Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban Read Free Book Online Page B

soundit to me like the 2 of them wer each 1 talking to his self not to the other I dint realy want to get mixt in with it. I jus kep shut.
    Goodparley looking over to me then he said, "Riddley dyou think Im stupid?"
    I said, "Why wud I think that?"
    He said, "I dont know. Becaws Ive got littl eyes and I smyl too much. Becaws youre yung. Wel never mynd. You mus be getting perwel tiret of us 2 sitting here and moufing Mincery binses back and forth you mus be boart to death with it. Persoon you wont even want to be no connexion man you wont want no part of all that foolishness."
    I said, "O yes I wil Im on for it."
    He said, "You want that scar do you. Want to be connexion man and foller on your dad."
    I said, "I myt as wel keap it going down the line."
    He said, "Why keap it going? You think its some thing good?"
    I said, "I dont know I never thot on that part of it. Its what my dad done and Iwl do it and all."
    He said, "Yes why not. Riddley wud you tel me if you thot I _wer_ stupid?"
    I said, "If you askit me."
    He said, "Yes I beleave you wud. Wel all right les put that scar on you and get you startit doing your connexions."
    We gone to the divvy roof then for the scar take. Torches berning and the woal crowd there. Befor we done it Goodparley & Orfing fittit up for the show what theywd be doing right after. The show Iwd be watching with a new scar on my belly and thinking on my 1st connexion.
    Lorna Elswint up front with us for letting the blood and cutting in the scar. Goodparley and me stript off down to our trowsers and stood facing each other with all the crowd looking on. I had to stan on some fire wood so my belly wud be hy a nuff. Orfing stanning nex to me to tel me what to say.
    I said to Goodparley, "Wheres Eusa?"
    He said, "In my belly. Fear belly and brave belly. Hot and col. Emty and ful."
    I said, "Wheres his mark?"
    He said, "On me from a nother on him from a nother. You asking for that mark?"
    I said, "Im asking for that mark."
    He said, "How wil they know it when its on you?"
    I said, "Its on me to make it knowt."
    Lorna Elswint took her neadl and let some blood out of Goodparleys right arm and smeart it on his scar.
    Goodparley said, "My belly to your belly and your belly to Eusa." He shovit his hairy belly agenst me so hard the fire wood I wen stood on gone slyding and I had to grab him not to fall down.
    He said, "Take that for a blip."
    I steppt back with his E pirntit in his blood on the right side of me. 3 stroaks for Eusa:
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    Which ever way you pirnt it on its never backards.
    Lorna took the knife and cut it in me. Then she prest the clay in to it and she tyd the wrappings roun. Then I cudnt see them 3 stroaks I cud feal them tho. Tharbing a littl and I thot of them like 3 moufs on me and waiting to say some thing. Waiting to say my 1st connexion after I seen the Eusa show.
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    Goodparley & Orfing had a red and black stripet fit up it ben stanning there ready to go and littl kids creaping in and out of it wylst we ben doing the scar take. Orfing cleart the kids out he tol them ther heads wud tern to wood if they dint come out of it qwick. He all ways said the same thing trying to be joaky. The kids knowit he parbly wudve knockit ther heads to gether if there hadnt ben no other groan ups looking on thats why they liket giving him bother.
    Goodparley give me the nod and I stood up for the show talk. Same as my dad in his time and his dad befor him.
    I said, "Weare going aint we."
    The crowd said, "Yes weare going."
    I said, "Down that road with Eusa."
    They said, "Time and reqwyrt."
    I said, "Where them Chaynjis take us."
    They said, "He done his time wewl do our time."
    I said, "Hes doing it for us."
    They said, "Weare doing it for him."
    I said, "Keap it going. Chances this time."
    They said, "Chances nex time."
    I said, "New chance every time."
    They said, "New chance every time."
    I sat down then. Goodparley inside the fit up. Orfing stanning by for the patter. Looking at the