cw.blackalibi-第29节

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　　〃Tell　me；　were　you　planning　to　elope　with　one　of　the　girls　there？〃
　　〃The　andante　is　joking。　One　does　not　elope　with…〃
　　〃The　andante　is　not　joking；〃　Robles　assured　him　icily。　〃Why　then　were　you　seen　to　have　a　riata　*　＇A　looped　rope。　A　lasso。＇　coiled　about　your　waist　the　night　you　visited　the　house　of　Doсa　Sara？〃
　　Cardozo's　jaw　fluctuated　up　and　down；　but　all　that　came　from　his　mouth　were　two　meaningless　pronouns。　〃I…I…〃
　　But　Robles　hadn't　waited。　He　was　asking　them　faster　now。　〃Why　then　did　you　have　pieces　of　raw　meat　in　a　bag　with　you　the　night　you　were　at　the　cantina？　Whom　were　you　expecting　to　feed？　Yourself？〃
　　〃No；　I…I…〃
　　〃And　what　became　of　that　raw　meat？　You　had　it　no　longer　when　you　boarded　the　morning　bus　for　Las　Gruces。　And　what　became　of　the　riata？　You　had　that　no　longer；　either；　when　you　made　the　return　trip。〃
　　〃The　riata…somebody　in　the　house　of　Doсa　Sara　must　have　stolen　it…they　do　that　in　those　places；　anything　of　any　value。　The　meat…maybe　some　dog　or　cat　came　along　while　I　was　sleeping　on　the　sidewalk　outside　the　cantina…〃
　　〃And　what　did　you　bring　those　things　along　for？　Was　it　because　you　had　something　staked　Out；　somewhere　here　in　the　city；　that　you　wished　to　lead　about　with　you　for　a　while？　Was　it？　Contesta！　＇Answer！＇〃　His　voice　exploded。　〃Was　it？〃
　　Manning　thought　he　had　never　before　seen　such　a　look　of　dawning　fear　and　horror　on　anyone's　face　as　began　to　peer　out　on　Cardozo's。　〃I…I…oh；　wait；　no；　don't　think　that！　I　did；　I　admit　it；　I　did　hope　to　save　Negrote　alive。　I　thought　perhaps　I　might　e　across　him　just　by　chance；　throw　him　the　meat；　sling　the　riata　over　him；　find　some　way　of　getting　him　back　to　the　estancia　with　me。　It　was　just　an　idle　impulse；　a　stupid　thought　that　came　to　me…　But　not　what　you　mean！　Not　what　you　are　trying　to　say！〃　He　looked　from　face　to　face；　pleadingly。　〃Seсores；　what　do　you　want　with　me？　I　know；　I　have　known　for　hours　past。　I　have　not　said　so；　you　have　not　said　so　either。　I　have　been　in　town　other　nights；　besides　the　three　you　mention。　Why　don't　you　speak　of　them？〃
　　〃Very　well；〃　Robles　said　acmodatingly；　〃we　shall。〃　He　consulted　something。　〃You　were　in　on　the　twentieth　of　May；　por　ejemplo。〃
　　〃Yes；　yes！〃　Cardozo　nodded　almost　avidly。
　　〃Did　you　have　a　riata　with　you　that　night？　Raw　meat　that　night？〃
　　The　back　of　answer　was　the　answer。
　　〃You　were　in　on　the　thirty…first。　Did　you　then；　either？〃
　　Cardozo　shivered　a　little；　and　his　head　went　over；　as　though　he　were　peering　closely　at　something　out　before　his　feet。
　　〃Only　on　the　nights　on　which　something　happened　in　this　city　did　you　e　provided　with　the　rather　curious　articles　we　have　mentioned。　Not　on　the　others。〃
