绿里奇迹(英文版)-第25部分

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〃Yes；〃　he　said。　〃They　do。　They　certainly　do。〃　
〃And　it　occurred　to　me　that　it　would　be　easy　enough　to　follow　his　backtrail　and　find　out。　A　man　his　size；　and　a　Negro　to　boot；　can't　be　that　hard　to　trace。〃　
〃You'd　think　so；　but　you'd　be　wrong；〃　he　said。　〃In　Coffey's　case；　anyhow。　I　know。〃　
〃You　tried？〃　
〃I　did；　and　came　up　all　but　empty。　There　were　a　couple　of　railroad　fellows　who　thought　they　saw　him　in　the　Knoxville　yards　two　days　before　the　Detterick　girls　were　killed。　No　surprise　there；　he　was　just　across　the　river　from　the　Great　Southern　tracks　when　they　collared　him；　and　that's　probably　how　he　came　down　here　from　Tennessee。　I　got　a　letter　from　a　man　who　said　he'd　hired　a　big　bald　black　man　to　shift　crates　for　him　in　the　early　spring　of　this　year　…　this　as　in　Kentucky。　I　sent　him　a　picture　of　Coffey　and　he　said　that　was　the　man。　But　other　than　that　…〃　Hammersmith　shrugged　and　shook　his　head。　
〃Doesn't　that　strike　you　as　a　little　odd？〃　
〃Strikes　me　as　a　lot　odd；　Mr。　Edgebe。　It's　like　he　dropped　out　of　the　sky。　And　he's　no　help；　he　can't　remember　last　week　once　this　week　es。〃　
〃No；　he　can't；〃　I　said。　〃How　do　you　explain　it？〃　
〃We're　in　a　Depression；〃　he　said；　〃that's　how　I　explain　it。　People　all　over　the　roads。　The　Okies　want　to　pick　peaches　in　California；　the　poor　whites　from　up　in　the　brakes　want　to　build　cars　in　Detroit；　the　black　folks　from　Mississippi　want　to　go　up　to　New　England　and　work　in　the　shoe　factories　or　the　textile　mills。　Everyone　…　black　as　well　as　white　…　thinks　it's　going　to　be　better　over　the　next　jump　of　land。　It's　the　American　damn　way。　Even　a　giant　like　Coffey　doesn't　get　noticed　everywhere　he　goes　…　until；　that　is；　he　decides　to　kill　a　couple　of　little　girls。　Little　white　girls。〃　
〃Do　you　believe　that？〃　I　asked。　
He　gave　me　a　bland　look　from　his　too…thin　face。　〃Sometimes　I　do；〃　he　said。　
His　wife　leaned　out　of　the　kitchen　window　like　an　engineer　from　the　cab　of　a　lootive　and　called；　〃Kids！　Cookies　are　ready！〃　She　turned　to　me。　〃Would　you　like　an　oatmeal…raisin　cookie；　Mr。　Edgebe？〃　
〃I'm　sure　they're　delicious；　ma'am；　but　I'll　take　a　pass　this　time。〃　
〃All　right；〃　she　said；　and　drew　her　head　back　inside。　
〃Have　you　seen　the　scars　on　him？〃　Hammersmith　asked　abruptly。　He　was　still　watching　his　kids；　selves　to　abandon　the　pleasures　of　the　swing　…　not　even　for　oatmeal…raisin　cookies。　
〃Yes。〃　But　I　was　surprised　he　had。　
He　saw　my　reaction　and　laughed。　〃The　defense　attorney's　one　big　victory　was　getting　Coffey　to　take　off　his　shirt　and　show　those　scars　to　the　jury。　The　prosecutor；　George　Peterson；　objected　like　hell；　but　the　judge　allowed　it。　Old　George　could　have　saved；　his　breath　…　juries　around　these　parts　don't　buy　all　that　psychology　crap　about　how　people　who've　been　mistreated　just　can't　help　themselves。　They　believe　people　can　help　themselves。　It's　a　point　of　view　I　have　a　lot　of　sympathy　for　…　but　those　scars　were　pretty　ghastly；　just　the　same。　Notice　anything　about　them；　Edgebe？〃　
