CHAPTER 24

  Welivedinthedarkhole,andtheabandonedmihehillsideprovedtobeaverybadhomeihatfirstwinter,Iwentintoadeeperhibernationthaneverbefore,wakingonlyeveryfewdaystoeatordrinkafewmouthfuls,thenbacktobed.Mostoftheothersdweltinthenarcolepticstate,ahazethatlastedfromDecemberthroughMarch.Thedarknessenfoldedusinitsmoistembradformanyweeksnotapeepofsunreachedus.Snowfallsalmostsealedusin,buttheporousentranceallowedthecoldtopee.Thewallsweptandfrozeintoslickcruststhatshatteredunderpressure.

  Inthespringtimeweslippedintothegreenworld,hungryandthin.Intheunfamiliarterritory,lookingforfoodbecameadailypreoccupation.Thehillsideitselfwasallslagandshale,andeveninhighseason,onlythehardiestgrassesandmossgtoatenuoushold.Noanimalsbotheredtethere.Békacautionedusnottoroamtoofar,sowemadedoecouldsgenearby—grasshoppersandgrubs,teamadeoutofbark,robi,aroastskunk.Weimaginedallwemissedbynotvisitingtown.

  "Iwouldgivemyeyetoothforatasteoficecream,"Smaolachsaidattheclusiontoameansupper."Oraniceyellowbanana."

  "Raspberryjam,"saidSpeck,"onwarm,chytoast."

  Onionschimedin:"Sauerkrautandpigsfeet."

  "Spaghetti,"Zanzarabegan,andRagnofinished,"withParmesan."

  "ACokeandasmoke."Luchógpattedhisemptypouch.

  "Whydontyouletusgo?"askedChavisory."Itsbeensolong,Béka."

  Theganglydespotsataboveusonathronemadefromaydynamitecrate.Hehadresistedgrantinglibertieseverytimewehadasked,butperhapshe,too,wasbrighteningasthedayswereonthemend."Onions,takeBlommaandKiviwithyoutonight,butbebackbeforedawn.Stayofftheroadsandtakenoces."Hesmiledathisownbenevolence."Andbringmebackabottleofbeer."

  Thethreegirlsroseasoneawithoutdelay.Békashouldhavereadthesignsaheinggeinhisbones,butperhapshisthirstoutweighedhisjudgment.AcoldsnaprolledoverthewesternhillstomeetthewarmMayair,andwithinhoursathickfogsettledintothewoodsandgtothedarknessliketheskinofapeach.Wecouldseenofartherthanonegiantstepahead,andtheinvisiblecloakstretchedbetweereescreatedageneralsenseofuneaseaboutourabsentfriends.

  Aftertheotherscrawledintothedarkosleep,Luchógkeptmepanyatthemiranaquietvigil."Dontworry,littletreasure.Whiletheyotsee,theyotbeseen.Theyllfindacarefulhidingplacetillthesuncutsthroughthisgloom."

  Wewatchedandbecameohnothing.Inthedeadofit,acrashingthroughthetreesawakenedus.Thenoiseroseinasinglefranticwave.Branchessnappedandbroke,andaninhumancryresoundedandwasswiftlyextinguished.Wepeeredintothemist,straihedireoftheotion.Luchógstruckamatdlitthetorchkeptatthemirahetwigssputteredinthedamp,caughthold,andburstintolight.Emboldehefire,westeppedcarefullytowardthememoryofthehefaiofbloodontheground.Aheadthroughthemist,twoeyesmirrored<>uitorchlight,andtheirglowinghaltedress.Afoxssjawsandcarriedawayitsprey,andwewalkedovertothekillingspot.Falikeglassinakaleidoscope,blad-white-bandedfeatherslaystrewnonthefallenleaves.Strugglingwiththeheavyturkey,thefoxbumbledoffintothedistandaboveusirees,thesurvivingbirdshuddledtogether,churringaforttooher.

  Onions,Kivi,andBlommastillhadurnedwhenIshowedSpecktheplacewherethefoxhadcaughtthetom.Shechoseapairofthelargerfeathersandkhemintoherhair."LastoftheMohis,"shesaid,andranwhoopingintothelighteningmornasIgavechase,andsoweplayedawaytheday.WhenSpedIreturethatafternoon,wefoundBékaangryandpag.Thegirlshadnotehome,aorweensendingoutasearchpartyorwaitingihemineshaft.

  "Whatdoyoumean,keepingushere?"Speckdemanded."Youtoldthembebackbydawn.DoyouthinkOnionswoulddisobeyyou?Theyshouldhavebeenbackho.Whyarelookingforthem?"Shedividedtheeightofusintopairsandmappedoutfourdifferentapproachestotown.Tokeephimcalm,shewentwithBékaodirectpath.SmaoladLuchógcircledaroundouroldstompinggrounds,andRagnoandZanzarafollowedwell-worhs.

