gs.earthabides-第68章
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！
As Ish drew near； Charlie…nonchalantly almost…reached out with his right arm； and put it around Evie and drew her close to him。 She seemed surprised； but yielded fortably。 Charlie looked at Ish； and Ish knew that this was the crisis of open defiance。
Ish mutely accepted the challenge； he felt calmer now。 This was no time to let anger disturb one's thoughts。 Now that there was action； he could think more clearly。
〃All of you go somewhere for a while！〃 he said loudly。 There was no need for finesse or excuses； they all knew something was going to happen。
〃I want to talk to Charlie here alone for a few minutes。 Ezra； you take Evie over to Molly's。 She needs her hair bed。〃
There was no argument； everybody left so readily that they must really have been a little frightened。 By having Ezra go； Ish was losing his best ally； but to have had him stay would have been a confession of weakness before all of the others； including Charlie。
Then the two of them were left there alone…Ish standing； as he had been when he spoke； Charlie； still sitting。 Charlie made no gesture of rising； so Ish too sat down。 He would not stand when the other sat so lazily。 Charlie was still wearing his vest； although he had no coat on and had unbuttoned the vest so that it hung loosely from him。 There were six feet between them as they sat on the ground and looked at each other。 Ish saw no reason to beat about the bush。
〃All I want to say is that you must quit this with Evie。〃
Charlie was equally direct。
〃Who says so？〃
Ish considered for words。 He might say 〃we〃 but that was vague。 If he could have said 〃We； the people〃 that would have been better； but he knew that Charlie would think it ridiculous。 He did not want to pause longer； and so he spoke。 〃I say so。〃
Charlie said nothing in return； he sat there。 He picked up a few little pebbles from the ground and idly twitched them with his left hand； throwing them here and there。 He could not have stated； any more clearly； his disrespect。
At last Charlie spoke。 〃There's lots of old wise…cracks you can say when any guy says to you 'I say so。' You know what they are； so let's skip them。 I'm reasonable； though。 Why don't you tell me just why you want me to lay off Evie？ She your girl； maybe？〃
Ish spoke quickly。
〃This is it；〃 he said。 〃It's simple enough。 We're a pretty good bunch of people here； not mental giants； any of us I guess； but still nobody too downright stupid。 We don't want a lot of little half…witted brats running in on us； the sort of children Evie would have。〃
Only when he had stopped speaking； did he realize that by speaking at all in reply to Charlie's question； he had made a mistake。 Like any intellectual； he had been happy to stop manding and begin arguing； and so he had admitted that his mand was non…effective。 Now； in spite of himself； he felt in second place； with Charlie the leader。
〃Hell！〃 said Charlie。 〃What makes you think she's been around here all this time and not had plenty of chances to have kids with all those boys around； if she was going to have any？〃
〃The boys never touched Evie；〃 said Ish。 〃She was something they grew up with； she was taboo。 And besides； all the boys were married off as early as they could be。〃
He was still arguing； and was perhaps at the bad end of the argument。
〃So you say again！〃 Charlie's words had the confident ring of the voice of a man feeling himself in control。 〃What you really ought to be glad for is that I picked on that one around here； the only one old enough who ain't married already。 What if I'd liked one of the others； and she； me？ Then you might have a pretty mess on your hands。 You better be glad I was so agreeable。〃
Ish thought wildly for something to say。 What more could be said？ You could not threaten with the police or say that the district attorney might be interested。 He had flung the challenge and been met head on。
No； there was nothing more to say。 Ish got up； turned on his heel； and walked off。 He had a sudden quick memory in his mind of once long before； when he had met a man just after the Great Disaster； and had turned； and walked away with the feeling that he might be shot in the back。 Yet； after that first memory； he was not afraid； and it was the more humiliating that he was not。 He realized that Charlie would think there was no need of shooting。 He； Ish； had e off second…best。
He was in the depths of bitterness as he walked back toward his own house； He had forgotten how deep humiliation would be。 The hammer was mere weight now； not a symbol of power。 For years things had gone easily； and he had been a leader。 But after all he was not so different from the strange youth that he now could hardly remember。 The youth who had existed in the old days before the Great Disaster； the one who was afraid to go to dances； the one who was never quite at ease with other people； and had never been a leader。 He had changed much； he had outgrown much； but he could not outgrow it all。
Then as he came； deep in bitterness； through the door of the old house； Em was there waiting for him。 He laid down the hammer。 He took her into his arms； or perhaps she took him into hers； he was not sure。 But after that he felt suddenly a new confidence。 Sometimes she did not agree with him。 They had argued just the night before about Charlie； but in the end he knew that he would renew his confidence from her。
They sat on the davenport； and he poured out the story。 He did not wait to hear what she thought； but he felt her sympathy flow out and enfold him。 He felt the raw edge of his humiliation healing over。 She spoke at last：
〃You shouldn't have done it！ You should have had the boys to back you。 He might have shot you right there。 You're strong at thinking and knowing things； not in meeting a man like that。〃
Then it was she was began to take the next action。
〃Go get Ezra and George and the boys；〃 she said。 〃No； I'll send one of the children。 No one can move in on us like this； and say what he and we are going to do！〃
Yes； Ish realized； he had been wrong。 There had been no need to feel again the Great Loneliness。 Small and weak though it might be； there was still the strength of The Tribe to rally warmly about him。
George was the first to e； and after him； Ezra。 Ish caught the movement as Ezra's quick eyes shifted from George to Em and back again。 〃He has something；〃 Ish thought； 〃he wants to say to me alone。〃 But Ezra made no attempt to gain the opportunity。 Instead he ended by looking at Em in a half…embarrassed manner。
〃Molly's had to lock Evie up in one of the upstairs rooms；〃 he said。 Ish could tell what a hard matter it was for Ezra； a highly polite and civilized person； to have to speak in public thus about the burst of passion that had suddenly e upon a half…witted girl at a man's caresses。
〃What's to keep her from jumping out the window anyway？〃 said Ish。
〃Nothing； I guess；〃 said Ezra。
〃I could fix up some bars；〃 said George； eagerly。 〃We could put something across the window； all right。〃
They all laughed a little in spite of the seriousness。 George was always so happy to do a little more carpentry somewhere on the houses。 But it was obviously impossible to keep Evie locked up for the rest of her life。
Just then Jack and Roger； Ish's own sons； came in； after them； Ralph； who was the last of that trio。
At the boys' ing； there was a little relaxing； and people began to sit down and make themselves fortable。 In a moment； Ish knew they would all expect him to begin to say something and he felt again that this was all happening too rapidly。 What he was actually facing was almost like the organization of a new state。 And yet； they could not sit down quietly and start out by writing a constitution with a good old…fashioned preamble。 No； a particular and troublesome situation faced them； and they must act in the face of it。
He put the question sharply： 〃What are we going to do about Evie and this Charlie？〃
There was a babble of talk； and almost immediately Ish had the chilly feeling that of all the men； only Ezra was solidly with him。 The boys； even George
