cw.blackalibi-第19节

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　ground　below'　were　shrouded　by　all　alike。　The　moon　was　there　all　along　somewhere　in　the　background　ready　to　supply　the　kindling；　but　with　nothing　to　receive　it。
　　Now　something　did。　Through　the　stirring；　undulating　masses　of　leaves　that　garnished　the　outer　end　of　the　bough　where　it　vanished　across　the　wall；　something　peered　through　at　her；　through　and　downward。　Something　faintly　lucent；　palely　green；　phosphorescent。　Like　an　avid；　remorseless　eye；　bee　visible　by　drawing　to　a　head　upon　itself　the　unsuspected　moon　motes　swimming　invisibly　in　the　darkness；　and　now　aflame；　sighted　balefully　down　upon　her　through　the　covert　of　leaves。
　　Her　mouth　parted　spasmodically；　trying　to　give　the　last　cry　that　there　was　already　no　time　for。　The　death　cry　that　was　too　late。
　　
　　
　　Manning　arrived　on　the　scene　almost　immediately　afterward；　this　time。　He　had　been　with　Robles　when　the　flash　reached　the　central　andancia；　and　came　out　in　the　same　car　with　him。
　　A　number　of　the　official　departmental　cars　that　had　preceded　them　were　strung　in　a　line　along　the　outside　of　the　wall。　Three　or　four　ladders；　with　policemen　guarding　their　bases；　were　tilted　to　the　wall　as　the　shortest　and　easiest　way　of　getting　in　and　out。　It　had　happened　all　the　way　around　from　the　main　entrance。
　　They　tried　to　keep　Manning　out；　as　an　unauthorized　person；　as　he　tried　to　clamber　up　the　rungs　of　one　of　these　at　Robles'　heels。　He　grabbed　the　police　inspector　by　the　tail　of　his　coat；　hung　on　tight；　refusing　to　be　parted　from　him。
　　〃He's　with　me；〃　Robles　said　briefly。
　　On　the　inside　of　the　wall　there　was　a　plement　to　each　ladder；　to　give　access　to　the　ground。　They　turned　and　went　down　these　backwards。
　　That　whole　immediate　section　of　the　cemetery　had　been　turned　into　a　grotesque　charivari　of　portable；　high…powered；　icy…white　lights　slanted　at　cross…purposes　to　one　another；　whose　thick　beams　were　edged　with　violet。　Around　and　about　them　were　the　occasional　blue　flares　of　photographic　flashlights；　the　yellow　bees　of　pocket　lights　flitting　all　over　far　and　near；　some　of　them　momentarily　playing　up　the　inscription　on　a　headstone　as　it　sidled　across　it。　Red　cigarette　and　cigar　embers　would　glow　occasionally　from　some　grave　mound；　where　someone　had　sat　down　for　a　moment　to　rest　or　tie　a　shoelace　or　pare　notes　with　somebody　else。　The　place　was　a　madhouse　of　swirling；　irreverent　activity。
　　At　the　foot　of　one　of　the　ladders　a　grief…stunned　youth　in　a　belted　cravenette　topcoat；　hatless　and　disheveled　with　shock；　was　being　held　up　on　his　feet　between　a　policeman　and　a　man　in　plain　clothes。　He　kept　straining　away　from　them；　shoulders　and　head　forward；　toward　a　spot　farther　along　at　the　base　of　the　wall　where　the　beams　of　several　of　the　high…powered　lights　fell　interlocked　in　a　pool；　terrible　in　its　dazzling　clarity。　There　was　sacking　spread　there。　His　sobs　kept　ing；　low　and　pulsing；　from　his　stomach。　You　could　see　it　go　in　and　out　each　time　one　sounded。　His　face　was　a　white　mask　that　didn't　move　any　more。
