hemingway, ernest - men without women-第11章
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¨Iˇll have a roast pork tenderloin with apple sauce and mashed potatoes；〃 the first man said。
¨It isnˇt ready yet。〃
¨What the hell do you put it on the card for？〃
¨Thatˇs the dinner；〃 George explained。 ¨You can get that at six oˇclock。〃
George looked at the clock on the wall behind the counter。
¨Itˇs five oˇclock。〃
¨The clock says twenty minutes past five；〃 the second man said。
¨Itˇs twenty minutes fast。〃
¨Oh； to hell with the clock；〃 the first man said。 ¨What have you got to eat？〃
¨I can give you any kind of sandwiches；〃 George said。 ¨You can have ham and eggs； bacon and eggs； liver and bacon； or a steak。〃
¨Give me chicken croquettes with green peas and cream sauce and mashed potatoes。〃
¨Thatˇs the dinner。〃
¨Everything we wantˇs the dinner； eh？〃 Thatˇs the way you work it。〃
¨I can give you ham and eggs； bacon and eggs； liver〃
¨Iˇll take ham and eggs；〃 the man called Al said。 He wore a derby hat and a black overcoat buttoned across the chest。 His face was small and white and he had tight lips。 He wore a silk muffler and gloves。
¨Give me bacon and eggs；〃 said the other man。 He was about the same size as Al。 Their faces were different； but they were dressed like twins。 Both wore overcoats too tight for them。 They sat leaning forward； their elbows on the counter。
¨Got anything to drink？〃 Al asked。
¨Silver beer； bevo； ginger…ale；〃 George said。
¨I mean you got anything to drink？〃
¨Just those I said。〃
¨This is a hot town；〃 said the other。 ¨What do they call it？〃
¨Summit。〃
¨Ever hear of it？〃 Al asked his friend。
¨No；〃 said the friend。
¨What do you do here nights？〃 Al asked。
¨They eat the dinner；〃 his friend said。 ¨They all come here and eat the big dinner。〃
¨Thatˇs right；〃 George said。
¨So you think thatˇs right？〃 Al asked George。
¨Sure。〃
¨Youˇre a pretty bright boy； arenˇt you？〃
¨Sure；〃 said George。
¨Well； youˇre not；〃 said the other little man。 ¨Is he； Al？〃
¨Heˇs dumb；〃 said Al。 He turned to Nick。 ¨Whatˇs your name？〃
¨Adams。〃
¨Another bright boy；〃 Al said。 ¨Ainˇt he a bright boy； Max？〃
¨The townˇs full of bright boys；〃 Max said。
George put down two platters； one of ham and eggs； the other of bacon and eggs； on the counter。 He set down two side dishes of fried potatoes and closed the wicket into the kitchen。
¨Which is yours？〃 he asked Al。
¨Donˇt you remember？〃
¨Ham and eggs。〃
¨Just a bright boy；〃 Max said。 He leaned forward and took the ham and eggs。 Both men ate with their gloves on。 George watched them eat。
¨What are you looking at？〃 Max looked at George。
¨Nothing。〃
¨The hell you were。 You were looking at me。〃
¨Maybe the boy meant it for a joke Max；〃 Al said。
George laughed。
¨You donˇt have to laugh；〃 Max said to him。 ¨You donˇt have to laugh at all； see？〃
¨All right；〃 said George。
¨So he thinks itˇs all right；〃 Max turned to Al。 ¨He thinks itˇs all right。 Thatˇs a good one。〃
¨Oh； heˇs a thinker；〃 Al said。 They went on eating。
¨Whatˇs the bright boyˇs name down the counter？〃 Al asked Max。
¨Hey； bright boy；〃 Max said to Nick。 ¨You go around on the other side of the counter with your boy friend。〃
¨Whatˇs the idea？〃 Nick asked。
¨There isnˇt any idea。〃
¨You better go around； bright boy；〃 Al said。 Nick went around behind the counter。
¨Whatˇs the idea？〃 George asked。
¨None of your damn business；〃 Al said。 ¨Whoˇs out in the kitchen？〃
¨The nigger。〃
¨What do you mean the nigger？〃
¨The nigger that cooks。〃
¨Tell him to come in。〃
¨Whatˇs the idea？〃
¨Tell him to come in。〃
¨Where do you think you are？〃
¨We know damn well where we are；； the man called Max said。 ¨Do we look silly？〃
¨You talk silly；〃 Al said to him。 ¨What the hell do you argue with this kid for？ Listen；〃 he said to George； ¨tell the nigger to come out here。〃
¨What are you going to do to him？〃