  ChavisoryandItookanaartery,blazedbytheIndiansperhaps,thatranparalleltotheriver,bending,dipping,andrisingasthewatertwistedinitscourse.ItseemedmorelikelythatOnions,Kivi,andBlommahadtakenarailwithbettercover,butwestayedvigilantforanymovementorotherindicationstheyhadpassedthisway—suchasfreshfootprintsorbrokenbrahebrushsometimeschokedoffpassage,aeppedoutontotheexposedriverbankforshortstints.Anyonedrivingacrossthehighbridgethatlihehighwaytothetowncouldhavespottedusinthehalf-light,andIoftenwonderedwhileonthispathwhatwemustlooklikefromsofarabove.Ants,probably,orlittlechildrenlost.Chavisorysangandhummedtoherselfawordlesstuoncefamiliarandstrange.

  "Whatisthatsong?"Iaskedherwheoppedtogetourbearings.Faraheadintheriver,atugpushedaestowardthecity.

  "Chopin,Ithink."

  "WhatisChopin?"

  Shegiggledandtwistedastrandofhairaroundtwofingers."Notwhat,silly.Who.Chopinwrotethemusic,oratleastthatswhathesaid."

  "Whosaid?Chopin?"

  Shelaughedloudly,thencoveredhermouthwithherfreehand."Chopiheboywhotaughtmethesong.HesaiditisChopinsmayonnaise."

  "Whatboyisthat?Theonebeforeme?"

  Herdemeanorged,andshelookedoffiaheregbarges.Eveninthedimlight,Icouldseeshewasblushing.

  "Whywontyoutellme?Whydoesntanyoalkabouthim?"

  "Aniday,wealkaboutgelingsoheyaregoeteverythingaboutthem.Nogoodtochaseaftermemories."

  Afar-offcrywentout,abriefalarmthatsigomakehasteandrendezvous.Wedroppedourversationandfollowedthesound.RagnoandZanzarafoundherfirst,aloneandgiyglen.Shehadbeenwanderinghalftheday,toofusedanddistraughttofindherwayhome.Theotherpairsarrivedwithinmiohearthenews,andBékasatdownbesideOnionsanddrapedhisarmaroundhershoulders.KiviandBlommaweregone.

  Thethreegirlshadseenthefogrollinaheirwayintotown,reagthelonesomeouterstreetsastheworstweatherfell.Thestreetlampsandstorefrontsignscasthalhthemisteddark,servingasbeasforthefaeriestonavigatethroughtheneighborhoods.Blommatoldtheothertwonottoworryaboutbeingseenbypeopleinthehouses."Wereinvisibleinthisfog,"shesaid,andperhapsherfoolhardyfideheirruin.Fromthesupermarket,theystolesugar,salt,flour,aedsackes,thenstashedthelootinasideofthedrugstore.Sneakinginthroughtheback,theyweresurprisedbyallofthegessiheirlatestvisit.

  "Everythingisdifferent,"Onionstoldus."Thesodafountainisgohewholeterandallthoseroundchairsthatspinyouaround.Andnomorebooths.Nodyter,aubsofpennydyaregooo.Iheresmoreeverything.Soapandshampoo,shoelaces,awholewalloficbooksandmagazines.Andtheresawholerowofthingsjustforbabies.Diapersmadeoutofplasticthatyouthrowaway,andbabybottlesandilk.Andhundredsofthosetinyjarsoffood,allgooshedup,andoneaethesamepictureofthecutestbabyintheworld.Applesaudpearsandbananas.Spinadgreenbeans.Sweetpotatoesthatlooklikeredmud.Andsmooshedturkeyandchiwithrice.Kiviwaasteeveryone,andwewerethereforhours."

  Icouldpicturethethreeofthem,facessmearedwithblueberries,bloatedandsprawledintheaisle,dozeyjarsstrewnacrossthefloor.

  Acarpulledupoutsideandstoppedinfrontofthepicturewindows.Theflashlightshohroughtheglass,slowlysweptitsbeamaloerior,ahegirlsleapttotheirfeet,slippedonthepuddlesofpeasandcarrots,ahejarsspinningandclatteringacrossthelihefrontdooropened,andtwopolisteppedinside.Ohemensaidtotheother,"Thisiswherehesaidtheywouldbe."Onionsshoutedforthemtorun,butKiviandBlommadidnotmove.Theystoodsidebysideinthemiddleofthebabyfoodaisle,joinedhands,andwaitedforthementoeahem.

