emb.seethemdie-第15部分

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　〃And　what's　your　job？〃
　〃My　job　is　keeping　the　streets　clean。　I'm　a　street　cleaner　with　a　gun。　That's　a　cop's　job；　ain't　it？〃
　〃That's　not　all　of　a　cop's　job。〃
　〃No？　Maybe　you　think　I　should　go　around　holding　junkies'　hands；　huh？　I　used　to　be　that　way；　Hernandez。　I　used　to　be　the　kind　of　cop　who　felt　sorry　for　people。　Used　to　break　my　heart　to　tag　a　car　even。〃
　〃I'll　bet　it　did。〃
　〃You　don't　have　to　believe　me。　Ask　any　of　the　old…timers　at　the　station。　But　I　learned　my　lesson；　all　right。　I　learned　my　lesson。〃
　〃How？〃　Hernandez　asked。
　〃Never　mind；〃　Parker　answered；　and　he　turned　away。
　He　had　been　turning　away　for　a　long　time　now；　for　fourteen　years；　to　be　exact。　He　had　been　turning　away　from　his　duty　as　a　cop；　and　from　his　duty　as　a　man；　but　he　excused　his　negligence　by　telling　himself　that　he　had　once　been　the　kind　of　cop　who'd　felt　sorry　for　people；　and　that　he'd　learned　his　lesson　since。　There　was　a　slight　inaccuracy　to　his　rationale。　Andy　Parker　was　not　the　kind　of　man　who　had　ever　felt　sorry　for　anybody　in　his　life。　It　was　simply　not　in　his　make…up　to　exude　sympathy　for　his　fellow　humans。　What　he　probably　meant　was　that　one　time　he　felt　a　closer　identification　with　the　people　of　the　precinct　than　he　did　now。
　And；　to　give　the　devil　his　due；　Parker　had　once　approached　this　somewhat　elusive　task　of　law　and　order　with　a　distinctly　different　viewpoint。　When　he　was　a　patrolman　…　though　it　never　broke　his　heart　to　tag　a　car　…　he　was　inclined　to　be　lenient　with　petty　offenders；　letting　them　off　with　a　whack　of　his　billet　and　a　warning。　There　was；　he　had　concluded；　enough　real　crime　going　on　in　this　precinct　without　persecuting　decent　people　for　minor　infractions。　He　learned　in　those　days　that　the　law　was　open　to　interpretation　long　before　it　reached　the　law　courts。　He　learned　that　the　lowest　arbitrator　in　the　city's　judicial　system　was　a　man　who　wore　no　legal　robes　at　all；　he　was　the　patrolman　on　the　beat。　And　so　he　handed　down　a　dozen　decisions　each　day；　and　his　decisions　definitely　leaned　toward　giving　the　petty　offender　a　break。　At　the　same　time；　he　felt　he　was　tough　and　unpromising　with　the　out…and…out　thief。　He　considered　himself　a　good　cop。
　One　day；　the　good　cop　who　was　Andy　Parker　was　walking　his　beat　when　the　proprietor　of　a　dry　goods　store　called　him　over。　The　man　was　holding　the　wrist　of　a　young　kid　who　had　allegedly　stolen　a　bolt　of　silk　from　the　sidewalk　stand。　Parker　questioned　the　owner；　and　Parker　questioned　the　kid；　and　then　he　donned　his　judicial　robes　and　said；　〃Well；　we　don't　want　to　cause　this　kid　any　trouble；　do　we？　Now；　can't　we　just　forget　about　all　this？〃　The　proprietor　of　the　store　was　loath　to　forget　about　all　this　because　the　kid　had　allegedly　passed　the　bolt　of　silk　to　an　acplice　who　had　made　his　escape　with　the　merchandise。　But　Parker　kept　administering　his　sidewalk　practice；　and　finally　everyone　seemed　satisfied　to　let　the　entire　matter　drop。
　That　evening；　after　he　had　changed　to　his　street　clothes；　Parker　went　for　a　beer　in　a　neighborhood　bar。　He　had　the　beer；　and　he　had　a　shot；　and　then　he　had　another　beer　and　another　shot；　and　he　was　feeling　like　a　pretty　nice　guy　by　the　time　he　left　the　bar；　and　that　was　the　last　time　in　his　life　he　ever　felt　like　a　pretty　nice　guy。
