait　a　minute；　what　color　is　that　car？　It　books　to　me…〃
　　〃It's　black；〃　he　said　proudly。　〃Some　beauty；　eh？〃
　　〃Get　outta　here！〃　she　shrieked　in　sudden　unreasoning　panic。　〃Get　away　from　me　with　that　thing！　Ay；　dios　mio；　don't　e　near　me　with　it！〃　She　fled　full　tilt　down　the　street　as　if　pursued　by　demons。
　　〃It's　an　Hispano；〃　he　cabled　after　her　in　high　dudgeon。　She　looked　back　to　make　sure　he　wasn't　ing　after　her　in　it。　He　was　standing　there　by　it；　booking　from　her　to　it；　and　from　it　to　her；　in　outraged　pride　of　ownership。　He　even　backed　one　arm　at　her　in　resentment。　She　had　evidently　wounded　him　in　a　very　sensitive　spot。
　　She　kept　running；　to　get　away　even　from　the　very　vicinity　of　the　thing。　She　didn't　stop　for　almost　a　block；　tapering　off　finally　to　a　bedraggled　scamper　simply　because　she　was　pletely　out　of　breath。　What　a　close　shave　that　had　been！　The　thing　would　have　probably　telescoped　itself　into　a　wall　and　burned　her　alive　inside　of　five　minutes　after　she'd　gotten　in。
　　Her　stockings　were　loosening　from　her　flight；　and　she　had　to　bend　over　and　tug　them　up。　Her　jacket　and　the　blouse　under　it　were　all　awry　too；　and　she　had　to　straighten　them。　Then　she　continued　at　a　tottering　walk；　still　panting　from　her　efforts。
　　That　got　her　home　finally。　That　saw　her　the　rest　of　the　way　to　the　shack。　It　was　a　one…story；　two…room　cabin　of　adobe　bricks　covered　with　plaster；　and　roofed　over　with　broken　tiles；　out　where　the　buildings　were　beginning　to　thin　out；　the　land　wasn't　worth　much；　and　nobody　was　exactly　sure　who　owned　it。　It　had　a　small　patch　of　open　ground　out　in　front；　with　sunflowers　struggling　up　through　the　discarded　gasoline　cans　and　broken　water　jugs；　and　usually　the　old　bady's　wash　strung　out。　It　was　home。　She　liked　it。　She　liked　to　e　back　to　it。　It　was　what　she　sat　drinking　at　bars　for。　It　was　what　she　brought　home　a　hundred　and　fifty　pesos…or　a　peso　and　fifty　centavos…to。　She　didn't　take　the　money　from　here　elsewhere；　she　brought　it　from　elsewhere　here。　That　sh