　　〃　El　novio；〃　one　of　the　men　explained　in　answer　to　Robles'　inquiry　in　passing。　The　sweetheart。
　　Some　martinet　near　by　snapped；　〃Shut　that　man　up。　Take　him　out　of　here　or　else　give　him　something　to　keep　him　quiet！　He　only　makes　it　worse。〃
　　Manning；　who　had　lingered　behind　a　moment　watching　him；　hurried　to　rejoin　Robles。　Robles　was　at　the　sacking；　standing　there　motionless。　The　American　arrived　just　at　the　wrong　time。
　　It　was　awful；　even　worse　than　the　first　one　had　been。　That　had　been　given　some　semblance　of　concealment　and　classic　repose　at　the　morgue。　This　was　madness；　strewn　upon　the　ground。　Manning　stepped　hastily　backward　out　of　the　glare　and　furtively　wiped　his　mouth　on　his　sleeve。　Robles　stared　down；　his　face　impassive　but　sweating　a　little　at　the　temples。　He　did　something　with　his　little　finger；　and　it　was　hidden　again。
　　The　pertinent　details　were　being　poured　into　his　ear　by　one　of　his　men；　standing　just　outside　the　radius　of　light。　He　seemed　not　to　be　listening　at　all。　Only　one　thing　about　him　moved；　his　eyes。　They　took　in　everything；　darting　about　restlessly：　over　the　ground；　up　the　trunk　of　the　death　tree；　out　along　the　bough；　then　down　again　along　the　wall；　boxing　in　the　setting　in　a　plete　little　square。
　　He　spoke　at　last。　〃Eyewitnesses…none；　you　say。　Very　well　then；　secondary　witnesses。〃
　　A　shifty…eyed　man　in　his　thirties　stepped　forward　into　the　light。　〃Juan　Gomez；　thirty…six　Ayenida　Betancourt；〃　Robles'　second　reeled　off　in　the　background。
　　〃…luckily　he　came　back　with　me。　He　didn't　want　to　trust　the　ladder　out　of　his　sight；　I　guess。　Anyway　when　we　got　back　here；　it　was　strangely　quiet。　I　called　to　her；　and　she　didn't　answer　any　more。　I　put　the　ladder　to　the　wall　and　started　over；　to　see　what　had　happened　to　her。　I　thought　maybe　somebody　else　had　gotten　her　out　during　my　absence。　Before　I'd　even　gotten　down　on　the　inside；　I　heard　him　give　a　yell　out　there　on　his　side。　He'd　already　found　some　bloodstained　marks　or　tracks　on　the　outside　of　the　wall…〃
　　Robles　seemed　not　to　have　been　listening。　All　he　said　was；　〃You'll　be　required　to　appear　at　the　inquest。　And　give　us　your　right　name　before　you　leave　here　tonight；　Seсor　Gomez。〃
　　〃But　I'm　a　family　man…〃
　　〃Where　you　were　visiting　is　none　of　our　business。　You　were　out　late　in　your　car；　that　will　be　sufficient。　Next。〃
　　The　gateman　was　shoved　forward　into　the　light；　spoke　his　piece；　relegated　to　the　outer　darkness　again。
　　〃…and　I　thought　she'd　left　already。　I'd　seen　some　woman　go　by；　all　in　black；　and；　well　my　eyes　aren't　so　good　any　more；　especially　in　the　twilight。　So　I　gave　the　warning　signal；　and　locked　up。　They're　supposed　to　know　at　what　time　the　grounds　close…〃
　　Again　Robles　acted　as　though　he　hadn't　heard　a　word。　His　head　hadn't　once　turned　toward　the　speaker。
　　Distant　sounds；　of　men　calling　to　one　another　from　various　remote　parts　of　the　grounds；　attracted　his　attention。　He　turned　his　head　away　from　what　lay　before　him　on　the　ground　for　the　first　time；　spoke　sharply　to　one　of　the　underlings　nearest　him。　〃What　are　they　doing　out　there？　Call　them　back；　the　fools。　It's　not　in　here　any　more；　they're　just　wasting　their　time。〃
