[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
pass it through the rolled down window. Take it out of your wallet, the
trooper said. Ferron took Paul Parrish s driver s license from its glassine
case in the fat, bill-stuffed wallet and handed it to the trooper. The trooper
studied it under the beam of his flashlight and handed it back.
Okay, Parrish, he said. You ever hear that slow drivers were sup-
posed to keep to the right hand side of the road?
Ferron nodded. Yes, sir.
Then see you do, the trooper said. That crate of yours is blocking
traffic all the way back to Coxsackie. I clocked you at twenty-six, and you
hugging the center line, all the way from Catskill. And another thing
Ferron continued meek. Yes, sir?
What do you do for a living?
I sell Bibles.
You what?
I sell Bibles. Ferron added, Also hymnals and religious mottos and
pictures.
I see, the trooper said. How s business?
Good, Ferron smiled. Very good.
53
SLEEP WITH THE DEVIL
How good?
I made ninety-three dollars and ninety-five cents this week.
The trooper pushed his hat back on his head. Come again. You made
how much?
Ninety-three dollars and ninety-five cents.
Selling Bibles?
Yes, sir.
The trooper straightened his hat. I seem to be in the wrong busi-
ness. Look. Let me give you a tip, fellow.
Yes, sir.
If you re making that kind of dough, either buy a new heap or get this
thing fixed up. Right now, I could give you four tickets. One for a burned-
out taillight. One for not having a rear bumper. One for not having a light on
your license plate. And one for driving a car that s a menace to life and
property. If it s any of my business, what are you going to do with all your
money, fellow?
Ferron grinned at him. I m getting married this week.
The trooper returned his grin. I see. Well, I know how that is. A fellow
wants a little extra in the sock. But what I said still goes. Either get this heap
fixed or junk it and buy a new one. And whatever you do, don t take the
bride-to-be on her honeymoon in this thing. If you do, the chances are it
won t last long. I mean the honeymoon.
Ferron continued to grin. Yes, sir.
The trooper looked at the Plymouth again, shook his head, and strode
back to the patrol car.
The grin on Ferron s face turned smug. He waited until the trooper had
driven on, then meshed the ancient car into gear. He was glad the incident
had happened. It added to his self-confidence. Each new contact he made as
Paul Parrish was another spadeful of dirt on the unmourned grave of Les
Ferron.
It was after ten when he reached New Hope. There were still a few cars
and farm trucks parked under the shade of the elms. The two general stores
were still dimly lighted but with the exception of an equally dim light in the
Inn, the rest of the town was dark. Ferron debated driving on out to the
Wayne farm and decided against it. Both Amy and her father would be
asleep and he wouldn t be able to awaken Amy without awakening her
father. Morning would be time enough to drive out to the farm.
He smirked at the thought of his reception. Both Amy and old man
Wayne would be pleased to learn he was stopping at the Inn. They would
be even more pleased to learn that he had gotten his business affairs in order
54
SLEEP WITH THE DEVIL
and he and Amy could be married on any day the girl set. Ferron looked at
the unlighted main street with distaste. He hoped it would be soon. He
couldn t take too much of this.
He drove on toward the Inn, then was struck by a happy thought.
Cigarettes and cigars were of the devil, but plug cut didn t come under the
same heading. Even old man Wayne chewed incessantly. He d never
chewed before but it was possible that a cud of tobacco would assuage his
almost overpowering desire for a cigarette.
He parked in front of one of the general stores and crossed the walk.
Young Swinton, with a group of other stay-up-late young devils, was sitting
on the bench in front of the store.
I see you re back, Swinton said.
Ferron started to say, That seems obvious, and changed his mind.
He doubted if the young farmer would understand what he meant. Be-
sides, it was out of character. Instead, he just said, Yes. I am.
Swinton glowered at him. Well, what I said last week still goes.
Ferron stopped and looked at him. You mean when you warned me not
to play high, wide, and handsome with Amy. Because if I did and may He
excuse me for taking His name in vain but it was your saying, not mine
because if I did you d beat my goddam head in and feed my rotten guts to
your hogs.
Swinton s face flooded with color. What I said was betwixt you and
me.
Ferron shook his head. No. Taking His name in vain is His busi-
ness. And I ve been heartsick about it all week. I ve prayed for you
every night.
Young Swinton s companions edged away from him. His face still red,
he said, Don t bother.
But I shall, Ferron said earnestly. I shall pray for you again tonight,
and every night. But if it will set your mind at ease, Ira, you may as well
know right now what all of New Hope will know in the morning. Amy and
I, God willing, are to be married just as soon as she sets the date.
He walked on into the store leaving Swinton livid behind him. That
should hold the bastard, Ferron thought. Aloud, he greeted the storekeeper
by name and bought a villainous looking plug of chewing tobacco.
Mr. Hackensacker was sympathetic. Jest about t lock up, he said.
But I know how tis, Mr. Parrish. Women kin call it a dirty habit and the
parson kin preach again it. He spat an amber stream at the sand box beside
the counter. But a man s jist got t have his chaw. Shucks, even a cow has
its cud.