　He　was　ambushed　on　his　way　to　the　subway　by　three　men　who　didn't　allow　him　the　opportunity　to　draw　his　revolver。　He　was　ambushed　and　beaten　within　an　inch　of　his　life。　He　lay　on　the　sidewalk　in　a　pool　of　his　own　blood；　and　when　he　regained　consciousness　he　wondered　why　he'd　been　beaten　or　who　had　done　the　beating；　and　he　drew　what　seemed　to　be　the　only　logical　conclusion。　He　figured　that　he　had　been　beaten　by　friends　of　the　shopowner　because　he'd　let　the　kid　get　away　with　the　theft　of　the　silk。
　He　never　did　find　out　who　had　administered　the　beating　on　that　lonely　autumn　night。
　Perhaps　it　had　been　friends　of　the　shopowner。　Actually；　it　could　have　been　any　one　of　a　hundred　people　who　disliked　Parker　even　in　those　days　of　amiability。　Actually；　it　didn't　matter　who'd　beat　him　up。
　He　learned　several　things。
　The　first　thing　he　learned　was　that　it　wasn't　nice　to　receive　a　beating。　In　the　movies；　a　beating　is　usually　a　battle。　The　person　getting　the　lumps　is　a　fighting　devil　。who　manages　to　pick　off　a　dozen　of　his　assailants　before　he　is　finally　subdued。　Then　he　gets　up；　shakes　the　dizziness　out　of　his　head；　wipes　a　trickle　of　blood　from　his　lip；　dusts　off　his　clothes；　and　narrows　his　eyes；　leaving　the　audience　to　speculate　on　just　what　that　narrowing　of　eyes　meant。　In　real　life；　a　beating　is　very　rarely　administered　with　fists。　The　men　who　worked　over　Parker　on　that　night　in　autumn　were　all　as　big　as　he　was；　and　they　were　armed　with　sawed…off　broom　handles；　and　they　really　beat　the　piss　out　of　him。　They　kept　beating　him　long　after　he　was　unconscious；　they　beat　him　within　an　inch　of　his　life；　and　the　cliche　happened　to　fit　the　situation　well　because　they　damn　near　beat　him　to　death；　and　he　may　have　been　a　lot　closer　than　an　inch　to　leaving　the　land　of　the　quick。　He　had　not　liked　that　experience　at　all。　So　the　first　thing　he　learned　was　that　he　would　never　again；　ever；　as　long　as　he　walked　the　earth；　be　on　the　receiving　end　of　a　beating。　Ever。　He　learned　this　the　way　a　young　boy　learns　his　catechism。　I　will　never　again　take　a　beating。　I　will　never　again　take　a　beating。
　And　the　way　to　be　certain　you　will　never　take　a　beating　is　to　hit　first　and　ask　questions　later。　It's　handy　to　own　a　policeman's　badge　at　such　times。　It　makes　apologies　to　innocent　people　easier　afterward。
　The　second　thing　that　Parker　learned　was　that　he　was　being　entirely　too　easy　and　naive　in　his　approach　to　police　work。　From　that　day　on；　Parker　would　give　a　summons　to　anyone　who　so　much　as　spat　on　the　sidewalk。　In　fact；　and　curiously；　from　that　day　on　Parker　brought　in　more　drunks；　vagrants　and　innocuous　offenders　than　any　other　cop　working　in　the　precinct。　In　his　own　eyes；　Parker　had　stopped　being　a　nice　guy。　He　was　a　mean；　tough　son　of　a　bitch；　and　he　knew　it。　And　if　you　didn't　happen　to　like　him；　that　was　just　too　bad。　Parker　had　a　life　to　lead；　and　he　knew　how　to　lead　it。
　I　will　never　again　take　a　beating；　he　told　himself。
　I　will　never　again　take　a　beating。
　
　In　the　luncheonette　on　the　corner；　Jeff　Talbot　held　the　wet　handkerchief　to　the　cut　on　the　side　of　his　face；　wiping　away　the　blood。　Some　of　the　blood　had　spilled　onto　the　collar　of　his　jumper；　and　he　was　already　looking　ahead　to　the　scrub　job　he　would　have　to　do　on　it　to　get　out　the　stain。　Luis；　behind　the　counter；　was　more　concerned　with　the　sailor's　condition　than　with　the　excitement　in　the　street　outside。　He　watched　the　sailor　anxiously；　almost　like　a　father。
　〃You　all　right？〃　he　asked。
　〃I'm　all　right；〃　Jeff　replied。　〃What's　that　kid　supposed　to　be？〃
　〃Zip？〃
