jg.paintedhouse-第39部分

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　a　chain　had　snapped；　and　a　little　girl　had　been　flung　across　the　midway　and　into　the　side　of　a　trailer。　The　next　week　the　Slinger　was　in　Black　Oak；　with　new　chains；　and　folks　lined　up　to　ride　it。
　　　There　were　booths　where　you　threw　rings　and　darts　and　shot　pellet　pistols　to　win　prizes。　Some　carnivals　had　fortune…tellers；　others　had　photo　booths；　still　others　had　magicians。　They　were　all　loud　and　colorful　and　filled　with　excitement。　Word　would　spread　quickly　through　the　county；　and　people　would　flock　in；　and　in　a　few　hours　Black　Oak　would　be　packed。　I　was　desperate　to　go。
　　　Perhaps；　I　thought；　the　excitement　of　the　carnival　would　suppress　any　curiosity　about　Libby　Latcher。　I　choked　down　my　biscuits　and　ran　outside。
　　　〃The　carnival's　in　town；〃　I　whispered　to　Tally　when　we　met　at　the　tractor　for　the　ride　to　the　fields。
　　　〃Y'all　goin'？〃　she　asked。
　　　〃Of　course。　Nobody　misses　the　carnival。〃
　　　〃I　know　a　secret；〃　she　whispered；　her　eyes　darting　around。
　　　〃What　is　it？〃
　　　〃Somethin'　I　heard　last　night。〃
　　　〃Where'd　you　hear　it？〃
　　　〃By　the　front　porch。〃
　　　I　didn't　like　the　way　she　was　stringing　me　along。　〃What　is　it？〃
　　　She　leaned　even　closer。　〃　'Bout　Ricky　and　that　Latcher　girl。　Guess　you　got　a　new　cousin。〃　Her　words　were　cruel；　and　her　eyes　looked　mean。　This　was　not　the　Tally　I　knew。
　　　〃What　were　you　doin'　out　there？〃　I　asked。
　　　〃None　of　your　business。〃
　　　Pappy　came　from　the　house　and　walked　to　the　tractor。　〃You'd　better　not　tell；〃　I　said　through　clenched　teeth。
　　　〃We　keep　our　secrets；　remember？〃　she　said；　moving　away。
　　　〃Yeah。〃
　　　I　ate　lunch　quickly；　then　hurried　about　the　task　of　getting　myself　scrubbed　and　bathed。　My　mother　knew　I　was　anxious　to　get　to　town；　so　she　wasted　no　time　with　her　scouring。
　　　All　ten　Mexicans　piled　into　the　back　of　the　truck　with　me　and　my　father；　and　we　pulled　away　from　our　farm。　Cowboy　had　picked　cotton　all　week　with　broken　ribs；　a　fact　that　had　not　gone　unnoticed　by　Pappy　and　my　father。　They　admired　him　greatly。　〃They're　tough　people；〃　Pappy　had　said。
　　　The　Spruills　were　scurrying　about；　trying　to　catch　us。　Tally　had　spread　the　word　about　the　carnival；　and　even　Trot　seemed　to　be　moving　with　a　purpose。
　　　When　we　crossed　the　river；　I　looked　long　and　hard　down　the　field　road　that　led　to　the　Latchers'　place；　but　their　little　shack　was　not　visible。　I　glanced　at　my　father。　He　was　looking；　too；　his　eyes　hard；　almost　angry。　How　could　those　people　have　intruded　into　our　lives？
　　　We　crept　along　the　gravel　road；　and　soon　the　Latcher　fields　were　behind　us。　By　the　time　we　stopped　at　the　highway；　I　was　once　again　dreaming　of　the　carnival。
　　　Our　driver；　of　course；　would　never　get　in　a　hurry。　With　the　truck　so　loaded　with　people；　I　doubted　if　it　would　do　thirty…seven；　and　Pappy　certainly　didn't　push　it。　It　took　an　hour；　it　seemed。
　　　Stick's　patrol　car　was　parked　by　the　Baptist　church。　Traffic　on　Main　was　already　slow；　the　sidewalks　brimming　with　activity。　We　parked；　and　the　Mexicans　scattered。　Stick　appeared　from　under　a　shade　tree　and　walked　straight　for　us。　Gran　and　my　mother　headed　for　the　stores。　I　hung　back　with　the　men；　certain　that　serious　matters　were　about　to　be　discussed。
　　　〃Howdy；　Eli。　Jesse；〃　Stick　said；　his　hat　tilted　to　one　side；　a　blade　of　grass　in　the　corner　of　his　mouth。
　　　〃Afternoon；　Stick；〃　Pappy　said。　My　father　just　nodded。　They　had　not　e　to　town　to　spend　time　with　Stick；　and　their　irritation　was　just　under　the　surface。
　　　〃I'm　thinkin'　'bout　arrestin'　that　Spruill　boy；〃　he　said。
　　　〃I　don't　care　what　you　do；〃　Pappy　shot　back；　his　anger　rising　fast。　〃Just　wait　till　the　cotton's　in。〃
　　　〃Surely　you　can　wait　a　month；〃　my　father　said。
　　　Stick　chewed　on　the　grass；　spat；　and　said；　〃I　suppose　so。〃
　　　〃He's　a　good　worker；〃　my　father　said。　〃And　there's　plenty　of　cotton。　You　take　him　now；　and　we'll　lose　six　field　hands。　You　know　how　those　people　are。〃
　　　〃I　suppose　I　could　wait；〃　Stick　said　again。　He　seemed　anxious　to　reach　a　promise。　〃I　been　talkin'　to　a　lot　of　people；　and　I　ain't　so　sure　your　boy　here　is　tellin'　the　truth。〃　He　gave　me　a　long　look　as　he　said　this；　and　I　kicked　gravel。
