cw.blackalibi-第33节
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〃Are you sure you're all right？〃 he asked her solicitously； as they swung around the glorieta of the Puerta Mayor in a half circle； and then in。
〃I wasn't hurt at all myself；〃 she answered simply。 〃These stains are from twigs and leaves that smirched me when I went in there…where she was。〃
Robles had caught the sense of the remark by following the gesture of her hands。 〃You went in there； immediately afterwards？〃 he gasped in amazement。 〃But didn't you realize it could very well have attacked you； too？ It must have been still lurking near by。〃
She looked at the two of them as though she didn't understand； when Manning had repeated it for her。 〃But she was my friend；〃 she said。 〃I forgot about being frightened。 You don't go off and leave your friend behind…even when it's too late。〃
〃 Es admirable；〃 Robles mented softly； in an aside。
〃 Ya lo creo；〃 the American nodded vigorously。
〃You saw her？〃 They exchanged a look of consternation； knowing what it had been like three times before now。
〃Enough to know that…it was over；〃 she whispered。 〃It was dark； and I didn't have to see too much。 It hadn't dragged her very far； just off the road into some ferns。 I…I could see her foot sticking out through them。〃
Robles' own troubles came uppermost in his mind again。 He bunched a fist against his forehead in despair。 〃I may as well hand in my resignation tomorrow；〃 he muttered to Manning。 〃We were all warned； you heard what he said…〃
〃You've got something more to go by than you've had the times before； at least；〃 Manning tried to encourage him。 〃For the first time you have a surviving witness to one of these attacks。 Miss King may be able to help you in some unforeseen way。〃
〃It isn't that we need to be told anything about it！〃 Robles insisted heatedly。 〃What is there that we need to be told about it； anyway？ This isn't a human murder case that depends on such things as identification； witnesses； alibis； fingerprints。 It's that we haven't been able to catch the thing so far； that's all！〃
〃Stubborn jackass！〃 rasped Manning shorttemperedly； turning his head away。
〃Blind fool！〃 snapped the police inspector。
Somebody came out into the road ahead and flagged them with a pocket light to show that this was the place。 The car drew up at the roadside and the men all got out。 The girl remained in it； sitting in the middle of the spacious back seat； looking very alone there。 She sat staring dry…eyed at nothing； Manning noticed； giving her a last glance as he followed the others down the road and into the thickets。
A tiny constellation of pocket torches； only a short distance in； marked where the advance guard were awaiting their arrival； around the inscrutable ferns that formed the bier。
They went over one by one and had their look。 It was the same thing over； an attack of ravening ferocity that hadn't stopped with mere death； that had continued； insatiable； long past it。
〃This thing must be suffering with the jungle equivalent of rabies；〃 one of the men shuddered。 〃To shoot it down is not enough； it should be cauterized over a slow fire。〃
〃It should be caught first；〃 Robles seethed。
He and Manning emerged and went back to the car。 〃Better get the girl out of here before they bring the stronger lights；〃 the American suggested。 〃She has been through enough already without that。〃
〃Where are you stopping； Miss King？〃
〃Tell him the Inglaterra Hotel。〃
〃Hold yourself at our disposal for the next few days； that is all。 You may go now。〃
The departmental car turned and drove back with her。 The two men retreated into the thickets again。
One of Robles' subordinates shouted out suddenly； 〃I have found a print！ And what a one！〃 And as they all came converging upon him with a rush； Manning included； he added knowingly： 〃Maybe this will shut up your American friend； eh mi andante？ 〃 He was holding his torch trained steadily downward on it。 It was in a soft green bed of moss； not far from the body； the nearly perfect imprint of a gigantic cat's paw… somewhat like a three…leaf clover。
Robles turned on Manning almost savagely； as though taking out his frustration on him。 〃 Now tell me that wasn't made by a jaguar； I defy you to！〃