　　〃But　the　trees　are　quite　thick　in　places；　especially　toward　the　center；〃　remonstrated　the　subordinate。　〃And　this　wall　which　pletely　encloses　it　would　act　as　an　effective　pen。　On　the　east　side　it's　even　higher　than　here　and　spiked　with　broken　bottle　glass
　　〃Haven't　you　eyes？　You　were　all　here　half　an　hour　before　I　was。　Anyone　can　see　that　it　got　out　again　as　it　got　in。〃
　　Manning　turned　toward　him　in　time　to　see　him；　crouch　down　close　to　the　gruesome　litter；　remove　some　indeterminate；　blood…caked；　boat…shaped　object　adhering　to　the　remains　themselves。　He　straightened　again；　transferred　it　to　a　clean　piece　of　white　paper。　A　tiny　stem　could　now　be　seen　to　project　from　one　end　of　it。　Even　yet　it　was　hard　to　tell　what　it　was；　without　his　word　of　explanation。　Its　patina　disguised　it。
　　〃A　leaf；〃　he　rapped　out；　in　the　sudden　attentive　silence　that　had　fallen。　〃This　was　originally　a　leaf。　One　of　God's　green　leaves；　before　it　became　encrusted　with　death　matter。　There　are　dozens　of　them；　clinging　all　over　her；　like　feathers　to　a　halfplucked　fowl。　They　don't　fall　this　time　of　the　year。　They　were　not　on　the　ground　originally。〃　His　eyes　flicked　to　the　bough　above。　〃They　were　shaken　down　upon　her。　It　dropped　down　upon　her　bodily；　from　up　there；　in　a　shower　of　leaves。　Her　cries　must　have　attracted　it　to　her　as　it　prowled　the　outside　of　the　wall。　Then；　the　carnage　perpetrated；　it　sprang　up　to　the　bough　again；　crossed　over　the　top　of　the　wall；　and　returned　whence　it　had　e。　Where　are　your　eyes？　What　were'　you　doing　here　while　you　were　waiting　for　me？　A　glass。〃　It　was　handed　to　him　and　he　traced　it　along　the　contour　of　the　trunk；　at　a　distance　close　enough　to　obtain　a　clear　focus。　〃Keep　your　heads　out　of　the　light；　stand　over　on　the　side。　Now。　Do　you　see？　It　is　plain　enough　for　you？　You　detect　the　livid　gashes　on　the　bark　from　its　claws？　They　are　deepest　at　the　top；　each　one；　they　are　full　punctures　there；　tapering　off　to　a　mere　shallow　scratch　at　the　bottom。　That　means　they　were　made　by　the　beast　going　up。　Its　claws　dug　in　to　obtain　a　hold；　slipped　slightly　downward　each　time　with　its　bodily　weight；　then　were　transferred　to　the　next　claw　hold　higher　up；　until　it　had　reached　the　bough。　Even　so；　it　probably　made　its　ascent　almost　more　quickly　than　the　eye　could　follow…but　the　traces　of　it　do　not　vanish　so　swiftly；　fortunately。　Get　them　on　your　negatives。〃　And　as　he　handed　back　the　borrowed　glass；　he　added　disgustedly：　〃You　should　really　be　provided　with　alms　bowls　and　sticks　and　sent　to　join　the　other　blind　on　the　benches　around　the　Plaza　Mayor。〃
　　Manning　knew　he　was　there　only　by　sufferance；　should　have　kept　his　mouth　shut。　But　he　couldn't　resist　breaking　in　scathingly：　〃And　in　the　face　of　that；　you　still　think　it's　a　jaguar？〃
　　Robles　whirled　on　him。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　　The　American　eyed　him　almost　contemptuously。　〃A　jungle　animal；　once　in　here；　would　turn　its　back　on　all　this　greenery；　trees　and　plants　and　protective　shubbery；　all　the　very　things　its　instinct　leads　it　to　seek；　and　deliberately　return　of　its　o