pbien.jaws-第45部分
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〃Why not？〃 said Hooper。 〃It doesn't weigh much； and I can lash it down out of the way。〃
〃Take up too much room。〃
〃That's what I said；〃 said Brody。 〃But he wouldn't listen。〃
〃What the hell is it anyway？〃 said Quint。
〃It's a shark cage；〃 said Hooper。 〃Divers use them to protect themselves when they're swimming in the open ocean。 I had it sent down from Woods Hole … in that truck that just left。〃
〃And what do you plan to do with it？〃
〃When we find the fish； or when the fish finds us； I want to go down in the cage and take some pictures。 No one's ever been able to photograph a fish this big before。〃
〃Not a chance；〃 said Quint。 〃Not on my boat。〃
〃Why not？〃
〃It's foolishness； that's why。 A sensible man knows his limits。 That's beyond your limits。〃
〃How do you know？〃
〃It's beyond any man's limits。 A fish that big could eat that cage for breakfast。〃
〃But would he？ I don't think so。 I think he might bump it； might even mouth it； but I don't think he'd seriously try to eat it。〃
〃He would if he saw something as juicy as you inside。〃
〃I doubt it。〃
〃Well； forget it。〃
〃Look； Quint； this is a chance of a lifetime。 Not just for me。 I wouldn't have thought of doing it until I saw the fish yesterday。 It's unique； at least in this hemisphere。
And even though people have filmed great whites before； no one's ever filmed a twentyfoot white swimming in the open ocean。 Never。〃
〃He said forget it；〃 said Brody。 〃So forget it。 Besides； I don't want the responsibility。 We're out here to kill that fish； not make a home movie about it。〃
〃What responsibility？ You're not responsible for me。〃
〃Oh yes I am。 The town of Amity is paying for this trip； so what I say goes。〃
Hooper said to Quint； 〃I'll pay you。〃
Quint smiled。 〃Oh yeah？ How much？〃
〃Forget it；〃 said Brody。 〃I don't care what Quint says。 I say you're not bringing that thing along。〃
Hooper ignored him and said to Quint； 〃A hundred dollars。 Cash。 In advance； the way you like it。〃 He reached into his back pocket for his wallet。
〃I said no！〃 said Brody。
〃What do you say； Quint？ A hundred bucks。 Cash。 Here it is。〃 He counted five twenties and held them out to Quint。
〃I don't know。〃 Then Quint reached for the money and said； 〃Shit； I don't suppose it's my business to keep a man from killing himself if he wants to。〃
〃You put that cage on the boat；〃 Brody said to Quint； 〃and you don't get your four hundred。〃
If Hooper wants to kill himself； Brody thought； let him do it on his own time。
〃And if the cage doesn't go；〃 said Hooper； 〃I don't go。〃
〃Fuck yourself；〃 said Brody。 〃You can stay here； for all I care。〃
〃I don't think Quint would like that。 Right； Quint？ You want to go out and take on that fish with just you and the chief？ You feel good about that？〃
〃We'll find another man；〃 said Brody。
〃Go ahead；〃 Hooper snapped。 〃Good luck。〃 〃Can't do it；〃 said Quint。 〃Not on this short notice。〃
〃Then the hell with it！〃 said Brody。 〃We'll go tomorrow。 Hooper can go back to Woods Hole and play with his fish。〃 Hooper was angry … angrier； in fact； than he knew； for before he could stop himself； he had said； 〃That's not all I might。。。 Oh； forget it。〃
For several seconds； a leaden silence fell over the three men。 Brody stared at Hooper； unwilling to believe what he had heard； uncertain how much substance there was in the remark and how much empty threat。 Then suddenly he was overe by rage。 He reached Hooper in two steps； grabbed both sides of his collar； and rammed his fists into Hooper's throat。 〃What was that？〃 he said。 〃What did you say？〃
Hooper could hardly breathe。 He clawed at Brody's fingers。 〃Nothing！〃 he said； choking。 〃Nothing！〃 He tried to back away； but Brody gripped him tighter。
〃What did you mean by that？〃
〃Nothing； I tell you！ I was angry。 It was something to say。〃
〃Where were you last Wednesday afternoon？〃
〃Nowhere！〃 Hooper's temples were throbbing。 〃Let me go！ You're choking me！〃
〃Where were you？〃 Brody twisted his fists tighter。
〃In a motel！ Now let me go！〃
Brody eased his grip。 〃With who？〃 he said； praying to himself； God； don't let it be Ellen； let his alibi be a good one。
〃Daisy Wicker。〃
〃Liar！〃 Brody tightened his grip again； and he felt tears begin to squeeze from his eyes。
〃What do you mean？〃 said Hooper； struggling to free himself。
〃Daisy Wicker's a goddam lesbian！ What were you doing； knitting？〃
