cwilleford.cockfighter-第2部分

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esented　my　winning。　A　columnist　in　The　Southern　Cockfighter　had　unfairly　blamed　his　conditioning　methods　for　the　loss。　Actually；　Pinky　had　only　made　a　lucky　hit。　A　man　is　foolish　to　fight　stags；　but　I　had　needed　the　young　bird　to　fill　out　my　entry　for　the　main…not　expecting　to　clobber　Pepperpot。
　　Burke　studied　the　ground；　rubbing　his　freshly　shaven　chin。　He　was　in　his　middle　forties；　and　he　wore　his　pale；　yellow　hair　much　too　long。　He　paid　considerable　attention　to　his　clothes。　Even　at　daybreak　he　was　wearing　a　blue　seersucker　suit；　white　shirt　and　necktie；　and　black…and…white　shoes。　Two…toned　shoes　indicate　an　ambivalent　personality；　a　man　who　can't　make　up　his　mind。
　　〃Okay；　Mr。　Mansfield；〃　Burke　said　at　last；　slapping　his　leg。　〃I'll　take　your　hundred　dollars　and　give　you　a　two…toone。　I　know　damned　well　Sandspur　can't　beat　Little　David；　but　your　cock　always　has　a　chance　of　getting　in　a　lucky　hit　。　。　。　the　way　Pinky　did　in　Bioxi；　for　instance。　So　let's　say　you　really　get　lucky…what　do　you　have？　Two　hundred　dollars。　To　give　you　a　fighting　chance　to　get　on　your　feet　again　after　Homestead；　I'll　put　up　eight　hundred　bucks　against　your　car　and　trailer。　Even　money。〃
　　I　chewed　my　lower　lip；　but　the　bet　was　fair。　My　battered　Caddy　was　worth　at　least　eight　hundred；　but　I　didn't　know　what　the　trailer　was　worth。　Secondhand　trailers　bring　in　peculiar　prices；　and　mine　was　fairly　small；　with　only　one　bedroom　and　one　door。　If　I　unloaded　the　car　and　trailer　through　a　newspaper　advertisement；　I　could've　probably　sold　them　both　together　for　at　least　a　thousand。　Burke　wanted　to　beat　me　so　bad　he　could　taste　it。　And　if　Little　David　won；　I'd　be　out　on　the　highway　with　my　thumb　out。
　　I　stuck　out　my　right　hand　and　Burke　grabbed　it　eagerly。　The　bet　was　made。
　　〃Too　bad　you　haven't　got　anything　else　to　lose；〃　Burke　laughed　gleefully。　〃I'd　like　to　make　another　bet　that　you　just　made　a　bad　bet！〃
　　My　lips　curved　into　a　broad　smile　as　I　thought　of　Dody　sleeping　peacefully　inside　the　trailer。　In　the　unlikely　event　that　Burke's　cock　did　win　the　fight；　he　would　also　be　stuck　with　Dody。　When　I　pictured　Burke　in　my　mind　stopping　at　every　gas　station　on　the　road　to　buy　Dody　ice　cream　and　Coca…Colas　it　was　impossible　to　suppress　my　smile。　On　the　way　up　from　Homestead　she　had　damned　near　driven　me　crazy。
　　But　now　the　bet　was　made。
　　
　　
　　I　consulted　my　wristwatch。　Two　thirty。　It　was　time　to　go。　Bill　Sanders　was　going　to　meet　me　outside　the　pit　at　three　to　pick　up　my　betting　money。　I　stashed　a　hundred　dollars　in　the　utensil　cupboard　to　cover　my　two…to…one　bet　with　Burke；　counted　the　rest　of　my　money；　and　it　came　out　to　an　even　seven　hundred　and　fifty　dollars。　That　was　everything；　except　for　a　folded　ten…dollar　bill　in　my　watch　pocket。　This　was　my　getaway　bread…just　in　case。
　　I　put　my　straw　cowboy　hat　on　my　head　to　protect　my　face　from　the　Florida　sun；　picked　up　the　aluminum　coop　and　my　gaff　case；　and　stepped　outside。　There　were　fourteen　trailers　in　Captain　Mack's　Trailer　Camp；　including　mine；　and　if　you　had　touched　any　one　of　them；　you　would　have　burned　your　hand。　In　the　distance；　across　the　flat；　desolate　country　I　could　see　Belle　Glade；　three　miles　away。　The　heat　waves　rising　off　the　sandy　land　resembled　great　sheets　of　quivering　cellophane。　I　turned　away　from　the　trailers　and　started　toward　the　hammock　clump　a　mile　away　where　the　pit　had　been　set　up。　As　hot　as　it　was；　I　was　in　no　mood　to　unhitch　my　car　from　the　trailer　and　work　up　a　worse　sweat　than　I　had；　and　the　walk　was　only　a　mile。
