cwilleford.cockfighter-第46部分

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　for　this　respite；　Icky　also　stopped　fighting；　standing　quietly　with　his　head　down；　bifi　touching　the　dirt。
　　〃The　count　is　going　on；〃　Ed　announced；　watching　his　wrist…watch　and　the　two　cocks　at　the　same　time。　At　the　silent　count　of　twenty　seconds；　when　neither　bird　had　tried　to　fight；　Ed　ordered　us　to　handle。
　　I　wanted　to　work　feverishly；　but　I　was　unable　to　do　the　nursing　needed　to　help　my　fighter。　Rough　nursing　could　put　Icky　out　of　the　fight　for　good。　I　sponged　him　gently　and　let　him　rest。　Icky　had　recovered　considerably　by　himself　from　the　twenty…second　count。
　　When　the　order　to　pit　was　given　again；　he　crossed　the　dirt　floor　toward　his　enemy　on　shaky　legs。　Little　David　squatted　on　his　score　like　a　broody　hen　on　eggs；　with　his　beak　wide　open；　and　his　neck　jerking　in　and　out。
　　Icky　pecked　savagely　at　the　downed　cock's　weaving　head。　An　instant　later；　the　maddened　Little　David　bounced　into　the　air　as　though　driven　by　a　pressed　spring　and　came　down　on　Icky's　back　with　blurring；　hard…hitting　heels。　My　cock　was　uncoupled　by　a　spine　blow；　paralyzed；　and　unable　to　move　from　the　neck　down。　Little　David's　right　one…and…a…quarter…inch　heel　had　passed　cleanly　through　Icky's　kidney　and　the　point　was　down　as　far　as　the　caeca。　On　the　order　to　handle；　I　disengaged　the　gaff　and　returned　to　my　score。
　　I　didn't　dare　to　sponge　him。　There　was　very　little　I　could　do。　Water　would　make　him　bleed　more　rapidly　than　he　was　bleeding　already。　I　held　him　loosely　between　my　hands；　pressing　my　fingers　lightly　into　his　hot　body；　afraid　he　would　e　apart　in　my　hands。　Fortunately；　Little　David　was　as　badly　injured　as　Icky。　His　last　desperate　attack　had　taken　every　ounce　of　energy　he　had　left。
　　After　three　futile　counts　of　twenty；　Ed　Middleton　ordered　us　to　breast　on　the　center　score；　one　hand　only　beneath　the　bird。
　　Which　gamecock　would　peck　first？
　　Which　gamecock　would　die　first？
　　It　was　an　endurance　test。　Little　David　had　been　the　last　chicken　to　fight。　If　Icky　died　first；　Little　David　would　be　declared　the　winner　by　virtue　of　throwing　the　last　blow。　On　the　third　breast　pitting；　Icky　stretched　out　his　limp　neck　and　pecked　feebly。　The　order　to　handle　was　given。　Again　we　pitted；　and　again　Icky　pecked；　and　this　time　he　got　a　billhold　on　the　other　cock's　stubby　dubbed　b。　Little　David　didn't　feel　or　notice　the　billhold。　Little　David　was　dead。　And　so　was　Icky；　his　beak　clamped　to　the　Red's　b　to　the　last。
　　〃I'll　carry　my　bird　out；〃　Jack　Burke　said。
　　〃You're　entitled　to　three　more　twenty…second　counts；〃　Ed　reminded　him；　going　by　the　book。
　　〃What's　the　use？〃　Burke　said　indifferently。　〃They're　both　dead；　now。〃
　　〃Dead　or　not；〃　Ed　said　officially；　〃you're　entitled　by　the　rules　to　three　counts　of　twenty　after　the　other　cock　pecks。〃
　　Without　another　word　Jack　Burke　picked　up　his　dead　gamecock　and　left　the　pit。　I　picked　up　the　Blue　and　held　him　to　my　chest。　His　long　neck　dangled　limply　over　my　left　arm。　My　eyes　were　suddenly；　irrationally；　humid　with　tears。
