sk.everythingseventual-第22部分

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so？'
　　'Just　barely　two　and　a　half；'　Mrs。　Francis　says　proudly。
　　'Is　that　so？'
　　'Yes；　but　he's　big　for　his　age。　Mister；　are　you　all　right？　You're　awful　pale。　And　there's　blood　on　your…'
　　Johnnie　speaks　up　then。　'Jack；　can　you　drive　this　one　into　the　trees？'　He　pointed　at　the　carpenter's　old　Ford。
　　'Sure；'　Jack　says。
　　'Flat　tire　and　all？'
　　'You　just　try　me。　It's　just　that　。　。　。　I'm　awful　thirsty。　Ma'am…Missus　Francis…do　you　have　anything　to　drink？'
　　She　turned　around　and　bent　over…not　easy　with　that　horse　of　a　baby　in　her　arms…and　got　a　thermos　from　the　back。
　　Another　couple　of　cars　went　puttering　by。　The　folks　inside　waved；　and　we　waved　back。　I　was　still　grinning　fit　to　split；　trying　to　look　just　as　Homer　as　a　Homer　could　be。　I　was　worried　about　Jack　and　didn't　know　how　he　could　stay　on　his　feet；　let　alone　tip　up　that　thermos　and　swig　what　was　inside。　Iced　tea；　she　told　him；　but　he　seemed　not　to　hear。　When　he　handed　it　back　to　her；　there　were　tears　rolling　down　his　cheeks。　He　thanked　her；　and　she　asked　him　again　if　he　was　all　right。
　　'I　am　now；'　Jack　says。　He　got　into　the　hoodoo　Ford　and　drove　it　into　the　bushes；　the　car　jouncing　up　and　down　on　the　tire　Johnnie　had　shot　out。
　　'Why　couldn't　you　have　shot　out　a　back　one；　you　goddam　fool？'　Jack　sounded　angry　and　out　of　breath。　Then　he　wrestled　the　car　into　the　trees　and　out　of　sight；　and　came　back；　walking　slow　and　looking　at　his　feet；　like　an　old　man　on　ice。
　　'All　right；'　Johnnie　says。　He'd　discovered　a　rabbit's　foot　on　Mr。　Francis's　key　ring；　and　was　working　it　in　a　way　that　made　me　know　that　Mr。　Francis　wasn't　ever　going　to　see　that　Ford　again。　'Now；　we're　all　friends　here；　and　we're　going　to　take　a　little　ride。'
　　Johnnie　drove。　Jack　sat　in　the　passenger　seat。　I　squeezed　in　back　with　the　Francises　and　tried　to　get　the　piglet　to　shoot　me　a　grin。
　　'When　we　get　to　the　next　little　town；'　Johnnie　says　to　the　Fran…cis　family　in　the　backseat；　'we're　going　to　drop　you　off　with　enough　for　bus　fare　to　get　you　where　you　were　going。　We'll　take　the　car。　We　won't　hurt　it　a　bit；　and　if　no　one　shoots　any　bullet　holes　in　it　you'll　get　it　back　good　as　new。　One　of　us'll　phone　you　where　it　is。'
　　'We　haven't　got　a　phone　yet；'　Deelie　says。　It　was　really　a　whine。　She　sounded　like　the　kind　of　woman　who　needs　a　smack　every　second　week　or　so　to　keep　her　tits　up。　'We're　on　the　list；　but　those　telephone　people　are　slower　than　cold　molasses。'
　　'Well；　then；'　Johnnie　says；　good…humored　and　not　at　all　perplexed；　'we'll　give　the　cops　a　call；　and　they'll　get　in　touch。　But　if　you　squawk；　you　won't　ever　get　it　back　in　running　shape。'
　　Mr。　Francis　nodded　as　if　he　believed　every　word。　Probably　he　did。　This　was　the　Dillinger　Gang；　after　all。
　　Johnnie　pulled　in　at　a　Texaco；　gassed　up；　and　bought　soda　pops　all　around。　Jack　drank　a　bottle　of　grape　like　a　man　dying　of　thirst　in　the　desert；　but　the　woman　wouldn't　let　Master　Piglet　have　his。　Not　so　much　as　a　swallow。　The　kid　was　holding　his　hands　out　for　it　and　bawling。
　　'He　can't　have　pop　before　his　lunch；'　she　says　to　Johnnie；　'what's　wrong　with　you？'
　　Jack　was　leaning　his　head　against　the　glass　of　the　passenger　window　with　his　eyes　shut。　I　thought　he'd　passed　out　again；　but　he　says；　'Shut　that　brat　up；　missus；　or　I　will。'
　　'I　think　you've　forgotten　whose　car　you're　in；'　she　says；　all　haughty。
　　'Give　him　his　pop；　you　bitch；'　Johnnie　says。　He　was　still　smiling；　but　now　it　was　his　other　smile。　She　looked　at　him　and　the　color　in　her　cheeks　disappeared。　And　that's　how　Master　Piglet　got　his　Nehi；　lunch　or　no　lunch。　Twenty　miles　farther　on；　we　dropped　them　off　in　some　little　town　and　went　on　our　way　toward　Chicago。
　　'A　man　who　marries　a　woman　like　that　deserves　all　he　gets；'　Johnnie　remarked；　'and　he'll　get　plenty。'
　　'She'll　call　the　law；'　Jack　says；　still　without　opening　his　eyes。
