第57部分(第6/7 頁)

e　…　in　1929；　this　had　been　…and　a　large　black　man　had　hauled　two　fellows　out　of　the　rubble。　Both　had　looked　dead　to　onlookers　at　first；　but　as　it　turned　out；　neither　had　been　even　seriously　hurt。　It　was　like　a　miracle；　one　of　the　witnesses　was　quoted　as　saying。　The　black　man；　a　drifter　who　had　been　hired　by　the　church　pastor　to　do　a　day's　worth　of　chores；　had　disappeared　in　the　excitement。

〃You're　right；　he　got　along；〃　Brutal　said。　〃But　you　have　to　remember　that　he　did　most　of　his　getting　along　before　he　was　convicted　of　raping　and　murdering　two　little　girls。〃

She　sat　without　answering。　She　sat　that　way　for　almost　a　full　minute；　and　then　she　did　something　which　shocked　me　as　badly　as　my　sudden　flow　of　tears　must　have　shocked　her。　She　reached　out　and　shoved　everything　off　the　table　with　one　wide　sweep　of　her　arm…plates；　glasses；　cups；　silverware；　the　he　bowl　of　collards；　the　bowl　of　squash；　the　platter　with　the　carved　ham　on　it；　the　milk；　the　pitcher　of　cold　tea。　All　off　the　table　and　onto　the　floor；　ker…smash。

〃Holy　shit！〃　Dean　cried；　rocking　back　from　the　table　so　hard　he　damned　near　went　over　on　his　back。

Janice　ignored　him。　It　was　Brutal　and　me　she　was　looking　at；　mostly　me。　〃Do　you　mean　to　kill　him；　you　cowards？〃　she　asked。　〃Do　you　mean　to　kill　the　man　who　saved　Melinda　Moores's　life；　who　tried　to　save　those　little　girls；　lives？　Well；　at　least　there　will　be　one　less　black　man　in　the　world　won't　there？　You　can　console　yourselves　with　that。　One　less　nigger。〃

She　got　up；　looked　at　her　chair；　and　kicked　it　into　the　wall。　It　rebounded　and　fell　into　the　spilled　squash。　I　took　her　wrist　and　she　yanked　it　free。

〃Don't　touch　me〃；　she　said。　〃Next　week　this　time　you'll　be　a　murderer；　no　better　than　that　man　Wharton；　so　don't　touch　me。〃