Hooper's thoughts were fogging。 Brody's knuckles were cutting off the flow of blood to his brain。 His eyelids flickered and he began to lose consciousness。 Brody released him and pushed him down to the dock； where he sat； sucking air。
〃What do you say to that？〃 said Brody。 〃Are you such a hotshot you can fuck a lesbian？〃
Hooper's mind cleared quickly； and he said； 〃No。 I didn't find it out until。。。
until it was too late。〃
〃What do you mean？ You mean she went with you to a motel and then turned you down？ No dyke is gonna go to any motel room with you。〃
〃She did！〃 said Hooper； desperately trying to keep pace with Brody's questions。
〃She said she wanted 。。。 that it was time she tried it straight。 But then she couldn't go through with it。 It was awful。〃
〃You're bullshitting me！〃
〃I'm not！ You can check with her yourself。〃 Hooper knew it was a weak excuse。
Brody could check it out with no trouble。 But it was all he could think of。 He could stop on the way home that evening and call Daisy Wicker from a phone booth； beg her to corroborate his story。 Or he could simply never return to Amity … turn north and take the ferry from Orient Point and be out of the state before Brody could reach Daisy Wicker。
〃I will check；〃 said Brody。 〃You can count on it。〃
Behind him； Brody heard Quint laugh and say； 〃That's the funniest thing I ever did hear。 Tried to lay a lesbian。〃
Brody tried to read Hooper's face； searching for any… thing that might betray a lie。
But Hooper kept his eyes fixed on the dock。
〃Well； what do you say？〃 said Quint。 〃We going today or not？ Either way； Brody； it'll cost you。〃
Brody felt shaken。 He was tempted to cancel the trip； to return to Amity and discover the truth about Hooper and Ellen。 But suppose the worst was true。 What could he do then？ Confront Ellen？ Beat her？ Walk out on her？ What good would that do？ He had to have time to think。 He said to Quint； 〃We'll go。〃
〃With the cage？〃
〃With the cage。 If this asshole wants to kill himself； let him。〃 〃Okay by me；〃 said Quint。 〃Let's get this circus on the road。〃
Hooper stood and walked to the cage。 〃I'll get in the boat；〃 he said hoarsely。
〃If you two can push it over to the edge of the dock and lean it toward me； then one of you e down into the boat with me； we can carry it over into the corner。〃
Brody and Quint slid the cage across the wooden boards； and Brody was surprised at how light it was。 Even with the diving gear inside； it couldn't have weighed more than two hundred pounds。 They tipped it toward Hooper； who grabbed two of the bars and waited until Quint joined him in the cockpit。 The two men easily carried the cage a few feet and pushed it into a corner under the overhang that supported the flying bridge。
Hooper secured it with two pieces of rope。
Brody jumped aboard and said； 〃Let's go。〃
〃Aren't you forgetting something？〃 said Quint。
〃What？〃
〃Four hundred dollars。〃
Brody took an envelope from his pocket and handed it to Quint。 〃You're going to die a rich man； Quint。〃
〃That's my aim。 Uncleat the stern line； will you？〃 Quint uncleated the bow and midships spring lines and tossed them onto the dock； and when he saw that the stern line was clear； too； he pushed the throttle forward and guided the boat out of the slip。 He turned right and pushed the throttle forward； and the boat moved swiftly through the calm sea … past Hicks Island and Goff Point； around Shagwong and Montauk points。 Soon the lighthouse on Montauk Point was behind them； and they were cruising south by southwest in the open ocean。
Gradually； as the boat fell into the rhythm of the long ocean swells； Brody's fury dulled。 Maybe Hooper was telling the truth。 It was possible。 A person wouldn't make up a story that was so easy to check。 Ellen had never cheated on him before； he was sure of that。 She never even flirted with other men。 But； he told himself； there's always a first time。 And once again the thought made his throat tighten。 He felt jealous and injured； inadequate and outraged。 He hopped down from the fighting chair and climbed up to the flying bridge。
Quint made room on the bench for Brody； and Brody sat down next to him。 Quint chuckled。 〃You boys almost had a no…shit punch…up back there。〃
〃It was nothing。〃
〃Looked like something to me。 What is it； you think he's been poking your wife？〃
Confronted with his own thoughts stated so brutally； Brody was shocked。 〃N