　　〃That's　what　I　call　a　dead…game　chicken；　Frank！〃　Senator　Foxhall　called　out　from　the　judge's　box。
　　I　nodded　blindly　in　his　general　direction　and　then　turned　my　back　on　the　old　man　to　look　for　Mary　Elizabeth。　She　wasn't　in　her　seat。　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　her　blue　topcoat　as　she　hurried　out　through　the　side　entrance　to　the　parking　lot。　I　ran　after　her　and　caught　up　with　her　running　figure　just　beyond　the　closed；　shuttered　box　office。
　　〃Mary　Elizabeth！〃　I　said　aloud。　My　voice　sounded　rusty；　strangled；　different；　nothing　at　all　like　I　remembered　it。
　　She　stopped　running；　turned　and　faced　me；　her　face　like　a　mask。　Her　lips　were　as　bloodless　as　her　face。
　　〃You've　decided　to　talk　again？　Is　that　it？　It's　too　late　now；　Frank。　And　I　know　now　that　it　was　always　too　late　for　us。　You　aren't　the　man　I　fell　in　love　with；　but　you　never　were！　If　I'd　seen　you　in　the　cockpit　ten　years　ago；　I　would've　known　then。　I　didn't　watch　those　poor　chickens　fight；　Frank；　I　watched　your　face。　It　was　awful。　No　pity；　no　love；　no　understanding；　nothing！　Hate！　You　hate　everything；　yourself；　me；　the　world；　everybody！〃
　　She　closed　her　eyes　to　halt　the　tears。　A　moment　later　she　opened　her　purse　and　wiped　her　eyes　with　a　small　white　handkerchief。
　　〃And　I　gave　myself　to　you；　Frank；〃　she　said；　as　though　she　were　speaking　to　herself。　〃I　gave　you　everything　I　had　to　offer；　everything；　to　a　man　who　doesn't　even　have　a　heart！〃
　　I　didn't　know　this　woman。　I　had　never　seen　her　before。　This　was　a　Mary　Elizabeth　I　had　hidden　from　myself　all　these　years。
　　I　dropped　my　dead　Blue　chicken　to　the　ground；　put　my　left　heel　on　its　neck；　reached　down；　and　jerked　off　his　head　with　my　right　hand。　I　held　the　beaten；　bloody；　but　never；　never　bowed　head　out　to　Mary　Elizabeth　in　my　palm。　I　had　nothing　else　to　say　to　the　woman。
　　Mary　Elizabeth　licked　her　pale　lips。　She　took　Icky's　head　from　my　hand　and　wrapped　it　in　her　white　handkerchief。　Tucking　the　wrapped　head　away　in　her　purse；　she　nodded。
　　〃Thank　you。　Thank　you　very　much；　Frank　Mansfield。　I'll　accept　your　gift。　When　I　get　home；　I'll　preserve　it　in　a　jar　of　alcohol。　I　might　even　work　out　some　kind　of　ritual；　to　remind　myself　what　a　damned　fool　I've　been。〃
　　Her　emerald　eyes　burned　into　mine　for　a　moment。
　　〃My　brother's　been　right　about　you　all　along；　but　I　had　to　drive　up　here　to　find　out　for　myself。　You're　everything　he　said　you　were；　Frank　Mansfield。　A　mean；　selfish　sonofabitch！〃
　　Turning　abruptly；　she　headed　toward　the　rows　of　parked　cars。　After　only　a　few　steps；　she　broke　into　a　wobbling；　feminine　run。　I　don't　know　how　long　I　stood　there；　looking　after　her　retreating　figure；　even　after　she　had　passed　from　sight。　A　minute；　two　minutes；　I　don't　know。