〃It was made by a jaguar；〃 acquiesced Manning glumly。 But then a moment later he continued： 〃It is too late in the game to ask me to change my viewpoint。 I have seen too much that supports it。 Now this； for example： these two girls running along one behind the other； the second one nearly at the first one's heels。 You heard what she said back at your office。 She didn't hear a sound。 She didn't even know the girl was missing until she had turned her head。 Well？ I don't care how swiftly it sprang on her； downed her right behind her friend's back； she would have had time to give her death cry at least； to gasp； to gurgle。 The sound of the fall alone would have been heard by the foremost girl。 Why wasn't it？ Because there was no fall。 She was lifted； not felled。 And there is only one way she could have been seized quickly enough to prevent both those things： the fall of her body and the instinctive cry of extinction… and that is by prehensile human hands closing around her windpipe； cutting off sound； hoisting her off her feet into the underbrush。〃
Robles advanced toward him almost with personal menace。 〃Do you realize that one blow from those terrible paws could crush her skull like an egg； kill her instantly？〃
〃Not instantly enough to keep a dying gasp； at least； from getting out。 Sound is formed in the throat； not the head。 It can only be cut off by constriction at the windpipe itself。 And then what about the muffling of the fall？ One goes down under a blow。 She was transported erect； I tell you。 She wasn't felled by the leap of an animal； she was snatched bodily off her feet in mid…career…by something upright itself！〃
〃Do you hear him？ He's still looking for a man in this。〃 Robles motioned offensively toward him with a jerk of his thumb。 Then he waved him off。 〃Don't waste my time。 I respected you until now； but you get worse as you go along。 You're making me lose all regard for your intelligence。 We found hairs of the jaguar's pelt on Teresa Delgado。 We found the broken tip of its claw imbedded in Conchita Contreras' throat。 We have found prints similar to this one on the ground about all of them。 The laboratory has even found traces of bloodpoison germs in their lacerations； such as these carnivorous animals are known to carry about imbedded in their claws。 Do we have to sit the thing upright in your lap to get you to agree to its existence！〃
〃Man alive！〃 the American burst Out exasperatedly。 〃There are signs all around you； big as life； and you won't take the trouble to see them； you're so dazzled by that Crusoe…like footprint of yours！ I don't even carry a badge； but I can see them； why can't you？ For instance； look at that broken sprig there； bent down at right angles。 That says what； to you gente？ 〃
Robles curled his lips disdainfully at the naпvetй of such a question。 〃It was swept aside and dislocated by the passage of the jaguar。〃
〃Ah。 And what was the jaguar doing； walking upright on its hind legs？〃 snarled Manning。 〃One of you stand over there alongside of it。 Any one of you； it doesn't matter which。 These ferns all around underfoot make the actual ground level bard to establish。〃
He fairly yelped his satisfaction when the parison had been effected。 〃Look at that！ It's even better than I thought。 There's a depression there under the ferns； a trough in the ground！ Your man's a five…and…half…footer and that dangling sprig is at the level of his shoulder。 What a twostory jaguar that must be； to have broken it up there at that height！〃
If he expected this to hold them； he was sadly mistaken。 Robles didn't even pay him the pliment of having to think twice； faltering for an instant before he came back at him。 〃Y que？〃 he drawled。 〃Must it follow the contour of the ground？ Is it a worm or snake？ It wasn't crawling flat on its belly。 Those two girls were in full flight and it was leaping headlong after them。 What does any quadruped do in such a case？ It vaulted over this hollow in the ground； its arched back swept that sprig aside； broke it。〃
Manning flung the undersides of his hands toward him。 〃You can have your jaguar！ You're wele to it。〃 He took a few steps away； stopped long enough to deliver a parting shot。 〃Just trace its movements for a second。 From the Callejуn de las Sombras； where it originally disappeared； around to the Pasaje del Diablo； in the working。 class quarter。 From there； all the way around again to All Saints Cemetery on the southern outskirts of town。 From there all the way across the city to the corner of Justicia and San Marco。 And from there； back once more to the Bosque； here on the north side。 All without being seen once！ Here's another thing。 All its victims have been women。 Not old； not even middle…aged； but all young girls。 That's a very precocious jaguar； caballeros。 It seems to specialize。〃 He turned his back on them with finality。 〃But there's no use talking to you。 It's just a waste of good breath。 I'm going home。〃
〃I'm sure we'll be practic