　　'Never　will；'　Johnnie　says；　as　confident　as　ever。　'Wouldn't　spare　the　nickel。'　And　he　was　right。　We　saw　only　two　blue　beetles　before　we　got　into　Chi；　both　going　the　other　way；　and　neither　one　of　them　so　much　as　slowed　down　to　look　at　us。　It　was　Johnnie's　luck。　As　for　Jack；　you　had　only　to　look　at　him　to　know　that　his　supply　of　luck　was　running　out　fast。　By　the　time　we　got　to　the　Loop；　he　was　delirious　and　talking　to　his　mother。
　　'Homer！'　Johnnie　says；　in　that　wide…eyed　way　that　always　used　to　tickle　me。　Like　a　girl　doing　a　flirt。
　　'What！'　I　says；　giving　him　the　glad　eye　right　back。
　　'We　got　no　place　to　go。　This　is　worse　than　St。　Paul。'
　　'Go　to　Murphy's；'　Jack　says　without　opening　his　eyes。　'I　want　a　cold　beer。　I'm　thirsty。'
　　'Murphy's；'　Johnnie　says。　'You　know；　that's　not　a　bad　idea。'
　　Murphy's　was　an　Irish　saloon　on　the　South　Side。　Sawdust；　a　steam　table；　two　bartenders；　three　bouncers；　friendly　girls　at　the　bar；　and　a　room　upstairs　where　you　could　take　them。　More　rooms　in　the　back；　where　people　sometimes　met；　or　cooled　off　for　a　day　or　two。　We　knew　four　places　like　it　in　St。　Paul；　but　only　a　couple　in　Chi。　I　parked　the　Francises'　Ford　up　in　the　alley。　Johnnie　was　in　the　backseat　with　our　delirious　friend…we　weren't　yet　ready　to　call　him　our　dying　friend…and　he　was　holding　Jack's　head　against　the　shoulder　of　his　coat。
　　'Go　in　and　get　Brian　Mooney　off　the　bar；'　Johnnie　says。
　　'What　if　he　isn't　there？'
　　'Then　I　don't　know；'　Johnnie　says。
　　'Harry！'　Jack　shouts；　presumably　calling　for　Harry　Pierpont。　'That　whore　you　set　me　up　with　has　given　me　the　goddam　clap！'
　　'Go　on；'　Johnnie　says　to　me；　soothing　his　hand　through　Jack's　hair　just　like　a　mother。
　　Well；　Brian　Mooney　was　there…Johnnie's　luck　again…and　we　got　a　room　for　the　night；　although　it　cost　two　hundred　dollars；　which　was　pretty　dear；　considering　the　view　was　an　alley　and　the　toilet　was　at　the　far　end　of　the　hall。
　　'You　boys　are　hotter　than　hell；'　Brian　says。　'Mickey　McClure　would　have　sent　you　right　back　into　the　street。　There's　nothing　in　the　papers　and　on　the　radio　but　Little　Bohemia。'
　　Jack　sat　down　on　a　cot　in　the　corner；　and　got　himself　a　cigarette　and　a　cold　draft　beer。　The　beer　brought　him　back　wonderful；　he　was　almost　himself　again。　'Did　Lester　get　away？'　he　asked　Mooney。　I　looked　over　at　him　when　he　spoke　up　and　saw　a　terrible　thing。　When　he　took　a　drag　off　his　Lucky　and　inhaled；　a　little　puff　e　out　of　the　hole　in　the　back　of　his　overcoat　like　a　smoke　signal。
　　'You　mean　Baby　Face？'　Mooney　asked。
　　'You　don't　want　to　call　him　that　where　he　can　hear　you；'　Johnnie　said；　grinning。　He　was　happier　now　that　Jack　had　e　back　around；　but　he　hadn't　seen　that　puff　of　smoke　ing　out　of　his　back。　I　wished　I　hadn't；　either。
　　'He　shot　a　bunch　of　Gees　and　got　away；'　Mooney　said。　'At　least　one　of　the　Gees　is　dead；　maybe　two。　Anyway；　it　just　makes　it　that　much　worse。　You　can　stay　here　tonight；　but　you　have　to　be　gone　by　tomorrow　afternoon。'
　　He　went　out。　Johnnie　waited　a　few　seconds；　then　stuck　his　tongue　out　at　the　door　like　a　little　kid。　I　got　laughing…Johnnie　could　always　make　me　laugh。　Jack　tried　to　laugh；　too；　but　quit。　It　hurt　him　too　much。
　　'Time　to　get　you　out　of　that　coat　and　see　how　bad　it　is；　partner；'　Johnnie　said。
　　It　took　us　five　minutes。　By　the　time　he　was　down　to　his　undershirt；　all　three　of　us　were　soaked　with　sweat。　Four　or　five　times　I　had　to　put　my　hands　over　Jack's　mouth　to　muffle　him。　I　got　blood　all　over　my　cuffs。
　　There　was　no　more　than　a　rose　on　the　lining　of　his　overcoat；　but　his　white　shirt　had　gone　half　red　and　his　undershirt　was　soaked　right　through。　Sticking　up　on　the　left　side；　just　below　his　shoulder　blade；　was　a　lump　with　a　hole　in　the　middle　of　it；　like　a　little　volcano。
　　'No　more；'　Jack　says；　crying。　'Please；　no　more。'
　　'That's　all　right；'　Johnnie　says；　running　the　palm　of　his　hand　through　Jack's　hair　again。　'We're　all　done。　You　can　lie　down　now。　Go　to　sleep。　You　need　your　rest。'
　　'I　can't；'　he　says。　'It　hurts　too　much。　Oh；　God；　if　you　only　knew　how　it　hurts！　And　I　want　another　beer。　I'm　thirsty。　Only　don't　put　so　much　salt　in　it　this　time。　Where's　Harry；　where's　Charlie？'
　　Harry　Pierpont　and　Charlie　Makley；　I　guessed…Charlie　was　the　Fagin　who'd　turned　Harry　and　Jack　out　when　they　weren't　no　more　than　snotnoses。
　　'There　he　goes　a