　　A　voice　blared　over　the　outside　speakers　of　the　PA　system：　〃MR。　ROY　WHIPPLE　AND　MR。　FRANK　MANSFIELD。　REPORT　TO　THE　JUDGE'S　BOX；　PLEASE！〃　The　announcement　was　repeated　twice；　and　I　heard　it；　but　I　didn't　pay　any　attention　to　the　amplified　voice。　I　was　immobilized　by　thought。　I've　grown　up；　I　reflected。　After　thirty…three　years；　I　was　a　mature　individual。　I　had　never　needed　Mary　Elizabeth；　and　she　had　never　needed　me。　Finally；　it　was　all　over　between　us…whatever　it　was　we　thought　we　had。　My　last　tie　with　the　past　and　Mansfield；　Georgia；　was　broken。　From　now　on　I　could　look　toward　the　future；　and　it　had　never　been　any　brighter…　He　must　have　made　some　noise；　but　I　didn't　hear　Omar's　feet　crunching　on　the　gravel　until　he　grabbed　my　arm。
　　〃For　God's　sake；　Frank；〃　Omar　said　excitedly。　〃What　the　hell　are　you　standing　out　here　for？　Senator　Foxhall's　awarding　you　the　Cockfighter　of　the　Year　award！　Let's　go　inside；　man！　As　your　partner；　I'm　entitled　to　a　little　reflected　glory；　you　know。〃
　　Now　that　he　had　my　attention；　he　smiled　broadly；　his　white　teeth　gleaming　through　his　black　moustache。　〃Of　course；〃　he　shrugged；　〃Old　Man　Whipple　won　the　tourney；　but　what　do　we　care？　Thanks　to　Icky's　victory；　we're　loaded！〃　He　patted　his　bulging　jacket　pockets。　〃We've　got　so　damned　much　money；　I'm　almost　afraid　to　count　it。〃
　　Smiling；　I　gestured　for　him　to　go　on　ahead　of　me。　Omar　turned　toward　the　entrance　and　trotted　down　the　short　hallway　to　the　pit。
　　When　I　reached　the　doorway；　I　paused。　After　the　barbecue　was　over；　I　would　ask　Bernice　to　go　to　Puerto　Rico　with　me　for　a　month　or　so。　If　it　got　dull　in　Puerto　Rico；　we　could　swing　on　down　to　Caracas；　and　I　might　be　able　to　pick　up　some　Spanish　Aces　for　next　season。　Omar　could　put　our　proven　birds　out　on　their　Alabama　walks　without　any　assistance　from　me。　And　then；　if　I　returned　from　South　America　by　the　middle　of　April；　I　would　be　back　in　plenty　of　time　to　start　working　with　the　spring　stags。
　　Across　the　pit；　standing　behind　the　referee's　table　in　front　of　the　judge's　box；　the　two　greatest　game　fowl　men　in　the　world　were　waiting　for　me。　Senator　Foxhall　and　Ed　Middleton。　To　the　left　of　the　table；　Peach　Owen　was　holding　the　leather　box　that　contained　my　award。
　　Well；　they　could　wait　a　little　longer。
　　As　I　neared　her　seat　in　the　front　row；　Bernice　smiled　and　said；　〃Congratulations；　Frank！〃
　　〃Thanks；〃　I　replied。
　　〃Oh！〃　she　said；　her　eyes　widening　with　astonishment。　〃You…you've　got　your　voice　back！〃
　　〃Yeah；〃　I　said；　grinning　at　her　expression；　〃and　you'll　probably　wish　I　hadn't。〃
　　〃I…I　don't　know　what　you　mean。〃
　　〃You'll　find　out　that　I'm　quite　a　talker；　Bernice；　once　I　get　wound　up。　How'd　you　like　to　go　to　Puerto　Rico　for　a　few　weeks？〃
　　〃Right　now；〃　she　said；　〃I'm　so　confused　that　the　only　answer　I　can　think　of　on　the　spur　of　the　moment　is　'Yes：〃
　　I　laughed　and　turned　away；　joy　burbling　out　of　my　throat。　How　good　to　talk　again；　to　laugh　again！
　　I　jerked　my　jacket　down　in　back　and　pushed　my　white　hat　back　on　my　head　at　a　careless　angle。　Then；　squaring　my　shoulders；　I　crossed　the　empty　pit　to　get　my　goddamned　medal。







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