55
SLEEP WITH THE DEVIL
He laughed uproariously at his own joke and Ferron was forced to [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl aikidobyd.xlx.pl
pass it through the rolled down window. Take it out of your wallet, the
trooper said. Ferron took Paul Parrish s driver s license from its glassine
case in the fat, bill-stuffed wallet and handed it to the trooper. The trooper
studied it under the beam of his flashlight and handed it back.
Okay, Parrish, he said. You ever hear that slow drivers were sup-
posed to keep to the right hand side of the road?
Ferron nodded. Yes, sir.
Then see you do, the trooper said. That crate of yours is blocking
traffic all the way back to Coxsackie. I clocked you at twenty-six, and you
hugging the center line, all the way from Catskill. And another thing
Ferron continued meek. Yes, sir?
What do you do for a living?
I sell Bibles.
You what?
I sell Bibles. Ferron added, Also hymnals and religious mottos and
pictures.
I see, the trooper said. How s business?
Good, Ferron smiled. Very good.
53
SLEEP WITH THE DEVIL
How good?
I made ninety-three dollars and ninety-five cents this week.
The trooper pushed his hat back on his head. Come again. You made
how much?
Ninety-three dollars and ninety-five cents.
Selling Bibles?
Yes, sir.
The trooper straightened his hat. I seem to be in the wrong busi-
ness. Look. Let me give you a tip, fellow.
Yes, sir.
If you re making that kind of dough, either buy a new heap or get this
thing fixed up. Right now, I could give you four tickets. One for a burned-
out taillight. One for not having a rear bumper. One for not having a light on
your license plate. And one for driving a car that s a menace to life and
property. If it s any of my business, what are you going to do with all your
money, fellow?
Ferron grinned at him. I m getting married this week.
The trooper returned his grin. I see. Well, I know how that is. A fellow
wants a little extra in the sock. But what I said still goes. Either get this heap
fixed or junk it and buy a new one. And whatever you do, don t take the
bride-to-be on her honeymoon in this thing. If you do, the chances are it
won t last long. I mean the honeymoon.
Ferron continued to grin. Yes, sir.
The trooper looked at the Plymouth again, shook his head, and strode
back to the patrol car.
The grin on Ferron s face turned smug. He waited until the trooper had
driven on, then meshed the ancient car into gear. He was glad the incident
had happened. It added to his self-confidence. Each new contact he made as
Paul Parrish was another spadeful of dirt on the unmourned grave of Les
Ferron.
It was after ten when he reached New Hope. There were still a few cars
and farm trucks parked under the shade of the elms. The two general stores
were still dimly lighted but with the exception of an equally dim light in the
Inn, the rest of the town was dark. Ferron debated driving on out to the
Wayne farm and decided against it. Both Amy and her father would be
asleep and he wouldn t be able to awaken Amy without awakening her
father. Morning would be time enough to drive out to the farm.
He smirked at the thought of his reception. Both Amy and old man
Wayne would be pleased to learn he was stopping at the Inn. They would
be even more pleased to learn that he had gotten his business affairs in order
54
SLEEP WITH THE DEVIL
and he and Amy could be married on any day the girl set. Ferron looked at
the unlighted main street with distaste. He hoped it would be soon. He
couldn t take too much of this.
He drove on toward the Inn, then was struck by a happy thought.
Cigarettes and cigars were of the devil, but plug cut didn t come under the
same heading. Even old man Wayne chewed incessantly. He d never
chewed before but it was possible that a cud of tobacco would assuage his
almost overpowering desire for a cigarette.
He parked in front of one of the general stores and crossed the walk.
Young Swinton, with a group of other stay-up-late young devils, was sitting
on the bench in front of the store.
I see you re back, Swinton said.
Ferron started to say, That seems obvious, and changed his mind.
He doubted if the young farmer would understand what he meant. Be-
sides, it was out of character. Instead, he just said, Yes. I am.
Swinton glowered at him. Well, what I said last week still goes.
Ferron stopped and looked at him. You mean when you warned me not
to play high, wide, and handsome with Amy. Because if I did and may He
excuse me for taking His name in vain but it was your saying, not mine
because if I did you d beat my goddam head in and feed my rotten guts to
your hogs.
Swinton s face flooded with color. What I said was betwixt you and
me.
Ferron shook his head. No. Taking His name in vain is His busi-
ness. And I ve been heartsick about it all week. I ve prayed for you
every night.
Young Swinton s companions edged away from him. His face still red,
he said, Don t bother.
But I shall, Ferron said earnestly. I shall pray for you again tonight,
and every night. But if it will set your mind at ease, Ira, you may as well
know right now what all of New Hope will know in the morning. Amy and
I, God willing, are to be married just as soon as she sets the date.
He walked on into the store leaving Swinton livid behind him. That
should hold the bastard, Ferron thought. Aloud, he greeted the storekeeper
by name and bought a villainous looking plug of chewing tobacco.
Mr. Hackensacker was sympathetic. Jest about t lock up, he said.
But I know how tis, Mr. Parrish. Women kin call it a dirty habit and the
parson kin preach again it. He spat an amber stream at the sand box beside
the counter. But a man s jist got t have his chaw. Shucks, even a cow has
its cud.
55
SLEEP WITH THE DEVIL
He laughed uproariously at his own joke and Ferron was forced to [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]