按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
had just gone hog wild。 He were butting bis head against the
side of this brick wall and hitting with his fists。 He were
cussing and fighting like I never seen a white man fight
before。 With just this here wall。 He liable to broken his own
head the way he were carrying on。 Then two white mens who
had heard the commotion come up and stand around and
look'22
'So what happened？'
'Well—you know this here dumb gentleman—hands in
pockets—this here'
'Mr。 Singer。'
'And he come along and just stood looking around to see what
it were all about。 And Mr。 B…B…Blount seen him and
commenced to talk and holler。 And then all of a sudden he
fallen down on the ground。 Maybe he done really busted his
head open。 A p…p…p…police come up and somebody done told
him Mr。 Blount been staying here。'
Biff bowed his head and organized the story he had just heard
into a neat pattern。 He rubbed his nose and thought for a
minute。
〃They liable to pile in here any minute。' Willie went to the
door and looked down the street 'Here they all come now。
They having to drag him。'
A dozen onlookers and a policeman all tried to crowd into the
restaurant。 Outside a couple of whores stood looking in
through the front window。 It was always funny how many
people could crowd in from nowhere when anything out of the
ordinary happened。
'No use creating any more disturbance than necessary；' Biff
said。 He looked at the policeman who supported the drunk。
'The rest of them might as well clear out。'
The policeman put the drunk in a chair and hustled the little
crowd into the street again。 Then he turned to Biff： 'Somebody
said he was staying here with you。'
'No。 But he might as well be；' Biff said。
'Want me to take him with me？'
Biff considered。 'He won't get into any more trouble tonight。
Of course I can't be responsible—but I think this will calm
him down。'
'O。K。 I'll drop back in again before I knock off。'
Biff； Singer； and Jake Blount were left alone。 For the first
time since he had been brought in； Biff turned his attention to
the drunk man。 It seemed that Blount had hurt his jaw very
badly。 He was slumped down on the table with his big hand
over his mouth； swaying backward and forward。 There was a
gash in his head and the blood ran from his temple。 His
knuckles were skinned raw； and he was so filthy that he
looked as if he had been pulled by the scruff of the neck from
a sewer。 All the juice had
23
spurted out of him and he was completely collapsed。 The mute
sat at the table across from him； taking it all in with his gray
eyes。
Then Biff saw that Blount had not hurt his jaw； but he was
holding his hand over his mouth because bis lips were
trembling。 The tears began to roll down his grimy face。 Now
and then he glanced sideways at Biff and Singer； angry that
they should see him cry。 It was embarrassing。 Biff shrugged
his shoulders at the mute and raised his eyebrows with a what…
to…do？ expression。 Singer cocked his head on one side。
Biff was in a quandary。 Musingly he wondered just how he
should manage the situation。 He was still trying to decide
when the mute turned over the menu and began to write。
// you cannot think of any place for him to go he can go home
with me。 First some soup and coffee would be good for him。
With relief Biff nodded vigorously。
On the table he placed three special plates of the last evening
meal； two bowls of soup； coffee； and dessert。 But Blount
would not eat。 He would not take his hand away from his
mouth； and it was as though his lips were some very secret
part of himself which was being exposed。 His breath came in
ragged sobs and his big shoulders jerked nervously。 Singer
pointed to one dish after the other； but Blount just sat with his
hand over his mouth and shook his head。
Biff enunciated slowly so that the mute could see。 'The
jitters' he said conversationally。
The steam from the soup kept floating up into Blount's face；
and after a little while he reached shakily for his spoon。 He
drank the soup and ate part of his dessert。 His thick； heavy lips
still trembled and he bowed his head far down over his plate。
Biff noted this。 He was thinkng that in nearly every person
there was some special physical part kept always guarded。
With the mute his hands。 The kid Mick picked at the front of
her blouse to keep the cloth from rubbing the new； tender
nipples beginning to come out on her24
breast。 With Alice it was her hair； she used never to let him
sleep with her when he rubbed oil in his scalp。 And with