　　There　was　a　wire　gate　behind　the　camp；　with　an　old…timer　collecting　an　entrance　fee　of　three　dollars。　I　raised　my　coop　to　show　him　I　was　an　entrant；　and　he　let　me　through　without　collecting　a　fee。　As　I　passed　through　the　gate；　Dody　came　flying　up　the　trail；　pigtails　bouncing　on　her　shoulders。　She　was　barefooted；　wearing　a　pair　of　red　silk　hot　pants　and　a　white　sleeveless　blouse。　Her　big　unhampered　breasts　jounced　up　and　down　as　she　ran。
　　〃Frank！〃　she　called　out　before　she　reached　the　gate。　〃Take　me　with　you！　Please；　Frank！〃
　　The　gateman；　a　grizzled　old　man　in　blue　overalls；　raised　his　white　brows。　I　shook　my　head。　He　closed　and　latched　the　gate　as　Dody　reached　it。
　　〃Damn　you；　Frank！〃　Dody　shouted　angrily。　〃You　don't　let　me　do　nothin'。　You　know　I've　never　seen　you　cockfight。　Please　let　me　go！〃
　　I　ignored　her　and　continued　up　the　trail。　I　had　enough　to　worry　about；　without　her　yammering　around　the　pit　and　asking　questions。
　　Captain　Mack；　who　had　made　all　the　arrangements　for　the　Belle　Glade　pitting；　was　talking　earnestly　to　a　Florida　trooper　when　I　reached　the　parking　area。　The　trooper's　state　patrol　car　was　parked　directly　behind　a　new　convertible　with　a　Dade　County　plate。　The　right　door　of　the　convertible　was　open；　and　a　pretty　blonde　woman　sat　in　the　front　seat。　Her　face　was　pale；　and　she　had　her　eyes　closed；　breathing　deeply　through　her　open　mouth。　There　was　a　wet　spot　in　the　sand　outside　the　door。　I　supposed　the　girl　had　watched　a　couple　of　fights　inside　the　pit　and　got　sick　as　a　consequence。　Not　many　city　women　have　the　stomach　for　watching　cockfights。
　　The　pit　was　surrounded　on　four　sides　by　a　green　canvas　panorama　made　from　army　surplus　latrine　screens。　There　were　about　thirty　cars　in　the　parking　area；　not　counting　the　trucks。　I　set　down　my　gaff　case　and　coop　in　the　sparse　shade　of　a　melaleuca　tree；　and　leaned　against　a　parked　Plymouth；　watching　Captain　Mack　argue　with　the　trooper。　Captain　Mack　shrugged　wearily；　took　his　wallet　out　of　his　hip　pocket；　and　handed　two　bills　to　the　trooper。　Through　a　gap　in　the　canvas　wall；　they　went　inside　the　pit。　Although　cockfighting　is　legal　in　Florida；　betting　is　not；　so　Captain　Mack　had　been　forced　to　pay　out　some　protection　money。
　　There　was　excited　shouting　from　inside　the　pit；　followed　by　several　coarse　curses；　and　then　the　voices　subsided。　Mr。　Ed　Middleton's　baritone　carried　well　as　he　announced　the　winning　cock。
　　〃The　winner　is　the　Madigan！　One　minute　and　thirty…one　seconds　in　the　third　pitting！〃
　　Again　there　were　curses；　followed　by　the　derisive　sound　of　laughter。　I　lit　a　cigarette；　took　my　notebook　out　of　my　shirt　pocket；　and　wrote　the　essential　information　concerning　Sandspur　on　a　fresh　sheet　of　paper。　A　few　minutes　later　Bill　Sanders　came　outside　and　joined　me　beneath　the　tree。　I　handed　him　my　roll　of　seven　hundred　and　fifty　dollars　and　he　counted　it。　Bill　put　the　money　in　his　trousers　and　watched　my　fingers。　I　held　up　four　fingers　on　my　left　hand　and　my　right　forefinger。
　　〃I　doubt　if　I　can　get　you　four　to　one；　Frank。〃　Bill　shook　his　head　dubiously。　〃Your　reputation　is　too　damn　good。　You　could　show　up　with　a　battered　dunghill；　and　if　these　redneckers　thought　you　fed　it；　they'd　bet　on　it。　But　I'll　try。〃