　　The　man　in　the　middle　of　all　of　them　leaped　to　his　feet　suddenly。　Restraining　hands　were　immediately　laid　on　him；　but　he　stood　there　erect；　facing　his　tormentors。　Even　though　he　was　shivering　spasmodically；　there　was　a　sort　of　innate　dignity　pulsing　from　him。　Even　Manning；　the　outlander；　could　feel　it。　For　a　moment　it　made　of　them；　not　policemen　around　a　suspect；　just　men　around　another　man。　〃I　have　killed；　yes。　I　spent　two　years　in　jail　for　it；　back　in　my　native　tierra。　It　was　over　a　woman；　any　man　would　have　killed。　But　not　this　way！　One　kills　in　revenge；　to　right　a　wrong。　How　can　one　be　revenged　on　or　wronged　by　individuals　one　did　not　even　know　existed；　one　never　saw　in　all　his　life　before？　Or　one　kills　to　rob。　At　beast　some　do。　What　other　reason　is　there　to　kill？〃
　　Manning　had　taken　a　small　file　out　of　his　pocket；　he　was　shaping　a　thumbnail　with　it　while'　he　lounged　indolently　back　against　the　door。　〃One　sometimes　kills　for　the　love　of　it；〃　he　remarked　unexpectedly。
　　Their　heads　all　turned　to　look　around　at　him。　He；　in　turn；　had　taken　his　eyes　off　the　file　for　a　moment。　Something　went　wrong。　He　started　violently；　seized　the　fleshy　bulge　at　the　bottom　of　his　thumb；　bent　over　it；　swearing　softly　in　English。　The　file　dropped　with　a　plink。
　　He　came　forward　into　the　bight；　holding　the　self…inflicted　wound；　as　if　to　examine　it　better。　Yet　he　went　on　pleting　the　remark　he　had　made　just　before　the　accident　happened。　〃For　the　love　of　it；　for　its　own　sake；　because　they　like　the　sight　of　blood。　Because　it　does　something　to　them。〃
　　He　uncapped　his　protective　hand。　A　skin　tear　produced　by　the　point　of　the　file　was　revealed；　not　very　serious；　but　lavishly　blooded；　as　such　things　often　are。　It　even　dripped　down　free　off　his　outpoised　hand；　which　he　had　inadvertently　spaded　almost　under　Cardozo's　nose；　to　keep　from　staining　his　own　cuff　with　it。
　　Cardozo　blinked　twice；　as　one　does　in　disfort。　Then　he　sidled　his　face　sidewise；　in　uncontrollable　repugnance　at　the　bleeding　wound's　almost　contact…point　proximity。
　　Nobody　said　anything；　they　understood。
　　Robles　let　out　a　faintly　discernible　sigh　after　a　moment。　〃Take　him　outside；〃　he　said。　〃We'll　continue　later。〃　And　to　somebody　else；　as　the　door　closed；　〃See　if　you　can　find　some　alcohol　for　the　norteсo's　finger…〃
　　〃It　was　worth　it；〃　Manning　said；　blowing　on　it　and　wringing　it　out。　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　now；　turn　him　loose？〃
　　〃Continue　to　hold　him　in　custody；〃　Robles　said　vindictively。　〃Give　your　theory　rope；　and　rope；　and　rope　until　it　strangles　itself！〃
　　〃I　don't　get　you。〃
　　Robles　smiled　bleakly。　〃If　these　barbarities　mysteriously　cease　to　occur　while　he　is　in　our　hands；　that　is　one　thing。　But　if　one　should　take　place　again…〃
　　
　　
　　V。　Sally　O'Keefe
　　
　　In　the　Inglaterra　Hotel　on　Corriente　Street；　Sally　O'Keefe　had　the　floor…length　windows　of　their　room　wide　open　to　a　picture　night　that　booked　like　something　on　a　travel　poster。
　　She　was　standing　there　framed　against　them；　arms　out　in　arrested　ecstasy。　She　was　short　and　slight；　hair　a　reddish　gold；　eyes　blue；　and　rosettes　of　freckles　on　each　cheek　gave　her　face　an　elfin　piquancy。
　　〃Marj；　isn't　that　incredible？　That　can't　be　real。　Somebody　painted　it　outside　our　window　for　our　special　benefit。〃