I　had　seen　the　man　naked　in　the　shower；　and　I'd　noticed；　all　right；　I　knew　just　what　he　was　talking　about。　〃They're　all　broken　up。　Latticed；　almost。〃　
〃You　know　what　that　means？〃　
〃Somebody　whopped　the　living　hell　out　of　him　when　he　was　a　kid；〃　I　said。　〃Before　he　grew。〃　
〃But　they　didn't　manage　to　whop　the　devil　out　of　him；　did　they；　Edgebe？　Should　have　spared　the　rod　and　just　drowned　him　in　the　river　like　a　stray　kitten；　don't　you　think？〃　
I　suppose　it　would　have　been　politic　to　simply　agree　and　get　out　of　there；　but　I　couldn't。　I'd　seen　him。　And　I'd　felt　him；　as　well。　Felt　the　touch　of　his　hands。　
〃He's　。。。　strange；〃　I　said。　〃But　there　doesn't　seem　to　be　any　real　violence　in　him。　I　know　how　he　was　found；　and　it's　hard　to　jibe　that　with　what　I　see；　day　in　and　day　out；　on　the　block。　I　know　violent　men；　Mr。　Hammersmith。〃　It　was　Wharton　I　was　thinking　about；　of　course；　Wharton　strangling　Dean　Stanton　with　his　wrist…chain　and　bellowing　Whoooee；　boys！　Ain't　this　a　party；　now？　
He　was　looking　at　me　closely　now；　and　smiling　a　little；　incredulous　smile　that　I　didn't　care　for　very　much。　〃You　didn't　e　up　here　to　get　an　idea　about　whether　or　not　he　might　have　killed　some　other　little　girls　somewhere　else；〃　he　said。　〃You　came　up　here　to　see　if　I　think　he　did　it　at　all。　That's　it；　isn't　it？　'Fess　up；　Edgebe。〃　
I　swallowed　the　last　of　my　cold　drink；　put　the　bottle　down　on　the　little　table；　and　said：　〃Well？　Do　you？〃　
〃Kids！〃　he　called　down　the　hill；　leaning　forward　a　little　in　his　chair　to　do　it。　〃Y'all　e　on　up　here　now　n　get　your　cookies！〃　Then　he　leaned　back　in　his　chair　again　and　looked　at　me。　That　little　smile　…　the　one　I　didn't　much　care　for　…　had　reappeared。　
〃Tell　you　something；〃　he　said。　〃You　want　to　listen　close；　too；　because　this　might　just　be　something　you　need　to　know。〃　
〃I'm　listening。〃　
〃We　had　us　a　dog　named　Sir　Galahad；〃　he　said；　and　cocked　a　thumb　at　the　doghouse。　〃A　good　dog。　No　particular　breed；　but　gentle。　Calm。　Ready　to　lick　your　hand　or　fetch　a　stick。　There　are　plenty　of　mongrel　dogs　like　him；　wouldn't　you　say？〃　
I　shrugged；　nodded。　
〃In　many　ways；　a　good　mongrel　dog　is　like　your　negro；〃　he　said。　〃You　get　to　know　it；　and　often　you　grow　to　love　it。　It　is　of　no　particular　use；　but　you　keep　it　around　because　you　think　it　loves　you。　If　you're　lucky；　Mr。　Edgebe；　you　never　have　to　find　out　any　different。　Cynthia　and　I；　we　were　not　lucky。〃　He　sighed　…　a　long　and　somehow　skeletal　sound；　like　the　wind　rummaging　through　fallen　leaves。　He　pointed　toward　the　doghouse　again；　and　I　wondered　how　I　had　missed　its　general　air　of　abandonment　earlier；　or　the　fact　that　many　of　the　turds　had　grown　whitish　and　powdery　at　their　tops。　