　〃Is　that　his　name？　Yeah。　Him。〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃I　mean；　what　the　hell；　who　was　giving　him　any　trouble？　I　was　minding　my　own　business。〃
　〃His　business　is　minding　other　people's　business。　He'll　wind　up　no　good。　Like　Miranda　up　there。〃
　〃What　I'm　trying　to　get　at　。。。　well；　what's　he　looking　for　trouble　for？　Is　he　hotheaded　or　something？〃
　Luis　shrugged。　〃No　more　than　most；〃
　〃Spanish　people　are　supposed　to　be　hotheaded；　ain't　they？〃
　〃Some　are；　some　aren't；〃　Luis　said；　shrugging　again。
　〃We　ain't　got　a　single　Spanish　person　in　all　Fletcher；　you　know　that？〃　Jeff　said；　a　touch　of　surprise　in　his　voice。　〃I　never　even　seen　a　Spanish　person　until　today；　how　do　you　like　that？〃
　〃I　never　saw　anybody　from　Fletcher　until　today；〃　Luis　answered。
　〃What　I'm　trying　to　figure　out。。。〃　Jeff　paused；　studied　the　blood…smeared　handkerchief；　and　then　looked　up　at　Luis。　〃Well；　you　seem　all　right。〃
　〃All　right？〃
　〃I　mean　。。。　you　ain't　like　him。〃　Jeff　paused。　〃That　Miranda's　Spanish　too；　ain't　he？〃
　〃Si。〃
　Jeff　said　nothing。　He　nodded；　and　then　seemed　to　fall　into　silent　thought。
　〃If　you　figure　that　way；　sailor；　you　will　be　making　a　big　mistake。〃
　〃What　way？〃
　〃You　know　what　way。　That's　the　easy　way　to　figure。〃
　〃This　is　pretty　personal　with　me；　Louise；〃　Jeff　said。　〃I　got　to　know。　I　ain't　doing　this　just　for　the　fun　of　it。　It's　。。。　it's　important　to　me。〃
　〃Why　is　it　so　important　to　you？〃
　〃Because；　well。。。〃　He　looked　at　the　clock　on　the　wall；　and　he　wondered　if　China　would　keep　her　date　with　him。　And　then　he　wondered　if　he　still　wanted　to　see　her。　He　frowned　and　said；　〃It's　just　important　to　me；　that's　all。〃
　
　
　10
　
　Everyone　seemed　ready　for　whatever　might　lie　ahead。
　The　police　in　the　streets　and　on　the　rooftops　and　in　the　back　yard　were　ready。　The　people　watching　the　show　were　ready。　Zip　and　Sixto　had　obtained　a　large　packing　crate　from　the　lot　on　the　corner　and　had　set　it　up　just　beyond　the　barricade；　they　were　ready。　And　even　Lieutenant　Byrnes　seemed　ready　now。　He　apparently　had　learned　that　his　forces　were　deployed　exactly　the　way　he　wanted　them。　He　held　a　large；　battery…powered　megaphone；　and　he　stepped　out　from　behind　the　squad　car；　put　the　cumbersome　apparatus　to　his　mouth；　blew　into　it　several　times　to　test　the　volume；　and　then　said；　〃Miranda？　Pepe　Miranda？　Can　you　hear　me？〃
　His　voice　echoed　on　the　silent　street。　The　people　waited　for　Miranda's　reply；　but　none　came。
　〃Can　you　hear　me？〃　Byrnes　said　again；　his　voice　booming　out　of　the　speaker。　Again；　there　was　silence。　In　the　silence；　the　crowd　seemed　to　catch　its　breath　together；　so　that　something　like　a　sigh　escaped　their　collective　lips。　〃All　right；　I　know　you　can　hear　me；　so　listen　to　what　I'm　saying。　We've　got　this　street　and　the　next　street　blocked。　There　are　policemen　with　guns　in　every　window　and　on　every　rooftop　facing　that　apartment；　front　and　rear。　You're　trapped；　Miranda。　You　hear　that？〃
　Zip　and　Sixto　clambered　up　onto　the　crate　and　peered　over　the　heads　of　the　crowd。　〃This　is　our　box；　you　dig　me？〃　Zip　said。　〃Only　for　the　Latin　Purples。　I　don't　want　nobody　else　climbing　on　it。〃
　〃How　about　it；　Miranda？〃　Byrnes　said。　〃You　ing　out；　or　do　we　have　to　e　in　after　you？〃
　〃Why　don't　he　answer？〃　Zip　said　impatiently。　He　turned　to　the　first…floor　windows；　cupped　his　hands　to　his　mouth；　and　shouted；　〃Answer　him；　Pepe！〃
　〃If　there's　shooting　around　here；〃　Byrnes　said　into　the　megaphone；　〃some　of　these　peo