　　If　anybody　could　get　good　odds　for　me；　Sanders　could；　and　I　knew　he　would　certainly　try。　When　I　was　discharged　from　the　Army；　I　had　spent　two　months　in　Puerto　Rico　with　Sanders；　living　in　the　same　hotel；　and　we　had　attended　mains　at　all　the　best　game　clubs…San　Juan；　Mayaguez；　Ponce；　Arecibo；　and　Aibonito。　I　had　steered　Sanders　right　on　the　betting；　after　I　had　gotten　accustomed　to　the　fighting　techniques　of　the　Spanish　slashers；　and　both　of　us　had　returned　to　Miami　with　our　wallets　full　of　winnings。　Bill　Sanders　was　not　a　professional　cockfighter　like　myself；　he　was　a　professional　gambler。　He　had　lost　his　share　of　the　money　he　won　in　Puerto　Rico　at　the　Miami　horse　and　dog　tracks。　A　little　bald　guy　with　a　passion　for　high　living；　he　lived　very　well　when　he　had　money　and　even　better　when　he　had　none。　He　was　that　kind　of　a　man；　and　a　good　friend。　I　took　Sandspur　out　of　his　coop　and　pointed　out　the　〃cracked〃　beak。　Bifi　whistled　softly　and　his　blue　eyes　widened。
　　〃If　that　bifi　breaks　off；　you've　had　it；　Frank。〃　He　shrugged。　〃But　that　mutilated　boko　should　get　me　the　fourto…one　odds。〃
　　Sanders　hit　me　lightly　on　the　shoulder　with　his　fist　and　returned　to　the　pit。
　　I　held　Sandspur　with　my　left　hand；　filled　my　mouth　with　smoke；　and　blew　the　smoke　at　his　head。　He　clucked　angrily；　shaking　his　head。　Blowing　tobacco　smoke　at　a　cock's　head　irritates　it　to　a　fighting　pitch；　and　I　was　smoking　a　mild；　mentholated　cigarette。　I　enveloped　the　cock's　head　with　one　more　cloud　of　smoke　and　returned　him　to　his　coop。　Too　much　smoke　could　make　a　cock　dizzy。
　　I　opened　my　gaff　case　and　removed　two　sets　of　heels。　I　put　a　pair　of　short　spurs　in　my　left　shirt　pocket　and　a　pair　of　long　jaggers　in　my　right　shirt　pocket。　After　shutting　my　gaff　case；　I　picked　up　the　coop　and　case　and　entered　the　pit。
　　There　were　only　about　sixty　spectators　inside；　but　this　was　a　fairly　good　crowd　for　September。　The　Florida　cockfighting　season　didn't　start　officially　until　Thanksgiving　Day；　when　an　opening　derby　was　held　in　Lake　Worth。　And　Belle　Glade　isn't　the　most　accessible　town　in　Florida。　The　canvas　walls　successfully　prevented　any　breeze　from　getting　into　the　pit；　and　it　was　as　hot　inside　as　a　barbecue　grill。
　　I　recognized　a　couple　of　Dade　County　fanciers　and　nodded　acknowledgments　to　them　when　they　greeted　me　by　name。　There　was　a　scattering　of　Belle　Glade　townspeople；　two　gamblers　from　Miami　who　probably　owned　the　blonde　and　the　convertible；　Burke　and　his　two　handlers；　and　two　pregnant　women　I　had　seen　around　the　trailer　camp。　The　remainder　of　the　crowd　was　made　up　from　the　migrant　agricultural　workers'　camp　on　the　other　side　of　town。
　　The　cockpit　was　made　of　rough　boards；　sixteen　inches　high；　and　about　eighteen　feet　in　diameter。　The　pit　was　surrounded　on　three　sides　by　bleachers；　four　tiers　high。　Under　an　open　beach　umbrella　on　the　fourth　side　of　the　pit；　Mr。　Middleton　sat　at　a　card　table　with　Captain　Mack。　Behind　the　table　there　was　a　blackboard。　I　noted　that　Jack　Burke　had　won　both　of　the　short…entry　derbies；　the　first；　four…one；　and　the　second；　three…two。　That　accounted　for　the　glum　expressions　on　the　faces　of　the　two　Dade　County　breeders。　Not　only　had　they　made　a　poor　showing；　their　onehundred…dollar　entry　fees；　less　Captain　Mack's　ten　percent；　had　wound　up　in　Burke's　pocket　as　prize　money。
　　Two　men　in　the　bleachers　I　didn't　know　called　out　my　name　and　wished　me　good　luck。　I　waved　an　acknowledgment　to　them；　and　joined　Ed　Middleton　and　Captain　Mack。　I　removed　Sandspu