〃I　used　to　clean　up　after　him；〃　Hammersmith　said；　〃and　keep　the　roof　of　his　house　repaired　against　the　rain。　In　that　way　also　Sir　Galahad　was　like　your　Southern　negro；　who　will　not　do　those　things　for　himself。　Now　I　don't　touch　it；　I　haven't　been　near　it　since　the　accident　…　if　you　can　call　it　an　accident。　I　went　over　there　with　my　rifle　and　shot　him；　but　I　haven't　been　over　there　since。　I　can't　bring　myself　to。　I　suppose　I　will；　in　time。　I'll　clean　up　his　messes　and　tear　down　his　house。〃　
Here　came　the　kids；　and　all　at　once　I　didn't　want　them　to　e；　all　at　once　that　was　the　last　thing　on　earth　I　wanted。　The　little　girl　was　all　right；　but　the　boy　…　
They　pounded　up　the　steps；　looked　at　me；　giggled；　then　went　on　toward　the　kitchen　door。　
〃Caleb；〃　Hammersmith　said。　〃e　here。　Just　for　a　second。〃　
The　little　girl　…　surely　his　twin；　they　had　to　be　of　an　age　…　went　on　into　the　kitchen。　The　little　boy　came　to　his　father；　looking　down　at　his　feet。　He　knew　he　was　ugly。　He　was　only　four；　I　guess；　but　four　is　old　enough　to　know　that　you're　ugly。　His　father　put　two　fingers　under　the　boy's　chin　and　tried　to　raise　his　face。　At　first　the　boy　resisted；　but　when　his　father　said　〃Please；　son；〃　in　tones　of　sweetness　and　calmness　and　love；　he　did　as　he　was　asked。　
A　huge；　circular　scar　ran　out　of　his　hair；　down　his　forehead；　through　one　dead　and　indifferently　cocked　eye；　and　to　the　er　of　his　mouth；　which　had　been　disfigured　into　the　knowing　leer　of　a　gambler　or　perhaps　a　whoremaster。　One　cheek　was　smooth　and　pretty；　the　other　was　bunched　up　like　the　stump　of　a　tree。　I　guessed　there　had　been　a　hole　in　it；　but　that；　at　least；　had　healed。　
〃He　has　the　one　eye；〃　Hammersmith　said；　caressing　the　boy's　bunched　cheek　with　a　lover's　kind　fingers。　〃I　suppose　he's　lucky　not　to　be　blind。　We　get　down　on　our　knees　and　thank　God　for　that　much；　at　least。　Eh；　Caleb？〃　
〃Yes；　sir；〃　the　boy　said　shyly　…　the　boy　who　would　be　beaten　mercilessly　on　the　play…yard　by　laughing；　jeering　bullies　for　all　his　miserable　years　of　education；　the　boy　who　would　never　be　asked　to　play　Spin　the　Bottle　or　Post　Office　and　would　probably　never　sleep　with　a　woman　not　bought　and　paid　for　once　he　was　grown　to　manhood's　times　and　needs；　the　boy　who　would　always　stand　outside　the　warm　and　lighted　circle　of　his　peers；　the　boy　who　would　look　at　himself　in　his　mirror　for　the　next　fifty　or　sixty　or　seventy　years　of　his　life　and　think　ugly；　ugly；　ugly。　
〃Go　on　in　and　get　your　cookies；〃　his　father　said；　and　kissed　his　son's　sneering　mouth。　
〃Yes；　sir；〃　Caleb；　said；　and　dashed　inside。　
Hammersmith　took　a　handkerchief　from　his　back　pocket　and　wiped　at　his　eyes　with　it　…　they　were　dry；　but　I　suppose　he'd　gotten　used　to　them　being　wet。　
