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第51部分（第2页）

〃What　do　you　think　youre　doing？〃　Brad　asked。　〃He　cant　eat　up　here。〃

〃He　can；　and　hes　going　to；〃　she　said　in　that　same　dry　tone　of　mand。　I　had　never　heard　it　before；　but　I　weled　it　now。　I　looked　for　fear　in　her　eyes　and　saw　not　a　speck　…　only　rage。　〃And　what　youre　going　to　do　is　get　out　of　here　before　you　go　beyond　the　cockroach　level　of　nuisance　to　that　of　slightly　larger　vermin　…　Rattus　Americanus；　let　us　say！〃

He　took　a　step　toward　her；　looking　both　unsure　of　himself　and　absolutely　furious。　I　thought　it　a　dangerous　bination；　but　Elaine　didnt　flinch　as　he　approached。　〃I　bet　I　know　who　set　off　that　goddam　smoke　alarm；〃　Dolan　said。　〃Might　could　have　been　a　certain　old　bitch　with　claws　for　hands。　Now　get　out　of　here。　Me　and　Paulie　havent　finished　our　little　talk；　yet！〃

〃His　name　is　Mr。　Edgebe；〃　she　said；　〃and　if　I　ever　hear　you　call　him　Paulie　again；　I　think　I　can　promise　you　that　your　days　of　employment　here　at　Georgia　Pines　will　end；　Mr。　Dolan。〃

〃Just　who　do　you　think　you　are？〃　he　asked　her。　He　was　hulking　over　her；　now；　trying　to　laugh　and　not　quite　making　it。

〃I　think；〃　she　said　calmly；　〃that　I　am　the　grandmother　of　the　man　who　is　currently　Speaker　of　the　Georgia　House　of　Representatives。　A　man　who　loves　his　relatives；　Mr。　Dolan。　Especially　his　older　relatives。〃

The　effortful　smile　dropped　off　his　face　the　way　that　writing　es　off　a　blackboard　swiped　with　a　wet　sponge。　I　saw　uncertainty；　the　possibility　that　he　was　being　bluffed；　the　fear　that　he　was　not；　and　a　certain　dawning　logical　assumption：　it　would　be　easy　enough　to　check；　she　must　know　that；　ergo　she　was　telling　the　truth。

Suddenly　I　began　to　laugh；　and　although　the　sound　was　rusty；　it　was　right。　I　was　remembering　how　many　times　Percy　Wetmore　had　threatened　us　with　his　connections；　back　in　the　bad　old　days。　Now；　for　the　first　time　in　my　long；　long　life；　such　a　threat　was　being　made　again　。。。　but　this　time　it　was　being　made　on　my　behalf。

Brad　Dolan　looked　at　me；　glaring；　then　looked　back　at　her。

〃I　mean　it；〃　Elaine　said。　〃At　first　I　thought　Id　just　let　you　be　…　Im　old；　and　that　seemed　easiest。　But　when　my　friends　are　threatened　and　abused；　I　do　not　just　let　be。　Now　get　out　of　here。　And　without　one　more　word。〃

His　lips　moved　like　those　of　a　fish　…　oh；　how　badly　he　wanted　to　say　that　one　more　word　（perhaps　the　one　that　rhymes　with　witch）。　He　didnt；　though。　He　gave　me　a　final　look；　and　then　strode　past　her　and　out　into　the　hall。

I　let　out　my　breath　in　a　long；　ragged　sigh　as　Elaine　set　the　tray　down　in　front　of　me　and　then　set　herself　down　across　from　me。　〃Is　your　grandson　really　Speaker　of　the　House？〃　I　asked。

〃He　really　is。〃

〃Then　what　are　you　doing　here？〃

〃Speaker　of　the　statehouse　makes　him　powerful　enough　to　deal　with　a　roach　like　Brad　Dolan；　but　it　doesnt　make　him　rich；〃　she　said；　laughing。　〃Besides；　I　like　it　here。　I　like　the　pany。〃

〃I　will　take　that　as　a　pliment；〃　I　said；　and　I　did。

〃Paul；　are　you　all　right？　You　look　so　tired。〃　She　reached　across　the　table　and　brushed　my　hair　away　from　my　forehead　and　eyebrows。　Her　fingers　were　twisted；　but　her　touch　was　cool　and　wonderful。　I　closed　my　eyes　for　a　moment。　When　I　opened　them　again；　I　had　made　a　decision。

〃Im　all　right；〃　I　said。　〃And　almost　finished。　Elaine；　would　you　read　something？〃　I　offered　her　the　pages　I　had　clumsily　swept　together。　They　were　probably　no　longer　in　the　right　order　…　Dolan　really　had　scared　me　badly　…　but　they　were　numbered　and　she　could　quickly　put　them　right。

She　looked　at　me　consideringly；　not　taking　what　I　was　offering。　Yet；　anyway。　〃Are　you　done？〃

〃Itll　take　you　until　afternoon　to　read　whats　there；〃　I　said。　〃If　you　can　make　it　out　at　all；　that　is。〃

Now　she　did　take　the　pages；　and　looked　down　at　them。　〃You　write　with　a　very　fine　hand；　even　when　that　hand　is　obviously　tired；〃　she　said。　〃Ill　have　no　trouble　with　this。〃

〃By　the　time　you　finish　reading；　I　will　have　finished　writing；〃　I　said。　〃You　can　read　the　rest　in　a　half　an　hour　or　so。　And　then　。。。　if　youre　still　willing　。。。　Id　like　to　show　you　something。〃

〃Is　it　to　do　with　where　you　go　most　mornings　and　afternoons？〃

I　nodded。

She　sat　thinking　about　it　for　what　seemed　a　long　time；　then　nodded　herself　and　got　up　with　the　pages　in　her　hand。　〃Ill　go　out　back；〃　she　said。　〃The　sun　is　very　warm　this　morning。〃

〃And　the　dragons　been　vanquished；〃　I　said。　〃This　time　by　the　lady　fair。〃

She　smiled；　bent；　and　kissed　me　over　the　eyebrow　in　the　sensitive　pl