　　Through　a　luminous　dust　posed　of　phosphorescent　particles　of　greenish　blue　and　silver；　lines　of　incandescence　had　been　traced；　as　though　someone　had　drawn　a　radium…tipped　stick　through　it　that　left　glowing　traces。　These　were　the　streets　and　avenues。　Around　and　about　was　the　bow　black　undulation　made　by　the　hills　against　a　sky　that；　where　it　joined　them　in　the　west；　was　still　a　glowing　turquoise；　as　though　reflecting　a　hidden　row　of　low…burning　gas　flames　strung　out　along　its　base。　Up　above　in　the　center　of　its　dome　it　had　darkened　to　night；　but　the　warm　rich　darkness　of　semitropic　night；　so　lavishly　scattered　with　stars　they　were　like　a　blinding　shower　of　permanently　upflung　confetti。　Or　the　after…stages　of　a　burst　skyrocket。
　　〃Now　I　can　die　happy！〃　the　girl　at　the　window　rhapsodized。
　　Marjorie　King；　her　traveling　panion；　more　practical；　smiled　into　the　dresser　glass　before　which　she　sat　pleting　the　final　touches　of　her　toilette。　She　was　a　brunette；　with　a　sort　of　stateliness　to　her　good　looks　that　the　other's　pertness　lacked。　Even　seated；　she　was　obviously　a　good　head　or　two　taller　than　the　other　girl。　The　casting　director　of　a　stage　production　could　have　differentiated　them　more　accurately　than　the　ordinary　layman；　Marjorie　was　the　show…girl　type；　Sally　the　pony　chorus　girl。　Neither　of　them；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　was　of　the　theater。　Sally　was　the　private　secretary　to　a　harvesting…machinepany　vice…president。　Marjorie　was　branch　manager　for　one　of　a　large　chain　of　candy　stores；　known　as　〃Handmaid；〃　where　everything　was　done　by　machinery　but　the　eating。　Both　were　on　their　first　real　vacation　in　years；　a　long…planned；　long…saved…for；　many…times…def　erred　sabbatical　that　they　had　practically　had　to　blackmail　their　respective　employers　for。　It　was　a　free…lance　trip；　they　would　have　nothing　to　do　with　conducted　tours　and　large；　sardinelike　cruise　parties　rushing　about　in　military　formation。
　　〃That's　Naples　you're　thinking　of；　isn't　it？〃　Marjorie　answered　the　remark。　〃And　anyway；　if　it's　all　you　say；　why　spoil　it　by　speaking　of　dying　in　the　same　breath　with　it？〃
　　〃Just　a　phrase；　just　a　turn　of　speech；〃　Sally　said；　turning　away　at　last　and　ing　toward　her。　〃When　you　feel　as　I　do　tonight；　it　has　no　meaning　at　all。　I　never　felt　so　alive　before　in　my　life！　This　place　certainly　brings　out　the　dynamism　in　you。　What're　we　doing　tonight？〃
　　Marjorie　stood　up；　ready　to　go。　〃This　was　your　night　for　making　the　plans；　haven't　you　got　anything　worked　out？　That　was　our　arrangement；　remember？　One　night　I'm　the　boss；　the　next　night　you　are。〃
　　Sally　essayed　analyzing　herself；　while　her　friend　went　around　putting　out　the　lights；　a　habit　that　they　were　not　accustomed　enough　to　hotels　to　have　broken　themselves　of　yet。　〃I　feel　sort　of　sentimental；　romantic。　It　must　be　that　out　there　brought　it　on。　None　of　these　jangling；　brassy　casinos　or　night　clubs　for　me　tonight。　I　feel　sort　of　pastoral…yes　that's　how　I　feel；　pastoral。〃
　　〃Pasteurized？〃　Marjorie　teased；　gathering　up　an　outer　wrap。
　　Sally　gave　her　a　push　at　the　rear　of　the　waist。　〃I　heard　somebody　or　other　mention　a　place　out　in　a　park　on　the　outskirts；　where　you　eat　in　the　open　air　under　the　trees；〃　she　resumed。　〃They　say　it's　beautiful；　all　colored　lanterns。