  "Idontknowwhy,"Onionssaid."ItwasthemosthorriblethingIhaveeverseen.IcircledaroundbehindthemenandcouldseeKiviandBlommawhenthelightshitthemrightintheface.Theylookedasiftheywerewaitingforittohappen.Thepolisaid,Hewasright.Thereissomeonehere.Ahersaid,Freeze.Kivisqueezedhereyesshut,andBlommaraisedonehandtoherforehead,buttheydidntlookafraidatall.Liketheywerehappy,almost."

  Oniledthroughthedoorandescaped,notbwiththestolengoods.Instiin,ahroughtheemptystreets,heedlessofalltraffieverlookingback.Thefogdisorientedher,andsheranallthewaythroughtowntotheotherside.Onceshehadfoundahidingplaayellowbarednearlyalldaytoreturakingaroutethatskirtedthestreets.WhenRagnoandZanzarafoundher,shewasexhausted.

  "Whydidthemansaythat?"Békaaskedher."Whatdidhemean,Thisiswherehesaidtheywouldbe?"

  "Somebodymusthavetoldthepoliwherewewere."Onionsshuddered."Somebodywhoknowsourways."

  Békatookherbythehandsandliftedherupfromtheground."Whoelsecoulditbe?"Hewaslookingstraightatme,asifacgmeofaheinouscrime.

  "ButIdidnttell—"

  "Notyou,Aniday,"hespatout."Theoookyourplace."

  "Chopin,"saidChavisory,awolaughedatthenamebeforecatgtheiremotiorudgedhomeinsilence,rememberingourmissingfriendsKiviandBlomma.Eachofusfoundaprivatewaytogrieve.Wetooktheirdollsoutoftheholeandburiedtheminasinglegrave.SmaoladLuchógspenttwoweeksbuildinga,whileChavisoryandSpeckdividedourdepartedfriendspossessionsamongthenineofusleftbehind.noandZanzararemaioidimpassive,acceptingtheirshareofclothingandshoesbutsayionothing.Throughthatsummerandintothefall,ourversationsrevolvedaroundfindingmeaninginthegirlssurrender.Onionsdidherbesttovihatabetrayalhadoccurred,andBékajoinedin,affirmingthespiracy,arguingthatthehumanswereouttogetusandthatitwasonlyamatteroftimebeforeKiviandBlommawouldfullyfess.Themenintheblacksuitswouldreturn,thearmymen,thepolidtheirdogs,andtheywouldhuntusdown.Othersamongustookamorethoughtfulview.

  Luchógsaid,"Theywaoleave,anditwasonlyamatteroftime.Ionlyhopethatthepoorthingsfindhomeintheworldasentofftoliveinazooorputuhemicroscopebyamadstist."

  Weneverheardofthemagain.Vanished,asifanairynothing.

  Morethanever,Békainsistedweliveindarkness,buthedidallowusnightsawayfromthediminished.Whenthecearoseoverthosefewyears,SpedIwouldstealawaytosleepiivepeadluxurybehelibrary.Wethrewourselvesintoourbooksandpapers.WereadtheGreeksintranslation,Clytemrainhergrief,Antigoneshonorinathincoatih.GrendelprowlingthebleakDanishnight.Thepilgrimsofterburyandlivesontheroad.MaximsofPope,therichanityinallofShakespeare,Miltonsangelsandaurochs,Gulliverbig,little,yahoo.WildecstasiesofKeats.ShelleysFraein.RipVanWinklesleepingitoff.SpesistedonAuste,Emerson,Thoreau,theBrontes,Alcott,t,Rossetti,bothBrownings,andespeciallyAlicedowntherabbithole.Weworkedourwayrightuptothepresentage,chewingthroughthebookslikeapairofsilverfish.

  Sometimes,Speckwouldreadaloudtome.Iwouldhaoryshehadneverbeforeseen,andalmostwithoutabeat,shemadeithers.ShefrightenedmefromthewordOnPoes"TheRaven."ShebroughtmetotearsoverBenJonsonsdrow.Shemadethehoovesthunderin"TheChargeoftheLightBrigade"andthewavesroarinTennysons"Ulysses."Ilovedthemusicofhervoidwatgherfaceassheread,seasonafterseason.Inthesummertimeherbaredskindarkened,andherdarkhairbrightehesunshine.Duringthecoldpartoftheyear,shedisappearedbehlayers,sothatsometimesallIcouldseewasherwideforeheadanddarkbrows.Onwinternightsinthatdlelitspace,hereyesshofromthecirclesbehhereyes.Althougheyyearstogether,shesecretedawaythepowertoshockorsurprise,tosayawordandbreakmyheart.松语文学www.16sy.coM免费小说阅读

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