¨Nothing。 Use your head； bright boy。 What would we do to a nigger？〃
George opened the slip that opened back into the kitchen。 ¨Sam；〃 he called。 ¨Come in here a minute。〃
The door of the kitchen opened and the nigger came in。 ¨What was it？〃 he asked。 The two men at the counter took a look at him。
¨All right； nigger。 You stand right there；〃 Al said。
Sam； the nigger； standing in his apron； looked at the two men sitting at the counter。 ¨Yes； sir；〃 he said。 Al got down from his stool。
¨Iˇm going back to the kitchen with the nigger and bright boy；〃 he said。 ¨Go back to the kitchen； nigger。 You go with him； bright boy。〃 The little man walked after Nick and Sam； the cook； back into the kitchen。 The door shut after them。 The man called Max sat at the counter opposite George。 He didnˇt look at George but looked in the mirror that ran along back of the counter。 Henryˇs had been made over from a saloon into a lunch…counter。
¨Well； bright boy；〃 Max said； looking into the mirror； ¨why donˇt you say something？〃
¨Whatˇs it all about？〃
¨Hey； Al；〃 Max called； ¨bright boy wants to know what itˇs all about。〃
¨Why donˇt you tell him？〃 Alˇs voice came from the kitchen。
¨What do you think itˇs all about？〃
¨I donˇt know。〃
¨What do you think？〃
Max looked into the mirror all the time he was talking。
¨I wouldnˇt say。〃
¨Hey； Al； bright boy says he wouldnˇt say what he thinks itˇs all about。〃
¨I can hear you； all right；〃 Al said from the kitchen。 He had propped open the slit that dishes passed through into the kitchen with a catsup bottle。 ¨Listen； bright boy；〃 he said from the kitchen to George。 ¨Stand a little further along the bar。 You move a little to the left； Max。〃 He was like a photographer arranging for a group picture。
¨Talk to me； bright boy；〃 Max said。 ¨What do you thinkˇs going to happen？〃
George did not say anything。
¨Iˇll tell you；〃 Max said。 ¨Weˇre going to kill a Swede。 Do you know a big Swede named Ole Andreson？〃
¨Yes。〃
¨He comes in here to eat every night； donˇt he？〃
¨Sometimes he comes here。〃
¨He comes here at six oˇclock； donˇt he？〃
¨If he comes。〃
¨We know all that； bright boy；〃 Max said。 ¨Talk about something else。 Ever go to the movies？〃
¨Once in a while。〃
¨You ought to go to the movies more。 The movies are fine for a bright boy like you。〃
¨What are you going to kill Ole Andreson for？ What did he ever do to you？〃
¨He never had a chance to do anything to us。 He never even seen us。
¨And heˇs only going to see us once；〃 Al said from the kitchen。
¨What are you going to kill him for； then？〃 George asked。
¨Weˇre killing him for a friend。 Just to oblige a friend； bright boy。〃
¨Shut up；〃 said Al from the kitchen。 ¨You talk too goddam much。〃
¨Well； I got to keep bright boy amused。 Donˇt I； bright boy？〃
¨You talk too damn much；〃 Al said。 ¨The nigger and my bright boy are amused by themselves。 I got them tied up like a couple of girl friends in the convent。〃
¨I suppose you were in a convent。〃
¨You never know。〃
¨You were in a kosher convent。 Thatˇs where you were。〃
George looked up at the clock。
¨If anybody comes in you tell them the cook is off； and if they keep after it； you tell them youˇll go back and cook yourself。 Do you get that； bright boy？〃
¨All right；〃 George said。 ¨What you going to do with us afterwards？〃
¨Thatˇll depend；〃 Max said。 ¨Thatˇs one of those things you never know at the time。〃
George looked up at the clock。 It was a quarter past six。 The door from the street opened。 A street…car motorman came in。
¨Hello； George；〃 he said。 ¨Can I get supper？〃
¨Samˇs gone out；〃 George said。 ¨Heˇll be back in about half an hour。〃
¨Iˇd better go up the street；〃 the motorman said。 George looked at the clock。 It was twenty minutes past six。
¨That was nice； bright boy；〃 Max said。 ¨Youˇre a regular little gentleman。〃
¨He knew Iˇ
