carson mccullers - the heart is a lonely hunter-第53章

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better　than　that。　I　could　give　you　a　part…time　job　here。
'
'Christamighty！　I　wouldn't　park　myself　behind　that　cash　box　if
you　was　to　give　me　the　whole　damn　place；　lock；　stock；　and
barrel。
'
There　he　was。　It　was　irritating。　He　could　never　have　friends　or
even　get　along　with　people。
Talk　sense；'　Biff　said。　'Be　serious。
'
A　customer　had　come　up　with　his　check　and　he　made　change。
The　place　was　still　quiet。　Blount　was　restless。　Biff　felt　him
drawing　away。　He　wanted　to　hold　him。　He　reached　for　two　A…
l
cigars　on　the　shelf　behind　the　counter　and　offered　Blount　
a
smoke。　Warily　his　mind　dismissed　one　question　after　another；
and　then　finally　he　asked：
'If　you　could　choose　the　time　in　history　you　could　have　lived；
what　era　would　you　choose？
'
Blount　licked　his　mustache　with　his　broad；　wet　tongue。　'If　you
had　to　choose　between　being　a　stiff　and　never　asking　another
question；　which　would　you　take？
'
'Sure　enough；'　Biff　insisted。　'Think　it　over。
'
He　cocked　his　head　to　one　side　and　peered　down　over　his　long
nose。　This　was　a　matter　he　liked　to　hear　others　talk　about。
Ancient　Greece　was　his。　Walking　in　sandals　on　the　edge　of　the
blue　Aegean。　The　loose　robes　girdled　at　the　waist。　Children。
The　marble　baths　and　the　contemplations　in　the　temples。
'Maybe　with　the　Incas。　In　Peru。
'
Biff's　eyes　scanned　over　him；　stripping　him　naked。　He


saw　Blount　burned　a　rich；　red　brown　by　the　sun；　his　face
smooth　and　hairless；　with　a　bracelet　of　gold　and　precious
stones　on　his　forearm。　When　he　closed　his　eyes　the　man　was　
a
good　Inca。　But　when　he　looked　at　him　again　the　picture　fell
away。　It　was　the　nervous　mustache　that　did　not　belong　to　his
face；　the　way　he　jerked　his　shoulder；　the　Adam's　apple　on　his
thin　neck；　the　bagginess　of　his　trousers。　And　it　was　more　than



that。
'Or　maybe　around　1775。
'
〃That　was　a　good　time　to　be　living；'　Biff　agreed。
Blount　shuffled　his　feet　self…consciously。　His　face　was　rough
and　unhappy。　He　was　ready　to　leave。　Biff　was　alert　to　detain
him。　'Tell　me—why　did　you　ever　come　to　this　town　anyway？
'
He　knew　immediately　that　the　question　had　not　been　a　politic
one　and　he　was　disappointed　with　himself。　Yet　it　was　queer
how　the　man　could　land　up　in　a　place　like　this。
'It's　the　God's　truth　I　don't　know。
'
They　stood　quietly　for　a　moment；　both　leaning　on　the　counter。
The　game　of　dice　in　the　corner　was　finished。　The　first　dinner
order；　a　Long　Island　duck　special；　had　been　served　to　the
fellow　who　managed　the　A。　and　P。　store。　The　radio　was　turned
halfway　between　a　church　sermon　and　a　swing　band。
Blount　leaned　over　suddenly　and　smelled　Biff's　face。
'Perfume？
'
'Shaving　lotion；'　Biff　said　composedly。
He　could　not　keep　Blount　longer。　The　fellow　was　ready　to　go。
He　would　come　in　with　Singer　later。　It　was　always　like　this。
He　wanted　to　draw　Blount　out　completely　so　that　he　could
understand　certain　questions　concerning　him。　But　Blount
would　never　really　talk—only　to　the　mute。　It　was　a　most
peculiar　thing。
〃Thanks　for　the　cigar；'　Blount　said。　'See　you　later。
'
'So　long。
'
Biff　watched　Blount　walk　to　the　door　with　his　rolling；　sailor…
like　gait。　Then　he　took　up　the　duties　before　him。　He　looked
over　the　display　in　the　window。　The　day's　menu　had　been
pasted　on　the　glass　and　a　special　dinner　with　all　the　trimmings
was　laid　out　to　attract　customers。　It　looked　bad。　Right　nasty。
The　gravy　from　the　duck　had　run　into　the　cranberry　sauce　and
a　fly；　was　stuck　in　the　dessert。196


'Hey；　Louis！'　he　called。　'Take　this　stuff　out　of　the　window。
And　bring　me　that　red　pottery　bowl　and　some　fruit。
'
He　arranged　the　fruits　with　an　eye　for　color　and　design。　At　last
the　decoration　pleased　him。　He　visited　the　kitchen　and　had　
a
talk　with　the　cook。　He　lifted　the　lids　of　the　pots　and　sniffed　the
food　inside；　but　without　heart　for　the　matter。　Alice　always　had