〃The　dog　was　here　when　they　were　born；〃　he　said。　〃I　brought　him　in　the　house　to　smell　them　when　Cynthia　brought　them　home　from　the　hospital；　and　Sir　Galahad　licked　their　hands。　Their　little　hands。〃　He　nodded；　as　if　confirming　this　to　himself。　〃He　played　with　them；　used　to　lick　Arden's　face　until　she　giggled。　Caleb　used　to　pull　his　ears；　and　when　he　was　first　learning　to　walk；　he'd　sometimes　go　around　the　yard；　holding　to　Galahad's　tail。　The　dog　never　so　much　as　growled　at　him。　Either　of　them。〃　
Now　the　tears　were　ing；　he　wiped　at　them　automatically；　as　a　man　does　when　he's　had　lots　of　practice。　
〃There　was　no　reason；〃　he　said。　〃Caleb　didn't　hurt　him；　yell　at　him；　anything。　I　know。　I　was　there。　If　I　hadn't　have　been；　the　boy　would　almost　certainly　have　been　killed。　What　happened；　Mr。　Edgebe；　was　nothing。　The　boy　just　got　his　face　set　the　right　way　in　front　of　the　dog's　face；　and　it　came　into　Sir　Galahad's　mind　…　whatever　serves　a　dog　for　a　mind　…　to　lunge　and　bite。　To　kill；　if　he　could。　The　boy　was　there　in　front　of　him　and　the　dog　bit。　And　that's　what　happened　with　Coffey。　He　was　there；　he　saw　them　on　the　porch；　he　took　them；　he　raped　them；　he　killed　them。　You　say　there　should　be　some　hint　that　he　did　something　like　it　before；　and　I　know　what　you　mean；　but　maybe　he　didn't　do　it　before。　My　dog　never　bit　before；　just　that　once。　Maybe；　if　Coffey　was　let　go；　he'd　never　do　it　again。　Maybe　my　dog　never　would　have　bit　again。　But　I　didn't　concern　myself　with　that；　you　know。　I　went　out　with　my　rifle　and　grabbed　his　collar　and　blew　his　head　off。〃　
He　was　breathing　hard。　
〃I'm　as　enlightened　as　the　next　man；　Mr。　Edgebe；　went　to　college　in　Bowling　Green；　took　history　as　well　as　journalism；　some　philosophy；　too。　I　like　to　think　of　myself　as　enlightened。　I　don't　suppose　folks　up　North　would；　but　I　like　to　think　of　myself　as　enlightened。　I'd　not　bring　slavery　back　for　all　the　tea　in　China。　I　think　we　have　to　be　humane　and　generous　in　our　efforts　to　solve　the　race　problem。　But　we　have　to　remember　that　your　negro　will　bite　if　he　gets　the　chance；　just　like　a　mongrel　dog　will　bite　if　he　gets　the　chance　and　it　crosses　his　mind　to　do　so。　You　want　to　know　if　he　did　it；　your　weepy　Mr。　Coffey　with　the　scars　all　over　him？〃　
I　nodded。　
〃Oh；　yes；〃　Hammersmith　said。　〃He　did　it。　Don't　you　doubt　it；　and　don't　you　turn　your　back　on　him。　You　might　get　away　with　it　once　or　a　hundred　times　。。。　even　a　thousand　。。。　but　in　the　end　…〃　He　raised　a　hand　before　my　eyes　and　snapped　the　fingers　together　rapidly　against　the　thumb；　turning　the　hand　into　a　biting　mouth。　〃You　understand？〃　
I　nodded　again。　
〃He　raped　them；　he　killed　them；　and　afterward　he　was　sorry　…　but　those　little　girls　stayed　raped；　those　little　girls　stayed　dead。　But　you'll　fix　him；　won't　you；　Edgebe？　In　a　few　weeks　you'll　fix　him　so　he　never　does　anything　like　that　again。〃　He　got　up；　went　to　the　porch　rail；　and　looked　vaguely　at　the　doghouse；　sta