　　　〃Leave　him　out　of　it；　Stick；〃　my　father　said。　〃He's　just　a　kid。〃
　　　〃He's　seven　years　old！〃　Pappy　snapped。　〃Why　don't　you　find　you　some　real　witnesses。〃
　　　Stick's　shoulders　drew　back　as　if　he'd　been　hit。
　　　〃Here's　the　deal；〃　Pappy　said。　〃You　leave　Hank　alone　until　the　cotton's　in；　then　I'll　drive　to　town　and　let　you　know　we're　finished　with　him。　At　that　point；　I　don't　care　what　you　do　with　him。〃
　　　〃That'll　work；〃　Stick　said。
　　　〃But　I　still　think　you　ain't　got　a　case。　It　was　three　against　one；　Stick；　and　no　jury　will　convict。〃
　　　〃We'll　see；〃　Stick　said　smugly。　He　walked　away；　thumbs　in　his　pockets；　with　just　enough　of　a　swagger　to　annoy　us。
　　　〃Can　I　go　to　the　carnival？〃　I　asked。
　　　〃Of　course　you　can；〃　Pappy　said。
　　　〃How　much　money　do　you　have？〃　my　father　asked。
　　　〃Four　dollars。〃
　　　〃How　much　you　gonna　spend？〃
　　　〃Four　dollars。〃
　　　〃I　think　two's　enough。〃
　　　〃How'bout　three？〃
　　　〃Make　it　two…fifty；　okay？〃
　　　〃Yes　sir。〃　I　ran　from　the　church；　along　the　sidewalk；　darting　between　people；　and　was　soon　at　the　baseball　field；　which　was　across　the　street　from　the　Co…op；　the　Dixie　theater；　and　the　pool　hall。　The　carnival　covered　it　all；　from　the　backstop　to　the　outfield　fence。　The　Ferris　wheel　stood　in　the　middle；　surrounded　by　the　smaller　rides；　the　booths；　and　the　midway。　Shrill　music　rattled　from　the　loudspeakers　on　the　merry…go…round　and　the　carousel。　Long　lines　of　people　were　already　waiting。　I　could　smell　popcorn　and　corn　dogs　and　something　frying　in　grease。
　　　I　found　the　trailer　with　the　cotton　candy。　It　cost　a　dime；　but　I　would've　paid　much　more　for　it。　Dewayne　saw　me　at　the　midway　as　I　was　watching　some　older　boys　shoot　air　guns　at　little　ducks　that　swam　in　a　pool。　They　never　hit　them；　and　this　was　because；　according　to　Pappy；　the　gun　sights　were　crooked。
　　　Candied　apples　were　also　a　dime。　We　bought　one　apiece　and　took　our　time　inspecting　the　carnival。　There　was　a　witch　in　a　long　black　dress；　black　hair；　black　everything；　and　for　twenty…five　cents　she　could　tell　your　future。　A　dark…eyed　old　lady　could　do　the　same　thing；　for　the　same　price；　with　tarot　cards。　A　flamboyant　man　with　a　microphone　could　guess　your　age　or　your　weight　for　a　dime。　If　he　didn't　get　within　three　years　or　ten　pounds　you　won　a　prize。　The　midway　had　the　usual　collection　of　games…softballs　thrown　at　milk　jugs；　basketballs　aimed　at　rims　that　were　too　small；　darts　at　balloons；　hoops　over　bottlenecks。
　　　We　strolled　through　the　carnival；　savoring　the　noise　and　excitement。　A　crowd　was　gathering　at　the　far　end；　near　the　backstop；　and　we　drifted　over。　A　large　sign　proclaimed　the　presence　of　〃Samson；　the　World's　Greatest　Wrestler；　Direct　from　Egypt；〃　and　under　it　was　a　square　mat　with　padded　poles　in　the　corners　and　ropes　around　it。　Samson　was　not　in　the　ring；　but　his　appearance　was　only　moments　away；　according　to　Delilah；　a　tall；　shapely　woman　with　the　microphone。　Her　costume　revealed　all　of　her　legs　and　most　of　her　chest；　and　I　was　certain　that　never　before　had　so　much　skin　been　exposed　in　public　in　Black　Oak。　She　explained；　to　a　silent　crowd　mostly　of　men；　that　the　rules　were　simple。　Samson　paid　ten…to…one　to　any　person　who　could　stay　in　the　ring　with　him　for　one　minute。　〃Only　sixty　seconds！〃　she　yelled。　〃And　the　money　is　yours！〃　Her　accent　was　strange　enough　to　convince　us　that　they　were　indeed　from　another　land。　I'd　never　seen　anybody　from　Egypt；　though　I　knew　from　Sunday　school　that　Moses　had　had　some　adventures　there。
　　　She　paraded　back　and　forth　in　front　of　the　ring；　all　eyes　following　her　every　move。　〃On　his　current　tour；　Samson　has　won　three　hundred　matches　in　a　row；〃　she　said；　tauntingly。　〃In　fact；　the　last　time　Samson　lost　was　in　Russia；　when　it　took　three　men　to　beat　him；　and　they　had　to　cheat　to　do　it。〃
　　　Music　started　blaring　from　a　lone　speaker　hanging　on　the　sign。　〃And　now；　ladies　and　gentlemen！〃　she　shouted　above　the　music；　〃I　present　to　you；　the　one；　the　only；　the　greatest　wrestler　in　the　world；　the　incredible　Samson！〃
　　　I　held　my　breath。
　　　He　bounded　from　behind　a　curtain　and　jumped　into　the　ring　amid　tepid　applause。　Why　should　we　clap　for　him？　He　was　ther