done　this　part。　He　disliked　it。　His　nose　sharpened　when　he　saw
the　greasy　sink　with　its　scum　of　food　bits　at　the　bottom。　He
wrote　down　the　menus　and　the　orders　for　the　next　day。　He　was
glad　to　leave　the　kitchen　and　take　his　stand　by　the　cash
register　again。
Lucile　and　Baby　came　for　Sunday　dinner。　The　little　Md　was
not　so　good　now。　The　bandage　was　still　on　her　head　and　the
doctor　said　it　could　not　come　off　until　next　month。　The
binding　of　gauze　in　place　of　the　yellow　curls　made　her　head
look　naked。
'Say　hello　to　Uncle　Biff；　Hon；'　Lucile　prompted。
Baby　bridled　fretfully。　'Hello　to　Unca　Biff　Hon；'　she　gassed。
She　put　up　a　struggle　when　Lucile　tried　to　take　off　her　Sunday
coat。　'Now　you　just　behave　yourself；'　Lucile　kept　saying。　〃You
got　to　take　it　off　or　you'll　catch　pneumonia　when　we　go　out
again。。　Now　you　just　behave　yourself。
'
Biff　took　the　situation　in　charge。　He　soothed　Baby　with　a　ball
of　candy　gum　and　eased　the　coat　from　her　shoulders。　Her
dress　had　lost　its　set　in　the　struggle　with　Lucile。　He
straightened　it　so　that　the　yoke　was　in　line　across　her　chest　He
retied　her　sash　and　crushed　the　bow　to　just　the　right　shape
with　his　fingers。　Then　he　patted　Baby　on　her　little　behind。　'We
got　some　strawberry　ice　cream　today；'　he　said。
'Bartholomew；　you'd　make　a　mighty　good　mother。
'
Thanks；'　Biff　said。　That's　a　compliment'
We　just　been　to　Sunday　School　and　church。　Baby；　say　the
verse　from　the　Bible　you　learned　for　your　Uncle　Biff。
'
The　kid　hung　back　and　pouted。　'Jesus　wept；'　she　said　finally。
The　scorn　that　she　put　in　the　two　words　made　it　sound　like　
a
terrible　thing。
'Want　to　see　Louis？'　Biff　asked。　'He's　back　in　the　kitchen。
'
'I　wanna　see　Willie。　I　wanna　hear　WMe　play　the　harp。
'
〃Now；　Baby；　you're　just　trying　yourself；'　Lucile　said　im

patiently。　'You　know　good　and　well　that　Willie's　not　here。
Willie　was　sent　off　to　the　penitentiary。
'
'But　Louis；'　Biff　said。　'He　can　play　the　harp；　too。　Go　tell　him　to
get　the　ice　cream　ready　and　play　you　a　tune。
'
Baby　went　toward　the　kitchen；　dragging　one　heel　on　the　floor。



Lucile　laid　her　hat　on　the　counter。　There　were　tears　in　her　
eyes。　'You　know　I　always　said　this：　If　a　child　is　kept　clean　and　
well　cared　for　and　pretty　then　that　child　will　usually　be　sweet　
and　smart。　But　if　a　child's　dirty　and　ugly　then　you　can't　expect　
anything　much。　What　I'm　trying　to　get　at　is　that　Baby　is　so　
shamed　over　losing　her　hair　and　that　bandage　on　her　head　that　
it　just　seems　like　it　makes　her　cut　the　buck　all　the　time。　She　
won't　practice　her　elocution—she　won't　do　a　thing。　She　feels　
so　bad　I　just　can't　manage　her。'　
'If　you'd　quit　picking　with　her　so　much　she'd　be　all　right。'　
At　last　he　settled　them　in　a　booth　by　the　window。　Lucile　had　a　
special　and　there　was　a　breast　of　chicken　cut　up　fine；　cream　of　
wheat；　and　carrots　for　Baby。　She　played　with　her　food　and　
spilled　milk　on　her　little　frock。　He　sat　with　them　until　the　rush　
started。　Then　he　had　to　be　on　his　feet　to　keep　things　going　
smoothly。　
People　eating。　The　wide…open　mouths　with　the　food　pushed　in。　
What　was　it？　The　line　he　had　read　not　long　ago。　Life　was　only　
a　matter　of　intake　and　alimentation　and　reproduction。　The　
place　was　crowded。　There　was　a　swing　band　on　the　radio。　
Then　the　two　he　was　waiting　for　came　in。　Singer　entered　the　
door　first；　very　straight　and　swank　in　his　tailored　Sunday　suit。　
Blount　followed　along　just　behind　his　elbow。　There　was　
something　about　the　way　they　walked　that　struck　him。　They　
sat　at　their　table；　and　Blount　talked　and　ate　with　gusto　while　
Singer　watched　politely。　When　the　meal　was　finished　they　
stopped　by　the　cash　register　for　a　few　minutes。　Then　as　they　
went　out　he　noticed　again　there　was　something　about　their　
walking　together　that　made　him　pause　and　question　himself。　
What　could　it　be？　The　suddenness　with　which　the　memory　
opened　up　deep　down　in　his　mind　was　a　shock。　The　big　deafmute　moron　whom　Singer　used　to　walk　with　sometimes　on　the　
way　to　work。　The　sloppy　Greek　who　made　candy　for　Charles　
Parker。198　

The　Greek　always　walked　ahead　and　Singer　followed。　He　had　
never　noticed　them　much　because　they　never　came　into　the　
place。　But　why　had　he　not　remembered　this？　Of　all　times　he　
had　wondered　about　the　mute　to　neglect　such　an　angle。　See　
everything　in　the　landscape　except　the　three　waltzing　


elephan