himself？
Lingeringly Biff turned the ring on his little finger。 Anyway
he knew what it was not。 Not。 Any more。 A sharp line cut into
his forehead。 His hand in his pocket moved nervously toward
his genitals。 He began whistling a song and got up from the
table。 Funny to spot it in other people； though。
They helped Blount to his feet。 He teetered weakly。 He was
not crying any more； but he seemed to be brooding on
something shameful and sullen。 He walked in the direction he
was led。 Biff brought out the suitcase from behind the counter
and explained to the mute about it。 Singer looked as though he
could not be surprised at anything。
Biff went with them to the entrance。 'Buck up and keep your
nose clean；' he said to Blount。
The black night sky was beginning to lighten and turn a deep
blue with the new morning。 There were but a few weak；
silvery stars。 The street was empty； silent； almost cool。 Singer
carried the suitcase with his left hand； and with his free hand
he supported Blount。 He nodded goodbye to Biff and they
started off together down the sidewalk。 Biff stood watching
them。 After they had gone hah* a block away only their black
forms showed in the blue darkness —the mute straight and
firm and the broad…shouldered； stumbling Blount holding on
to him。 When he could see them no longer； Biff waited for a
moment and examined the sky。 The vast depth of it fascinated
and oppressed him。 He rubbed his forehead and went back
into the sharply lighted restaurant。
He stood behind the cash register； and his face contracted and
hardened as he tried to recall the things that had happened
during the night。 He had the feeling that he wanted to explain
something to himself。 He recalled the incidents in tedious
detail and was still puzzled。
The door opened and closed several times as a sudden spurt of
customers began to come in。 The night was over。 Willie
stacked some of the chairs up on the tables and mopped at the
floor。 He was ready to go home and was singing。 Willie was
lazy。 In the kitchen he was always stopping to play for a while
on the harmonica he carried
around with him。 Now he mopped the floor with sleepy
strokes and hummed his lonesome Negro music steadily。
The place was still not crowded—it was the hour when men
who have been up all night meet those who are freshly
wakened and ready to start a new day。 The sleepy waitress
was serving both beer and coffee。 There was no noise or
conversation； for each person seemed to be alone。 The mutual
distrust between the men who were just awakened and those
who were ending a long night gave everyone a feeling of
estrangement。
The bank building across the street was very pale in the dawn。
Then gradually its white brick walls grew more distinct。 When
at last the first shafts of the rising sun began to brighten the
street； Biff gave the place one last survey and went upstairs。
Noisily he rattled the doorknob as he entered so that Alice
would be disturbed。 'Motherogod！' he said。 'What a night！'
Alice awoke with caution。 She lay on the rumpled bed like a
sulky cat and stretched herself。 The room was drab in the
fresh； hot morning sun； and a pair of silk stockings hung limp
and withered from the cord of the window…shade。
'Is that drunk fool still hanging around downstairs？' she
demanded。
Biff took off his shirt and examined the collar to see if it were
clean enough to be worn again。 'Go down and see for yourself。
I told you nobody will hinder you from kicking him out。'
Sleepily Alice reached down and picked up a Bible； the blank
side of a menu； and a Sunday…School book from the floor
beside the bed。 She rustled through the tissue pages of the
Bible until she reached a certain passage and began reading；
pronouncing the words aloud with painful concentration。 It
was Sunday； and she was preparing the weekly lesson for her
class of boys in the Junior Department of her church。 'Now as
he walked by the sea of Galilee； he saw Simon and Andrew
his brother casting a net into the sea： for they were fishers。
And Jesus said unto them； 〃Come ye after me； and I will make
you to become fishers of men。〃 And straightway they forsook
their nets； and followed him。'26
Biff went into the bathroom to wash himself。 The silky
murmuring continued as Alice studied aloud。 He listened。 。。
and in the morning； rising up a great while before day； He
went out； and departed into a solitary place； and there prayed。
And Simon and they that were with Him followed after Him。
And when they had found Him；